Dunpender Community Council
Draft Minutes - February 2017

Draft Minutes of meeting of Dunpender Community Council held
on 2nd February 2017 at the Council Chambers, East Linton

Present; Mrs J Priest Mr J Robson Mr J Swift Mr B Craighead Ms A Pearson Ms L Shaw-Stewart Mr G Gray Mr R Mosley

In attendance: Cllr. N Hampshire Mr A Gibson (AMG residents)


Apologies:
Mrs A Jolly, Ms A Cosgrove, Mr E Martin, Mr R Russel

2. Minutes of previous meeting held on 12 January 2017

The minutes were approved as they were.

3. Police Report:

No police report was available but some pertinent issues were raised at the recent CAPP meeting:
dog fouling has become an increasing problem in Dunpender (One person from East Linton has been fined recently). Thefts from outbuilding continue to be a problem. Mr Craighead is distributing posters for display on community notice boards and shops to encourage people to lock up sheds and garages. The phone number of the police station in Dunbar is discontinued and people need to phone 101 to report non-urgent issues to the police. Hare coursing is an increasing problem in East Lothian with people from the North of England and the rest of Scotland coming into the area. Anyone seeing suspicious activity is asked to report this to the police. Traffic wardens are now issuing tickets in East Lothian which seems to have had a considerable easing effect on parking already in the local towns.

4.0 Matters Arising

4.1 Roads/pavements:

Preston Road plans have been exhibited in the Library and on the website and funding from the Area Partnership has been applied for to help this take place in the next financial year. Potholes in the Surgery road have been repaired. Mrs Priest will investigate whether the single yellow line on the east side of Brown’s Place and opposite the Community Hall can be removed to ease parking problems in this area – review promised by 2017 in Traffic Options paper.

4.2 ELDA: Mrs Priest will write the ELDA article for the February issue.

4.3 Area Partnerships/other meetings attended:

Mr Gray attended the N Berwick Area Partnerships meeting. They are running a three day consultation meeting to decide priorities and how to achieve them within the area.

Mr Swift attended the Local Access Forum (LAF) meeting. The main local issue discussed was the proposal for a link path between Smeaton and the Dean. In view of the Preston Road footpath plans taking shape it was felt by LAF that this may become a lower priority.

4.4 Defibrillator: A planning application for the defibrillator to be sited at the Community Hall has been submitted and is waiting approved by ELC. Interest in the ‘First Responder’ scheme within Dunpender is being revisited.

4.5 Mr Robson had contacted Paul Iannetta, ELC, inquiring on the possibility of painting and refurbishment of the Drysdale Fountain - no response, as yet. [Subsequent positive reply received].

5.0 Treasurer’s Report/LP budget
Mr Robson advised Members that the Current Account stood at £1,211.10, inclusive of £800 from the Area Partnership for Robert Noble celebrations, wrongly credited to the A/c - this should have been deposited into the Grants A/c (RBS have been asked to transfer). The Grants Account stood at £4,768.03, with a further £400 in donations towards Robert Noble Anniversary, next year, ready for deposit. A separate spreadsheet showing Income and Expenditure regarding the Anniversary had been circulated - the balance had been reconciled with the deposits and spend. The Local Priorities spreadsheet, previously circulated was agreed to be altered by transferring the Uncommitted budget of £458.49 towards another edition of the Dunpender News. All funds allocated for 2016/2017 and a revised copy to be issued.

6.0 Tyninghame, Whitekirk and Markle issues:

Whitekirk: Mr Martin is investigating potential broadband improvements. Whitekirk Hall refurbishment is progressing well.

Markle: Proposals to replace the Level Crossing with a footbridge were discussed and an option for a road bridge further south on the line, considered over a decade ago, will be investigated.

7.0 Traprain and Whittinghame issues
No progress on the children’s play park to report this month.

8.0 Planning:

The modified planning application for housing at Pencraig contains information on proposed changes to the road junction of the B1407 with the A199. Mrs Priest will contact the ELC transport department to discuss the possibilities of modifying this. The number of houses has been reduced to 113 with some of them flats, and a more thorough investigation and report on surface water drainage, among other things, has been carried out.

Meetings have been arranged with the local MP and MSP by Mr Russel for DCC members to discuss concerns with developer-led planning. This has already led to many houses being built against the wishes of local communities and also the Local Authority. Ms Shaw-Stewart is in contact with AELCC as this is a problem all CC’s should tackle.

9.0 Public Transport/RAGES

Public Transport: the Bus forum meeting will be held on 5th April. Ms Cosgrove will attend and if unavailable Ms Pearson will go.

10.0 Tourism initiatives/ongoing projects;

A meeting of anyone interested in belonging to a Christmas Lights group is to be held on 17th February, in the Crown and Kitchen at 8pm. DCC would be delighted to hand over the responsibility for the East Linton Christmas lights to a community group, including the lights currently available, and also give support to any funding applications

Noble events: Ms Cosgrove reported the book showcasing Robert Noble’s best work is almost ready for printing and thanked the people who had given donations. Plans for the reception and opening of the exhibition on 12 May are well in hand. The Art Competition will take place over the summer so the artists can benefit from the longer day-length. There will be replicas of the medal that Noble won at the Paris Exhibition in 1900 as prizes along with vouchers for art supplies. A talk on Noble’s life and work will take place on 14 May followed by rededication of the gravestone in the kirkyard by the Minister. Mr Craighead commended the ELC and Mr Pryde for reinstating the gravestone so efficiently. Historic Environment Scotland have listed the southern part of the graveyard in Category A on their National Register. This includes the former Watch House, boundary walls and two entrance gate piers but excludes the northern part of the graveyard and church hall. Plans for work with the Primary School have been passed on to the Arts Officer at ELC who will liaise with the Head Teacher. Mr Swift is working in conjunction with Mr Patterson and ELC to put together a ‘Robert Noble’ walking route around the relevant area of Dunpender.

Consulting young people: The Head Teacher will get back to DCC after she has spoken to the Principal Teacher about discussions with P7s.

Public wi-fi: Mr Martin and Mr Mosley will be looking into the practicalities of this being available within East Linton.

11.0 Correspondence and Consultations;

11.1 Jan 14 A McPherson : trees on Markle path
11.2 Jan 16 LPryde Consultation on future of Scottish Planning system
11.3 Jan 20 ELC: meeting 26th Jan Licensing Board
11.4 Jan 23 Bus Media: ECoast Buses cleared in CMA Investigation
11.5 Jan 25 ELC: Bus Forum meeting Wednesday 5th April 2017 at 10am
11.6 Jan 25 ELC: Reconsultation on Pencraig Hill devt
11.7 Jan 30 ELC: 20s plenty Steering Group mtg Weds 8th March at 9.30am
11.8 Jan 23 L Pryde: Christmas Lights
11.9 Jan 31 Letsgofurther: Edinburgh Airport - Airspace Change Consultation
11.10 Jan 24 Dunbar Conservation Vols: requesting ideas for work
11.11 Jan 18 ELC T Shearer: confirming application for ELC grant for Noble events.
11.12 Feb 2 FoRTyne: next meeting Weds 8th February at 7.00 pm
11.13 Feb 1st J.Bell/J Lamond: attendance by CC’s at site meetings
11.14 Feb 2 ELC: Agenda Licensing sub ctee mtg 9th Feb
11.15 Feb 2 D Affleck/Historic Scotland: Cat A Listing of Prestonkirk Graveyard

12.0 Any Other Competent Business - none

13.0 Date of Next Meeting; 2nd March 2017