Minutes of meeting of 8thMay 2007
in Council Chambers
Minutes of meeting of 10th April 2007 at Council Chambers
Minutes of meeting of 13th March 2007 at Council Chambers
Minutes of meeting of 13th February 2007 at Council Chambers
Minutes of meeting of
9th January 2007 at Council Chambers
Minutes of meeting of 12th December 2006
at Council Chambers
Minutes of meeting of 14th November 2006 at Council Chambers
Minutes of meeting of 10th October 2006 at Council Chambers
Minutes of
meeting of 12th September 2006 at Council Chambers
Minutes of
meeting of 13th June 2006 at Council Chambers
Jan Wilson (Chair), John Golightly (Vice Chair), Emily Armatage (Treasurer), Irene Pow (Corr Secretary),
Norman Lawrie, Effie Renton, Marianne Andrews, Colvin Denholm, Ruth Moncrieff, Janet Brent, Graeme MacGregor, David Motherwell.
Cllr Tom Trotter, Cllr Sheena Richardson, Stewart Cooper (Courier), Craig Finlay East Lothian News,
Anna Faulkner (minute secretary)
3. Major Items for AOCB – none
Jan welcomed Tom Trotter as the new EL councillor. Tom was Vice Chair of the CC some years ago and it was now good to welcome him back in his capacity as councillor. Jan also congratulated Sheena on her re-election and to Ludovic Broun-Lindsay on his election. We look forward to working with all three councillors. Jan asked that a letter be sent to Ann McCarthy and Charles Ingle thanking them for their support at community council meeting over the previous years.
4.
Minutes of Tuesday 10h April
4.1 Item 8.1 CC
Accounts: Norman
pointed out a one digit error – New Balance should read 1,075.31 and not
£1,975.31
4.2 Item 10.3: Irene said that
Hallidays were to take the matter up with the manufacturers, not us.
Approval of the
minutes was proposed by John and seconded by Effie.
5. Matters Arising
5.1 Item 4.1 Young Scot Card: Colvin brought a copy of the Handbook to the meeting for clarification. This states that a 16 year old can purchase and consume beer, wine or perry if having this with a meal in a restaurant but out-with the bar area. The handbook did not mention that there had to be an adult present – the last minute (10th April 06) reported that Ann had said this as it was her understanding of the rules at that time. In light of this Sheena suggested that the councillors take this matter up with the Licencing Board for clarification. Action SR/TT
5.2 Item 5.3 Hole in the
wall (Beechwood Rd): John reported that the hole had now been repaired.
5.3 Item 5.8 Outstanding
cheques: Jan has contacted Janice
Young to no avail. The cheques are
still outstanding therefore Jan will email her again. Action JW
5.4 Item 5.7 Old Bowling Green
– name plaque: Norman reported that he had
not made much progress with this matter.
He thought that we should perhaps approach Haddington Historical Society
to ask their advice – they may know more about this than the Bowling Club.
David Motherwell suggested we think about buying a plaque ourselves – Jan said
she wasn’t sure the budget would allow for this. Effie said that she had asked Charles at a previous meeting about
the whereabouts of the original name plaque – it was thought that we should pursue
finding this and, if successful, reinstate it alongside the new one. The councillors were asked if they could
help in finding the plaque. Action
SR/TT
5.5 Item 6.4 Athelstaneford
– toilets:
Emily said that hole has been fixed but there are continuing problems with the
roof and now the actual toilets are smashed and need replaced. Action
SR/TT
5.6 Item 6.10 Lighting: Norman had brought this to the last meeting but since then has
phoned in the faulty lights via Clarence.
He suggested that matters like this could be dealt with directly in
future and not put to the councillors.
This was agreed.
5.7 Item 10.1 Core Paths
Plan Document: David Motherwell has not
done this as yet but will bring to the Festival meeting. Action DM
5.8 Item 10.4 Town House
Fish Bar: Colvin
passed on Simon’s thanks for the CC help in this matter. He is now in negotiations with Scottish
Power.
5.9 Item 14.1 Nungate Gala: Jan had received a letter
from Margaret Ingle to say that they wouldn’t be taking part. Jan phoned her to confirm that we would pay
for the coach this year but that we could not continue for coming years due to
the cut in our Local Priorities money.
6. CC Vacancies
6.1 Two places are available –
Emily to place advert in Courier. Action EA
7. Councillors Corner
7.1 White Brig: Effie said that once again there are slats missing from the bridge.
7.2 Pathway beside sluice: David
Motherwell said that now that the trees had been cut down along the sluice
behind the swimming pool there should be a fence put up in their place. This is quite a fast flowing bit of water
and could be a danger to children. Action SR/TT
7.3 Japanese knot weed: David M also
reported that this has been seen growing near the West Mills Garden and along
the back road to Gifford. Action
SR/TT
7.4 Nungate and Abbey Bridge: David
Motherwell had brought these matters up at a previous meeting – filters for
Nungate Bridge and broken mirror at the Abbey Bridge. Action SR/TT
7.5 Peter Potters: broken drain to the side of
the building. Action SR/TT
7.6 Riverside Drive: Colvin said that there is an
area where the slabs have been lifted and the kids have dug out the sand to
create quite a hole. Action
SR/TT
7.7 Calders Lawn: Colvin said that the lorries
are parking on the white line – causing an obstruction for both pedestrians and
motorists. Sheena thought that we
should write direct to Tesco re this matter. Action IP
7.8 Herdmanflat: John asked where the money
would go once this land was sold. He
hoped that this money would be used for the new Hospital in Haddington and not
disappear to Edinburgh. Sheena wasn’t
sure but would try to find out.
Action SR
Sheena left the meeting.
8. Police Questions
– no police present at meeting
9. Treasurer’s Report
9.1 Emily
handed out the current balance sheet:-
HADDINGTON & DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL A/C as at 8th
May 2007
Last months balance £1,007.31
Income Expenditure
Interest £0.86 Jan’s Phone exp March £28.00
Jan’s phone exp April £28.00
Emily’s Phone exp £28.00
Secretary’s fee (Anna) £40.00
Jan Honorarium (CC Chairman) £100.00
Irene Honorarium (Corr Sec) £200.00
Emily Honorarium (Treasurer) £200.00
ASCC £15.00
Total £1,008.17 £639.00
New balance £1,008.17-
£639.00 = £369.17
Norman was awarded £100 for work involved with planning
but he returned it to the Treasurer
HADDINGTON
COMMUNITY COUNCIL FESTIVAL A/C as at 8th May 2007
Last months balance £12,428.38
Income Expenditure
Interest £16.12 Tax £3.22
ELC Map donation £500.00 Effie (Tourism) £50.00
Handbook advert payment £60.00 Jan
Honorarium (Fest Chairman) £200.00
Jan –computer inkjets £132.91
Tourism Phone card £50
Stamps £83.52 £133.52
Key cutting (Tourism Office) £49.50
Rages Yearly Subscription £10.00
Float for Tourism Office £50.00
£13,004.50 £629.15
New
balance should be £13,004.50 - £629.15 = £12,375.35
(£59.50)
Cheques
not cashed
Key cutting £49.50
Rages £10.00
(£59.50) Bank statement reads £12,434.85
9.2 Auditor: Emily reported that there was still £275 to pay to the
Auditor. She asked if she could
transfer money from the Festival Account to the CC Account. This was prop by John and seconded by Effie. Action EA
9.3 The
cheque for Hopscotch has still not been cashed.
10. Correspondence
Received:
10.1 Copy of
Homefront - Newsletter for Tenants of ELC – Colvin said that as a tenant he wondered why he didn’t get a copy
10.2 Invitation
to Official Opening of Office for East Lothian Tenants & Residents Panel in
Musselburgh on 25th May from noon till 4pm
10.3 Copies of ‘Mud in your Eye’ - East Lothian Countryside News
10.4 Letter
from Lennoxlove stating that the house will re-open on 18th July
2007
10.5 Jan received a letter from the Library (along with some letters from some of the children who attend the study group) asking for our help in funding for a bench and tubs for outside the door. It was thought that we had agreed to this some months ago. Norman thought we should have a look at what’s been done already. It was also suggested that the library contact Tesco for help. Jan said she would speak to the staff at the library and bring to the next Festival meeting.
Action
JW
10.6 Parkinson’s Disease Society: Letter asking if one member would be willing to act as point of contact for local people. No-one volunteered to attend.
10.7 Annual
Countryside Forum 2007: Wednesday
30th May 7pm in Conf Rooms 1&2 – Effie and David M to go.
10.8 Emily
had a letter from Charles Ingle explaining the situation with the toilets in
Athelstaneford – he maintained it was not his fault that things had not
progressed. Tom Trotter took the letter
and said he would take up the matter.
Action TT
Sent out:
10.9 Letters to Youth Groups re Festival Parade and Church Service
10.10 Letter
to Nungate Committee stating that after 2007 we are unable to cover cost of
coach hire for Gala Queen during Festival (No reply)
10.11 Letter
to Paul Zochowski inviting him to attend a Festival meeting (no reply yet)
10.12 Letter
to Alex McCrorie asking for info on Common Good Funds (no reply yet)
10.13 Phone
call to Scottish Power re faulty street lighting (advised that ELC have special
contact numbers to deal with such problems) – no-one seems to be taking responsibility for this. It was suggested Irene write to Bellshill to
ask for a response. Action IP
10.14
Contacted last person still to pay for advert in last year’s Handbook (cheque
in post now)
11. Planning – Norman passed out copies of his report
11.1 Traffic Order 07/02: Norman said that Peter Forsyth sounded more sympathetic to our concern over the loss of parking spaces.
11.2 Station yard – phone masts: Norman brought the plans to the meeting. After some discussion it was decided that we should object to the fact that they have not given enough consideration to alternative sites. Action NL
11.3 Meeting
with Paul Zokowski:
12. Entrances to the Town
12.1 This
was brought up at the Festival meeting whereby Irene wrote to Ground-care – no
reply received as yet. Both East and
West entrances to the town need some attention and it was thought that we
cannot do anything until we hear from ELC.
Jan suggested applying for extra funding from the £100,000 fund - John
thought that the CC are doing more and more of the work ELC should be
responsible for. Councillor Trotter
said that they are all keen to encourage tourists inland and would look into
getting something done about these problem areas. Norman said that should ELC not be able to provide the funding
for such projects then they should at least be able to provide us with
information on where we can apply for extra funding. In light of this Jan suggested that a Local Priorities
Sub-committee be formed to look at ways of raising this extra funding. Irene said that we had received a leaflet
about a year ago on such methods of funding.
It was suggested that this be further discussed at the next Festival
meeting.
13. Festival
Update
13.1 Jan said that there had been a delay in the printing but she was hoping to have the programmes this week. The programme can be checked at the next Festival meeting.
14. Tourism
14.1 Doocot: Effie was really pleased with the first couple of weeks in the Doocot with 246 visitors over this period (a diary is being kept of all visitors – many of whom have been foreigners). John suggested that signs giving its location would be helpful - Effie has tried to get in touch with Visit Scotland regarding this. Effie also said that they are looking into selling small items such as fridge magnets etc – Frances from the Malt Kiln has offered help with this.
14.2 Effie said that another suggestion has been to make use of the petanque court and offer rental of bowls for visitors. Emily suggested getting in touch with the Twinning Association – they may have sets of bowls we can use. Jan suggested games such as pick-up sticks, jenga, croquet etc - this would encourage families to make use of the area. Effie said that already this year they have noticed that the picnic benches are well used.
14.3 Volunteers: Effie said she was having trouble getting enough volunteers for the centre.
14.4 Resources: John said that a list of the B&B’s in the area would be helpful – they need to be asked if they want to put their names of the list of local businesses. He also said that more plastic storage boxes are needed – it was agreed to buy more.
15. AOCB - none
16. Date of next Meeting: Tuesday 12th June 2007 in Council Chambers, Town House at 7.00pm.
17. Date of next Festival Meeting: Tuesday 22nd May 2007 in Town House at 7.00pm
18. Outstanding
Matters Arising from previous minutes
2006
14/03
Athelstaneford (Lighting at
hall)
Burleigh’s Wa’s
Newton Port surgery car park
12/04 Old Bowling Green – name plaque
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. Action IP
Potholes at Florabank – Ann believed this to be sorted but Norman pointed out that further potholes are present just round in Templedean Action AMcC
Fencing at Oak Tree Café
13/06 Hopetoun Drive – speed bumps: a request has been made to have a speed
check carried out here
12/09 Broken kerb at Coop
10/10 Potholes outside hall – Athelstaneford
Uneven slabs at Graeme McGraths
14/11 Mill Wynd/Millfield - fencing
Mill Wynd/West Mills – pathway
Dunbar Road – pavement a mess
12/12 Lights out: skateboard ramps
2007
09/01 Long Stay parking-disabled parking bays
Doocot-ready for use for tourism office
13/02 Footbridge at Riverside Drive
Lighting – Sidegate and Mackays
St Ann’s Place – large puddle
Town Taxis -parking
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
Athelstaneford – toilets
Newton Port/Market St junction – broken sign in pavement
Guttering – High Street
Courier Office – exposed pipe in pavement
Peter Potters – broken drain
08/05 White brig
Pathway at sluice
Japanese know weed
Herdmanflat