Neighbourhood Partnership

From May 2007, the City of Edinburgh Council has changed the way some city services are delivered so that they become:

• more local
• more joined up
• more flexible to local needs
• more accountable.

Meadows/Morninside ward, which includes Marchmont/Sceinnes, Merchiston and Morningside community councils, together with the neighbouring ward of Southside/Newington, form the South Central neighbourhood partnership. The NP has an office at 40 Captain's Road, EH17 8QF, tel 0131 529 5151 and email southteam@edinburgh.gov.uk, with Neighbourhood Manager, Susan Bruce, and its own staff team.

Local affairs are now managed at this local level, and that will include the environment (roads, parks, cleansing, etc), community safety, children and families (youth projects etc). For a complete list of the staff at the local office, with their responsibilities and contact details, click HERE.

It is called a Partnership because not only the Council are involved. Nominees from community councils, the police, the voluntary sector, the health service and other key bodies sit together with city Councillors on the Partnership's board, taking real decisions with a real budget to implement them. Things are still at an early stage, but sub-groups for a variety of specific topics are being set up and things are moving ahead.

The Partnership holds regular meetings where the Councillors and all the nominated members discuss local topics and take decisions. These meetings are open to the public, and there is a surgery for an hour beforehand where individuals may raise particular issues with a city official or Councillor. Future meeting dates are:

• 28 January 2008
• 7 April 2008
• 16 June 2008

Agendas, minutes of previous meetings, and other related papers are available on Council Papers On-Line.

Morningside Community Council's nominated member on the Neighbourhood partnership is Jean Thompson.

More information about neighbourhood Partnerships is available on the City of Edinburgh Council website HERE