The AGM will be held at 7pm Monday 2nd May in the Burgh Chambers of the Town Hall, Queen’s Gardens. It will be followed by the regular monthly meeting of the community council.
Ken Crichton, Keith McCartney
Omitted as this session is only two months old.
There is no constitution in force at present to require this, and the Fife Council Scheme for Community Councils permits, but does not require, annual terms for office bearers nor (re-)election at the AGM. The meeting may wish to consider, in view of the recent election of office bearers at the inaugural meeting in March 2005, whether to pass over this section.
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.
Number to be determined by the meeting.
Chair: Donald Macgregor
In presenting this report I am conscious that two council periods are being covered, even if the new council has only been in existence – sadly without the need for an election – since March. I welcome those who have joined the Community Council and am sure that they will quickly discover just how much it does and is involved in – and that they will also rapidly come to realise its limited scope for action, even on matters of vital importance in the evolution of the town.
Since last year’s report, the Town Library has been refurbished and now includes on its upper floor a suite of computers with Internet access, usage of which is free (and assistance is available to get online). I mention this because, while not all councillors have online access, all the past Agendas and Minutes of the Council since late 1997 are available at http://www.louisxiv.demon.co.uk/standrewscc. Printed versions are held in the Library and in the Fife Council Local Office. While I touch on various matters in this report, there are many others in the files which space does not permit me to mention.
Over the past year 18 public presentations have been made at our monthly meetings. These ranged from police reports through Fife Council officials talking about the Coastal Path or the Bus Station/Doubledykes Road works to presentations on Elderly Advocacy, Prescription Charges, Madras College (as a result we now have two school council representatives co-opted to our Council), St Andrews World Class (here we maintain a watching brief), proposals for a Pilgrim Care home, local vandalism and flooding, or the difficulties associated with increases in HMOs. People increasingly realise that a presentation to the Community Council can be effective in itself as well as being a good method of gaining some publicity.
In that respect I thank the journalists who faithfully attend our meetings, seeking to extract the golden nuggets of news from the ore of detailed discussion. Without them, the Community Council would – in my view – lose quite a lot of its public effectiveness.
However the Council plays an important role in St Andrews society in more unobtrusive but equally vital ways. We only need to think, for example, of the Hogmanay Ceilidh, organised so well by Murdo MacDonald and his helpers, of the Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party, a notable example of Town and Gown Liaison between the Students’ Association and the Recreation Committee’s Ken Crichton and others. That committee was responsible again this year for the Art and Photographic Exhibition during St Andrews Week, where exhibits came from a wide range of people of all ages.
In a town where there has been a University for close on 600 years, good Town/Gown relations are very important. I had the privilege of chairing a public meeting on that topic in January, at which many subjects of mutual interest were raised. That there are real concerns in St Andrews may be seen by the recent creation of several residents’ associations. While all claim not to be anti-student, there is a risk of polarisation of views. I believe that it is through the Community Council (which of course includes student representatives) and through the Town and Gown Liaison Committee that such polarisation can best be circumvented.
As we advance into 2005, St Andrews continues to face threats to its existence as the ‘Auld Grey Toun’. If the Fife Council Draft Structure Plan proposals were to become reality, the charm of St Andrews with its green, largely unspoiled hinterland would disappear for ever. Our latest newsletter has, we all hope, alerted our fellow citizens to the need to protest and to say what the people of St Andrews want by way of expansion – in my own version, a cautiously phased expansion, restricted to areas where building does not adversely affect views into and out of the town, preserving a decent-sized Green Belt, and being implemented in a way that benefits the residents of the town. We must try to persuade the local authority to act responsibly and not irresponsibly, as at present proposed.
One of the many other concerns which take up large amounts of time and energy for our Planning Committee is the lack of light industrial sites where small businesses can operate. Several of these have been forced out of town, while the site at Bassaguard, well-suited to accommodate a number of small businesses, has been stymied by Fife Council’s refusal to issue leases any longer than a year, on what seem spurious grounds of health and safety.
On a positive note I welcome the fact that the long-sought Recycling Centre has at long last gained planning permission (albeit without pedestrian access), and that St Andrews (with a lot of help from Cllr Sangster and the St Andrews in Bloom committee) won the annual ‘Best Kept Town’ award in its category. However many long-running problems – Kinnessburn flooding, parking, housing in all its aspects, vandalism, to name but a few – continue to occupy the authorities as well as ourselves. There are no quick solutions, but political will is needed if these problems are ever to be solved. One of the slogans used during the American Revolution was “No Taxation without Representation”. While not suggesting that we instigate a revolution, I think it is time that much more account is taken of local opinion when big decisions are being made.
In conclusion I would like to thank the elected officers of the Community Council, the four Fife Councillors and the Fife Council staff who have assisted us, as well as all of you who have tried to guide me along the most appropriate civic channels over the past year.
Donald Macgregor
The attached audited Annual Statement of Accounts for the financial year 2004-2005 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 2004-2005 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 Fife Council.
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.
Councillors reminded that claims for payment of expenses should be made using expense claim forms obtainable from the Treasurer.
I also wish to thank
Bruce Ryan
Treasurer
| Brought forward at 1 April 2004 | £24,212.79 |
| Surplus for year 04-05 | £361.00 |
| Balance brought forward at 1 April 2005 | £24,573.79 |
| Represented by bank account (statement dated 24 March 2005) | £25,288.82 |
| less cheques not yet showing on bank account [1] | £715.03 |
| Account | Opening Balance | Income | Expenditure | Closing Balance |
| Administration | £1,369.62 | £2,920.88 | £3,485.01 | £805.49 |
| General | £2,752.68 | £834.56 | £0.00 | £3,587.24 |
| *Millennium | £3,666.03 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £3,666.03 |
| *Youth Committee | £50.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £50.00 |
| *Recreation Committee | £356.17 | £1,497.33 | £1,408.15 | £445.35 |
| *Senior Citizens’ Party | £3,152.13 | £1,188.00 | £940.00 | £3,400.13 |
| *Band Concert | £764.24 | £2,000.00 | £2,000.00 | £764.24 |
| *Upper Arlington | £216.41 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £216.41 |
| *Coat of Arms | £7,910.35 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £7,910.35 |
| *Newsletter | £644.78 | £175.00 | £699.13 | £120.65 |
| *Ceilidh | £3,330.38 | £3,128.55 | £2,851.03 | £3,607.90 |
| Total | £24,212.79 | £11,744.32 | £11,383.32 | £24,673.76 |
* The funds held in these accounts are dedicated to specific projects as indicated.
| Opening balance | £1,369.62 | |||
| Income | Fife Council Grant | + £2,920.88 | ||
| Expenditure | Postage, stationery & consumables | [2] | £976.61 | |
| Fife Council (hire burgh chambers, etc) | [3] | £567.20 | ||
| Local Publishing Fife (St Andrews in Focus) | [4] | £500.00 | ||
| Secretary’s expenses | [5] | £384.71 | ||
| JA Peterson (plants) | £272.65 | |||
| Secretary’s honorarium | £250.00 | |||
| RG Crighton (Xmas party expenses) | £98.56 | |||
| Strachan & Livingstone (newspaper adverts) | [6] | £94.00 | ||
| JA Peterson (Rec Ctte Expenses) | £89.39 | |||
| Luvians (garden competition prizes) | £35.00 | |||
| Friends of the Earth Scotland subscription | £30.00 | |||
| Treasurers’ expenses | [7] | £28.50 | ||
| Friends of the Botanic Garden subscription | £25.00 | |||
| Mrs M Coull (photography) | £20.00 | |||
| Scottish language dictionaries | £20.00 | |||
| Scottish Civic Forum | £20.00 | |||
| Lady Haig’s poppy factory (wreath) | £18.89 | |||
| Association of Scottish CCs | £15.00 | |||
| Rural Scotland Subscription | £15.00 | |||
| Planning Aid for Scotland subscription | £10.00 | |||
| JA Peterson (engraving StA young citizen cup) | £5.50 | |||
| DGO Keable (video) | £5.00 | -£3,485.01 | ||
| Closing Balance | £805.49 | |||
| Hence deficit on this account | £564.13 |
| Opening balance | £2,752.68 | |||
| Income | Interest on bank account | [8] | £453.47 | |
| Donation from Mrs EC Willsher | £181.09 | |||
| Donation from Kate Kennedy Club | £200.00 | + £834.56 | ||
| Expenditure | £0.00 | £0.00 | ||
| Closing Balance | £3,587.24 | |||
| Hence surplus on this account | £834.56 |
| Opening balance | £3,666.03 | |
| No income or expenditure |
| Opening balance | £50.00 | |
| No income or expenditure |
| Opening balance | £356.17 | |||
| Income | Proceeds from coffee morning | £123.85 | ||
| Donation | £35.00 | |||
| Fife Council for floral decoration | £750.00 | |||
| Art Exhibition | £213.48 | |||
| From Fife Council for artwork | £375.00 | + £1,497.33 | ||
| Expenditure | David Carstairs (window boxes) | £723.55 | ||
| Art competition prizes | [9] | £185.00 | ||
| For artwork | [10] | £499.60 | – £1,408.15 | |
| Closing Balance | £445.35 | |||
| Hence surplus on this account | £89.18 |
| Opening balance | £3,152.13 | ||
| Income | Donation | £800.00 | |
| From Ceilidh account | £388.00 | + £1,188.00 | |
| Expenditure | To Students’ Association | £940.00 | – £940.00 |
| Closing Balance | £3,400.13 | ||
| Hence surplus on this account | £248.00 |
| Opening balance | £764.24 | ||
| Income | From Fife Council Common Good fund | £2,000.00 | + £2,000.00 |
| Expenditure | Dysart Colliery Silver Band | £200.00 | |
| Dunfermline Town Band | £300.00 | ||
| Tayport Instrumental Band | £200.00 | ||
| Alan Forrester | £50.00 | ||
| Clackmannan District Brass Band | £250.00 | ||
| Kilrymont Accordion Band | £125.00 | ||
| Madras College Pipe Band | £150.00 | ||
| To Fife Council | £725.00 | – £2,000.00 | |
| Closing Balance | £764.24 | ||
| Hence surplus on this account | £0.00 |
| Opening balance | £261.41 | |
| No income or expenditure |
| Opening balance | £7,910.35 | |
| No income or expenditure |
| Opening balance | £644.78 | ||
| Income | Donation | £175.00 | + £175.00 |
| Expenditure | Discovery Mailing (distribution of newsletters) | £699.13 | – £699.13 |
| Closing Balance | £120.65 | ||
| Hence deficit on this account | £524.13 |
| Opening balance | £3,330.38 | |||
| Income | Ticket sales | [11] | £2,300.00 | |
| Return of float, raffle, ticket sales | £828.55 | + £3,128.55 | ||
| Expenditure | Strachan & Livingstone (advert) | £30.39 | ||
| Cash float | £1,475.00 | |||
| Tsunami Appeal | £500.00 | |||
| Fife Council (let Burgh Chambers) | £457.64 | |||
| To Senior Citizens’ Party Account | £388.00 | – £2,851.03 | ||
| Closing Balance | £3,607.90 | |||
| Hence deficit on this account | £277.52 |
| [1] | cheques issued: 10762 £10, 10766 £5, 10800 £ 29.75, 10801 £100.33, 10802 £744.95, cheque received £175 |
| [2] | £8.40 + £13.45 + £8.40 + £192.41 + £9.00 + £744.95 |
| [3] | £50.25 + £71.85 + £27.75 + £29.75 + £29.75 + £29.75 + £59.50 + £29.75 + £149.60 + £29.75 + £29.75 + £29.75 |
| [4] | 5 payments of £100 each |
| [5] | £252.88 + £31.50 + £100.33 |
| [6] | £31.96 + £62.04 |
| [7] | £24.50 + £4.00 |
| [8] | £32.21 + £28.44 + £30.97 + £42.87 + £40.30 + £41.76 + £37.49 + £38.18 + £41.42 + £42.41 + £41.62 + £35.80 |
| [9] | 5 £25 prizes, 4 £10 prizes, 4 £5 prizes |
| [10] | £318.75 + £59.50 + £76.50 + £21.25 + £23.60 |
| [11] | £1187.50 + £787.50 + £325.00 |
There will be a meeting of the community council following the AGM at 7pm Monday 2nd May 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/)
As AGM
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.
Seems to have been a bit patchy. Members of community council and others reported receiving it in the first (paid for) delivery run at:
Balrymonth Court,
Lawmill Gdns,
Kinkell Terr,
Trinity Pl,
Drumcarrow Road,
Spinkie Cres,
Lindsay Gardens,
Dempster Court.
But not at:
Muir Gdns,
St Marys St,
Buchanan Gdns,
Canongate,
Whitehill Terrace,
Grange Rd,
Priestden Place,
Little Carron Cottage, Wallace Street.
Appendix E: from Dr Andrew Kilpatrick, NHS Fife
Results at 2/5/05
| For | 14 |
| Against | 4 |
| Abstain (active) | 3 |
| Abstain (no vote) | 1 |
The proposal fails to meet the minimum of 16 votes for success, and does meet the 4 votes veto requirement.
Cynthia Tero writes with concerns over the closure by a locked door and gate of this route from South St to St Mary’s Place (passage beside The Eating Place South St). She and many other townspeople have used it for about 25 years. She understood that though planning permission to put a door there was granted it was on condition it was not locked.
[July 03 Minutes 4.3.7 and June 03 Minutes 5.]. NB 20 or more years of use probably qualifies this as de facto Right-of-Way.
Kennoway Community Council and the Depute Leader of Administration, Fife Council, write to ask our support in opposition to a new facility. There are concerns over extensive pollution in the event of a major accident.
Following last year’s initial consultations there is a chance to see detail design proposals 3-8pm Monday 23 May, Burgh Chambers.
The letter notes that no design development work will be undertaken on Market Street and Union Street, which were part of the initial consultations, until after the Area Transport Plan has been finalised.
Renewal, for community organisations, £36.
Appendix B. Deadline 30 June. Every year we say we should make an effort next year to put in for this...
The constitution of the community council needs to be revised to bring it into line with the current requirements of the Fife Council scheme for community councils.
Should community council have a group picture taken, both as a recognition aid for the benefit of the public we represent, and a historical record?
Appendix D: proposal from Keith McCartney
Chris Lesurf has a number of health-related issues to raise, perhaps reviving the Health Education and Welfare sub-committee?
[April 6.4.] Plans have changed, so a simple hand-over photo session is probably all that will be needed.
[April 7.11] A quick note was sent to say that while this had not been formally discussed “it is likely that we will be calling for suspension of the right-to-buy, along with other moves to keep affordable, social housing affordable in perpetuity, in our responses to the Structure/Local plans.”.
Appendix C: Ken Fraser’s slightly amended final text. [April 7.4]
Tuesday 19th April Meeting.
Attending: Joe Peterson, Ken Crichton, Ken Fraser, Elise Methven. Apologies: Murdo Macdonald, Dennis Macdonald
St Andrews in Bloom, Community Council Garden Comptition, Scotland in Bloom Competition.
Provisional dates fixed: Preview / Reception Tuesday 29th November. Exhibition Wed 30th to Sat 3rd December.
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.
Present: I Goudie, P Lindsay, B Ryan, B Christie, R Douglas, P Uprichard, Apologies: G Davidson.
There was a brief discussion about the hospital site.
| 1 | 35a Bell Street | change of use of flatted dwelling to 3 person HMO | N.C. |
| 2 | 10 Kidston Court | instal 5 roof lights to flat | N.C. |
| 3 | Tesco | install ATM and alter shop front | N.C. |
| 4 | Hamilton Hall | change of use to alter/empty Hall of residents to form private club including 25 holiday apartments, ancillary leisure facilities and catering/conference facilities. OBJ. on grounds of added dormers, lack of car parking, roof park altering appearance of building, light metal finish to roof and top floor level, considerable traffic with changes of guests | Obj PU |
| 5 | 12 Pipeland Road | replacement windows and door to flat | N.C. |
| 6 | 15 South Castle Street | 1) alter and extend rear conservatory (EFULL) 2) change exterior of listed building (ELBC) | N.C. |
| 7 | 46 Largo Road | 3 person HMO | N.C. |
| 8 | 39 Bell Street | display illuminated sign (amended scheme) | N.C. |
| 9 | 3 Auchterlonie Court | erection of shed | N.C. |
| 10 | 2 Morton Crescent | rear extension | N.C. |
| 11 | 25 Ruthven Place | rear extension | N.C. |
| 12 | 9 Muir Gardens | rear extension | N.C. |
| 13 | 8 Balnacarron Avenue | conservatory extension | N.C. |
| 14 | John Knox Road | design of houses | OBJ. IG. |
| 15 | Tom Morris Drive | siting of mobile diner van | N.C. |
| 16 | 6 Ruthven Place | extension to dwelling house (revised scheme) | N.C. |
| 17 | 31 Hepburn Gardens | form glazed doors and replacement roof light | N.C. |
| 18 | St. Leonards Fields | flats | OBJ. IG |
| 19 | Westburn Lane | 3 blocks of 4 storeys each. OBJ. over-intensive, too high, design unsuitable (not in the local vernacular), will have effect on skyline, traffic problems etc. N.B. In view of the development at David Russell Hall, this looks to be a prime case for a car free development in the middle of town. | OBJ PU |
Present: I. Goudie P. Lindsay B. Ryan B. Christie P. Uprichard
There was a discussion on the Structure Plan and the Report of Survey, with relation to housing.
Population growth housing requirement – 1,000 houses for every 5 years, i.e. 4,000 in the Housing Market Area (2295).
| 1 | 16 Sandy Herd Court | extension to flatted dwelling | N.C. |
| 2 | 62 Auldburn Park | extension to flat | N.C. |
| 3 | Southfield Road | change of use of residential development under construction to HMO construction (all 10 units) | N.C. |
| 4 | Cowes Coachworks | change of use of flatted dwelling under construction to flatted dwelling LGF 1 (3), LGF2(2), LGF 3 (3), LGF4(3), GF 1 (3), GF 2, GF 3(3), GF 4(3), IF 1 (3), IF 2(2), IF 3(3), IF 4(4), IF 5(4), 2F 2(4), 2F 3(4) | N.C. |
| 5 | 14 Melbourne Place | change of use of flatted dwelling to 3 person HMO | N.C. |
Transport Plan – Action Plan
(1) Access between Petheram Bridge and ? Bus station.
(2) Bus station redevelopment to form a strategic interchange plan for rail link.
By Penny Uprichard
The Royal Burgh of St. Andrews Community Council wishes to OBJECT to this application.
1. The 3 blocks of 4 storeys are an over-intensive development, and too high.
2. The design of the proposed dwellings does not accord with the local vernacular.
3. According to the Strategic Study, no new housing land is needed before 2006. At present St. Andrews has a nil housing requirement.
4. Will Mrs. Trevor, who is a resident of Westburn Lane, be able to stay in her house during construction?
5. Traffic – a development of this kind is going to produce considerable traffic in a very narrow street. At which end of the street will the exit and entrance be? At a time when Transportation are attempting to remove cars from the town centre, will it be acceptable to have so much parking allocated to just one block? As this development is in the town centre, is there not a strong case for a car-free building?
6. In a building with 42 bedrooms, can the water authorities supply more water without current residents losing their supply?
7. Policy S1 of the Local Plan states that ‘Development proposals will not be acceptable if they are likely to have an adverse effect on or detract from St. Andrews’ medieval skyline.’ Has it been considered whether this proposed development will have such an adverse effect? The Community Council believes that it will.
8. I believe that it was decreed that heavy lorries should not be allowed to use the area at Westburn Lane/Queens Terrace, because of the very steep drop on the south side of the road. Is this still in force, and if so how will the construction be managed?
9. This development is in the Conservation Area, and will also have a considerable impact on neighbours in the long riggs.
10. The lack of garden ground does not accord with Fife Council’s policy on this matter, which states that ‘Flats shall have a setting or private garden space of at least 50 sq.m. per flat’ excluding any garaging, parking or manoevring space ... Flats higher than 2 storeys will require great separation distances from each other and from adjacent houses.’
By Penny Uprichard
The Royal Burgh of St. Andrews Community Council wishes to OBJECT to this application.
We consider that the added dormers are unsuitable for this building, and that the roof park will alter the appearance of the building. So will the light metal finish to the roof and top floor level. As there is no parking in or near the building, where will guests park? There may also be a considerable amount of traffic at times when the occupants of the flats are changing over.
As everyone knows, this is a very conspicuous building which regularly appears on television during golf tournaments. It is to be hoped that alteration of the outside of the building will not be allowed in the course of this application.
From www.communityoftheyear.org.uk
The Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards are designed to reward the efforts of community groups who have significantly improved their local area for the common good.
They give communities the opportunity to focus on their achievements and to identify key areas requiring improvement on both a physical and social level.
Since being introduced in 1998, the awards have grown from strength to strength. Of notable significance in 2004 was the acknowledgement of the awards by HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, who, presented at the awards ceremony in Edinburgh.
Equally momentous was the six-part television series ‘Rising to the Challenge’ based on the awards and aired throughout Scotland.
On entering their eighth year, the awards are continuing in their development having secured sponsorship from Communities Scotland, the Scottish Executive’s housing and regeneration agency.
In doing so, Communities Scotland hope to provide more communities, both urban and rural, with the opportunity to enter the awards. Communities Scotland will also sponsor and provide the judge for the Community Life category.
With a total prize fund in excess of £5,000, the Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards in association with Communities Scotland and supported by ASCC, SEPA, SBC and the Robert Gordon University are open to any properly constituted community group in Scotland.
Response by Ken Fraser
At a recent meeting the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council agreed to send the following responses to your consultation questions:
1. How important would it be to have the same boundaries for Holyrood and Westminster elections?
A. We believe the most important aspect is that the elections should produce a result which fairly represents the distribution of votes. The constituency boundaries are secondary to that.
2. Do you currently experience difficulty in identifying who to approach... to deal with a particular issue...?
A. No.
3. If it is decided to keep the same boundaries ... for Westminster and Scottish Parliament constituencies, what structure would provide the best way of achieving this?
A. We believe that any proposed change should make the system more rather than less proportional.
4 (i). How important is it to have close identification between elected representatives and specific areas ?
A. It is important, but it should not be taken to outweigh the demand for fairness in the distribution of seats.
4 (ii). If this is significant, what is the maximum size and population for effective representation?
A. This would vary with the level of election. At the local government level, we would be reluctant to consider a ward larger than St Andrews and district.
5. Would it be useful if other public bodies, such as health boards, also fitted within constituency and ward boundaries ?
A. Yes.
6. What impact do you think having four systems of electing representatives will have on voters...?
A. It is likely to confuse some of them.
7. What is your view on the operation of the voting systems used for elections to the Scottish Parliament and the European Parliament ?
A. These both produce approximately proportional results, and we believe this proportionality should be maintained. In the case of the European Parliament, it is unlikely that any other system than the existing one could be more proportional.
8. Do you think electors will be confused by having to vote using the new single transferable vote system ... on the same day as using the additional member system...?
A. Yes. But if the elections were held on different days, they need not be far apart.
9. Does the existing structure of constituency and regional list MSPs generally work... have you experienced difficulties in the... roles of these two types of MSP ?
A. Usually not, although there has been a tendency to under-use the list MSPs.
10. Are there improvements that could be made in the way MSPs are elected ?
A. No system can fully achieve all the aims set out by the Commission, but we repeat our plea that any proposed alteration should not make the system less proportional. If the list system is continued, we consider that an “open list” system should be used, where the voters can choose the order of those elected from a party list.
Proposal by Keith McCartney
In 1995, for the 50th anniversary of VE Day, the Community Council created the garden which you can see, with a commemorative stone, outside the Victory Memorial Hall and also organised a parade through the town. For the 60th anniversary I would propose that the Community Council seek to identify with Fife Council a suitable location for a grove of six trees native to Scotland, one for each decade since the end of the war in Europe, either of one species or a mixture, funded by the Community Council, and that these be planted alongside a stone with a plaque which might read ‘These trees were planted by the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council to commemorate the 60th anniversary of VE Day 2005’. ‘Dum Spiro Spero’. An open invitation could then go out through a letter to the press inviting ex-servicemen from the town to be present at a ceremony to mark the planting (which would have to take place towards the end of the year when the trees would be dormant). This would seem to me to be an appropriate and lasting memorial which would benefit the environment of St Andrews for generations to come.
Scanned letter & press release from Dr Andrew Kilpatrick, Project Owner, St Andrews Hospital & Health Centre, NHS Fife, to Community Council.
I write in relation to the circular distributed by yourselves to the households in St Andrews, and in particular to the comments around the new St Andrews hospital and health centre.
I am sorry that you have not chosen to discuss the points you raise with us to date. Unfortunately I feel that a number of the points you raise are incorrect and as a result I have felt it necessary to respond to the specific points in a press release. I enclose a copy of my response for your information.
If you wish to discuss any of these points I, or any member of the project team would be very happy to meet with you.
This press release was covered in The Courier, Friday 22/4/05 – PL
The comments circulated in a note from the community council to the inhabitants of St Andrews relating to the development of a new hospital and health centre are unfortunately incorrect and inaccurate in a number of areas. The development of this facility is of paramount importance not only to the local population, but also to NHS Fife, and therefore we feel it is crucial to correct these points and to inform the population of St Andrews and the surrounding area of the facts and current state of affairs.
Detailed below are the responses to the various points raised by the community council.
The Community Council were, and still are, important stakeholders and contributors to the development. They were not part of the team looking at the final site selection since that would not have been appropriate, but it is untrue to claim they were excluded. All key stakeholders were invited to attend a meeting with the project team to discuss issues around the planning application in a closed session before our open forum public meeting in the Rusacks hotel. The community council chose not to attend that meeting.
At the start of this project, 14 potential sites were looked at. These were reduced to 5 for a more detailed analysis and the final 3 from that work were then subject to very detailed analysis to ascertain the best overall site. This has been a detailed and systematic process that took over 3 years to complete. No one involved had any preconceived notion or any reason to favour any particular site. The overriding desire has always been to obtain the best site to build this facility on. This has been a massive piece of work and has shown absolutely clearly that the Largo Road site is the best site of the 14 looked at, even though there are a number of issues still to be dealt with for this site. To claim that we have not proven that this is the best site, that we have taken steps to exclude St Leonard’s fields and declared it a non starter from the outset and that we have selected criteria to get the answer we wanted is patently wrong. If there were a perfect site we would have gladly purchased it and probably started construction by now. The announcement of the Largo Road site as our chosen option was in the summer of 2003. Since then we have had a lot of feedback from staff and patients. The overwhelming message has been that we need to get on and build the facility as soon as possible and that the majority of people are happy with the chosen site, especially once the details of selection have been explained.
The Largo Road site is the best overall site to deliver a new hospital and health centre for now and importantly, for the future. The decision to choose this site has not been taken lightly or hastily. We are aware there are still a number of issues relating to the site, but believe these can be resolved in discussion with stakeholders and the planners, relatively quickly. The community council ask that the town should not be panicked into an unsatisfactory decision. We agree absolutely. However we feel that any site other than Largo Road would be an unsatisfactory decision.
Dr Andrew Kilpatrick
Project owner for and on behalf of NHS Fife.
Post received
| Date | from | subject |
|---|---|---|
| 04/07/2005 | Fife Council | CC declaration |
| 04/07/2005 | NHS Fife | Hospital project newsletter |
| 04/07/2005 | Angela Gardner | Guide Opportunities |
| 04/07/2005 | Development Services | St Andrews Local Office service |
| 04/08/2005 | FoE | What on Earth newsletter |
| 04/08/2005 | Fife Police | CommunityNewsletter and Policing Plan 05/06 |
| 04/08/2005 | Fife Counci | Invoice |
| 04/08/2005 | Law and Administration | VE day WWII 60th commemoration |
| 04/09/2005 | Kennoway Community Council | Methil oil terminal |
| 04/11/2005 | Wickstead Leisure | Play equipment advert |
| 04/12/2005 | Scottish Civic Forum | Parental Involvement in Schools |
| 04/16/2005 | Rural Scotland | AGM Agenda |
| 04/18/2005 | Trafalgar Weekend | Celebrate 21-23 Oct |
| 04/22/2005 | Law and Administration | CGF papers |
| 04/22/2005 | NHS Fife | Hospital & Health Centre rebuttal |
| 04/24/2005 | Glasdon UK Ltd | Street furniture advt |
| 04/25/2005 | Cynthia Tero | Right of Way |
| 04/27/2005 | Environmental Services | Newsletter |
| 04/28/2005 | FoE | Climate Change appeal |
| 04/28/2005 | Abbey Bank | CC Trust statement |
| 04/28/2005 | IronsideFarrar | St Mary's Place consult |
| 04/29/2005 | Water Customer Panels | Update |
| 04/29/2005 | Transportation Services | txt2traveline |
| 04/30/2005 | Calor | Scottish Community of the Year |
| 04/30/2005 | FoE | Subs Renewal |
| 04/30/2005 | Fife Council | Oil xfer Firth of Forth |