Agenda and draft minutes

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 11 May 2023 – submitted for approval as a correct record

Decision

The approve the minute of the XXXX Committee of XXXX as a correct record.

Minute of Culture and Communities Committee of 8 June 2023 – submitted for approval as a correct record

Work Programme

Rolling Actions Log

Business Bulletin

The XXXX Committee Business Bulletin for XXXX was presented.

Response to Motion by Councillor Campbell - Lifelong Learning Review – Report by the Executive Director of Place

(Note:  Councillor Campbell has been called for this item)

Response to Motion by Councillor O'Neill - Edinburgh's Monuments and Commemoration – Report by the Executive Director of Place

(Note:  Councillor O’Neill has been called for this item)

By Councillor McFarlane - Closure of The Nelson Monument

“Committee:

1)         Notes that the Nelson Monument is managed by the City of Edinburgh Council Museums and Galleries and was closed to public access at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2)         Understands that there is currently no date for the reopening of the monument and that there are outstanding repairs and maintenance works required before it can reopen to the public and recommence generating revenue for the Council.

3)         Agrees to a Business Bulletin update at the next Culture and Communities Committee outlining the scope and nature of the works, how they are proposed to be funded and when we may expect the reopening of the monument.”

By Councillor Osler - Fire Service

“Committee notes with concern:

1)         That the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) plan to remove the height rescue appliance (turntable ladder) from Crewe Toll Fire Station.

2)         That this service change will leave the North West area of Edinburgh with no height rescue appliance even though this is needed to perform safe firefighting and rescues from buildings above 4 floors in height.

3)         That this will leave only two height rescue appliances in place to service the vast geographical areas of Edinburgh, West Lothian and the Scottish Borders.

Committee agrees:

4)         That the Council Leader should meet urgently with the Head of Service Delivery for SFRS East Area, to establish for residents, businesses and other organisations, and SFRS staff alike, the full implications of this service change and what funding or other resource is needed to maintain current service and safety levels.

5)         That the Council Leader will feed back to all Group Leaders and members of the committee following the meeting.

Committee further agrees that the Council Leader should write to the Scottish Government to express the Council's deep concerns at this change and to urge the Scottish Government to make sufficient resources available to ensure SFRS service and safety levels are maintained.”

By Councillor Thornley - Green Flag Awards

“Committee welcomes:

1)         The recent announcement by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful that 38 of Edinburgh’s Parks and Greenspaces have been presented with a Green Flag Award.

Committee notes:

2)         That the Green Flag Award is bestowed upon spaces which demonstrate excellent adherence to environmental and management standards.

3)         That Edinburgh is the local authority with the highest number of Green Flag awarded spaces in Scotland.

4)         That this represents over a third of the parks and greenspaces in Scotland to receive the award

5)         That 35 of the awarded parks are maintained by the Council, one by the Friends of Corstorphine Hill, one by NHS Lothian and one by Heriot Watt University.

6)         That ‘Friends of’ groups across the city also put in an enormous amount of effort to keep our parks safe, well maintained, and accessible.

Committee thanks:

7)         Council officers for their work and commitment over the past year, enabling so many of Edinburgh’s parks to achieve the award.

8)         ‘Friends of’ groups across the city, whose commitment shows how highly valued our parks and greenspaces are by local communities.”

By Councillor Thornley - Community Centre Strategy Reporting

“Committee notes:

1)         The high level of public interest in the Community Centre Strategy, and anecdotal evidence from elected members regarding an increased volume of correspondence regarding the Strategy and its implications.

2)         That Committee is not due to receive a report on progress with the strategy until mid 2024.

3)         The decision by committee on 7^th March 2023 to establish the Community Centre Strategy APOG.

4)         That the APOG has now met twice, and has agreed to meet every six weeks going forward.

5)         That APOGs are not decision-making bodies, open to the public or recorded for webcast.

6)         Thanks officers for setting up a briefing session for councillors to be held later this month.

Committee therefore agrees:

7)         That an interim report should be brought to committee for approval at its October meeting, providing an update on the approach being taken and progress to date.”

By Councillor Nicolson - Crewe Toll Fire Station (Turntable Ladder)

“Committee:

1)         Celebrates the year-round work of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in keeping our communities safe and thanks them for their service.

2)         Understands that there are plans to remove a turntable ladder appliance from Crewe Toll Fire Station, and that this equipment presently allows for access to buildings higher than four stories.

3)         Acknowledges that Crewe Toll and surrounding areas including proposed development at Granton Waterfront feature a large number of buildings of over four stories.

4)         Notes with regret that the removal of this appliance will mean that, post-September, if the other 2 appliances in the city are deployed or in-repair there will be no appliance in the city capable of dealing with a fire at height.

5)         Further understands that removing the appliance from Crew Toll is not backed by the Fire Brigade Union due to concerns for public safety.

6)         Therefore requests that the Convenor of the Culture and Communities Committee writes to the Edinburgh Divisional Commander of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in support of retaining this facility at Crew Toll Fire Station for the reasons aforementioned.”

(Note:  Councillor Nicolson has been called for this item)

By Councillor Parker - Grass Cutting Standards

“Committee:

1)         Notes that the Council declared a Nature Emergency in February 2023, recognising the current state of nature, its inherent value and the crucial role its recovery and restoration will play in realising climate targets.

2)         Notes that Plantlife’s annual “No Mow May” campaign which calls for green space managers not to mow grass during May is intended to maximize the space available for nature, and that this aim is in line with the Council’s declaration of a Nature Emergency.

3)         Recognises that the operational impact of implementing a “No Mow May” policy is significant and that there might be better ways of achieving the intended outcomes of the “No Mow May” campaign – for example, by expanding the Living Landscape areas currently designated in the city, and by looking at grass cutting standards more generally.

Therefore:

4)         Requests a report to Culture & Communities committee in 3 cycles to:

a)         explore how the Council could expand the number of Living Landscape areas across the city (including across variable environments, not just in naturalised grassland areas);

b)         explore how the Council could review grass cutting standards across its estate, looking at recategorizing areas to be kept to different maintenance standards – for example, designating recreation areas which have a more intense grass cutting schedule vs “wilder” areas such as greenways / road verges which have a more relaxed cutting regime.

5)         Agrees that this report will also include consideration of necessary workforce changes and budgetary implications to deliver this, a timeline for implementation and details about how this work could tie in with other Council work / strategies such as the Nature Network, Biodiversity Action Plan, Thriving Greenspace Strategy, 2030 Climate Strategy and Edinburgh Adapts plan.”

(Note:  Councillor Parker has been called for this item)

By Councillor Caldwell - Montgomery Street Park Helter Skelter

“Committee notes:

1)         The Helter Skelter in the Montgomery Street playpark is the last standing Council-owned public Helter Skelter in Edinburgh and has been fenced off for a number of months.

2)         The Helter Skelter is a meaningful piece of equipment, not just to residents in Hillside, but children across the city who have visited the park and ridden down it as a rite-of-passage.

3)         The Helter Skelter was closed and previously marked for demolition before the Friends group liaised with Parks. The Helter Skelter cannot be replaced as they are not made any more and new models are generally not insured, but repairs may allow the current insurance to continue.

4)         That the Friends of Montgomery Street Park have worked alongside the North East Parks team, liaised with local councillors, and explored options for an onsite safety assessment, which was due to start in July, as of writing.

Committee therefore requests;

5)         The Culture and Communities Convener liaise with Officers and the Friends of Montgomery Street Park to explore and identify funding options for the assessment, which will need to be paid for whether the Helter Skelter is able to be rescued or not after said assessment.

6)         The Convener reports back regarding funding to the Culture & Communities Business Bulletin in one cycle.”

(Note:  Councillor Caldwell has been called for this item)