Present: Dr J Pooley, Ms A Cosgrove, Mr W Alder, Mr R Russel, Ms K Moulin, Ms P Stephen, Mr B Craighead
In attendance: Council Leader P McLennan, Cllr N Hampshire, Cllr J Bell PC K Hughes
Members of the public: Mr & Mrs Mitchell from Luggate, Mrs L Shaw-Stewart from Eastfield
1.0 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
Mrs J Priest, Mr J Robson, Ms L Kilpatrick
2.0 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 2nd September 2010
This was agreed to be a correct record of the meeting.
POLICE REPORT/ MONKSMUIR ISSUES
A small number of calls have been received from residents at Prestonkirk Gardens regarding antisocial behaviour by youths riding bikes and damaging trees. A number of youths were traced and warned. The area is being monitored.
At the end of September about ten car aerials were stolen from vehicles parked in Walker Terrace. Extensive enquiry was made but no suspects have been discovered.
A car windscreen was smashed whilst it was parked near the bowling club. A 15 year old female has been cautioned and charged.
A seventy year old female has been cautioned and charged with dangerous driving after she lost control of her vehicle and drove into a house at the Glebe. She wasn’t injured in the accident.
A number of illegal drag snares have been found in the area. PC Hughes asks people to be vigilant and report any snares to PC Ross, the Wildlife Liaison Officer.
There have been complaints of speeding tractors in the village. PC Hughes asks that people with concerns obtain a registration number, as tractor drivers he has spoken to insist that they are restricted to between 23 and 30 mph.
On Friday 12th November between 7.30 and 8.30pm Councillor Bell and PC Hughes will be holding a “Cuppa with a Copper” in the Council Chambers. They are keen to meet as many members of the public as possible. This is an opportunity for the public to raise concerns or issues that are affecting them in the community.
Lothian & Borders Police are holding Alcohol Awareness Week from 4th-10th October to encourage members of the public to think about how many units of alcohol they are drinking and to stick to the sensible guidelines.
6.0 PLANNING MATTERS
It was agreed to bring this section forward.
Ms Moulin has produced a draft response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on permitted development rights for micro generation equipment on non-domestic properties. It looks at the restrictions that should relate to installing solar, wind turbines, etc for businesses where no planning permission is required. Comments would be provided to Ms Moulin by Friday 8 October.
5 applications have been submitted for wind turbines in the Stenton and Whittingehame areas for turbines greater than 40m high.
Mr and Mrs Mitchell asked the Community Council to support their concerns about these applications. They have already written to Mr Collins, ELC Director of the Environment as they feel that these turbines are outwith current local authority policy. The impact of Feed In Tariffs, encouraging these applications, was noted and that in these circumstances, many more applications could be expected.
Mrs Shaw-Stewart pointed out that these turbines will be clearly visible from Traprain Law, which is an iconic landscape of great local and historical significance. Mrs Mitchell, a regular walker on the Law, noted that the landscape has already changed significantly in recent years. While people are generally in favour of renewable energy sources, Mr and Mrs Mitchell and Mrs Shaw-Stewart feel the landscape is also important and must be taken into consideration.
Given these conflicting interests, and the anticipated consultation on draft East Lothian Council policy, discussion of these applications at a full Planning Committee could be asked for in future responses to planning applications.
The importance of raising awareness of planning applications of this kind was noted.
Cllr McLennan stated that there is a National Policy in place and that ELC has asked for Supplementary Guidance. He suggested lobbying MSPs.
It was agreed that:-
a link on the Community Council website to planning applications would be provided, to encourage responses where there are concerns
Ms Moulin would finalise the consultation response to Permitted Development Rights for Microgeneration Equipment on Non-Domestic Properties, and forward it to the Scottish Government
Ms Moulin would draft comments on two planning applications for wind turbines at Whittingehame. These comments would include a request for the applications to be considered at full committee
Ms Moulin and Ms Cosgrove would form a subcommittee and arrange a consultation meeting to discuss the Council’s draft policy on wind turbines
Ms Moulin would provide an article for Dunpender News
Dr Pooley thanked Ms Moulin for her effort.
4.0 MATTERS ARISING
4.1 New member for Tyninghame/Whitekirk
There have been no applications for the position. Dr Pooley will approach Tyninghame Hall Committee.
4.2 Roads/Pavements
The next location for the speed reactive sign will be Preston Road.
The new road markings on the bridge at Tyninghame (A198) were agreed to be a great improvement.
4.3 ELDA article for October
Mr Russel will write this.
4.4 Dunpender News
Articles for the next issue should be in by the end of October. Ms Cosgrove suggested a colour edition if funding could be found. She will work on this. There will be a large feature on micro renewables. Ms Stephen suggested an article on John Rennie and Andrew Meikle, local men who made significant contributions to engineering. The 250th anniversary of John Rennie is next June. Ms Cosgrove has been working with Stephen Bunyan from the Antiquarian society regarding this. She will write an article with photographs.
4.5 Community Planning
There is another meeting in November in Dunbar re the Draft Local Community Plan. Comments made at a recent East Linton Meeting on this Plan do not appear to have been added to the latest version of the circulated document. Ms Cosgrove will follow this up.
4.6 Paths
There was no report tonight.
5.0 TREASURER’S REPORT/ LOCAL PRIORITIES BUDGET
There was no Treasurer’s Report tonight.
It was agreed to join the ASSCC at a cost of £10 per year.
Ms Cosgrove advised that the next tranche of the AELCC fund of £23000 has just been received from Leader and is available for applications.
7.0 TRAPRAIN AND WHITTINGEHAME ISSUES
Mr Russel reported from the Traprain Law Advisory Group that there are palmate newts in the pond, a badger has been seen digging and that 3 peregrine falcon chicks and 1 raven chick have fledged at Traprain Law. Mr Russel will write an article for the Dunpender News.
8.0 TYNINGHAME, WHITEKIRK AND MARKLE ISSUES
Mr Craighead reported that the petition raised by residents of Monksmuir regarding the roads, has been returned to ELC. Cllr McLennan has submitted it and it will go to the Petitions Committee in January. Mr Craighead will inform the residents.
9.0 TOURISM INITIATIVES
East Linton came second in its class and was awarded Silver Gilt by Beautiful Scotland. Congratulations were extended to the Horticultural Society.
The Pencraig information panel should be ready before March. Mrs Priest and Mr Russel are working on this project.
10.0 BROADBAND – Rural Broadband Challenge Fund
There was a good response to the broadband survey, which will benefit the application from the Dunpender area. This will be assessed by the Leader panel, along with other East Lothian applications.
Regular power cuts are experienced by many households in rural areas. The overhead cables are apparently repaired but not maintained. Cllr McLennan will take this matter up with the provider.
11.0 PUBLIC TRANSPORT/RAGES
Ms Cosgrove has talked with North East Rail Future who are very impressed with the progress being made in Scotland.
Ms Stephen noted that it is impossible to get a cheap train out of London which stops at Dunbar. Ms Cosgrove will take this up with the train company.
Mrs Priest has had no reply yet to her letter regarding high bus fares to Haddington.
12.0 CORRESPONDENCE
12.1 ELC Statement of Licensing Policy 2010-13 (email)
12.2 ELC Community Council Elections (email) The timing for these has to be changed – either October 2012 or Spring 2013. It was agreed that October 2012 was preferable. Dr Pooley will inform Ms Pride.
12.3 Woodland Trust (email) Request for photos of areas that would benefit from trees.
12.4 Dunbar & District Local Community Plan (discussed above)
13.0 ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS
Ms Kilpatrick would like another run of postcards, which have sold very well. She has suggested producing another postcard, using the aerial map from the Preston Road panel.
Ms Stephen had a meeting with Stuart Baxter and received certificates for herself, Mrs Priest and Mr &Mrs Alder for long service to the Community Council. Dr Pooley expressed congratulations.
Ms Stephen has more Christmas trees and notes that further upgrades to the Christmas lights should incur only the cost of putting them up. There are also new lights for Tyninghame and Whitekirk which were ordered last year. She will contact Lillian Pryde. Cllr Hampshire advised that new regulations from the insurer regarding Christmas Lights may cause difficulties.
Mr Craighead noted with concern the article in this week’s Courier about the storage of drugs in the flats above the library.
Ms Cosgrove reported from the last Parent Council meeting that the Christmas Market Committee are not allowing stalls for charities or fundraisers this year. Dr Pooley will contact them.
14.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be on Thursday, 4th November 2010 at 7.30pm in the Council Chambers, East Linton.