New Portobello High School - PPAG Judicial Review

[Porty]

In the spirit of name and shame- one can witness the plans to lie to the golfers at their celebration event- nice. We have a local councillor with admin rights to the facebook site that did and continues to publish lies and falsehoods.

PPAG Fund Raising - Minutes of meeting 28/06/2011

Attendees: Jennifer Peters, Richard Forbes, Moyra Statham, Sheila Coventry, Ian Ross, Sheila Fletcher, Agnes Cowan, Scot Macpherson, Fiona Huffer, Ros Sutherland, Raye Manshouri.
Lacking our usual degree of structure without Diana, but a good meeting nevertheless, hope I’ve captured everything, please let me know if I haven’t!


Agreed Actions

1)Diana’s 5-10 key points flier was well received and the majority were split between Sheila C & Agnes for distribution round Portobello/Christians and Park Avenue area respectively. Agnes had produced something similar with envelopes and they will also be used around the Park Avenue area Action: Distribution of leaflets by SC & AC (Diana if more of these are produced can we add payee name for cheques and also paypal details)

2) Facebook site is up and running, if you haven’t registered a ‘like’ please do so & encourage your friends to do the same. Action: ALL

3) We discussed additions to the facebook site. There are ‘golf strike’ issues which Scott is aware of so Scott will give consideration to appropriate details to be added to the site
Action: SM to email to JP who will arrange it’s addition to facebook & send on to Alison Connelly to update the website

4) Moyra, Ros, Steven Hawkins, Mehdi & Jennifer to be added as facebook administrators, able to update site Action: RF
5) Portobello golf club is holding an open competition 17th – 22nd (The Harry Lauder Trophy)This is a great opportunity to warn the golfers that this may be its last year. It was agreed that some A4 posters (the one that refers to the golf course will be printed on one side and Diana’s key points leaflet will be printed on the reverse. These will be handed out at the tournament. Moyra will call Scott Forest the organiser to discuss this. Richard will email the posters to John Huffer, he will print and Fiona will pass to Moyra and Sheila ahead of the event Action: RF, MS SF & FH

6) Still on the poster front. Everyone was impressed by Richard & Karen’s posters. Richard will email the posters to John Huffer, who will immediately print and laminate 12 A3 BEEP BEEP posters which Jennifer will put up along the road ahead of the school holidays for maximum impact. The rest will be printed by John and passed to Jennifer to laminate and tie up strategically around the park Action: RF, FH & JP

7) Sheila suggested a long banner to go along the railings for as long as it lasts. She knows someone who can produce it. Everyone agreed it was worth a go Action: SC
There is still a strong feeling that we need to have a more thorough target of the immediate area around the park to achieve max donation from those immediately affected. Ros & Ian will consider the best way of chunking this up and the best way of approaching it Action: RS & IR

9) Richard had investigated possible venues for a dinner dance. If we booked Portobello town Hall 9th & 10th Sept. Holding the dinner dance for 200 at £50 per head the potential profit could be £5K plus any profit on drinks & auction. The thought was if we could have some sort of event e.g. a park run or golf tournament we could have the award ceremony followed by a ceillidh with raffle after it, The thought will the 2 event idea is that it is only 20% more effort to have a 2 day than a 1 day. Ros will speak to the golfers to see if an event is possible, she will also look into the possibility of getting Portobello Ceilidh band for the event. Sheila will speak to her brother re options for this date. Everyone to think of potential ideas for auction, Scott has sport connection so will think of a few possible. Action: RS, SC, SM ALL

10) Richard is 90% of the way through setting up a paypal link to the facebook site he just needed signatory details which I believe Ros gave him at the meeting .
Action: RF

11) We had a chat about the ‘Rich List letter’ that Diana had prepared. Everyone liked it. There were only 2 suggested changes. Jennifer to pass to Diana who can update and then distribute. Everyone is to get their thinking caps on as to who would be good. We should all use the same letter with personalisation as appropriate. Ros has a list of people and will let us know if this is to be split up for us to send out. If you plan to send some out let Ros know first as she will keep tabs on how many have been sent & ensure no duplication. Action : JP DC & RS

12) Could we consider some promotion at the next organic market. Diana are you involved in this? Could you consider? Action: DC

13) Re the tablecloth idea for the day on the prom. Richard has iron on transfers. Will pass to Jennifer along with email logo to print on to them for distribution to anyone who is making a tablecloth ACTION: RF, JP

Successes!!!!
Marjorie & Sheila F’s dinner party went very well and raised over £300. Feel free to follow their lead
Sheila C and her friends handed leaflets round the local primary schools to spread the word and there is support out there.
Richard set up the facebook site (hopefully now with paypal)
Next meeting to be confirmed.
Thanks for your support

[seashell]

Oh, that rather forelorn little list of three whole "successes". Rather sad, really.
And that plaintive cry of "there is support out there."
It does contrast rather strangely with the claim that they "represent the significant majority", but why let their own facts damn them?

And what happened to those tablecloths? Why aren't they for sale in one of the local craft shops? they sound super...

[Bob Jefferson]

Admit it seashell, you're just jealous because you didn't get invited to dinner with Marjorie and Sheila.

[Makaveli]

I really don't know where to begin with that. Really I don't.

Some interesting names on that list too - thanks Porty

[Pal of Porty]

You could post for a month commenting on that list but I will just take one:

5) Portobello golf club is holding an open competition 17th – 22nd (The Harry Lauder Trophy)This is a great opportunity to warn the golfers that this may be its last year.

This is a lie that PPAG are still continuing to pedal ( nearly a year later) with a complete lack of evidence and also ignoring the fact that the golf course is common good land. Indeed just the other day Lashylass was stating on this site that building the school on the park increases the risk of losing the golf course. She has yet to take up the offer of providing some evidence for this view.

[seashell]

Admit it seashell, you're just jealous because you didn't get invited to dinner with Marjorie and Sheila.

I can barely see the PC screen for tears.
And I had my lovely fluffy pink duffel coat all ready.
never mind, next time I'm sure I'll get a hand-engraved invite.

[seashell]

You could post for a month commenting on that list but I will just take one:

5) Portobello golf club is holding an open competition 17th – 22nd (The Harry Lauder Trophy)This is a great opportunity to warn the golfers that this may be its last year.

This is a lie that PPAG are still continuing to pedal ( nearly a year later) with a complete lack of evidence and also ignoring the fact that the golf course is common good land. Indeed just the other day Lashylass was stating on this site that building the school on the park increases the risk of losing the golf course. She has yet to take up the offer of providing some evidence for this view.

Come on, PoP - we all know they are not interested in facts - those are inconvenient and get in the way of sensational claims designed to whip up opposition. Oh no - they're not, are they? Apart from the core group of NIMBYists and a few others, most people are firmly against PPAG, as displayed by the mass apathy to their fundraising efforts.

If they do get hit with expenses, I wonder how many dinner dances, dinner parties and tea cloths it will take to pay off the bill?

[Bob Jefferson]

I believe Marjorie is stock-piling vol au vents in case of such an eventuality.

[Mark Cameron]

That is truly incredible. At least 4 names I recognise as being on the community council. How can they seriously turn up and pretend to represent the views of our community when churning out blatant lies.

Whatever happens with the appeal the actions of these individuals needs to be borne in mind when the next community council elections are due.

[seashell]

Along with the fact that they send letters to the council that may be regarded as misrepresenting the actual views of PCC - as discussed on other threads about planning permission.

[storky]

I wrote to all our local councilors about 'raising the heat' on PPAG. I truly believe even with the pursual of legal costs etc., they will still attempt to delay things enough to render the current tenders useless, with the hope that retendering will increase costs enough to cancel the whole project.

I have suggested that EC should sue PPAG for the cost delta between current build costs and retendered costs - unless they drop their appeal immediately. Had some interesting responses. Ewan Aitken believes the building of the new school should proceed immediately and this is what he'll be pushing for at the next full council meeting (end of this month).

Perhaps we should push all our councilors in this direction?

[Mark Cameron]

Do you have list of email addresses and a template people could use Storky?

[Pal of Porty]

There was a PPAG letter in the Scotsman today - I am unsure how to post a link so I will leave that to someone who does. As usual the comments section produced statements from both sides of the argument but I thought the one I have posted below sort of sums it up really.

delayanddeny
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 02:29 PM
Seannie- you may as well sit back and enjoy a delayed high school. Some years ago I informed a public meeting at the town hall PPAG would delay the school by at least five years. We are on track for stopping it altogether and won’t rest until the costs of a school on the park exceed those for a rebuild on site. Our pockets are deep be warned.

Howay the Lads

[Maria]

At least 4 names I recognise as being on the community council....

Err..I don't. Have I missed some?

Though PPAG do seem to have considerable support among CC members.

[Porty]

There was a PPAG letter in the Scotsman today - I am unsure how to post a link so I will leave that to someone who does. As usual the comments section produced statements from both sides of the argument but I thought the one I have posted below sort of sums it up really.

delayanddeny
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 02:29 PM
Seannie- you may as well sit back and enjoy a delayed high school. Some years ago I informed a public meeting at the town hall PPAG would delay the school by at least five years. We are on track for stopping it altogether and won’t rest until the costs of a school on the park exceed those for a rebuild on site. Our pockets are deep be warned.

Howay the Lads

Evening news or reporter? can't find it.

[gillian]

Letter: Portobello Park
Published on Thursday 5 April 2012 00:00


THE sad thing about the Portobello Park saga is the way hatred has been stirred up against the protesters by painting them as “anti-school”.


All they want is to preserve the original agreement never to build on the park and for the council to find somewhere else to build the school.

It is not good to teach children to break agreements.

John Kelly

Park Avenue

Edinburgh

[Maria]

Here's the link to the letter in today's 'Scotsman' so you can view some of the comments.


And for good measure here's one from yesterday's 'Scotsman'

[seashell]

thanks, Marya.
Makes interesting (!) reading. Is it just me, or does Mrs Angry sound awfully familiar?

[Pal of Porty]

thanks, Marya.
Makes interesting (!) reading. Is it just me, or does Mrs Angry sound awfully familiar?

You are Batty!

[Porty]

Thanks for the link Marya.

On the subject of support from quite a few members of PCC. They do appear to support PPAG quite strongly, which seems totally at odds with the outcry in the community. Not very surprising, but you'd think that the decent people they undoubtedly are would wake up to what's going on? PPAG have been afforded every opportunity to voice their opinions and failed to persuade, the public, council officials, politicians and the courts. The ONLY support they have in the community is PCC- how bizarre is that??

[Bob Jefferson]

Leaving aside Cairns, Hawkins and Sutherland, who are obviously in the PPAG camp, there are a few 'moderates' in there who are probably having something of a moral dilemma. They certainly won't like all the fuss that has been caused and probably wish it would all just go away so they can get back to discussing planters outside the Town Hall. Even if they feel uneasy over PPAG's increasingly bizarre conduct, and must read all the universally negative publicity they are generating, they will find it difficult to say so. I doubt many of them would have the courage to abstain let alone vote to censure PPAG, should the situation arise. But, who knows, perhaps I will be proved wrong and they will agree with the vast majority of the community they are supposed to represent that enough is quite enough. Having said that, not a single member has signed the petition since it was circulated this morning.

[Makaveli]

This goes to show that a few of the PCC members are out of touch with the feelings of the community - a couple in particular seem to be doing everything they can to hold Portobello back!!!

[storky]

Do you have list of email addresses and a template people could use Storky?

mcdryburn

If you want to ensure every councilor gets your message use these addresses:
labour.group@edinburgh.gov.uk
snp.group@edinburgh.gov.uk
conservative.group@edinburgh.gov.uk
green.group@edinburgh.gov.uk
liberaldemocrat.group@edinburgh.gov.uk

Otherwise the local councilors are:
michael.bridgman@edinburgh.gov.uk
maureen.child@edinburgh.gov.uk
stephen.hawkins@edinburgh.gov.uk
ewan.aitken@edinburgh.gov.uk
gary.peacock@edinburgh.gov.uk
stefan.tymkewycz@edinburgh.gov.uk

It's also worth ccing Kenny Macaskill
kenny.macaskill.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

[Maria]

From today's Scotsman Futile Action

FEELINGS are running high in Portobello (Letters, 5 April), but the anger within the community is due to the futile legal appeal and tactics of those campaigning against the new high school.

The Portobello Park Action Group (PPAG) continues to tell people that housing will be built on the park, even though there are no such plans and such a proposal would be incompatible with the Common Good status of the land.

Such misrepresentations only inflame local opinion.

Enough is enough: the Portobello Park Action Group had its day in court, and lost comprehensively.

We’re not talking about an incinerator, landfill site or bypass.

We’re talking about a desperately needed new school, for goodness sake.

To drag this out further will only cause more distress, disruption and cost.

PPAG should think carefully about the impact of its actions, and withdraw its appeal.

[seashell]

And here is the only response so far:

"I am very concerned at the increasing cost to Edinburgh Council tax payers caused by a minority of people who cannot accept a planning decision, a court judgement and the needs of the community. The last court judgement was very clear, and was delayed as PPAG waited until the last minute to take it to court. They have repeated this now by appealing, but as yet have not revealed their grounds for appeal and will no doubt wait until the last moment to do so. I strongly believe they should demonstrate they have the money to cover costs before going to court. I don't want to pay it from my council tax as it is an unnecessary action. As it is the young people and the teachers across Edinburgh wait for the school to be started so that other schools can also be actioned. Until then PPAG are delaying all development in Edinburgh school buildings, and everybody in the city has to be aware of that. One very small group of people with a very narrow field of vision are behaving in a very despicable manner, with regards to education and progress."

[wangi]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... 3087147188

PPAG supporters have pressured some local shopkeepers into removing our posters. They won't remove these. We have the keys!

[Bob Jefferson]

Colour copy of the flyer we have produced. Please feel free to print and distribute.

flyer_colour.pdf

(70.71 KiB) Downloaded 243 times

Folds to A5

[wangi]

And here are copies of those build our school now posters. Click on them for higher res versions. The first has all 5 as a PDF - if you want to print your own.




And the flyer, click for PDF:


L/

[Makaveli]

PPAG supporters have pressured some local shopkeepers into removing our posters. They won't remove these. We have the keys!

What kind of pressure? I hope they have not been bullying local shopkeepers.

Which shops have they asked to take them down?

[seashell]

Bob,
I see you've been checking up on people to see whether they've got their posters up or not. What's the punishment for non-compliance? Ostricisation? Any pressure being brought to bear on shopkeepers for not putting up the posters?

In the light of the information wangi posted about PPAG supporters pressuring local shopkeepers to take down pro-school posters, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who finds Betty's post from a few days ago ever so slightly ironic.
But then, double standards seems to be a PPAG speciality, e.g. - no school on Porty Park, but why not build it on another park? The AI is too dangerous for pupils to cross, but let's put a new school on the old Big W site etc

[Makaveli]

I also note that I am no longer allowed to comment on the SPP Facebook page!!! Talk about censorship at the top level!!!

I think I wrote down too many facts - PPAG don't like facts. Fact.

[Bob Jefferson]

PPAG supporters have pressured some local shopkeepers into removing our posters. They won't remove these. We have the keys!

What kind of pressure? I hope they have not been bullying local shopkeepers.

Which shops have they asked to take them down?

Woodwares and Findlays both had posters that have now been removed. There could be others.

[Bob Jefferson]

emailsig.jpg (9.36 KiB) Viewed 7245 times

[Lashylass]

Desperation is a word that comes to mind when I see your new poster campaign.

[seashell]

I think you are forgetting the small matter of the court case - which decided in favour of the Council.
Oh, and the fact that PPAG are going to be hit for costs.
And then there is the small matter of a lack of support for their NIMBY cause.

PPAG are the ones who are desperate.
they were wrong and they were found to be wrong in law.
They are now engaging in a spoiling action, like a petulent toddler stomping its feet.
They need to wake up and smell reality.
And then remortgage their houses to pay for the mounting costs.