In attendance: Ms A Hunter (minutes), Anthony Jeffries, Cllr L Jardine, John Kinnaird, Catherine Courtney, Adrian Girling, Verity Sinclair

1. Apologies: Mrs L Shaw-Stewart

2. The minutes of the meeting held on 6th February were agreed.

3. Police Report/CAPP Dunbar and North Berwick Police Stations will close this week. PC Laura Jackson will attend the DCC April meeting to discuss Linn Rocks for this coming Spring/Summer. In February there were 26 calls to the area resulting in police recording 10 crimes:
Reducing Violence and Antisocial Behaviour 2 x Assault Improving Road Safety
1 x Dangerous Driving 3 x No MOT
4 x Miscellaneous

4. Matters Arising
4.1. theSpace Scotland - The Mart Pop-Up Adrian Girling explained that having started at Phantassie, moved to North Berwick and now at the planning stage for a facility in Dunbar theSpace had funding to build a small indoor ramp and have secured use of the Mart until August 2025. A ramp has been built with assistance from young people from Dunbar, 3 of whom have now gone on to secure apprenticeships with the Ridge. The facility will be run as a members club with sessions to be booked online. Keys will be held by known and trusted individuals. Keyholder sessions will be limited to 10 participants. Coaching sessions will run with 8 individuals. Groups from Edinburgh have expressed interest and may bring 15 participants. The intention is to run the facility responsibly and Adrian will be visiting neighbouring properties in the coming weeks to liaise and provide contact details to residents. Public liability insurance will be in place. Any music will be acoustic and during the day. Session will end at 9pm on weekdays and 8pm on Sunday. Applications for membership will be open shortly and the facility will be up and running in the next couple of weeks. There will be links formed with the existing youth club in East Linton.
While the facility was welcomed concern was expressed over previous events at the Mart disturbing residents with loud music and the potential for groups to gather outside the Mart and then gravitate towards Linn Rocks or cause trouble at the bus stops. Membership and online booking should help address the issue of people just turning up although it was recognized there may be an issue during school holidays. •

1 The Dunbar development is at the planning stage with the expectation of an application being submitted in the next couple of months. Work is also due to start on the pump track at Hallhill. Once that is complete Adrian will contact DCC to discuss the existing funding for a skatepark in East Linton which has to be spent by 2027.

4.2. The Future of Belhaven - Lyn Jardine Cllr Jardine reported on discussions with NHS Lothian, Health and Social Care and representatives of the Dunbar Community on the future of the Belhaven Hospital site. NHS Lothian donít have the funds to create and run a community space in the hospital buildings. A Community Asset Transfer for Belhaven Community Garden is underway and NHS Lothian will wait for the outcome of that before deciding what to do with the rest of the site. Although the garden is currently zoned for housing there is a petition asking ELC to re-zone it for horticulture/recreational/community space. The practicality of the garden being developed for housing given the current access roads was touched on. Cllr Jardine commented that the disposal of the garden canít just be for commercial benefit but must the balanced with community need and recognized the potential of the garden to deliver a range of benefits to a variety of community groups. She also suggested that the community engage in the local place plan, local development plan and any planning applications relating to the site.
Mrs Cosgrove has contacted the bus companies about the difficulty some older people have accessing the hospital in Haddington as it is not currently on a bus route. They committed to consider this in the next service review.

4.3. Active Travel
Work in East Linton is expected to complete by the end of March. A crossing of the A199 at the top of Lauder Place is in progress. Suggestions were made of a 40mph zone between the west entrance to East Linton and the roundabout. Mr Askey will speak to Calum Redpath, ELC. Concerns were expressed about future work at the west entrance with a strong feeling that this was not welcome. Mr Askey will communicate this to Morag Haddow, ELC. No funds are in place for further work on the A199. It was reported that contractors had been storing equipment in the refuges on the bridge. Mr Askey will raise that with Simon Law, ELC. Mrs Cosgrove reported on a meeting due to take place on 7th March between Paul McLennan and the rail companies. Proposals include the 17.05 from Edinburgh to stop again at Dunbar, the 17.21 Transpenine service stopping at East Linton, Dunbar and Reston and the 18.04 Cross Country service stopping at East Linton, Dunbar and Reston. The X7 bus frequency is due to increase to every 20mins.

4.4. Changeworks - energy advice seminars This is on the agenda for the AELCC meeting which Mr Thomas will attend. Once the offer is better understood meetings may be set up in East Linton. The existence of a Community Heat Team was raised. Trained volunteers offer home surveys using thermal imaging cameras, produce a report and can refer interested parties to Home Energy Scotland for further information/advice. Surveys can be booked: https://calendly.com/ elheatteam/home-heat-survey?month=2025-03

4.5. Meetings Attended
Dunpender Community Council Minutes 06/03/2025 2
Mr Thomas and Mr Wight attended the ELCAN AGM where all proposed members were voted onto the board. It was recognized there was a need to expand diversity of members. Mrs Cosgrove reported that Harry Barker is standing down as chair of the EL Community Rail Partnership. Mrs Gill is joining along with Tom Dickson(RAGES) and Brett Walker (NB On The Move). They will meet in May to discuss future rail-related projects.
th February on the Local Development Plan 2018. One of the questions raised of the Chief Planning Officer was the impact of Local Place Plans on both the 2018 LDP and also LDP2. The Chief Planning Officer indicated that Local Place Plans were new and did not impact LDP1 and went on to say that communities had done great work in developing the local place plans. The legislation states that Local Authorities should have due regard to Local Place Plans but they do not have to adopt them. The example he gave was where the LPP says no new housing is wanted by the community but the Council is required to find land for housing then they will do so. Mr Wight confirmed DCC LPP is in the final stages of agreement with ELC. The meeting also discussed ongoing funding for defibrillator maintenance across the area. Mr Martin will confirm to Doug Haig the location of the Dunpender defibrillators.
Mr Thomas reported he met with Fred Olson and Foundation Scotland about funding opportunities related to Crystal Rig renewable projects. Dunpender is just inside the area considered for community benefit by the Crystal Rig repowering project. Although it is up to the development companies how the benefit is distributed currently the Scottish Government are consulting on how the benefit money should be used in future.

4.6. Vacancies
Mr Martin resigned and was thanked for his 9 years of service as a member and latterly Treasurer. Mr Thomas will approach residents of The Orchard to try to attract a new member. Mr Martin will canvas Whitekirk residents for a replacement.

5. Area Partnerships
Mrs Cosgrove reported on a DELAP meeting last week to look at remaining funding. The 6/7 applications which were first submitted were fully funded which covered all available funds. Three later applications from East Linton were therefore turned down.

6. Finance - budget, current position and end of year accounts update
The current balance is £3876 with an outstanding claim to ELC for £240 to cover room rental. Public Liability insurance is due to be paid this month and the bill is in from the Horticultural Society which will leave approx. £3500. It was agreed to fund the Xmas Lights insurance (approx. £300) and to give £1000 to the Community Hall. Members were asked to consider the post of Treasurer.

7. Planning / Licensing / Consultations Mrs Gill reported that the Mart had applied for and been granted occasional licences.

8. East Linton/Preston

Mr Russel reported there had been temporary patching on Preston Road. Potholes reported on the High Street may have been filled today.
Mrs Priest has contacted ELC about the playpark - the flying fox is not working and one of baby swings is missing. Mr Thomas asked that DCC support the occasional licence application for the Gala where bar takings contribute substantially towards funding the event. It was agreed.

9. Tyninghame/Whitekirk A report has been received on the feasibility of a community heat network in the core part of Tyninghame. A meeting in the hall will discuss the way forward but the best current option may be a pipe to the A199 linking to the proposed EL Heat Network. Tyninghame Hall AGM will be held on 11th April. A new noticeboard is being addressed.
The church in Whitekirk has been sold potentially for use as a wedding venue.

10. Traprain/Markle/Whittingehame
Mrs Gill reported that the Markle road to the east of the railway will close from Tuesday as the new road is tied in - this section will likely take 2/3 weeks. Following that the road to the west of the railway will close to tie the other end of the new road in. Drains are in better condition than expected so that work will be less invasive than anticipated. Planting and landscaping are ongoing. Completion is expected by mid-year. No update on community benefit work.

11. Projects
Mr Wight and Ms Pearson plan to meet with Lisa, the walks leaflet designer, to finalise text and routes. A draft version of Dunpender News is ready for proof reading. Distribution to outlying areas needs to be discussed.

12. Correspondence
12.01 SCDC: Community Conversations across Scotland 12.02 M. Haddow, ELC: Active Travel, East Linton Gateways etc
12.03 AELCC: Meeting 19 March 12.04 EL Courier: Comment requested on ELC Libraries
th Anniversary Events
12.06 A Girling: Auction Mart Pop-Up 12.07 ELC: Budget Meeting Papers
12.08 R. Averbuch: Changeworks - Energy Advice Seminars 12.09 Cllr L Jardine: Final Report - Future of Belhaven
12.10 Stantec UK - Parking Engagement, Dunbar 12.11 FORL: Crystal Rig Repower Exhibitions
12.12 Simon Law, ELC: Parking Area Dunbar Road 12.13 AELCC: Reviewing Constitution, Code of Conduct & Standing Orders
12.14 EL Licencing Board: Board Papers 12.15 AELCC: Draft Complaints Procedure
12.16 NTS: Volunteers for Preston Mill 12.17 ELCAN: AGM Papers
Dunpender Community Council Minutes 06/03/2025 4
12.18 ELC: Project Gigabit. The Library is open again on Tuesdays and has been reported as busy.
Mr Wight and Mrs Cosgrove will attend an online meeting about parking charges in Dunbar.

13. Any Other Business
Mrs Cosgrove reported that RAGES have a stall at the Green Futures Festival - Sat 22nd March - QMU.

14. Date of next meeting: Thursday 3rd April 2025 at 7.30pm