Present: Mrs J Priest, Mr W Alder, Mr R Russel, Mrs J Ferguson, Ms K Moulin, Mr B Craighead, Dr J Pooley
In attendance: Cllr P McLennan, Cllr J Bell, Cllr N Hampshire, PC K Hughes
1.0 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Ms A Cosgrove, Ms P Stephen, Mr J Robson
2.0 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 9th DECEMBER 2010
This was agreed to be a correct record of the meeting.
3.0 POLICE REPORT
PC Hughes was pleased to report that he had seen a great deal of community spirit during the snowy weather, with people shovelling snow, helping neighbours, shopping for the elderly, etc.
Early on Hogmanay a number of parked cars had been damaged in East Linton but the perpetrators had since been identified. Otherwise the festive season had been very quiet.
4.0 MATTERS ARISING
4.1 New member for Tyninghame/Whitekirk
A poster will be put up in the kitchen of Tyninghame Hall. Dr Pooley will speak to Tyninghame Hall Committee.
4.2 Roads/Pavements
The sub-committee for the High Street – Mrs Priest, Mr Russel and Mr Robson, will meet re pavements.
Mrs Priest observed that some places, e.g. Bridgend, have no convenient access to salt bins. It was agreed that the Community Council could request and if necessary, purchase additional bins and Councillors were asked to give some thought to suitable locations for these.
It was generally agreed that ELC did very well during the severe weather.
The containers at Smiddy Wynd are still blocking valuable parking space. Ms Cosgrove will again try to have them removed.
It was suggested that there should be residents’ parking spaces allocated in Stories Park as it is fair to assume that the paved spaces there were built for the use of residents of Stories Park
The road markings in Kingsburgh Gardens need refreshed, according to a resident there, causing near misses at the road intersection. Cllr McLennan will ask about this.
Mr Russel noted that that the speed reactive sign has not yet been moved to Preston Road.
Residents are not happy about the state of the road at The Dean, which has been very icy and dangerous. As it is a private road, it has not been gritted. Mr Russel has emailed ELC [Bill Laird] and wants to know what steps to take to have The Dean adopted by ELC. Cllr McLennan will find out.
4.3 Paths
Mrs Ferguson has not yet had a quote from Jon Champion for the bit of path at the white bridge.
The Paths Forum will give £400 towards the cost of the reprint of the paths leaflet, which will cost £1345 in total. The balance could be applied for from Little Leader or come from the Grants Account.
4.4 Fair Trade Schools
There was no report. Ms Kilpatrick is to resume soon.
4.5 Jessie
Jessie the clock is still without chimes. Cllr McLennan will find out what the situation is.
5.0 PLANNING MATTERS
The consultation meeting to raise understanding of the current situation with wind turbines will take place on Thursday 20th January 2011 at 7pm in East Linton School hall.
Ian Glen, Head of Planning, and Brian Stalker, Development Control Manager, will attend. Local Community Councils and SABEL will be invited to the meeting, as will recent applicants for wind turbines and all others with an interest. Paul Zochowski is yet to be confirmed as Chair. The meeting will be publicised on the website.
6.0 TREASURER’S REPORT/ LOCAL PRIORITIES BUDGET
There is now £530 uncommitted in the Local Priorities Budget.
Mrs Priest had discussed unsafe gravestones at Prestonkirk with Andrew Hogarth. It was agreed to use some Local Priorities money to repair historically significant graves.
Mr Craighead noted that the base of the War Memorial needs repaired after the severe weather. Mrs Priest will get a quote from Jim Gray.
7.0 TRAPRAIN AND WHITTINGEHAME ISSUES
A copy of the petition from Monksmuir will be going to the Petitions Committee on 11th January.
8.0 TYNINGHAME, WHITEKIRK AND MARKLE ISSUES
Dr Pooley reported that residents of the street named ‘Council Houses’ in Whitekirk are requesting a name change as most are now privately owned. Cllr McLennan will look into this.
Mr Craighead observed that the middle section of the railway crossing at Markle is very dangerous in the dark when it is hard to see how it rises to a point.
Mrs Ferguson noted that the Markle path is very much improved.
9.0 TOURISM INITIATIVES
It was agreed that the Christmas lights this year were very good.
There has been a proposal from ELC, who have grant money for new trees, for a new avenue of trees to be planted in the park, as the present trees on Coronation Avenue are reaching the end of their life and are a potential risk. Most Councillors agreed with the proposal and a meeting will be arranged with Andrew Hogarth to discuss it further.
Some new trees for the Stories Park path were also suggested.
There will be events in Dunbar as well as East Linton to celebrate the John Rennie anniversary.
10.0 BROADBAND – Rural Broadband Challenge Fund
The application from the Garvald and Morham team was turned down but they plan to apply to Leader for funding.
11.0 PUBLIC TRANSPORT/RAGES
There were a lot of problems with trains during the recent severe weather. The station car parks were very difficult to use during the severe weather.
There have been discussions re a shuttle bus to Drem station as parking facilities there are inadequate.
The X8 bus service is to be dropped next week.
It was agreed that Dunpender Community Council would like to join the Bus pressure group.
12.0 CORRESPONDENCE
12.1 ELC: Community Environmental Fund
12.2 ELHA: Parking of containers at Prestonkirk.
12.3 ELC: Petitions Committee, Road Safety on A199
13.0 ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS
Mr Alder had received a request for the mechanical weights from Jessie to go in the East Lothian Museum.
Mr Craighead reported that the residents of Longstone Avenue are very concerned about the flooding in the field.
Mr Craighead also reported that funding is needed to replace the electric heaters in the Community Hall. An AELCC Small Grants form will be sent to the committee.
14.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be on Thursday, 3rd February 2011 at 7.30pm in the Council Chambers, East Linton.