Minutes of ordinary meeting of St Monans and Abercrombie Community Council held on Monday 19th November 2012 in Mayview Hotel Function Suite.

Present

V.Bland                      G.Brown                          V.Salvage                        P.Copland

W.Buchan                 M.Ashworth                   P Shafren                        Cllr Macgregor

There were 15 members of the public present.

1.Welcome and Apologies

V. Bland opened the meeting. There were apologies from A. Anderson, R. Craib, T. Hughes,

E. Hughes, E. Scott, Cllr Riches and Cllr Docherty.

2. Declarations of Interest

None

2a. Police Report

Tammie Campbell said that they were no longer having independent meetings and in future all Police meetings would be at Community Council meetings. They would attend every second meeting. Next in St Monans would be January.

Actions taken – Caravan moved at Miller Terrace with assistance from Fife Council. Shed inspected and no sign of any problems.

Speedwatch volunteers are still required.

List of reported crimes include 5 thefts, 2 acts of vandalism and 2 speeding motorists were reported to the Fiscal for prosecution. The Community Council and members of the public were asked about priorities and the general consensus was 1) Anti-Social Behaviour. 2)Speeding. 3) Parking in Station Road. There was discussion about the number of accidents between Abercrombie and the Waterless bridge (2 in the last ten days). This obviously costs the farmer if fences are damaged and no one stops to report the accident.

3. Dog Warden

No one turned up and no apology received.

4. School

Patricia Shafren reported that a number of teachers were off sick. Four pupils read out letters that they had written to the Community Council. Many of the concerns raised mirrored CC concerns. The letters, along with others, were given to the CC to read and retain. Some of the questions were dealt with at this juncture. The park/common – Marjory Ashworth explained that the money that had been allocated was now going to be spent on equipment and not shrubs/plants which were felt to be inappropriate in the park. She also explained that she had received an email stating that work would start on the Queen Margaret Street Park today. It didn’t!

Donald McGregor reported that he had still not received a reply regarding the dog signs on Common Good ground

5. Last Minutes and Matters Arising

G. Brown corrected a mistake in the October minutes. R. Craib had sent apologies. This had not been noted.

5.3 Defibrillator information meetings would be held in either the Town Hall or the Church Hall, but we were still awaiting further details.

5.5 Response from Liz Murphy. She would ask the workmen to shut the gates and would look at the small gate to see what, if anything, needed to be done to sort it.

5.7 Map at East Street. G. Brown had further discussions with Ken Smith and would work with him to produce a new version. This would not happen overnight.

5.94 Dealt with earlier. Broken fences – Fife Council still maintain that they are the householder’s responsibility.

Waste bins – it was accepted that there had been some problems with the new scheme but it was felt that these problems would soon be overcome.

Peter Copland reported on actions that were to be taken following his meeting with Stuart Goodfellow. Re double yellow lines on Midshore at the middle pier area, S. Goodfellow was consulting with the Police and members. The no entry sign at Virgin Square will be replaced. George Terrace – Signs to be put up intimating that the road was unsuitable for HGV’s. The crumbling double yellows in Station Road would be sorted.

Donald McGregor had contacted Building Control who told him that a Building Warrant was required by the East Pier Smokehouse. There is still no notification of any Warrant application.

Proposer                                                                                                           Seconder

M. Ashworth                                                                                                   P. Copland

6. Chairperson’s Report

Due to family circumstances A. Anderson was unable to attend but had asked V. Bland to convey his thanks for all those who had attended the Remembrance Day Service

7. Secretary’s Report.

1. Cupar Court Petition available for signing, also letter from MSP Roderick Campbell.

2. Response about water coming from blocked gutter in Duck Wynd on to a lighting column. Lynne Davidson for Transportation says that it has been examined and there is thought to be no risk to the public or to the column.

3. Climate Challenge Fund grants (email circulated to CC members0

4. Burns Supper will be held on Saturday 26th January at 7.00 pm in Mayview Hotel. Tickets on sale in the Mayview from the beginning of January.  Advert has gone into Loaves and Fishes.

5. Senior Citizen’s Tea will be held in the Mayview Hotel on Saturday 9th February between 2 and 4 pm. Advert in Loaves and Fishes.

6. Town Centre Repair Programme. (Email circulated to all CC members) Letter read out giving details. This project is about to be carried out in the East Neuk.

7. The telephone boxes in Inverie Street and beside the Town Hall have both been removed.

8. Letter from SHCN (Scottish Health Campaign Network) which coordinates the work of various groups around Scotland with concerns about health service provision in their areas. CC asked to communicate with them if necessary. (email circulated to CC members).

Mail

Tayplan received and retained.

Scottish Water consultation. www.scottishwater.co.uk/yourviewscount

Fife Council consultation on name for Kirkcaldy’s War Memorial Gardens to house the main library, museum, art gallery and visitor information services.

8. Treasurer’s Report

G. Brown issued account report.

7. Planning

Two applications for planning approval.

One by St Monans Community Trust for permission to erect a 30m (100ft) high Anemometer mast to gather wind speed data. The second by Fife Council to replace existing timber windows with D/G timber windows and to replace some doors, like for like, in Johnstons Close. No objection to either application.

The owners of 15 Station Road brought drawings and a model to the meeting to obtain the view of the CC before applying for Planning Permission. They explained the project, which is to provide some small scale commercial property in the village. After some discussion the CC unanimously agreed that this was a great idea, but it was felt that the proposed building was not suitable for the centre of the conservation area. The main areas of concern were the ridge height, the roof and wall cladding. Members of the CC offered to have further informal discussions with the owners to see if some mutually agreeable design could be arrived at, before formal Planning approval was sought.

8. Public Questions

Requests and observations.

The path from the manse to the burn needs cut back.

We need a pavement from the end of the current pavement  at Balbuthie Loan to Ardross.

Several members not the public felt that dog fouling was getting worse. It was regrettable that the Dog Warden had not turned up to the meeting despite having been arranged.

Duck Wynd – plants put in against a wall. Questions were asked about the ownership of the piece of ground in question.

The AGM of the Allotment Association will be on 29th November. Currently the field to the west of the manse was being looked at.

9. AOCB

An offer has been made to Elie, by the St Monans gardening group, to try to help them understand the judging process in Beautiful Fife.

Recently when the harbour was cleared of seaweed, a lorry transporting it away dropped a large quantity on the Abercrombie Road. Fife Council suggested that the farmer clear it up as they would not.

V. Salvage has had requests for railings to be put up on the shallow steps on the Plerick. Iain Barbour to be approached. It was suggested that money may be available from the locality budget.

Community Payback to be contacted again since there has been no response from them to our earlier list of potential jobs. It would be useful to know if any of them will actually be done.

V. Salvage handed on a donation from a member of the public to go towards a defibrillator somewhere in the West Shore area.

A resident would like to sponsor a bench at some point in the future, probably towards the swimming pool area.

10. Close and Date of Next Meeting

V. Bland thanked everyone and closed the meeting.