VENUE: Cockburnspath Primary School.

1. PRESENT: John Hay, Clifford Bertram, Jean Virtue, Marnie McGregor, Matt Deeming, Tom Dean, Peter Hood, Kate Tulloch, Fiona Deeming (Minutes Secretary), Councillor John Elliot (Duns and District North SBC), PC Wilson (Lothian and Borders Police Force), Ken Underwood, (Village hall committee), Mr Benjamin Carey and 12 members of the community.

1.1. Apologies: Angela Brading.

2. ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF 9th August 2006
2.1. Minutes discussed and accepted: with the exception of
2.2. To be added to 6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS.. 6.5. With reference to the proposed development at The Cove: The Landowner had intimated, to a homeowner in The Cove, that he would be prepared to sell the 2 fields to the east of the Cove road to the developers.

3. POLICE MATTERS.
3.1. PC Wilson said that as he had just returned from leave it would appear from the reports Cockburnspath had been reasonably quiet with a few traffic problems and only 4 reported incidents of youth disturbance, non of which appeared to be major.
3.2. PC Wilson was asked if there was anything that could be done about parking, just around the corner above the public toilets. When residents, on both sides of the road, have their vehicles parked it is very difficult for large vehicles, tractors and lorries etc to get past. On the odd occasion it requires the drivers of these vehicles to ask the residents to move their parked vehicles. PC Wilson said as there are no parking restrictions in force, the only suggestion he had is to contact the SBC roads department, in the first instance, Paul Mathieson.
3.3. PC Wilson was asked if he had heard of a device called “the Mosquito” it is a device that emits a sound that only youngsters hear (apparently as we get older our hearing changes) and could one be deployed in the square. PC Wilson said that he had never heard of this device, and his initial thoughts were that if trouble were dispersed from somewhere it would pop up elsewhere. He was handed a set of notes which described the device and its use in various locations, from forces in Renfrew to “down south” . He said he would give the information to his Inspector. The only real option is, in partnership with SBC the Community and the Police Force, to find alternative ways of keeping these young people “amused”. This has been tried in Cockburnspath by utilising the only football portacabin, but even volunteer parents have found the abuse and disruption too much and there only 2 or 3 parents left willing to keep up. Even these facilities have been subject to vandalism, £300
worth of decking area at the front of the portacabin has been wrecked. With the result the facility is now closed. With a view to attempting to deal with youth disturbance PC Wilson suggested we contact; PC Justin Halford at Duns who is the Youth Integration Officer.

4. PRESENTATION BY MR CAREY.
4.1. Mr Carey explained that his company had been appointed by the “125 Memorial Association” to develop a memorial artworks trail around all the communities affected by the 1881 Black Friday Fishing Disaster. Up to 11 fishermen from Cove died. The proposal is to set up the trail to commemorate the disaster in a permanent way and to create a tourism and economic opportunity in some form. The initial consultation would take the form of working with local schools and community groups in order to find out what each individual community would like the artwork to take in order to give the community a sense of ownership, and to be able to also find a common link, be it “Logo”, or “insert” in the artwork which would link the whole trail. The trail will go from Burnmouth right up to Newhaven, in Edinburgh. Meetings posters and a travelling exhibition, will be set up to get the proposal off the mark.

5. MATTERS ARISING.
5.1. Cemetery, rabbit proof netting: SBC has identified the work needed but no time scale as yet.
5.2. Cove waste water treatment plant: Tom has contacted the contractors but as yet no reply.
5.3. New Garage: John was at a site meeting with regard to a site that is more agreeable to the SBC planning department.
5.4. Village website: Account paid, domain name and website to be handed over.

6. LETTERS
6.1. Reply from SBC re; public meeting in Jan ’06, re: further development in Cockburnspath: SBC are against the community supported west proposal and are in favour of their proposed south eastern site.
6.2. Email with regard to the new Registration Act: under new rules registration of births deaths and marriages will be allowed anywhere in Scotland not just your local county office.
6.3. Cafe, (Community Action For Energy): 1 day course at Galashiels, 2 places available. On 16th September.
6.4. Training Programmes, for community councillors, received for training sessions at St Boswells.
6.5. Copy of Letter from SBC to Michael Moore MP re: Cove application.
6.6. Proposed Berwickshire Citizen of the year award.
6.7. Torness L.A.C. explanation of groups under-performance in last set of results.
6.8. Berwickshire Area Committee: Meeting with Amey and Transport Scotland. 24th October.
6.9. BCCF and Environmental group: agenda and minutes for next meeting.
6.10. Email re: Cove Commemoration 14th October
6.11. Scottish Borders Community Council Network: September newsletter and notification of meeting on 7th October.
6.12. Email from Euan Robson MSP: Complaint about information distribution.
6.13. SBC info: Advisory leaflets on “Parking on the Footway and at dropped kerbs”.

7. PLANNING MATTERS.
7.1. Chesterfield Caravan site: application for change of use /extension.

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
8.1. Speed bumps: Residents in Crofts Rd are asking if it would be possible for speed bumps to be installed, David Sharp Technical services to be contacted. John Elliott will contact.
8.2. Poor road surface: between 18 and 22 Croftsacre the road appears to be breaking up, John E to pass to Paul Mathieson.
8.3. 20 MPH speed limit for area around the school: No roundels, but posts are in place, John E to investigate progress.
8.4. Electoral Roll: The Post Office has not got one, John E to investigate.
8.5. Disinformation: Dr Brown addressed the Council over what he saw as a case of the council/community being given the wrong information in certain planning applications.
8.6. New Houses Station Yard: It appears that the first house has had a garage added and the entrance to which appears to be straight on to the old A1 as opposed to the existing entrance to the station yard, the garage has doors at front and back. John E to check.
8.7. Church yards: grass cuttings being left behind. John H to check.
8.8. Patient focus and involvement meeting at Heriot Watt 25th October. Any interest or comments. Kate to attend.
8.9. If residents of the Square were to purchase the “Mosquito device”, and it were transportable, would the community council and village hall committee consider helping with cost. No great push for answers as fact gathering stage still under way.
8.10. Matt voiced his thanks for the get well card he received from the community council after his spell in hospital.
8.11. Hedge along path from the toilets to the football field needs cut, John H will approach land owner.
8.12. Questions from the floor to Councillor Elliot with regard to the Cove proposal.
8.12.1. There are already policies protecting coastal strip from development. Making this proposal, as is, unacceptable.
9. NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY 11th October 2006; in the school at 7pm. This will also be the AGM.