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Hyvots Update - a busy year
The Association held their Annual General Meeting on
10th October in Gilmerton Community Centre.
Jimmy Anderson, Chair of the Association, reflected on
a very busy year which had brought many challenges for Hyvots, not least
the completion of the Neighbourhood Plan and the demolition of 140-odd
flats due to the Gilmerton Limestone Emergency.
REGENERATION
He told the meeting that an application had been put
in to the Scottish Executive for approx. £16m, the money that is needed
to carry out the regeneration of Hyvots. Until we hear whether the
application has been successful, it is impossible to say exactly what is
going to happen. If the Scottish Executive says, 'Yes', the Association
can press ahead with selecting a new landlord (probably a Housing
Association), carrying out a ballot of Council tenants to see if they
wish to transfer to that new landlord, and implementing the
Neighbourhood Plan of demolition, re-furbishment and new-build.
Jimmy congratulated Committee members for sticking to
the task through thick and thin (mostly thin!) and thanked the SERT
Project, The new (Independent Tenant Advisors) and the Housing
Department for their support during the gruelling process.
In the Committee elections, Jimmy was re-elected as
Chair, Derek Noble as Vice-Chair, Sally Scott as Secretary and Ingrid
Herd as Treasurer. The Committee welcomed new member Debbie Pincot, who
will join Margaret Alexander, Karen Timmins, Joyce Sharp, Celia Wilkie
and Liz Thom.
The meeting ended with a promise that, as soon as the
Scottish Executive announced their decision, a Public Meeting would be
held, at which, finally, the people of Hyvots could be told clearly and
definitely, what improvements were to be made to their estate.
In the meantime, Hyvots residents will be receiving a
written update from the Council on the present situation soon after 19th
November.
All tenants and residents of Hyvots are also invited
to an Open Day on Wednesday 28th November from 2pm to 5 p.m. and from
6pm to 7.30 p.m. in the Community Flat at 1/1, Hyvot Avenue. The
Committee and their advisors look forward to meeting you.
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