Minutes of meeting of Dunpender Community Council
held on Thursday 5th December at 7.30pm in The Stables

Present: Mrs J Priest Ms A Pearson Mrs E Gill Mr H Thomas Mrs A Cosgrove Mr R Russel Mr D Wight Mrs L Shaw-Stewart

In attendance: Ms A Hunter (minutes), John Kinnaird

1. Apologies: Cllr L Jardine, Mr E Martin, Mr M Askey

2. Minutes of meeting held on 7th November were agreed.

3. Police Report/CAPP

Halloween and bonfire Night went without any incidents.
Reducing Acquisitive Crime (Crimes of Dishonesty)
1 x Fraud
1 x Shoplifting 1 x Theft from MV
Improving Road Safety
1 x Careless Driving
2 x Fail to stop after an accident 1 x Drink Driving

Mrs Gill will attend the CAPP meeting on 12th December.

4. Matters Arising

4.1. Balfour Beatty Community Benefits
No update.

4.2. Vacancies
There will be a push for new members in 2025.

4.3. Meetings attended
Mr Wight took part in a consultation on the ELCAN submission to ELC on its Climate Change Strategy. He confirmed that DCC is a member of ELCAN and eligible for available funding.

5. Area Partnerships

The DELAP meeting was postponed until Monday 9th December. The Scrutiny Group has looked at funding applications and approved an application for funds toward the cost of the new tank at the fountain. This needs to be confirmed at the next full meeting.

6. Finance

The current balance is £3613.78 which includes £1000 from the Community Rail Partnership for the walks leaflet and £450 for new timetables. Once all outstanding costs are paid the balance will be approximately £400. Ms Pearson advised that defibrillator pads will need replaced in the next financial year.

7. Planning/Licensing / Consultations

7.1. Planning: Monks Muir Park - Erection of Social Hub and associated works 24/01209/P
There have been no comments or objections to DCC although it is understood that individual residents will object. There are outstanding issues from previous applications some of which have been addressed.

7.2. Consultation: ELC Climate Change Strategy
Mr Wight, Mrs Gill, Mr Thomas and Mr Askey have been working on this. Mr Wight will submit the DCC response before the deadline of 15th December.

8. East Linton/Preston

Mr Russel reported that the Community Payback team has started work on the path at the mill lade and that he has filled in a hole at the bottom of the stairs to the white bridge.

Mrs Priest will attend the Hall steering group meeting on Thursday 12th December

The Amenities team have been asked to address the path from the surgery to the rail bridge and also to also cut around the trees in the orchard.

Mrs Cosgrove advised that ELC Roads Department have approached DELAP to ask for input to their plan for next year. Mrs Priest has assessed the need for dropped kerbs around the village for inclusion in this plan. Extension of the pavement in Tyninghame has been included. Mr Russel has asked that potholes on Preston Road be filled but has had no response to date.

Mr Russel has emailed Tommy Dale about the entrance to the Mart. He is aware of the need to address it but has no current plan for the work. The wall may be listed.

9. Tyninghame/Whitekirk

Mr Wight reported that a sub group of the Tyninghame Hall Committee was successful in raising funds for a feasibility study for a community heat scheme. Surveys of heating sources and individual bill have taken place prior to work to establish the economic feasibility of pumping round hot water. Generating that hot water would require a further feasibility study.

10. Traprain/Markle/Whittingehame

Ms Pearson has requested the road marking on the A199 at the Traprain junction be addressed.

Mrs Gill met with Billy Agnew (ELC) about fibre broadband to Markle. There is currently no government support for this but he will start work assuming this will be re-introduced.

The final section of the Scottish Water Mains Upgrade took longer than expected but is now in the testing phase with pressure testing, chlorination, and sampling taking place this week. Results are expected in 7-10 days. No date is available for the switch over but the hope is to be finished by Christmas.

Regarding the Stopping-Up of the Level Crossing there has been a Community meeting with the Project Manager and team where they offered the possibility of wooden boarded fence and gate rather than a palisade. Mrs Shaw-Stewart suggested the use of a Chestnut pailing fence which would be in keeping with the rural aspect and also secure. Work is timetabled for mid-May but dependent on completion of the road and bridge. Plans have not been forthcoming as yet.

On the Road, Bridge & Drainage Project the latest photo report has been circulated. The precast beams delivery is planned for before Christmas with installation in January. The Scottish Water work means that the window to continue the drainage through Markle before Christmas has passed - this will now be tackled in the New Year. Work on the road drainage to the east seems to be mainly complete though there still seems to be work to be done at Markle End where a hole in the verge is still open. There still seems to be some activity relating to the tying-in of the road at that side. Questions have been raised with Peter Forsyth about the future status of the existing road through Markle/ Markle End once the new road is in place. The new road will be adopted but clarification is required on whether the old sections that will now be dead ends will remain adopted. Peter Forsyth has also been requested to provide the detailed plans/design of the area relating to the stopping-up so that impacts on the three properties that adjoin the crossing can be determined. There is ongoing debate as to whether ELC/BB or Network Rail have final responsibility for this. Residents in the immediate neighbouring properties would like to understand if it impinges upon or restricts access to those properties.

Concern was expressed about the scale of the work being undertaken on the road and bridge as well as the drain work and the Scottish Water mains upgrade and whether it is related to the call for sites for the next Development Plan and a push for the area to be zoned for housing. Mrs Gill has been asked to put down a strong marker that there would be local resistance to multiple-property development in Markle and the surrounding area - this is not NIMBYism. The new road and bridge does not change the fact that the U159 is not suitable for anything other than the very local traffic that uses it at the moment. The surrounding area is highly productive agricultural land and has recently being ploughed. Local facilities and services in East Linton could not cope with many additional users. Markle has always been described as a hamlet - a distinct settlement not attached to anywhere else so we would expect ELC to treat Markle and other small settlements around here under the Countryside Around Towns designation - not only important for us in small hamlets but also to conserve the landscape setting around East Linton.
Scottish Power Energy Networks have notified local residents that there will be a power outage sometime towards the end of January to allow the upgrade of SPEN boxes near Markle Mains - there will be no digging in Markle.

11. Projects - Walks leaflet, Dunpender News

Mr Wight, Ms Pearson and Mr Russel are working on the new paths leaflet with a view to completion by spring 2025. The remaining copies of the existing leaflet will be distributed to local tourism venues.

Ms Pearson has circulated a request for input to Dunpender News with a deadline of 5th January.

12. Correspondence

12.01 EL Climate Hub: ELCAN Winter Gathering
12.02 ELCC: Advert for Local Place Coordinator - Energy Projects ELCC
12.03 Jacquie Bell: Cargo Bike Trial
12.04 Scottish Water: Update on upgrade to water supply in Markle
12.05 The Space Dunbar: Consultation events for planning process
12.06 ELC: Active Freeway Construction
12.07 AELCC: Agenda for AELCC & AGM
12.08 AELCC: Community Wealth Building event
12.09 ELC: SEPA event on Community Flood Resistance
12.10 Lyn Jardine: Update on vision for Belhaven
12.11 Scottish Water: Survey
12.12 ELC: Planning Application - Monksmuir Park ref. 24/01209/P
12.13 EL Climate Hub: Invite for applications for ELCAN Steering Group
12.14 Save EL IMS Team: Proposed cuts to instrumental tuition in EL schools
12.15 ELC: National Customer & Stakeholder Survey
12.16 EL Climate Hub: Draft ELCAN response to ELC Climate Change Strategy

Mr Thomas will attend the AGM of AELCC on 11th December.
th December.

Mr Wight will respond to the National Customer and Stakeholder Survey before 9th December.

13. Any Other Business

13.01 Dates of DCC meeting 2025 - list circulated

Mrs Cosgrove reported that rail usage, as reported in East Lothian Courier, is slightly increased from pre-Covid levels. Timetables are currently being redrawn and the expectation is for more Transpennine services stopping at East Linton and Dunbar.

Concerns were expressed about dogs in the children's playpark within Memorial Park. Mrs Cosgrove will approach Gordon Whitelaw in the first instance about signs confirming dogs are not allowed in the playparks.

Mr Thomas reported that the failed trees in the park beside the railway were replanted this week.

14. Date of next meeting: Thursday 9th January 2024 at 7.30pm