Category: Leith Links Community Council

Next Meeting of Leith Links Community Council, 30 January, 6:30pm online

The next meeting of the Leith Links Community Council will be held on Monday 30 January 2023, at 6:30 pm, online, via MS Teams.

Agenda for 30 January 2023 is here. We are experimenting with a new format whereby elected representatives and local residents can raise issues earlier in the meeting.

Last month’s Minutes are here: Minutes of the Leith Links Community Council meeting 28 November 2022

As always, this meeting is open to interested members of the public. If you wish to attend, please email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk and you will be sent a link for the meeting (nearer the time). If you have any items you wish to raise, please email these in in advance if possible.

 

Leith Local History Society

After an absence of two years due to covid Leith Local History Society returns with a programme of talks over the next five months. Unfortunately numbers of people attending meetings have dropped as some members have moved on.

It would be great to see new faces so if you’re interested in finding about the history of the local area it would great to see you

The next meeting of the Leith Local History Society will be held on Tuesday 17 Jan. at 7.00pm in Leith Community Centre. The Talk will be – Old and New Leith a series of slides comparing how Leith has changed in the last 150 years.

LLHS MEETING

 

Best wishes

Jim Scanlon

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Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all in our local community! We hope you had a good festive season. Looking forward to working for you in 2023. Keep an eye out for updates and ways to get involved in local matters this year.

What are your priorities for 2023? And what should be ours as your community council?

Let us know by emailing us at contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk

Communal Bin Hubs – have your say!

Communal Bin changes – tell the Council what you think by 18 December, via https://bit.ly/bin-hubs-survey

Do you use communal bins?  Have you noticed the changes the Council has made recently to your bins? The Council has been creating ‘bin hubs’ providing new bins, more bins, some different bins and – they say – more frequent collections. In some places they have moved the location of the bins. The overall aim is to improve the amount of waste which can be recycled, though it is also expected to improve street cleanliness if bins are emptied more regularly, and overflow less.

The Council now wants to know what you think about these changes, and whether your recycling habits have been affected. A short online survey has been set up by the charity Changeworks (posters about it have been placed on the inside stairwell doors of over 500 buildings across 96 streets in the Leith area). Residents can access the survey by scanning the QR code on the poster or typing the web address (https://bit.ly/bin-hubs-survey) into a browser. (Anybody can participate and input their views, you don’t necessarily have to have a poster.)

Please use this chance to have your say – the deadline has been extended to 18th December

Survey questions cover communications about the changes and whether you think things like street cleanliness have improved as a result of the new bin hubs. The survey does not ask directly if you are happy with the location of the new communal bin hubs, but there is a ‘comments’ box that you can use to say what you think about where the Council chose to locate the bin hub. Is it in a sensible place that you can access easily? Is it too close to windows or doorways? Are there problems with noise, or smells, or parking? The Council did not consult people prior to installing them in Leith. If you are unhappy with the location of your bin hub, write the details into that comments box AND don’t hesitate to contact one of your Councillors and the local Community Council and we will see how we can help.

Tell your Councillors

If you miss completing this survey, or find it inaccessible, you could also contact any of your local Councillors about this issue and/or let the Community Council know your views – we would all love to know what you think about the changes. Contact details:

Elected City Councillors:

Cllr Chas Booth – chas.booth@edinburgh.gov.uk

Cllr Katrina Faccenda – Cllr.Katrina.Faccenda@edinburgh.gov.uk

Cllr Adam McVey – adam.mcvey@edinburgh.gov.uk

Leith Links Community Council – contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk

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The Council say they will share the findings of the Survey with us in the New Year. The Community Council also monitors the state of communal bins and suggest improvements. Any additional information or views from local residents is really helpful for us, to be able to represent your views and experiences of this important local service, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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Next Meeting of Leith Links Community Council, 28 November, 6:30pm online

The next meeting of the Leith Links Community Council will be held on Monday 28 November 2022, at 6:30 pm, online, via MS Teams.

We were hoping to have a speaker from the City of Edinburgh Council to talk about the approaching Leith Controlled Parking Zone, but that will not happen this month, although they have promised to send us a ‘Briefing’ about the CPZ as soon as possible, which can be used to share information and raise questions and discussion, prior to a fuller  discussion about it with a Council Officer at a future CC meeting. It remains to be seen whether this Briefing will arrive in time for our meeting next week

The Agenda for 28 November 2022 is here.

Last month’s Minutes are here: Minutes of the Leith Links Community Council meeting 31 October 2022

As always, this meeting is open to interested members of the public. If you wish to attend, please email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk and you will be sent a link for the meeting (nearer the time).

O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree

In last weeks Evening News, there was an article detailing where the council would be installing Christmas trees around the city this year. Leith wasn’t mentioned.

Last year because of ongoing tram works the council decided not to put one at the usual central Leith spot at the Kirkgate.  I know we all have enough on our minds with fuel and food costs going through the roof but a bit of Christmas cheer would be welcomed.

When I asked why another location couldn’t be found to place a tree, I was informed that the council had planted one in Taylor Gardens.

Exhibit 1

The council did eventually install a full size tree, which we welcomed, but could have been placed more centrally possibly at the Shore outside Malmaison or outside Bank of Scotland in the Kirkgate where many more tourists and Leithers pass during the day.

This year we had the same excuse about tram works for no tree at the Kirkgate but the council told us they had planted a tree beside Leith Library.

Exhibit 2

The council also intend to install a full size tree in Taylor Gardens but when I passed there yesterday there was one Christmas light from the bottom of Leith Walk stuck on a lamp post.

Why have I decided to moan? Because I feel the people of Leith deserve better and have stoically put up with continual disruption to their lives from ongoing tram and road works.

Having had a year to investigate alternative sites, it should have been simple for the council to find somewhere for a tree in Leith’s historic centre where more people pass including much welcomed visits from tourists.

Rightly or wrongly it does give the impression that the council really don’t care.

From an environmental point of view I applaud them for their tree planting but it could be 20 years before these trees are mature enough to be decorated.

After all Leith has been through over the last few years surely it’s not a lot to ask for a Christmas tree to be located in the heart of the community to be enjoyed by all.

Jim Scanlon MBE

Chair, Leith Links Community Council

 

 

 

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Trees in Pots, the latest instalment….

Following the dry spell in the spring / summer when they all nearly died, some of the trees in pots at the foot of Easter Road / Academy Lofts / Leith Links have now been offered a new life. Four of them have now gone to live on a farm (sorry – in a park) liberated from their pots and free to wiggle their roots, grow, express their authentic selves, and live their lives out – hopefully – in peace and harmony.

The Parks Dept. have now taken them away from the Academy Lofts entrance to Leith Links. The big, rusty, graffitied iron pots are gone.

The trees will be relocated into the ground somewhere – either elsewhere on Leith Links (we hope) or in another park.

Overall, this is probably a good thing. We wish them ‘Bon Voyage’ and ‘Have a happy life!’

That leaves 9 other trees in pots still in the area – one outside the Persevere (dead), which we’ll keep trying to get removed, and (living) 3 outside Tesco’s car park on Easter Road, 4 outside the front of Academy Lofts on Duke Street and one on Duncan Place opposite Academy Lofts. Please can we as a local community continue to keep an eye out for them and water them next spring as and when they look like they need it? (It was amazing earlier this year how they all arose from the apparently dead and perked up,  as soon as they got watered and rained on!)

Next LLCC Meeting, Monday 31 October, 6:30pm online

The next meeting of the Leith Links Community Council will be held on Monday 31 October 2022, at 6:30 pm, online, via MS Teams.

We were hoping to have a speaker from the City of Edinburgh Council to talk about the proposed Leith Controlled Parking Zone, but our invitations have so far not been successful.

Last months Minutes are here Minutes of the Leith Links Community Council meeting held on 26th September 2022 

The Agenda for the 31st October meeting is here.

As always, this meeting is open to interested members of the public. If you wish to attend, please email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk and you will be sent a link for the meeting (nearer the time).

Remembering Lost Leithers

It’s always a shock when you hear about the death of a much loved Leither. 

This week has been particularly bad with the deaths of three people who contributed so much to our community.

The Queen of Leith, Mary Moriarty died last week and her funeral is on Tuesday 25th October. A service will be held in South Leith Parish Church at 12pm then on to Seafield Crematorium (limited spaces). You will then have the chance to raise a glass to Mary in The Dockers Club and share your memories with friends.

Mary was well known in Leith, not only as the owner of the famous Port of Leith pub where many a fun night was had, but also for her many years of hard work with Leith Festival helping it survive through good times and bad.

From my window I remember that on the day before the gala Mary would be out on the Links spraying and numbering the pitches for the gala day stalls.

She was always there at the crack of dawn on the Saturday and still there hours after the last stall had left with a litter picker and black bin bag making sure the park was cleaner than how she had found it.

I’m proud to say that I knew Mary for many years, and she will be sorely missed by many of us in the Leith community who will all have our fond memories of her. She could always make you smile even when you were feeling down.

I also lost another friend, Jim Tweedie recently who died over a week ago and his funeral is on Friday, 28 October, Warriston Crematorium at 2pm. 

Jim was a hard working member of the Leith Community and Chair of Leith Local History Society preserving our history and informing new residents about our rich past.

The society continue to meet on the third Tuesday in the month in the community centre and with a series of monthly talks.

Jim and I were also on the steering group to save Custom House for the people of Leith and with the help of local councillors, especially Councillor Gordon Munro the city council was persuaded to purchase the building using Common Good Funding. Work to establish a heritage display in the building is ongoing.

Finally, Davie Jeneil who ran a successful jewellers shop in Great Junction Street for over 30 years providing gifts for the many birthdays, weddings and celebrations of Leithers.

I also knew Davie as a great supporter of Leith Rules Golf Society. His family always put in a team for the Foulis Medal. A fun competition on the Links every year using hickory golf clubs which is open to local Leith businesses and community groups.

When Davie’s son in law turned up to play, I always thought we would be quicker just handing him the medal because he is such an excellent player.

Davie also supported the society by providing the quaichs and engravings for our other team events and again he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

On behalf of Leith Links Community Council, I would like to extend our condolences and best wishes to the family and friends of all these great Leithers who we will all miss.

Jim Scanlon MBE

Chair 

Leith Links Community Council

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