(Minute Secretary)

P Copland welcomed everyone.

Apologies: P Peddie, S Tarvit, Cllr J Docherty and W Buchan

None

3.1 (3.4)(2.1)(4)(3.1) Water at Rose Street

P Copland said that we all got copies of the Report.  Scottish Water have washed their hands of it by virtue of that Report.

P Copland

Cllr E Riches said that she had nothing more to report.

Cllr E Riches

V Salvage said that she was still trying to get someone to answer the ‘phone.  M Ashworth asked if she had tried putting a letter through the door.

V Salvage

V Salvage reported that the render has been taken off, and there is scaffolding round the house.

V Salvage

P Copland said that both he and V Salvage had spoken to the owner of No 26 West End.  P Copland said he spoke on the ‘phone and asked him to give a note of the background of what was going ahead.

P Copland read from a letter he had received from the owner in which he said he had tried to summarise the background, context and works regarding his aspirations to improve his access and landscaping to his garden area for his home.

“The property has been in my family’s ownership since 1998 (and for which I hold the requisite land titles).  As the garden had a wide opening to the public road, it was suffering from dog-walker waste and litter; and the potential hazard of the garden’s cliff edge from youngsters who might wander onto it.  To address these issues, for a holiday-let, I introduced the temporary measure of closing off this opening in 1999.

In September 2015 its use as a holiday let ceased, when it became my family home …..  Given its return to use as a family home, I want to improve the quality of my only real garden space, which is on the seaward side of the road, to a standard more appropriate for my home (than a holiday home).

As the garden’s principal level/grassed area is steep, for the safety of my family, I have started constructing a low sandstone wall around the edge of the ground.  I also intend to include a hardstanding area to keep my vehicle further back from the bend.

I hope this provides the summary background you had asked for.”

A member of the public spoke about the history of the ownership of the property.  P Copland said that the present owner says he has title to that ground.  The member of the public asked if the owner had the right to put up a fence.   P Copland replied that the fence is within his curtilage.  The member of the public said that she meant the fence on the sea-side where he knocked the wall down.  P Copland replied that he did, if it was within his land.  V Salvage said that when the owner spoke to her about this he said he had spoken to Alec Anderson about it to find out about the background and history.  He said he did not know it was ever part of something else.  The member of the public said that what she did not understand was, if that belonged to someone else long ago, how could someone get the title deeds for it.

Brenda Allan asked P Copland if Robert Marr (who owns Fyall’s monument) had ever got back to him about this.

P Copland

V Salvage

P Copland said that he had contacted Alan Bisset and asked him a few questions, saying that G Brown had retired from the Trust.  P Copland asked when the repairs are being done; when the lights are going up and about insurance.  As you can see, he said, the lights have gone up and the net has been re-erected across the court, so that is a step forward.  He thought they would hear sooner rather than later about the payment coming forward.

P Copland, in answer to V Salvage’s question, said that the children can play on the MUGA now.

Cllr E Riches asked if this is still being looked into by Kevin Tredwell.

V Salvage answered that, as far as she knew, it is.  E Riches said that she had seen letters but that she did not know if anyone will be content.  A member of the public asked if they were getting to go ahead.  Cllr E Riches said that nothing is changing.  The complaint is related to the parking spaces, so it is carrying on.  The land contests will not be done through the Council, but, unfortunately will be done through people’s own solicitors.

P Copland said that the CC had not received any feedback from any of the parties involved.

Cllr E Riches

P Copland

A member of the public said that on 24 September they were in Gourlay Crescent, but they have not seen them since.  On

30 September, the member of the public said, Station Road was a disgrace and it took 2 weeks before anyone came to sweep it, and it was not half swept then.  She went on to say that the place is a disgrace and the dogs’ mess is terrible.

P Copland asked if anyone had taken it upon themselves to report it to the dog wardens.  A member of the public asked if they were ever on the end of the ‘phone.  A member of the public commented that it is in the dark that the mess is left; and another member of the public asked what was the point (of contacting the dog wardens) if you need to have evidence.  Cllr E Riches said that if you say who you think the owners of the dogs are they will go to visit them.  They will need evidence to be fined, but the fine is up to £80 – it is not insignificant.  V Salvage gave an instance she had seen of a person walking a dog who was walking well ahead of their dog and did not see that the dog had made a mess.  Cllr E Riches said that if the Warden saw them they would take them to task.

P Copland said that all he could suggest is that members of the public keep phoning the Dog Warden.

A member of the public said that, regarding lighting, when a light is out in a main street, does it have to take 5 days.  Cllr E Riches said that they would try to be there much quicker than that.

B Allan said that they do not come out for one (light) there has to be two.

A member of the public (later in the meeting) said he was reiterating what someone had said before, but if you see a street light off – ‘phone to report it – even if we report it several times.

Cllr J Docherty

V Bland asked how many pets are allowed in a Council House.  He said that he knew someone who has 3 dogs and 6 cats in Braid Court.

Cllr E Riches said that we can ask the question.

Cllr E Riches

Cllr Riches said that she was going to go back to try to get a better answer.  What the Council would like is – if people see evidence of a problem – they want to address that problem.  But, Cllr Riches said, we feel that they should be addressing this as a more overall  matter which applies to all holiday lets.   So, she said, “That is my battle.”

Cllr E Riches

P Copland said that regarding repairs required for the Church on Braehead, that G Brown had offered to help a member of the public with an application.  P Copland offered his help with this when they were ready to make the application.  The member of the public said that the Church is locked, but we use the hall and the toilet facilities.

P Copland

The Council visited the site.  They can see no potholes and no hazard.  P Copland said that he had noticed that the tar does not meet the verge.

Regarding the cutting of verges, some places got a second cut.

M Ashworth said that she did not think their verge got a second cut and commented that it is awful at the junction.

The date for the Burns Supper should be corrected to read

11^th February 2017.

Proposer: V Salvage                       Seconder: B Allan

Nothing to report.

P Copland said that as G Brown has now resigned his position, there will be no Secretary’s Report.

P Copland said that everything is fine.  On the Floral Display Account there is a figure of £589.32 which has been wrongly allocated.  It is the Community Council Annual Grant from Fife Council and should go into the Cashflow Account.  This will happen when the new Treasurer takes up the post.

Floral Display Account – P Copland said that G Brown has applied for the full amount of Common Good Fund Grant to help this year’s floral display.  That, P Copland said, has still to be paid into the account, but G Brown has put it in as an income to be confirmed.

P Copland said that there is only one (Planning Application) this week that came through – that is for external works to 8 Station Road – the Diving Gannet.  They are applying for new replacement windows – like for like – and painting the front of the building in line with the pallet of colours for listed buildings.  Also they are looking at doing some internal alterations.    A member of the public said that they are going to take down the wall inside between the 2 properties to make a seating area.  P Copland said that the CC would keep an eye on it over the next few weeks, but they intend to keep the façade.

8.1  Top of the Water Pump  and Drain Tops Missing

A member of the public reported that the top of the water pump at the washerwomen’s house is missing.  V Salvage said that the top of it is in

M Ramsay’s Garden awaiting repair.  She said that there is someone who lives down there who has offered to repair it, and said that she would try to find out what is happening about that.

The member of the public said that while walking round the village she has noticed drain tops missing.

B Allan said that, at the steps at the end of Braehead, before you go down to the Church she had noticed sewage was going down the burn.  She said that M Ramsay had reported it twice.    B Allan said that they built up cement under one of the covers but on the

8^th October sewage was evident on the top.  It was treated as an emergency, but, she thought it could have been repaired more quickly than it was.

V Salvage said that there were 2 Scottish Water vans there on

16 October.  B Allan said that it is a concern because it is not as evident that it is flooding again.

A member of the public said he wondered if they should be contacting not only Scottish Water, but also the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).  P Copland asked B Allan if she could contact SEPA.  V Salvage got confirmation that SEPA had been contacted a few years ago.

P Copland said that it is the telemetry that goes wrong.  It is not affected by surface water, it is purely waste from houses.  V Salvage remembered that the late Mrs Anderson had had to move out of her cottage for months.  She said that she would imagine that that is the same drainage system.

B Allan

A member of the public said that he knew that V Salvage was trying to get a railing for the foot of the Plerick.  He said a railing would also be helpful for the path at the back of Brae House.

A member of the public said that that the light at the bottom of the Plerick seems to go off regularly, which is potentially dangerous.

A member of the public wondered if there was any chance of getting the water sorted at the Church Yard.  B Allan said that a lot of people have been speaking to her about it.  It has been said that it would be easy for a plumber to repair it, but it has not been done.  To contact Liz Murphy.  Cllr E Riches asked whether there was a pipe before.  The answer was that there was a tap, which has been there for many years.

B Allan

B Allan knew that they have finished strimming now, but, she said, a lot of people have been dumping stuff in the burn, eg rose bushes, nappies and coloured foamy stuff.  It is getting used as a dumping ground.  She was hoping that next summer when they strim, they will cut the village side of the burn, so you can see what is going on. She said that you cannot see that there is a burn now, which is a danger.  She clarified in answer to Cllr Riches question that the bit of the burn where the strimming was most needed was the bit from the Kirk to the railway bridge.

Cllr E Riches

B Allan said that at the back of Inverie Street there is a raised banking from the steps down that had big, huge boulders.  She said that quite a lot of them have been moved recently.

B Allan asked the CC if they knew if G Brown had managed to get the information plaques at the James Braid Garden.  P Copland said that it has been paid for and asked B Allan to catch up with G Brown.

B Allan

B Allan said to Cllr Riches that we have not had the strimming or weedkiller put down.  Cllr E Riches said that she would chase them.  Cllr E Riches praised B Allan on what a brilliant job she has done with the James Braid Garden.

Cllr E Riches

A member of the public said that she was told after the meeting in August that it cost £130,000 per year to run the harbour in St Monans, and that the improvement will cost £6.5 m.  She said that she was wondering where that money is to come from.  P Copland replied that Gordon Bell is dealing with that, but from the last meetings that we had – on the back of Brexit – the possibility of us getting £6.5 m is probably no chance at all.

9.1 Assessment re Move of Speed Sign

Cllr E Riches said – regarding the request to move the speed sign nearer the Caravan Park.  That will be assessed by the end of October.

Cllr E Riches said that the speed survey at Abercrombie requested should be done by the end of November.

Cllr D Macgregor said that the intention was to revise the arrangement for the collecting of rubbish.  That has been postponed because of lots of protest  – at least until the end of March and probably until after the election in May.

A member of the public said that the harbour is getting dredged.

Cllr E Riches said that two other communities are envious of this.

A member of the public commented that 3 boats were sunk in the harbour on Saturday.

A member of the public said that they are putting the stonework round about Craig Millar and Rocksby.  They are just waiting for the bill.  V Salvage said that they went down to see how the beach had survived, but the rough weather meant there was lots of seaweed so we cannot see it until it is washed away.

M Ashworth asked – Can you advertise that the CC is needing new members?  P Copland said that he was going to suggest that if you have any thoughts of people who may wish to come on the CC, to approach them in the first instance – people who would stick with it and do a job for the CC.  M Ashworth said that she thinks it is important to bring people in.   Cllr E Riches suggested advertising on Facebook.  V Salvage said that we will put it on the St Monans website.

The meeting was closed.

The date of the next Ordinary Meeting is 19 September 2016 at

7.30 pm in the Mayview Hotel Function Suite.

P Copland if anyone was available for Remembrance Sunday on

13 November 2016.  The Councillors said that they were attending at other communities, but will deliver a wreath.