Thanks to the community website "Leith and North" for the following report on our petition before the Scottish Parliament. (Have a look at "Leith & North" for lots of good community information!)
Petition PE1083 went before the Public Petitions Committee this Tuesday, November 6th. Convener Frank McAveety declared it "a good petition worth exploring". Malcolm Chisholm (MSP for Edinburgh North & Leith) was there urging the committee to support this petition, noting the thousands of signatures gathered on the streets of Leith and speaking of the "strong feeling in Leith, that we have a rich and varied history ... with a distinct identity.
Malcolm went on to explain that the campaign wants to see a feasibility study carried out and referred to the appropriate bodies for consideration. He explained that Leith Custom House is owned by National Museums Scotland, and that they are happy for the building to be used if the items they store there can be housed elsewhere. Robin Harper (Green MSP for Lothians, and a committee member) supported the petition, noting that many smaller communities already have their own museums. Malcolm agreed noting that Leith is "one of the largest historic communities" that doesn't have one.
The Petitions Committee will seek the views of City of Edinburgh Council, COSLA, Enterprise companies and the Scottish Museums Council, with explicit questions about funding and any possible constraints; it will then make further recommendations. This does not fast track the petition as its supporters would have liked, but it does keep it before the Parliament under active consideration and leaves the opportunity to gather even more support.
Click here for more on the Campaign for a Leith Museum in "Leith and North"
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