We were unable to meet on 1st October as we’d hoped and it’s unclear when we will be able to meet face to face. We continue to run the Community Council using emails and may have to resort to virtual meetings for a while.

The seat at the Rennie Memorial on Dunbar Road has been repaired and the area tidied up. The steps at St Baldred’s Well have also been refurbished.

Work continues on the Fountain – the lamps are proving impossible to repair so we are looking at replacing them with globes as they were originally. Once we get to the painting stage, the plan is to return the basin, boys etc to their original colour which was bronze rather than gold.

All our defibrillators are regularly checked and batteries have been replaced as necessary. Recently the unit at the Surgery has been tinkered with – the door opened and contents strewn about. Assuming it is children doing this, please could everyone make it clear to them that these defibrillators could save their Grandad’s life and shouldn’t be interfered with!

Back in March we submitted a list of questions about the proposed railway station. Full details of everything we know so far will be published in Dunpender News which will be issued in November but briefly, there will be 126 spaces and 19 cycle spaces in the car park, accessed via Andrew Meikle Grove. There are no plans to build a car park in the Memorial Park. Each platform will have shelters/ lights/ help points/ ticket vending machines; they will be 175m long and located near the existing underpass. A footbridge with lifts will link the two sides. The level crossing at Markle will be retained. The building compound will be at the back of the Park but as soon as more information about the building work is available we will let everyone know.

We’ve met with ELC to discuss a one-way priority system for traffic at the Prestonkirk corner in order to make this pavement wide enough to pass each other or simply hold a child by the hand. Fingers crossed that this time something will be done.

Discussions with ELC are also ongoing about speed limits in Tyninghame and on A198, particularly at the Lawhead junction. Rules and regulations around highways are extensive and complicated but based on a uniform approach to make the law clear. This can make it difficult, but not impossible, to apply changes in specific circumstances. 20mph in towns and villages such as Whitekirk and Tyninghame may now be possible under the new Spaces for People initiative.

Discussions are still ongoing about a footpath from Tyninghame to Binning Wood.
We have a place on the Joint Laws Advisory Group and this summer sees the 8th year of ponies on Traprain Law. Visitor numbers are up and with that comes problems of vandalism and climbers ignoring the Police notices banning climbing in the quarry between April and August to protect important birds nesting there. The Countryside volunteers have continued to work under safety rules and have been clearing ragwort, among other tasks.

The Horticultural Society is planning for Spring with tulip and daffodil bulbs ordered and planting beginning in all the tubs and planters. The Community Council pays for the compost, bulbs and plants but all the work is done by volunteers from the HortSoc for us all to enjoy.

Finally, look out for the monthly Repair Café run by Climate Action East Linton. You can take items for repair or get involved with helping with repairs. Looks interesting, sociable and fun! See www.repaircafeeastlinton.org for details

When we can resume meetings they will be in the Stables at 7.30pm as usual. Details will be on the website.

Judith Priest, 26 September 2020