The Chairman spoke about the sad passing of fellow Community Councillor Tom Hughes saying:

Like many of the local community, we were shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic and sudden passing of our friend and fellow Community Councillor Tom Hughes, just over 3 weeks ago. 

Tom genuinely cared for this community and although very much a gentleman in approach and manner, was willing to fight for what he believed in.

Tom and Ena have done so much for the community, both in making the Mayview Hotel a welcoming venue available for community based events, like tonight, and by campaigning for and securing the improvement or replacement of local amenities, including the delivery of a local sports pavilion and a multi-use games arena within the village, and the continued provision of services in the local area.

It was a mark of the man and what the community thought of him that the local church was filled beyond capacity by those wishing to join with his family in saying a last goodbye.

On behalf of my fellow Community Councillors, I would like to formally express our condolences to Ena and her family.

The Chairman added that, with their permission, they would work with Tom’s family to agree and arrange a fitting memorial to commemorate all he did for the local community at an appropriate time in the future.

Regarding the siting of the 3^rd defibrillator, G Brown suggested that either the Winch House or the Harbour Master’s Office could be possible locations; and said that siting the defibrillator in either location should not cause a problem, and both had a supply of electricity.

There was general discussion regarding which of these sites would be most suitable.  V Salvage pointed out that the defibrillator would be more likely to get wet if it was located at the Harbour Master’s office.  M Ashworth replied that the Winch House would be drier, and have more room for vehicles. 

A member of the public suggested that the Post Office or Council Offices next door might also be possible locations for the 3^rd defibrillator.  There was discussion about the narrowness of the pavement at this location.  However the Chairman said that this was a valid suggestion and would alleviate the problem of the defibrillator getting wet.  However G Brown said that he was not sure that spray would be a problem, as the defibrillator was contained in a box.

P Copland stated that consideration should also be given to how close the locations were to the people who would look after the defibrillator.  He said that there is one person who stays near the Harbour Master’s Office.  However, if it was located at the Winch House there are more people nearby.

The Chairman checked a map showing where the current defibrillators were sited and pointed out that the defibrillator at the Town Hall was not that far away from the Harbour Master’s office; and that the Winch House was a little further away – and therefore perhaps would make more sense regarding separating out the defibrillators.

The Chairman checked that everyone agreed that the Community Council should contact Fife Council and propose the Winch House as the site for the 3^rd defibrillator.

The Chairman queried when the Heritage Centre’s lease was due for renewal.

G Brown indicated that he had been given documents by Ian Reekie that contained this information, and suggested that it was by no means certain that the lease would not be renewed.

G Brown /

A Anderson

G Brown

George Brown                                               V Bland

5.2 (4.3.1)  Progress made regarding yellow lines at Forth Street. 

P Copland said that it had been passed through for approval and was moving forward.

5.3  (4.6)  Pipe causing problems at the cemetery.

P Copland had forwarded an email to Ian Barbour and Rob Cox, who passed it on to Liz Murphy because they believed it was part of her remit.  Liz Murphy sent an email saying that she will raise it with Property Services.  A member of the public asked if

P Copland had looked at the pipe.  He replied that in his view there are a couple of blocked gullies and that there has been slippage.  He went on to say that if there is any more slippage it might force the safety barriers.

5.4  (4.7) Mounds of earth at the cemetery.

P Copland reported that Fife Council had said that the sunken graves would be leveled and the grass would be cut in the summer time.   A Anderson to contact L Murphy to request removal of earth from outside cemetery 

A member of the public said that previously complaints had been made to the Cemetery Department saying that the foundations of the headstones were visible and that is why the mounds have been built up.

The Chairman replied that he was aware of that, but suggested that all that earth could not be for that purpose.

The member of the public replied that they have been using some of that earth for other cemeteries.

5.5 (4.11) Railing down The Plerick

V Salvage was asked if she had had any response from

Ian Barbour regarding this.  V Salvage replied that she was disappointed that the Councillors were not in attendance at the meeting because she had been going to ask them to do something. 

She said that, after the meeting that she would email I Barbour and copy in the Councillors.  (She added that she had seen someone, that day, struggling to get up the steps at the Plerick, trying to pull herself up with the wall.) 

V Salvage said that Ian Barbour did go with her to have a look at the Plerick; and he said that their blacksmith would be able to cost it, but that Fife Council would not pay for it.  She had replied that the Community Council might be able to pay for it out of the Common Good Fund.

5.6 (6.2) Police Public Counter Service Provision  – Proposed Changes

The Chairman reported that following the concerns expressed by the CC at the proposed changes to the manning of public desks at local Police Stations, Police Scotland responded offering reassurance that these proposals will not impact on the local policing presence and that Police Scotland is committed to maintaining community based policing making officers accessible.

5.7 (9.2) Overgrown hedges at The Pend.  A response had been received saying that Fife Council was not responsible, and that they did not know how to contact the owners.  The Chairman suggested that an email should be sent to I Barbour copying in Councillors, as he was sure that that was what had happened before.

5.8 (9.6)  Lampposts in West Street

The Chairman suggested that this should be carried forward to the next meeting, as the Councillor was not present.

5.9 (9.5)  Railway Bridge in Poor Repair

M Ashworth said that she had made enquiries and it appeared the railway bridge was owned by Fife Council.  She stated that she had emailed Cllr E Riches and Cllr D Macgregor but had not as yet received a reply.  The Chairman said that if it was part of Parks, the person to contact would be Ian Barbour.  V Salvage replied that Ian Barbour said it was not under the jurisdiction of Fife Council.  M Ashworth wondered if it was Estates who should be

contacted, and asked if she should contact the Councillors to ask her to point her in the right direction.  V Salvage said that, when they met with Ian Barbour, he said that Fife Council did not pay for railway bridge repairs.  However she said, if it was the wish of the Community Council, that she could contact him again.

5.10 (4.10)   ‘No Dogs Allowed’ signs

G Brown reported that he had received these signs and said that they will be erected.

P Copland

P Copland

A Anderson

 V Salvage

A Anderson

V Salvage

Cllr D Macgregor

 M  Ashworth

V Salvage

G Brown

7.3 George Field, local Smart Services Advisor for Scottish Hydro contacted the CC with an offer to present information on assistance available for energy efficiency, insulation and home safety.  The offer was kindly noted and may be considered for a future event.

A Anderson

G Brown indicated that the proposal was available at the meeting for anyone who wished to read it.

G Brown asked if there would be a problem regarding the smell.

Members of the public said that sometimes the smell from current and previous fish processing plants was disgusting. 

B Buchan said that these plants sometimes process shellfish and that this can cause a smell, particularly in the summer.

Members of the public made various comments:

• ·         that it would mean more jobs and more activity in the Village;
• ·         why could they not move to the industrial estate?
• ·         big lorries will come down into the Village
• ·         prawns have been processed in the Village for    more    than 20 years
• ·         it will be good for local shops

P Copland commented that the original proposal for the shed area was for 4 or 5 houses, but the Community Council voted against that proposal.

P Copland added that there will be neighbourhood notification and it will be the people round about who will have the final say.

 A member of the public asked how many of the neighbouring properties were fully occupied.

The Chairman replied that a property that backs on to the shed is permanently occupied.

G Brown said that he was uncertain whether neighbours will be asked, because he was not sure whether they will need planning permission, and added that there was no neighbour notification on the website.

G Brown commented that the business is currently round the corner and the smell and the noise is still going to be there, and added that when it was a working boatyard it would have been much noisier.  It will increase the number of jobs.

P Copland confirmed that the application was for the processing of live shellfish.

A member of the public said that it was important to hose out the boxes.

P Copland added that the person making the application had indicated that he would like to alter the water supply and connect to the public drainage; but does say that he is going to do this as part of a sustainable system.

The Chairman said that as there were no objections the CC would not stand in the way of the application moving forward.

G Brown

G Brown commented that with Community Pay Back we have been asking for years to get things done and we seem to have been unsuccessful.

The Chairman asked that it be put on a list of things to say we need done as part of Community Pay Back.

10.2   A member of the public commented that part of the road had collapsed and water is coming out of it at the corner of Inverie Street and Queen Margaret Street.  Cones have been put up, and it has been like that for months, but nothing has been done to fix it.

P Copland said that the Community Council would contact Transport.

10.3  A member of the public raised the problem with the road at the back of Miller Terrace.

The Chairman reported that he had had contact with someone from Fife Council who could not see any reason why they should not tender directly.

P Copland added that the Community Council need a breakdown of the £30,000 estimate for this work; and said that Councillor Macgregor had been asked to get this, but unfortunately he was not at the meeting to give his report.

The Chairman said that the Community Council would chase this up. 

10.4  A member of the public stated that she was pleased to say that the tree that she had been asking to get cut down has now been cut down.

10.5  M Ashworth said that due to the recent road closure Abercrombie had a huge amount of traffic coming through it.  She said that, the footpath where the tarmac starts is just mud and is now really slippery and dangerous; and suggested that it would improve matters if the Council would upgrade the path.

P Copland agreed to ask the Council.

10.6  V Salvage reported that mess has been dumped on to the West Pier beach – raw fish bones and guts, and was advised to contact Waste Aware.

10.7  B Buchan reported that there are usually 2 wheelie bins at the cemetery, but that one had disappeared.

The Chairman said that this had been noted and put it on the list of things to do.

Chairman / G Brown

P Copland

Cllr Macgregor

P Copland / Chairman

 P Copland

V Salvage

Chairman