Community Council Minutes, 20th October 2025
ST. MONANS AND ABERCROMBIE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minute of the ordinary general meeting, held in the Church Hall, Station Road on Monday 20th October 2025 at 7.30 pm
| Present: | Marjory Ashworth (Chair), David Robertson (Treasurer), Mervyn Blank, Peter Peddie, Cllr Alycia Hayes, Diane Martin (Minute Secretary) | |
| Apologies: | Eileen Montador (Secretary), Cllr Sean Dillon | |
| Members of the public: 11 | ||
| Welcome and apologies. Marjory Ashworth welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were received by email and recorded. | ||
| 2. | Declarations of interest There were no declarations of interest. | |
| 3. | Applications for new Community Councillors Katy Gall from the Floral Group has intimated that she would like to join the CC, and this request was accepted by members present. Katy was directed to the online form on Fife Council’s website to formally apply for this position. New Community Council members are still required, and Cllr Hayes and her team have mailed-dropped leaflets to all households in St Monans. Copies were made available for Abercrombie residents too. | |
| 4. | Reports from Community Groups Memorial Garden – Mary Henderson The official opening on 22nd November 2025 is fast approaching. Work was delayed initially due to finance approval. The stone for the three plinths has been viewed and approved by Fermin Beltran, and Jane Cox from Glendoick Garden Centre is assisting with advice and planting etc. The opening will commence with a service at Braehead Church and information about this will be posted locally. The Mayor of King’s Lynn and other dignitaries will attend on the day. A portion of money raised at the upcoming knitting and yarn festival at Bowhouse, will be donated to the garden. Funding has been obtained from Fife Council to assist with the catering costs on the day. A Quaich will be presented to the Mayor of King’s Lynn on the day. Vicki Robertson advised that the Sea Queen and attendants will be available to attend on the day, and additionally that the Sea Queen Committee wish to donate money to the garden. SMAKE – Peter Peddie Still waiting for the lawyers to resolve various issues relating to water, sewage, electric paperwork etc. Things are still progressing, but slowly. Pools & Pans – Mervyn Blank Wild swimming event was held last Friday at Bowhouse. There was lots of support for this ticketed event. Landscape architects from Edinburgh condemned whole area due to erosion but another company is now involved. Funding is required to finance the feasibility report. Charity status of the group is nearly complete. Heritage – Mary Henderson Billy Morris suggested that £1000 be donated to the Memorial Garden from the Heritage Fund. Marjory Ashworth believed moving such a sum required Community Council agreement and, following discussion, it agreed that the revised sum of £750 be transferred. Floral Group – Helen Marshall The group is currently winding down and carrying out tidying up work. The group is also taking care of the plants delivered for the Memorial Garden. There was a query regarding the removal of the baskets and Marjory Ashworth and David Robertson will deal with this. Larder – Alison Child More lottery funding was obtained which is helping enormously. 25-28 people are attending per week and there is no food left over. Restarting warm space at the end of October. Sea Queen – Vicki Robertson The quiz night will be held on Saturday 15th November in the Town Hall. A bar will be made available, and details will be released next week. Arts Festival – Helen Marshall This was a fantastic local event which was made possible by the generous donations of time, help, baking etc. from members of the local community. The money raised was more than outgoings. All the free workshops were full and gave people the opportunity to participate and try new things. | |
| 5. | Last minutes and matters arising New shop opened today.Overhanging bushes from George Terrace – hanging over the retaining wall at the carpark – Marjory Ashworth noted and will now look at this.Police have still not responded to query about the number of calls per one incident in the monthly report for the area. The September minute was proposed by Peter Peddie and seconded by David Robertson | |
| 6. | Police Matters and Report Contact email address: eastneuklandwardCPT@scotland.police.uk 0 calls from Abercrombie 0 crimes recorded. 32 calls from St Monans and 2 crimes recorded. Two people alerted Marjory Ashworth regarding people drinking outside the top shop. This has been reported to the police who will monitor. Speed checks were carried out in Abercrombie. Further reports of speeding cars up Elm Grove and Inverie Street will be passed to the Police. Cllr Hayes will investigate possibility of a camera in the village. | |
| 7. | Chairperson’s Report – Marjory Ashworth Signatory work for the ‘Licence to Work’ for the Memorial Garden now complete.NNG funding from the Windmills – £10,000 is possible. This will be put in a fund to support smaller projects in the village. This sum is annual for up to 5 years. A portal needs to be established to manage this fund.Recycling bins set on fire locally at the MUGA. A request was made for a wall/metal fence? Perhaps a camera could be installed? Name of suspect to be passed to Police. | |
| 8. | Treasurer’s Report – David Robertson Floral Group Balance of £3493.68. A cheque for Pathhead has yet to be cashed. Heritage Balance of £4013.47. The Water board have found the missing money, and the outstanding bill will now be paid. Cash flow Balance of £916.80. Memorial Garden £17000 received from Fife Council / £1455. 84 from Crowd funding – total income £32878.72. Outgoings so far £13743.84 and other amounts up to £22000. Still short of the required funding by approximately £2000. | |
| Secretary’s Report – Marjory Ashworth for Eileen Montador Glasgow University student survey received, and passed to David Robertson to complete.Fife Community Councils – email received regarding a recent anti-immigration protest, advising how our community should treat people fairly.Another email received regarding banning smoking in Fife Council properties. | ||
| 10. | Members’ Reports Mervyn Blank – planning report for 42 West End (Burnside) – convert stone house into a summer house. No issues. Drawings are available. | |
| 11. | Councillors’ Reports Cllr Alycia Hayes £1 leisure activities offered to young people during the holidays.Café Inc free lunch club for children and young people on offer during the school holidaysHave your say – Fife Council survey re your area. Our Place 2025 Survey – Page 1 of 9 – Fife Council – Citizen Space Employment and redundancy policy to be changed due to excessive bonuses paid out in the past. Since Covid, Fife Council is making significant savings due to unfilled posts. A new policy of giving automatic interview for people from a different socio-economically deprived background and establish a pathway for people from care experienced background to be trained and employed within the council.Brown bins moving to 4 weekly collection 3rd Nov – 16th March.Delays in supply of new bins due to supply issues.Complaints about the recent closure of Anstruther to St Andrews road by SPEN. Emergency closure legislation is being abused and Cllr Hayes to write to utilities companies re this issue. Please advise Cllr Hayes of any similar issue.Anstruther CC receiving visitor from their twin town in France. They want their Provost Chains from the Bankhead storage collection in Glenrothes. French chairs in the storage which are the property of St Monans are of interest here. Cllr Hayes to speak to Kim and Angus re chairs. This will be the first test of accessing things from this storage.Shallow kerb on path to Abercrombie? Was advised that improvements had been made. Discussion followed.Step outside the top shop to be repaired. Fife Council won’t repair the pavement area which is the responsibility of the owners.Fife Council funding for Memorial Garden – Alycia has tried to progress but no response. Cllr Sean Dillon (via email) Brown Bin Collection: From Monday, 3rd of November, food and garden waste bins (brown bins) will only be collected every fourth week over the winter. Fortnightly collections will resume from Monday, 16th of March 2026. 1875 Memorial Garden Coffee Morning: On Wednesday, 29th of October, there will be a coffee morning held in Pittenweem Church Hall to raise funds for the 1875 Memorial Garden. All are welcome to attend. Café Inc.: With the October Holidays underway, a reminder that Café Inc. operates from St Monans Primary School each weekday between 11:45 and 13:00. Café Inc. is a free lunch club for children and young people. It offers tasty, healthy meals during school holidays when schools are closed. No booking is necessary although children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult, who can also enjoy a meal. | |
| 12. | Public Questions Street sweeping in St Monans – required.Parked car on narrow bit of West End caused recent access problems for a delivery vehicle. Cllr Hayes to investigate double yellow lines at this point to prevent future issues.Lamp post stump outside town hall – Cllr Hayes advised that this has been reported and checked.Steps from east end of caravan site to the park below – metal plate has moved and resulting gap presents a danger. Fife Council / FCCT to be advised. | |
| 13. | AOCB Remembrance Sunday will be on 9th November 2025. The Community Council will lay a wreath at the War Memorial. This is Mervyn Blank’s last night at the CC due to moving out with the district. Thanks were extended to Mervyn for his many contributions during his time on the committee and he was presented with a token of appreciation. Katy Gall was welcomed to the committee. | |
| 14. | Close/date and time of next meeting The next meeting will be on Monday 17th November at 7.00/7.15 pm. Marjory Ashworth thanked everyone for their attendance and brought the meeting to a close. | |
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