Stockbridge Colonies Residents Association
AGM 31 March 2022 at 7.30pm, Tanfield Bowling Club
9 Residents in attendance
6 SCRA Committee members
Chair: Caro Tulloch
Minutes: Irene McGowan
Minutes of the Meeting
1. Minutes of April 2019 meeting accepted
2. Election of SCRA committee for 2022/23 – re-elected
3. Election of street convenors 2022/23 – re-elected. Full list of names at: SCRA Committee and Street Convenors
4. Annual reports: Accounts: Gus reported on the reduced income of the last 2 years. Balance has come down by £300 approx. Yard Sale and Ceilidh are good sources of income. Bill Brownlee asked about the Snakey Fund but we are unsure of the origin or purpose of this fund.
5. Note of Thanks: For a very successful Carol singingthis year thanks are due to Jane Wood and Ian McLeanand to all who took part and generously donated: Quiz Night – thanks to Geoff, Andrea and Gus for organising and running the popular Quiz Night: Community Garden: Thanks to Helen Ford and Amanda Bennett. Amanda said they now have a link to a community garden in South Queensferry. Due to a drain problem some plants haven’t survived. Garden is looking good at the moment and a water butt has been bought. Grapevine: Thanks to Jane for her ongoing work and to Ian Chard for his work on the Colonies website. Street Convenors: Thanks to all the Street Convenors and for the help they give to residents.
6. Upcoming Events:
Garden Competition – Caro reported that this will be an opt-in Competition this year. We hope to encourage people who haven’t entered before and for different types of gardens to put themselves forward.
Yard Sale will be going ahead on 22 May from 1pm-4pm. Sarah Hill will be organising it and Sarah encouraged people to spread the word about it and get more musicians and young people involved. We discussed how widely we should advertise the Yard Sale this year and agreed that it will be a bit of an unknown quantity post Covid so we will continue advertise as usual.
Ceilidh: Be Morris suggested holding it in the summer months.
7. Pillars/plinths from the bridge – Caro said we need to keep an eye on this but currently Council are saying there are no funds.
8. Sustainable Heating: Geoff Calder updated meeting on the Sustainable Heating meetings and plans for a larger community meeting under the auspices of Stockbridge and Inverleith Community Council committee with guest speakers and experts. Home Energy Scotland (part of Change Works and funded by the Government) are very enthusiastic to be involved and they can advise on the appropriate solutions and possible joint purchasing. There’s to be a series of events starting off with the Colonies and HES will come and have a look at the houses and speak to residents. HES will have a stall at the Yard Sale and then there will be a meeting in early June. Geoff said they will also inform the other Colonies houses in Edinburgh to involve them. HES suggested that someone from the Planning Office is invited to the event. We also need to be aware of Scottish Government policy. Andy Milner raised the topic of Hydrogen boilers which are cheaper than gas or heat pumps and are in development. Geoff said that Scotland is in a strong position to switch to Hydrogen in the future which would be a good alternative. Gus mentioned that Colonies would be perfect for solar energy if we took a collective approach.
9. Items from the Floor:
Jane asked about a Colonies Platinum Jubilee party but we decided to leave this to individual streets to organise should they wish to have one. Andy raised the topic of charging stations for electric cars in the Colonies and this is something that will have to be addressed as more electric cars come on stream.
Street Signs: Some need re-painted and some need replaced or put up where they have fallen off the wall. Agreed to put a message on Grapevine to ask if someone would be willing to do this.
Cars idling their engines: We are to ask Glenogle Baths to put up a notice to request that drivers refrain from doing this while waiting on Glenogle Road and to contact Edinburgh Academy to raise the issue with them so they can discuss it with pupils.
10. Meeting closed at 9pm