Councillor Ross McKenzie
cllr.ross.mckenzie@edinburgh.gov.uk
Annual Report to Gorgie Dalry Community Council: 2022/23
Under the headings below are just some of the issues, Council policies and initiatives that currently affect people living in Gorgie/Dalry.
While the 63 elected members are ultimately responsible for the policies, the practical reality is that they are created and implemented by council officers, while councillors scrutinise and amend proposals at committee meetings to limited effect.
Although I always do my best to represent the people of Gorgie/Dalry on the Council, we have a long way to go before the culture and workings of the Council genuinely serve communities such as ours.
Edinburgh is particularly prone to weak political control of the Council, as unlike other Scottish councils, it contains a balance of 5 political parties with none close to a majority. This means that when it comes to forming an administration, there is an unseemly scramble to make deals and catch a slice of the extra money that comes from administration jobs such as committee convenorships.
When Labour councillors made such a deal with the Tories and Lib Dems, it put me in an impossible position. I was elected on a platform of seeking to harness Edinburgh’s vast wealth so that it can be used to meet the challenges that our residents face, particular in areas of crisis such as housing and social care. It is not possible to further that agenda in partnership with the Tories and Lib Dems, who represent the interests of the wealthiest people in the city, so I have left the Labour Party and will serve the rest of the term as an Independent councillor.
As an Independent councillor, I will work with anyone on the Council who shares my priorities, and I am grateful to Green and SNP councillors for supporting me to bring and pass motions recently in relation to planning and to social care.
In and out of the Council, the 4 ward councillors have worked really well together, often speaking with one voice on issues affecting Gorgie/Dalry and responding well to case work. I’m confident that we’ll build on that relationship over the next 4 years and the area will have stronger representation for it.
And outside of the Council, I am always keen to support community organisations and trade unions, who, in different ways all seek to improve the lives of Gorgie/Dalry residents, such as; Living Rent – Scotland’s Tenants Union, Another Edinburgh Is Possible, Gorgie Collective, Unison City of Edinburgh, Unite CEC, EIS Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Trades Union Council.
Waste and Cleansing
By some distance, the most common issues raised with me by Gorgie/Dalry residents relate to waste and cleansing i.e. overflowing bins, fly-tipping and litter. You can report individual issues on the portal by visiting edinburgh.gov.uk/bins-recycling/contact-waste or by contacting me directly.
I regularly inspect all streets and communal bins in Gorgie/Dalry, making reports to the portal and working with council officers to resolve systemic issues.
Gorgie residents will be aware that bin hubs have been introduced on streets between Alexander Court and Mcleod Street. It is currently expected that these will be introduced to rest of Gorgie/Dalry (from the bottom of Dalry Road to Murieston Lane) in September.
I’ve heard a mix of views on the introduction of bin hubs in Gorgie, and continue to welcome further feedback. For me, it is a strong positive that the bins are kept off the pavement and have stopped spilling over onto the crossing points on the corners with Gorgie Road and this will make a big difference in Dalry where bins currently block pavements and frequently cover tactile paving.
Newton Street, Murieston Lane and Westfield Road are 3 streets with systemic problems, about which I have ongoing discussions with council officers on improving collections and stopping fly-tipping.
I have long felt that Gorgie/Dalry does not receive a fair share of waste and cleansing resources and will continue to fight for the area to receive more attention from these services.
Gorgie Farm
When Gorgie Farm closed at the beginning of the year, the community made it very clear to all councillors that it must be kept as a site which provides free access. All 4 ward councillors came together on this, and we fought to ensure that the site was not handed over to anyone who would seek to profit from it at the expense of community access.
Subsequently, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisation Council (EVOC) have taken a 1-year lease on the site and are working to build a new organisation to run the farm sustainably for the long term. You can read more about their plans at evoc.org.uk/projects/gorgie-city-farm-site/.
Progress has been frustratingly slow, and the level of communication from EVOC has been disappointing. Cllr Dan Heap has done a great job of pushing for more information and closer community engagement, as well as bringing a motion to Council requesting support for those who have fostered animals. Ward councillors are due to meet EVOC soon in advance of an expected update on their plans and we will share any information as soon as we have it.
20 Minute Neighbourhood (20MN)
In the words of the Council, the 20MN projects aims to “create healthier, greener, thriving neighbourhoods, where everyone can meet most of their daily needs within a short walk, wheel or cycle from their home”.
There are some conspiracy theories floating around about these projects, but the reality is much more mundane. In the coming years, the surface of both Dalry Road and Gorgie Road will be relayed, and the Council has received funding from the Scottish Government to improve pavements and cycling facilities while the roadworks take place. There may also be some scope for public art, and improvements to green spaces.
Phase 1 will be from the bottom of Dalry Road to McLeod Street and will also include White Park. Phase 2 will be from McLeod Street up to Saughton Park.
Following a first round of consultation with schools, businesses and community groups, the 20MN team will soon begin working on a design which will then go to a formal public consultation. The project is still years away from implementation.
Priorities identified in the first round of consultation include wider pavements, more pedestrian crossings, safer cycle provision, more benches and more trees.
I am particularly keen to push for wider pavements and safer crossings at the Ardmillan Junction where Gorgie Road meets Dalry Road.
You can find out more at edinburgh.gov.uk/cycling-walking-projects-1/20-minute-neighbourhood-projects/2.
Roseburn to Union Canal Active Travel Link
While it has been really frustrating to have the Dalry Community Park closed over the past few months, work is well underway now and the project is due to be completed by April 2024. Going by the plans, it looks it will deliver much more than an active travel link, but an improved and expanded park with a much-needed increase in green space for the area. You can find out more, including updates at edinburgh.gov.uk/cycling-walking-projects-1/roseburn-union-canal.
Controlled Parking Zone
Residents in most of Gorgie will soon require parking permits. The currently implementation date is given simply as “at the end of summer”. Information about applying for a permit will be posted out to residents in advance. You can find more detail of the affected areas at edinburgh.gov.uk/parking/strategic-parking-review-1, however, the information there is not very accessible so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to discuss any specifics.
West Park Place Artists’ Studios
The Artists’ Studios on West Park Place are under threat as the current owners, WASPS (Workshop & Artists Studio Provision Scotland), explore the possibility of selling the building.
These studios were previously owned by the Council and leased to WASPS for 25 years until 2021, at which point WASPS were able to buy them for just £1 as per the lease agreement. The artists are campaigning to keep the studios in Dalry and I was pleased to support Cllr Heap’s motion requesting that the Council supports their campaign. You can sign the ‘Save Our Studios’ petition at www.change.org.
Short Term Lets (STLs)
From October 1st, all STLs (Holiday Lets, Airbnb etc.) will require a license to operate. In order to have a license, they must first have planning permission, but recent statistics show that only a small proportion of STL operators have applied for planning permission. If you are aware of STLs operating without planning permission, please consider reporting this to edinburgh.gov.uk/breachplanningcontrolsform.
Secure Cycle Storage
After many requests, on-street cycle storage units are finally coming to Gorgie/Dalry. The first is in place Stewart Terrace, one on Wardlaw Street is coming soon, and in the next few months they will be installed on Downfield Place, McLeod Street, Caledonian Crescent, Smithfield Street, Orwell Place, Murieston Crescent, Newton Street, Robertson Avenue, Duff Street, Springwell Place, Cathcart Place, Murieston Terrace, Orwell Terrace, Wheatfield Place, and Westfield Road.
Renting a space costs £6 a month, and you can apply at cyclehoop.rentals.
Please get in touch about anything at all! Contact details below…
Ross McKenzie, Councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie
cllr.ross.mckenzie@edinburgh.gov.uk
07514 318 645
Facebook: @rsmcksg
Twitter: @rsmcksg
Constituent Surgeries (school term time only):
1st Tuesday of every month at Broomhouse Hub 2pm – 3pm
1st Wednesday of every month at St Bride’s Community Centre 6pm – 7pm
Gorgie Dalry Community Council 