Burntisland Community Council

Minutes of meeting held in the Burgh Chambers

on Friday 11th April 2008

 

Present:

Alex MacDonald (Chair)

Ron Blanchard (Secretary)

Aneris Grant (Treasurer)

Tim Hailey

Gordon Ritchie

Sam Purvis

Gordon McGregor

Sheila McGregor

Christine Dewar

Gillian Lowe

Morag Douglas

Heather Leuchars (Minutes)

Cheryl Spears

 

Councillor Ron Edwards, Councillor G Kay

                       

Attending:-  11 members of the public

 

1.         Apologies were received from Councillor Susan Leslie, Bob Smith (Vice Chair),     Ramsay Leuchars

 

2.         Minutes of February meeting approved by Sheila McGregor and seconded by         Aneris Grant. Minutes of March meeting were approved by Gordon McGregor       and seconded by Sheila McGregor

 

3.         Topics requested for inclusion in Any Other Business were noted.

 

4                                Police Report-  Sgt Edith Potter was welcomed by the Chair to the meeting.

 

Sgt Potter has replaced Sgt Scott Johnston in Burntisland. She is fully aware of problems within the town and issues which require to be addressed. Since March one serious assault was reported this involved a youth under the influence of alcohol.  Extra officers have been assigned to address the problem of underage drinking with those caught having letters sent to their parents.  Those aged 16+ being issued with Anti Social Behaviour Certificates. Level of vandalism has been low. Policing plans 2008/9 objective leaflets were made available. The Police Station shall be manned Mon – Fri 09.00 – 16.30 and varied times out with that.

 

5          Combined report from Councillors.

 

Palace Cinema demolition now underway and should be completed in a matter of weeks. The artefact on the cinema has been saved thanks to Douglas Speirs and now in storage for Burntisland Heritage Trust. Plans are underway for a replacement building for the site.  A meeting of all interested parties to take place 8th May

 

A909  (a) Flooding continues despite preventative measures taken last year. This appears to be caused by unmarked culverts blocking in excessive rain falls.  (b) Traffic lights have been installed due to significant movement between the road and Craig Court making the road dangerous. Both these items mean significant work is now in progress to establish exactly how these problems can be addressed and who will be responsible.

 

No 7 Bus no longer goes to the foot of the High Street due to new European legislation restricting the distance a bus can travel without the driver having a break.  The old route broke that distance by a few hundred metres hence a decision was taken by Stagecoach, without consultation, to shorten the route.

 

Craigkennochie Terrace; The new pavement to be laid as per James Park/ Kirkbank Rd, Kinghorn Rd with asphalt. The actual texture can be altered to be as James Pk due to steepness of the road. Access to individual houses will be dealt with as for Kinghorn Rd which was praised by residents.

 

High Street; meeting on 31st March at 11am at the Burgh Chambers. AGREED actions: Transportation to come back with an indication of feasibility of agreed options within a fortnight, with a further meeting of the group in one month: Look at Loading Bays or selective road widening on the High Street. Look at Loading Bays to be provided in Kirkgate, Links Place, Palace Cinema &/or Union Street.Look at the danger of the raised crossing point at the Porte. Can the High Street be made Pedestrian Priority. Remove the first Disabled Bay at the lights, because people reverse across the crossing. Should Disabled Spaces be covered by a TRO, making them statutory. The setts in the Mercat Cross are still not fixed properly, even though it is supposed to have been done. Parking sign-posting is wrong, some signs do not direct to car parks beyond the Lammerlaws Bridge or the numbers are wrong. Bus Parking is currently signposted in Links Place rather than Roundhouse. Other signs are also wrong. The meeting asked that the views of people in Kirkgate and Links Place be taken into account. Disabled bay at Kirkgate requires remedial work.

 

Skatepark; Skateboard Scotland engineers working with Fife Council checking out current design to improve same with youths’ ideas and technical input.  Money now in place revised costs in region £200-220K.

 

Town Clock – money approved for work to be carried out.

 

 

6          Matters Arising from minutes not otherwise covered in Agenda

 

6a        Recreations on the Links – carried to next meeting still await response from Fife   Cncl.

b.                              Fife’s Local Landscape Designation review - results will be put into Local Plan consultation in September.

c.                              Dare to Care – Progress so far with project is Cheryl has lists of activities from Toll Centre, Music Hall, Erskine Church, St Serfs Church.  Awaiting responses from other places.  Received £50 funding from Dare to Care.  Received support from Marilyn Livingstone in finding grants for children unable to afford subscriptions etc. 

d.                              Proposed Burntisland - Granton ferry – carried to next meeting

 

7          New Business

 

a.         Ramsay Leuchars resigned from Community Council and a vote of thanks was    extended to him by the Chair. Cheryl Spears now assigned to Community     Councillor in his place.

b.         Draft Environmental Report Consultation - Local plan available from 24th March – May on disc from Town House Kirkcaldy or view on Fife Cncl Website.

c.         Scottish Government Survey ASCC Stakeholders questionnaire to be completed and returned to Fife Council

d.         Community Council Seminar 10th May to be attended by Gordon Ritchie and Tim Healey

e.         Fife’s City Region Boundaries offering better economic development. Scotland      has been divided into 4 main city areas i.e.Glasgow Edinburgh Dundee and    Aberdeen. Burntisland is likely to come under Edinburgh.

f           Greenspace Conference 28th May location  – Pittencreiff Park Dunfermline

g          Community Council Insurance Policy renewed and held by the Secretary

h.         Instilling Civic Pride in your community – Falkland in Bloom seminar 16 May to       encourage pride in local areas. Sheila and Gordon McGregor attending.

I’           Meeting for best kept town Town House 21st April to review e.g.award ceremony    for 2008.

j.                                 Burntisland Blooms; Full Floral Enhancement Grant of £750 has been obtained           for the 12 BCC containers.   Fife Council is responsible for the 13 metal High   Street containers.     A survey of High Street containers revealed that, of the 194    perennials and spring bedding planted by Bloom Team in Fife Council’s            containers last year, only 108 remain.    BCC containers at the Burgh         Chamber:   3 Tier Fountain -    of 45 plants only 13 remain.   Precinct planter – of       36 plants only   16 remain.  Of 10 ivy planted only – 2 remain.   2 central shrubs     stolen.   The certificate & medal presented for the Best Kept Small town 2007           Award can be viewed in display case in Burgh Chambers.  A new volunteer           will look after 2 hanging boxes on the nursery railings.    A volunteer is         required for the hanging box at the Cowdenbeath Road town entry sign.     This     only requires regular dead-heading of summer bedding and reporting of dead or            stolen plants.

           

k.         Naming and Numbering of Streets – The public are being asked to submit suggestions for street names for any new developments within the town.  These   shall be kept on file until they are required at a future date.

l.          Building Technology Course 31st May – Gordon Ritchie and Tim Hailey       attending.

m.        Appointment of new Secretary.  The Chair gave a vote of thanks to Ron who is      stepping down from his position of Secretary.  Gordon Ritchie to hold position of        secretary subject to confirmation at next meeting..

N          Planning Convenor – Tim Hailey appointed

O         Events Committee -  Cheryl Spears

P          Christmas Lights – Gillain Lowe appointed

Q         Common Good – defer

R         Spring Clean Town – submit areas of town which require a clean up to Ron           Blanchard

S          Burgh Chambers rent/hire for Community Council business – approach Fife          Council to request this be free for purpose of meetings.

T          Fountain on Links request this be restored to its former glory.

U          Cromwell Rd; road markings require replacing.

V          High Street; public are mistaking speed bumps at Port as being a crossing.

W        Repair to wall Dick Crescent Councillor to look into costs.

X          Sporting facilities e.g.. lack of plastic pitches – carry forward to next meeting

 

8                    Date of next meeting Friday 9th May  2008.