EUSA secures funding to ease community relations

Edinburgh City Council last week pledged £5000 to tackle the causes of community discord across the university city of Edinburgh after a bid by Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) proved successful.

Antagonism between students and residents in Edinburgh is by no means a new phenomenon, but it came to head last summer when local government threatened to limit the number of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in certain areas.
Fortunately for students living in such residences, these plans were abandoned following massive protests backed by EUSA’s "Right to Rent" campaign. Nonetheless, the problem still remains and is frequently cited by residents as a serious obstacle standing in the way of good community relations.

In light of this, steps have been taken towards tackling what student representatives have claimed to be underlying cause of this issue. At the end of last year EUSA’s External Affairs Convener, Thomas Graham—who was instrumental in the Right to Rent campaign—forwarded a bid for a grant from the City of Edinburgh Council, in order to commission a survey into why there is such antagonism within the local community. Last week the council announced this bid had been successful.

Mr Graham said: “It is clear that we need to do more to improve our links with community groups and more to address problems that exist in communities.

"Students have a massive role to play in our communities and bring vibrancy to them. This research is an opportunity for us all to start addressing the fundamental problems that exist, dispel the myths and for us to find out the areas which we aren't doing enough.”

The council has granted EUSA £5000, and an outside body has now been appointed to administer the poll. A student city forum has also been set up, at which students' associations, MSPs and local councillors can raise concerns.

Early indicators suggest that the major problems appear to be fear of areas such as Marchmont, Sciennes and parts of Newtown becoming "ghost towns" during university holidays, increased litter, dissolution of community spirit, minor instances of antisocial behaviour and noisy neighbours. The intention of this initiative is therefore to try and find ways of decreasing such instances, but also to show local residents that the student body itself is making an effort to listen to their grievances.

EUSA has also secured a grant for around £1000 towards production of a so-called "community living guide" for students, to raise students’ awareness of the gravity of the situation and also provide them with advice on how to avoid contentious situations with residents.

While the guide is only in its initial stages at present, Mr Graham expressed his hope that it will be available to distribute either to first year students with their welcome packs, or to second years before they move into flats.