Agenda

Including any notices of motion and any other items of business submitted as urgent for consideration at the meeting.

Members should declare any financial and non-financial interests they have in the items of business for consideration, identifying the relevant agenda item and the nature of their interest.

If any

Minute of Culture and Communities Committee of 5 October 2023  – submitted for approval as a correct record

Work Programme

Rolling Actions Log

Business Bulletin

By Councillor Walker – Fireworks

“Committee:

·       Condemns the events that took place in Niddrie and in other pockets across the city on Bonfire Night and the unnecessary danger this placed our emergency services and residents in.

·       Agrees the need for stricter regulations on the general sale of fireworks to members of the public.

·       Notes that ideally fireworks would only be permitted as part of organised events.

·       Requests a report on the cost and logistics of reinstating Council hosted firework displays and implementing a firework control zone.  

·       Requests the Council Leader write to the Scottish and UK Government asking for the general sale of fireworks to be banned.”

By Councillor Heap - Free Little Libraries

“Council notes: 

1.     That Little Free Library is a worldwide movement that aims to improve access to reading by promoting the installation of Little Free Libraries by local residents and community groups.  

2.     That Little Free Libraries are usually small, weather-proof boxes that are installed in public spaces and where communities can donate and collect free books (See Appendix 1), and that some have additional facilities such as mobile device charging points 

3.     That there are 9 such libraries registered on the LFL website in Edinburgh, and more registered on the Edinburgh Tool Library website. 

4.     The West and South of the city appear to lack LFLs compared to other areas (See Appendix 2) 

5.     The positive work of the Edinburgh Tool Library has done to help build and install the libraries 

6.     That 500,000 children across the UK do not own a book 
 

Council believes: 

1.     That an expansion in the number of Little Free Libraries would play a role in broadening access to reading in the city 

Actions 

Committee requests: 

1.     A report is presented to the Culture and Communities Committee within 2 cycles outlining what the Council can do to help local residents and community groups install a Little Free Library in their local area, including: 
 

a.     Support in identifying appropriate locations, including any appropriate Council-owned sites 

b.     Support in identifying areas of the city without LFLs 

c.     Support from appropriately-trained Council staff to build and/or install LFLs 

d.     Support for the Edinburgh Tool Library to continue to assist communities to create LFLs 

e.     Assistance to ensure LFLs are accessible to all members of the community 

f.      Grant funding to meet the modest costs of building and installing a LFL 

g.     Small donations of books from the Library Service and other appropriate parts of the Council 

h.     Any other issues officers deem relevant” 

By Councillor Osler – Right to Grow

“Committee notes:

1.    The ongoing cost of living crisis faced by many of Edinburgh’s residents and that amongst other things, this can impact the ability to afford good quality fresh food

2.    that Edinburgh has a shortage of allotments and that demand far exceeds supply

3.    that the last update it received on Allotment and Food Growing Provision was in November 2020.

4.    the positive mental and physical wellbeing of communities coming together to grow food, and

5.    that in October 2023, Hull City Council unanimously passed a “right to grow” motion, on Council-owned land that is deemed suitable for cultivation.

Committee asks:

6.     For a report in three cycles looking into the possibility of whether Edinburgh could also adopt “a right to grow” policy on Council-owned land that is deemed suitable for cultivation, and

For a Business Bulletin update in two cycles on Allotment and Food Growing Provision”

By Councillor Thornley – Neighbourhood Networks

“Committee notes;

1.    That Governance, Risk and Best Value Committee recently received a briefing note showing that only 4 of 13 Neighbourhood Networks across the city meet regularly.

2.    That Neighbourhood Networks can be complicated and inaccessible bodies for many and are frequently overly dependent upon a few key people to remain operational.

3.    That Neighbourhood Networks replaced the Neighbourhood Partnership model in 2019.

4.    The obligations placed upon the Council by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.

5.    The stated desire in the Council Business Plan 2023-27 to ‘evolve Community Councils and Neighbourhood Networks to ensure they provide communities with direct input”.

6.    That in some cases, Community Grants Funding is connected to Neighbourhood Networks, but not in others.

7.    That no updates are currently provided on what is supported by Community Grants Funding, what criteria are required to be met to secure funding, and there for what is being achieved within communities.

8.    A review of both Neighbourhood Networks and Community Grants Funding is currently ongoing

Therefore;

9.    Requests a report, within three cycles, providing an evaluation of the current situation of our Neighbourhood Networks and Community Grants Funding, including a judgement of the success of the current model, suggestions for how community engagement could be improved, barriers to that engagement removed, processes simplified to improve accessibility and how participatory budgeting can be preserved and enhanced.”

By Councillor McFarlane – Third Party Cultural Grants

“Committee:

1.1 Notes that at the October meeting of Culture and Communities the committee approved in principle the continuation of the three-year Strategic Partnerships Funding Programme

1.2 Understands that fifteen of these partners are also currently funded by Creative Scotland (with others potentially applying) and that they should expect to understand the outcome of their three-year funding applications in 2024 for implementation from April 2025. The award level will likely impact the sustainability and output of our cultural partners.

1.3 Recognises the limited officer resource within the council to manage and oversee the grant programme and therefore thanks officers for their ongoing hard work and relationship building with the sector meaning the programme has been aligned to the new city culture strategy outcomes and has been further enhanced by sector feedback.

1.3.1 Committee further recognises the extraordinary output of our strategic partners achieved despite the increasingly challenging financial circumstances.

1.4 Whilst recognising the limitations of the current budget and officer resource allocation for this programme, committee agrees that there may need to be some adjustments made to the three-year Strategic Partnerships Funding Programme after Year 1 to consider:

·       Potential impact (positive or negative) of future CEC budget decisions relating to the Third-Party Cultural Grants Fund for following financial years.

·       Proposed levels of Creative Scotland support for these organisations.

·       The potential opportunity to align CEC and Creative Scotland multi-year funding cycles.

·       Ongoing understanding through dialogue and engagement with the Council’s Third-Party Cultural Partners monitoring their sustainability considering the many pressures faced by the sector (most acutely felt by building based organisations) including inflation, the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, obligations to meet Fair Work First and climate adaption.

1.5 Committee requests that officers take the above into consideration before bringing the recommendations (in principle) for Year 2 of this programme to committee.”

By Councillor Staniforth - Ending the Use of Fossil-Fuel Powered Leaf Blowers

“Committee notes:

1.    That a 2011 study found that using a fossil-fuel leaf blower for 30 mins emits more carbon than a pick-up truck driving from Texas to Alaska.

2.    That globally cities such as Portland have banned fossil-fuel powered leaf blowers.

3.    That using leaf blowers outside of keeping paths clear of debris is damaging to biodiversity.

4.    That fumes such as those from fossil-fuel powered leaf blowers have been linked to an increase in the risk of cancer, heart disease and asthma.

Committee therefore:

5.    Requests a report to culture and communities within 2 cycles detailing options for:

5.1The council ending its own use of fossil-fuel powered leaf blowers.

5.2The council ensuring its contractors do not use fossil-fuel powered leaf blowers.

5.3 The council banning or regulating the use of fossil-fuel leaf blowers within   the city of Edinburgh.”

The Committee, is requested under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude the public from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they would involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.