DUNPENDER COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of meeting held on 6th March 2008
at the Council Chambers, East Linton.
Present: Mrs J Priest, Mrs L Shaw- Stewart, Mr B Craighead, Ms J Pooley, Ms L Kilpatrick, Mrs J Ferguson
Mr J Robson, Ms P Stephen
In attendance: Cllr. J Bell, Cllr. N Hampshire, Cllr P MacLennan, PC K Hughes, County Sgt S Boyle
Apologies: Mr R Russel, Mr W Alder, Ms A Cosgrove, Mrs J Boyd
2.0 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 7TH FEBRUARY 2008
Mr Robson noted that Section 5, the balance in the Grants Account should be £7595.98 instead of £7595.48. Otherwise this was agreed to be a correct record of the meeting.
3.0 POLICE REPORT
PC Hughes thanked the Community Council for their donation towards the funding of a Police mountain bike, which should be ordered within the next few days. He hopes to be out on patrol on the bike in the near future.
The subject of dog poisoning in the Binning Wood area was raised at the last meeting. PC Hughes has spoken to the wildlife crime liaison officer regarding this. He has made extensive enquiry and found that a dog did indeed die. However, this was due to the dog consuming an anti-freeze type substance, which does not fit with the usual baits laid. He has spoken to all the local vets and no further incidents have been reported.
On 11th February, two bikes were reported stolen from a rear garden in the Braeview area. Both were boys’ bikes, one a Dawes and the other a Trojan. They have not been recovered.
On 16th February a report was received of malicious damage to the structure of the old Orchard Cottage. Youths have been using this as a drinking den.
Also on 16th February, a wing mirror on a Nissan Almera motor vehicle was smashed by unknown means while the car was parked and unattended at Brown’s Place.
On 3rd March, a 17year old male was arrested in the Walker Terrace area for a Breach of the Peace after causing a disturbance and challenging officers to fight. He will be reported for summons.
There were no further items of interest to report.
4.0 MATTERS ARISING
4.1 Paths
· Mr Robson had an email from Nick Morgan to say that maintenance to the Hailes Path will happen in the next few weeks. Difficulty with obtaining permission from landowners has meant that the extent of this work has been limited.
· Gravel will be laid on the path from Preston Road to Preston Mill next week.
· Mr Craighead will contact Nick Morgan for a sign at the end of Dunpender Road to indicate the Markle path. Mrs Ferguson reported that the sign at the Markle end of the path has disappeared.
4.2 ELDA article
Mrs Priest will write the next article.
4.3 Lighting on footbridge
Cllr Bell received an email from Dave Northcott, senior Structures Officer, ELC, to say that Network Rail have said that they will rectify the slippery steps, but have no plans to paint or provide lighting. He has contacted Andrew Anderson from Network Rail to suggest that they meet on site to discuss these matters. Cllr Hampshire will write to Iain Gray.
4.4 Park- floodlights/shrubbery/CCTV for toilets
There is no sign of the practice lights in the park yet.
Mrs Priest commented that it was reported in the newspaper that a large sum of money has been made available for CCTV, most of which has gone to Dunbar. Cllr MacLennan will see if a camera could be acquired for East Linton toilets, which could be linked in to the school. A large amount of money has been spent on repairing the toilets, which have been repeatedly vandalised.
4.5 Roads/Pavements – various
· It was noted that there are new phone numbers for reporting problems with lighting and roads. Information about this has been sent out to householders with the Council Tax bill.
· Cllr MacLennan offered to come to East Linton and look at loose paving slabs, potholes and other things that need repairing. Mr Robson offered to do some advance work identifying problems and photographing them if necessary. The Markle road has been repaired, but repairs are still badly needed at Whittingehame and Preston Road. Water at Phantassie road end and on Hardie Terrace is still a problem.
· Mrs Priest informed the Council that the new East Linton signs had been erected. Unfortunately the wording was wrong on the Beautiful Scotland banners and these have been removed. Cllr MacLennan will contact Smeaton Gardens and Stewart Stenhouse with regard to planning permission for the two signs at the Phantassie roundabout.
· Mrs Shaw-Stewart will investigate whether the 30mph sign could be moved further out of the village at Preston Mill to try to slow incoming traffic earlier than at present.
4.6 Burial Strategy meeting
Mr Robson and Mr Craighead attended this meeting. A crematorium in Dunbar was suggested, but as the three crematoria in Edinburgh are operating at 40% under capacity, this would not be a possibility.
No decision has been taken on the green burial site, but it will be included in the strategy.
4.7 Community Council elections
Mrs Priest attended the AELCC meeting last week.
The elections are on 24th April. Nomination forms are available online from the website or from the library from 19th March.
5.0 TREASURER’S REPORT
Mr Robson reported a balance of £7595.98 in the Grants account. There is a balance of £1567.55 in the Current account. Money still to be paid:
£200 for PC Hughes’ bike
£318 for East Linton Primary School Eco Garden
£500 for the football lights
6.0 LOCAL PRIORITIES BUDGET
(See12.2)An invitation from Pauline Jaffrey to take out an advert in the North Berwick Business Association’s glossy new brochure was declined.
7.0 TYNINGHAME, WHITEKIRK AND MARKLE ISSUES
Mrs Ferguson reported that the Markle road has now been fixed.
Ms Kilpatrick voiced concerns on behalf of some Newbyth residents about school catchment areas being affected by ward changes. Cllr Hampshire will check, but it was felt unlikely that this would be the case.
Regarding the proposed development at Whitekirk, Ms Pooley reported that the clubhouse has now been included in the specification, as have the groundsmen’s huts. 85 people attended the meeting of opposition called by Whitekirk Association of Residents on 17th February. The developers were refused entry to the meeting as it was advertised as a meeting of opposition and following a report of this in the East Lothian Courier, Mr Francis of WG&CC had written a letter to Ms Pooley (see 12.13) which she found very intimidating. Mr Francis had also met briefly with Mrs Priest and Mr Robson on the morning of 6th March to complain about statements attributed to Ms Pooley in the newspaper. Mrs Priest will write a response to Mr Francis.
8.0 TRAPRAIN AND WHITTINGEHAME ISSUES
The flooding on the road near the Luggate burn at Whittingehame has been dealt with by ELC. During heavy rainfall recently, the house, which had previously flooded, was undamaged.
9.0 PLANNING MATTERS/ HOUSING SUB COMMITTEE
· Cllr Bell heard that the owner of Monk’s Muir is about to submit plans for a new wall to replace the existing one.
· The argument between the owner of the old Ark House on Bridge Street and the neighbour has been resolved. The wall must be rebuilt to a certain standard and maintained, as it is a listed wall.
· The wall running from Allen’s garage to Pencraig is badly broken in places. The owner of the wall has cleared the rubble and has no plans to do anything else as, in his opinion, the wall has been damaged by the heavy traffic on the road. A headlamp is embedded in a pillar of the wall following a recent accident, which Sgt. Boyle will investigate.
· Mr Craighead noted that engineers have started groundwork at Orchardfield.
· Mrs Priest wrote to Property regarding the station yard, which at present is full of railway maintenance supplies and very unsightly. She suggested to Property, Homes for Life and Economic Development that a good use for the space would be building offices with affordable flats above. Cllr MacLennan will follow this up.
10.0 TOWN MAINTENANCE
Website
Mrs Kilpatrick and Mr McLean are working on the website. Mr McLean is dealing with layout and pictures while Mrs Kilpatrick deals with copy and content. Mrs Priest is compiling a business directory.
Ms Stephen suggested a Mary Queen of Scots link, as she had connections to the area and this could encourage visitors.
Fingerposts
Mrs Priest thanked Mrs Shaw-Stewart for her work on the fingerpost, which is now in situ outside the Co-op.
11.0 PUBLIC TRANSPORT/RAGES
There have been complaints that many people are unable to use the coach style buses due to disability, pushchairs, etc. However, these buses are, apparently, compliant with regulations.
12.0 CORRESPONDENCE
12.1 RAGES Rag Jan 08
12.2 North Berwick & District Business Association: offering ad space in 08 brochure.
12.3 ASCC: Regional meeting Sat 15th March
12.4 email: D Francis, Whitekirk Golf & Country Club
12.5 email: ELCPP workshop invitation 15th March
12.6 email: ELC re Review Scottish Parliamentary Boundaries
12.7 email: Lothian & Borders Police re Custody Visitors
12.8 email: ELC re Burial Ground Strategy meeting
12.9 Overhailes Farm: wall up Pencraig Hill
12.10 note from Mrs A Stewart re First Bus coaches
12.11 email: L Ingram re benches and Hailes Path
12.12 JMCP Advisory Group Oct minutes & agenda 13/3 and Annual Report
12.13 D Francis, Whitekirk Golf & Country Club
12.14 Scotways 2008 Newsletter
13.0 ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS
Cllr MacLennan informed the Council that there would be a public meeting re the proposed incinerator at Dunbar Grammar School at 7pm on Tuesday 11th March.
14.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be on Thursday, 3rd April 2008 at 7.30pm in the Council Chambers, East Linton. |
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