There will be a meeting of the community council at 7pm Monday 6th December in the Burgh Chambers of the Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens. 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 late 1997 on are at http://www.louisxiv.demon.co.uk/standrewscc/)
Bette Christie. Provisional: Ken Crichton, George Davidson
Read for accuracy in matters of substance – harangue the secretary for minor errors (spelling etc) outwith the meeting.
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.
Alex Rintoul.
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
[Nov 7.2.3.] Are there any comments on this draft [circulated Nov Appendix I], particularly answers to the issues raised. Response required by Fri 4/2/05, but there will be discussion of this subject at the community councils seminar (6.2.).
[Nov 7.2.4.] Law & Admin confirm time & date for the seminar in Cupar on Planning Matters and the draft Good Practice Agreement: 7-9.30pm Thu 9 Dec.
Is anyone interested in attending?
[August 7.1.] There has been an exchange of mail with a Stuart Chassels, of somewhere within Fife Council, over the notice board at 78 South Street (ie downstairs from the Burgh Chambers). Appendix D.
[Nov 8.3.4.] Appendix E: Joe Peterson met with Roy Stewart/David Henry 23 Nov 04 at the council offices.
[Apr 7.1.] The Courier reports (2 Dec 04) that Ted Brocklebank MSP supports the motion for St Andrew’s Day to be declared a national public holiday.
Appendix F: a proposal by Chris Lesurf
David Galloway, of the Ramblers Association, raises a number of points:
Who nailed up the walk along the burn, south of St Leonard’s Fields?
(Builders and Fife Council deny responsibility.)
Would Community Council be interested in helping to get easy local walks pamphlets published, with input from Ramblers and others?
It seems that local network walks are appearing in other parts of Fife and that Exec money is available to develop local walk networks.
His last point was to ask if we had been invited to join the Coastal Path working group, due soon.
[Not as far as I’m aware; this was last mentioned by Chris Broome, Service Manager, Community Services in June 3.2. – PL].
Copies of the draft paper on Good Practice between Fife Council and community councils will be circulated. This is for formal comment by Fri 4 Feb 2005 so can be fully discussed in January. However it is one of the subjects for the seminar later this week (6.2. above) so any initial points could be raised then.
Appendix G: Extracts of a report which is out to Fife Councillors etc for comment before going to Area Services committee in January.
Pass to Health, Education & Welfare for report next month?
Appendix H: Approach by the Rural Municipality of St Andrews, Manitoba.
The deadline for the March/April issue, the last we’re committed to support/contribute to, is 28 January.
Who’ll write the article?
Flora Selwyn, SAiF editor, is ‘thinking outside of the box’ on circulation:
... if I were to give the CC 7,000 magazines for free distribution would CC councillors take the responsibility to get them to their constituents themselves? It is, after all, a community magazine to benefit the community [and] businesses, and it wouldn’t cost anything. As you know, one of my main worries is the unreliable distribution which spoils things quite a bit, so councillors ought to welcome some input. This way each councillor would have circa 305 copies to get out and it would cover the town reasonably – the rest, as usual, would be on sale and subscription. Do let me know what you think.
I’d be grateful for more ideas (other than – I should sell it and not distribute it free)
Appendix I: we’re asked if there are any plans to award Jack Nicklaus Freedom of St Andrews, perhaps in June 2005?
Information pack and newsletter received.
Special General meeting 11am Sat 11 Dec, Friends Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terr, Edinburgh. Includes talk on Caingorms National Park.
Newsletter Nov 04: New Director; Supporting ruralScotland – memberships, volunteering; Policies development – current concerns?; Consultations – Making Development Plans Deliver, Scotland’s Future Landscapes.
Newsletter Nov 2004: Planning for people report: one year on; The Irish Experience; West Midlands Planning Aid; Communicating the Planning Aid message to local authorities; Training for Glasgow Community Councils; Planning and community involvement in Scotland.
Appendix J: announce their “Winter Water” campaign of information on protecting property from the effects of cold weather. There is a poster and a booklet.
Friends of the Earth Scotland, winter 2004: American Election Result – environment loses; FoE family grows to 73 groups; Nobel prize for FoE patron; Inquiry backs (Edinburgh) congestion charge; Russia ratifies Kyoto; FoE goes to the European Social Forum; Greengairs residents blow whistle on dump firm; Nuclear bailed out again; Anniversary CD album; Ethical seasons greetings (A-Z of green Christmas tips); fundraising results; international news; G8 – opportunity and challenge; Mail trains back on track; Waste incineration rules tightened; Equal rights in planning.
The following dates have been booked. Making allowance for the new year holiday, January’s meeting is the second Monday of the month this year.
10 Jan, 7 Feb, 7 Mar, 4 Apr, 2 May, 6 Jun, 4 Jul, 1 Aug, 5 Sep, 3 Oct, 7 Nov, 5 Dec.
The community council’s Apple LaserWriter 8500 A3 oversize, duplex, multitray, postscript, network laser printer, purchased in 1999, is now officially obsolete. This mainly means that manufacturer-branded toner is in short and rapidly diminishing supply. We have stocks to last well into 2006, and I am investigating compatible and remanufactured supplies. I don’t expect a sudden crisis as the printer itself is sound, but it may be that in the life of the next community council thought will need to be given to replacing it if toner becomes difficult to obtain.
[Aug 6.2.] We agreed to pass on this return gift from the Mayor and people of Patras to the Town Library for the benefit of people of St Andrews. If everyone who is interested has seen it, shall I put wheels in motion? Would a small presentation ceremony, perhaps involving the Mackie family’s representatives, be appropriate?
None yet.
1. Take Pride in Fife – Appendix K: report by Joe Peterson
2. Art & Photographic Exhibition – Appendix L: report by Joe Peterson
3. Young Citizen 2004
Bruce Ryan reports that a web page for a Fairtrade Directory, listing where to buy Fairtrade products in St Andrews, is under development at http://www.sites.ecosse.net/mycelium/forothers/ft.html.
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.
By Penny Uprichard
Present: I Goudie, P Lindsay, R Douglas, G Davidson, B Ryan, P Uprichard. Apologies: B Christie
| 1 | Bus Station | The Committee thought there should be seats for waiting passengers | |
| 2 | 1B St Mary’s Place | retrospective painting of shop front | N.C. |
| 3 | 8 Market Street | install roof light and soil vent pipe | N.C. |
| 4 | Golf Museum | alter boundary walls and erect bollards | N.C. |
| 5 | Sunset View, Ellice Place | replacement windows to dwellinghouse | N.C. |
| 6 | 17 Murray Park | extension and alterations to guest house (revised scheme) | N.C. |
| 7 | South Street | Environmental improvements to South Street, including new street lights, etc., and felling and replanting trees. The Committee recommended that: a) Measures should be taken to prevent cars overhanging the pavement b) A-boards (habitation certificate?) c) Protection for the trees – would prefer something other than bollards, for example wire cages, or bicycles will be propped against them and dogs will lift their legs on them d) Bus shelter – could be swopped with bench on south side |
|
| 8 | 5 Alexandra Place | form disabled access ramp at entrance to building | N.C. |
| 9 | 3B Hope Street | conversion to HMO | N.C. |
| 10 | Kinkell House | internal alterations | N.C. |
| 11 | 13 Andrew Lang Crescent | front extension | N.C. |
| 12 | 34 Bell Street | flatted dwelling, conversion to 3 person HMO | N.C. |
| 13 | Glenelg, Wardlaw Gardens | conversion to 4 person HMO | N.C. |
Present: I Goudie, P Lindsay, G Davidson, B Christie, B Ryan, P Uprichard.
| 1 | 8 Fleming Place | rear catslide dormer, incorporating roof lights | N.C. |
| 2 | 30 Lade Braes | (retrospective) replacement UPVC windows | N.C. |
| 3 | St. Leonards Fields | erect 24 flatted dwellings with car parking and extend access road. Reasons for objection: Over-intensive development, unattractive design, potentially overfull site. In terms of the Structure Plan, proposals in excess of the housing requirement may be acceptable if on brownfield sites. This is not a brownfield site. | OBJ IG |
| 4 | 16 Learmonth Place | front extension | N.C. |
| 5 | Pilmour House and Eden Clubhouse (ELBC) | extension to golf clubhouse building. Extend office area and clubhouse building | N.C. |
| 6 | St. Andrews Recycling Centre (ENID) | Discussed impact of 32 tonne vehicles and operation noise. Support centre in general but Object: No provision for pedestrians; Concern: Use of John Knox Road may be blocked on occasions. | OBJ BR |
| 7 | School of Biology, South Street | internal and external alterations, including amendment to window size – amended scheme. | N.C. |
| 8 | Kwik Save | internally illuminated totem sign | N.C. |
| 9 | South Street | discussed previously. Objection to narrowing of the street, alteration of car parking, removal of trees (unless not thriving), etc. | OBJ PU. |
Objection written by Bruce Ryan
I write on behalf of St Andrews Community Council Planning Committee to object to the linked planning applications 04/03718/ECAC and 04/03338/ENID (“Demolish retaining wall and bus station building” and “Erect new bus station building, alter layout of bus stances and access road, widen access road to car park, including demolition of/reconstruction of wall”)
Our first objection is that, while the bus station is tatty, it is not in urgent need of renewal. We hence object to spending resources on a project that has not been considered as part of an Area Transport Plan. We believe an ATP should be drafted and then refined in the light of public consultation. It should attempt to integrate all modes of transport (bus, car, taxi, park&ride, train, bicycle) likely to be used in St Andrews in the next 10-20 years. This would allow any new bus station to take into account all the demands placed on it for the foreseeable future.
Further, the actual plans presented in these applications give rise to the following objections:
In conclusion, the building of a new bus station is a great opportunity for good, modern design. However, we do not believe that these plans are good or modern: the planned bus station is not an improvement on the current one. A twenty-first century approach to planning would place any such development clearly in the context of an integrated transport plan that gains at least grudging approval from the majority of St Andrews residents and regular visitors.
Added subsequent to November’s community council meeting:
At the last meeting of the full Community Council it was pointed out that there is no seating planned for outside the proposed station. Hence a further objection to the plans is that they do not ‘allow for suitable seating for passengers waiting for buses when the station building is closed’.
Objection written by Penny Uprichard
The Royal Burgh of St. Andrews Community Council wishes to lodge an OBJECTION to the above application, and specifically to:
In addition the Community Council would like to make the following recommendations:
A) That measures should be taken to prevent cars overhanging the pavements
B) That A-Boards should be removed
C) That the trees should be protected, preferably not with bollards – which do not provide complete protection – but with wire cages, which would prevent bicycles being propped against them, and the attention of dogs.
The Community Council regards changes to the traffic system of the town, prior to publication of the Area Transportation Plan, as premature. We wish to retain the present number of car parking spaces, with echelon parking.
Stuart Chassels wrote:
Legal formalities are in the course of conclusion to lease the former Library to Vinylnet Ltd.
Whilst the terms of our offer make provision for the retention of the notice board, plans submitted by the prospective tenants architect to Planning have included the former doorway which, if approved, will require the removal of your notice board.
If these plans are approved by our Developments Service at the 7th December meeting, would you consider relocating your notice board to some alternative location?
Pete Lindsay replied:
Although we are in fact objecting to the proposal for the old doorway it is to the current design, not to the principle of Vinylnet’s use of the surface we currently occupy. [...] I think that if Fife Council offered to undertake the relocation to an agreed site at no charge to community council that would be acceptable. There just remains the question of location. It seems to me that the ideal would be as small a move as possible – perhaps further east on South Street, or just around the corner to Queen’s Gardens might be ok, though it would have to be close to South Street I feel. If these are not possible perhaps somewhere on the town library building would be possible? I shall canvas community council for other suggestions too. What timescale are we looking at here?
Will a formal planning application be necessary for any or all of these locations?
Stuart Chassels:
Thank you for your reply. The issues you have raised will require to be looked into by the relevant personnel and I would hope that Mike Melville could look into these upon his return from leave.
Report by Joe Peterson
Met with Roy Stewart/David Henry 23rd Nov at council offices:
Background and proposal from Chris Lesurf
Although I missed the World Class presentation at the last CC meeting, I have downloaded their management arrangements which were recorded at the 6th September meeting of Fife Council’s Environment & Development Committee. It makes absolutely no reference to the CC.
Adding this to the fact that we nearly lost our only independent greengrocer’s in October, I have been making enquiries about organising a Fair Share Fair in March. The idea is to draw attention to local traders and service providers so that residents make the best of them before they start considering much larger suppliers.
I have already sounded out quite a few shops who all showed interest. Some are interested in having a stall at the event which will probably be on Saturday March 19th. This seems a good date because it is the week after the Fairtrade Fortnight and before Easter. Fife Employment Accessibility Trust (FEAT) intends to have a stall, as much to contact local employers wrt helping their own clients (who have/had mental illness) get jobs. Fife Family Support Project (FFSP) have also agreed to have a stall. A representative of each of these is also giving informal support to my efforts.
May I please suggest to the CC on Monday that it takes an official position wrt the Fair as the members have already agreed for St Andrews to try to qualify as a Fairtrade town. Effort to help the small traders of St Andrews seems to me to be equivalent to charity beginning at home and they could, of course, advertise their own contributions to international Fairtrade.
This would mean that either the Health, Education and Welfare committee could take responsibility for it or a special committee could be formed.
My next intention is to contact the Merchants Assoc and draft a circular to be sent to all the traders in town with a reply slip to show their degree of interest. I also intend to contact the local branch of the NFU to ask more about the markets they used to have in Market St but seem to have been moved to a car park.
From St Andrews Local Office
All Local Offices have been asked to develop Lettings Plans as part of the Fife-wide Allocations Policy. They are developed for the purpose of enhancing local communities and preventing extremes of social imbalances. They help define local problems and jointly identify solutions. It is a way of bringing allocations to a local level while working within the boundaries of the Fife-wide Allocation Policy.
One of the aims of the Lettings Plan in St Andrews is to increase the range of information given to the Public. In order to do this we will
There will also be continued staff training on Housing Allocations and general Housing Advice to allow us to answer Customer queries fully.
From Scott G. Spicer, Chief Administrative Officer, Rural Municipality of St Andrews to the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Chairman, Vice Chairmen, Staff and Residents:
Hello from sunny Manitoba Canada. The Rural Municipality of St. Andrews will be celebrating 125 years in 2005. A committee has been struck to plan the 2005 festivities which brings me to the topic of this letter. Our intention is to request your participation in becoming “sister municipalities” or twinning. The committee feels that although it may be only our name that connects us it is a great part of our history. I will be also sending a letter to St Andrews New Brunswick Canada with a similar request. Please consider our invitation and contact me as to your decision.
If you wish to find out more about us our web site is www.rmofstandrews.com or e-mail me at cao@rmofstandrews.com.
Thank you for your consideration. We await your reply. Please e mail me at the above address if you have questions or need clarification.
Interim reply by Pete Lindsay:
Having looked at your attachment I’m very sorry to have to advise you that it is policy of the community council to decline all twinning approaches; we receive sufficient approaches that if we accepted all, twinning links would be so common to be a valueless gesture, while to be selective would be fraught with possibilities for offence (so you could say, I suppose, that we’ve decided to offend everyone equally...). Indeed I’ve recently had to say much the same to Tim Henderson, Town Manager of St Andrews, New Brunswick.
However in your case, with the anniversary and all, I hope we’d be able at very least to send formal greetings to our namesake and perhaps some small tokens. What do you think?
Mark Oliver emailed:
I am a great admirer of Jack Nicklaus and if there is one event I should like to witness before I die it would be a ceremony conferring upon Jack the freedom of St Andrews.
Do you have any plans for such an event, during the Open next July perhaps? My deepest regret is having missed Bobby Jones receiving the freedom in 1958.
Pete Lindsay replied:
There are no plans I’m aware of.
There is something of a difficulty as there is no Town Council to grant a Freedom. The community council has no ability to issue such a thing. We do have our own scheme of Honoured/Honorary Citizen of St Andrews, to recognise major contributions to the life of the town. This requires nearly unanimous endorsement of the nomination. So far we have awarded two to local people for lifetime contributions.
(Jack Nicklaus has received an honorary degree from the University of St Andrews a while back – as a graduate of the university I feel that’s probably more prestigious than a Freedom, though there may be other opinions.)
Annette McKie, Marketing Project Manager, Customer Service, Scottish Water.
Scottish Water’s Winter Warmer campaign has always been a great success in previous years and you will see it re-launched this winter. This year we are expanding the campaign message through new and creative channels, to reach a wider audience.
The key message of the campaign is to ensure all householders and businesses in your area are aware of the easy steps they can take to protect their property from cold weather. This year’s campaign has also been supported by the Scottish Executive ‘Housing Department’ who are keen to remind customers of the importance of having building and contents insurance.
With a severe winter forecast, many people away from home and businesses closed during the winter period, the damage caused by burst pipes and flooding can be horrendous. The resultant repairs can run into millions of pounds so it is vital that we all take precautions ahead of the festive holidays.
The campaign will focus on regional television adverts running from 16 December to 3 January. Customer information leaflets and winter contact cards are available on request and in main libraries across Scotland.
I have enclosed copy of our Winter Warmer Leaflets, Winter Contact Card and Posters
which will give you an indication of the helpful advice and tips available. If you would like
additional copies or more information on Scottish Water, visit www.scottishwater.co.uk or call our Customer Helpline on 0845 601 8855.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to wish you and your community a safe and happy festive season.
Report by Joe Peterson, Convenor, Recreation Committee.
I attended the above conference, that is part of the ongoing programme of protecting the environment, on Friday the 12th November in the Rothes Halls, Glenrothes.
The chair of the umbrella group, Councillor Bill Kay, opened the meeting. The main speaker was MSP Christine May. There were a number of very interesting workshops designed to give implicated partners the help needed to plan community projects, apply for funding and how to have the widest possible spectrum of local groups involved. The culmination of the day was the introduction of the user-friendly guide booklet “From Seed to Success”, which includes a CD-Rom. A copy of the booklet is with the Secretary so that if any of the councillors here wish to take up the challenge of improving the environment of St Andrews the information needed to help them is theirs for the taking.
Report by Joe Peterson, Convenor, Recreation Committee
The exhibition was a great success by all accounts with the quality of the exhibits in both sections even higher than last year, and as far as I can gather from verbal feedback quite well attended. This despite the handicap of featuring in most pre-festival advertising, with the exception of the official St Andrews week programme, under only one word “Exhibitions”. It’s little wonder that the Arts in St Andrews is under threat given the low profile in which some seem to hold them. That said I would like to thank all the councillors who gave of their time on the days we were open, the councillors deserve a pat on the back this year. Special thanks must go to Ken Crichton; without his expert help I would be floundering. Thanks must also go to David Ogden and his members of the Photographic Club who also gave invaluable help along with the hall keepers. A grateful mention must go to the photographic archive department of St Andrews University under Dr Reid who lent us part of their early photographic collection of the pioneering Dr John Adamson. The Right Hon. Sir Menzies Campbell MP once again gave up his time to come along and open our exhibition, for which we sincerely thank him.
Letters incoming
| Date | from | subject |
|---|---|---|
| 4/11/04 | Fife Police | Community team newsletter |
| 5/11/04 | NHS Fife | Board meeting 30/11 Dunfermline |
| 10/11/04 | Friends of the Earth | Winter gifts catalogue |
| 13/11/04 | Scottish Civic Forum | AGM 27 Nov Leith |
| 13/11/04 | University | DRH progress & 2025 vision meeting |
| 13/11/04 | Scottish Language Dictionaries | Newsletter & info pack |
| 13/11/04 | East Area Services Committee | Agenda 17/11 |
| 15/11/04 | Law and Administration | Appeal 10 Argyle St |
| 16/11/04 | Local Office | Lettings Plan |
| 18/11/04 | Dr Reid | Obj (copy) to multi-use path at Scores |
| 18/11/04 | Law and Administration | CC Seminars |
| 18/11/04 | RuralScotland | Newsletter, SGM |
| 20/11/04 | Local Office | Lettings Plan poster |
| 24/11/04 | Chris Lesurf | Trade Fair – letter to Bob Inch |
| 24/11/04 | FoE | What On Earth newsletter |
| 24/11/04 | NHS Fife | Hospital meeting 2/12/04 |
| 25/11/04 | Chris Lesurf | Draft SAiF article |
| 26/11/04 | Wicksteed Leisure Ltd | Safety Grass advt |
| 26/11/04 | Scottish Water | Winter Warmer Campaign |
| 26/11/04 | Flora Selwyn | St Andrews in Focus invoice |
| 2/12/04 | Planning Aid for Scotland | Newsletter |
| 3/12/04 | FoE | Bhopal Disaster: Fundraising |
| 4/12/04 | Law & Administration | Community Council Seminar |