ROYAL BURGH OF ST ANDREWS COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Monthly Meeting 3rd June 1996 MINUTES

Present Dr. Goudie (Chairman, Mrs. Carleton, Mrs. Cassells, Mr. Crichton, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Gray, Mr. Lindsay, Mr. D. Macdonald, Mr. M. McDonald, Mrs. Mackenzie, Mr. McLeod, Mr. Muir, Mr. Paterson, Dr. Riddell, Mr. Risk, Mr. Sangster, Mr. Stewart, Mrs. Stewart-Meiklejohn, Mr. Strachan, Mrs. Tero, Councillors Cassells, Hill, Liston and Melville.

1. Apologies; Mrs. Murray, Dr. Reid, Mr. Macgregor and Mr. Macmillan.

2. Submissions from members of the public

Sgt. Topen of the Police Force answered several questions on police matters. In particular he confirmed that the front of Tesco's was a public place with respect to street collections, and he promised to investigate cases of security lights which dazzled motorists.

3. Minute of Council meeting

(a) 6th May, 1996 In item 6(a) regarding the Caravan Site, the sentence should read "the Council had imposed screening conditions, but these had not been effectively met". Item 7 was given to two items which should have been 7 and 8, and in 8 (b) the word "these" should read "there".

(b) 27th May 1996 Under item 6(g) Dr. Goudie said the words "in the absence of a planning committee and" ought to be deleted.

With the alterations, the Minute of the meetings of 6th and 27th May were approved.

4. Matters arising:

(From 6th May)

(a) Use of Council Offices

The suggestion made in the Minutes of the office-bearers' meeting, that Mr. Muir and Mr. Strachan should form a delegation was agreed, with the addition of Mrs. Tero.

(b) Community Council Election

For report only.

(c) Naming of streets

A letter from the Fife council suggested that a system similar to the previous one would be adopted.

(d) Cultural Links

Dr. Riddell announced that he would shortly be visiting Upper Arlington. It was agreed that he should take there a photograph of the 1995 VE day parade, subject to a limit on expenditure of £15.

(e) Business Rates

Councillor Cassells said he was arranging a meeting on this topic with the Community Council and the Merchants' Association. It was agreed that Mr. M. McDonald and Mr. Sangster should represent us.

(from 27th May)

(f) Time and place of inaugural meeting

Dr. Riddell asked if there was any explanation of the difficulty. Mrs. Melville said Fife officials considered that bookings were the duty of the retiring Chairman and Secretary of the Community Council. Dr. Goudie said that would not have been his expectation, nor was it that of the retiring Chairman and Secretary. It would be useful of the Fife Council made the matter clearer in future.

5. Matters raised by Committees

(a) Office-Bearers meeting (see separate sheet)

1) It was agreed to write to the Merchants' Association as suggested.

2) It was agreed that the Secretary should draw up a list of bodies on which the Council was represented, including where possible, the frequency and place of meeting and previous representative were urged to supply him with this information so that representatives could be chosen at the next meeting. Some bodies however needed an appointment now. The following were agreed on;

• Castle Furniture Project - Mrs. Stewart-Meiklejohn,
• St. Andrews in Bloom Competition - Mr. Muir, Mr. D. Macdonald and Mrs. Stewart-Meiklejohn.
• Crime Prevention. Mr. Strachan was proposed by Mrs. Stewart-Meiklejohn and seconded by Mr. Crichton. Mr. Gray was proposed by Mr. D. Macdonald and seconded by Mr. Risk. Mr. Strachan was elected by 10 to 5 but it was agreed Mr. Gray should be his substitute.

3) As only two representatives were needed, Mr. McLeod (for whom Mr. Muir's name was mistakenly written in the minutes) agreed to withdraw.

4) Finance - see separate paper from the Treasurer. His proposals were agreed, except that in para 2, on the motion of Dr. Riddell, it was agreed that the Budget should be presented to Fife Council "as appropriate". In para. 3 Mr. Risk agreed to act as the financial assistant envisaged.

5) Committees

Mrs. Carleton proposed a separate St. Andrews Day subcommittee, reporting to the Recreation Committee.

Mr. McLeod said he did not now wish to be the ad hoc Chairman of the Welfare Committee and proposed Mr. Paterson instead. With these alterations the proposed committee structure was agreed.

Secretarial workload:

Mr. McLeod made a proposal to divide the Secretary's job into two. It was agreed to discuss this next month. It was agreed that Mrs. Tero should continue to do the typing and to receive an honorarium. It was agreed that in future the Minutes and other papers shall be sent out by post, to which end they would have to be in the Secretary's hands by 12 noon on the Wednesday preceding each meeting.

(b) Planning (see separate sheet)

1. It was agreed to send the letter on the Byre Theatre, as circulated, and also Dr. Goudie's letter on planning applications in general.

3. Dr. Riddell suggested that Dr. Mathewson be invited to speak on Fife Healthcare at the July meeting. This was agreed to.

(c) Recreation (see separate sheet).

It was unanimously agreed that Mr. Strachan should continue to organise the 200 Club.

6. Matters raised by Fife Councillors

Mrs Melville said she was pursuing the matters of a residents parking scheme and of the local bus services.

Mrs. Stewart-Meiklejohn asked what was the future of the Best Kept Town Scheme. Mr. Cassells agreed to investigate.

Mr. Muir asked if anything was known about the future of Craigtoun house. Dr. Riddell agreed to write on this to Mr. Birrell (copy to Cameron Community Council).

Mr. Cassells inquired what was the nature of the Community Council's objection to the new wall at the Golf Course. Dr. Riddell said it was, above all, to the colour.

Mr. Cassells pointed out that the question of whether the library had a place in the Capital Programme for 1996/97 had not been referred to the East Fife Area Committee and that this was hardly a good example of decentralisation. It was agreed to write to the Fife Council on both the general point of decentralisation, and the specific point of the Library.

Dr. Riddell asked on what basis the decision to spend £600,000 on the County Buildings was made. Mr. Cassells agreed to find out.

Ms Liston was asked by Dr. Riddell why the new large laboratory at the Gatty had been approved by officials, and he urged that such major schemes ought not to be so treated.

7. Other matters of public concern

(a) East Fife Area Committee
(b) Citizenship Commission
(c) Planning procedures

All these were remitted to the Finance & General Purposes Committee, together with another letter on decentralisation.

(d) Fife Environmental Action Programme
(e) V.O.R.A.G.
(f) Fife Health Council Newsletter

These were passed to the Welfare Committee

(g) Community Council Seminar.

It was agreed to send Mr. Lindsay and Mrs. Cassells.

(h) Rural Forum.

The circulars were passed to the Recreation Committee.

(i) Accounts Commission

A letter describing its role was passed to the Finance & General Purposes Committee.