DUNPENDER COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of meeting held on 5th April 2007
at the Council Chambers, East Linton.
Present: Ms P Stephen, Mr R Russel, Mr W Alder, Mr B Craighead, Mr J Robson
In attendance: Cllr. N Hampshire, Cllr D Berry, PC K Hughes, Mr J Menzies (member of the public)
1.0 APOLOGIES: Mrs J Priest , Ms A Cosgrove, Mrs J Ferguson, Ms J Boyd, Ms J Pooley, Ms L Kilpatrick
Ms Stephen was chairing the meeting tonight.
2.0 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 1st MARCH 2007
Mr Alder noted that he was listed as present at the meeting, when in fact he had sent his apologies for his absence. Otherwise it was agreed to be a correct record of the meeting.
3.0 POLICE REPORT
PC Hughes reported that it had been a busy period and reported the following.
On the 2nd of March a number of youths made off from the Bridge end area after throwing stones at a building there, smashing a window. Enquiry is being made into this and a link with another crime has been found.
On the 7th of March a male driver was issued with a fixed penalty ticket and issued an ASBO warning in relation to the manner of his driving. He had been seen by officers to drive the wrong way around the Phantassie roundabout.
On the 16th garden furniture was stolen again in the Bridge End area. It is thought youths are responsible and may have dumped the items in the river.
On the 17th a total of thirty newly laid kerb stones on the new path crossing the playing fields were knocked down causing £580 worth of damage. A young male is to be seen and charged in relation to this.
Also on the 17th a disco, which was scheduled to take place within the village hall, was cancelled due to a possible problem with youth disorder. Extra patrols by Special Constables were carried out. This resulted in a 15-year-old female being arrested and reported for Police Assault, Resisting Arrest and a Breach of the Peace. During the same evening a quantity of alcohol was seized from eleven youths. They are all to receive letters to their parents.
On the 23rd a large stone was thrown through the door of the Primary School, smashing a pane of glass. This was caught on CCTV and a male has been identified. He will be detained in due course. The male responsible may be linked to the previously mentioned incident in the Bridge End area.
On the 29th a young male was struck by a car in the High Street whilst he rode a motorised scooter. Paramedics checked him out at the scene but he declined further medical attention.
Also on the 29th three windows were smashed again at the Primary School. A positive line of enquiry is being made into this.
Two individuals sleeping rough are causing problems in the village and surrounding areas. The police are aware of this and ask that any incident involving this male and female is reported.
On the 4th, a German Shepherd type dog was seen tied up at Winterfield Park, Dunbar, near the old washhouse. It was there from 8am until 22.50 hrs that night, when it was removed and taken to the Cat & Dog Home. The police are appealing for information.
4.0 MATTERS ARISING
4.1 Paths
No report
4.2 ELDA article for April
Ms Stephen will write this.
4.3 Traprain Law Advisory Group meeting
Mr Russel attended this. The possibility of grazing being introduced to address the long grass was discussed.
4.4 Cllr Hampshire – report on various issues
Cllr Hampshire has talked with Colin Baird and Peter Forsyth regarding the difficulty for drivers coming out of School Rd, caused by people parking on the double yellow lines on either side of the junction at the Co-op. Traffic wardens are unable to visit often enough to be a real deterrent. A possible solution would be to increase the pavement width at the problem area.
Cllr Hampshire has discussed the old football hut with the Sports Development officer. There is still some equipment stored in the hut, which needs to be kept somewhere.
The pavilion is not being used to its full potential. People wishing to use it at present need to approach ELC, book it and get the key from Haddington. Cllr Hampshire feels that the key would be better kept in the village. If the pavilion were made more available, it would be more attractive to use. This could result in better use of the tennis courts. The possibility of a 5-a-side all weather pitch with lights was raised. It was agreed that it would be good to get a village football team going again. Cllr Berry suggested asking North Berwick Tennis Club and the North Berwick Colts junior football team for advice.
Mr Craighead asked about the goal posts in the park, which were removed when work started on the path. Cllr Hampshire confirmed that new goal posts would be installed. Mr Craighead pointed out that grass seed had been scattered at the sides of the path. Tyre marks were still visible, it had not been raked and in his opinion would never grow.
Ms Stephen asked about lighting on the railway footbridge. Cllr Hampshire agreed that this was necessary. Ownership of the land to the North of the bridge needs to be confirmed and a meeting arranged with Network Rail.
Mr Menzies recalled that there used to be gas lighting on the bridge.
5.0 TREASURER’S REPORT
Mr Robson reported funds at the end of the financial year of £1028.44 in the current account. There is £7846.21 in the grants account, £966.60 of which has come from the ELC Economic Development Fund to pay for the streetlights.
The admin. grant for 2007/08 is £556 and will be received in June.
6.0 LOCAL PRIORITIES BUDGET PLANNING
This year’s budget has been reduced to £4320. Extra money may be available to Community Councils that get matched funding.
£500 from this year’s budget is needed to pay for the resurfacing of the car park at the back of the Stables at Prestonkirk. The Local Priorities sub-committee will meet and discuss this year’s budget.
7.0 TYNINGHAME, WHITEKIRK AND MARKLE ISSUES
Cllr Hampshire has been approached by Tyninghame residents regarding the speed of vehicles approaching the village from East Linton. Rumble strips are already in place, but it is difficult to get speed limit signs, as the residents do not want street lighting. There is a lack of room to install pillars or a planted entrance, which would alert drivers to the presence of the village. Transportation can provide boxes, which indicate current speed and also record volume and speed of traffic. These are, however, expensive. A portable sign, such as the one considered by North Berwick Community Council, is a possibility, as the effect of these signs is known to wear off with time.
8.0 TRAPRAIN AND WHITTINGEHAME ISSUES
There was no report tonight.
9.0 YOUTH MATTERS
The disco scheduled for 17th March was cancelled.
10.0 PUBLIC TRANSPORT/RAGES
An article in The Courier has highlighted the argument for re-opening a rail station at East Linton. Cllr Hampshire explained that a local Scotrail service from Edinburgh to Dunbar would need to be established first, then a case for East Linton could be made.
Cllr Berry is trying to get the timetable of the 121 changed to be more tourist friendly in July/August when it is not required for school.
11.0 TOWN MAINTENANCE/TOURISM INITIATIVES
Fingerposts
There was no report as Ms Shaw-Stewart was absent. Ms Stephen suggested that if the pavement at the Co-op were widened, it would be an excellent spot for a fingerpost.
Fountain
Ms Stephen has written to Andrew Hogarth. ELC own the fountain and the clock, but not the spire, and are responsible for the maintenance of both. Ian Govan carries this out just now. Jessie the clock needs lit and needs winding. The fountain has a faulty cistern, needs a new pump and tank and the ironwork is eroding. Cllr Hampshire will ask Alan Forsyth if it would be possible to make the wind-up mechanism electric and to have the fountain fixed. Property and Planning officers need to have a look at the fountain.
Road Signs
Mr Craighead asked what has happened to the Slow Down signs, which were supposed to be installed in Rennie Place and Longstone Avenue. Cllr Hampshire will find out.
Website
This will be covered at the next meting.
Tourism
Mr Russel informed the Council that the History Society unveiled the notice boards at Prestonkirk on Sunday. The first one is in place on the wall of Station House.
12.0 PLANNING MATTERS/HOUSING SUB-COMMITTEE
Mr Russel asked about the building going up on the road to Stenton. Ms Stephen informed him that this was to be the new Phantassie farmhouse for Hamilton Farmers.
13.0 CORRESPONDENCE
13.1 ELC: Community Council Funding 07/08
13.2 John Muir Country Park Advisory Group Meeting minutes
13.3 Traprain Law Advisory Group Meeting minutes
13.4 Scotways Spring Newsletter
13.5 ELC: consultation on Draft EL Environment Strategy
13.6 Copy letter to Parish of Traprain re car park funding.
14.0 ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS
Regarding the proposed charges at all East Lothian’s beaches, Cllr Hampshire stated that money raised must then be spent on car parks. Comments and feedback may be sent to him.
Mr Robson informed the Council that the annual audit was being done and should be ready at the end of April.
Cllr Berry wished to express his gratitude to the residents of Tyninghame, which will no longer be part of his ward.
Mr Menzies mentioned that he had been unable to access the agenda for tonight’s meeting. Ms Stephen apologised and explained that this had been due to a technical hitch and that the agenda is normally available on the website, on the notice board outside the Council Chambers and in the library about a week before the meeting.
15.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be on Thursday, 3rd May 2007 at 7.30pm in the Council Chambers, East Linton. |
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