Face to face with…Susan Bruce

The South Neighbourhood Partnerships are supported by the South Neighbourhood Team, Services for Communities, the City of Edinburgh Council. Susan Bruce is team manager.

Tell us a bit about yourself...

I’m 49 and I’ve worked in the Council for 24 years mostly in housing and community safety, before taking up the post of neighbourhood manager.

Tell us a bit about your job...

As neighbourhood manager for South, I lead a committed and enthusiastic team of staff delivering locally based services to the Liberton/Gilmerton and South Central areas. We provide services including street cleaning, roads repairs, parks, housing, libraries and community safety.

We try to continuously improve our services by working together with our customers and partner services.

In addition, I support the Liberton/Gilmerton Neighbourhood Partnership and the South Central Neighbourhood Partnership.

What’s your biggest challenge?

The South neighbourhood is very diverse. There are still significant levels of deprivation in some parts of the neighbourhood and partnership working is needed to address these issues. There are some parts, particularly those closest to the city centre, where the high volume of people passing through makes maintaining street standards a daily challenge.

 Any successes you are particularly proud of?

Loads…the refurbishment of Moredun Library; moving residents out of Gracemount multi-storey flats which are due for demolition; reductions in youth crime; planting more than 270,000 spring bulbs bringing our spring flower total up to about five million!

What common problems are you able to help people with?

Advice and help to sort out their housing problem; taking action against antisocial behaviour fly tipping or graffiti; complaints about roads and pavements.