Apologies:  W Buchan, V Bland and B Allan

None.

P Copland said that there had been a hiccup in the Minutes over the last month and stated that the Minutes of last month’s CC meeting were in draft form.

G Bell said, regarding the Harbour Plan, that a quote from him in last month’s Minutes (attributed to a member of the public who has 2 boats) was incorrect.  Gordon Bell agreed he had said that it was a good idea, but subject to it being proven to be sustainable and also to fit in with the overall benefit of the village.

G Bell said the there was an online survey included in the Minutes for boat-owners.  This, he said, was not mentioned at the meeting, and nobody said that it was going to happen so it should not be in the Minutes (under Section 4).  It was agreed that the Survey should be deleted from last month’s Minutes.

P Copland said that, under Section 3.1, the heading is technically wrong, but the detail is correct – Traffic at Rose Street.  P Copland said that Cllr Porteous had been kind enough to provide photographs of the junction at Forth Street and Rose Street, in order to provide traffic calming measures.  Cllr Porteous said that Traffic were seeking evidence of obstructive parking and said he would follow that up with information regarding the amount of traffic at that corner.

E Porteous

E Porteous

P Copland said that he had emailed Certas Energy about providing planters, but he had not had any response.

The garden side of the hedge on the lane to the school still needs cut. A member of the public reported again that the litter problem by the bus stop is a disgrace.

P Copland said that W Buchan had sent a message saying he has been trying to contact the lady who deals with litter picking, but has been getting no response.  W Buchan said that he had been told that they did not do litter picking outside the 30 mph zone.   The litter picking that we require to be done is within the village boundaries.

A member of the public said that nothing has been done and they are getting worse.

The previous Minutes stated that letters were to be sent out to house owners, but B Morris said that they had not yet received any such letter.

Still no feedback from Fife Coast and Countryside Trust.  PC Tetlow thought she had received a letter about this.  It was reported that sometimes 7, 8 or 9 quadbikes were seen and that a member of the public had complained that one just missed her dog.

Still awaiting cost.  V Salvage said that we have to ensure that anyone we use for that is compatible with Fife Council’s list of approved companies.  Cllr Docherty said he would contact to find a suitable plumber.

A member of the public gave an example of how much of a struggle it is to get water.  Another member of the public said that Anstruther and Pittenweem all have water taps.

P Copland said that we will have to start insisting on a tap supply.

A member of the public said that people were parking in front of the top cemetery gates, preventing people from getting in.  V Salvage said that we could try for another sign.  Cllr J Docherty to see about a ‘No Parking’ sign across the cemetery gates.

Cllr J Docherty

P Copland

Cllr J Docherty

E Porteous said that she had reported again that the smooth surface of the repair was slippery and dangerous in icy conditions.

B Allan not in attendance.

G Bell said that he had done several applications for Brown Signs and said that £1,000 is about as cheap as he had heard.

V Salvage said that she had applied for a new bench, but they had sent her application back to her, to ensure the wording was exactly as we want it to be.  She said that it had taken about 5 weeks.  V Salvage said that they have agreed that she wants a bench that had been already in existence and asked for suggestions regarding where this could be.   M Ashworth suggested that a bench could be placed at the end of the Sandy Cairn.  She said that there always used to be a bench there.  A member of the Public also suggested a bench at the harbour where the old men used to sit next to the Old Men’s Club, instead of the old railway bench.

V Salvage

P Copland said that there was still nothing done regarding this.  It is where the lamp standard has been replaced, next to Gerrards.              V Salvage said that someone recently stepped in the hole, fell down and twisted her ankle.  Another hole was reported outside Driftwood Cottage by the old Post Office.

P Copland said that they are replacing old lights with new lights which are not so bright.  Cllr Docherty said they can also be put on dimmers.

P Copland said that we are still trying to persuade the Dog Wardens to come out.

P Copland

A member of the public reported that the pothole at the crossroads which was reported to be fixed at the last meeting was back again.

P Copland said we require that to be brought up again.

M Ashworth said that there was a pothole in the road at Abercrombie.

A member of the public said that in the last 3 weeks she had quite a nasty accident on the path between school and the library.  She said that the hedge needs to be cut and there are potholes in the road and potholes in the pavement that require to be addressed.   She said that the path from Hope Place to Gourlay Crescent is dangerous, especially at night.  The tarmac is all breaking up.  She said that the lighting is very poor.

Cllr J Docherty said that Fife Council adopted 40 mm [as being the depth where they would make a repair] for roads.  Cllr L Holt said that she would find out Fife Council’s policy regarding pavements.

V Salvage said that she would find out who the house owner is [regarding the hedge needing cut] and take a photograph and send it to Cllr Holt.

Cllr L Holt

V Salvage

Cllr J Docherty said he went to a meeting in St Andrews and met a lady from Visit Scotland regarding a campaign that is going to take place when the new Victoria and Albert building in Dundee is going to be open.   J Docherty said to her that we were hoping that the East Neuk could be put in the literature.  The lady said that she would also mention the East Neuk in the promotion.  She is going to do a presentation.  There is going to be a special meeting of the East Neuk and Landward Tourist Association at 7 pm on the 13 February – venue still be provided.

J Docherty

P Copland said that we were informed by the neighbour to that property, that an extension was being built and that the extension was different to the plans that had been put in to Planning.  A pitched roof had been put up instead of a flat and Mansard roof, encroaching on the neighbouring property.  Someone from Fife Council Planning came out and said that she was not to discuss it with anybody, and said that, “We are Fife Planning and we can do what we want.”             P Copland said that to his mind that it is grossly unfair if Fife Council has ownership of a property that they can ride roughshod over anybody affected by it.

A member of the public said that she had been told that if she wanted to take it any further she would have to see a lawyer.

Cllr J Docherty said he contacted Fife Council.  They have a stockpile of chips that they are using, and if they need to they will get some more.

Cllr L Holt said that she got in touch with Colin Stirling [Fife Council].  M Ashworth said that they are still speeding.

PC G Tetlow said she would let the CC know if she had received an email from Colin Stirling about the speeding in Abercrombie.

PC G Tetlow

G Bell said he could send the CC an article he had seen:  another community complained that 1/3 of grit bins within the area were being removed.  Cllr J Docherty said that they had changed their mind about that.

P Copland said the CC got a report from PC G Tetlow last time that a person had been arrested in Gourlay Crescent regarding quad bikes.

PC Tetlow said that there had been 33 calls since the beginning of December which were Grade 2.  She said that there have been a couple of families who have been re-housed.  A member of the public said that it has been quiet in the street.

A member of the public said that she knew that the police have one camera in the Crescent, but asked if one could be put up at the school because that is where the dealing is being done.

PC Tetlow said we got that camera because we had a lot of calls regarding that house.  She said that she would put in some information, but she said that she did not want to make a promise that she could get a camera there.  She said there may be patrols rather than the camera.  P Copland said, if it is the case that it is an ongoing situation, let a CC member know timings and details and we will pass it on to PC Tetlow.

Cllr J Docherty said that they will have them in every locality.

P Copland said that they were always looking for new members.  We are still one or two short.  As always we are still looking for a Secretary.  It is not an onerous task because we have a Minute Secretary.  Basically the Secretary fields emails and any correspondence from Fife Council and any external agencies and considers the relevance to ourselves.

Later in the meeting a member of the public said he would volunteer to be Secretary.  He said that he was in the process of changing electoral register, but that he would be happy to come on as Secretary.

P Copland said that if at any time you see any of us around the village by all means approach us and discuss concerns you have with us.  If we cannot answer any question you have, we will find out and do our best to solve any problems that you may have.  Do not wait to come to the Community Council meeting if you have an issue that needs raised.  Please use the Fife Council website – useful phone numbers are listed on the board at V Bland`s in Station Road – if there is a street light that has gone out or a pothole that needs reported.

PC Tetlow said she had already said much of what she was going to say in her update.

A member of the public said that she knows that they have extended the speed limit at St Monans, but people are still speeding; and that you need a camera.  Speeding was also reported through Gourlay Crescent and on Station Road.

PC Tetlow said that she was going to get someone to start working with her soon, who will be able to help her with this.  She also said that they could check vehicles to see if they are insured or taxed.

P Peddie said he emailed round a summary of income and expenditure until the end of December.  He said that it all looks fine, but he received a bill for £1,600 for painting 5 West Shore (the Heritage building); and also a bill for Pathhead for flowers and that is going to make a huge hole in the floral display.

M Ashworth asked if you could claim back from the Common Good Fund for the Heritage Centre.  P Peddie, in answer to a question, said he would check with G Brown whether painting the building was the owner’s liability or if the CC had agreed to pay a proportion.

P Peddie said that he would just have to shift money about.  Over the last year the money coming in for the floral display is about £1200 short.  E Porteous said that some funds were coming in for the sale of Calendars.  She said that the Calendars had now been reduced to £5.  She said that she would send V Salvage information to put on the CC website regarding the reduction in cost.

E Porteous

P Copland said that they are going to put up a new lamp-standard at the corner of West Street and Station Road on the west side of the street.

A member of the public asked if plans had been passed for the house at Newark Street because they have started work.  P Copland said he would check that.

P Copland

8.1  Light Bulbs in Town Hall need Replaced

A member of the public asked if the Councillors would please ask Fife Council to put bulbs in the Town Hall, as there are 7 bulbs out.

L Holt

A member of the public asked if the CC Minutes could not be published sooner.  P Copland said that there was a problem this time.  We have not had a full-time Secretary.  The member of the public pointed out a condition stating that the Minutes should be published within 14 days.  E Hughes said that that is normally the case.                 P Copland said that we have a Minute Secretary.  We are working within the availability of the people that we have.

A member of the public asked if the accounts for the Common Good Fund and the Community Trust Fund could be made public, so that community organisations can see what is available.

P Copland said that the Common Good Fund is available on the Fife Council website.  The Community Trust is a totally separate entity.

The member of the public asked if it would be possible for him to find out how much was available in the Community Trust Fund.

P Copland said that the Community Council is for the good of the people within the Community.  It is run as a separate entity from the Community Trust.  The Community Council has four accounts which are used for items within the Community.  The Community Trust is a separate entity.  It is there for major items such as the MUGA.  The Trust is not made public.  The member of the public said that it would be good to know what funds were available for one project or another.  Why is that not available to the public?   Cllr L Holt said that if it is a Community Trust they will have an AGM every year.  They probably show these to the members.  You can probably become a member.  The member of the public said that this is quite a well-attended public meeting; it might be a good idea to publicise what funds are available.

A member of the public said that he actually asked to join that Trust and was told I could not.  P Copland said that the Community Trust is set up specifically for large capital items within the village.  The member of the public said that he wanted to know how much money is in the account.  P Copland said that he would find out.

A member of the public asked if it was true that you can only use the interest on the capital and it must be used specifically for the good of the community.

P Copland

B Morris said that the Coastal Watch people say that they would empty bins.  P Copland said that, yes, they can get bins as long as we pay for them.  V Salvage to find out the price of bins.  She said that, because of what we have been through before with movable bins, they would have to be the more expensive ones that are concreted in.

V Salvage

B Morris said that the Coastal Watch people in the Windmill have told him that if their radios are on charge and they put the kettle on, the fuses blow.   V Salvage thought the CC could not help with this.

9.1 Harbour Development

P Copland said that, on the back of the Harbour Plans that were put forward by Richard Wemyss at the last meeting, he has asked if we can have a public meeting – a public display of the plans.  What we have to do is to decide a day and date that is suitable to most people.  P Copland suggested that a couple of evenings in the week, giving day and date so that more people within the village could get information of what his proposals are.  P Copland said that he would find out from him what he would like to do.  P Copland suggested advertising the meeting on social media and posters.

Gordon Bell said that he thought that this is far too soon to be having public meetings.  There is absolutely nothing in this document that has any substance as far as what could be done.  Mr Bell said he had a meeting with Richard Wemyss, and said that he is coming to the next Towns Team meeting to discuss how to take this forward.  But actually we do not know if there is any substance in his plans.  It is a great idea, and it has merit, but it is far to soon.  The danger is that we get sectors in the community and it is too early.  We do not know if there is any substance; we do not know if it is feasible and also do not know if there is a market.  G Bell said Richard agrees that we take it forward and I have agreed to support it.  It is worth looking into.  But, G Bell said, I think there is a lot to be done before we take it to the community.  It is moving forward with Richard and we are about to have discussion and come back with a plan of how the whole project moves forward considering all the other elements of the project within St Monans.  It will be interesting to hear what he says to the Towns Team next Monday.

P Copland said that he would contact Richard Wemyss and get any updates.

G Bell said he thought the idea needs to be out there and needs to be discussed.  We are firing up people.  There are already quite a few negative comments coming from the East Neuk community.  We are firing up lots of potential agro.  There are steps towards this about what needs to be done.  The Towns Team is not negative about anything and wants to stop nothing, but it has to sit within the framework of what is happening in our community.   When we look back about 5 years to when this started, things were pretty dark and dire.  Now we have a working East Pier Restaurant and a Café, the harbour is thriving, the Bowhouse is up and running.  The village is much better than it was.  We worked extremely hard to get a plan to save the harbour.  The railings were falling off; there were 4 boats; there are now 40; the harbour was polluted – it was full of oil.  The pollution came from the slipway.  We worked very hard to get it dredged.  We have had 3 dredgers come – the last one cost £120,000.  We have increased the number of boats.

The point is we are progressing and there is a plan.  Now one of the concerns that a great deal of the work that we have done as a group, and as the Towns Team is not expressed.  Up to the last public meeting the CC called a meeting to discuss the Harbour Plans.  This was after 2 public meeting to discuss, and 2 public meetings to view the plans.  Despite that the CC called another meeting.  The CC stood up and said that the Planning was null and void – and the Trust had nothing to do with it and it was all to do with Gordon Bell.

However, following that, there was then some very positive comments.  One member said that we should be very glad that we have it.  Twelve people came up and said we want to be involved with these community projects.  We now have 47 who now work with the Towns Team (including our Chairman and Vice Chairman).  I then waited and asked for the Minutes of that meeting and was told that there would not be any minutes as it was common policy of the CC not to publish Minutes of Extraordinary meetings.  This was a full blown meeting.  The Community Council did not retract their statement that Planning was false and that it was under my name, and the general support for that meeting was not minuted and not put out to the community.  So there was a silence.  Then about 3 meetings ago there were queries again about lack of public consultation, so I came again 2 meetings ago. At that meeting when it comes to the harbour – nothing – no mention of it.  Two days prior to that meeting a full planning permission was granted – after 5 years of work – everything was passed.  I informed the Chairman – general celebrations – well done Trust – well done Gordon – but come our meeting here – nothing.  Suddenly we are told there is a gentleman from Pittenweem with an entirely different proposal, who is going to give a presentation.  But no mention of the other proposal.  There is something funny here  – why has this happened?  Once again we are going to have another public meeting where it seems that our community plans do not exist.  They do not exist because they are not mentioned anywhere and yet we have worked for 5 years and consulted.

Even today we have gone through the Harbour Plans and there is no mention of that.  Prior to the Meeting the Community Council put out this document with the words ‘An Alternative’ with a big question mark.  You are sponsoring this against our plans.

Before the Minutes came out you were promoting this and you were now promoting the public meeting.  I do not think that is being unbiased.  I think that is promoting one against the other.  We have 20 – 30 – 40 members of the community working really hard.  We have working members on Tourism and Fishing.

Cllr W Porteous said, regarding a suggestion that the Towns Team had not made their Harbour Regeneration plans known, that he had sat there listening to everything that has been said.  He said that they are publicly known plans.  It was fully public, and that you frankly know about it.

G Bell said that this is not about the plans.  A member of the public said that this is about somebody who wants to bring back a business – to bring back boat-building which has been in St Monans for 200 years.

G Bell said that he was willing to be co-opted on to the Community Council, and would ask the Community Council to do this and what he said at the meetings would be in the Community Council Minutes so that no-one in the Community did not know about things.

He thought we feel now, as a group, that we need to be engaged and said he would like to suggest that as a solution.  I do not want to sound that I am being overcritical of the other works that you do, but the Towns Team tries to do things as a community and that is what I am trying to do with this set of plans as well.  Richard [Wemyss] seems to be very keen to take that approach and I asked him to come specifically to sell this to us and ask how the Towns Team can take this forward and to encompass other plans.  We are quite happy to speak with him and we are not starting from a place of being negative.

We are passionate about the village as are the other members of the public.  These plans are to protect the harbour from other plans that were not for the overall benefit of the village.

A member of the public (Ruth Craib) asked if she could make a suggestion that if there are various ideas going around, would it not be a good idea if these ideas were there for people to see.  If you look at some of the things we have done and have not done in the past, eg regarding the Windmill.  Maybe things have reached a different level where you do need public meetings.

Another member of the public said that you have to have something substantive to present.  Until there is something substantive, eg a feasibility study, you would set up that kind of dichotomy where there are only 2 choices.  Until there is some progress put forward – such as  plans for a feasibility study; some money has been put together.

G Bell said that he agreed with Ruth that a meeting encompassing everything including this would be of value to the community and they can see all the options.  There are options within the current plans that are there and we had initial discussions with Richard on how funding in the real world works and we looked at say supporting the fishermen by sorting out the fish area.  But there are lots to discuss – about the practicalities – steps we want to take towards this – encompassing the needs of this community while progressing his idea.

When I say ‘we’ I am talking about the Community – there still has to be some sort of consensus to go ahead.

A member of the public said I do not remember seeing [Richard Wemyss plans as an ‘alternative’ to the Towns Teams Harbour Regeneration plans – I took the ‘alternative’ to be the alternative to what is there now.  Maybe that is why we need a meeting with all the proposals.

G Bell said he agreed to that.  He said that he only asked that we have a little bit of more time before that meeting and we have our discussion with the group and we can come up with some suggested steps.  G Bell said he thought there is some work that needs to be done so that it is balanced.  G Bell said I think we are rushing into this and I think it is a big deal.  The presentation by Richard is in no way a reflection of what has gone before.  G Bell said my meeting with Richard was to find out what his proposals were.

P Copland said that after the Towns Team meeting fixed for Monday we will be able to discuss how to move forward with a public discussion meeting to clarify all the issues that have been raised over the last month since he put his paper forward.  Once Richard Wemyss has done his thing with the Towns Team, then we can move forward with more people from the village who would have an interest in what will be progressed in the next 6 months to a year.

G Bell said we will have the meeting.  I ask you to consider my proposal to be co-opted on to the Community Council.  We have to have a conduit between the Towns Team and the Community Council.

P Copland thanked G Bell for voicing his thoughts.

Follow the links below for the brief questionnaires mentioned above.

Online

Online survey for boat owners only (link no longer works)

Discussion paper available – email boatrestorationproject@gmail.com

P Copland said that B Morris had done some interesting work regarding the hidden chamber in the village.  B Morris said that we went between Christmas and New Year and dug various holes.  We did not find anything, so we gave up.  He said he went to Fife Council who gave him an old map and they overlaid it with the modern map and we found where the old chamber was.  It was below the turning point itself.  They are looking at ways to progress it.

P Copland said that B Morris had been passed a programme of works for the erection of the telephone mast at the industrial estate.  Work will be from 29 Jan to 1 March.

There will be a Burns Supper on Saturday, 10 February at 6.45 pm for 7 pm.  Mr Peddie has been moving things forward as to speakers.  We have quite a full programme.  It is a fundraiser for the Senior Citizens Tea Party and the Beach Clean.

Tickets are £17.50.

Tickets available from Peter Peddie, Bill Buchan, Vicki Salvage or any other Community Council member.

(Tartan may be worn.)

V Salvage said that we have another little crisis with Sea Queen.  We do not have enough people to run Sea Queen.  We are having a meeting on 23 January in the Town Hall at 7.45 pm, mostly in the hope that we get people who will sign up.  It would be really nice if we could continue to have it as a Gala Day in June.  But, if we do not have people who are willing to give up their time, then it will cease to be or will be tagged on to the Arts Festival in September.  Unfortunately, if that happens, it feels that it is becoming less and less.

A member of the public asked – have you made a distinction between the number of people who are on the Committee and the number of people who will help on the day.  V Salvage said that as well as people on the Committee, we did need the promised help of people on the day and the day after.

A member of the public said that the difficulty is that it is a bit less of a commitment, and one of the problems is that if you want physical stuff done you need 40-50 people.  In the morning it is not such a problem, but at 3-4 pm in the afternoon less people turn up.

A member of the public said that the idea Victoria had of having an After-school Club and to get the children and their parents involved was a good one.  A member of the public suggested speaking to the children’s parents.

M Ashworth said how difficult it was to get people to turn up.

G Bell asked if it was time to dump it.  He said that two things will happen.  There will be an uproar and people will come forward; and if nobody bothers …. V Salvage said that this meeting is maybe the make or break.  If there are not sufficient numbers this is the end.  If you are interested, the meeting is on Tuesday, 23^rd January in the Town Hall at 7.45 pm.

Cllr L Holt asked if they have an active School Council – who could organise the Sea Queen procession.

V Salvage said that years ago all villages did have something, but           St Monans is the only one left having a full gala day, and said that what some villages did was they took the age of the children in the procession down, but she said that we have always taken them a bit older when they were at the Waid.

The next meeting will be held at 7.30 pm on

Monday, 19 February 2018 in the Church Hall, Station Road.