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Approved
Chair Murdo Macdonald
Community Councillors: Ken Crichton, Ken Fraser, Ian Goudie, Helen Lawrie, Chris Lesurf, Pete Lindsay, Dennis Macdonald, Murdo Macdonald, Donald Macgregor, Joe Peterson, Frank Riddell, Archie Strachan, Cynthia Tero.
Co-opted: Bill Sangster
Fife Councillors: Sheila Hill, Jane Ann Liston, Frances Melville, Jane Hunter-Blair.
Apologies - Hugh Gray, Lindsay Murray
Accepted
PC Balmaves attended.
3.1.1. CCTV - circulated an information sheet showing the proposed locations of 10 cameras. These are to be 'state of the art' he said, and demonstrations he had seen gave very clear pictures, with an impressive zoom facility. They will be controlled from an operations centre in Glenrothes, staffed by trained civilian operators employed by the police.
3.1.2. Station Car Park - Frank Riddell voiced concerns over dangerous parking at Double Dykes Rd / Station car park obstructing the junction approches. He asked that police pay particular attention to this spot - a prosecution for dangerous parking would give weight to calls for double yellow lines to be painted to discourage parking close to the roundabout junction. Cllr Frances Melville added that she had had many complaints about this; police support would help in taking action to deal with the problem.
3.1.2. St Mary's Place taxi parking - Murdo Macdonald drew attention to ther problem of taxis parking on the north side of St Mary Place which interferes with traffic turning west out of Bell St or using the Fife Council office car park. His remarks were backed by Ken Crichton.
PC Balmaves: Deliveries at the Victoria Café can exacerbate the problem. Difficult to argue safety over taxis outside local office as vehicle emerging from the local office car park are travelling very slowly, not as if it is a road junction. The taxis are stopping on a single yellow line after 5pm when restrictions are lifted. It was commented though that taxis appear on the line as soon as the traffic wardens head off-duty, somewhat before 5pm.
Visited niece in Liverpool area, very impressed to see CC minutes online.
He noted from the Feb minutes that the display case in front of the Children's Library, which he had originally paid for with his retirement gift from community council some years ago, is to be re-varnished soon; he will gift money for this along with, in particular, renewal of the gold lettering ('Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council').
Frank Riddell to arrange.
4.1.1. Kinburn car park - (see agenda 7.3.)
4.1.2. Shared surfaces - she's asked for Lumsden Cresent, which has shared vehicle/pedestrian surfaces, to have speed humps because of problems experienced.
4.2.1. Safeway Roses - Murdo Macdonald raised state of rose bushes by Safeway's. He hoped that the Bloom judges could be distracted as they go by later in the week.
4.2.2. Supermarkets - Cynthia Tero raised a general point with the Fife Councillors: she understood that there had been planning conditions set on Tesco & Safeway restricting them from selling hard goods, of which they now have growing ranges.
Fife Councillors to investigate.
4.2.3. State of Lade Braes - Archie Strachan backed complaints in The Citizen recently over the neglect of Lade Braes, which is badly overgrown in some places.
Cllr Sheila Hill had already raised this with Jim Hooton of Community Services, at a meeting earlier in the day - and was able to report that work is in hand to deal with this in the near future.
4.2.4. Pipeland Farm waterworks - on a similar point Archie Strachan also mentioned that the right of way there is almost impassable.
4.2.5. Rebuilding of Wall at Craigtoun Rd - Ian Goudie raised this again. Sheila Hill admitted that she'd been looking at the wrong section, but will keep an eye on the situation.
4.2.6. Seat Sponsors - Cynthia Tero took this opportunity to ask the Fife Councillors generally what happened to the old roll for Byre Theatre seat sponsors? No one knew, but will investigate.
4.3.1. Town Hall - Red Cross not going ahead with conversion of JP courtroom as they don't have the money. This is unfortunate as it would have made the room more generally useful. They will continue medical loans 2-3 afternoons a week from the other room, though they will have to pay rent for that facility of course.
4.3.2. Byre Theatre - are to commemorate the work of the late Cllr Patrick Cassells for the theatre in the early days of the redevelopment. Liaising with Maries Cassells to find an appropriate memorial, probably sited in the garden behind/beside the new building.
4.3.3. Multiple occupancy - planning applications coming in 'thick & fast'. A Queen's Terrace resident has suggested that suitable provision for wheelie bin accommodation should be a factor taken into consideration, which Cllr Jane Hunter-Blair felt was a very important point to follow up.
4.3.4. Residents Parking Scheme extension - now Howard Place etc now 50:50 perhaps slightly against. Parking ticket machines may be needed if the Abbotsford Cres, Howard Pl area are included in the parking scheme as there are no shops suitably close by to sell parking vouchers.
Frank Riddell circulated a reusable 'parking disk', picked up at the ASCC AGM as an example of another way to run the scheme without the need for the unpopular vouchers and the difficulties of purchasing them from the decreasing number of shops which sell them. Such disks could be sold as valid for various periods of time to suit locals or visitors, even given free to suitable cases. He and several other members listed a wide variety of places using disk schemes.
[this parking disk comprises an hour-marked wheel in a cover which has a window in it to show the time of arrival. Just like the current voucher it is then displayed in a car window].
Donald Macgregor recalled that the reason given that a disk system could not be tried was the duration of the contract to print the current vouchers. Bill Sangster thought that there are too few shops selling the current ticket and the contract may not be viable now. Murdo Macdonald added that of the shops that did still sell vouchers it seemed that many (charity shops for example) did not open over the full time of the parking restrictions. Many, he said, don't open until 10am making it difficult to park legally at 9am.
4.3.5. Survey of Public Toilets - in St Andrews by C&WM to determine levels of use (and therefore, presumably, need), and provide clear information on which to base any decisions on closures.
4.3.6. Byre - a chiller unit has been installed on the roof, possibly without planning permission (this is contentious). Some neighbours have objected. It has been painted black but is still obtrusive to those with views of the back/top of the building. Not very noticeable from Abbey Walk/Street.
4.3.7. Town Centre Survey - Murdo Macdonald has recently received at his business in Bell Street a Fife Council survey of businesses on state of town centre. He criticised the content finding it difficult to answer in an unambiguous way.
4.4.1. Tourism Management Plan Forum - September 13 meeting will be a full open public meeting to try and generate more public interest and involvement in the role of the TMP and its wide effects on the town.
Ian Goudie did not think a full public meeting in place of the current Forum would be beneficial. He valued the openness with which officials treated this meeting which allowed valuable insights to Fife Council's thinking. He did not think this would survive in a public forum.
4.4.2. St Andrews week - offered help by Fife centre - though have not contacted the St Andrews Week committee as yet. Very helpful if they do help with organisation.
4.4.3. Staffing at Leuchars Rail Station - ScotRail have stated that they have no plans to close down. They are employing 3 new members of staff
4.4.4. Waste Management Strategy - SEPA public consultation doc for July.
4.4.5. Loudens Close graffitti - suggested a graffitti hit squad to local office - Local Office investigating possibilities.
4.4.6. Giant Hogweed - occurrences of this dangerous plant on the Kinnessburn have been sprayed.
4.4.7. Amusement arcade - appeal in October
4.4.8. Rail Link Campaign - Dundee is to get a new football ground for 2008 and the European Football Championship - she feels that if this occurs it is an additional argument for a railway link to St Andrews, which has the hotel space that Dundee itself lacks. She doubts that the road network alone would cope with traffic generated by such an event. This would help St Andrews benefit from the event.
4.4.9. Coastal Path - Archie Strachan reported that there has been no apparent progress on repairs. Jane Ann Liston will investigate.
4.4.10. Asbestos - Ian Goudie - asbestos scare at Kilrymont School - is monitoring adequate given other schools of same vintage.
Jane Ann Liston - monitoring in Madras is reporting the air to be clear of asbesdos.
Joe Peterson has heard that the swimming pool closed for upgrading over the summer and that the asbestos problem is to be treated at the same time.
The following report was circulated
Report of the PLANNING COMMITTEE Meetings of 11.6.01 and 25.6.01 for the Comnunity Council Meeting of 2 July 2001.
1. Planning applications.
(i) Kinkell Farm. Dr Riddell agreed to write to object to this application for change of use of part of a field to a quad bikes track and for conversion of agricultural sheds to form a reception area and toilets. The grounds for objection include further traffic generation and potential problems including the impact on the coastal path, pollution close to a SSSI, litter and noise. Should Fife Council be minded to grant consent, our suggestions include relocation of the facilities within the available land to move them away from the coastal path, and the use of extensive screening with trees and bushes to reduce the visual impact and to absorb noise.
(ii) St Leonards Fields. A new application has been submitted for 4 luxury dwellings further down the site from the house, for which consent to redevelop was recently granted. This follows the rejection earlier this year by the East Area Development Committee of a previous application which included four luxury dwellings on this site. The developers must surely be aware both that this site has long be the preferred choice of the local community for a new hospital and that the local health trust is close to completing their selection process. Accustomed as we are in St Andrews to developers putting their financial interest ahead of the needs of the local community, this application nevertheless manages to plumb new depths of complete insensitivity to the interests of the people of the town. Our earlier objections, on strict planning grounds, remain valid and will be resubmitted.
(iii) 90 Market Street. The Committee agreed to object to this application for externallyilluminated fascia signs and a projecting sign, regarding the proposed materials as unsuitable. We believe the facade of this shop is worth preserving.
(iv) 100 North Street. Mr Lindsay wrote to Fife Council arguing that the plans for this application, which includes a CCTV camera behind the police station, should be available in the Local Office. These have now been provided.
(v) R. & A. Clubhouse. The Committee expressed some doubts about the proposed new turrets: a possible objection is under consideration.
2. Other recent developments.
(i) Wester Langlands. Mr Lindsay has prepared a report on the public meeting arranged by the University.
3. Public Inquiries.
(i) 130, Market Street. Possible representation of the Community Council at this Public Inquiry is under discussion.
(ii) Kittock's Den SSSI. It is understood that the Kingask developers have decided to withdraw this appeal.
Ian Goudie added that he now understood that the signs at 90 Market St had been refused permission.
Joe Peterson clarified that at no time did he represent that he was speaking on behalf of Community Council. He praised the initiative of the kids using the ramp in starting fundraising to contribute to any necessary work to keep a skateboard facility in Pipeland Park.
Murdo Macdonald has spoken to some of our neighbouring CCs who agreed a quarterly meeting would be helpful.
Meeting approved suggestion.
Murdo Macdonald to arrange meeting
Ken Fraser - notes some of what he said has been garbled in the Fife Council report. With no information on facilities in the 'new' library it is not possible to make an informed decision on the poposals.
Murdo Macdonald felt that we need to know the financial position of the Common Good Fund before considering supporting any work on the library being funded from it. Frank Riddell warned that there would be difficulties with the legalities of using the CGF, to do with strict government limits on capital spending (amongst other things).
Pete Lindsay to arrange further meeting
Pete Lindsay reported that Dr Gilchrist indicated a professional fee of £50-60 for the work. Meeting agreed in principle but would like clarification on copyright.
It is understood that an application is now in the planning system. Planning committee will comment on it in due course.
Cllr Jane Ann Liston reported a conversation with Principal Brian Lang, who said that the university aimed to increase the proportion of university-provided accommodation for students.
Archie Strachan apologised for missing the library meeting [6.3. above] as he had been delayed by an audit inspection on behalf of Entrust over grant for bandstand.
He felt that this inspection was unnecessary bureaucracy as we are not making ongoing claims for Entrust funding so asked Community Council permission to withdraw from Entrust
Meeting agreed
Achie Strachan proposed £100 donation from 200 Club - meeting agreed
Meeting agreed
8.1.1. "Roll of Honour" books - Murdo Macdonald made a personal donation of two embossed books for community council to record the Honoured/Honorary Citizen and Young Citizen awards.
Meeting agreed unanimously to accept, with thanks
Pete Lindsay again raised Archie Strachan's idea that the spare space on the brass plate list of Provosts on the Burgh Chamber stairs be used to record those holding the office of Community Council Chair.
Pete Lindsay to investigate
Frank Riddell called for copy for Bulletin to go out in time to promote Community Council elections.
Frank Riddell reported that he had raised the matter of control of Common Good Funds at the meeting. ASCC agreed that this could be a matter of concern for community councils generally and will be investigating.
Cynthia Tero put forward a proposal from Helen Lawrie that remaining millennium funds should be used to provide bench seats about town.
Murdo Macdonald said that a finance committee discussion with the millennium committee should look at what is to be done with remaining funds but it had not yet been possible to hold this meeting.
Members complained about the overgrown state of the ground around the Gateway building.
Pete Lindsay to write