Minutes of meeting of Dunpender Community Council
held on Thursday 7th November 2019 at the Council Chambers, East Linton
Present: Mrs J Priest Mrs A Cosgrove Mr J Swift Mr E Martin
Mr D Wight Mr B Craighead Mr R Russel Ms A Pearson
In attendance: Ms A Hunter (minutes) Cllr S Kempson Cllr N Hampshire
• Apologies: Mr J Robson, Mr A Reid, Mrs L Shaw Stewart
Mrs J Parish has resigned from DCC. Mrs Priest will forward thanks for her service.
• Minutes of previous meeting held on 3rd October 2019
Correction to previous minutes item 8.1 'This was granted to the village cricket club by Haddington estatesí is amended to ëThe use of this cricket pitch was granted to the village cricket club by Haddington estates'.
• Police report & CAPP priorities
Mr Craighead presented the police report. All issues relate to Dunbar and include non- adherence to speed limits and youth visibility at night for road safety reasons.
th December 2019.
4.0 MATTERS ARISING
4.1 Rennie Place
Mrs Parish will continue to progress with Mr Swift as the DCC point of contact.
4.2 Meetings attended.
Mr Swift attended the local access forum. New countryside officer appointed.
Tyninghame to Binning Wood path is ongoing. A booklet of Paths in East Lothian is in progress. The hundreds of hours per month in summer contributed by volunteer Friends of River Tyne was recognised.
th November Aberlady school.
DELAP meeting - 25th November - will cover voting rights. Cllr Kempson informed the meeting that Port Seton Area Partnership constitution determines who votes and if this was put in place it could assist with the voting situation in Dunbar. Cllr S Kempson highlighted that funding applications must be submitted 2 weeks prior to DELAP meetings to allow time to scrutinize. East Linton priorities to feed into the DELAP programme for next year are required to be presented to DELAP in Jan/Feb. All to think what these should be.
4.3 Park/School meeting
Cllr Hampshire presented ELC position to the meeting 4.3.1 Station
The longer platform than originally planned and associated ramps will take up significant space within park. Network Rail proposals will be available in January 2020 and will be presented to the community. The building compound for the new station will be in the park with materials transported via School Road and a new temporary road within the park. Mr Martin questioned the number of car parking spaces ñ this was originally 42 but figures of 100 have been mentioned. Mr Swift asked whether ELC had considered access to the car park via the Mart rather than Andrew Meikle Grove. Purchase of land at the Mart would add significant cost and this access route is therefore unlikely.
Cllr Hampshire highlighted that the new station will bring significant pressure for new houses.
4.3.2 School
The extension currently required will take up all existing land within the school and further housing will mean future extension again required. Changes to Scottish Government criteria for school buildings mean it now has a rating of C which qualifies for funding to replace the building. ELC are considering a new site and one option is Drylaw field.
4.3.3 Skatepark
This cannot be progressed immediately due to the proposed location of the building compound for the station. However Cllr Hampshire confirmed that money has been allocated and it will be delivered as soon as possible.
4.3.4 Green Space Mr Swift raised the importance of green space within the village and the fact that the park is the only green space we have. Concern was expressed over the possibility that the station and the school extension on the existing site could cover the whole park. The ownership of the park is unclear with a suggestion that it is owned by the education department. Mr Swift disputed that and is of the view that ELC own the area in question.
4.4 ELDA article/Dunpender News
Thanks were extended to Ms Pearson and Mr Russel for gathering material for the Dunpender News which is currently being compiled. Mrs Cosgrove has secured £200 of funding from Torness. It was agreed the publication would be in colour and on lighter weight paper which saved a further £40.
Mr Martin has agreed to write the next ELDA article.
In discussion on future funding Cllr Hampshire confirmed that DCC could apply directly to ELC community partnership funding if DCC already has some money available for a project. Mrs Cosgrove confirmed that funding of up to £2000 is available from Baillie Gifford.
4.5 Roads - 20mph
A countrywide 20mph speed limit was removed from the Scottish Government transport bill. Communities who would like a 20mph limit contact ELC and carry out a community survey. If there is support there is a trial. This has completed. Now ELC will carry out a further survey to see if it is to remain.
Cllr Hampshire will request that Peter Forsyth shares the timescale for this survey. Mr Martin requested a flowchart of the process.
School road ñ proposed traffic restrictions at the start and end of the school day west of Walker Terrace. Originally discussed at a meeting in 2014 this is still outstanding with ELC. Cllr Hampshire stated that although restrictions are in place in Haddington and Dunbar they are not being adhered to unless there is a police presence and ELC are investigation the possibility of using CCTV and number plate recognition to address the problem. Mr Craighead raised the fact that a survey had revealed the biggest problem is no parking facility for teachers. Mr Swift advised that there is a parking issue at the corner of Bank Road at the start and end of school. A resident has suggested that current parking issues mean the area impacted would have to be extended from west of Walker Terrace.
Cllr Hampshire confirmed when the station is open permit parking will be put in place in residential streets to ensure station parking is restricted to the car park.
Mr Swift raised the safety issue of water exiting Monks Muir and flowing across the road.
5.0 Planning Matters
5.1 Whitekirk house
Mr Martin thanked Mr Swift for his speech on behalf of DCC supporting the community objection to the new house. The application was rejected although it was recognized that there will probably be an appeal.
5.2 Mrs Cosgrove highlighted the difficulties faced in putting forward an application for planning permission relating to Robert Noble information board and was advised by Cllr Hampshire to make an appointment with David Allan who would guide the hard copy application through the process.
6.0 Treasurers Report & Local Priorities budget.
No report was presented as Mr Robson was not present.
7.0 Projects
7.1 Fountain repair
Mr Craighead has discussed the work with Mr Anderson and it will be completed within budget. Work will probably be in spring. Mrs Priest confirmed that ELC will not pay for any overspend or possibly future maintenance. Mrs Priest also confirmed that the repair bill for recent damage to the fountain pump was forwarded to ELC who are currently paying for maintenance.
7.2 Skatepark
See 4.3.3
7.3 White Bridge
Mr Russel has e-mailed Nick Morgan to request the handrail to be painted. This will be carried out by the community payback team. Mr Craighead reported the gate missing following recent flooding (recorded at 9feet). The gate was seen following the flood and it is assumed that the farmer will replace it on the new post as its function is stock control. It was noted that the bench still in place.
8.0 Tyninghame, Whitekirk and Markle issues
8.1 Cricket pitch meeting Ongoing ñ a date has been set for residents to meet.
8.2 AP grant Whitekirk Hall
£6000 was received from North Berwick Area Partnership to install a disabled toiletñ work is scheduled to start in 2 weeks.
9.0 Traprain and Whittingehame issues
Nothing to report
10.1 Bus Stops
Mrs Cosgrove contacted Keith Scott concerning the bus not stopping westbound at the Mart. The stop previously held a ëboth ways flagí. Mrs Cosgrove will progress restoration of this flag.
Keith Scott was also consulted on the removal of the 120 service stop at the fountain. Restoration of this would require the stop to be marked on the road which would lose parking spaces. That combined with the information that the stop was not widely used led to the decision not to progress restoration of this stop.
Mr Wight contacted Scotrail about bicycle storage at Dunbar and they have agreed to put it on agenda when the car park is re-done. A new design has been agreed but currently there is no confirmation if ELC of Scotrail will operate this. Cllr Hampshire confirmed ELC will take over parking at other stations.
th December. Cllr Hampshire confirmed that there will be ticket machines on both platforms.
11.0 Correspondence & consultations
11.1 4/10 & others AELCC: Hire charges for Community events
11.2 8/10 & 5/11 J Charles: Whitekirk Planning application (house) 11.3 9/10 AELCC: Meeeting re APís
11.4 15/10 K Haig: Bus-stops at Orchardfield 11.5 19/10 AELCC: Local Electricity Bill
11.6 21/10 J Gray: New chair 0f Monksmuir Residents Assn 11.7 23/10 ELC: Council papers for 29/10 meeting
11.8 24/10 ELC : Licensing Board meeting 11.9 25/10 ELC, M Haddow: School Rd
11.10 25/10 ELC, K Scott: Bus-stops 11.11 25/10 ELC, P Iannetta: Fountain costs
11.12 29/10 ELC, N Morgan: White bridge painting 11.13 30/10 ELC, S Baptie: Info for the winter
11.14 31/10 & others A Reid &others: Tyninghame cricket pitch 11.15 2/11 AELCC: Planning contradictions from ELC re solar panels
11.16 5/11 (phone): J Armstrong: School Rd traffic restrictions - impact on resident
Mr Wight asked for clarification on point 11.15. Cllr Hampshire confirmed that planning had been granted for solar panels on the Dolphin. It was initially refused as it is in a conservation area but was overturned due to the declaration of the climate emergency.
Mrs Priest advised that Iceland have applied for a site at Oak Tree in Haddington.
Names for the new town on the Blindwells site are open to a public vote via the following link - https://eastlothianconsultations.co.uk/.
12.0 Any Other Competent Business
Nothing to report.
13.0 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday 5th Dec 2019 and NB 9th January 2020