JUNE 2026 MEETING - Draft Report

Prepared: 18 June 2026.         

Minutes of GPCC Ordinary Business Meeting, Wednesday, 17 JUNE 2026 (18.45) 

at Cameron House Community Centre, 34 Prestonfield Avenue, Edinburgh. 

ATTENDANCE 

Ward Councillor Cllr. Steve Burgess

Members Ian Chisholm (IC), Peter Cochrane (PC), Sally Griffiths (SG), Andreas Grothey, Ellen Jackson (ERJ), Neil Kempsell (NK), Peter Jones (PJ) Ken Robertson (KR), Cori Schwabe (CS), Ian Wright (IW), Alison Wood (AW).

(Alison Wood represented the Grange Association.)

Apologies Hrafn Malmquist (HM)

1. WELCOME Chair. Audio or Video Recording: None.  

2. APOLOGIES Declared. 

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST None.

4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Report of 20 May 2026 adopted. (NK, KR) 

5. MATTERS ARISING NOT COVERED IN AGENDA None

6. EXTERNAL REPORTS 

6.1 Ward Councillor Report 

1. Rankin Drive Parking Restrictions: Strong pushback from local residents via email. From enquiries, the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is now in force and cannot be rescinded. Removal / curtailment of restrictions would require to be contested through a new TRO.

2. Ward Councillor Simita Kumar resigns to take a seat in the Scottish Parliament and a Government post. Southside / Newington by-election will be held on 3 September, with Notice of Election published on 15 July. The election will be on a first-past-the-post basis. Local Authority elections follow in May 2027.

3. Ward Councillors Steve Burgess, Pauline Flannery and Tim Pogson will cover former Cllr.  Kumar’s responsibilities.

4. City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) meets on 25 June. (Agenda here: https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=150&MId=7607&Ver=4 )

Note: Submission of CEC Unaudited Annual Accounts 2025-26 / Consultation of Drug Consumption Room / Evidence Report for City Plan 2040 / Motion on Bleed Kits Procurement.

Note: Question from Cllr. Flannery: Management of TRO considerations – community objections. (Context: Rankin Drive)

Note: Question from Cllr. Flannery: Scottish Govt legislation to reduce planning restrictions for cross-pavement EV charging gullies.

7. GPCC REPORTS

7.1 Past Action Points: None

7.2 Planning:

1. Decision on Cameron House Nursery: Query raised with CEC Planning Department about the scope for confusion over how planning application approvals (and the terms thereof) are displayed against the wording of the initial application, on the Planning Portal. Response awaited. (KR)

7.3 Licensing: Nil

7.4 Police Reports: 

1. No date for a Ward 10 South-East Police Forum, led by Police Scotland at St. Leonard’s. NK to contact Community Police Sergeant Rachel Lumsden.  

2. Rising incidence of local car thefts noted.

7.5 Roads and Transport:

1. Rankin Drive Parking Restrictions: Now due for introduction (Sep 2026) under Traffic Regulation Order TRO/24/34. Heavy flow of local resident complaints directed to Convener, Transport & Environment Committee, copied to GPCC. Wide range of objections.

GPCC’s tabled objection (March) centred on the imbalanced and disproportional scale of restrictions versus local street circumstances. Convener’s response is that the TRO is in place and cannot in itself be reversed.

2. KR noted the TRO Sub-Committee (12 May) process of approval of TRO/24/34 itself. This raised questions about fair procedure in relation to acknowledging and giving due attention to local neighbourhood objections submitted at the initial consultation. (See reference to Cllr. Flannery in 6.1.4 above.) Gaining ‘representation’ at the TRO Sub-Committee to reinforce a local consideration is very difficult to achieve.

3. Pedestrian Crossing Assessment Framework: The Road Safety Unit at the Council advises that a request for a pedestrian crossing can now be made using an online mapping tool: Request a Pedestrian Crossing . Here, members of the public can indicate the location where they would like a crossing to be installed. (This includes signalled crossings.) The map will be left open all year round.

Requests will provide the Road Safety Team with a list of suggested locations. Officers will collate and assess the requests on a quarterly basis. If the application is successful, a crossing will be prioritised according to its score and updates will be reported on the Road Safety website on a yearly basis, when all sites have been assessed and those for delivery identified.

7.6 Engagement Programme:

1. Engagement programme over H2: No decision on timing or scope of public meeting.

2. CS requests back-up support on Newsletter production schedule.

3. Online mapping facility for Southside Newington, to capture ‘local opinion’ on ‘likes / dislikes / goods / bads’. CS and IW investigating access to this facility for GPCC.

7.7 Website Development Plan:

1. Work by HM continues. No update. Completion expected in August.

8 REPORTS FROM OFFICE BEARERS

8.1 Chair (NK)

1. Introductory remarks: GPCC profile should capture a relevant narrative for ‘local democracy’ / visible community engagement and partnership with local groups and associations / a focus on defined local issues / encouragement to new members or partners to work on specific remits / good internal structure and organisation.

2. Community Grants Fund: The Community Grants Fund (CGF) is a small grants scheme provided by the Council. Grants of up to £5,000 can be awarded to constituted groups for local community activity. The purpose of the fund is to support local groups to try new things and develop small-scale activities that will benefit or add value to their community. Applications close on Monday 29 June 2026. (NK chairs the Southside Newington Award Panel, which will meet on 24 August.)

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/community-planning/community-grants-fund

8.2 Treasurer (AG)

1. GPCC balance £3456. FoNC balance £3340, upon purchase of a further memorial stone (£1280).

2. Treasurer’s Report for 2025-26, certified by Independent Examiner, tabled for Members. Approved by NK, KR; to be submitted to CEC Governance.

8.3 Secretary (KR)

1. Reid Memorial Church pending closure and sale; public meeting on 18 June at 18.30, at the church hall.  

2. City Plan 2040 ‘Call for Ideas’: This CEC consultation will open in early July, for 12 weeks. https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/ The focus is on local land, buildings, space and facilities. What could be altered / encouraged / protected / enhanced / built / taken down / added / improved / tidied-up? What would give the area a better look or feel? Small ideas could lead to meaningful change in the next Local Development Plan. Make your contribution.

3. What scope for GPCC to lead on a ‘local history trail’ for city visitors (and local visitor accommodation providers)?

4. Living Streets Edinburgh AGM: short report on the GPCC website.

5. Northfield Willowbrae CC has published its draft Local Place Plan. A spur for ‘Call for Ideas’ in this area. Refer to it here. https://northfieldandwillowbrae.org.uk/

9 REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE GROUPS

9.1 Newington Cemetery (ERJ)

1. Strong volunteer work on beds and planters; council work on grass cutting; new bench still to be positioned. Parking intrusions continue. Disturbance from dogs off-the-lead.  

9.2 EACC (KR)

1. Cockburn Association leads the next EACC meeting on 25 June.

10 OTHER BUSINESS:

1. NK raised with Cllr. Burgess the status of the delayed Prestonfield Road / Priestfield Road street landscape programme. From subsequent contact with CEC, Cllr. Burgess passes on that the design for Prestonfield Road is still to be completed. It’s hoped that works will commence before end-March 2027; the Priestfield Road design project is on hold due to objections there to street trees.

The Roads and Infrastructure Team current priority in this area is with the road re-surfacing of the A701, along Minto Street, Mayfield Gardens and Craigmillar Park, this relating to the July 2027 Tour de France event.

2. NK profiles the Prestonfield Bowling Green Garden Open Day on 21 June (along with the weekly gardening sessions there) and the Bridgend Summer Party on 27 June

3. Living Streets AGM: PJ reports on the LS campaign for safe pavements for the mobility-impaired.

4. Grange Association: May draw up and report a list of 20 worst roads / pavements in the area.

5. May 2027 Local Authority elections; GPCC could consider an election hustings event.

11: FUTURE MEETINGS Wednesdays at 18.45 on 16 Sep, 21 Oct, 18 Nov, 16 Dec.

Compiled by KR 

GPCC Office Bearers:  

Neil Kempsell, Chair; Ellen-Raissa Jackson, Deputy Chair; Ken Robertson, Secretary; Andreas Grothey, Treasurer; Cori Schwabe, Community Engagement.