BURNTISLAND COMMUNITY COUNCIL
FRIDAY, 14 December 2012
7 P.M.
Upper Library Hall
Minutes (final approved version)
PRESENT:
Alex MacDonald (Chair), Bob Smith (Vice
Chair),
Isabel Smith (Secretary), John Russell
(Treasurer), Gordon Langlands (Minutes Secretary),
John Bruce, Gary
Cummins, Christine Dewar, Morag Douglas, Tim Hailey, Ian McKenzie, Bruce
Stuart, Bill Kirkhope (Burgh Buzz).
Cllr Peter George, Cllr Susan Leslie (Part-Time).
ATTENDING: 5 members of the public.
1. Chairman’s Opening Remarks and Apologies for Absence
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and informed the
meeting that apologies had been received from
Zoe Williamson, Ed Pybus, Neil Millsop, Gillian Lowe and PS Rachael
Burns.
In the interim there has
been a very successful Scots Verse Competition, Remembrance Day Parade and
Christmas Fair (held by Burntisland Unlimited).
Many thanks to all those involved including John, Christine,
Bruce and Morag.
Neil Millsop has indicated that he is stepping down from the BCC
due to personal commitments.
There is now a vacancy on the BCC which will be advertised and
hopefully filled after Christmas.
2. Minutes of Previous Meeting (9th November 2012)
There were no correction to the Minutes.
Minutes agreed, proposed by Bob Smith and seconded by Tim
Halley.
3. Notification of Community Concerns for A.O.B. (Item 8)
None.
4.
Police Report – PS
Rachael Burns.
See her report in Appendix 1.
Cllr Leslie indicated that she had
met with the Chief Inspector, Gordon Mitchell, and had a full and frank
discussion about the concerns of the community regarding policing in
Burntisland.
Next community Engagement Meeting,
Wednesday 9th January 7 pm, Kinghorn Community Centre.
5. Secretary’s and Treasurer’s Reports
5.1. The Secretary indicated
that the email in-boxes of some recipients are full.
Please check your in-boxes.
5.2. The Treasurer indicated a
free balance of £2,188.32. See Appendix 2.
6. Environment.
6.1.
Environmental Report J.Bruce. See Appendix 3.
Action: Cllr George to pursue issues at Fife Council Ward 10
meeting.
Issues discussed at some length:
6.1.1.
Pavements and Links Car Park need gritting. Cllr Leslie is dealing with this.
6.1.2.
Dog Fouling.
There
are only 2 dog wardens for the local area.
Cllr
Leslie indicated that it is possible to recruit more through the local area budget and that there is a Campaign
running in Kinghorn.
Dog
fouling appears to be at night.
Bob
Smith queried whether it was possible to increase the fine to £500 as in Manchester where it had been
successful.
Morag
Douglas asked for more notices.
Cllr
George indicated 2 more signs were on the way.
6.1.3.
Middle Tunnel on Links. This appears to be rusting. It
belongs to Rail Track.
Action: Cllr Leslie to provide most recent report.
6.1.4.
Bruce Stuart reported that the Coastal Path near Colinswell
Alcan estate has deteriorated. The
builder may be responsible.
Action: John Bruce to speak to
Fife Coast & Countryside Trust.
7. Burgh Buzz – Bill Kirkhope.
15th January deadline for next
issue. Morag Douglas needs help with advertising.
The Buzz would also appreciate
editorial help. Volunteers should contact Bill or Morag.
There will be something on dog
fouling in the next issue.
8.
Any Other Business.
8.1.
Burntisland/Kinghorn Sports Hub.
There was a very well attended
meeting held at Burntisland Golf Club House.
Meeting lead by Mike Kavanagh of
Fife Council who introduced the concept of a Sports Hub.
Based on the good work already done by
the Beacon Sports group the intention is to form a new Steering Group to pursue
a Sports hub for Kinghorn and Burntisland sports clubs.
No summary has been issued as yet.
8.2.
Royal Bank of Scotland:
RBS branch in Burntisland High
Street is closing at 4pm on 11th March 2013.
Apparently it is no longer
economically viable. Footfall has dropped 40% in a year.
The bank wants to sell the property.
There may be a note in the Burgh
Buzz about the impending closure.
The BCC currently banks with RBS.
Action:
Write to RBS objecting to the closure and suggesting the branch goes part time
- Alex MacDonald
8.3.
The Beacon Centre is shut for annual maintenance during the
Christmas Holidays. This seems a very inappropriate time to be closed when the
schools are on holiday.
Action:
Write to inquire why the maintenance is done when the schools are on holiday
and enquire why there are still so many ongoing closures due to “accidents”. –
Alex MacDonald.
9.
New Business Items
9.1. Common Good Fund
Application – Children’s Play Area.
Alex MacDonald indicated that the first call on funds
is for maintenance of Common Good Property.
Cllr Leslie stated that Fife Council still did not
know the costs associated with the restoration of the Clock Tower. She advised
the BCC that using Common Good Funds for this work would empty the fund. She
advised BCC to spend any Common Good Funds as we would normally do.
Cllr Leslie excused herself and left the meeting.
There were 6 grants last year (none for maintenance)
totalling £11k.
The Parent Council were invited to participate in
this project by Fife Council.
The application for £5k out of a total of £70k was
for unbudgeted equipment that the children had specifically asked for.
According to Ben Barron the Parent Council did not have sufficient funds to
contribute.
Christine proposed NO and that Fife Council should
pay. Bob Smith seconded this proposal.
Tim Hailley proposed YES but the process was wrong.
Seconded by Bruce Stuart.
The vote was 5 YES and 5 NO with 1 abstention.
The casting vote was a YES by Chairman Alex
MacDonald.
Action: Write
to Fife Council indicating BCC approval of this application for £5k but
criticising the process. – Alex MacDonald.
9.2. Common Good Fund
Application – Burntisland Bowling Club.
This was an application for £10k to restore their
clubhouse.
It appears that again, the applicant is not
contributing any of its own funds.
This is a private members club, which welcomes
visitors, and makes a profit of around £6k profit / year. There was a proposal
by Bob Smith not to support this application at the moment but to ask for more
information. This was seconded by Christine and passed by BCC.
Action: Ask
Fife Council for more information – Alex MacDonald.
Cllr George to
inform Fife Council of BCC stance if this comes up at committee.
9.3. Burntisland Parent
Teacher Council – BCC Representation.
Bruce Stuart volunteered to represent BCC at the
Parent Teacher Council meetings.
This was agreed by BCC.
10.
Ongoing Business Items
10.1.
Review of Local Planning Applications. Application: 12/04858/ARC
Proposal: Matters
specified by condition application for the new primary school building and: the
formation of sports pitches, car parking, pedestrian and vehicular access.
Address: East Toll Park
Kirkcaldy Road Burntisland Fife.
Action:
Tim
Hailey has already written to Fife Council asking for a delay to allow BCC to
consider all of the documents.
10.2.
Strategic Projects Group: War Memorial/Haugh Road.
Following an offer of £22,000 from
Fife Environment Trust, there is now enough funding in place for the War
Memorial itself but not for landscaping (which needs another £40k).
The proposal is to split this
project into two:
1)
Renovate War Memorial.
2)
Landscaping.
In the first instance pursue the
renovating of the War Memorial.
Action:
Check that the funders are OK with this approach then delegate delivery of this
project to Bob Smith whilst – Alex MacDonald continues to pursue funding for
landscaping.
10.3.
Improving Communications.
The web site is now being hosted by
Digital Fife.
There are new pages for Planning and
News.
There is a Survey facility ready to
be activated once we agree on the questions.
The same survey will run
concurrently in paper form via the Burgh Buzz.
10.4.
BCC Draft Code of Conduct and Complaints Procedure. - No progress.
Action:
Alex
MacDonald / Ian McKenzie to pursue.
10.5.
Outline Planning Application Approval for New School on Toll
Park –Portobello Ruling/PAN82.
Fife Council has indicated that
PAN82 has been superseded by other directives.
Fife Council has applied to acquire
Common Good Land.
Comments are to be in by 18th
January.
No independent legal advice has been
taken by Fife Council and the terms of RICS valuation protocols have not been
met.
There are at least 2 contrary legal
opinions for land used for numerous years as playing fields:
1)
Portobello. The title deeds stipulated the land was for
recreational use.
2)
Highland council building a school on Common Good Land.
Legal opinion states that
replacement land must be provided before any purchase, where the community will
be deprived of a benefit which they are entitled to have “by custom or
dedication or by direct grant”.
Action:
Raise
concerns over valuation and replacement land with Fife Council - Alex
Macdonald.
10.6.
Burgh Chambers Clock Tower Repair/ Common Good Fund Property
Review. - No update.
11. Awaiting Update
11.1.
Links Community Trust/Links Accounts
Apologies were received from Fife
Council regarding indicated rents for Common Good Buildings. A single list for
Burntisland is being generated.
11.2.
Burgh Chambers Furniture – B. Smith
12. Date of Next Meeting
BCC Meeting - Friday, 11 January
2013 at 7 p.m. in the Burgh Chambers.
13.
Community Award 2013 – A Private Session was
held to discuss nominations.
APPENDIX: 1.
Community
Council Report
(Sgt
Ross Davidson has been drafted in to assist in a major incident enquiry and Sgt
Rachael Burns will be covering for him until his expected return in about 4 – 6
months.)
Firstly
I would like to apologise for not attending this meeting in person. I would like
to reassure you that it is my intention that either myself or one of my
Community Officers will attend the meetings to deliver our report first hand
and to listen to and address any concerns.
I
am sure you will all be pleased to learn that from 06112112, there has been a
reversal in policy and the Burntisland van will once again be staffed from
Burntisland and not Kirkcaldy. I have also decided to change the Community
shift pattern to allow for greater coverage. This should mean that there will
always be a dedicated Burntisland Community Officer and/or Response Officer on
duty. Burntisland is also fortunate to have extremely dedicated Special
Constables who regularly patrol with the officers at peak times.
PC
Keith Gibb who has served as both a Response and Community Officer for over 8
years in Burntisland has now moved to a new post at Headquarters and I am sure
you will agree will be missed. He will be replaced by PC Andy Pearson who has
worked in Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy and North East Fife. Your Community Officers
are now as follows:
PC
Jeremy Graves, PC Tony Kinsell, PC Andy Pearson
·
Anti-Social Behaviour
Since
beginning my post in mid November I have been looking closely at any
Anti-social behaviour calls in the area and I am pleased to report that at the
moment there does not seem to be any particular areas of concern. Nevertheless
underage drinking and any associated antisocial behaviour remains one of our
key priorities and the Community Officers will continue to engage in both high
visibility and plain clothes patrols to deter and prevent offences.
·
Road Safety Issues
Speeding
continues to be highlighted as an area of concern and at the latest police
Community Engagement Meeting it was decided that we would concentrate efforts
on the Kinghorn Loch Road/Kirkcaldy Road. Arrangements have been made for the
Fife Police trailer/billboard to be positioned at the junction of the Kilcruik
Road and B923 Road in Kinghorn to heighten driver awareness with regard to
driving safely and responsibly and Speed Monitoring Sites will be taking place
there during the coming months. Community Traffic Wardens and Burntisland
Officers have been tasked to monitor parking on Burntisland High Street and to
take positive action when necessary.
Other
Issues
·
Community Speedwatch
I
would like to take this opportunity to ask for volunteers for the Community
Speedwatch Programme. As I'm sure you are aware, we have all the equipment
needed
and now just need a sufficient number of volunteers before they can be trained.
I believe we currently have 4 but need to recruit a further 8. I have suggested
a 'round robin' might work well with Kinghorn, Burntisland and Auchtertool each
carrying out operations on behalf of the other. This is not intended to replace
the work done by Officers but to supplement them. This scheme has been rolled
out in other areas across Fife and it has worked very well there.
·
Twitter
We
are finally moving in to the 21st Century and have recently set up a
Burntisland Community Police Twitter account! Please follow us and encourage
other Burntisland and Kinghorn residents to do so too. Burntisland Police@burntislandpol
·
Property Marking
A
reminder that over the Christmas holidays we are asking local kids to bring
down their bikes, mobile phones etc and have them marked in an effort to deter
potential thefts. The local schools have all been made aware and will be
circulating this to the children prior to the Christmas break.
·
Beacon Event
Community
Officers have been offering home security advice at a drop-in at the Beacon on
9th December. In addition, officers have been delivering leaflets to homes seen
to be at risk.
Crime Figures
21
recorded crimes in total over the last month
Assault
- 6 reported and all detected
Vandalism
- 3 reported. 1 detected and 1 with a positive line of enquiry
Breach
of the Peace/Sect 38 - 3 reported. 1 detected and the other 2 have positive
lines of enquiry.
Unusually
for this time of year there has only been 1 reported theft by shoplifting.
The
CCTV for this crime is being circulated in an attempt to identify, the suspect.
Community Engagement Meeting
The
next CEM will be held on Wednesday 9th January at 1900 hours at Kinghorn
Community Centre, Rossland Road, Kinghorn
APPENDIX: 2.
APPENDIX: 3.
BURNTISLAND COMMUNITY
COUNCIL
ENVIRONMENT
ISSUES TO DISCUSS MEETING 14.12.12
CAN
YOU GIVE AN UP-DATE ON THE FOLLOWING ISSUES
THE
TUNNEL AND AREA LEADING FORM LINKS TO THE BEACON CENTRE STILL REQUIRES
ATTENTION GULLIES STILL NOT CLEAR AND WEEDING REQUIRES GENERAL CLEANING UP
14.12.12 Cllr George informed us that this matter has now been attended
to
THE
HUT AT THE CRAZY GOLF ENTRANCE IS FALLING INTO DISREPAIR WHAT ACTION IS BEING
TAKEN TO HAVE THIS DEMOLISHED.
14.12.12 Cllr GEORGE and Cllr Leslie have brought this to the attention
of Fife Council and the matter is being dealt with
AREA
OUTSIDE THE JUBILEE HOTEL LEADING TO THE KIRKTON BURN STILL REQUIRES A HIGHER
FENCE TO AVOID PEOPLE FROM GAINING ENTRANCE TO THIS AREA. WHO OWNS THIS
PROPERTY AND WHAT ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
14.12.12 Cllr George is dealing with this matter he will suggest that a
High Metal Gate is placed at the end of the wall leading to the Kirkton Burn he
will also make enquiries regarding who owns this area in an attempt to resolve
and rectify this matter
PALIAS
STAIRS AND SURROUNDING AREA STILL NOT CLEANED UP WHAT ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO
RESOLVE THIS ON GOING ISSUE
14.12.12 Referred to Cllr George who states that this area has still to
be dealt with and he will approach Ken Halley in an attempt to get this area
cleaned up as soon as possible
STAIR
LEADING FROM JAMES PARK TO DALLAS AVENUE STILL NOT CLEANED UP REQUIRES WEEDING
WHAT ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE
14.12.12 Referred to Cllr George area still to be cleaned up he will
refer this to Ken Halley for some action
RUBBISH
STILL LYING IN THE DOCK AREA OPPOSITE THE BEACON CENTRE SINCE I REPORTED THIS
AT THE LAST BCC MEETING SINCE THEN THERE IS MORE RUBBISH GATHERING IN THIS AREA
I ALSO NOTICED OLD FURNITURE DUMPED AT THE SIDE OF THE LARGE SHED WHAT ACTION
CAN BE TAKEN TO HAVE THIS REMOVED AND ALSO SOME SIGN PUT UP TO INFORM PUBLIC NO
DUMPING ALLOWED
14.12.12 both Cllr George and Cllr Leslie are aware of this issue also
Fife Council are aware of this rubbish lying in the dock area Cllr George will
pursue with FC in an attempt to have this removed
DURING
THE RECENT COLD SPELL I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE PAVEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN GRITTED
AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO WALK ON THIS COULD VERY WELL CAUSE INJURY ESPECIALLY
FOR THE ELDERLY I WOULD THEREFORE REQUEST THAT WHEN FIFE COUNCIL ARE OUT
GRITTING THE ROADS THEY ALSO GRIT THE PAVEMENTS COUNCILS HAVE A LEGAL
RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP PAVEMENTS SAFE,UNDER SECTION 41 OF THE HIGHWAYS ACT 1980
BETTER TO GRIT THAN RECEIVE CLAIMS FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR INJURIES SHOULD
THEY FALL.
14.12.12 Cllrs are aware of this issue and will raise this with Fife
Council and report back to BCC
I AM
STILL RECEIVNG COMPLAINTS REGARDING DOG FOULING WHEN ARE THE WARDENS ON DUTY IN
BURNTISLAND
14.12.12 Cllrs George and Cllr Leslie are aware of this issue and are
extremely concerned that certain dog owners ignore their responsibilities to
ensure they pick up the dog fouling and do encourage the general public to
report any incident they are concerned with in an attempt to keep our streets
and parks clean