Royal Burgh of Haddington and District Community Council

Minutes of meeting of 13th January 2009 in Council Chambers

 

1.  Sederunt

Jan Wilson (Chair), John Golightly (Vice Chair), Emily Armatage (Treasurer), Colvin Denholm, Margaret Ingle,

Fiona-Frances Adam, Graeme MacGregor, Ruth Moncrieff, Janet Brent, Nico de Freitas, Callum Colquhoun

 

In attendance

Cllr Sheena Richardson, Craig Finley (EL News), Anna Faulkner (minutes/correspondence secretary), Comm Wardens Murray Thomson and Mandy Smith.

 

2. Apologies:  Cllr L Broun-Lindsay, Bob Oliver, Kathryn McDowall

 

3. Major Items for AOCB

3.1 Haddington Garden Trust

 

4. Minutes of Tuesday 9th December

4.1 Item 6.3:  should read Colvin, not Callum

Approval of the minutes was proposed by Margaret and seconded by John.

 

5. Matters Arising

5.1 Item 6.5 Brewery Park:  Fiona confirmed that Tom Trotter is looking into this and hopes that we, the tax payers, don’t end up having to pay for the repairs when it was the gas board that created the mess.                 Action TT

5.2 Item 6.8 Sidegate Lane: Jan said that the lights have now been fixed. 

5.3 Item 10.3 Doocot: Jan will write to the volunteers.                                                                                            Action JW

5.4 Item 14.1 Lap top: Jan said that this has arrived but that she will need to order some more software for it. Action JW

 

6. Councillors Corner

6.1 Church St – Trinity Centre:  Jan had received a note from Carolyn Scott (Day Centre) saying that a light at Trinity Centre in Church Street is out and it is very dark for pedestrians coming out of the Trinity Centre and walking along towards the church.                  Action SR

6.2 Lights out:  Sheena herself said that she had noticed that there were lights out in Langriggs and at the end of Ross’s Close.  She will follow all these up.                                                                                                                                          Action SR

6.3 Nungate Bridge:  lights in the bollards are once again broken.                                                                   Action SR

6.4 Oak Tree Cafe roundabout:  the large pothole has appeared again on the roundabout.                          Action SR

6.5 Athelstaneford:  Emily said that there was a bad hole just past Athelstaneford Mains, towards the old A1. Action SR

6.6 Seggarsdean:  Nico also pointed out that the hole he reported at the last meeting has still not been seen to and in fact the whole of that road needs to be resurfaced.                                                                                                  Action SR

6.7 Salt Bins: Colvin asked if there was a set ratio of bins/houses for the provision of salt bins.  He has noticed that the area at Nungate Gardens have 6 bins for 60 houses, where some areas of the town have very few or none at all and the ones that are there are very often empty of salt and full of rubbish.  Jan suggested that it would be good idea for the council to check on all the bins around the town.  Nico said he has already called the council some time ago about the one that used to be outside the Maitlandfield – this has still not been replaced.  Emily said that Glebe Cres in Athelstaneford was very slippery and needs a salt bin.                                                                                                                                         Action SR

6.8 Monkmains 30mph sign: Colvin asked if the CC would support the conservation of the old sign just outside Haddington on the road towards Gifford.

 

7.  Police Questions  - no police present.  Any matter to be passed to the Jan and she will email Stuart

 

8. Planning applications

8.1 Copies of Bob’s list were circulated (attached).  Nothing to comment on 

 

9. Treasurer’s Report

 

9.1 Emily handed out the current balance sheet:-

 

HADDINGTON & DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL A/C as at 13th January 2009

 

Last month’s Balance                  £813.83                

Income                                                                                   Expenditure

                                                                                                Jan’s Phone exp                                                              £28.00

                                                                                                Emily’s phone exp                              £28.00

                                                                                                Anna secretary’s fee                      £50.00

                                                               

                               

Total                                                       £813.83                                                                                       £78.00                                                                                                                                                                                  

New balance £813.83 - £78.00 =                                 £735.83

(Jan has not cashed her cheque)

 

HADDINGTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL FESTIVAL A/C as at 13th  January 2009

Last months balance                  £14,153.14

 

Income                                                                                                   Expenditure

Income from Fashion show                £147.00                                   Bowling Club donation                       £200.00

Float returned                                       £100.00                                   Book Token (Maren)                     £10.00

Income from Fun Day                         £1,268.71                              Tesco items Fun day                       £15.56

Late cheque from Fun Day                 £10.00                                     Tesco items Fun day                       £51.26

Donation from Nico (santa run)                £40.00                                     Advert for Fun day                           £83.85

                                                                                                                Gazebo Fun day                                 £49.98

                                                                                                                Jan scout stamps                                                        £11.20

                                                                                                                Advert for santa run                                         £30.77

 

£15,718.85                                                                                          £410.65

 

New balance £15,718.85 - £410.65                  = £15,308.20

 

 

10. Community Warden

10.1 New warden:  Murray said that he and Suzette MacGregor, warden at North Berwick were swapping places and that Suzette would be the new Community Warden in Haddington.

10.2 Millfield:  the fence has been repaired and they are now looking at other ways of keeping to kids out of the grounds.

10.3 Noise investigation officers:  Murray said that there are officers who are specifically dealing with any problems with noisy neighbours etc.  They are very aware of the problems around the area of the Pheasant and are constantly monitoring the situation.  He said that people need to keep calling in, even though it may seem that nothing is being done about it – it is not something that can be solved over night but they are dealing with it.  

10.4 Jan thanked Murray for his help and support and wished him well.

 

11.  Correspondence

Received:

11.1 Various ELC meeting notices, agendas and minutes

11.2 Sources of Local Funding – Info evenings, Tues 20th Jan JMH

11.3 Association of EL Comm Councils – meeting Mon 26th Jan at 7.30pm, JMH

 

12.  Tourism

12.1  Jan suggested that instead of holding a separate reception for the volunteers, we could plan to have it on the evening of the Festival meeting in February.  Jan will write to the volunteers to invite them to come.                      Action JW

 

13. AOCB

13.1 Haddington Garden Trust: are holding an open day on 14th June and Jan has said they can borrow our display boards for the occasion.  They may also need the gazebo which she thought would be ok. 

13.2 Invite to next meeting:  Jan said that she would like to invite Roger Kirby to our meeting in February to give us a short talk on the Trust and the need for volunteers.

13.3 Grants Braes Burns night: Jan has booked a table of 10 for the night of Sat 24th Jan at the Scout Hall.  Needs a note of numbers wanting to come.

13.4 Santa Run/sleigh:  John asked that the press place a report thanking Sheriffs for supplying the tractor, trailer and driver for the night and also Scots of Haddington for the music system.  Thanks also to all who helped out on the night.

13.4 Christmas lights update:  Emily has received £2,400 from local priorities for Christmas lights.  Jan thanked Dave and the boys for putting up/taking down the lights.

13.5 Santa outfit:  Nico thanked the CC for the use of the outfit – he will donate £35 towards it.                             Action NdeF 

13.6 Handbook:  Jan suggested that we appeal to the public and as for a volunteer from each street to deliver our handbook in their own area. Dave Brunton said that he would help out with his area. Nico suggested putting it in a centralised place for people to collect, eg the Maitlandfield.  It was thought that this was possible but that some people wouldn’t get a copy.

13.7 Lock-up:  it was suggested we hire a skip so the lock-up can be cleared and tidied up.  It was agreed that a date be set for this to happen and a skip hired.  Jan asked Sheena if the architects’ storage cabinets were wanted by the council as they take up a lot of space. Sheena will check on this.                                                                                                                 Action SR

 

14. Date of next Meeting:  Tuesday 10th February 2009 in Council Chambers, Town House at 7.00pm.

 

15.  Date of next Festival Meeting: Tuesday 27th January 2009 in Council Chambers, Town House at 7.00pm

 

16. Craft Fair Sat 28th Feb. Set up Fri 27th Feb at 3pm.  Help needed

 

17. Outstanding Matters Arising from previous minutes                

 

2006

14/03    

Athelstaneford (Lighting outside hall): a wall light has been installed but this is not what the CC had asked for; Emily to email Tom about this                                                                                                         Action EA

Burley’s Wa’s – 12/06 it was reported that the insurance company has insisted that the area around the George Hotel be boarded up in light of a recent incident relating to a fire extinguisher being let off

12/04     Old Bowling Green – name plaque: Sheena has tried to find out where the original sign is.  Suggested that a new one be made if old one can’t be found (09/07)

09/06     Town House Clock tower lighting – Jan has contacted Halliday’s on numerous occasions and the lighting has still to be sorted.   13/2 Jan has had no reply to her email and Irene had no reply to a letter she sent to them last Autumn.  It was decided that Irene should write again.     08/05 and 12/06 Still no reply                Action IP

11/03/08  Jan said that Alan Forsyth has confirmed that some of the wires have been pecked by the pigeons.  Some sort of covering needs to be sourced to prevent this continuing

12/09     Broken kerb at Co-op

10/10     Uneven slabs at Graeme McGraths

14/11     Mill Wynd/Millfield - fencing

                Mill Wynd/West Mills – pathway

                Dunbar Road – pavement a mess

2007

09/01     Long Stay parking-disabled parking bays

13/02                Footbridge at Riverside Drive

                St Ann’s Place – large puddle

                Herdmanflat – broken slabs/tree roots

13/03     Nungate Bridge – light filters

                Abbey Bridge – broken mirror

                Ball  Alley – lights

10/04     Estate Agents signs

                Abbotsview/Riverside Drive – wall/broken slabs

                Newton Port/Market St junction – broken sign in pavement

                Guttering – High Street

                Courier Office – exposed pipe in pavement

                Peter Potters – broken drain

12/06     Public toilets-one-way mirror –  11/12 Tom Trotter has spoken to Tom Shearer about this: let him know if this hasn’t been done

                Rugby Club-upgrading & fencing off pitch

                Nungate Bridge-needing overhaul

11/09     General disrepair of the pavements in town      

                Gifford Road – speed bumps

09/10                Signposts in Newton Port facing the wrong way

                Langriggs (gates to vennels)

                Gateside commerce park – lowered pavement

                Alderston Muir – naming of :  11/12 Jan suggested Bob email Sheena direct regarding this

                Church Street –Parking overlapping pavement

The Sands-Vehicles parking on corner of Church Street and The Sands

Local Plan Inquiry –request for a copy of report.

13/11                Highways: invite Brian Cooper and/or Peter Forsyth to some of our meetings

                Play area (Longcram/Acreadales): 11/12 reported

                Missing drain cover outside Sue Ryder shop: 11/12 reported

11/12     Court Street – paving stones - reported

                Herdmanflat – paving stones  - reported

2008

12/02                Monkmains – bollards:  11/03 in hand

                Public toilets – condensation: 11/03 under investigation

                Neighbourhood Watch Posters: 11/03 ELC can provide

                Fly tipping problem – Alderston: 11/03 reported

                Riverside Drive Bridge – anti-slip coating

                Hopetoun Drive – speeding

11/03     Old A1: bench

                Alderston Gardens: signage/trees

                Street lighting: Gifford Gate, Lady Kitty’s, bollards

08/04                Riverside Drive – messy pavements

                Dobsons Well – signage

                Cross Lane – missing drain cover

                Carlyle Cafe – uneven paving slabs

13/05     Recycle bins –sports centre

                Disabled parking bays

                The Sands – parking

                Chip shop close – name?

10/05                Alleyway off High Street – being used as public convenience

                Athelstaneford – bus shelters

                Clearing of river Tyne

                Traffic calming – Queens Avenue

09/09     Station Rd Park – reinstate flower beds

                Beechwood Rd – widen pathway

                Brewery Park – disrepair of roadway

                Bowling Green plaque/doocot – vandalism

                Overhanging branches –various locations

                Grass cuttings – not being cleared up

                Abbots View – broken slabs

14/10                Somnerfield – broken paving slabs/hole in ground

                Amisfield Cottages – Slow Down sign

                Newton Port – hole in ground at Market St end

                Athelstaneford – hall light/noticeboard

                Butts Sheltered Housing – mess in grounds

                Corn Exchange – upgrade; toilets and gas heating

11/11     Bus shelters: Abbotsview, Dunbar Road, High Street

09/12     Princess Mary Road –parking on grass

                Court Street – hole in pavement

                Pot holes – Seggarsdean, Abbotsview

                Brewery Park – disrepair of pavements

                Athelstaneford – toilet door forced open

                Sidegate – light at bottom of lane out

                Disabled parking bays – sign erected

                Victoria Bridge – 2 lights out

2009

13/01     Church Street/Langriggs/Nungate Bridge – lighting

                Potholes – Oak Tree roundabout, Seggarsdean, Athelstaneford

                Salt bins – provision around the town