7pm Monday 1st February 1999 in the Burgh Chambers, Queens Gardens.
Chair: Donald Macgregor
Community Councillors: Craig Barrett, Ken Crichton, Sean Dobson, Ken Fraser, Ian Goudie, Hugh Gray, David Kinnen, Helen Lawrie, Pete Lindsay, Dennis Macdonald, Donald Macgregor, Lindsay Murray, Joseph Peterson, Frank Riddell, Archie Strachan, Cynthia Tero, Chris Young
Students' Association: Natalie Grant
Nominated/Co-opted: Bill Sangster
Fife Councillors: Sheila Hill, Jane Ann Liston, Frances Melville
Apologies: Maries Cassells, Chris Lesurf, Murdo Macdonald, Caroline Jack
PC Cumming expanded on last month's report.
There is no funding for a local officer, currently St Andrews is covered by PC John Brand, the divisional CSO at Cupar.
There has been an increase in attacks, but not in formal complaints to the Police. Without complaints the police cannot act. Nonetheless there have been some successes in imposing bail conditions on offenders preventing them from entering the town centre after 9pm. He also reported that the perpetrators of a recent bottle attack had been traced and charged: 15 & 16 year-olds.
Frank Riddell reported that the University Proctor has circulated all academics in the university on increased attacks emphasising the need to involve the police as soon as possible when they hear of attacks. PC Cumming also works closely with the Student Support Service. On the other hand there are also occasions of student instigated problems so he also is in contact with the Hebdomodar.
Natalie Grant commented that only attacks on students are reported as news, that this produces an unfair picture of the situation in the town as a whole. Donald Macgregor backed this, pointing out that students are just one section of the whole community and that to focus on students rather than on young people is divisive.
Cllr Frances Melville mentioned that at a recent meeting she'd learned that there is no money available for new or improved lighting as the lighting budget is committed to safety checks of ageing street lights across Fife. This is unfortunate as improved lighting generally reduces trouble of all kinds.
The Students' Union is selling personal alarms for £1. PC Cumming felt that these at least made the carrier feel more secure.
There will be more police on foot for the next month, and generally a higher profile around town.
These are being used elsewhere in Fife - Leuchars and Glenrothes for example - but he doesn't feel the need here as St Andrews is small enough to walk round.
Use of the CCTV available is essentially covert, but could perhaps be made more known in general ways. Archie Strachan suggested simple 'CCTV in use in this area' notices. Cllr Frances Melville agreed that this had been discussed at the Community Safety Panel and that notices were under consideration.
PC Cummings had conducted an informal survey of dog owners in the Lade Braes and found seven out of seven had gear to clean up after their dog. Cllr Sheila Hill said there were problems in her area, what was the appropriate action to take? PC Cummings suggested contacting the police in the first instance rather than the council dog warden service. Hugh Gray suggested an informal licensing/registration scheme for dog owners who prove themselves responsibly prepared to deal with the mess their animals leave.
Euan Porter, Project Organiser, spoke.
The project started in St Andrews at All Saint's church hall by the Castle, hence the name, though it is now based in Cupar.
It has two functions
i) Collect donated furniture and redistribute it to people in need throughout Fife. There are other such projects..
ii) Provide employment for young people with enduring mental illness, typically with drug problems and/or chaotic lifestyle. This gives them an opportunity to build self-esteem by doing valuable tasks, turning them from service consumer to service provider.
There are two vans, 3 paid staff including a driver, volunteer drivers, a warehouse and 8-10 participants who attend 1-5 days a week from Stratheden Hospital, Stratheden Court or the Cupar community. The participants are not paid as such but do receive an extra £10 benefit.
Recipients are referred by Social Work dept or by themselves (there are checks on their bona fides as needy through benefit books etc.). Some 850 collections a year yield 700 deliveries biased towards Cupar of course because they are based there, but they are keen to expand coverage through NE Fife and especially St Andrews.
Funding comes from the Mental Illness Specific Grant (through local government but ring-fenced), National Lottery and the auction of surpluses. Grant income has been frozen for the last three years and next year.
Management of the project is by the Castle Furniture Project Ltd, a non-profit company. The management committee has previously had a RBoStACC representative previously, and would very much like to see one again.
Representative to be considered in March.
Chris Young brought up the Benefit Take-up project - Castle Furniture had not been involved and would contact Fife Council for further information.
4.3. Surgeries etc planned but not confirmed.
4.4. Windsor Gardens not Lindsay Gardens.
6.5.1. delete mention of John Knox, retain Craigtoun Road.
6.5.2. Hugh Gray asked Fife Councillors to get officials to investigate possible over-development of golf around St Andrews.
Proposed Archie Strachan, 2nd Ken Crichton: The Community Council investigate, without delay, the possibility of the purchase of the garden at the corner of St Mary's Place & Greyfriars Gardens as a Millennium Project and if found available for reasonable cost set about raising the necessary funds.
Accepted without opposition
As there are questions about the asking price of the land, related to its (supposed) development potential Cllr Jane Ann Liston proposed that the three Fife Councillors would look into the matter of planning permissions at the site and generally try to pick up from where Patrick Cassells left off.
Dennis Macdonald later asked what would be done with the garden.
6.6.a.1. Lindsay Murray questioned Hall Hire in 11/1/99 report. Ken Fraser explained that 1/2/99 report supersedes. Helen Lawrie added that it was difficult to make any plans without funding.
Ken Fraser to approach Mr I Donald (what for??)
Transfer of funds - this is covered in the treasurer's report.
Any New Year/Millennium function should have the widest community involvement so committee should involve eg churches, schools a.s.a.p.
Millennium Ctte to write
Some questions were raised on the practical organisation of a joint approach, especially as £1000s might be handled. This could either be done by
i) co-opting suitable outsiders to the Millennium Committee. This was questioned but Pete Lindsay said it is quite acceptable under the Scheme of Administration for the Community Council, or
ii) following the approach of Cupar Community Council and set up a separate joint body. This approach was advocated by Paul Marshall (FC Halls & Events Manager?) at the last Millennium committee meeting. It does have the advantage of offering a more equal partnership to other interested parties. Ken Fraser has approached the Cupar committee for a copy of their constitution to see if it is suitable for our needs.
Lindsay Murray asked who on the CC would be available to take part in running millennium celebrations? Some already have their own plans. It will almost certainly necessary to involve other bodies to provide sufficient bodies.
Frank Riddell apologised for the lack of a written report, due to pressure of work through his involvement in the Planning Committee's submissions on Kingask.
Best possibility seems to be the David Martin, Westport Jeweller, who suggests enamelled silver plus chain for £2-300. This was a very provisional estimate before Christmas, further details will be sought.
Frank Riddell to follow up
These have been identified as a cheap and easy to produce way of making Community Councillors more noticeable at public events. Badges with the arms and names will be circulated soon. Their use is not compulsory, of course, but will help 'raise our profile'.
Pete Lindsay/Frank Riddell to act
Investigations into costs of a new notice board (to be sited at St Mary's Place car park, adjacent to the street) are underway. A report on costs will be presented in March. Currently seeking permission from Fife Council Estates Dept to erect board as it will be on Fife Council property.
Helen Lawrie to report
Committee is looking into producing a quarterly newsletter to complement Event. Articles of around 200 words on Community Council related subjects sought.
Articles to Frank Riddell
No report: next meeting Wed 3rd Feb.
Cllr Melville commented that she had taken part in a People's Priorities meeting at Madras Kilrymont with 3rd year kids. They had not been impressed with the idea of using the Victory Memorial Hall for discos - no 'street cred'.
Half the cost of repairs to be covered by the Common Good Fund. Now looking at the Fife Environmental Trust which may provide matching funding. Archie Strachan reported that he was currently wrestling with the application form.
Amended plans have been received by Fife Council Planning Service proposing a height reduction of 3.6m and a 3m move back from the main road - she wondered what our reaction to this was?
Ian Goudie pointed out that for the size of building a 3m move was trivial and that a 3.6m reduction was not the complete floor reduction that Fife Council Planning Committee had suggested.
In response to a query from Hugh Gray Cllr Melville explained that the developers latest proposals would be unlikely to go out to the public for consultation so any letters of comment should be sent to the Planing service immediately - though existing comments are still 'on the table'.
Fife Council's Strategic Development Committee had decided not to call in consideration of the proposal from East Area Development Committee in response to the developer's request. Officials reported that consideration was being conducted according to the established guidelines so there was no case for calling in and that to do so in such circumstances would set too great a precedent.
Ian Goudie was concerned that in consideration so far many planning guidelines had been changed when Fife Council's own Planning Officers discarded the likes of the Transportation, Strategic and Landscape Studies for the St Andrews area. He added later that the Administration of Fife Council could only see the jobs that might come from Kingask, but failed to take account of the wider issues of traffic impact on the residential areas of the town.
Frank Riddell raised the issue of service deliveries to Kingask - there is a suggestion that rather than routing through the centre of town HGVs would use Lamond drive, which he pointed out was a residential street that had only relatively recently had traffic calming installed after the death of a child. Dennis Macdonald suggested that HGVs did not need to run anywhere through St Andrews, but did not give an alternative route.
Lindsay Murray asked Cllr Melville if there was any information on where the proposed golf courses would get their water from - a golf course needs substantial quantities. She replied that this was being looked into. Dennis Macdonald suggested that various abandoned reservoirs could be brought into service to supply the Kingask courses.
Donald Macgregor has written to the John Markland, Chief Executive of Fife Council to suggest that developments such as Kingask be steered towards more needy parts of Fife - the post-industrial parts of the centre and west as more appropriate places for incoming development.
Bill Sangster asked Cllr Melville if a golf development failed, would the land revert to fields. Partly, was the answer. Associated buildings are not likely to revert.
Lindsay Murray asked a general question on what had happened to the various (strategic etc) studies recently - they were to be incorporated into a Fife-wide plan. Where is it? Cllr Melville assured her that the individual conclusions of the studies had been accepted by Fife Council, all that was lacking was a final inclusive report. She wasn't able to say when Fife Council would produce this. Ian Goudie pointed out that we'd had the shortest-lived strategic study ever: approved in November then a hourse and cart driven through it in January.
Dennis Macdonald reiterated his call for the proposed green belt to be implemented by ringing St Andrews with golf courses. Frank Riddell pointed out that the developments would need 100s of jobs what could not be supplied from St Andrews at the moment. People would move in, bringing families and putting more pressure on housing, hospital, health centre and schools the latter three of which are all acknowledged to be over-crowded at the moment. The first would destroy the green belt with the very housing estates that the Strategic Study responses specifically rejected.
Cllr Hill presented some plans of proposed traffic calming measures in the area of Canongate Primary School. It rapidly became apparent that 20+ (check number) people in the meeting could not make any meaningful examination or response to the plans from across the length of the room. Plans passed to Ian Goudie for Planning committee to comment. The short period for consultation was commented on.
Secretary to write and point out difficulties
She has produced a table of how buses and trains fail to coordinate here and passed it to Transportation Service.
Inviting the program for St Andrews Week was looked into for 98 but came to nothing - should it be looked at again this year?
Pete Lindsay to investigate
This arose at a recent Strategic Development committee meeting. The survey questioned shoppers and retailers. Cllr Liston asked why there had been no involvement of the Community Council? Planning Service to send us a copy of the report for comment.
Ian Goudie asked whether the Head of Planning had seen the report and why they had bothered given that on recent performance any conclusions will be swept aside if they are inconvenient.
This would be a walk/cycle celebration of the old pilgrim route from Dunfermline to St Andrews, staged over the summer of 2000.
(return to normal order of Agenda)
Redevelopment of the garage in Argyle St: Agreed that David Niven should be commemorated here. There was a vote on the exact nature of the proposed name "Provost Niven Close" v "Niven Close". The latter is traditional form for streets named after other provosts, as Ken Fraser pointed out, but the inclusion of Provost was proposed as there was some feeling that the word is dropping out of use.
'Provost Niven Close' (prop Hugh Gray, 2nd Craig Barrett).
Carried. For: 8, against 6.
Pete Lindsay to inform Env. Health
Ken Crichton had missed this due to confusion over dates. Cllr Jane Ann Liston gave corrections.
While very impressed by the detail of the reply from the pupils of Dunino Primary School giving more information on their recycling scheme, it was decided that the community council itself should take no direct action on this matter. Instead promote the idea to schools, youth groups etc (Frank Riddell) and the University (Ian Goudies has already raised this with them). Joseph Peterson worried about the risk of commercial charges for collection. Several people commented on fire risks to public paper collection points.
Meeting on February 4th will look at what sort of targets/projects to consider for fundraising.
Net income over £900, up from the £893 reported in the agenda, some money still trickling in.
Royal & Ancient Golf Club has donated £2,000.
Bring & Buy sale at the Victory Memorial Hall raider £200+
The meeting agreed to the transfer of the former St. Andrews 850th Anniversary Fund to a new Millennium Fund.
Chris Young agreed to take over from Archie Strachan as our representative.
After a short discussion of the paper in appendix D of the agenda the meeting agreed that the secretary to be authorised to buy an A3 capable laser printer as described in the report. (Proposed Hugh Gray, 2nd Donald Macgregor. No opposition).
Pete Lindsay to act
Meeting agreed to £12 resubscription.
Matters raised in January have been resolved.
Archie Strachan called for someone to join this committee to help look at the business side of promoting the Arms. Joseph Peterson volunteered.
Meeting agreed.
The proposed date (21st Dec) is somewhat later this year than previously, to better fit in with the university term (as the party is held in the Students Union).
£50 Mr T Keracher, £30 Mrs McKenzie, £20 Mr DS Mundie, £15 Mrs M Freeborn.
It was pointed out that this site was originally intended for further recreational development. Putting a nursery building in the middle might jeopardise that, and it was suggested that the proposed building be moved closer to the edge of the area in question.
Cynthia Tero spoke against the nursery i) for taking recreational land ii) for being a privately funded business on council-owned land and iii) she believes parents should look after children properly themselves as she did, not dump them in nurseries while they work. Joseph Peterson backed the point about private development on public land and also expressed concerns about safety of a nursery so close to the sea. Chris Young supported the general location of a nursery near new development such as St Nicholas where there is likely to be need with young families in their first house.
Cllr Jane Ann Liston has spoken to Mrs Wilson, the person behind the project. There are waiting lists for the other nursery schools in the area, so there is a demand for places. There will be provision for special needs children in this project with one of the workers being qualified in that area. Bill Sangster pointed out that Cosmos has a special needs youth evening, but this is only once a week. Frank Riddell understood this project is 5 days a week.
After more discussion it was agreed that Ian Goudie should write to Planning Service to point out the Community Council preference for the land to be kept for its original recreational purpose.
Donald Macgregor informed the meeting that the Tourism Management Plan was to meet again (16/2/99) with him chairing.
Archie Strachan asked what had happened to the Millennium Cycleway project, especially in St Andrews? There ware a few signs marking marking cycle routes on B roads that he considered dangerous - where was the money spent
Pete Lindsay to investigate
Pete Lindsay asked if the Community Council should arrange a hustings for the forthcoming elections as had been done for the general elections. It was suggested that a joint effort with the Students' Association be investigated. An ad hoc hustings committee comprising Natalie Grant, David Kinnell, Craig Barrett and Pete Lindsay to look into this.
Hugh Gray suggested that a senior member of the planning service be invited to explain the relevance of various studies (Strategic, Transport etc) to the planning process in view of their apparent discarding at the Kingask hearings.
Pete Lindsay to invite Head of Planning