MINUTES

Tollcross Community Council   25 January 2023

Tollcross Community Centre

Present:               Richard Allen (Chair); Iain Black; Roger Colkett, Tim Puntis

Online:                 Fiona Allen; Liz Summerfield; Cllr Finlay McFarlane; Cllr Joanna Mowat

Apologies:          Paul Beswick; Gillian Smart : Andy Davenport: Donald Craig

  1. Welcome and greetings
  2. Interest or connection – none
  3. Minutes of October 2022 meeting

Minutes approved: proposed by Iain Black and seconded by Roger Colkett.

The November 2022 meeting was not quorate.

  1. Police matters: no police in attendance and no communication from Police Scotland.
    Cllr Mowat will contact Police Scotland representatives about the current position.
  2. Tollcross Clock: Cllr McFarlane updated the meeting about the clock, which had been discussed at full Council meeting last month. The clock is currently stored in a council warehouse and the matter of funding is still being explored. The matter will be raised at the Transport and Environment Committee in a couple of months’ time. Council officers have been mandated to report on this issue at this meeting. It was decided not to convene a TXCC working party sub-committee at this point but to maintain this as an agenda point

 

  1. Councillors’ Report: –
    Cllr Mowat raised the issue of the Council budget for 2023-24 and referred to a £21million gap and the ensuing difficulties. That a balanced budget for CEC   will require adaptations or in the last analysis cuts to spending above those already undertaken

Cllr McFarlane mentioned the Low Emission Zone to come and because the boundaries cut through the TXCC area (Lothian Road round to Melville Drive), this would have some serious implications for local traffic management.

  1. King’s Theatre, etc: the funding shortfall was discussed.  Work has commenced but whether it is completed maybe in doubt

Cllr McFarlane to keep us updated.

Also, the closure of Atik in West Tollcross was discussed, particularly in relation to future development of the site.  Cllr Mowat to investigate.

  1. Other
    Roger Colkett asked about the Community Map Scotland and how it would relate to CEC’s existing online Atlas. To be investigated
  2. Planning: no significant applications.
    Licensing: two cafes applying for alcohol licences.

 

  1. AOB:

Date of next meeting: Wednesday 22 February 2023