[2003 index]

Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council

Agenda - May 2003

There will be a meeting of the community council at 7pm on Monday 5th May in the Burgh Chambers of the Town Hall, Queen's Gardens. The first part of the meeting will be the 2002-2003 Annual General Meeting. The regular monthly meeting will follow. There will be a short break at about 8pm during which the 200 Club draw will be made.

(Copies of Agendas and Minutes of the Community Council are held at Fife Council's Local Office, St Mary's Place and the Town Library, Church Square. Those from mid-1998 on are online at http://www.louisxiv.demon.co.uk/standrewscc/)

Annual General Meeting

May 2003

1. Apologies for Absence

Richard Douglas

2. Minutes of the 2002 AGM

3. Chair's Report

4. Accounts

Appendix A

5. Dates of Meetings 2002 - 2001

6. Any Other Competent Business

6.1. Attendance report

Appendix B

7. Election of Officers

In accordance with our constitution officers are elected annually, at the end of the AGM. The only members of the Community Council who are specifically excluded from office are the ex-officio members, the Fife Councillors.

Candidates to be proposed and seconded at the meeting. If there is a contest the candidate or a supporter may speak briefly. A paper ballot is taken. Ties will be broken by a suitably random method.

8.1. Chair

8.2. Vice-Chair(s)

Number to be determined by the meeting.

8.3. Treasurer

8.4. Secretary

May 2003 AGM Appendix 1 - Treasurer's Report

Annual Statement of Accounts 2002-2003

The attached audited Annual Statement of Accounts for the financial year 2002-2003 is submitted for the approval of Council.

The 200 Club Account and the C.C. Trust Account are not included in the Statement as separate accounts are produced by their management committees.

Two copies of the signed audited 2002-2003 Accounts are available for reference if required - one being held by the Secretary and the other by the Treasurer. Two further signed copies will be sent to the East Area Finance Manager, Fife Council, after approval of Council, as required by regulation.

Councillors are asked to please note that "Secretary's Expenses" includes stationery, printing materials, publicity, newsletters, agendas, minutes, posters, photocopying, and the servicing of several C.C. Committees, etc. This year it also includes the cost of a table for the Community Council's LaserWriter. It should also be noted that the "Recreation Committee Chairman's Expenses" include costs arising from the Garden Competition, St. Andrews Week Art & Photographic Exhibition, Best Kept Town etc.

Members of Council are reminded that claims for payment of expenses should be made using expense claim forms obtainable from the Treasurer.

I also wish to acknowledge Ken Crichton's assistance in auditing the accounts and for his helpful suggestions in their presentation.

A.S.Strachan
Treasurer

Funds at 31st March 2003

* £ 74.50:26/3/03
  £14.50:26/3/03
  £10.00:28/3/03
** £5.00:7/9/02
*** £22.40.28/3/03

+ The funds held in these accounts are dedicated to specific projects as indicated

K.G.CRICHTON (Auditor)
A.S.STRACHAN (Treasurer)

Coat of Arms Account

(Surplus for Year £7745.00)

Surplus Carried Forward £7910.35

Upper Arlington Account

Due to no income or expenditure within this account
Surplus Carried Forward remains at £216.41

Youth Committee Account

Due to no income or expenditure within this account
Surplus Carried Forward remains at £50.00

Millennium Account

Due to no income or expenditure within this account
Surplus Carried Forward remains at £3666.03

Newsletter Account

(Surplus for the year £675.92)
Surplus Carried Forward £44.78

Senior Citizens Xmas Party Account

(Surplus for Year £ 26.81))
Surplus Carried Forward £2913.68

St. Andrews Day Account

Bandstand Account

(Surplus/Deficit for Year NIL)
Surplus Carried Forward £764.24

Administration Account

(Deficit for the Year £141.38)
Surplus Carried Forward £2125.89

General Account

Ceilidh Account

(Surplus for Year £1323.20)
Surplus Carried Forward £2546.06

Appendix B - Attendance 2002-2003

Figures taken from the approved minutes of meetings plus the attendance sheet for April 2003 (minutes still to be approved). % adjusted for cooption date, where appropriate. 1 = present, space = absent

Monthly Meeting

May 2003

1. Apologies

See AGM

2. Minutes of April 2003

(Read for accuracy in matters of substance - harangue the secretary for minor errors (spelling etc) outwith the meeting).

3. Presentations

(For anyone wishing to address the meeting on a matter relevant to St Andrews. Please contact the Secretary or Chair before the meeting. Priority will be given to those who have been invited to speak or have given advance notice).

3.1. St Andrews Tourism Vision Group

4. Fife Councillors

4.1. Frances Melville (West)

4.2. Sheila Hill (South)

4.3. Bill Sangster (Central)

4.4. Jane Ann Liston (South East)

5. Planning Committee Report

6. Matters Arising from Previous Meetings

6.1. Jubilee Tree

[April 6.3] Progress report from Penny Uprichard

6.2. Bandstand Concerts

[April 6.1.] Appendix E: Letter to Fife Council. Publicity resulting from this has raised some interest however. Murdo Macdonald to report.

6.3. Cycle Routes

[April 6.4.] Consultation meeting details.

6.4. Hustings

[April 6.2.] Appendix B: Report by Pete Lindsay.

6.5. Ellice Place Post Office

[April 7.2.] Appendix C: letter to PO and their response.

6.6. Bus Stop Shelters

[April 7.1.] Appendix D: Letter to Scottish Enterprise Fife and Fife Council, response from Transportation Service.

6.x. Other matters arising...

7. New Business

7.1. Posts & Representatives

7.1.1. 200 Club Coordinator Archie Strachan still wishes to stand down from this post, as indicated last year...

7.1.2. Cosmos Representative was Jean Thompson.

7.2. Bulgarian Links

Appendix A: letter from N. Nedialkov, Chairman of the Bulgarian National Golf Association.

How shall we respond?

7.3. Local Holidays 2003

Proposed dates: Mondays: February 2nd, March 1st, May Day: May 3, October 11, November 1. Half Holiday: Thursday.

7.4. Membership Renewals

7.4.1. Friends of the Earth: £30

7.4.2. Association of Scottish Community Councils: £15

7.5. Volunteering Fife

The V Files newsletter covers events for Volunteers Week 1-7 June. Nominate a Volunteer of the Year (by 15 May).

7.6. ASCC AGM

Along with the Association of Scottish Community Councils newsletter comes notice of the AGM on 14 June at Glasgow Caledonian University. Further details by 17 May.

Who can attend?

8. Reports from Officers

8.1. Chair

8.2. Treasurer

8.3. Secretary

8.3.1. Kate Kennedy Parade Committee [April 6.6.] Letter naming Cynthia Tero as our representative sent c/o Porter's Lodge.

8.3.2. Community Engagement meeting [April 7.6] letter sent.

8.3.3. Community Council Vacancies [April 7.4.] A letter was written to the press timed to catch, in particular, the post-election edition of The Citizen, unfortunately the timing was slightly off and it hasn't appeared yet. Appendix F.

8.3.x. Work Outstanding Letter re threat to noticeboards. [April 4.4.2.]

9. Reports

9.1. from Committees

Written reports of meetings are required by terms of the Scheme for Community Councils.

9.2. from Representatives

For any verbal reports of meetings attended etc. Issues requiring a decision by community council should be raised under items 6 Matters Arising or 7 New Business, as appropriate.

10. Any Other Competent Business

Please notify Chair of AOCB items before the start of the meeting or at the break. Hint: Given that the end of the meeting is often taken in something of a rush, unless items are urgent it might be better to submit them for next meeting's New Business.

Appendix A - Bulgarian Links

From N. Nedialkov

By way of introduction I am Bulgarian by nationality and am Chairman of the Bulgarian National Golf Association (BNGA).

BNGA is an associate member to the R&A and its main activity is to introduce the game of golf in Bulgaria in cooperation with R&A. We would like to introduce golf as it is stated in the R&A's mission - a game of the people and for the people. Still in Bulgaria golf is associated with a class structure on life, and this tendency is deepening under current economic circumstances.

To follow traditional framework that has seen golf thrive for the six century it is not so easy in a country with no tradition in this sport. We consider golf as an integral, part of historical and cultural development of Scotland. Our strategy is focussed not only on the game but also on introduction of different culture. Nevertheless, there is one common subject between Bulgarian and Scottish folk music the bagpipe. I am sending you CD with Bulgarian folk music. So the game of golf could serve as an ambassador for development of Bulgarian Scottish relations. Several Bulgarian municipalities are interested in golf course development and management, and I think that the Community Council of St. Andrews could be the best source of experience and information. Experience of the council on EU's issues could contribute to accession of local administration to EU practice. In exchange you may discover valuable cultural traditions and history.

Because there are Scottish businessmen engaged in Bulgaria and Bulgarian in Scotland, we intend to form a kind of Bulgarian-Scottish society. This society could evolve on relation between St. Andrews and a Bulgarian town. In this connection I would like to ask you about possibilities of realization of similar idea.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Appendix B - Hustings Report

By Pete Lindsay

The April 15th Hustings were chaired by Murdo Macdonald and attended by 8 candidates:

Iain Smith (LibDem); Ted Brocklebank (Conservative); Capre Ross-Williams (SNP); Carlo Morelli (SSP); Helen McDade (Save Local Hospitals - Dunfermline, Perth, Stirling party); Alex Lawson (Christian Independent Alliance Upholding Community Values); Damien Quigg (Independent); John Davidson (UK Independence Party.

After all had spoken on themselves, party and policy for 5-10 minutes each the Chair took questions from the nearly 60 members of the public present, on the subjects:
Iraq war; free personal care for the elderly; independence and relations with the European Community; proportional representation; fishing, oil and the EC; reliability of politicians' use of statistics; the Kinnessburn and the environment; Health Service organisation & funding; Devolving funding to community control.

The meeting was successful though it ran over time and ended with questions still to be asked - discussions continued in informal groups of the public and candidates as people made their way out. Overall a polite and good tempered meeting with little heckling as people listened carefully to the questions and answers on today's issues.

Appendix C - Proposed PO Closure

Letter to Sandy Stephens, Head of Area, Post Office Ltd. Thanks to Chris Lesurf for helpful suggestions over wording - PL.

Proposed Post Office Closure, Ellice Place Branch, St Andrews

Thank you for contacting the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council on this matter. We are concerned that closure of the branch in Ellice Place would increase queuing at the main St Andrews branch in South Street.

The Ellice Place branch has functioned as an overflow for the notorious peak time queues at South Street. The branch in Pipeland Road would not meet the need because it is far less conveniently accessible from the town centre. It is also very inconvenient, compared with Ellice Place, for people coming in from the surrounding areas of North East Fife who prefer to use Ellice Place because of the queues at South Street (certainly it isn't for the easier parking). We are concerned that no action is proposed to address the likely increase in queuing at South Street with extra business from the displaced Ellice Place customers and the lack of a close-by alternative. There is already a need for improved staffing levels at the counter in South Street, which could perhaps be assisted by increasing the number of counter positions to cope with peak demand.

Therefore the Community Council opposes closing the Ellice Place Post Office until the effect on the queues at the South Street branch is properly considered and action taken to ameliorate them.

Reply from Janet Bishop Post Office Ltd National Consultation Team:

Thank you for your recent letter about our proposals for the above Post Office branch. As I have a responsibility for co-ordinating customer responses on those proposals, I am replying to your letter.

Post Office Ltd is facing extremely difficult times and we have to act now to safeguard the future of our network, for all our customers. We announced a £163 million loss for last year and, in addition, with the introduction of Direct Payment options, customers now have a wider choice as to where they have their benefit paid. This, undoubtedly, means fewer customers using our network of Post Office branches, despite our introducing new products and services.

Our current total network consists of some 17,500 branches, with 8,600 of these in the urban sector. Branches within the rural sector, that is, in communities of less than 10,000 populations, are outside of the scope of the Network Reinvention programme. Many individual Post Office® branches are less profitable than they were, and profitability is reducing to the point where it is increasingly difficult for subpostmasters to invest in the fabric of their branches, their staffing, services, and indeed their long term future. This is particularly severe in urban areas where well over 95% of people live within a mile of a Post Office® branch, and 90% live within a mile of two or more branches. In these areas there are simply too many branches for the number of customers using them.

As part of our background planning work, when considering the proposal to close the Ellice Place Post Office® branch, we carefully review the current levels of work carried out at the nearest, alternative branches. I would like to give my assurance that St Andrews branch has got the spare capacity to cope with the additional work expected to move from Ellice Place, should the closure go ahead. Indeed, the Retail Line Managers, responsible for services in the area, will be closely monitoring the situation to ensure that St Andrews is staffed accordingly.

Please be assured that your comments have been noted and that all representations made will be carefully considered, in the final decision process.

Appendix D - Bus Stop Shelters

Email to Scottish Enterprise Fife, cc Fife Transportation & Planning Services

There are no shelters for bus passengers in the centre of St Andrews. The last proposal that we are aware of, for St Mary's Place, was rejected during initial consultations for aesthetic concerns over the appearance of the Preservation Area and historic core of the town.

While community council sympathises in general with these reservations, we did not object to that bus shelter proposal, in part because of the obvious need for it. We understand that Cllr Jane Ann Liston has asked on several occasions that a suitable design of bus shelter be included in the Town Centre Design Guide project which Scottish Enterprise Fife are promoting. We echo this call and would be very pleased to hear what progress has been made.

The level of traffic in the centre of town is of continuing concern. If public transport is to relieve reliance on the car the necessary passenger infrastructure must be provided - and that isn't sitting in the rain on a cold wet wall in front of the Chaplaincy Centre on St Mary's Place with four full Tesco bags at your feet.

Our old contact Archie Jamison of SE no longer covers St Andrews but replies:

…the Design Guide is now squarely with Planning Service - Bill Lindsay or Alan Brown - to progress.

Peter Milne. Team Leader Transportation Services informs us:

We are intending to tackle this issue through the St Andrews Transport Plan and agree that shelters are essential in St Andrews town centre to provide a quality attractive public transport system.

The difficulty we have come across is installing shelters within the historic core and the planning restrictions involved. I am sure that these can be overcome and we intend to meet the Planners to discuss these issues further.

If you require further detailed information on this issue please contact Robin Dick Lead Officer Integrated Public Transport Tel 01334-41-3800 or email robin.dick@fife.gov.uk.

Appendix E - Bandstand Concerts

Letter responding to enquiries from Fife Council

Thank you for your enquiry on the position of the St Andrews Bandstand Summer Concerts this year.

Community Council has been looking for a new permanent Concert Coordinator for over a year since the retiral of our long-serving organiser Archie Strachan for reasons of age and health. Though we thank Cllr Jane Ann Liston for standing in last year to organise our concerts, we agreed then that it was only a temporary step while we found someone permanent. Unfortunately we have not been able to find anyone in or out of the community council who is able to take this on. As a result Community Council decided at the 7th March meeting that we could not go ahead with concerts this year.

We do take this step reluctantly and would be happy to support any other organisation willing to take on the bandstand concerts, by supporting funding applications, by making our stored performers' chairs available, and by publicity though our events listings.

Appendix F - The Recruiting Letter

As yet unpublished

St Andrews Residents:

Are you disappointed by the results of the recent elections, whether in a direct and personal sense or just in general? Or are you so fired up by the process that you want to do your bit? Perhaps you have no politics? If you would like to do something for (about?) St Andrews anyway, do we have an opportunity for you...

The Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council finds itself with a year of its term to run before its next elections in May '04, but a number of vacancies for community councillors, to be filled by co-option.

Community council is a statutory body whose job is to represent the views of St Andrews' community, and do anything else, in any way it finds practical, that it considers to be in the interest of the town. Either of these aims requires a full roster of community councillors.

It would be disloyal of me to say we need reinvigorating with new blood, but rather let us say we have room for at least a couple of pints transfusion...

Finally. If the last few weeks have been a bit trying, please note that community council is pretty much apolitical...

Interested? Come along and see the rest of us in action at our May meeting and AGM on Monday May 5th at 7pm in the Burgh Chambers of St Andrews Town Hall - and you'll get to hear about the Tourism Task Group's Vision for St Andrews tourism as an added attraction (of course you can come and listen even if you don't want to be a community councillor).

Contact Pete Lindsay, the Secretary, for a chat about being a Community Councillor:

Appendix G - Cycle Routes

From Locality Manager, Kate Hughes

'Have your Say' on making improvements to the Cycle Routes and Environment in St Andrews

Please come along to the Upper College Hall, North Street, St Andrews on [Wednesday] 7th May 2003 any time from 3.00pm to 7.00pm. Refreshments will be provided throughout the day.

You will be able to discuss/contribute to the above with Transportation and University staff as the event is intended to be informal and open to the public, interest groups, and University students and staff.

Cycling & the Environment

• What improvements should we be making to the cycle routes on Greyfriars Garden, The Scores and The Links;
• What improvements/expansion would you like to see on the existing cycle routes; Are there junctions that you feel would benefit from improvements;
• Can we improve cycle parking in the town centre. If so, at what locations should there be more parking;
• What improvements can be made by the University in relation to waste, energy and transport or other environmental matters.

Maps/drawings will be on display boards and on tables along with pens and post-its for you to provide your ideas/solutions.

If you know of anyone else interested in the above event please encourage them to come along.

Correspondence