Community Plan

[rathbone]

Bob tried to introduce this as a new topic last month with only one taker (me!) so I'm trying again. Why doesn't Portobello have a Community Plan?

I'm sure we've all been frustrated at the lack of co-ordination between public bodies and their tendency to ignore (or not appreciate) the communities views. One way to address that is to develop a Community Plan and get the Council, the Police, Primary Care Trust etc. to sign up to it.

Many of the issues facing local communities, such as safety, health and the environment can only be tackled effectively if public, private and voluntary sector organisations work together. Working together enables organisations to maximise their combined efforts, avoid duplication and to make the greatest impact on the community. It enables partnerships to develop solutions to problems that single agencies can't solve. It also takes a lot of hard work to get going, but it is worth it. Here in Rathboneland it has taken 18 months, but we now have a plan to address the problems and a degree of commitment to get some action on them.
End of lecture.

So what about Portobello?
As a start, ask yourself the following three questions:

What is the best thing about Porty?
What is the worst thing about Porty?
If I could change just one thing, what would it be?

The answers will give an indication of what needs to be preserved, what needs to be changed and what are the priorities.

Then you can start looking at ways to get something done to address them.

[Jay]

What is the best thing about Porty?

Being beside the sea, and the feeling of a community (I take your point!)

What is the worst thing about Porty?

lack of some key amenities for people who are not so mobile, and the amount of dog-doo on the pavements

If I could change just one thing, what would it be

other than independence from the City of Edinburgh - a small supermarket with better choice and amenities

I'm not sure how far that gets us, mind you! My other gripe is the Council's so-called re-cycling policy, which fails in several areas, but the re-cycling dept. at the Council are very user-unfriendly, so not open to suggestions.

[Sandra]

We put our papers/magazines in the recycle bin near the doctors surgery but as we now don't have a car (broke down on way back from a wedding up north just outside Dunfermline, then found out it was cheaper not to fix it) so now a problem recycling wine/beer bottles.

[Poppy]

Sandra, did you know that you can recycle paper, bottles and cans in the carpark at the Leisure Centre/Pitz?

[Sandra]

Thanks for that Poppy. Will have to walk the dog the other way and take a few bottles/cans each time - or drink less wine.

[Poppy]

Sandra pondered

take a few bottles/cans each time - or drink less wine.

?

I think we know that the answer has to be "take a few bottles/cans each time"!!