Community Council Minutes, 18th August 2025
ST. MONANS AND ABERCROMBIE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minute of the ordinary general meeting, held in the Church Hall, Station Road on Monday 18th August 2025 at 7.30 pm
| Present: | Marjory Ashworth (Chair), Eileen Montador (Secretary), David Robertson (Treasurer), Mervyn Blank, Cllr Alycia Hayes, Diane Martin (Minute Secretary) | |
| Apologies: | Peter Peddie, Cllr Sean Dillon | |
| Members of the public: 6 | ||
| 1. | Welcome and apologies. Marjory Ashworth welcomed everyone to the meeting after the summer break. Apologies were received and recorded. | |
| 2. | Declarations of interest Marjory Ashworth declared an interest in the planning application for Craigiewells. This will be discussed later under point 9. | |
| 3. | Applications for new Community Councillors Niamh Syme has also resigned from the Community Council. Members of the public were encouraged to join the CC and put the word round the village of the need for new members. The linked groups will be affected if we cannot generate more support. | |
| 4. | Reports from Community Groups Larder – Alison Child M&S and Greggs continue to donate food and there is still a Fareshare order. Funding has also been obtained allowing the purchase of other foods, although a lot of the food available is free. On average 30 people are attending each week. The numbers may pick up after the summer period. A new ticket system is allowing people to socialise and have a drink before they are called to collect their food. This prevents people queuing for long periods before the larder opens. Heritage Collection – Mary Henderson It has been very busy over the summer, with many people following up on family history. Relatives of the late Willie Millar are over from New Zealand this week and have been very excited and emotional to find out so much information at the Heritage. Sales have been going well of the booklets and books. The main difficulty at the moment is organising the rota. Memorial Garden – Mary Henderson Good progress is being made with planning permission and permission to start work having been obtained. Funding from CGF is delayed and obtaining materials is challenging due to funding. Mary visited Kings Lynn recently and the disaster is very much in the limelight at the moment with lots of historical walks, talks and events taking place. £1500 was raised from the raffle at Bowhouse, with another £300 from the stall on the day. No fixed cost of the project as yet. Sea Queen – Vicky Robertson £1100 was raised on the day. Disco at night did not make money due to children getting in for free and parents just dropping them off and going elsewhere. There will be a quiz night in November to further raise money. Marjory Ashworth thanked Vicky and the committee for all the hard work involved in organising the events. Mary Henderson advised of historical Sea Queen photos in the Heritage. Pools & Pans Restoration Project – Mervyn Blank Created a group which will be a charity, and paperwork has been sent off regarding the appointment of trustees. A bank account will also be set up. A quotation has been received for various feasibility studies to fix the erosion. Funding will be applied for. Mr Blyth, one of the managers of Fife Coast & Countryside Trust (FCCT) will attend a meeting on the 29th to help identify where the funding might come from. A business plan will be required for funding purposes. £55 was raised at Sea Queen day. SMAKE – Marjory Ashworth No new updates but still in progress. | |
| 5. | Last minutes and matters arising Purchase of property for Heritage – Cllr Hayes advised of 2 approaches. CC can purchase a property under rule 10 of the constitution, only with the consent of Fife Council. M Ashworth did advise that Fife Council did not support previous applications for ownership of properties by the CC. Mary Henderson highlighted the benefits of the current Heritage site. Possible options for the future were discussed. Consideration was given to writing to the current owner of the property. David Robertson has yet to speak to Jim Parker about properties in the village.Overhanging bushes – George Terrace. Cllr Hayes advised that the tree is private property of the house. Housing officer to speak to owner of the house. M Ashworth to meet E Montador to view before sending letter.Illegal parking – still happening intermittently despite police speaking to the person responsible. Still waiting from reply from Cllr Dillon. Police to be advised of this. Double yellow lines requested.Advertising for new members has gone out and will be re-issued due to lack of support so far.39 West End/Burnside planning permission – discussion about differing rules for different people? Cllr Hayes clarified the reasons for permission being granted. Barriers at churchyard gate removed.Street Sweeper – weeds reported.Benches at harbour – Cllr Dillon not responded with suitable locations as yet.Photos of salt pans – how they used to be. Mary Henderson to check the Heritage for them. The June minute was proposed by Eileen Montador and seconded by David Robertson. | |
| 6. | Police Matters and Report Contact email address: eastneuklandwardCPT@scotland.police.uk Warnings about leaving dogs in cars during hot weather. 2 calls from Abercrombie 1 crime recorded. 43 calls from St Monans and 6 crimes recorded. M Ashworth to email police | |
| 7. | Chairperson’s Report – Marjory Ashworth Niamh has resigned and is thanked for all her hard work.Advert circulated to encourage new members.Email from Cllr Dillon re new path – now completed.Signage for Sawmill corner needed asap – chased up.Thanked the floral group & David Robertson for watering the baskets.Thanked Vicky Robertson and Sea queen group for all their hard work. | |
| 8. | Treasurer’s Report – David Robertson Now have digital banking access to allow viewing the account but not able to spend via this means as require 2 signatories. Floral Group £ 3325.68 with a couple of invoices still to pay.Pathhead – awaiting full bill. M Ashworth to enquire re full bill. Heritage £3661.47 – spent £100 for Boat club & £250 Memorial garden – Current issues with water bills. They have lost our funds and now found it. Electricity £313.65 – need approx. £24 to be paid every month. We received a gas bill but there is no meter. Cash flow £963.80 Memorial Garden £8471.29 raised so far. £750 paid to architect + £178.50 money to Sean for planning.£1571.27 still to be paid in by Helen Marshall Crowd funding approximately £5500 – Cllr Dillon to do something to get transfer of funds over asap. | |
| 9. | Secretary’s Report – Eileen Montador Planning report change of use from barn to form extension to dwelling house – CraigiewellsRoof lights at 9D Braehead, St MonansListed building consent for internal and external alterations to dwelling house at 7 West Shore, St MonansExternal alterations to dwelling house at 9 East Shore, St MonansListed building consent for external alterations to dwelling house at 9 East Shore, St Monans Secretary report Various questionnaires to be completed.Query re bench at pool. Climate Fife milestone event – invite to Adam Smith Theatre on 3rd November from 2-6pm Scottish Government announced £10 million funding for accessible toilets and changing facilities.Invite – annual commemoration re Polish soldiers. West End beach – overflowing bins – requesting another bin + fires on beach. | |
| 10. | Members’ Reports | |
| 11. | Councillors’ Reports Cllr Alycia Hayes Mr Blythe is able to attend the Salt Pans meeting.No Councillors report due to recess for July. | |
| 12. | Public Questions Query re the mine – E Montador advised about the arrangements regarding collecting donations from the mine.5 & 6 Hope Place – gull bags – was a weekly collection. Fife Council stopped collecting weekly and are now collecting fortnightly in line with the blue bins. However, Fife Council lorries didn’t pick up and rubbish had to be left out for 5 nights in this heat. Cllr Hayes to take this forward.Condition of St Monans cemetery – generally a lot better now – still issues with weeds.Condition of Johnston’s Close – weeds, dumped items, mess.Footpath from Braehead to church – hedge needs cut back. | |
| 13. | AOCB | |
| 14. | Close/date and time of next meeting The next meeting will be on Monday 15th September at 7.00/7.15 pm. Marjory Ashworth thanked everyone for their attendance and brought the meeting to a close. | |
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