Present Dr Goudie, (Acting Chairman), Mrs Cassells, Mr Fraser, Mr Gray, Mr Lindsay, Mr D Macdonald, Mrs Murray, Mr Paterson, Dr Reid, Dr Riddell, Mr Risk, Mr Rodger, Mr Stewart, Mr Strachan and Mrs Tero. Student Representative Mr Corrigan and Councillors Cassells, Hill, Liston and Melville.
Mrs Carleton, Mrs Mackenzie, Mr Muir, Mr Crichton, Mr Macgregor and Mr M MacDonald.
(a) Mr Gordon Christie urged St. Andrews to take more care of its historical records.
(b) Mr Keith McCartney noted that on May 24th it was the 90th anniversary of the death of Old Tom Morris. He was born on the site of 121 North Street and Mr McCartney is asking if the R. & A. would finance a plaque there. He asked if the Community Council would support him. It was agreed to do so.
Under item 7, Councillor Cassells said that he had proposed the Community Council should consider having a meeting with Mrs C Adamson. This was agreed to. The Minutes were approved.
(a) Under No. 6 Mr Strachan asked what the proposals regarding the Royal Naval Association had been. Mr Cassells said Fife Council was still negotiating with them. In effect they would get the free use of the hall for as many meetings as they at present had. It was agreed to discuss it again at the next meeting.
(a) Community Council Elections. Forms were handed out.
(b) St. Andrews Strategic Study. Passed to the Planning Committee
(c) Good Practice Agreement. volunteers to go to meetings were sought.
(d) Draft Arts & Heritage Strategies for Fife. volunteers to go to meetings were sought.
(e) Conference on Access and Mobility. volunteers to go to meetings were sought.
(f) Millennium Festival. Passed to the millennium Committee
(g) Fife Health Board. Passed to the Welfare Committee
(h) Sustainability Indicators for Fife. Passed to the Planning Committee
(i) For report only.
(k) Card from Governor of Pennsylvania promising to wear the tie we sent him.
(l) Letter from Mr Muir pointing out we needed someone to take the judges round for the Best Kept Town Competition. Passed to the Recreation Committee for action after the Election.
(m) Consultation on Access to the Countryside – Passed to the Planning Committee.
(n) Questionnaire on Citizenship Commission – Passed to Mr P Lindsay.
(o) Letter from Fife Council (Mr Houston) giving details of income and expenditure on East Bents Putting Green. Mr Macgregor has been asked if the Community Council could take over the running of it, but he recommended that we hadn't the resources to do so. However the letter said an interested party was discussing the matter of a private lease. Councillor Liston suggested setting up a “Friends of the Putting Green”. Councillor Cassells offered to bring it up at the Steering Committee for the regeneration of the Harbour area. Mr Macgregor had suggested that the Links Trust might be interested. It was agreed to write to the Council objecting to their closing it and asking them to contact the Links Trust, the R&A and the proprietors of the adjacent Kinkell Caravan Site.
(p) Conference to be held on NHS in Fife. Nobody could go.
(q) A Student had written to Mr Macgregor offering to organise a celebration of the Millennium. Passed to the Millennium Committee.
(r) A letter from a student who was running a dramatic production, asking how it could be publicised. Mr Lindsay agreed to put in in the Newsletter.
(a) Finance & General Purposes Councillor Cassells said the proposed Workshop on the Strategic Study was now likely to be in May.
Dr Goudie drew attention to the fax (circulated with the Agenda) anent poll cards. This reply seemed to be the best we could get.
(b) Planning
(1) Dr Goudie said the Community Council would have to make a formal submission based upon the leaflet which had been circulated. The Planning Committee were going to do so,. Dr Reid urged that there should be no more development at all. Dr Goudie pointed out that the policy of the Council on this point has already been decided, after much discussion. But Dr Reid pressed his point. Dr Riddell said that he didn't think a complete Green Belt was the best defence if it came to a Planning Inquiry hence the Community Council’s proposal for a “Green Corridor” instead.
(2) Dr Goudie reported that they were awaiting a new press release about possible sites for the Hospital.
(3) Dr Reid drew attention to the planning application advertised for 3 Alexandra Place, which he considered extended much further than that address. Dr Goudie suggested that, if it had been re-advertised, the Planning Committee would be able to see it again and he suggested that Dr Reid might raise it with them insofar as it was of public interest.
(4) For information.
(c) Recreation. No report.
(d) Welfare Committee Mr Paterson advised that the Round Table had settled all accounts relating to the Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party. Entries for the History Competition has been most disappointing. It was proposed to look into the possibility of a new format for the competition.
Youth Committee Mr Corrigan asked if it was proposed to include student representation on this committee. He was advised that at present the committee age range was 16 to 18 years, but it was agreed the committee would consider the request.
Mrs Melville advised that following on from the recent tragic car accident at Denbrae Cottages she had been able to convince Fife Council that improvement to road signs were needed and Fife council has agreed to place a yellow backed warning sign. She also advised that the farmer of Denbrae has made an application to Fife Council for permission to move the farm access.
Mr Cassells Once the new Community Council has been elected he is looking for Community Council participation in group discussions with Fife Enterprise Trust and other local representative bodies.
St Andrews Day Celebrations – Mr Donald Dewar, Secretary of State for Scotland has agreed to give an address in the Old Parliament Hall.
Mrs Hill said that a gentleman from Tom Morris Drive had donated the sum of £70 to the Common Good Fund in appreciation of his free bus pass.
Pedestrian Crossing at Safeways – there is a delay of about 6 weeks for the commissioning of the crossings – planning permission had not been obtained to erect the necessary ‘crossing poles’.
Ms Liston advised that the Hogweed problem has arisen again. She is applying to have the weed destroyed before seeding time when the problem would become even greater.
Mr Cassells advised that he would like to see the Meridian Stone placed somewhere in the centre of the town.
Report of the PLANNING COMMITTEE Meetings of 5.3.98, 9.3.98 and 30.3.98 and the joint meeting with the F&GP of 12.3.98 for the Community Council Meeting of 6 April 1998.
1. Strategic Study. A leaflet providing a critique of Fife Council’s three options for the future of the town and outlining a fourth option of our own was prepared by the Planning Committee. This was approved by a joint meeting of the Planning and F&GP committees prior to printing. Despite the difficulties caused by the tight timescale and the holiday period, this leaflet, together with one produced by Fife Council, was delivered to around 5000 households before the end of the exhibition presented by the Council. Thanks go to all who helped with this operation.
A more detailed submission amplifying our views on the Strategic Study will be prepared. There are also a few rounds which remain to be leafleted, and any further offers of help would be welcomed.
2. New hospital / healthcare centre. A useful meeting was held with representatives of Perth and Kinross Healthcare Trust, who indicated how their ideas on the relative merits of possible sites for the hospital are evolving. We, for our part, stressed the possible interaction with the Strategic Study, and Cathy Adamson agreed to outline the Trust’s thinking in a letter to the Press at an early date.
3. 52, Argyle Street. The revised plans for this site were seen as a substantial improvement on the previous ones. The number of flats proposed has been reduced from 17 to 11, and it is now proposed that the existing frontage be essentially retained. The resulting accommodation would, however, provide for up to 56 people, and the committee therefore continues to see the proposed number of off-street car parking spaces (15 under the new plans) as inadequate. The committee also felt that the large number of small panes proposed for the windows of the Lade Braes block looked out of place, contrasting sharply with the style of the neighbouring property.
4. Other Planning Applications.
(i) 131 Market Street (Clarks). Mr Crichton agreed to object to this application, seeking a more traditional fascia. We also do not wish to have internally-illuminated hanging signs.
(ii) 161-163 South Street (Minit Services). Mr Crichton has reported to Fife Council that we see most of this application as acceptable, but that we would wish the large sign inside the window on South Street to be removed.
(iii) 116 South Street (Jahangir). The committee did not see the proposed frontage as Suitable for the conservation area. Mr Crichton has submitted an objection.
(iv) Bell Rock House, Shorehead. The committee agreed to object to the erection of a satellite dish on this building.