Approved
(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/)
Chair: Donald Macgregor
Community Councillors: Laurel Aguilar, Ken Crichton, George Davidson, Richard Douglas, Ken Fraser, Ian Goudie, Ian Hamilton, Joe Lamb, Chris Lesurf, Pete Lindsay, Dennis Macdonald, Murdo Macdonald, Donald Macgregor, Gordon Pay, Joe Peterson, Frank Riddell, Ewen Sparks, Archie Strachan, Cynthia Tero, Penny Uprichard.
Students Association: Derek Macleod, Bonnie Ryder.
Fife Councillors: Sheila Black, Jane Ann Liston, Bill Sangster.
Apologies: Frances Melville.
approved
Inspector Dewar attended
3.1.1. Attendance hopes to attend every meeting, but other commitments sometimes interfere.
3.1.2. Cycles Ewen Sparks raised the question of bike lights, of which there seem to be precious few at times.
Inspector Dewar replied that they were aware of the problem and were again running the scheme whereby cyclists caught without lights are informed they will be charged unless lights are bought within a 14 day grace period and the receipt presented to the police. So far 24 unilluminated cyclists had been caught.
Joe Lamb complained that the durability of cycle lights available seemed poor; he was always having problems with dirty contacts, flat batteries etc. Pete Lindsay demonstrated that having working lights to hand was not difficult, in his opinion as a regular cyclist.
Murdo Macdonald had noticed an unusually high level of, he assumed, foreign students cycling down one way streets the wrong way. Frank Riddell said that he was aware from his university position that the intake of foreign students was particularly high this year; perhaps they are unfamiliar with UK traffic conditions and laws.
Insp Dewar will follow this up, though it was emphasised that students were by no means the only bicycle offenders.
Ian Goudie suggested that as the cycle lanes encourage people to contraflow in Greyfriars Garden it is not surprising people contraflow elsewhere. He called for more flow direction arrows.
3.1.2. Boy Racers Another group the police are taking a specific interest in at the moment are those driving round the central streets playing loud music, doing inappropriate fast starts and similar behaviour. So far they have charged/ticketed 12 drivers for specific offences.
3.1.3. Abandoned Bikes are now subject to removal after 14 days. Apparently abandoned bikes are labelled with a warning notice; if they are not moved in 14 days they will be taken into custody. Bikes in poor condition will be destroyed while those in good shape are retained in the hope they will be claimed. If they are not claimed some means of disposal will have to be found. In the initial sweep they have kept 5 out of 38. This is a joint venture between Fife Police and Fife Council.
3.1.4. Harassment of Cyclists Cllr Jane Ann Liston said she is aware of cases of eg car passengers leaning out to shout at cyclists and otherwise distract their attention; drivers sounding horns inappropriately, etc. The Inspector replied that his officers will take seriously any such reports made to them as this behaviour is endangering road users.
Roy Stewart of Environment Service spoke.
3.2.1. Recycling Centre Fife Council have plans, costed, with funds in place so the project could go ahead next year. There is also a bid for strategic waste funding to cover running costs until 2020. The council made an offer for the land to Safeway in May but have received no substantive reply. The plans are for a drive-in centre for all sorts of dry waste – from cans to cookers, rubble, fridges, green waste; with compactors for stuff that can’t be recycled at present. There will be 2-3 full time staff. It is expected to achieve 60-70% recycle.
In addition there are to be 8 recycling mini-centres around St Andrews. Environmental Service are hoping to expand the number in the university and the town so it is easy to get to a recycling collection point whether on foot, bike, or in a car. These are to be set up within the next year. They will collect glass, plastics and textiles.
18 months ago Fife was 2nd/3rd worst recycler, at 3.3%, in Scotland; now up to 14%. Ten thousand ‘green waste’ bins have been distributed in Fife. 400 tons of green waste were collected from St Andrews alone last month. There will be a paper collection in St Andrews by the end of May 2004. This will mean a third, blue, bin.
Murdo Macdonald expressed a commonly held frustration at the delay by Safeway and asked if the housing development adjacent to the site was a threat in planning terms? Roy Stewart agreed with the frustration. The Chief Executive of Fife Council has written directly to Safeway in an attempt to move things on. Compulsory purchase, which some have suggested, would be complicated legally and likely slower to bring about a result. With regard to planning, the area is noted on the Local Plan for a recycling centre so planning permission should not be an issue.
Gordon Pay asked how the recycling centre fitted in with the area waste plan suggestion that dry waste should all be taken in kerbside collections. Roy Stewart pointed to the three bin scheme plus the special uplift service for things that that can’t be collected regularly such as textiles or cookers. He felt that there was not a single scheme that would suite all circumstances as answers to the waste problem will change as technology changes.
Ian Goudie suggested community council write to Safeway re the recycling centre site; Roy Stewart thought this would be helpful and will provide appropriate contact details for Safeway.
PL to draft; DMacg to sign
3.2.2. Public Toilets Roy Stewart then went on to talk briefly about the review of public toilets in Fife. There are 12 in St Andrews which cost £125k-130k maintenance each year, even though some have been shut for a couple of years, for various reasons mostly involving vandalism. Fife Council want to establish which ones are needed; are other locations possible and more appropriate; some toilets are not in the right places now, as opposed to 50 years ago, nor of modern quality particularly for a town with a significant tourist industry. In reply to questions he emphasised that whole set of issues, of locations, hours and access, is open for discussion. There are guidelines as to where Fife Council would want to run toilets, most of which apply to St Andrews. This is not prescriptive though; all toilets will be reviewed.
(Association for the Preservation Of Cultural Heritage)
Marisha Mukergee introduced herself; as their community council liaison she sits in on our meetings regularly. This is a new society; preparations started last (academic) year and their formal existence started recently.
APOCH are looking to bringing old events back into use and start new events, hoping to involve both town and students. She listed some of the upcoming events (see handout below). They would be very pleased to see community councillors at any of them.
Derek Macleod, for the Students’ Association, expressed support for APOCH’s agenda, welcoming another voice in town/gown relations. Murdo Macdonald suggested that they should speak to Chris Lusk of the university’s Student Support Service about the town/gown relations committee to see if they might have a rôle to play there.
APOCH handout:
The Association for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Student’s Association, St. Mary’s Place, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9UZ.
Who We Are: The Association for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage is a society that was created for the promotion of relations between the members of town and students of the University. It is the intentions and aims of APOCH to offer an outlet for students to become involved in cultural and historical events of the town and vice versa.
Events thus far: Opening Drinks Reception; Halloween Ghost Tour
Events to come: St. Andrew’s Day bonfire/fireworks; St. Andrew’s Day Service; Student Tutoring; Christmas Party; Women’s week; Martyr’s Service; Singing Procession; Easter Egg Hunt; Open Gardens/Garden Party; May Dip Bonfire; Gown Appreciation Day.
And other events to come
Check out our Website: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~apoch/Homepage.htm
email the society at apoch@st-andrews.ac.uk
Apologies
4.2.1. Kinnessburn Road Will be closed for some weeks for resurfacing, at long last.
4.2.2. Safeway Bottle Bank Asked that she be kept informed of any problems here as she has heard that it is sometimes not emptied quickly enough.
4.3.1. Cycle Lanes Noted that he had been misquoted in The Citizen over the issue of parking provision and the safe location of cycle lanes. A correction has been published.
4.3.2. Surgeries At Students’ Union Held surgery recently and will be responding to a number of issues raised. Bonnie Rider of the Students’ Association thanked him for this step and said they would be happy to arrange similar for any of the other Fife councillors.
4.3.3. Remembrance Service He will be attending.
4.3.4. Market Street The east end will be closed to traffic on 22 Nov for the farmers’ market at the start of St Andrews Week.
4.3.5. Bins He has reported bins sitting outside The Raisin and West Port bars to Environmental Services as they are not being taken off the street promptly.
4.3.6. Environmental Services Officers formerly based in the Local Office at St Mary’s Place have moved to Cupar.
4.3.7. Greyfriars School Met with school staff and Peter Milne (Transportation Service) to discuss access. It is proposed to lengthen the lay-by to take a minibus, to implement a 20mph limit and build an extra pedestrian crossing in the Woodburn Terrace/Place area.
In view of the fact that a 20mph limit is community council policy for all schools Joe Peterson asked if it was only Greyfriars that was being considered, to which Cllr Sangster replied that it was, but he hoped it was a first step to implementation at all schools. He wasn’t sure if the restriction would apply at all times or only school hours.
4.4.1. Environmental Services She added to 4.3.6. above that the reason they were moving out of the Local Office was because there were no callers to the office; business was all being done on the phone so could just as well be done from Cupar, and free up space in the crowded Local Office for other use.
4.4.2. Lamp Posts Some have been painted with anti-sellotape paint to reduce the damage from fly-posting.
4.4.3. Zebra Passed on plans for the new zebra crossing at St Mary’s Street (‘planning gain’ from the Ashleigh House redevelopment). Transportation Service would like community council’s comments. Passed to Planning Committee.
Planning
4.4.4. Phone Boxes BT’s failure to find the appropriate details to contact Scottish community councils directly seem to be based on their approaching an organisation of local authorities for England and Wales. She has suggested they try COSLA in future.
4.4.5. Railways The St Andrews Tourism Vision pressure group is considering campaigning for Leuchars rail station to be renamed to “St Andrews” rail station. She has asked that the relevant communities be consulted before any such move is formally proposed.
4.4.6. Railways (2) There is to be another study into a St Andrews railway, but unfortunately she couldn’t say any more for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
4.5.1. Kingask / St Andrews Bay Ian Goudie asked if the Fife Councillors knew of the outcome of the proposed relaxation of Kingask/St Andrews Bay travel plan?
Cllr Jane Ann Liston responded that the full Fife Environment and Development committee had only met that day; Cllr Frances Melville is the only St Andrews member on that committee; unfortunately she was not at community council. For her own part Cllr Liston was against relaxation of section 75, but she was not now on the committee making the decision.
4.5.2. Harbour Trustees Joe Lamb asked about the composition of the Harbour Trust. Cllr Liston responded that at present it comprised 5 councillors and 4 fishermen, the latter being elected by a constituency of the fishermen of St Andrews: 11 voters. She added though that the whole structure of the trust was recognised as inappropriate to modern conditions and, as mentioned in October 4.1.7. by Cllr Frances Melville, the Trust will soon be restructured to make it more representative.
4.5.3. Petheram Bridge Car Park Murdo Macdonald called for what he felt would be improvements to the Petheram Bridge car park to ease personal safety fears of potential users: bushes are too high and lights poor. Can anything be done immediately rather than waiting for the redevelopment? Ian Goudie said any changes should be carefully considered. The planning committee felt that work proposed at Petheram Bridge is premature in terms of the overall transportation strategy in St Andrews, which should be considered as a whole, along with the North Haugh generally. He pointed out that community council had asked for screening planting in the first place to prevent the car park becoming an eyesore at the entrance to town. It would not be an improvement to raze everything.
Circulated Minutes:
Present: I. Goudie, F. Riddell, R. Douglas, G. Pay, P. Uprichard, L. Aguilar. Apologies: P. Lindsay.
Ian Goudie added:
5.3.1. Feddinch golf course development As well as appealing to the Scottish Executive on the grounds of non-determination within the statutory time by Fife Council the developer has lodged a new application in a twin tracking approach.
5.3.2. Hospital An environmental impact assessment is required. Fife Council asking that the EIA cover alternative sites. He regretted that nothing has been heard from Cathy Adamson and the NHS Trust on access to the non-commercially confidential parts of the consultant’s report choosing the southern hillside site.
5.3.3. Links Trust 7th course We have received no documents for this; apparently there is a stack of paper 3-4 inches thick. When the papers do arrive there will be 28 days to comment.
5.3.4. Hepburn Hall The developer’s appeal against the decision by Fife Council to reject some alterations of dormer windows seems to have been upheld. Not pleasing, developer had blatantly breached the consent. He commented that this was frustrating.
5.3.5. “Have Your Say” Consultation This was not advertised as part of the Local Plan process and there was little on planning. The proposals were dominated by contributions from Transportation Service. Cllr Jane Ann Liston said that she and fellow councillors had asked for more maps etc from Transportation Service to be added to the exhibition after briefings given to them by the service. There were more rounds of consultation to come on the outcome of these initial events, she emphasised. However in view of the history of Transportation Service claiming justification for changes on the basis of consultations carried out many years beforehand which everyone else had forgotten Ian Goudie asked permission to write on behalf of community council to ask for list of specific proposals in pipeline resulting from the exhibition, to set down as a marker. Meeting agreed.
Planning
Write to reiterate our position
PL
Ian Goudie was worried in case an example in item 4 might be taken as community council policy. Pete Lindsay, who’d made the comment in question, thought that it was extreme enough to be seen as an example of the magnitude of change required to make a future community council change its policy, but would clarify it as being only a personal opinion.
PL
[Oct 7.4.] Murdo Macdonald attended the briefing which focussed on the workings of the new shift patterns and outstanding problems. There was to be more emphasis on community policing, but currently there is a problem with staff levels due to injury and illness.
[Oct 10.2] Due to illness and other commitments only Dennis Macdonald was able to attend. The meeting was mainly PR, he said, but he saw maps of proposed 7th course. From what was said at the meeting he understands the Green Belt Forum is unlikely to object.
He added that he has tried, as a community councillor, to find out what people thought about this proposed course. Asking around there is no consensus, rather a split 50:50. Those opposed feel that way due to the location, most would rather have a course at Strathtyrum. Those for it are very strongly for. Due to rising population in the area the old system is under pressure, even flooded, by those entitled to local fees. The Links Trust can’t go into commercial partnership (as would be required for the Strathtyrum option) due to the constraints of the Links Act so are forced to expand where they can.
[Oct 10.1] Murdo Macdonald announced that he would be able to organise the Hogmanay ceilidh again this year. Tickets to be advertised mid-November.
Archie Strachan felt that there was already a memorial to Whyte Melville in the form of the fountain/flowerbasin in Market Street. It would be more appropriate for the R&A to respond to this call he felt. Ewen Sparks added that the Merchants Association and the Business Club were looking at refurbishing the fountain.
Meeting agreed not to act on this proposal.
PL
Ken Fraser
Passed to Joe Peterson
Passed to Ian Goudie
Noted
8.1.1. Remembrance Day Donald Macgregor briefly went over details of arrangements for those attending the ceremony as representatives of Community Council.
8.2.1. Still in the black as far as he can tell, but Archie Strachan reminded members to keep up to date with any expenses claims so he can be sure.
8.3.1. St. Andrews in Focus noted
8.3.2. Remembrance Day Wreath noted
8.3.3. Parking Charges various people condemned parking charge increase (“a St Andrews tax”) and called for community council to make parking charges a higher priority issue. Pete Lindsay observed, with some irritation, that he’d seen none of those who were now complaining at the parking strategy consultation meetings in the spring and summer.
Ian Goudie suggested that community council should examine more critically Fife Council’s assertion that parking charges are needed to subsidise the Park & Ride scheme which he said only benefited visitors. Cllr Jane Ann Liston responded that even if townspeople never, ever caught the P&R buses themselves it must benefit the town by keeping visitors’ cars out of the centre.
Parking: Feb agenda
8.3.4. Bins Roy Stewart will respond to this; he spoke to Dr Gilroy who was in the public gallery for the meeting.
8.3.5. East Fife Local Plan noted
8.3.6. Web Site mentions “Twinning” no action
8.3.7. Bus Letter agreed
9.1.1. Recreation report circulated:
Verbal:
7. Bulb planting scheduled soon, undertaken by Canongate School at the ‘community flowerbed’ at the Strathtyrum entrance to St Andrews. Joe Petersion.
8. St Andrews week Programme again omits the Art & Photo exhibition location (Victory Memorial Hall), despite promises last year. Ken Crichton.
9. Joe Peterson drew attention to the Young Citizens awards.
PL Posters
9.2.1. Publicity Frank Riddell reported that he hoped to have the town hall portraits booklet printed soon. He circulated a design for St Andrews Day greetings cards based on a photograph he’d taken of the harbour and cathedral. The picture was much admired.
9.2.1. APOCH Launch Reception Laurel Aguilar added some comments
9.2.2. Cosmos Centre George Davidson attended the AGM; Cosmos doing well.
9.2.3. St Andrews Week Ian Hamilton, Chair of the St Andrews Week organising committee, called on community councillors to support as many Week events as practical.
None.