Surely Not?- Stories from Portobello Community Council

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 30 Jun 2010, 11:32

My spies tell me that at Monday's meeting of the PCC there was a presentation from two professional Mediums who are offering their services free to Portobello and perhaps other Community Councils. From what I gather PCC are taking them up on their offer. I believe the first meeting is scheduled for early August and volunteers are being recruited from PCC.

It seems a tad unconventional to me, almost incredulous, will the meeting take the form of a sort of seance and how will outcomes be reported?

allaboardtheskylark · Post by **allaboardtheskylark** » 30 Jun 2010, 13:17

Adding new classrooms without the necessary play area's, dining area's and specialist classrooms and support. Surely not.

Is this not built in overcrowding.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 30 Jun 2010, 15:50

Things are definitely getting weirder by the day around here.

Puerto bella · Post by **Puerto bella** » 30 Jun 2010, 16:57

Porty wrote:My spies tell me that at Monday's meeting of the PCC there was a presentation from two professional Mediums who are offering their services free to Portobello and perhaps other Community Councils. From what I gather PCC are taking them up on their offer. I believe the first meeting is scheduled for early August and volunteers are being recruited from PCC.

It seems a tad unconventional to me, almost incredulous, will the meeting take the form of a sort of seance and how will outcomes be reported?

Was it Yvette and Carl? Love them....

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 30 Jun 2010, 20:31

OK, could someone who was actually present at the meeting tell me what actually happened? I can't help feeling that something has got lost in translation here.

Lambie · Post by **Lambie** » 30 Jun 2010, 20:35

This isn't real is it?

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 30 Jun 2010, 21:59

Puerto bella wrote:
Was it Yvette and Carl? Love them....

It may well have been. .Sources say it was a proper presentation which lasted for half an hour or so. Naturally there was a deal of scepticism around the room with some questioning the need for a Medium others questioned the purpose, what would they do?

The decision to go ahead was basically “its free” so we may as well try it. The Mediums prefer to work with smaller groups so volunteers were required. I guess that this makes sense as those who believe in such things are more likely to come forward.

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 30 Jun 2010, 22:15

Puerto bella wrote:
Porty wrote:My spies tell me that at Monday's meeting of the PCC there was a presentation from two professional Mediums who are offering their services free to Portobello and perhaps other Community Councils. From what I gather PCC are taking them up on their offer. I believe the first meeting is scheduled for early August and volunteers are being recruited from PCC.

It seems a tad unconventional to me, almost incredulous, will the meeting take the form of a sort of seance and how will outcomes be reported?
Was it Yvette and Carl? Love them....

...Most Taunted?

allaboardtheskylark · Post by **allaboardtheskylark** » 30 Jun 2010, 22:18

Latest update, seems the mediums have been posted missing.

After numerous consultations with a crystal ball they predicted:-

1. A new school on Portobello Park with an award winning design.
2. TESCO opening a supermarket at the BIG W site.
3. BL getting p****d of with Portobello and selling up to VIRIDOR.
4. The hovercraft being moved to Leith after a dog getting run over by it (no doubt assisted on it's way by a community activist).
5. The other kiln falling down.
6. Portobello being selected for the Europen Jet Ski Championships.

allaboardtheskylark · Post by **allaboardtheskylark** » 30 Jun 2010, 22:22

Only kidding, seems as though they are mediators helping the CC to come to a conclusion on the Porty High planning application.

This may include the site which was decided after an educational consultation and a community consultation all those years ago......
eh?

Looking back, the last post looks more likely. No further comment from me. Got to take my boat once around the pylons.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 01 Jul 2010, 10:34

allaboardtheskylark wrote:Only kidding, seems as though they are mediators helping the CC to come to a conclusion on the Porty High planning application.

Oh Mediators!! That makes sense of wishing to work in smaller groups of volunteers.

However, did the Mediators actually say they were hoping to mediate on the School issue? I find that almost as incredulous as employing Mediums, considering the current PCC has never even discussed the school. Why would mediation be required?

Are you sure the mediators are not there to resolve the split on the plannning application for the house in Bellfield Lane? I could understand if they are. At least that application was discussed and sources say that PCC were split more or less evenly on support or object.

Is everyone familiar with the Bellfield Lane application?

admin: replies re the planning app have been split to 10/01741/FUL - Bellfield Lane planning application thread.

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 01 Jul 2010, 16:09

allaboardtheskylark wrote:Latest update, seems the mediums have been posted missing.

After numerous consultations with a crystal ball they predicted:-

1. A new school on Portobello Park with an award winning design.

You don't need a crystal ball to work out the school is going on the Park - it was decided years ago by the Council.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 01 Jul 2010, 16:47

I didn't think that a free session with a medium sounded very likely. It's all based on guess-work and, as we all know, there's no such thing as a free hunch.

allaboardtheskylark · Post by **allaboardtheskylark** » 01 Jul 2010, 23:37

Just a thought.

What should be mediated. The PHS planning application will go ahead. All very exciting I know. The site is chosen, the pre-planning consultation is nearing completion and the design is nearly ready.

Good mediation is about finding common ground to enable two or more parties to negotiate a solution. Both "sides" maintain a new school is desirable (though one side appears to be working toward it and one seems to have been oblivious to the problems of the current building). One "side" wants to use the Park, the other does not. So where is the mediation required when the site is already chosen.

One "side" seems to be nearing their goal while the other, quite frankly, is being creamed. So what is being mediated.

It is not the school issue, it is the failure to deal with an issue that is to be mediated. So why mediation now?

Imagine a divorce. The husband asks for mediation. Thw lawyer for the wife replies, we got the house, we got the kids, we got an income and we got the pension funds.

Now you want to mediate?

Try meditation!

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 02 Jul 2010, 06:06

Try medication!

allaboardtheskylark · Post by **allaboardtheskylark** » 02 Jul 2010, 22:33

You missed the hidden pun Bob but you may be right about the medication.

Post by **wangi** » 08 Jul 2010, 11:51

http://news.scotsman.com/comment/Talk-o ... 6405030.jp

...
Porty predicts the future
ONE Portobello resident recently demonstrated just how easily information can get a bit skewed if you listen to Chinese whispers.

Chatting on the local community forum - Talk Porty - the resident revealed that he had heard Portobello's community council was enlisting the help of "two professional mediums" to help with official matters.

Slightly confused, he said: "It seems a tad unconventional to be, almost incredulous."

Later down the discussion it transpired that "mediators" would in fact be helping the city council.

But not before one forum user looked into his crystal ball and predicted Portobello will be hosting the European Jet Ski Championships.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 10 Jul 2010, 11:04

How embarrassing for me. How could I get it so wrong?

Maybe PCC should buy one of those Octupi predictors to decide whether to complain about house extensions and stuff. It would certainly fit with the Edinburgh's Seaside theme and avoid the need for making up complaints from neighbours.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 31 Jul 2010, 12:44

I believe this is Mediation week at the PCC, what's going to happen?

I can envisgae a half a dozen people gathered together in the baptist hall or maybe the library. All of them thinking -" why on earth are we here?"

I would start by making the attendees read out loud some of the paragraphs from the Council's Guidance notes:

"As a member of your community council it is important you recognise from the outset your role. This means not simply offering your own views and opinions on local issues, or taking decsions that are based on your own self-interest."

"At some point it may be that you will find some conflict between your own personal views and interests and those of the community that you are representing. if such a situation does arise, try to make sure that the views of the community take precedence."

"Experience shows that if the views of the indivduals on the council are allowed to take precedence then the community will very quickly lose confidence in the council and its work may subsequently be devalued"

Based on their conduct, I find it hard to believe that some who hold important positions in the CC have taken time to read and understand the guidelines.

allaboardtheskylark · Post by **allaboardtheskylark** » 01 Aug 2010, 15:21

I think this will be a clear the air situation with a full and frank exchange of views at the end of which all concerned will have a far greater idea of each others opinions.

This could be a new template for conflict resolution, a new beginning for mankind, just like Yugoslavia.
.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 02 Aug 2010, 15:49

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that a casual observer could interpret the mediation as the start of the Fringe.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 10 Aug 2010, 22:23

From the minutes of the June meeting of the CC:

280.5 Community councils and planning

Karol Swanson (planner and mediator) and Hugh Crawford (architect, planner, and a mediator formerly attached to the Government’s Reporters Unit) described the help and training they offer to community councils and other local representatives all over Scotland to engage with the new planning system. Karol observed that one of the strengths of community councils is that they represent the views of a wide range of interests, and if all members agree on a particular issue there’s a danger that they may not be accurately representing all the points of view in their community. The techniques of mediation are proving useful in minimising conflicts within community councils or between community councils and their community, which is important as developers can exploit such conflicts to their own advantage.

Karol and Hugh were therefore offering a free, independent, impartial mediation session to Portobello Community Council to help resolve problems and issues and help us to cope with new challenges and pull strongly together for the benefit of our whole community. Such a session would last two hours with about a dozen people chosen to represent a full range of views, with some preparation beforehand and a follow-up session if necessary. The current training is largely exploratory, to gain experience of the new planning legislation.

It was agreed that this could be useful for a variety of issues, and that while it might not solve every problem it was always important to find as much common ground as possible in order to move forward respectfully for the benefit of the whole community.

It was thus generally agreed that we would like to benefit from this opportunity and acquire useful skills. It was agreed that a group would meet on 2nd or 5th August, in the evening, depending on the availability of a venue.

* Action: Diana Cairns to find a venue for the mediation group meeting.
* Action: All, to let Diana Cairns know if they would be interested in joining the mediation group.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 12 Aug 2010, 11:34

I wonder how it went?

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Surely Not?- Stories from Portobello Community Council

Surely Not?- Stories from Portobello Community Council

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Re: Surely Not?- Stories from Portobello Community Council

Re: Surely Not?- Stories from Portobello Community Council