DUNPENDER COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of meeting held on 4th September 2003
in the Council Chambers, East Linton
Present: Mrs J. Priest, Mrs J Boyd, Ms A. Cosgrove, Ms P. Stephen, Mrs J. Bishop, Mrs M. Alder, Mr J. Robson, Ms J Pooley
In Attendance: Cllr. Broun-Lindsay, Cllr. D. Berry, P.C. K Hughes
1.0 Apologies: Mrs A. McLean, Mrs L. Shaw-Stewart, Mrs J Ferguson, Mr C Stewart, Ms P Stephen
2.0 The Minute of the previous meeting held on 5th June 2003 was agreed to be a correct record.
3.0 POLICE REPORT
P.C. Hughes introduced himself and gave police reports from June/July and July/August 2003.
3.1 An illegal rave was held in Binning Wood on Friday 20th June, attended by around 500 people. Indiscriminate parking caused congestion in the area. A report has been compiled.
3.2 On 8th June some windows at Prestonkirk House were vandalised, believed to be the action of local youths.
3.3 Following Police monitoring, on 8th June an arrest was made in the High Street in relation to persons trying door handles and entering gardens, etc.
3.4 On 9th June, a Peugeot motor car parked on School Road had its rear offside quarter light window smashed and a De Walt cordless drill stolen.
3.5 On 15th June, East Linton Gala Day was well attended and the parade and festivities passed without incident.
3.6 On 19th June, a solar panelled electric fence battery unit was stolen from a field at Knowes Farm.
3.7 On 19th June, at Smeaton Nursery Shop, persons unknown attempted to force open the till and then forced open a cash box and stole £50 in change. At present there are no lines of enquiry.
3.8 On 28th June, there were anonymous complaints regarding trailers being parked on Hardie Terrace. This has been dealt with and will be monitored.
3.9 A road check was carried out at the beginning of June to crack down on speeders entering the village and persons failing to use their seatbelts. Such checks will be done as often as possible.
3.10 Duties permitting, P.C. Hughes intends to carry out foot patrols of the village. He has already done this over the preceding month and it has been well received by village residents.
3.11 The new yellow lines will not be burnt off and will remain as they are. They are enforceable and the plates detailing the parking restrictions are now in place.
3.12 On 4th July a complaint was received regarding youths at the Linn Rocks. Officers attended and spoke with the youths. No offences were committed.
3.13 On 7th July an anonymous complaint was received regarding persons repairing cars in the street at Preston Kirk House. Officers attended, no offences were found and the area is being monitored.
3.14 On 8th July vandalism was carried out to a door in Walker Terrace. Threer is a suspect for the crime and enquiry is continuing.
3.15 On 8th July a previously reported stolen vehicle from Western Volkswagen at Newcraighall was recovered in Drylaw Terrace. The suspects are not from the village or surrounding areas.
3.16 On 12th July two 999 calls were received regarding groups of youths striking street furniture with lengths of wood. Officers attended, no complaints were made and no damage caused.
3.17 On 13th July a report was received of cars having “bounced” into the road from the High Street during the night. No damage was caused.
3.18 On 14th July a report was received regarding a local poacher acting suspiciously near Preston Mill. Officers attended an dfound no trace of any persons.
3.19 On 23rd July minor vandalism occurred at Brown’s Place. Enquiry is continuing.
3.20 On 1st August an ambulance call was received regarding an unconscious 9 year old boy. He was rushed to the Sick Children’s Hospital where he made a full recovery. Enquiry revealed he had consumed alcohol given to him by another youth. This person has been charged with reckless conduct for supplying drink to a minor.
3.21 On 6th August a petrol Strimmer worth £500 was stolen from outside a house in Dunbar road. No lines of enquiry are open.
3.22 On 23rd August the Drovers courtesy vehicle had the windscreen wipers bent and damaged while it was parked outside the Drovers.
3.23 On 24th August an incident occurred within a room at the Crown Hotel resulting in a male being arrested, cautioned and charged for a domestic assault. He was detained for court.
3.24 On 28th August a drive off without paying for £20 of petrol occurred at Torness Motors. The vehicle was later traced to the A1 at Tranent.A male was cautioned and charged for theft, no licence and no insurance.
3.25 On 30th August the first East Linton youth club disco took place. No problems were reported as a result of the disco. There was a complaint regarding youths fighting in the early hours of Sunday morning but no trace of any youths was found on Police arrival.
Mrs Priest thanked P.C. Hughes for his report.
4.0 MATTERS ARISING
4.1 Mrs Priest extended a welcome to Ms Janet Pooley who would like to be on the Council as representative for Whitekirk. As there has been no other volunteer for this position, the Council members voted her onto the Council.
4.2 Bonfire/Fireworks Display
As there have been only two phone calls in response to the request for volunteers to organise Bonfire Night, it was agreed that DCC can do no more to help this event to take place this year.
4.3 Paths
Mrs Ferguson has been working on this over the summer and has applied to Leader Plus for £28000 towards paths in the area. The total cost of improving all the local paths is £50000. It was agreed that it will be necessary to form a Funding Group to enable applications to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme etc. The Funding Group will initially consist of Mrs Ferguson, Ms Cosgrove, Mr Robson, and Ms Pooley.
4.4 Binning Wood
Ms Pooley stated that the Friends of Binning Wood group had been unsuccessful in their recent bid to buy the woodland. Friends of Binning Wood continues to exist, now known as Dunpender Community Woodland Trust. There is a place set aside on the trust for a representative from the Community Council. Ms Pooley agreed to be this representative.
4.5 Viewpoint/Quarry at Pencraig
As Ms Stephen was not present this matter was not discussed.
4.6 Drug Awareness Meeting
The meeting is to be held in the Council Chambers. Mr Robson to contact people who are likely to be interested, eg librarians, youth workers, hoteliers.
5.0 CORRESPONDENCE
5.1 Lothian Health Plan 2003
5.2 Friends of the Earth magazine
5.3 SEPA View Summer 2003
5.4 Postwatch Scotland Summer 2003
5.5 Newsletter of Community Recycling Network Scotland
5.6 Bass Notes x 3
5.7 MELD Annual report
5.8 Water Customer Consultation document.
5.9 SE: Draft Local Governance (Scotland) Bill: Consultation
5.10 ELC Draft affordable Housing Policy
5.11 NHS White Paper ‘Partnership for Care’
5.12 SE consultation on Freedom of Info Act
5.13 Houses for Life AGM Notice.
5.14 Thanks from Friends of Binning Wood for cheque.
5.15 LHC Health View
5.16 ELC Notices of Meetings
5.17 ELC: East Lothian Archaeology Week
5.18 R. Russel re railway bridge
5.19 Longstone Avenue Residents request for funds
5.20 Dean Residents Assn. Re lavender
5.21 Assn ELCC: Rep for Assn Scottish Community Councils
5.22 AELCC: transport to new Royal Infirmary
5.23 Structure Plan: finalised written statement
5.24 ELC Local Housing Strategy
5.25 ELC Amendments to C Council scheme
6.0 YOUTH MATTERS
East Linton Youth Club have restarted after the summer break. There are now 36 members. The summer trip was a big success and a trip to the ice rink is planned for October. The youth Club will take a break while the Art Show is in progress at the Community hall.
7.0 PLANNING MATTERS
Due to the absence of Ms Stephen there was no report regarding Planning Matters.
8.0 TREASURER’S REPORT
8.1 Ms Cosgrove reported that the bank balance stands at £5624. This includes £3000 designated for paths.
8.2 The Council agreed that it should spend the usual sum on memorial wreath.
9.0 LOCAL PRIORITIES/CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT
9.1 The Local Priorities budget, as yet unspent, stands at £6658. Longstone Avenue Residents Assn. need signs for Neighbourhood Watch. It was agreed to give £100 towards the cost of two signs.
9.2 Money from the Local priorities budget is to be kept aside for the next edition of the East Linton brochure.
9.3 The Capital Improvement money stands at £4558. Redoing the Square is a priority this year. The Community council will pay £3000 towards the proposed new streetlights in the Square and High Street, the rest of the CIG to be spent on The Square. Andrew Hogarth [ELC Landscape & CM] to produce drawings and a cost by the end of September.
9.4 In Whitekirk, there are plans to refurbish the village hall and we decided to keep a possible contribution in mind.
9.5 In Tyninghame, the factor’s office used to look after the Hall. Since the estate has been sold, a group of Tyninghame people have got together to see if they can keep the hall going and again, some cash may be needed here.
10.0 TOURISM INITIATIVES/SCOTLAND IN BLOOM
10.1 Scotland in Bloom
East Linton failed to reach the finals of Scotland in Bloom this year. Nevertheless the Horticultural Society’s efforts have been much appreciated. The Society has money from the Community Environmental Fund to plant a Heritage Orchard in the former allotments area on Preston Road.
.10.2 The Square
Some drawings are in hand for the proposed renovation of the Square and these have been used as a basis for discussions with Andrew Hogarth.
10.3 Streetlights
Mrs Priest reported that a meeting with Brian Cooper [attended by Mrs Ferguson, Mrs Priest and Mr Robson] resulted in an agreement to install railway style lanterns [as discussed last year]. The Council decided that black/gold was the most appropriate colour as it will match the litter bins. Transportation will meet the cost of the new lights, apart from the £3000 contribution by DCC. It is not possible to have lights on the bridge parapet – they need to be on standards and this requires further discussion.
10.4 Street Signs
The proposed blue and gold street signs have been sourced. Planning permission may be required to replace the existing ones, AC to investigate.
10.5 Tyne Path
Drawings are ready for a new riverside path behind Stories Park. The cost has been calculated at £16000.
10.6 A1 Expressway
Drawings of the two new roundabouts at East Linton will be available at an exhibition this autumn. They have been held up by the need to purchase land.
11.0 TOWN MAINTENANCE
· The Council Chambers have been repainted. Mrs Priest reported a mixed response to the choice of colours. She showed the Council a drawing of the new door, for which planning permission has been granted.
· The Dean Residents Assn has written to ask for the lavender in Preston Road to be attended to, as there are many gaps. The Council agreed that the lavender is very pleasing and should be replanted where necessary and some other tactic employed under the trees where it refuses to grow.
· ELC Property has written to ask if Jessie’s lighting can be changed. At present to change one spotlight costs hundreds of pounds. Internal lighting behind the clock face would mean that energy saving bulbs could be used. We agreed to this.
· Mr Stewart has a design draft for upgrading the play area in the park. Leader Plus will be applied to for funds.
· The question arose as to why the pavilion upgrading had not started yet, when it was intended to start in June, straight after Gala Day. Cllr Broun- Lindsay will chase this up.
12.0 OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS
12.1 Regarding the possible opening of East Linton Station, Ms Cosgrove informed the Council that Scotrail services to Dunbar would need to be increased before East Linton could be investigated.
12.2 Mr Robson informed the Council that he had attended the Lafarge Cement Works Liaison Meeting. He reported that the safety record at the cement works was among the best in Britain, that the low use of fossil fuels was better for the environment and that the new Whitesands Road has now opened.
12.3 There have been complaints regarding the new £6000000 Tornadoes flying low over the village. A telephone number is available to register complaints.
12.4 Mrs Priest noted that at long last kerbside paper collections are starting in East Linton.
12.5 Regarding the North Berwick bus service, Cllr Broun-Lindsay reported that some elderly bus users needed to get off at the Square but were unable to do so as there as been no stop at the Square for some time. The Community council will need to apply for a new stop.
13.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday 2nd October 2003 at 7.30pm in the Council Chambers, East Linton. |
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