Present: Mrs J Priest, Mr W Alder, Dr J Pooley, Ms P Stephen, Ms K Moulin, Mr J Robson
In attendance Cllr J Bell, Mr J Clark (member of the public)
1.0 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
Ms A Cosgrove, Mr R Russel, Mrs J Ferguson, Mrs L Kilpatrick
2.0 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 6th JANUARY 2011
This was agreed to be a correct record of the meeting.
3.0 POLICE REPORT
Overnight on 11th January a VW Touran had the rear windscreen smashed whilst it was parked and unattended in the Prestonkirk Gardens area. Any information would be appreciated.
A vehicle on the High Street had the rear windscreen cracked in two places.
In Walker terrace a vehicle had gravel and eggs thrown at it. No damage was caused.
Operation Equate will be running again this year and will be visiting East Linton on the 19th March between 1.30 and 2.30pm. Police will be available to give crime prevention advice. Personal alarms will also be available.
The next CAPP meeting is 17th January at 7.30pm at Dunbar Police Station. The current priorities are Anti Social Behaviour, Diversionary Work and Dog Fouling.
PC Hughes is attempting to set up a cycle initiative to divert vulnerable young people away from crime. Cycles handed in to Police which have not been claimed within 3 months are sold at auction. He plans to obtain a small number of these cycles throughout the year and with selected youths restore them to working order over a number of weeks. If there are no adverse reports about their behaviour, they will keep the bike. The plan is still in the early stages and funding is being sought.
PC Hughes will also be working in partnership with the new Dunbar Cycling Group whose aim is to get more people cycling by providing a permanent hub for people to attend which will offer basic cycle maintenance lessons, cycle activities, cycle rides, crime prevention and safety advice. Funding is being sought to enable equipment to be purchased. It is hoped that this will benefit people from all over the area, as a workshop and as a focus and meeting place for cyclists of all ages. Further information can be obtained by contacting Morag Haddow (project co-ordinator), Jo McNamara, Mark James or PC Hughes.
4.0 MATTERS ARISING
4.1 New member for Tyninghame/Whitekirk
There is a possible new member from Tyninghame. Dr Pooley will contact.
4.2 Roads/Pavements
Mrs Priest had a good response to her request in ELDA for suitable locations for salt bins. Suggestions included Whitekirk near the Hall, Drylaw Gardens and Kippielaw.
The containers at Smiddy Wynd are supposedly being removed in the next two weeks.
Scottish water was called to Walker Terrace where sewage was flooding out of the drains.
Dr Pooley reported that generally people are not keen on the idea of community owned snow shovels.
On the road to Whittingehame, near Traprain Farm, the stones have been washed away at the side of the road, leaving a large and potentially dangerous gulley.
Cllr Bell has not heard back regarding refreshing the road markings in Kingsburgh Gardens. She is also awaiting a response from Transportation regarding the speed reactive sign which was supposed to move to Preston Road in the autumn.
Ms Stephen reported that three vehicles have crashed on the roundabout at Phantassie in a year, the most recent hitting a lamp post. Cllr Bell will find out the exact statistics.
4.3 Paths
Mr Clark informed the Council that the Scottish Government has exercised the option to withdraw funding for the path up the south side of Traprain Law. As the landowner, he is considering removing the access, but stated that he was happy to negotiate an agreement with the Laws Advisory Group. Mr Clark has also been in discussion with Landscape and Countryside, and has made contact with the Mountaineering Association.
Mr Alder will speak to Mr Russel (Community Council member of the Laws Advisory Group) and Keith Burns of the Access Forum regarding this matter. Mrs Priest thanked Mr Clark for his input.
Mrs Ferguson has secured £400 of funding from the Paths For All partnership towards a reprint of the paths leaflet. The balance will be paid out of the Grants Account.
4.4 Fair Trade Schools
There was no report due to Ms Kilpatrick’s absence.
4.5 Article for ELDA
Dr Pooley will write the article for March.
4.6 Jessie
Cllr Bell reported that a replacement striker is on order for the clock in the Square.
4.7 Flooding at Longstone Avenue
There will be a meeting in Haddington on 10th February at 8.30am between ELC and the Housing Association.
4.8 BeGreen meetings
The BeGreen steering group decided that BeGreen Dunbar should become properly constituted as a community owned and controlled body. Dunpender Community Council agreed that this is a good idea. It is hoped that this will be in place by the new financial year.
5.0 PLANNING MATTERS
Over 50 people attended the consultation meeting on 20th January. The minutes will be available on the website. Ms Moulin was thanked for organising the meeting and she is to look at the various planning applications for turbines now in.
Ms Stephen observed that a small container park is being built opposite the Surgery. She will find out more about it.
6.0 TREASURER’S REPORT/ LOCAL PRIORITIES BUDGET
Mr Robson reported a balance of £1545.46 in the Current Account. £750 of which is from AELCC, leaving effectively £795.46 to spend.
There is £4014.60 in the Grants Account, which includes the £400 for the paths leaflet.
There is now £15.06 uncommitted in the Local Priorities Budget as £200 will be spent on repairs to the War Memorial, £210 will go towards the John Rennie event and £90 will be spent on Christmas lights for the tree at St Andrews Kirk in the Square.
7.0 TRAPRAIN AND WHITTINGEHAME ISSUES
There was nothing to report tonight.
8.0 TYNINGHAME, WHITEKIRK AND MARKLE ISSUES
Dr Pooley reported that residents are very keen to adopt the red telephone box in Whitekirk. Under the new Adopt a Phone Box Scheme, there is a charge of £1 to take over a kiosk, with no charge for maintenance and power. Dr Pooley will ask Tyninghame Hall Committee if they are interested in adopting the kiosk in Tyninghame.
9.0 TOURISM INITIATIVES
Mrs Priest informed the Council that the Pencraig Hill information board is on its way and will consist of a panel with a map, a banner along the top, with photographs down each side of outstanding features of the area.
The new trees in the park will be hornbeams.
The Community Council has been asked to help with Rennie celebrations being organised by The Antiquarians among others. A leaflet is being written. On Saturday 4th June there will be a bridge-building workshop followed by tea in the Community Hall, plus a walking tour of relevant sites, then on Tuesday 7th June an evening lecture at Prestonkirk with refreshments and birthday cake in the Stables.
10.0 BROADBAND – Rural Broadband Challenge Fund
Garvald and Morham have now applied for a Leader grant and have also applied to other places for funding. The groups is organising itself into a fiscal body.
11.0 PUBLIC TRANSPORT/RAGES
RELBUS (East Lothian bus pressure group) met on 26th January and 1st February. Accessibility, lack of service, unreliability and cost are among the issues they are raising.
12.0 CORRESPONDENCE
12.1 ELHA: Parking on Stories Park
12.2 email: Community Planning programme of meetings
12.3 email: Broadband funding
12.4 email: BT red phone boxes
12.5 Scotland’s Census info
12.6 BeGreen: re new constitution
13.0 ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS
The Royal Bank in East Linton will be open on Monday and Thursday mornings only from 4th April 2011.
14.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be on Thursday, 3rd March 2011 at 7.30pm in the Council Chambers, East Linton.