An item of "Breaking News". Will appear on the Breaking News page and the front page.
On Friday morning we published Neil Jones’s e-mail to the Council appealing for clarity and competence on East Claremont Street ('Too small, too few, too unclear').
The half-baked introduction of a recycling system at one end there had caused nothing but confusion.
With surprising speed, matters have now been partially sorted out.
Edmund Farrow, Treasurer of Drummond CHS Parent Council, attended a meeting held by City of Edinburgh Council to discuss budget plans and strategies with Parent Council representatives on 24 November 2015.
The article below is based on his report of the meeting, with additional material by David Sterratt, Chair of Drummond Parent Council.
EAST SCOTLAND STREET LANE ENIGMA CANNOT BECOME AN OFFICE
The Scottish Government’s Reporter has refused planning permission for the ‘lock-up garage’ on East Scotland Street Lane to be used instead as an office (Ref. PPA-230-2154).
From the Scots Magazine of 18 November 1816:
As you may be aware, those of us who reside down the unfasionable east end of East Claremont Street are always cheered to receive correspondence from your good selves. So I’m sure you can imagine our delight when the most recent communiqué from your offices dropped through our letter boxes at the end of 2014 detailing the bin and recycling arrangements for the forthcoming year.
MORE DETAIL NEEDED ON HOW TO PAY AND HOW TO MANAGE
Councillors today voted to postpone a final decision on the Newhaven tram extension for another 18 months.
The delay will allow time for further scrutiny of the business case, particularly in the light of Lothian Buses’ financial plans for the period 2017–19 which are due to be completed in Spring next year.
Another report containing recommendations on how to proceed will be brought before the Council in Spring/Summer 2017.
Last week we published James Blake’s letter to Councillor Hinds (and her reply) concerning ‘Recycling chaos in Bellevue’.
Mr Blake yesterday received another Council communication, this time from a Community Waste Officer (CWO).
In it she explains that Bellevue’s new communal bins for dry mixed recycling are serviced by specialist side-loading vehicles, of which the Council has only a ‘limited number’.
On Monday we reported a recent planning decision in St Andrew Square, and lamented the current condition of the Gardens.
In researching that story, we found references to the original principles behind opening the area to the public in 2008, but could not find an original document laying out those principles on the Council's online Planning Portal.
It is still not available there, although we understand that Spurtle's prompting means it will appear soon.
Broughton has so far got off lightly in the recent inclement weather. Storm Desmond passed without major flooding.
The Water of Leith Conservation Trust reports that river levels peaked at noon on Sunday, with nearly 1.8m measured at the Murrayfield gauging station.
When the river flooded in April 2000, the equivalent measure was over 3m.
More to come
But don't put your wellies away just yet. With 20–40mm of rain expected widely across high ground, the Met Office has today issued a yellow warning of rain:
DETAILED PLANNING APPLICATION LATER THIS WEEK
Proposals to rehome St Mary’s Music School and create new public performance spaces in the old Royal High School were officially announced this morning.
A detailed application will be submitted to City of Edinburgh Council later this week.