Dear All
Portobello/Craigmillar Neighbourhood Network gathering is on Wednesday 18 March, 6-8pm at Richmond Craigmillar Church. We have updates on the community grant fund and the link with the National Lottery Community Fund. We’ll focus on the Neighbourhood Environment Projects (NEP’s) for both Transport & Environment and Housing. Finally, there will be updates on the North East Locality Community Planning Partnership and the review of our Locality Improvement Plan. Sounds dry – maybe – but it really isn’t. Lots of local agencies are working together to tackle poverty and inequality.
A reminder to respond to the Portobello Community Council Consultation, which is on a range of mobility and quality of life issues, not just the vexed question in the title. It builds on the event we held face to face with 70-80 people last week in the Library. We recognise this is not the only place we have challenges with too many vehicles blighting our lives rather than making the living and getting around easier for everyone. Click here: http://www.portobellocc.org/pccpn/2020/03/10/brunstane_rd_joppa_traffic/. And do remember to respond to the City Mobility Plan here: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/city-mobility-plan/.
City Plan 2030 too – link below. You have another couple of weeks to add you voice to the 300 individual members of the public who have helped us shape our ideas already. If you like the preferred Choices we have put forward, you do need to say so!
The Art Walk Porty 2020 deadline is looming soon to apply to the ‘Art in Shops’ programme. If you have any ideas for artworks or window displays on the ‘Groundwork’ theme for Portobello High Street shops, charity shop windows or Porty Light Box, click here: bit.ly/2PeaMTJ
Portobello Heritage Trust (PHT) have their AGM at 7.30pm on Tuesday 14 April in the small hall in Bellfield. There’s an illustrated talk on The Decorators given by Nicky Bird. This reflects Nicky’s work with lady decorators from Buchan Pottery with photographs and stories from their time in Buchan’s in the late 1960s. The Art Walk Porty and PHT kilns open weekends proved very popular. All welcome to the AGM. More information on PHT here: http://portobelloheritagetrust.co.uk/
I serve as a Trustee on the Pensions Committee for Lothian Pension Fund alongside representatives of employers and employees. From time to time, I get constituent emails asking me to persuade the Lothian Pension Fund to divest from one company or another or sell some classes of investments. This link is useful in showing what Lothian do instead. Click here: https://www.lpf.org.uk/downloads/file/96/engage-q1-2020
Thank you to all who have already kindly sponsored me for the Kiltwalk this year in aid of The Thistle Foundation. Still plenty of time to get training before September. Link is here: https://edinburghkiltwalk2020.everydayhero.com/uk/maureen-3.
OneCity Trust’s 2020 Main Grant Funding Programme is now open to applications for funding between £5,000 to £10,000. All the application details can be downloaded: https://www.onecity.org.uk/grant-awards/main-grant-funding-2020/ . The deadline is 5pm Friday 8 May 2020.
The C Listed Art Deco original George Cinema building at 14 Bath Street remains behind safety fencing. Applications to demolish or part demolish and build flats has been twice turned down and now the owners are being instructed by planning officers to make the building properly safe, wind and water tight, after independent structural engineers investigated.
Lothian Buses plc asked the Council to look into rationalising the number of bus stops on Edinburgh’s routes, arguing that end-to-end journeys could be speeded up a whole 5 minutes if only the bus didn’t have to stop quite so often to pick up or set passengers down. There was a plan to try out removing stops on the No 44 route, as a pilot, but we reckon most of the current hold ups are due to roadworks and too many other vehicles causing congestion, not the number of stops. Which bus stops are truly surplus to requirements?
A week today there is the Community Science Festival in Craigmillar at The White House 70 Niddrie Mains Road 12.30pm to 3pm and all are welcome, with a free lunch and activities for all. The stars are the young people of Castleview Primary, Niddrie Mill Primary and Castlebrae Community High School who with the help of scientists from Edinburgh BioQuarter and University of Edinburgh are well prepared to show you what wonders they have learned!
Last week’s David Calder’s Porty Podcast is about Portobello Town Hall and the group of local people led by Action Porty and The Wash House Community Centre who are exploring taking it on and running it: https://www.buzzsprout.com/71622/2936098
Do let me know if you want ‘updated’ on anything else or have further questions or comments. Best wishes for a good weekend!
Maureen
Councillor Maureen Child
Labour Councillor Portobello/Craigmillar Ward
Office: 0131 529 3268
Mobile: 07718 666 481
Facebook Page: Maureen Child Standing Up for Portobello/Craigmillar
Twitter: @MaureenChild1