Although there was no community council meeting in July we were still involved in meetings regarding trams, planning and Seafield. The next meeting of the community council will take place on Monday, 27th August at 7pm in Leith Community Centre.
Agenda27.8.18, LLCC Draft Ordinary Minutes May 2018, LLCC MINUTES Draft Jun 2018 (1)
Scottish Water finally put out an apology today after receiving several emails from me on behalf of the community council and those who live in the community.Scottish Water should we aware that there is an ongoing issue with odour emissions from Seafield due to the high number of complaints forwarded to them, local elected members, SEPA and City Of Edinburgh Council by you, the public.
The apology reads
Scottish Water is aware of an elevated level of odour related issues in the Leith Links area and would like to sincerely apologise to customers for the inconvenience this is causing.
During the unprecedented long spell of hot and dry weather the site operator Veolia has been taking all steps to ensure the operating conditions at Seafield WWTW are optimised including management of sludge levels. Veolia has progressed and implemented the agreed network related actions contained within the Strategic Odour Review. In addition, Scottish Water is checking operations within its wider network which connects to Seafield WwTW.
We are continuing to review what other measures may be implemented to address the situation during this period of dry weather and again we apologise for the inconvenience caused to customers.
The apology could have been copy and pasted from previous similar emails. Leith Links Community Council and Leith Links Residents Association are well aware of what causes the problem. City of Edinburgh Council sending out highly trained noses to agree or disagree with local residents over how strong and unpleasant a smell of sewage is no longer acceptable. If you as a local resident are effectively trapped in your house because of disgusting smells then that to me is totally unacceptable.
Last Tuesday there was a programme on BBC2 called Inside the Factory which showed the process of making toilet paper. During the programme they also visited the sewage works that services Brighton. What was the difference between Seafield and Brighton? All the areas that could cause odour emissions are covered.
Veolia who operate Seafield under a PFI contract from Scottish Water seem powerless to stop the stink. They are well aware of the problem because it’s not new and happens year after year.
How do we solve it? Money, lots of money to cover the settlement tanks at Seafield and reducing odour emissions by covering the areas where the sludge gathers and becomes septic. In these weather conditions sewage can become septic in the network because there’s not the usual rainfall to flush it through so it’s probably arriving at Seafield already septic and producing the honk.
I have been in contact with Ben MacPherson MSP to arrange a meeting with the community council and residents association. We will be lobbying for a move to demand that Scottish Government provide the necessary funding for work to be done on the plant.
15000 people were at Easter Road last night to watch the football and they could smell the sewage. What a wonderful advert for our capital city when visitors from Greece are greeted by the smell of excrement.
Please continue to report the Great Stink and tell your friends to do it. You can be sure that politicians do pay attention when they receive lots of emails reporting the stench especially when election time isn’t too far away.
Thanks
Jim
The next meeting of Leith Neighbourhood Partnership will take place on Thursday, 14th June in Nelson Hall, McDonald Road Library at 6.30. Meetings are open to the public. Agenda and Minutes attached.
All welcome
Over the past few weeks there has been an increase in odour emissions from Seafield. It’s disgusting and ruins local residents’ enjoyment of this good spell of weather. I’m disappointed to report that Veolia have been slow to react to public concerns and if SEPA and City of Edinburgh Council have taken any action they haven’t communicated that to the community council or local residents association who have been working hard on your behalf for many years. Rob Kirkwood from Leith Links Residents Association and I will be meeting with Ben MacPherson MSP on Monday evening to raise our concerns. I will then give you a full update on where we go from here.
The AGM and next meeting of Leith Links Community Council will take place on Monday, 28th May at 7pm in Shore Room, Leith Community Centre.
All welcome, interesting visiting speakers
Please come along this Sunday 20th May to help with a joint cleanup with the WoL Conservation Trust..
Come along and help us for a couple of hours. As well as making a difference you can enjoy the sunshine and meet new people who also care about cleaning up the litter, plastic and general rubbish that spoil were we live and work
The weather looks good with warm sunshine so hope to see you there.
We are meeting at Coalie Park at 10.30am. See the link below if you are not sure of were that is – it’s off Coburg St opposite the Ostara cafe
http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=326616&Y=676474&A=Y&Z=106
Hope to see you there.
PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH COMMERICAL UNITS AND ASSOCIATED LANDSCAPE, DRAINAGE, ROADS AND INFASTRUCTURE ON BEHALF OF BDW TRADING LIMITED. Baltic Street
A chance for the public to view another pre planning application for a housing development in Leith. This project is at an early stage but will be for approximately 200 new homes.
These will be for private sale with 25% affordable homes provided. The application has been submitted on behalf of BDW Trading Limited. Details for the public event are below.
Location – Leith Public Library
Date – Wednesday 9th of May 2018
Time – 3pm till 7:30pm
The next meeting of the Leith Links Community Council will be held on Monday 30th April
at 7pm, in the Shore Room, Leith Community Education Centre, New Kirkgate.
Visiting Speakers on update of Leith Links Playpark
All welcome
LLCC draft Minutes March 18 Agenda 30.4.18
Please, find attached this month’s Newsletter from the Leith Community Education Centre Management Committee with very important information. Please, make sure to circulate this Newsletter among your group members to make sure that everyone is aware of the changes to come. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Also, please note that there is a special meeting set up by the Management Committee on the 26th of April, Thursday 7:00pm in the café to discuss the possible changes to our community centre and how they will affect the groups.
The Chairperson and Treasurer of our Management Committee are stepping down in September this year and if we won’t find volunteer to take their place we might have to shut down the centre, as it cannot run without a Management Committee.
The weather forecast for next week is for us to have some sun. If you have some time to help us then please come along on Tuesday 17th April 10.30am – 1pm. We are having a clean up along the paths along the Water of Leith. We want will clean-up both sides of the river and walkway between Coburg Street car park – and West Bowling Green Street. We will be joining the WOL Conservation Trust Volunteer Team and staff from Change Works. The event will also be advertised as part of Changes Work’s Earth Day,
If you are coming please wear weather appropriate clothes you do not mind getting mucky. The WOL Conservation Trust will provide all equipment for the clean-up (gloves, black bags, litter pickers etc). We are meeting in Coalie Park and work with the team during the morning. Here is a link to a map where an arrow points to the start location.
http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=326616&Y=676473&A=Y&Z=106
Hot drinks will also be provided halfway through the clean-up.
City of Edinburgh Council will take away the litter at the end of the clean-up.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any clarification.
