Dear All

Sorry about the break In Update service last week.  I found it hard to get myself motivated to do anything work-wise, to be honest.  My heart wasn’t in it.  I guess many of you feel the same, at times?

Portobello Community Council [PCC) is putting together information on two proposals for the use of Portobello Town Hall.  The community-led proposal is from Portobello Central and a commercially-led proposal is from a dance company headed by Peter Shauffuss.  At a well attended PCC Teams Meeting, over a week ago, Jayne Saywell (Wash House Treasurer) and Jennifer Elliot (Bellfield Treasurer)  spoke about ‘Portobello Central’, ably supported by local residents Shauna Macdonald (Edinburgh Youth Theatre) and Morag Phillips (Lothian Dance Academy). Nobody was there to speak to the Shauffuss proposal.  They have been passed a few questions and PCC await answers.  For more information and to respond to the PCC consultation: http://www.portobellocc.org/pccpn/2021/02/03/have-your-say-on-portobello-town-hall-options/.  I will definitely have more on this next week.

David Calder’s Porty Podcast always gives great service to our Portobello community.  Geoff Pearson, a member of the Portobello Central team talks to him here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/71622/7395631.  Justin Kendrick of Action Porty was on Porty Podcast last week. Listen here: https://player.fm/series/porty-podcast-2289726/ep-196-the-future-for-community-action-in-porty.  David has also started broadcasting a daily local news service, available on on Twitter and Facebook.

Last week, Councillors agreed to advertise an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) to close Brunstane Road to vehicles and to restrict access on residential streets in the so called Coillesdene ‘Joppa Triangle’.  This legal ETRO process allows for objections and a further referral to Committee before it could go ahead, at the earliest in September 2021.  The report is at Item 7.4 here: https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=136&MId=5661&Ver=4 

and you can hear the Committee’s deliberations here: https://edinburgh.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/541466.  There is a standard letter detailing my own long-standing position on this issue, sent out this last week, but I will try my absolute level best to answer each one individually in due course.

Our annual round of local Community Grants Fund is open for applications. Constituted voluntary organisations or community groups in Portobello/Craigmillar Ward can apply for up to £2,500. The application deadline 19 February this year. For more information, email communitygrantfundpcnn@ea.edin.sch.uk

This is very well worth a listen!  Shauna Macdonald, Andrew Crummy and Julia Amour talked with Joyce McMillan in a Cockburn Association virtual panel discussion last Saturday about community arts and the Edinburgh Festivals.  Both Portobello and Craigmillar people and places feature strongly.  The school which Edinburgh Festival worked with over three years, mentioned by Joyce and Julia, Castlebrae Community High School. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxYC-H8jPXA&feature=youtu.be

If you missed the first opportunity to sign up for Council garden waste collections for this year to November, a new registration window is open now until 2 pm on 16 February.  Click here: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/gardenwaste.  More help with reducing household waste in this great information resource from Changeworks: https://community.changeworks.org.uk/reusemap

The foundation of space planning for the future of cities like Edinburgh is the notion of ‘20 minute neighbourhoods’.  We have the makings of this in Portobello already.  Find out what that might be all about here: https://www.improvementservice.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/23173/EMBriefing-20MinuteNeighbourhoods.pdf

Meal Makers match up people willing to make meals to share with people isolated and living alone.  They have more willing volunteers than people to serve in EH15 postcodes right now.  If you know anyone who would benefit from a match with a meal maker, have a look here and refer: https://www.mealmakers.org.uk/Home/COVID19

The Council agreed to promote Little France Park as a Local Nature Reserve and a consultation has opened on this to take it further forward  See here, and please do help make this happen: https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/lnr-little-france-park/

Good news that that the promised replacement bollards at BIngham Tunnel will be installed next week, if the winter weather allows. The drop crossing and other welcome new alterations are not classified as urgent.  Under Covid-19 restrictions, those are programmed for May.

Our fabulous Portobello Community Council is collaborating with three other Community Councils on the possible future development of Seafield industrial area, which is part of Craigentinny/Duddingtson Ward.  Click here to find out what they have been up to here: http://www.portobellocc.org/pccpn/2021/01/30/seafield-connecting-coastal-communities/

One of the things keeping me sane, over this tough period, is walking once a day around the local area, whatever the weather.  Sightings of fallow deer, dippers, redwings, otters, snowdrops – and the brief chat or smile exchanged with human beings sure does help! So it is timely that Paths for All are coming forward with this bid to prioritise spending on making walking an even better experience.  Click here: https://www.pathsforall.org.uk/news-post/scottish-walking-charities-urge-government-to-invest-in-walking

The Jack Kane Community Centre in Craigmillar does fantastic work at the best of times and in these very worst of times their innovation, positivity and community creativity are never more needed .  Their monthly management committee meetings are a real joy to attend, both virtually and face to face.  See what they a have been up to here – read and marvel, learn and enjoy!  Click here: https://sway.office.com/Bcn0Cqj6Dqa1CRuN

Have a good weekend and do stay safe and well – mentally and physically!

Maureen