We have watched a lot of video recordings of Edinburgh Council's Culture & Communities Committee meetings and read a lot of paperwork associated with these meetings, since we started this campaign in January 2024.

We feel we know all the Councillors on the Committee very well, just from observing many hours of them during meetings, their interactions as members of the Committee, what they say, how they say it, how often they contribute to discussions etc.

One of the most active members is Cllr Hal Osler.

She fully deserves her place on the Committee as she is a very active participant, contributing to discussions frequently, making very good points (although we do not always agree with absolutely everything Cllr Osler says). She obviously takes a keen interest in whatever topic is being discussed, and has read all the background information.

She has our respect.

This is an interesting video of Cllr Osler making some excellent points during the 16th of August 2022 Committee meeting, the same meeting that Paul and Mr & Mrs Pedan gave Deputations to the Committee, and a final decision was taken on whether to formally implement the “no dogs” or “dogs on leads” Cemetery Management Rule.

You can watch the video by clicking on this link, however, here are some highlights:

Cllr Osler: “Whatever we decide to do today, we have a problem…a really bad problem”

We could not agree more.

Cllr Osler: “We discussed this in February, we came to a compromise, we hoped that it would be something that would work…it obviously hasn’t”

Again, we could not agree more…the compromise and approach has failed.

Cllr Osler: “People are really suffering and that is absolutely horrific”

Agreed…unfortunately, two years later, these people are still suffering. It is still horrific.

Cllr Osler: “This has got to be about protection of a particular type of space - this is not about a dog issue; it is about cemeteries – we need to focus on that part”

Absolutely. Let us remind you what Edinburgh Council itself says about the "core purpose" of cemeteries:

Cemetery Management Rules – Outcome of Consultation Report from 2022.
You can read it here: https://t.ly/AjFhr

Point 4.3.4 “Although the Council encourages appropriate use and enjoyment of the cemetery spaces, this must accord with the core purpose of the spaces. Cemeteries are places for burial and for the bereaved to visit, reflect and remember, and for contemplation in a quiet space. Any other use must not detract from that core purpose”. 

Point 4.5 “Cemeteries in Edinburgh are quiet spaces for the burial of deceased persons and cremated remains. The use of these spaces for more than this purpose is welcome, however the understanding of, and respect for, their primary purpose must remain at the heart of any other activities that take place”.  

Cllr Osler: “Can I suggest we form a sub group of some sort”

Now this is very interesting and sounds like a great idea.

Did it ever happen?

Paul and Mr & Mrs Peden have never heard about a sub group or received an invite to be on it.

Cllr Osler: “People have lost touch with what actually happens when you have lost somebody – if you have not lost somebody, you might not actually understand how important these places are, what they mean to people” 

Yep, absolutely…sounds like a job for the promised “program of enforcement & education”…of course, we now know through Freedom of Information requests and a meeting with Bereavement Services that the promised “program of enforcement & education” never happened.

There was zero enforcement, and zero education was carried out.

Cllr Osler: “As so clearly pointed out by Mr Irvine earlier, he can’t move his son, that’s the only place he can go…and that will be the same for every single person in a cemetery. We need to get this across to people that these are places that need to be respected”

Yes…CHOICES

The bereaved have no choice but to go to the cemetery where their loved ones are resting.

Dog walkers can choose to go elsewhere to a more appropriate green space.

Cllr Osler: “People like Mr Irvine and Mr & Mrs Peden shouldn’t have to be involved in levels of conflict to educate people, that is obviously not working, and it is a very difficult process to consistently go over this again, and again, and again, it is very painful”

Absolutely – it is incredibly painful for Paul and others to keep going through this process with Edinburgh Council, feeling like they are banging their head against a brick wall, year after year. Remember...this all started in 2020 for Paul and his family.

Cllr Walker, who is the Convener of the Culture & Communities Committee finishes by saying about the sub group:

Cllr Walker: “I would be very happy to take that forward. I understand it’s been a practice of this Committee to setup sub groups, so let’s go ahead, and we will be in touch with everybody about who should be on this – that way we can start this process now, rather than waiting for a years’ time, when we get the report, perhaps telling us there has been problems and issues still in cemeteries”

Well, here we are two years later.

Was the sub group ever formed?

There are still serious problems and issues with dogs in Edinburgh’s cemeteries…people are still suffering.