Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Burgh of St Monans and Abercrombie Community Council held on Monday 20^th November 2017 at 7.30pm.

Present: P Copland(Chairman), P Peddie (Treasurer), Vicki Salvage (Vice Chairman), Bill Buchan, Vic Bland, Brenda Allan, Marjory Ashworth, Cllr L Holt, Cllr J Docherty

Members of the public: 5

1 Welcome and Apologies: W & E Porteous, PC G Tetlow, E Hughes

2 Declarations of Interest: None.

3 Last Minutes and Matters Arising

3.1 (4.3) Traffic at the Mini Market and Rose Street:  Yellow lines at Rose Street .  Colin Stirling and Stuart Goodfellow have asked to have photos sent.  Possibility of planters opposite Mini Market; Cllr Docherty is to ask if Scottish Fuels (Certis Energy) will sponsor them.  Action : J Docherty

3.2 (4.4) Vehicle in Gourlay Crescent and Elmgrove: P Peddie said vehicle had been moved.

3.3 (4.5) Hedge Needing Cut: Cllr W Porteous to check ownership of path to establish who is responsible for hedge.  A member of the public reported the hedge in Gourlay Crescent on footpath from the bus stop requires to be cut as it is blocking out street light. Action: J Docherty

3.4 (4.6) Railings on Station Road: No one been to look at them.  Action W Porteous.

3.5 (4.7) Bins on the road at the back of Millar Terrace: Cllr J Docherty has reported it but members of the public reported no change.  Waste-Aware to be contacted. Action J Docherty

3.6 (4.9) Off-road Motorcycles and Quad Bikes: Police have been contacted due to bikes going along Braehead heading for the shore.  This time it was off road bikes and not quad bikes, but some of the bikes are not road legal.  Members of public concerned about possible environmental damage to rock formations.  Police to be contacted, and Coast and Countryside Trust to be made aware.  Action P Copland.

3.7 (4.11) Water at the Cemetery and Weeds in path:  The water butt is still the same but the weeds have gone.  A comment from a member of the public mentioned that Fife Council can spend £2 million easily on other causes but not on putting a water pipe to the cemetery.  It was suggested that we get a quote from a local plumber and apply for common good funding or share the bill with the council. Cllr J Docherty to approach the council to get a price for putting a pipe in.

3.8 (4.12) Road at the back of Miller Terrace: Cllr J Docherty has had no feed back.

3.9 (4.13) Cars Going over Ground towards Windmill: Not much sign of this happening at the moment.

3.10 (4.14) Steps down from Braehead: The path is still smooth. Public reported that no paths had been swept and they were covered in leaves.  No one has seen the street sweepers for over a fortnight.

3.11 (4.15) Litter picking:  W Buchan phoned Community Payback on 23^rd October 2017 and they said they would be down next week but no-one has seen them.  A member of the public mentioned that the Bus stop at the Mair had broken bottles and weeds in it.  The lane from the bus stop also needs swept.

3.12 (4.16) Sewage Over flowing into the Burn and Overgrown Banking at the Pavement beside the Burn: Hedge cuttings have been taken out of burn, but some rubbish is still in the area.  Brenda Allan contacted SEPA and the council had contacted her.  She thinks there is still one fence panel lying there.

3.13 (4.18) Costing for New Brown Signs for the Village: No update.

3.14 (4.19) Proposed New 4 Bedroomed 2 Storey Property on Sea front: Nothing on planning about property.

The wall at the bottom of the Dawsie: Could the council ask for this to be rebuilt again as it was? The chairperson advised that it is up to the planning officer not community council.  Wooden panelling has been put up along part of the area previously covered by the old wall.

3.15 (4.20) Work at the back of 24 Station Road: Concerns raised.

3.16 (4.22) Benches:  Bench orders are in.

3.17 (5) Community Council Meetings to be held in Church Hall.  W Buchan questioned using the Town Hall but was advised it is too expensive.

3.18 (9.2) Old Railway Bridge: Brenda Allan contacted the Land Registry and was sent lots of documents but cannot so far determine who is the owner.  St Andrews  and  Anstruther  Railway not in existence  for many years and Scot Rail deny owning it.  Thanks to Brenda for her work so far.

3.19 (9.3) Small Wooden Bridge (across the Inverie Burn beside the railway bridge)~ Not sure who owns it but members of public think it is in ‘okay condition’.

3.20 (9.4) Town Team: Some local residents didn’t seem to know when the last meeting was, and this was mentioned by members of the public. The Community Council was informed by members of the public that not all local businesses had been contacted about what was being proposed for businesses.  Letters have apparently only been given to some people so far.

The Fish business in Virgin Square is not leaving St Monans due to pressure from holiday house owner.

3.21 (9.5) Harbour Trust:  Correction to last minutes: Millers Boat Building was at one point the oldest of it’s type in Britain.

Concerns from members of the public about the harbour development plans were raised and discussed:

• amount of public consultation – felt insufficient.
• clarity of plans and what the different sections/phases mean
• potential loss of village heritage, including status of west end beach

P.Copland intimated that further discussion could continue at future CC meetings when more information is available on plans.

h3.22 (10.2)  Hole in West Street: Still the same. Action Cllr J Docherty.

3.23 (10.3) Stopcock for Upper Flat in Lower Flat: Done Cllr J Docherty

3.24 (10.4) Dog Fouling:  Very bad.  Vicki offered a poop bag to someone and they didn’t give a polite reply.  Action V Bland to contact Dog Warden.

Previous Minutes Approved:

Proposed: P Peddie                   Seconded: B Allan

4 Chairpersons Report:  Nothing to report.

5 Secretary’s report:  Advert put together by Vicki for the position of CC Secretary . This was to be in the current Loaves and Fishes – but was not. It will be put on Website and circulated around members.

6 Treasurer’s Report: Not much change.  Floral display plants still to pay.

7 Planning:  No change since last month.

8 Public Questions

8.1 Potholes:  Garages at the bottom of Queen Margaret Street and crossroads in middle of village – there are potholes in these places.  Cllr Holt said if a pothole is less than 4 cm deep it will be repaired within 5 working days.  If it is deeper than 4 cm it should be repaired with a cow pat repair in 24 hours.  This repair is temporary. It is best if they are cut out but this can only be done when it is dry.  People can sue the council for damage.  There is no more capacity in the market for resurfacing even if there was more money.  Compared to other places Fife is the 3^rd worst.

9 AOCB

9.1  Winter Campaign on Scotlands Roads: Fife has a Winter Manager, a night shift officer, 25 large gritters, 11 demount and 19 other vehicles.  Contact number for council 03451 555555859034.

9.2 East Neuk Tourist Association: They have requested a visit. It was felt that the East Neuk has missed out on information on East Scotland being published by the V & A Museum in Dundee.  They have included St Andrews but missed out the East Neuk.

9.3 Signs for Dawsie:  Would it be possible to get signage to stop coaches going past the Welly Boot Garden and up the Dawsie at West End as this route is not suitable. (To Be Continued)

9.5 Digital Scotland: Cllr Holt reported that if you don’t have good download speed it is possible to arrange to have the facility, but you have to contact your provider and upgrade your contract.

9.6  Burns Supper: To be held on 10^th February 2018 in the town hall.  Some speakers and singers etc are organised.

9.7 Senior Citizens Tea Party: To be arranged.

9.8 Donation to Waid Academy Parent Council:  A £50 donation may be given towards the new stain glass window that the Parent Council is having designed for the new school.

Close and Date of Next Meeting

AGM on Monday 18^th December 2017 at 7pm

Monthly meeting on Monday 18^th December 2017 at 7.30pm both meetings to be held in the Church Hall Station Road, St Monans.