Hello supporters.

We have been relatively quiet over the past two months, as we wanted to give the new signage that Edinburgh Council's Bereavement Services erected in Morningside Cemetery at the end of March a decent period, to see what effect the signage would have on the behaviour of dog owners.

We are sad to report it has not been promising.

Paul noted dog walkers ignoring the new signs less than 24 hours after their installation, with some dog owners even stopping to read the sign on the gate, then proceeding to go into the cemetery and exercise their dogs off lead, and on long leads - completely against the instructions on the new signage

Paul has noted signs uprooted from their posts, within the cemetery, and a gate sign had its cable ties cut, and the sign deposited in a bin. Paul retrieved his, and reattached the sign to the gate.  

We have a large amount of photos, all taken since the signs went up, of dog walkers exercising their dogs off lead, and on long lead, with some of these photos showing dogs urinating and defecating on graves (we will be using these photos...see below). 

However, the big news is that the whole issue of dogs in Edinburgh cemeteries is back on the agenda of Edinburgh Council's Culture & Communities Committee. The issue will be discussed at the 8th August Committee meeting, and we will be providing a written deputation, and a verbal deputation to the committee on the day.

We will also make all our photographic evidence available to every Councillor on the Committee. The photos will include EXIF data, embedded into each photo the moment the photo is taken, that shows the time and date taken - they will all be "post new signage".

This inclusion on the agenda for the August Committee meeting is very welcome news, as we had been told previously by Bereavement Services that the issue would not be on the agenda - however it was a Motion by Cllr Val Walker, the Convener of the Culture & Communities Committee, introduced at the recent meeting on 16th May that got it on the agenda for August, a Motion that was Seconded immediately by other Councillors.

Paul & I attended a meeting with Cllr Walker yesterday, 29th May, at the City Chambers, a meeting which was both very cordial and positive. We thank Cllr Walker for making the time to meet with us, and we look forward to speaking to the committee in August.

We also have some positive news re our Scottish Government petition. We will update you on that tomorrow.

Things are indeed starting to move very quickly...