Auchtermuchty & Strathmiglo

Community Council

Minute of the 23^rd Meeting of the Community Council

Held at 7.30 pm on Monday 26^th February 2007

In the Memorial Hall, Gateside, Fife

PRESENT: 1. David COWLING [Gateside], 2. Andy HEER [Auchtermuchty], 3. Janette McCAFFERY [Auchtermuchty], 4. Alan MUIRHEAD [Auchtermuchty], 5. Bobby THOMSON [Gateside],  6. Bill TORRANCE [Strathmiglo], 7. Eric CARSLAKE [Gateside]& 8. Bryan BOWDEN [Strathmiglo].

Apologies: George AITKEN [Strathmiglo], Gordon SIMPSON [Dunshalt]

ATTENDING: Councillors Donald LOTHIAN & Ewen JARDINE [Fife Council], and Mr.James STORRAR [Rossie].

BRYAN BOWDEN IN THE CHAIR

Minute Secretary – Bill Torrance

AGENDA:

1.0.            WELCOME & APOLOGIES: The Chairman welcomed all present

2.0.            MINUTES: The Minute of the Meeting held in the Village Hall Dunshalt on Monday 29^th January 2007, were agreed.

3.0.            POLICE MATTERS:  no police representative present to address meeting.

3.1       Strathmiglo, on reporting vandalism to a fence and hedge a householder was told to obtain witnesses. Due to personal circumstances this would be difficult. This is a situation that must be common with vulnerable individuals and police response should take account of their circumstances.

3.2              Auchtermuchty, residents have followed recommendations and reported every incident in a spate of minor vandalism. Action was, eventually, taken but the feeling of the locals was that the police knew the perpetrators and that action should have been taken sooner.

3.3              A decision to request police attendance to a Community Council meeting has been put off to the next meeting.

4.0.            MATTERS & BUSINESS ARISING:

4.1              Dunshalt Primary School closure: a letter was received from the Education Minister replying to our comment on the consultation carried out by Fife Council, the gist being that it was not directly his ‘business’ and that if dissatisfied we should raise the matter with the ombudsman. The parent body has been in contact with the Community Council and intend to carry on the ‘fight’. Though supporting their cause, there is little the Community Council can do and the Secretary will write to explain while endeavouring to maintain contact.

Cllr. Jardine, in questioning Fife, was replied to by H. Tate who, while recognising the extent of submissions by interested parties, pointed out that Fife had followed the legal procedure of consultation.

There was still a feeling of concern at the meeting regarding the lack of knowledge of all the members of the committee before the meeting held to make the closure decision.

4.2              Lomond Hills regional Park Partnership strategy review: this will be on the agenda of the next Park Management Committee meeting. The Secretary has made comment on the review as it applies to Gateside & Strathmiglo even though they are technically outside the Park boundaries. D. Cowling  pointed out that such concerns should have been taken as a planning issue.

4.3              Proposed wind farm at Auchtermuchty; Mr McGlochlan has intimated an adjustment to the position of the substation related to the development. There has been no further news on any part of the application’s progress.

4.4              Fife Council Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance – wind energy & Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance – renewable technologies: this is available to members to read, on the Fife web site. Consultation has been extended to the 21^st May ’07. A meeting of those interested is to be held on Monday 19^th March, 7 p.m. at B. Bowden’s.

4.5              Waste facility Binn Farm, Glenfarg: the Community Council has objected to the development and the decision to do so minuted on agreement of the members with no objections.  Both Ming Campbell MP and Iain Smith MSP have been active and J. Birrell, Fife Council, has been keeping the Community Council informed of any developments. Fife Council has itself until the 6^th March ’07 to prepare their submission. Correspondence between Fife and the Scottish Executive has been reported as ‘prolific’.

The Scottish Executive have stated the legal position as it stands i.e. that consultation is with the Community Councils in the regional boundaries, but that Perth & Kinross should have consulted Fife – though it was up to them to decide if Fife was effected sufficiently for Perth & Kinross to consult them. As the case is before the Scottish Executive they can make no further comment at this time.

Even though the present situation, i.e. pre-development, is causing concern amongst local residents, we appear to be having some effect on the process. The Secretary expressed a wish to enter into correspondence on this matter. AGREED.

4.6              Adjacent developments in Perth & Kinross: Fife [Development Services] is to negotiate a protocol with Perth & Kinross concerning such developments. They have intimated that they will come back to the Community Council on this matter in the future.

4.7              Fife Community Council seminar ‘Planning with the People’ Sat. 10^th Feb: this was cancelled due to low numbers.

4.8              Fife Energy Fair: A. Heer attended but found that it was in the main a commercially based exhibition.

4.9              Scottish Executive ‘National Planning Framework’ seminar Wed. 14^th Feb: it was agreed that this would be best dealt with at the meeting arranged under 4.4, Fife Council Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance.

4.10          Update of Fife Council review of the Byelaws prohibiting consumption of alcohol in designated public places: the Secretary received a correspondence on this matter though it does not apply to the Community Council’s area.

4.11          Draft timetable for the next Community Council elections: the Secretary received a draft timetable and circulated copies to members present.

4.12          SMART Communities: a meeting for the communities in the Howe of Fife is to be held in Falkland Village hall at 7p.m. 15^th March for those interested.

5        FIFE COUNCIL MATTERS:

·         Gateside

5.1.1        Burnside street lighting request. This has been costed but might require Community Council backing to receive funding. Gateside Community Association may be approaching the Community Council in the future.

5.1.2        Perth Rd. to eastern boundary. Street lighting has been budgeted for in the next year.

5.1.3        Speeding. The police have developed an action plan and  survey equipment put into place. Local residents are asked to report offenders.

5.1.4        Bower Park. The road surface continually breaks up despite repeated patching, a more substantial repair is requested.

5.1.5        Dryside. A considerable quantity of mud has been washed onto the road from neighbouring fields and needs to be attended to. Cllr. Jardine to pursue the matter.

·         Strathmiglo

5.2.1        The Community Woodland path now has funding and will be proceeding shortly.

5.2.2         The ‘Noticeboard’ and landscaping has been put to tender and should be completed in this financial year.

5.2.3        The ‘Gateway’ scheme for the eastern entrance of the village is to include new lighting in Sandygates.

5.2.4        Strathmiglo – Falkland cycleway. Work has begun.

5.2.5        Flooding in Bankwell Crescent. A site visit involving Transport, Locality and Housing was carried out. Repairs to the banking are probable but until a full flood study has been carried out Fife are wary of repercussions from any major works. The Community Council and the Community Association should lobby for such a study to be undertaken as this would attract funding from the Scottish Executive.

·         Auchtermuchty

5.3.1        Application for change of use [on-going] to allow mobile catering van. No decision has been made and the application appears to be making little progress.

5.3.2        Low Rd./Cupar Rd. Repairs to road surface around water main covers have not lasted and a number are causing problems to local residents. It was the feeling of residents that this was symptomatic of more serious damage not being attended to.

5.3.3        Newburgh Rd. A large puddle is now forming near the Bowling Club.

5.3.4        Traffic lights in Low Rd. have emphasised to local residents the number of large lorries coming through Auchtermuchty on a daily basis. Cllr. Lothian pointed out that statistically there has in fact been a drop in traffic numbers.

·         Dunshalt

5.4.1        ‘C57’ drainage works are to lead to the road been closed to through traffic in the period 5^th March to 6^th April.

5.4.2        20MPH scheme is to go ahead in the coming year.

5.4.3        Flood study. It is hoped that this will be complete by early summer.

6             OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS: no specific items raised separately.

7             Planning: two applications outside Auchtermuchty’s settlement boundary were worthy of investigation and a request for details has been made. It is hoped that ‘Building in the Countryside’ policy should be used towards these applications and that they not be viewed as ribbon developments.

8             CORRESPONDENCE:  The Secretary listed the outgoing and incoming correspondence since the previous meeting. NOTED.

Of note;

8.1              D. Wardrope – supplementary planning guidance on retailing to be published in June containing questionnaire on retail concerns of residents in the Community Council area.

8.2              Community Council support working group and the City/Region boundary consultations that are to take place. Fife to get back to Community Councils.

8.3              A. Heer, Vice-Chair, intimated his intention to stand down from his position during the campaign period of the local elections as it is his intention to stand for Councillor in the ward.

9             OTHER BUSINESS:

9.1              The secretary requested that the Community Council make a contribution to the maintenance of his computer system vital in the undertaking of his duties. The amount suggested was £121.00. AGREED

9.2              On a related point the Secretary drew the meetings attention to the ever mounting ‘e-burden’ being placed on the Secretaries of Community Council as Fife increasingly relies on electronic means for communication and the distribution of materials.

9.3              It is noted that the numbers attending/taking part in Community Council meetings are becoming worryingly low and that there is a need to ‘recruit’ members from the communities covered by the Council.

THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON MONDAY 26^th March 2007, in the Village Hall, Strathmiglo, FIFE.

BILL TORRANCE

Minute Secretary.

Monday 12^th March 2007.