Minutes of meeting held on 4th September 2008

at the Council Chambers, East Linton.

Present: Mrs J Priest, Ms A Cosgrove, Mr B Craighead, Mr E Hill, Mrs J Ferguson, Mr R Russel, Ms L Kilpatrick

In attendance: Cllr D Berry, Cllr P MacLennan, Cllr. J Bell, Major T Fowler, Ms H Patterson, Ms A Davidson       

1.0 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Mr J Robson, Mrs L Shaw- Stewart

2.0 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 5th JUNE, 2008
This was agreed to be a correct record of the meeting.

3.0 POLICE REPORT
There was no Police Report tonight.
There will be a CAPP meeting on 24th September.

4.0 MATTERS ARISING
4.1 Paths

• Mrs Ferguson reported that the final checks are being done on the new walks leaflet.
• Mr Craighead has had no reply from Nick Morgan regarding signposts for the Markle path. Mrs Ferguson will try to contact him.
• Mrs Ferguson reported that generally the paths are in good condition and have been well maintained over the summer.
• Ms Cosgrove observed that the new Stories Park path has been well used this summer.
• Ms Kilpatrick brought to the attention of the Council that a deer fence is being erected around the woods at Newbyth, opposite Binning Wood, to encourage hardwood tree growth. To allow pedestrian/horse access, gates will be installed. The factor has explained that these gates are very costly and has asked if the Community Council would consider making a donation. It was agreed that the Community Council would fund one gate at a cost of £350 from the grants account.
• Mr Hill will collaborate with Mrs Ferguson and meet with Nick Morgan regarding work to be done on the Newmains path. He has surveyed the walk from Gleghornie to Lochhouses and in his opinion, mainly signposting is needed.

4.2 ELDA article
Mrs Priest will write the article for October
4.3 Footbridge area
Mrs Priest reported that a local builder has rented part of the land by the Surgery and has erected a permanent building and a fence. The fence has created an unwelcome blind corner on the path. The path is in bad condition following the installation of the lights and the nettles, etc need spraying. Cllr McLennan will investigate who is responsible for the path.

4.4 Park
The football practice lights are in place, but as yet not cabled up. The team is regularly practising and will need the lights very soon. Cllr McLennan will check up on this.
The bollard at the top of Langside has not been fixed.
The East Linton toilets have been repeatedly vandalised over the summer. They have been open in the evenings, despite a recommendation that they should be closed at 5pm.

4.5 Roads/Pavements

• The new lighting at the West entrance to East Linton is not yet in operation.
• Mr Russel reported that a new hole has been dug for the faulty streetlight in Preston Road.
• The mud at on the south side of the A199 at Beanston remains a problem. Cllr McLennan will raise the issue again.
• The footpath round the Square was supposed to be repaired in July. This has not yet been done. The installation of dropped kerbs is in the programme for September/ October.
• The double yellow lines opposite the Community Hall and in Brown’s Place are very unpopular at the weekends, especially by those using the Hall. A Traffic Regulation Order will be required to change them and this has been set in motion.
• Traffic speeding down Drylaw Hill continues to be a problem. Slow Down signs and speed cushions were scheduled for Longstone Avenue and Rennie Place and have never appeared. Cllr McLennan will contact Peter Forsyth.
• There are many potholes on local roads due to the bad weather this summer. Surface dressing is due to be carried out on the East Linton to Stenton road. The Whitekirk to Newbyth and Whitekirk to North Berwick roads are also included in this year’s programme.
• Repairs have now been carried out to the drains on Drylaw Terrace.
• Work is due to be done on the kerbs at Orchardfield, near Allan’s garage.

4.6 Dunpender News
Mrs Priest congratulated Dr Pooley and Ms Kilpatrick on an excellent issue of Dunpender News. They used Logan printers in Dunbar. The tourist leaflets have now all been distributed.

5.0 TREASURER’S REPORT
There was no Treasurer’s report tonight.
Ms Cosgrove reported from the AELCC that Leader funding now enables smaller groups to apply direct to the Community Council for sums of up to £1000 with matched funding.

6.0 LOCAL PRIORITIES BUDGET
There was no report tonight.

7.0 TYNINGHAME, WHITEKIRK AND MARKLE ISSUES
Cllr Bell reported that the issue of the wall at Monksmuir remains unresolved. The owner accepts that the present wall is unacceptable and has commissioned an agent to produce plans for another.
Mrs Ferguson reported that flooding at Markle has been severe this summer. The road has been like a river and the railway crossing has been flooded, with cars getting stuck on the track. Cllr McLennan will bring this up at a forthcoming meeting with Network Rail and will liaise with Mrs Ferguson.

8.0 TRAPRAIN AND WHITTINGEHAME ISSUES
Mr Russel will attend the next meeting of the Laws Advisory Group, which now addresses issues relating to both Traprain Law and North Berwick Law.

9.0 PLANNING MATTERS/ HOUSING SUB COMMITTEE
Major Fowler informed the Council of his ideas for Houston Mill, which operated as a mill until 1920, when it fell into disuse. He would like to build a brand new water mill on the site of a flooded barn which is no longer fit for purpose, to generate electricity which could be sold back to the Grid. It was agreed by the Council that there were no objections at this stage.
Mr George Laing contacted Mrs Priest, suggesting that the public toilets in East Linton could be more suitably situated. He made several suggestions of alternative locations, and supplied some excellent drawings. The Council agreed that it was a very good idea, and admired the initiative, but agreed that it was unlikely to get off the ground as considerable sums have been already spent on the existing toilets. Cllr Berry said that it was the policy of ELC to provide each community with a public toilet and that there was still a long queue waiting to be refurbished.
Plans for Orchardfield were produced, consisting of 50 houses, 37 of which will be for sale and 13 to be run by Places for People. Land has been identified for a railway station and parking. The plans will be circulated round Council members for discussion next meeting.
A revised application for the development at Whitekirk is going to Planning Committee on 7th October. Dunpender Community Council retains its opinion of the proposed development.

10.0 TOWN MAINTENANCE/TOURISM INITIATIVES

• Ms Davidson and Ms Patterson approached the Council with their idea of holding an outdoor Christmas market round the Square. The idea generally met with a favourable response. Cllr MacLennan suggested that the ELC events officer would be helpful. Ms Davidson and Ms Patterson will organise a meeting to publicise the idea and involve interested parties.
• Mr Russel had no progress to report regarding benches as he has had no response from Stuart Pryde or Andrew Hogarth. Cllr McLennan will chase this up.
• Mr Russel suggested a handrail for the Council Chambers’ entrance.
• Alastair Seagroatt will be approached by Ms Kilpatrick to take over maintenance of the Dunpender website from Dan Mclean.
• Mrs Priest reported that the judging for Beautiful Scotland had gone well. An application to the Community Environmental Fund for the cost of plants, etc, however, was unsuccessful.
• Mrs Shaw-Stewart will be asked to organise tree planting in October. Sites are the Markle path, by the river and by the Surgery. Money will come from the path fund.
• Ms Stephen to be contacted regarding the Christmas lights. Mr Craighead suggested that the tree needs pruning.

11.0 PUBLIC TRANSPORT/RAGES
(See 12.5) The RAGES AGM will be held in the Community Hall on Thursday 11th September.
Cllr McLennan met with the Minister of Transport regarding local train services and visited the site of the East Linton station. A feasibility study and STAG appraisal are necessary. Cllr McLennan feels hopeful that a local Dunbar to Edinburgh Scotrail service could be operating in 15 months.
Cllr McLennan attended a meeting with First Buses regarding various complaints about the low level coaches, doors not opening, poor timekeeping and cleanliness.

12.0 CORRESPONDENCE

13.0 ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS
The consultation on beach car parking charges finishes at the end of September. A leaflet is available in the library but ELC can be contacted with views by phone, letter or email.

14.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be on Thursday, 2nd October 2008 at 7.30pm in the Council Chambers, East Linton.