Edinburgh Northern and Leith Our People make the Party
Covid 19
Total UK Deaths – 167,927: Scotland – 9,913 (included in UK total): Edinburgh – 935 (included in Scottish total) – source UK Government Coronavirus dashboard to 12/11/2021
Edinburgh: 264 Cases per 100,000 (WHO level 4): Test Positivity 8.6% (WHO level 3): week to 23/11/2021 – 2 deaths; 80 in hospital; 5 in ICU (Intensive Care Unit).
Please do follow Government advice and get a vaccination or booster and a flu jab, wear a mask and keep up the hygiene regime recommended and available in public spaces.
Ward Duties
Once again it was an honour to lay a wreath in memory of those lost in war. On Remembrance Sunday I laid a wreath at the Gretna Memorial in South Leith Parish Church. This was 1 of 7 wreaths that are laid here on Remembrance Sunday.
The Annual Seafarers Service took place in South Leith on 21 November in a service that is for the whole of Scotland and run in conjunction with the Sailors Society. This was followed by a further service at the Merchant Navy Memorial outside Malmaison where I laid a wreath with fellow councillors on behalf of Leith and Leith Walk wards along with a range of organisations who served in the sea and those that supported them in both wars.
Blocked Drains/Gullies and Dark streetlights
This is the time of year when I receive most reports on both these issues. I have forwarded on reports for action, but you can report these directly if you have access to a computer. There is a helpful form that can be completed and can be found here:
Streetlights – Report a street light problem – The City of Edinburgh Council
Gully or drain – Report a gully problem – The City of Edinburgh Council
I have recently reported dark lights in various parts of the ward – each lamp has a registration number to help identify where work needs to be done – including on the cycle path. In respect of blocked drains and gullies I reported North Fort Street and Lapicide Place after a recent walkabout and sent in photos of problem drains. These can also be reported via Twitter to @edinhelp which may be easier for some to do but do provide location details.
An increasing problem is that of abandoned vehicles. I have recently reported vehicles that have been abandoned in the Car Parks at Cables Wynd House and Linksview House. Again, I recommend reporting vehicles and further information can be found here –
Water of Leith
Following enquiries I made with Scottish Water I was shocked to find that there are 25 sewage outfalls into the Water of Leith from Warriston to Malmaison. There are even more on the rest of the course further upstream. These are used when excessive rainwater is in the sewer system – a problem that has increased recently with Climate Change. There is no monitoring of flow from these outlets with a mathematical model being used to estimate flow.
I met direct with Scottish Water asking a series of questions on how this will be tackled. It is clear that this will require investment and that this should be included in any plans for upgrade of the sewage system.
Government agency SEPA should be monitoring this in their oversight capacity to help understand what needs to be done next. A community campaign which has the support of local community councils and which I support too has been launched.
Do support the campaign. This will not be a quick fix, but the work needs to start now to stop this outdated practice that threatens recent improvements in and around the Water of Leith.
Leith Links Community Council – Seafield Odours and Noise
1920/2020
The plans to mark Edinburgh becoming a suburb of Leith did not survive Covid but there have been some creative innovations which are still worth seeking out.
Below is an interesting talk that uses material from the city archives to show how much has changed since that date.
Auld Reekie Retold Podcast, episode 5 – A Walk Through History: Photography
Another creative addition was an initiative involving Leith Festival. A Leith anthology of writings produced, printed and nearly fully funded locally. You can find copies which are going very quickly in various Leith establishments or by contacting Leith Festival. I took part in the launch at Out of the Blue where I had great fun reading speeches from the debate at the time about whether or not Leith should amalgamate.
Save Our Care Homes
You will have, hopefully, seen coverage in the press and on social media of the campaign to oppose the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board’s (EIJB) plans to close four Council run care homes, one of which – Ferrylee – is in our ward.
The campaign has broad trade union support along with service users and their families.
A further demonstration at Ferrylee will take place this Tuesday 7 December 2021 at 9.30. Please come along and show your support if you can.
Unison – City of Edinburgh – Save Our Care Homes Campaign
Another Edinburgh is Possible – Let’s Recognise Care as a Social Good – Hilary Horrocks
Council meetings are still online and the City Chambers is still closed due to Covid restrictions. At time of writing Leith Community Education Centre was shut for the same reasons. I have been pursuing the reopening of Leith Library as I know how much this means to Leith and especially after lockdown.
Finally some of you may not be aware that I will not seek re-election next year. See here. I will still work for Leith up to the May elections . It has been an honour and a privilege to represent the place of my birth and whilst I can point to improvements in Leith I have worked with you to make happen there is still a lot of work to be done.
Cllr. Gordon Munro