In Attendance:

Denzil Skinner (Acting Chair)
Patrice McHenry (Secretary)
Helen O' Hanlon ECCM
Wendy Cunningham Phase Eight
Iain Webster NLB
Brian Smellie Grays of Edinburgh
Eleanor Dykes Lloyds TSB
Gillian Myles Gusto
Eleanor Leech Trotters
Ian Bell RBS
Carol Tait CofS
Gill Hames Neals Yard Remedies

Jenni Brown CC Neighbourhood Partnership
Alan Dean CC Neighbourhood Partnership
Insp. Bruce Johnson LBP
Blaise Donald Covet Handbags

2. Minutes of the meeting of 24th January 2008
The minutes were approved

2a. Matters arising
There were no matters arising

3. Public Realm

The chairman welcomed Jenni Brown and Alan Dean City Centre Neighbourhood Partnership, to the meeting.  A brief presentation followed the main points as follows: please see attached document

• The city centre has unique problems due to a large visiting population for business, leisure activities, tourism etc.  The Neighbourhood Partnership will be responsible for co-ordinating cleansing, housing management, community safety, parks covering Abbeyhill ­ Haymarket and Tollcross to Scotland Street in this world heritage site area.
   
• One nominated officer from BID company is involved in the Partnership Planning process.
    
• BS, Grays queried business involvement, JB replied that in city centre area business was very important and involvement with traders associations and maintaining communication loop was a priority
  
• DS, H&I queried budget, JB replied that budget would be set in beginning of April

A general discussion followed

it was agreed that a representative from CC neighbourhood partnership would attend GSA meetings,

It was agreed to contact members and ask for outcome points to action, for example - increasing parking spaces by a figure, begging initiative, street cleaning, fly posting.  GSA to achieve 6 outcome points from this list to send to CC neighbourhood partnership.

A community event is taking place 8^th May in the Assembly Rooms it is hoped as many people as possible who work and live in the area will attend.

4. BIDs

5. EECM

• Helen O’Hanlon  - St Andrew Square gardens will be open to the public from 2^nd April, wardens have been employed to keep the area, clean and safe.
  
• DS ­problems ongoing with Castle Street, HO’H replied this area was under CEC control, GSA will contact David Sinclair, Local Environment Manager.
  
• Little Rock childrens event will take place in Castle Street, March 31^st a programme has been circulated to members.
  
• French market will take place in April ­ flyer distributed to members.
  

6. TIE

• GSA members have not reported any problems due to traffic disruption, most being pleasantly surprised at how little congestion was happening, with little or no delay to public transport.  With no parking restrictions in George Street.  It is too early to establish a difference in footfall and expenditure.
  
• DS is attending Transport Integration Group (TOG) meeting, this group has been set up to apply pressure over any local issues, other members of the group being CEC, McAlpines, Gordon Drummond (Chair), M&S, West End Traders, Chamber of Commerce.  A report will be given at next meeting.
  
• Potentially Princes Street may close to traffic, when work reaches The Mound area, GSA will continue to circulate any updates received from TIE.
  
• HO’H signage has transferred to TIE PR department emphasis will be changed to positive messages emphasising city centre open for business.
  
• An email from Burt Greener Communications was circulated, it was agreed to invite to next committee meeting, to present their ideas for promotion of businesses and the city centre environment.

7. Police / Crime Statistics Update

• Estimates show that 250,000 people enter the city centre each weekend, while 23,000 live here, the likelihood of being attacked is very low.
  
• 540 licensed premises were located in the city centre, including 243 bars and 33 nightclubs.
   
• The force has launched a crackdown in recent years on repeat offenders in the city centre while working closer with licensees to reduce alcohol-related crime.
  
• A team of retail officers was established to work with shops and clamp down on serial thieves.
  
• Insp Johnston pointed out other recent measures designed to make the city centre a safer place, including a police licensing team which focuses on trouble hotspots, an increase in foot patrols, and the Unight scheme which bans offenders from every nightclub in the area if they commit an offence in any member venue.
  
• The city centre beat has a solve rate of 57%, there is no serious crime including serious assaults, to report making Edinburgh one of the safest city centres in the country.
  

8. Planning Applications
Please see planning list, no major developments noted, St Andrew Square premises change of use from office to public house,  and change of use from office to residential.

9. Correspondence
No correspondence received.

10. AGM Meeting Date 2008
There was a general discussion on date for AGM, it was decided to call the AGM in May as required in the constitution, date to be confirmed.

11. Constitution
The committee wish to amend point 4 in the constitution relating to office bearers and length of time to hold office, the amendments will be put to the AGM for approval

12. AOB
IW, NLB attended the Civic Forum on GSA behalf, he found it a useful meeting, and suggested inviting Riccardo Marini, CEC Design leader to the AGM.

13. AOB
IW, NLB attended the Civic Forum on GSA behalf, he found it a useful meeting, and suggested inviting Riccardo Marini, CEC Design leader to the AGM.

14. Meeting Date

It was agreed to cancel the next meeting April 16^th, the next committee meeting June 25^th 2008 in Royal Society of Edinburgh

The meeting closed with thanks to Gill Hames for the use of Neals Yard premises