Minutes of meeting of March 13^th 2002

 

Venue:           Cockburnspath Primary School, 7pm

 

Present:       Mr John Hay, Mr Paul Wheelhouse, Mr Clifford Bertram,  Mrs Marnie Magregor, Mrs Jean Virtue, Mr Derek Swenson, Councillor John Elliot (Duns and District North, SBC

 

1         Apologies

 

1.1           Lorna Shand, Mrs Jane Hood, Mr Matt Deeming

 

2        Adoption of Minutes for January 9^th 2002 -

2.1          Secretary stated that the minutes would require some amendment and would therefore ask that they be regarded as draft until next meeting of the CC on April 10^th.  It was agreed to wait until the next meeting to adopt a final version of the minutes.

 

3        Matters Arising from the Minutes of February 9^th 2002:

3.1          Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations - Jean Virtue reported that something, probably fairly modest in scale, would be undertaken to celebrate the Jubilee.  Plans under development. Correspondence passed from Secretary to Mrs Virtue asking for formal proposals to be notified to SBC as local co-ordinators of the Jubilee celebrations.

 

3.2          Local Plan submission – specific issues on environment, economic development, housing, transport infrastructure and local services were raised by individual members for inclusion in the Community Council’s submission as part of SBC’s local plan review for the Scottish Borders.  Specifically, topics raised at the open community meeting on the local plan on 27^th February (attended by Mr Jevan Fraser of SBC)were discussed for inclusion. While turnout was disappointing, we found the information gathered useful.

 

3.3           Outstanding Repairs (Update):

 

3.3.1        Concrete Street Lights removed from Square – Cllr John Elliot reported that street light replacements should happen early in the new financial year (i.e. April or May)as funds had been identified. 

 

Cove - construction of waste water treatment plant under way. Problem of mounds at entrance was discussed and it wasagreed to support residents in Coastguard Cottages, Cove in appeal to East of Scotland Water to reduce their height.

 

3.4         East Berwickshire Communities  - Paul Wheelhouse (Sec’y) reported that he had attended the first Community Grant Assessment Panel, set up to appraise projects applying for funding from Eyemouth East Berwickshire Partnership’s Community Grant Scheme. Next meeting of full EBC group on April 3^rd at Reston Primary School, which Lorna Shand and he would attend.  Reported that details of the grant scheme will be placed in the notice boards as soon as criteria finalised.

 

3.5          Power Cuts – the Meeting was well attended (by approximately 100) and it was heard from David Perry of Power Systems, Scottish Power and colleagues that Cockburnspath will indeed be included within additional upgrading of power infrastructure and switching gear.  The village will hopefully have much reduced power cuts, as a consequence of savings having been identified elsewhere within the £14 million programme which is the largest ever undertaken in any one area by Scottish Power, that have been released to improve our power supply.  It is hoped that we will be much better placed to cope with the anticipated increase in frequency of severe storm conditions.  A letter has since been received from Scottish Power thanking us for their opportunity to meet the community and providing Angela Milne’s name as a (0131 272 4000) as our liaison contact for the duration of the project.

 

3.6          Perrymans Buses - Mrs Magregor has still had no reply.  Secretary reported that SBC /SBRP has appointed a new Community Transport Fieldworker , Suzanne Nugent.  The secretary has made Ms Nugent aware of our problems/ key issues and that she is keen to attend a meeting of the community council to discuss options.  As regards perrymans, CC has resolved that we will write to ask him to attend and, if this is not possible, proceed to investigate alternative options.

 

3.7          Proposed development of 3 houses at Station yard - (Sports Tune Ltd) – our views have been conveyed to SBC and we will write to Sports Tune to keep dialogue open.

 

3.8          Community Safety Forum: Chairman has read over the strategy documents and filled in forms as required.

 

4        Other Correspondence Received:

4.1.1       Community skip service has been cut by SBC.  This has important implications for preventing fly-tipping in the area and residents will have to be vigilant to spot offenders.  Cllr Elliot and John Hay have pursued an investigation with SBC help into the cost of providing our own service, but this is too expensive for our limited resources.

 

4.1.2      Chairman has received a copy of correspondence from Mrs S Cairns, Chairman off the League of Friends of Belhaven Hospital to the Chief Executive of Lothians NHS Trust regarding the concern raised about the East Lothian Local plan and implications for the hospital.  In this, the NHS Trust is reported as having stated that the hospital would be surplus to requirements and was suitable for development (for housing, etc.)  While reasuurances were apparently given for the short term, in the longer term (beyond 5 years) it is vulnerable.  CC will write to express our concern for the longer term future of the hospital.

 

4.1.3        Correspondence received from Julian Warman to the effect that they apologise for not keeping in touch and that this has been caused by restructuring at SWT.  They hope to contact the Primary School soon regarding confirming pupil involvement in activities in association with SWT at Pease Dean Reserve.  

 

4.1.4        Statutory notice given of applications for licences at various local pubs/bars received.

 

4.1.5        AGM for Berwickshire Community Council Forum on 20^th March – not able to attend.

 

4.1.6        Community Planning Conference in Hawick, 23 March 2002 – no one able to attend

 

5        Any Other Business

 

5.1               Future Presentations to be Made:

 

5.1.1        Perrymans Buses (see above)

 

5.2          Village Pub:  Derek Swenson updated us as to progress with the efforts to establish a pub in the village and asked for support for the building warrant application.  The secretary stated he was aware of strong support for the proposal and felt it vital to the village.  As, prior to the last elections, the CC had decided to withdraw from actively supporting the project and because finances are limited it was decided that a public meeting should be held to get a mandate or otherwise from the community to give official backing to the application (i.e. act as sponsor/applicant) and furthermore to decide if and how much financial support ought to be provided to the cost of the application.  Mr Swenson agreed to arrange the meeting.

 

6    Date for next full Community Council meeting:  Confirmed as Wednesday 10^th April 2002, 7pm at the Primary School