SEPTEMBER 2026 MEETING - Draft Report

Prepared: 17 September 2026.  

DRAFT Report on the GPCC Ordinary Business Meeting, Wednesday, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (18.45) at Cameron House Community Education Centre, 34 Prestonfield Avenue, Edinburgh. 

IN ATTENDANCE

Ward Councillor: -

Members: Ian Chisholm (IC), Sally Griffiths (SG), Ellen Jackson (ERJ), Neil Kempsell (NK), Hrafn Malmquist (HM), Ken Robertson (KR), Cori Schwabe (CS), Ian Wright (IW) + Harry Ness from the Office of Ian Murray MP

Public: George Baird, Claire Kirkby, Scott Simpson, Jo Thor

Apologies: Cllr. Pauline Flannery, Peter Cochrane (PC), Andreas Grothey (AG), Peter Jones (PJ)

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

2. APOLOGIES Declared. 

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST None.

4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Report of 17 June 2026 adopted. (IC, IW) 

5. MATTERS ARISING NOT COVERED IN AGENDA None

6. EXTERNAL REPORTS 

6.1 Ward Councillor Report: Nil

7. GPCC REPORTS

7.1 Past Action Points: None

7.2 Planning: See Agenda Notes (e.g. ①)

1. Craigmillar Park ①: Retrospective Planning Application to be submitted.

2. Cameron House Avenue ④: No further news.

3. 11 Cobden Road; vacant back land plot ⑪: Planning Application 26/03390/FUL: 25 Sep close: Objections voiced and noted. No action at this time.

7.3 Licensing: Nil

7.4 Police Reports:

1. KR to follow-up 1 Sep query to Community Police Sergeant Rachel Lumsden on status of South East Police Forum and of community police reports.

ACTION KR

7.5 Roads and Transport: See Agenda Notes

1. Rankin Drive Parking Restrictions ②: Now due for implementation (from Sep 2026) under Traffic Regulation Order TRO/24/34 which was approved at CEC Committee on 12 May.

2. GPCC deputation to 10 Sep Transport & Environment Committee ③: GPCC requested an improvement to Traffic Regulation Orders Sub-Committee (TRO SC) procedure whereby any community council response to a TRO consultation is specifically identified as apart from the general public response, and placed on-the-record for discussion.

3. Carriageway Resurfacing Work: Minto Street, Mayfield Gardens, Craigmillar Park ⑥: CEC works notification letter will be distributed to residents and businesses. Phase 1 structural works over Oct and Nov. Phase 2 resurfacing works commence in Jan 2027.

There will be temporary signage, traffic disruption and spillover impact into side streets. GPCC to ask for further information from CEC Operational Services (Roads and Infrastructure) on safeguarding arrangements once the works notification letter has been published.

ACTION NK, SG

4. Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) S8 ⑩: The proposal is to replace the existing B1 Priority Parking Area (PPA) across Southside Newington with a CPZ: The proposal (TRO/24/12) was submitted to TRO SC on 11 Sep. (Agenda Item 4.4 TRO/24/12.

I am informed (17 Sep) that Item 4.4 was one of three Reports deferred for consideration until the next TRO SC on 5 Nov. This was because of drafting errors in the Report recommendations which came to late notice.

The legal process to introduce a CPZ in place of the existing B1 PPA will be finalised after whatever approval is given. All objectors to the TRO will be contacted by the Council. After 12 months of implementation, the Council will engage with Ward Councillors to discuss the results of monitoring surveys and issues of parking migration or displacement which are in evidence.

It is a matter of Council policy that private car use in the inner city be reduced. The discussion this evening with members of the public in attendance reflected the disparate impacts of that policy application and the varied consequences.

These include the spread of commuter parking to the Priestfield and Prestonfield areas, outwith the new CPZ, and the loss of parking on Dalkeith Road if a bus lane is introduced. Resident concerns tabled with GPCC will be conveyed to Ward Councillors.

ACTION NK SG

5. Weed Control: The change in Council policy with regard to the application of glyphosate weed treatment is recognised. Notwithstanding the Council’s commitment to focused manual control of weed spread, it is clear that this is an uphill struggle, that weed-strewn residential streets in many areas are an eyesore and that residents are left with the problem. GPCC will make the point to Ward Councillors that what is an impasse is creating a city embarrassment.

ACTION SG

7.6 Engagement Programme:

1. The October Newsletter will be the last edited by CS. GPCC thanks her for her initiative on this venture and her commitment. The role will be assumed by ERJ, with support from HM.

2. A full ‘transfer pack’ has been prepared.  

3. IW will look at the scope to introduce to the Newsletter an online ‘mapping facility’ for Southside Newington, to capture ‘local opinion’ on ‘likes / dislikes / goods / bads’. (Southside CC has this in operation).

ACTION IW

7.7 Website Development Plan:

1. HM has drafted an outline shape for a new GPCC website, using a WordPress format. He will develop that further for the 21 Oct meeting. He will present for decision a short table of contract options with webhost providers.

ACTION HM

7.8 Local Authority Elections 2027: GPCC Hustings:

1. IC will take forward the proposals outlined in his paper; early expressions of interest from political parties, venue, format.

ACTION IC

8 REPORTS FROM OFFICE BEARERS (See Agenda Notes)

8.1 Chair (NK)

1. Lorna Slater MSP ⑤: Expected to attend GPCC meeting on 21 Oct, to present her ideas for a Parliamentary Member’s Bill on enhanced protection for Holyrood Park. Include mention of this in the October Newsletter. The 21 Oct GPCC meeting will be open to the public (although it is not a ‘public meeting’.)

ACTION ERJ

2. Royal Observatory Edinburgh (ROE) ⑧: Proposed moderate expansion of car parking area by the ROE entrance. City Council public consultation is open until 28 October. https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/cg/royal-observatory/

3. Tram Line Extension ⑨: North Edinburgh line shelved. South Edinburgh line moves to next appraisal stage. The pivot point for the project, and the point of GPCC focus, will be the Cameron Toll ‘intersection’.

8.2 Treasurer (AG)

No report.

8.3 Secretary (KR)

1. Data Protection ⑦: Review of procedure over Q4.

ACTION KR

2. Controlled Parking Zone S8 ⑩: Covered in 7.5.4 above.

9 REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE GROUPS

9.1 Newington Cemetery (ERJ)

1. Permissions awaited for the siting of new benches.

9.2 EACC (KR)

1. EACC website compromised and no longer active.

2. EACC looking for community councillor support to keep the Secretariat function open after the November AGM. Without this commitment, EACC activity will scale back and may cease.

10 OTHER BUSINESS: 

1. University Lodge within Pollock Halls, by Dalkeith Road. ERJ reports the vacant building now has new fence protection.

2. Vacant site at South Gray Street / Duncan Street. Owner believed to be in bankruptcy. IW to inquire.

3. Current areas of interest for GPCC: CPZ S8; Cameron Toll development plans; Peffermill sports site development plans; Tram and Tram Trains projects; Visitor Levy Fund disbursement, student accommodation; road and pavement disrepair; weeds.  

4. Late item: I am informed (17 Sep) that a report on a proposed future funding model for the Community Grants Fund, due for review at the Aug 26 Culture & Communities Committee, has ben deferred until after the May 2027 Local Government elections, this on account of elements of political sensitivity in the content.

11: FUTURE MEETINGS Wednesdays at 18.45:

2026: 21 Oct, 18 Nov, 16 Dec.

2027: 20 Jan, 17 Feb, 17 Mar, 21 Apr, 19 May, 16 Jun

Compiled by KR 

GPCC Office Bearers:  

Chair: Neil Kempsell. Deputy Chair: Ellen-Raissa Jackson. Treasurer: Andreas Grothey. Engagement Lead: Cori Schwabe. Secretary: Ken Robertson.