Approved
Chair: Murdo Macdonald
Community Councillors: Ken Crichton, Richard Douglas, Ken Fraser, Ian Goudie, Joe Lamb, Pete Lindsay, Dennis Macdonald, Murdo Macdonald, Donald Macgregor, Callum MacLeod, Lindsay Murray, Joe Peterson, Frank Riddell, Archie Strachan, Cynthia Tero, Jean Thompson, Penny Uprichard.
Students' Association: Dana Green, Tom Plant
Nominated/Co-opted: Bill Sangster, David Reed
Fife Councillors: Bill Brooks, Sheila Hill, Jane Ann Liston, Frances Melville
Apologies: George Davidson, Chris Lesurf
December 7.2. (para 1) Lindsay Murray had thought that it was agreed a letter of complaint be written to The Citizen as well as the congratulations to Stewart Leckie. Community council agreed.
Pete Lindsay to write
December 7.2. (para 3) Murdo Macdonald, not Lindsay Murray, suggested a new committee for community council's St Andrews Week events.
amended minutes approved
Dr John Bell spoke:
Still drawing up the outline business case. The case being developed is not the buildings are clapped out, but rather that better medicine could be done in an improved hospital. The proposed investment can be justified by improvement in patent care.
Would like community opinion on two items:
Had proposed a day hospital for the old/frail alongside the inpatient facility. Now think that this ends up being little more than a serviced waiting room. As Social Work are proposing the social provision part of the development for a day centre there would be overlap with a health service day hospital. Therefore it is suggested that the day hospital be dropped.
• Would the community support dropping the day hospital?
As a replacement to the day hospital they could then take on mental health care in community. There is no mental health provision in St Andrews at the moment. Propose some rooms as part of the development for mental health facilities – actually multipurpose rooms. Mental health requires same process of diagnosis, agreement, treatment as any other illness.
No big architectural change to the design of the hospital. But some question of sensitivities, support of mental health patients by the community.
• Do community support inclusion of a mental health day hospital?
Discussion:
Frank Riddell did not feel community council could make a response on the basis of the information given. Would have to ask lots of questions on the implications of the proposed changes, more than there was time for in this meeting.
Ian Goudie agreed that there was a lot to think about. While he would like to support mental health, there are a lot of other issues and he would like to see a working paper.
Ken Crichton felt it was important that changes to the proposed facilities should not cause further delay to the hospital.
Ian Goudie also questioned press reports that only limited public consultation would be undertaken. Dr Bell said this was not the line supported by his group but admitted that decisions to be taken by Scottish Executive in March will be a practical limit to some discussions.
Dr Bell agreed to provide a briefing document in time for further discussions with representatives of community council. Date agreed: 7.30pm Monday 21/1/02 Fife Council Offices, St Mary's Place (instead of Publicity committee).
PC Balmaves
3.2.1. Crime Prevention - a two way radio system has been set up in town for shopkeepers to warn each other of suspicious behaviour. The system is also monitored by the police.
3.2.2. Parking at St Mary's Place - Dana Green drew attention to increasing problems due to long periods of parking by taxis and buses (the latter believed to be running to nightclubs in Dundee). Thursday to Saturday evenings are worst affected. Safety a problem with the many pedestrians moving about in this area. Archie Strachan reiterated previous concerns about safety of egress from the Local Office car park when the road is parked up with taxis.
PC Balmaves will pass this on again in view of the road safety aspect. Cllr Bill Brooks will also raise it with Fife Council officials.
3.2.3. Fireworks - complaints were raised about excessive discharge of fireworks in the evenings around the Christmas - New Year period. PC Balmaves reported that a group had been reported for Breach of the Peace. He also noted a counter-complaint against the shift that dealt with the problem from the individuals concerned. Letting off fireworks in the street is an offence. There were calls for the source of fireworks to be controlled and sales times restricted. Several people said Safeway was selling them over an extended period. Cllr Frances Melville added that these problems of easy availability and extended use of fireworks had been raised with Fife Council by several other communities.
4.1.1. Rubbish collections. Apologies about problems with bins - full report to local services on Wednesday. Very difficult to maintain service if workmen down tools suddenly, contingency plan didn't work. Terms and conditions for the special shifts were apparently agreed, but then only two sets of staff turned up on the day. The conditions were set according to national guidelines in August. A report will be coming to community councils.
4.1.2. Local Forum. It seems that Fife Council has relaxed its prescriptive guidelines on local fora, realising they shouldn't be imposed centrally but set up according to local needs.
4.1.3. West Sands Barriers. A report on Health & Safety makes it clear that the council cannot continue with attendants at car parks etc, because of liabilities if an employee is assaulted. Asked about the role of CCTV ( the West Sands entrance can be covered from the Bruce Embankment), she said that CCTV was not regarded as a sufficient deterrent. This was met with widespread cries asking "what is the point of getting it then?".
Back to the barriers themselves; when asked about the fears of the introduction of all-year charging Cllr Melville replied that it seemed local officers have "the right idea", but she had some reservations about the attitude in the centre of Fife Council.
4.1.4. Cycle paths. Local Services Committee to receive a report on development of the cycleways after the go-ahead from the public enquiry.
4.1.5. Harbour. Going ahead with repair and improvements to the bridge so it can operate and now looking into replacing it with something more appropriate to an upgraded harbour. This will require external funding. Also looking at upgraded facilities for visiting yachts etc. This is part of the basis of the lottery bid.
Joe Peterson asked if further development would affect flooding through infilling of the harbour basin (cf the harbour gates flood of ~14 years ago). She replied that the Harbour Trust were aware of the possibility and would take necessary measures to counter it.
4.1.5. Planning procedures Guidelines are to be drawn up for planning applications by Fife Council, associated bodies and Scottish Enterprise Fife so the process is more open and comprehensible, in regard of worries expressed about Fife Council's impartiality in dealing with its own planning applications.
4.2.1. Recycling centre. (raised in November). Fife Council are continuing negotiating with Safeway over the availability of the proposed site. The matter is being very actively pursued at the moment.
4.2.2. Hogmanay Ceilidh. Thanked community council for organising the ceilidh which was enjoyed, she said, by people of all ages. Particularly praised Murdo Macdonald as the chief organiser. He in turn thanked his helpers Frank Riddell, Archie Strachan, Joe Peterson and Cynthia Tero.
4.3.1. Buckets. Commented that her ward had also been affected by the collection problems. Although Cupar had expected to have caught up by last Friday, and she had passed this on to people contacting her, this didn't happen. She too looked forward to the explanations to Area Services committee on Wednesday.
4.3.2. Provost's Chain. Apologised for passing on incorrect information last month. Having made enquiries with the Museums Service it seems that Fife Convener Tom Dair wasn't wearing the St Andrews Provost's chain, he was actually using Cupar's. On reorganisation it was decided that Fife Region's chain-of-office would become Fife Council's, and that the Burgh chains were historical artefacts and should not be used at all. While this does raise the question of why the Convener was wearing Cupar's, it is not a St Andrews matter and it was agreed that the letter discussed last month should not be sent.
Pete Lindsay not to write
4.3.3. Masque for golden jubilee. Pursuing the idea of a historical pageant based on the royal wedding of 1538 there have been expressions of support from Cosmos Centre and the Preservation Trust amongst others. Is community council prepared to support this idea?
There were questions about what involvement was required in time or money but were assured that all that was needed at the moment was a statement of support for the principle of holding a masque.
Ken Crichton reminded the meeting that the recreation committee did not have the resources to take on any further projects; if community council involvement were needed a separate committee would be required.
Cynthia Tero recalled that community council had supported previous endeavours that inspired this one, such as the 850th anniversary of the town, organised by Callum MacLeod in 1991.
Agreed to support
4.4.1. Refurbishment of Town Centre. College St. work is scheduled for February to May. There have been delays with the South St proposals which were referred back for further design and planning changes. However it is intended to get moving before the end of the financial year. Initial phase of work is only as far as Alisons Close. As it is a side street Rose Lane is scheduled for the summer so as not to disrupt South St during the main season. There will be six weeks notice of any planned closures; Fife Council is very conscious of the effects of interruption to business and traffic he said.
4.4.2. St Mary's College cycle racks. Cllr Brooks to investigate why some of the cycle racks outside St Mary's college have been removed.
The following report was circulated at the meeting:
Report of the PLANNING COMMITTEE Meeting of 10.12.01 for the Community Council Meeting of 7 January 2002.
1. Planning applications.
(i) Madras Rugby Club Car Park. Miss Uprichard wrote indicating that we have no objection to the temporary use of this car park as a contractor's compound. In view of the prominence of the site, we would not wish to see any extension of this consent beyond 31st May 2002.
(ii) Kingask golf shop. The plans indicate that the proposed shop will not be visible from St Andrews, but doubts were expressed about the need for a separate building. A condition requiring no removal of the ridge that hides it should nevertheless be considered. Concerns were also voiced about how many more buildings are envisaged for this site.
2. Other recent developments
(i) Wester Langlands. Planning consent has been granted for the new student accommodation. The consent contains relatively little in response to our warnings about the lack of car parking spaces. A Green Travel Plan has to approved before work commences on site. Condition 14 limits the occupancy level to the existing figure of 488, and requires, prior to occupation of the new blocks, details of which existing blocks are to be decommissioned. In contrast to the wording of condition 14, the accompanying reason suggests that the occupancy limit was only intended to apply until the Green Travel Plan is implemented.
(ii) Craigtoun B housing site.
The recent application has also been approved by the East Area Development Committee. An objection had been submitted to various aspects of it. No copy of the written consent has yet been received.
Ian Goudie added that a copy of draft constitution for the Green Belt Forum, referred to last month, is now available for inspection.
Further to the report in the agenda Murdo Macdonald, who had chaired the meeting, expressed his surprise at the level of interest as shown by the number of residents who turned up, and also his disappointment at the number of community councillors who had attended this community council arranged meeting.
After much discussion (which mainly recapitulated, somewhat more politely, the points made at the public meeting) it was agreed to seek independent assessment of the value of the environment and the flood risk on the Dempster Terrace section of the Kinnessburn.
Frank Riddell to seek University contacts
Cllrs Brooks & Liston to deal with Fife Council
Agreed to listen to suggestions from the Youth Liaison group.
noted.
A suitable number of community councillors volunteered to uphold the honour of St Andrews by taking tea with the Consul.
A couple of general suggestions were made for future similar occurrences:
Archie Strachan felt we should enlighten anyone asking for the 'Mayor' as to the existence of the community council and Chair thereof instead.
Penny Upritchard suggested that a Visitors Book be maintained. Pete Lindsay enquired who should look after such a book in the months and years between visits of such as the consul. It was suggested that the book could be held by the hall keeper or displayed in the to-be-refurbished display cases in the Burgh Chamber foyer, when they are eventually refurbished. It was decided that time was too short to do this now but that the idea should be looked at again when the display case is available.
No interest expressed; times and locations inconvenient.
Joe Peterson volunteered to attend.
Ian Goudie commented that he hoped the item "Bogward Road (traffic calming)" did not indicate the further use of cycle lanes and cyclists as 'traffic calming' a practice community council had objected to previously on Canongate.
8.1.1. Town/Gown Liaison group. The agreed Code of Conduct document was circulated. The next Bulletin will expand on it to the town at large.
8.1.2. Hogmanay Ceilidh. Draft accounts circulated. Should make net profit of approximately £1100.
Asked that expense claims be kept up-to-date, not submitted in a rush at the end of the financial year.
Verbal report: Senior Citizens' party very successful. Thanks to all who helped.
Next meeting: Tues am 10.30 at Joe Peterson's
report circulated:
Dec 17 2001 at 7.30, St Mary's Place
1. Apologies: Penny Uprichard, Lindsay Murray
2. Minute of last meeting was agreed. From it arose:
3.
(i) the leaflet on the paintings in the Burgh Chambers was being progressed.(ii) A-boards still to be ordered.
(iii) the hoped-for contributions to the newsletter not having materialised, the committee drew up a list of items for inclusion. (Update: production imminent).
4. Jubilee 2002: some suggestions were made. D. Macgregor was asked to liase with the Tourism Management Officer. (Update: VisitScotland is apparently trying to list events, www.goldenjubilee.gov.org has info on UK events & on funding sources; Fife Council is to organise a Gala Concert in June - Linda Bissett at Law & Admin is the contact.)
5. It was agreed that meetings in 2002 would be planned for every third Monday at 7.30 pm (except in August). (Update: all meetings have been reserved in local office diary.) The meeting finished at 8.00 pm. Next Meeting: Mon 21 Jan, 7.30pm.
None.