CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 20th JULY 2010
This extra meeting had been planned in anticipation that Babcock might attend, but they could not.

Present: Sue Hamilton, Ali MacKerron, Doreen Kempsell, Annie Nally, Graham Urquhart, Suze Anderson, Liz Hutchings, Linda MacPhee, Lyndsy Adam, Beryl Leatherland

In Attendance: Walter Inglis and Malcolm Richards (Grangemouth Community Council), Alex Hill, Cllr McMullan,

1. Apologies: Peter Curry, Graham Urquhart, Sarah Angell, Sheila Green, Christine Page,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 29th June 2010
Proposed: Beryl Leatherland, Seconded: Suze Anderson

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 29th June 2010
a) Traffic management – Speed table site meeting with Iain Henderson and a design colleague has yet to happen. Suggested dates are now 3rd or 5th August.
b) McCafferty Consultation process. After Secretary had pestered the local plan officers, the Community Consultation raw data has now appeared on the Local Plan web site. The overwhelming impression from the individual and group returns is that there is no desire for any significant housing in and around the villages. We were please to see that the Broomhall submission had reflected this.
c) Limekilns Pier. Secretary has yet to write to the Estate. Secretary has ascertained that ‘Limekilns Pier is not in the hands of the Forth Cruising Club (as asserted by a member of the public at the June meeting).
d) Sea Wall at Red Row. Secretary has yet to write to the Factor.
e) New lighting in Brucehaven Road. Secretary had enquired about a dimmer. No definite answer given, but individual residents could have the surface of a lamp facing their property blacked out if it was causing a nuisance.
f) Ballast Bank. No report yet that Cllr McMullan had contacted Environmental Health to arrange for a site visit to assess the asbestos exposure.

4. Police Newsletter.
The Community Council is still being left out of the loop as far as communication is concerned. We do receive a monthly newsletter, but now get no information about any crime in our villages, neither have we received an email notice to say when something new goes on the web site. The issue of all Community Engagement meetings being in Cairneyhill is a continuing barrier to involvement by people from these villages. An A3 size poster has been put up in the post office, giving details of Ryan’s priorities for the month. The fact that they are, again, all in Cairneyhill does not give a very good impression of police involvement in these villages! The visitors from Grangemouth described their Community Council’s very different and productive relationship with the police. Secretary said that Gordon Mitchell had offered to meet officers of the Community Council to discuss our concerns. Secretary will contact him to arrange a date.

5. New Surgery issues.
a) Pharmacy application has been approved
b) Planning application has been submitted. Sadly, a copy was not made available to us for discussion at this meeting. Dr Chan is now on holiday until 8th August.
c) Bins, which are emptied on Sundays, are regularly left at the roadside until Wednesday. Cllr McMullan will make sure that this issue be resolved.

6. Container Port
a) Secretary summarised some of the correspondence since the last meeting. We had sent a letter to Jacobs expressing our concern about the failure to distribute the Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to consultees, with copies to Babcocks, Fife Council Development Services, MSPs, Ward 1 and Rosyth Councillors. Replies eventually received from Jacobs and Fife Council saying they had done nothing wrong (Mary Stewart saying there was no requirement on a developer to provide a copy of the PAN to consultees); from 5 of 8 MSPs: Murdo Fraser, John Park, Richard Simpson, Elizabeth Smith, Christopher Harvie, each expressing an interest in the situation; and from 2 of 8 councillors. Bill Walker had written at length expressing his unease with a situation where neither the Community Council, nor the councillors for this ward or Rosyth, had been kept informed. There had been a very unproductive series of email exchanges with David McGinley of Babcock. It appears that they are reluctant to face the population of Limekilns, either at a Community Council meeting or at a public meeting, or at an exhibition in the villages. They have now invited CC members to visit them. This has been arranged for 27th July. We have made it clear that we do not consider this to be engaging with the community, and will expect further opportunities for their engagement with the wider public. Various members of the working group had met the professor of logistics at Heriot Watt University, had spoken at length to Planning Aid, and had visited Grangemouth Container Port. Jacobs had, without comment, sent the Secretary a hard copy of the PAN on 16th July
b) Councillor Walker has been in touch with Jim Birrell and Keith Winter expressing his concern that a scoping report and a PAN have been published without his knowledge. We asked him if he could find out how many responses there were to the consultation on the Scoping Report.
c) Ali says, as we’re now 6 weeks into the PAC we must concentrate on compiling our response.
d) David McGinley has asked for names of CC members who will be visiting Babcock on the 27th. The following wish to attend: Sue Hamilton, Ali MacKerron, Doreen Kempsell, Annie Nally, Suze Anderson, Liz Hutchings, Lyndsy Adam, Beryl Leatherland, Cllr McMullan.
e) Walter Inglis and Malcolm Richards then spoke about their experience of Grangemouth Container Port. Grangemouth is very different from our situation. They’ve always had a port. It used to be dirty and noisy. Now it’s relatively clean and less noisy than it was in the past. The immediate neighbours of the port have never come to the Community Council with complaints about noise – except when lorries were waiting their turn outside the site with idling engines. Grangemouth now has a very organised queuing system inside the perimeter fence. The main change there has been is in the amount of illumination of the port area for night-time working. Grangemouth currently handles around 250,000 TEUs per annum. They estimate their existing capacity is 500,000 if they only stack two high. If they moved to stacking three high, they could immediately increase their capacity to 750,000! They employ 83 on the base, (52 operators working shifts). 10% of containers leave the port by rail. There are issues in Grangemouth around infrastructure. They have a local transport forum (including representatives from the Community Council, local councillors, Forth ports and truck operators) that is campaigning for investment in improved access to the motorway, which is only a mile away. (They commented on how well the ForthEnergy consultation was being carried out for the Biomass plant at Grangemouth)
f) Acoustics. Ali had spoken to the acousticians in his organisation. They reckoned that three would be the minimum number of locations to measure in the villages – particular with the fact that dwellings are separated from the proposed site by water. He had verbal estimates of the cost of commissioning an appropriate set of measurements.
g) Night time noise of late was the contractors – Bam Nuttall – ‘pulling piles’. They had been apologetic for not having told us this work was beginning and how long it would last.

7. SESPlan
We are being consulted on the South East Scotland Strategic Plan. John Hoyes is perusing the paper copy, and will give us his observations. There is a workshop event at 6 – 8..30pm on 9th August, which one of us will go to.

8. Treasurer’s Report
a) Treasurer has applied to Fife Council for our grant.
b) New rules will come in next year about holding onto and saving money which has not been spent from the grant. Need to spend at least 80% of the grant. We regularly spend more thant the grant we receive.
c) Paid APRS subscription and Queen’s Hall rent.

9. Secretary's Report
a) John Wilson of Waulkmill Farm is promoting the idea of a Farm Shop, a restaurant, a few chalets and some camper hook-up spaces, with access to he local footpath network on the land between Waulkmill Farm and Crombie. It’s not in the Local Plan.
b) A resident had expressed his concern about the intrusive nature of the images from Google Streetview. It was pointed out that no more detail would be available that what was visible to someone walking past the house.
c) Dunfermline and West Fife Community Health Partnership newsletter.
d) South Queensferry Community Council Annual Report.

10. Councillor’s Report.
a) Cllr McMullan has referred questions from a resident relating to Fife Council’s involvement in the container terminal to Robin Presswood.
b) He has a dog bin and stickers. Doreen has a pole. Doreen will buy some ‘Postcrete’. Gerry also has poo bags.
c) He had been disappointed that, at the last meeting of the Community Council, Dr Chan had seemed so little concerned about anything outwith her own premises.

11. AOCB
a) Doreen had identified and contacted those responsible for a fly-tipping incident. It is important to report incidents to Environmental Services (Elaine Devine 08451 555555 ex450872)
b) Window opening at charnel house at cemetery has been vandalized. Doreen has reported it.
c) Community Council elections coming up in October. We will have a stall at the Gala on august 14th to promote them and the Community Council in general.

12. Date of Next Meeting: August 31st 2010. 7.30pm. Queen’s Hall

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 29th JUNE 2010

Present: Sue Hamilton, Ali MacKerron, Peter Curry, Doreen Kempsell, Sheila Green, Annie Nally, Graham Urquhart, Suze Anderson, Liz Hutchings, Linda MacPhee, Lyndsy Adam, Beryl Leatherland

In Attendance: Cllr McMullan, Dr Chan (from 8pm) Jim Tolson MSP (from 8.30pm), Frank and Margaret Tait, Bill McKissock, Martin Bald, Sam Thorley, Moray and Kate Gilmour, Chris Oliver, Adam and Jacki Winski, Bob and June Edminson, Mr and Mrs John Barbour.

1. Apologies: Sarah Angell, Charlie Reid Thomas, Christine Page, Alex Hill.
The meeting recorded best wishes to Charles Reid Thomas on the birth of a son.

2. Minutes of the meeting of 25th May 2010
Proposed: Suze Anderson, Seconded: Sheila.

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 25th May 2010
a) Traffic management – Iain Henderson is happy to bring a technical guy along to a meeting.
b) 76 bus. Steve Walker of Stagecoach had told the Secretary that he would be moving to a job outwith Fife. His role has passed to Douglas King. Secretary emailed the latter to ask whether the only news we would get was what we had received from Fife Council. He sent the new 76 timetable. The through route to Crombie has been restored throughout the day. Must encourage its use. Each concessionary fare still provides 72% of the full fare income to Stagecoach, so the more who travel, the more secure the service will be.
c) McCafferty Consultation process. We still need to view the Community Consultation raw data to as what the McCafferty submission states is supposed to reflect our views. Andrew McCafferty has now disappeared from the scene. To date, only one of the Community Council’s two letters is on the Web site and none of the McCafferty material. Secretary will enquire what is happening.
d) West Fife Community Education Resources. Secretary had contacted one of the full time workers to say we needed to hear more about what they do.
e) Trailer obstruction in North Loanhead had been removed.
f) Brucehaven Road house extensions. Planning Officer has visited Mr Grant, but there is no action that can be taken to reverse the planning permission, despite the failure of the neighbour notification process. Henceforward, Fife Council is responsible for neighbour notification. In general terms, we have to remember the mantra that ‘no-one is entitled to a view’.
g) Limekilns Pier. Our application to the Big Lottery Investing in Ideas for a grant towards a feasibility study for Limekilns Pier had been refused. The £2000 requested from Broomhall Estate Conservation Trust had not been forthcoming. The assessors had concerns about ownership and whether the owner might be the ultimate beneficiary rather than the community. The Community Council formally thanked Liz Hutchings for all her hard work. We will formally write to the Estate to inform them. Liz will talk to the LEADER people again. Gerry will speak to Lynn Hoey. A member of the public said that ‘Limekilns Pier was now in the hands of the Forth Cruising Club’. If this is the case, it would have been helpful if we had known. Secretary will enquire.
h) Sea Wall at Red Row. Owners of several properties had, in response to the Community Council’s letter, examined their title deeds, and found that their property extends up to, but does not include the sea wall. Liability for the sea wall is therefore likely to lie with the Estate, particularly in view of the fact that the Estate owns the foreshore. Secretary will write to the Factor.
i) New lighting in Brucehaven road. Lamps are very bright, indeed too bright. Secretary will ask John Anderson if we can have a dimmer.
j) Ballast Bank. Cllr McMullan was asked to contact Environmental Health to arrange for a site visit to assess the asbestos exposure.

4. Police Newsletter.
Secretary explained that we no longer have a police presence at Community Council meetings, because our Community Constable, Ryan Hutchison holds a ‘Community Engagement’ meeting once every two months in Cairneyhill. Secretary had (reluctantly) attended for a third time, and eventually got school parking at Limekilns as a priority. Although we understand that Ryan has spent time in the villages, and at the school, there seems, sadly, to be no communication at all with the Community Council. Inspector Mitchell tells us we have to look on the web site to see what Ryan has been doing. Secretary has asked that Ryan drops her an email when he puts something new on the web site. This hasn’t happened. The monthly police electronic newsletter usually arrives a few days after our CC meeting. None arrived in June until Secretary requested it.

5. New surgery issues.
a) Chairman welcomed Dr Chan to the meeting.
b) Dr Chan explained her rationale for applying to run a pharmacy. Her application to Fife Health Board had been approved. She would now apply for Planning Permission. There is some urgency because the licence will be revoked unless the pharmacy is operational within 6 months.
c) A full pharmacy service (eg Pharmacist always available for advice, minor ailment service etc.) is currently denied to villagers.
d) No planned changes to the outside of the building. Internal alterations and a separate door. No signage on the outside.
e) Dr Chan does not anticipate more patients or traffic. She does not intend that there be sales other than patient medical products (so no toothpaste and sun-tan oil). Have not opted for 24 hour service. Has an option for Saturday morning opening if there is demand.
f) There are still unresolved issues for neighbours. The car park lighting has not been resolved, despite a plan for a test light to be switched on for the night of June 2nd. Delivery lorries still park on the bend beside the pedestrian access rather than in the car park. There is no greater issue of likelihood of damage to other vehicles if they use the car park than on the road. The car park will have been properly constructed by Muirs to bear 7 and 10 tonne trucks. No issue there. Extensive and adequate parking areas had been part of the planning stipulation. It is sad that it is not being properly utilised. Dr Chan stated that she would not insist that parking should be in the car park. However, it was suggested that she could advise that parking should be in the car park.

6. Container Port
a) Chairman gave some background. Babcock had actively sought the support of the Community Council when they were seeking a Harbour Empowerment Order. In November 2007, they attended a CC meeting to try and explain their case, but never mentioned containers. Despite our less than whole-hearted support for their case, the HEO was granted in 2009. The NPF2 National Planning Framework suggests the possible need for additional container capacity on the Forth. This has now become Babcock’s proposed International Container Terminal. The concerns of this community are many. Houses in Limekilns are closer to the site than any in Rosyth, and will be subject to huge noise and other impacts, and yet we were not, unlike Rosyth CC, sent the Scoping Report in January. We only discovered by chance at the beginning of May that anything was happening about this proposal. We further understand that a PAN (Proposal of Application Notice) was submitted to Fife Council in mid May, and should have been sent to us, but it was not. The distribution of this PAN to consultees should signal to them the start of a 12 week Pre Application Consultation (PAC). Failure to distribute it means we had no idea the PAC had begun, and have written to say the PAC period would be started again. In order that discussion of matters relating to the proposed Container Terminal does not take over all CC meetings, we have convened an informal working group which will report its deliberations to the full CC each month.
b) Secretary summarised some of the correspondence during the month. Babcock would not give us the dates of the Rosyth exhibition, saying we would be able to read the notices in the local Press! Luckily we had found them from elsewhere, and were able to put them in the newsletter and get it round the village. We are told that there had been 150 (?) visitors to the exhibition in Rosyth. 38 of them were from Limekilns, 10 from Charlestown, and 1 from Pattiesmuir. The population of Rosyth is about 12,500. The population of our villages is around 2000! Despite this evidence of proportionately far greater interest in the proposals from our villages, they have not yet agreed to bring the exhibition to Limekilns! I thanked them for sending me a CD of the material on the exhibition boards, but said it would not help others who could not get to Rosyth for a variety of reasons. Babcock were given the date of this CC meeting on 11th June. They did not seem optimistic about getting themselves together for it. In the end, they tried to blame me by saying that they were waiting to hear from me if it was OK for them to come. I replied saying that they were welcome at any of our meetings, and that it would be good if even one of them could attend, even briefly tonight, so that we could agree a date for the presentation they wished to make. In reply to this invitation, I was told ‘we will be unable to send a representative to attend the Community Council meeting on the 29th as we are engaged elsewhere on business matters’
c) Jim Tolson MSP thanked the Community Council for the opportunity to address the meeting. He said he was ‘a bit at odds’ with the Community Council’s position. He fully backed the project and had hosted Babcock executives in events at the Scottish Parliament to promote the project to MSPs. He had met Forth Ports and understood their reasons for opposing the project. He said there would be mitigation measures. He also said that Babcock will not operate the site themselves, but lease the facility to an experienced operator. He had been under the impression that this community had been fully aware. No-one had contacted him to express their concerns. (It was pointed out to him that this was because we had no idea as to what was going on!). He now wanted to listen to our concerns. He heard a few:
• Frustration at the very poor communication with Babcock, and their apparent reluctance to engage with us. They have refused to bring their exhibition to Limekilns, and have not yet managed to come to a Community Council meeting.
• Fife Council excluded us from the initial scoping report consultation.
• We seriously question the number of jobs that are promised.
• The additional road haulage costs incurred would be huge.
• It’s not significantly nearer the open sea than Grangemouth.
• Massive requirement for dredging – with unknown consequences for the movement of sediments and stability of our sea defences.
• The suggestion of 24 hour operation and the accompanying noise does not bear thinking about. Huge diesel powered cranes, with constant bleeping when they are in motion. Truck movements involving similar bleeping noises in reverse. Ship and tug engines. Dredging activity. Clanking of containers as they are stacked.
Jim Tolson said he would encourage Babcock to have a public consultation in the villages.

7. Treasurer’s Report
No significant expenditure since the last meeting.

8. Secretary's Report
a) Some very complicated information from Entrust on revised guidelines for Objective D projects.
b) Two ex Fife Council employees, Donald Murdcoh and Andy Easton have set themselves up as a consultancy called ‘Community Project Partnership’.
c) Dunfermline Association of Community Councils meeting tomorrow.

9. Councillor’s Report.
a) Cllr McMullan dad been chasing up repairs to street lighting. Fundamental electrical fault.
b) West Fife Villages Community Council Forum had again asked why we do not attend.
c) We (and Cairneyhill) are getting left out of Locality Funding because we don’t ask often enough.
d) Gerry will meet Doreen about a dog bin.
e) Gerry is judging the Gala Fancy Dress.

10. AOCB
a) There had, during the month, been enthusiastic email exchanges between CC members on the subject of Big Lottery funding for Community Wildlife Projects. Lyndsy will investigate. Need to talk about it with the Estate.
b) Lyndsy also mentioned the patch of land that had now emerged from the brambles at the northern end of Church Lane. Playgroup would like to tidy this up as a potential grassed area for activities.
c) Gerry will have a walk round with Lyndsy and see whether it could be a Locality budget project.
d) Fife Outdoor Access Festival 31st July – 8th August.

11. Date of Next Meetings: Extra meeting on July 20th and regular meeting on August 31st 2010.
7.30pm. Queen’s Hall

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 25th MAY 2010

Present: Sue Hamilton, Ali MacKerron, Peter Curry, Doreen Kempsell, Sheila Green, Annie Nally, Graham Urquhart, Suze Anderson,

In Attendance: Cllr McMullan, Christine Page, Ronnie Watt

1. Apologies: Liz Hutchings, Linda MacPhee, Lyndsy Adam, Beryl Leatherland, Sarah Angell, Charlie Reid Thomas,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 27th April 2010
Following the addition of an item that had been omitted from Matters arising, viz: ‘Chairman had drafted a response to the letter from Broomhall Estate. This had been circulated to members and approved. It had been emailed to The Factor, but it had not been acknowledged. Chairman will post a hard copy, and request an acknowledgement’ the minutes were approved.
Proposed: Graham Urquhart, Seconded: Sheila.

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 27th April 2010
a) Trees at Braehead. Annie had spoken to Factor about perhaps getting volunteers to clear the scrub behind the surgery car park area. The scrub had now been cleared, probably by the Estate, but it would be good to remove one or two of the more substantial trees. There would be no damage to the stability of the bank if roots are left in place.
b) Traffic management – speed tables. Secretary had phoned Iain Henderson. The design guys had still not produced plans. He suggested that he meet us and mark on the road where we think the speed tables should be. The Community Council agreed that we did not have the expertise to know about distance from junctions etc. We will ask that a technical guy come along to the meeting as well.
c) Conservation Area appraisals have been finalised and will be put on Fife Direct.
d) New surgery issues. Chairman had written to Doctor Chan, following up Annie Nally’s correspondence. Stewart Anderson of Environmental Health says that, on the night of June 2nd and possibly subsequent nights, one light, to which louvres have been fitted will be left on all night, so that we can see whether louvres would solve the problem of glare. The Community Council agrees with him that there is no need for any car park lighting to be switched on, other than on winter evenings and mornings when the surgery is open during the hours of darkness. The commercial waste bins – one blue and one yellow are put out on the pavement and remain there for emptying on Sunday (why Sunday?) and are not always put away on Monday morning. As there is a dedicated bin store in the car park, the refuse lorry should be able to access the bins from there. Traffic is still a problem with vehicles failing to use the car park and delivery lorries often parking at the end of the footpath near the bend, thus causing a hazard. Various ideas for dealing with the problem were discussed. It was agreed that we should invite Dr Chan to our next meeting, explaining to her in advance what concerns we wished to raise.
e) 76 bus. No word from Stagecoach about their consultation, but, at very short notice, and with little publicity, Fife Council Transportation service had, for one hour this morning, at Limekilns, held a consultation about its ‘supported’ (ie subsidised) services. Questionnaires are available or responses can be made on line. It was noted that the questionnaire mentioned the availability of travel by school bus if necessary.
f) Mike Shirkie, chairman of Rosyth Community Council had given us some literature about the Scarborough Muir proposals for Rosyth Waterfront. There is currently an impasse with Fife council, which might be submitted to Scottish Government Planning Mediation Service for attempted resolution.

4. Broomhall Estate.
a) Collapsed wall by Rosyth Churchyard is in danger of further collapse. Ali will inspect
b) Chairman has drafted a letter to the owners of properties at the east end of Red Row. Letters will be delivered this week. The meeting agreed that the wall could undergo catastrophic collapse in a storm, as did the end of Limekilns Pier. The meeting asked Gerry and Ali to investigate where responsibility for public safety would ultimately lie if there were to be a collapse of the sea wall.
c) Appreciation was expressed for the Estate’s speedy response to the small holes appearing in the sea wall at Rosyth churchyard.
d) Fife Council’s work base for the Brucehaven Road, (Storage containers and toilet) had been moved from the Soapworks to the grassed area at Upper Wellheads. It is understood that his was because the Estate had threatened to charge Fife Council rent for using the area at the Soapworks!

5. Local Plan
a) The Community Council responses to the Local Plan have yet to appear on the web site.
b) The Broomhall objection resulting from the McCafferty process had also not yet appeared. Secretary had been assured by Jim Henry of Fife Council that the whole document together with the appendix, consisting of raw data would eventually be posted on the site. In the mean time, Secretary had contacted Andrew McCafferty to see if he could send us an electronic copy. He had tried but failed, apparently because of the size of the files. Ali suggested we ask him to send it to Ali’s business email address, which routinely handles big files.

6. Replacement of Footway and Lighting at Brucehaven Road
a) This has been a major project (and we have as many dropped kerbs in Brucehaven Road as we have in the whole of the rest of the villages!)
b) People like the lamps. They give lots of light (or too much!)
c) Peter Curry made a heartfelt plea for some co-ordination between Transportation and Refuse collection. They managed to close the road completely on a Tuesday, thus preventing the bin lorry from getting along, and bins were not emptied. This is not acceptable when bins are only emptied once a fortnight.

7. Planning Applications and Building Works.
a) The application at 10 Main Street with dormer windows has been withdrawn.
b) Numbers 21 and 23 Brucehaven Road began their respective projects to add another storey to their bungalows within days of each other. 23 is particularly controversial, as there appears to have been some sort of shortcoming in the neighbour notification process. Gerry had spoken to Angus Dodds about the matter. Ali explained that the Community Council generally only objects to domestic planning applications when there is a conservation area issue or where neighbours come to the Community Council for support. In this case, the neighbours may not have been sufficiently informed!

8. Limekilns Pier
a) Lottery application to Investing in Ideas for a feasibility study has, been accepted! We will hear a decision within 8 weeks of the day it was registered.
b) Six months on, we still await a date when Broomhall Estates Conservation Trust trustees will meet and determine whether they will contribute £2000 for the study.

9. Container Port Scoping Document
Secretary had, three weeks ago been asked if she’d like to be passed copies of the Rosyth Community Council newsletter. In the February edition, she read that ‘Babcock Marine Rosyth Limited is seeking consent to construct a new freight facility’ on the RD57 site. It said that they had submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment to Fife Council. On investigation, this turned out to be a Scoping Report which outlines the issues that they suggest should be addressed in the EIA. This had been sent to ‘statutory and non-statutory consultees’ at the beginning of January. Secretary initially borrowed Rosyth CC’s copy, and was subsequently and immediately sent another after she had telephoned Angus Dodds in planning, Mike Murray at Babcock, and Ted Keegan at Jacob’s to express our dismay at having been excluded from this consultation. Gerry was sent an electronic copy when he inquired shortly thereafter. This had been circulated to CC members. Secretary summarised some of what was implied by the document:
• A tidal basin to be formed by opening up the RD57 ‘big hole’ to the south and dividing it in half to provide two ‘load on load off’ berths. Lots and lots of piling involved.
• 600,000m3 of material to be dredged from the sea-bed to form an entrance channel at least 10m deep. Lots of questions arise about where this would be dumped, and the effect of disturbance of the sea bed and tidal flows. Thereafter maintenance dredging would be needed ‘every two or three years’.
• A paved container storage area of 175,000m2 where containers will be stacked up to five high by Rubber Tyre Gantry Cranes and/or Reach Stackers.
• Lighting stacks to illuminate the site will be approximately 45 metres high.
• Three Dockside Cranes will be required, each reaching an approximate height of 40 metres.
• The Scheme will receive an annual throughput of 400,000- 500,000 TEU’s (TEU = Twenty Foot Equivalent Units. A full length container is 40 foot long).
• This could necessitate up to 750-900 vehicles entering and exiting the site each day when the facility is fully operational.
• 60% of the traffic would be destined for the west around Glasgow. 20% for Edinburgh and Livingston, 10% for Aberdeen via Stirling and 5% each for Fife and the north of England. It seems that this would all exit onto the A985.
• ‘Opportunities to utilise the existing rail infrastructure for transportation of goods are being investigated.’ Aye Right!
• And so it goes on………..
Beryl Leatherland and her husband Tom have a copy of the report and we anticipate that they will have drafted an initial response later this week. In the mean time, secretary will write to Keith Winter, head of Development Services expressing our displeasure at being excluded from the early stages of this planning process and asking that our response will be incorporated into the plan for the EIA

11. Treasurer’s Report
No significant expenditure since the last meeting.

12. Secretary's Report
a) Fife Councillors had expressed their displeasure at the way BT handled the matter of red telephone kiosks in their contact with Community Councils.
b) Acute Hospitals newsletter

13. Councillor’s Report.
a) Gerry shared with us information about the scale of Community Education resources allocated to West Fife and questioned why so little of it seemed to be visible in our villages.
b) High Hedges campaign seems to be making good progress towards some sort of legislation.
c) Gerry offered to walk round and identify possible projects for which we could apply for funding from the local area budget.
d) Gerry had enjoyed the College Club’s 25th birthday party.
e) Church fund raising. Gerry had offered to organize (celebrity?) speaker evenings to raise funds.

14. AOCB
a) An unlit trailer parked in North Loanhead is a hazard to traffic. Doreen will ask Pamela Griffiths if she knows who it belongs to.
b) Concern was expressed at the continuing attrition of the Ballast Bank and possible exposure of asbestos. It may be time to ask Environmental Health to make another assessment.
c) Police. Secretary had attended the police community engagement meeting at Cairneyhill for the third time. Once again, all the discussion was about Cairneyhill issues. The meeting had, nevertheless agreed that Limekilns School parking should become one of Ryan’s priorities for the next period. Secretary had suggested that he talk with us so that the various parking issues and traffic problems at the school could be discussed.

Date of Next Meeting June 30th 2010. 7.30pm. Queen’s Hall

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 27th APRIL 2010

Present: Sue Hamilton, Ali MacKerron, Peter Curry (from 8pm), Doreen Kempsell, Sheila Green, Annie Nally, Liz Hutchings, Graham Urquhart, Lyndsy Adam (from 8pm), Suze Anderson,

In Attendance: Cllr McMullan, Alex Hill, David Hutton, Louise Trow (Fife Cultural Partnership)

1. Apologies: Linda MacPhee, Beryl Leatherland, Charlie Reid Thomas, Cllr Walker, (Christine page, Ronnie Watt)

2. Minutes of the meeting of 30th March 2010
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Graham Urquhart, Seconded: Annie Nally.

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 30th March 2010
a) Bus shelter. Iain Henderson still has it on his agenda. (Footnote from history. Secretary read from a piece of Community Council correspondence in 1983, when a new bus shelter had been installed, and the Community Council requested that it be turned round to provide effective protection from the elements. After protracted correspondence, the request was refused! How do we make sure they do the job right next time?)
b) Trees at Braehead. Scrub behind the car park area has still not been cleared. Secretary had asked that it be done before the foliage grew on the bushes.
c) Lowered kerbs. The lowered kerbs that we requested have all been installed. Secretary has tested the routes with a borrowed mobility scooter.
d) Road and Footway at the Sutlery. Work has been completed beautifully!
e) Traffic management – speed tables. No further communication from Iain Henderson. Men with a surveying poles have been seen in Church Street.
f) Old surgery car park. The Community Council is delighted that the wooden fence has been removed and that the coping stones have been stored safely behind the wall.
g) Conservation Area appraisal. Secretary had noted that, in the short report to the South West Area committee there had been included a sentence about perhaps establishing a community garden on Charlestown Green. Secretary had indicated to Diane Barbary that such an alteration to the look and use of the Green would be unlikely to find favour with residents.

4. Police News.
a) No contact at all with Ryan Hutchison during the past month. Police newsletter will, no doubt, arrive just after our meeting.
b) Ryan’s priorities have still all been in Cairneyhill. His presence has not been particularly evident in our villages, although it’s understood he does visit the shops on a regular basis. A phone call to the Secretary towards Community Council time might be a good idea.
c) It’s a bit of a chore to have to go to the police web site and check whether there is anything relevant to us. There is, apparently, something called an RSS feed which can alert people to a new posting on a web site they are particularly interested in. If they’re serious about really being in touch with communities, perhaps the Police should investigate the value of this for Community Councils

5. Louis Trow. Fife Cultural Partnership
Louise is the Area Cultural Co-ordinator for South West Fife. She explained that there are 7 themes for Celebrating Fife 2010. There were large-scale flagship events as well as community strands. £100 - £2,500 grants for small scale events. All grants are subject to matched funding – which may be in kind. There are two themes for smaller events - Extravagala for enhanced Gala events and Community Spirit. Initial step is to fill in an ‘ideas’ form before the end of June. The Celebrating Fife event has a £1m fund, mainly from Fife Council.

6. Broomhall Estate.
a) Collapsed wall by Rosyth Churchyard has been tidied up.
b) Roadway at Pan Knowe at the east end of Red Row has collapsed into a large void. Secretary had contacted the Factor, who says that the Estate is currently investigating its liabilities. This is potentially a very serious issue, since this track, bounded by its sea wall is part of the fabric of our villages, quite apart from also being part of the cycle track. If the sea wall were to collapse, the track would also collapse, and then threaten the foundations of the boundary walls of properties. Chairman will draft a letter to the owners of properties that are affected.

7. Draft Local Plan
a) Community Council had submitted two letters in response to the Local Plan consultation – one concerning the content of the Plan and one concerning the unsatisfactory nature of the process of consultation and communication with Development Services.
b) All responses to the consultation are being put on the web site. To date, there is no document visible in the Andrew McCafferty response to the plan. We will ask to see the raw data and to be given the opportunity to comment on how the views expressed by the community have been interpreted in the response.
c) Advice from Planning Aid. Secretary had sought Planning Aid advice about the legal status of the so-called ‘Strategic Land Allocations’. The adviser said that Fife had, unusually, allocated specific land areas in the Structure Plan, rather than leaving the definition of particular sites to the Local Plan stage. Community Councils had not been properly informed about this change of approach, and many are feeling short-changed by the consultation process – as we are. Fife Council places huge burdens on house-builders in terms of the provision of infrastructure and facilities – and in the current economic climate it is unlikely that developers will be in a position to make such substantial upfront investment in roads, schools etc.

8. Limekilns Pier
a) Lottery application to Investing in Ideas for a feasibility study has returned because –‘for the purpose of Investing in Ideas applications, Community Councils are not considered to be statutory bodies’. They are therefore demanding all sorts of extra paperwork which Liz is sorting out.
b) Still awaiting a date when Broomhall Estates Conservation Trust trustees will meet.

9. New Surgery Issues
a) Lighting. James Forbes, Planning Enforcement officer, said the lights were OK because there had been a drawing (that had never appeared on the web site). On the drawing, it gave no indication of the style of the posts, but merely marked their positions as dots, and gave the manufacturer’s catalogue number. Secretary had spoken to Stewart Anderson of Environmental Health, and reiterated that the lights were totally unacceptable in their present form.
b) Annie Nally, who lives in South Row in the property which is probably the most affected by the new surgery, reported to the meeting her grave disappointment with Dr Chan’s response to her carefully written letter, inviting Dr Chan to visit her property and see for herself why the quality of life for Annie and her son had been so very seriously diminished. Annie has lost her light, her view, the relative privacy of her garden, and her peace. Traffic is constant during surgery hours. A significant number of vehicles park on the road, or on the pavements, rather than in the car park. Some leave their engines running, some are large, and one delivery van apparently parks at the path end and toots its horn until the receptionist comes out. And on a Sunday afternoon when there should have been some respite for local residents, a group of youths had sat in the sun in the car park with their car radio playing loud music. Annie’s request had been for help in providing a small amount of appropriate planting or screening so that she could reclaim some of her garden space for her and her family. Dr Chan had refused to help, saying that, over the years, the beech hedge would grow to screen the building. There had been a suggestion of double yellow lines to prevent inappropriate parking. We have resisted such lines in the villages, and there is, in any case, not the man-power to enforce compliance. Annie had suggested Dr Chan put a notice inside the surgery asking patients and their drivers to use the car park, rather than parking on the road, however short their visit. She didn’t seem to respond positively to this suggestion either. Annie had had some support from Willie Rennie’s office, but they are, understandably preoccupied with election matters just now. Ali will draft a letter to Dr Chan, supporting Annie’s request for action to restore some of her quality of life.

10. 76 Bus Service
A number of MSPs had responded positively to receiving a copy of our letter to Stagecoach. Murdo Fraser’s researcher had been particularly helpful in ascertaining that there was nothing in law which precluded a bus company from cross subsidising between a profitable and a less profitable service. Secretary had written to Steve Walker of Stagecoach with this information, and he had replied that he had always been under a misapprehension about this matter!

11. Treasurer’s Report
a) Beryl Leatherland had been added to as a third signatory to the Dunfermline Building Society Account. Liz will make arrangements for the HBOS account
b) Year end is approaching. Accounts are ready for audit.
c) Income (grant) was £489.18
Expenditure was £753.07 (£250 to Scouts for fireworks)
Balance (bank) £103
Balance (building society) £2451

12. Secretary's Report
a) BTCV Volunteers. Secretary had received an email yesterday from them seeking ideas for environment projects. Secretary had said she would ask about the Lime Heritage Trail path clearing.
b) Right of way query at Pattiesmuir. It was agreed that the path along the boundary of Craigie Cottage to the main road was now redundant and would not be suitable for signposting.
c) Fife Access Forum Seminar June 10th. Rothes Halls.
d) ‘Connect’ magazine. Health Council communication
e) Royal Dunfermline project. This is being revived with an ‘Imagine Dunfermline’ theme. Secretary had asked where to get more postcards, but had no reply. We would like to imagine Dunfermline without any threat of south western expansion.

13. Councillor’s Report.
a) Scarborough Muir Rosyth Waterfront. Still fighting for mixed use development into the Local Plan. We would probably support that, but have not received any communication about it.
b) Culross Festival is happening.

14. AOCB
a) There is a very large pothole on the edge of the road at 13 North Row. Gerry is talking to the Estate and Transportation about.
b) There will be Community Council elections in October this year.
c) Charlie Reid Thomas had been seen behind Charles Court, apparently looking at trees that had been cut down in the planted copse.
d) There are orange spots on several trees in the woods at Windylaw. Some trees look dead but others don’t. What do the spots indicate?
e) Appreciation was expressed about the maintenance of the Play park and surrounds. New bark had been laid and various minor things fixed. There was a particularly nice grass-cutting man.
f) Litter on the main roads outside the village is appalling. There is a particular feature of nappies being discarded on Hilton Road on a regular basis!

Date of Next Meeting May 25th 2010. AGM at 7.30pm. Ordinary meeting at 7.50pm

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE GELLET HALL ON 30th MARCH 2010

Present: Sue Hamilton, Ali MacKerron, Linda MacPhee, Peter Curry (late), Annie Nally, Liz Hutchings, Graham Urquhart (late), Beryl Leatherland, Lyndsy Adam, Suze Anderson,

In Attendance: Cllr McMullan (late), Andrew McCafferty, Ed Dunbar (Broomhall Assistant Factor), Lesley Scott, Katrina Tebbutt, Alex Hill, Ronnie Watt, Bill Runciman, Paul Spriddle, Jamie Spriddle, Charina Beswick (for item 9).

1. Apologies: Doreen Kempsell, Sheila Green, Sarah Angell (belated), Charlie Reid Thomas, Cllr Walker,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 23rd February 2010
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Annie Nally. Seconded: Liz Hutchings

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 23rd February 2010
a) Bus shelter. Iain Henderson still has it on his agenda. No money this year!
b) Trees at Braehead. Scrub behind the car park area will be cleared. Is on the work programme.
c) Lowered kerbs. Six had been installed in Limekilns, but not in the locations we had requested. Most were not sufficiently flush (6mm) with the carriageway for mobility scooters to pass safely. Cllr McMullan had contacted various transportation officers and expressed his displeasure at the situation. We are now getting all the ones we asked for properly installed this week! (Two requested by John Hoyes at East Harbour Road have been beautifully installed in the right places!)
d) Road and Footway at the Sutlery. Big works here started on Saturday and will last for 5 days.
e) Traffic management – speed tables. No further communication from Iain Henderson.
f) 7 Hall Row. This application to build two houses in the garden of a cottage in the Conservation has been refused.
g) Charlestown toilets. Now reopened – following phone calls from the Secretary.
h) Rosyth Biomass plant. Beryl and Tom Leatherland had drafted a response to the scoping report, reflecting a lot of the questions and answers from ForthEnergy presentation at the February meeting. This had been supplemented and approved by members of the Community Council and sent to the Scottish Government Consents Unit with copies to Fife Council and the developer.
i) E-communication. The Community Council is now registered as a data handler and pays an annual fee of £35 which is refunded from Fife Council. The CC Facebook site is going well with more than 50 fans.
j) Obtrusive textile recycling bin has been replaced with a smaller one.
k) There doesn’t yet seem to have been proper resolution of the buckshot issue. Pheasant shooting does not begin again until the end of October. The Estate is carrying out a Health and Safety audit of all activities. Residents want a written guarantee that the incidence of buckshot landing on private property will never occur again.
l) Conservation Area appraisal. Ronnie Watt has made a useful response to the consultation.

4. Police Report.
a) Police newsletter seems to come out at the very beginning of the month, just after our meetings. Secretary had omitted to forward the last one to CC members. A second one is expected shortly and will be forwarded to members immediately.
b) Ryan’s priorities have all been in Cairneyhill. He feels he is making progress with the school parking issue there, and is now aware that we have a similar problem. Secretary and Doreen Kempsall had attended the second meeting in Cairneyhill. These meetings need a chairperson, to stop them becoming dominated by one or two individuals to the exclusion of others. Secretary had also suggested that some meetings should be held in other locations than Cairneyhill.

5. Broomhall Estate. Various wall issues
a) Old Surgery. Coping stones on wall need resetting. Fence has been erected until Lord Elgin decides what to do with the land. Fence was vandalised. Fence has now been propped up with coping stones. Secretary suggested that coping stones be stowed neatly and not be left in a heap to tempt folk who might be building a rockery!
b) Secretary had emailed the Factor about the wall by the Rosyth Churchyard last week, because so many people were worried that it might fall on a dog or a child. Ed had visited last week and also sought advice from the Lime Centre. The wall fell down today. Fortunately, no-one was injured. The Estate agreed to make what was left of it safe.
c) A resident has had part of an Estate wall collapse into his garden.
d) Water is flowing under the wall into the school playground in several locations. May be to do with silting up of drains.
e) Lady Martha had indicated to the Secretary that there was an intention by the Estate to make an opening in the school playground wall to provide access to a piece of land to be used as an outdoor classroom. This was welcomed.
f) Bill Runciman reported that the maintenance work carried out on ‘The Run’ seemed to have disturbed the drainage of water from the path under the bridge. In frosty weather it was a sheet of ice.

6. McCafferty Associates Submission.
Andrew McCafferty referred to his list of draft proposals, emphasising that the submission had not yet been signed off by the Estate. He mentioned 13 locations:
a) Scottish Lime Centre behind the Sutlery, identified as a brownfield site with a potential for 5 housing units combined with other uses.
b) Charlestown Green is already designated as protected open space,
c) Ballast Bank. Brownfield site. Up to 30 housing units with a mix of other uses: open space, parking, leisure, tourism, heritage interpretation and viewpoint.
d) Harbour. Repair and restoration must be secured. Public access all round the harbour. Secretary mentioned the need for public slipway access to the water.
e) Kilns. Repair must be secured.
f) West Charlestown (beyond the cricket pitch). Up to 20 housing units. Low to medium density around a green
g) Land north of Charlestown. Rural tourism destination: farm shops, children’s indoor play area, outdoor adventure centre, rock climbing, cycling, farm restaurant, garden centre, holiday homes and chalets.
h) Charlestown Cricket club. Protected open space.
i) Cairns grass area. Protected open space.
j) Limekilns east. 120 housing units. Counted as part of West Fife villages strategic housing allocation. Would involve junction improvement, pedestrian access, permeable street pattern, woodland and habitat areas to encourage biodiversity, and screen from the A985. Play facilities, mix of housing types. The precise boundary would be subject to a detailed masterplan.
k) Brucehaven harbour (Soapworks). Small-scale harbourside uses.
l) Limekilns Pier. Repair, restore – protected open space.
m) Limekilns Park. Protected open space.
It was pointed out that he had mentioned some 170 housing units. What about capacity of the school? ‘School could be extended’.
Chairman suggested that the green belt should extend south of the A985 to the shore. Andrew agreed that this might be a good thing.
It was agreed that the Cowfield needed some management if it is ot remain an attractive open space.

7. Draft Local Plan
After much quizzing of Fife Council planners by the Secretary, the Community Council was now beginning to interpret the Draft Local Plan. The appearance of a notice of a proposed green belt pinned to a tree on the Limekilns Road signalled to us that this was to define the western boundary of a south westerly development of Dunfermline. A very large area south of Dunfermline, not coloured in any way on the map, and marked only with thin vertical black lines and the legend ‘DUN084’ is described elsewhere in the text as being part of the Dunfermline Strategic Development Area, and is proposed to accommodate 2000 houses, two schools, together with new roads and employment land. It is all within our own Community Council area and owned by Broomhall Estate. Neither Fife Council nor Broomhall Estate have been particularly forthcoming when there have been opportunities for them to be so. The proposals will impact on our relationship with Dunfermline, on our separate identity, on the historic SW aspect of the town, on the historic views from the town, on traffic patterns etc etc.
The Community Council had produced a short newsletter alerting villagers to what we had missed. The Estate had been perturbed by our suggestion that villagers who had participated in the consultation may have had a different attitude to development close to the villages if they had been aware of the likely development potential elsewhere on Broomhall land. Ed Dunbar read out a letter from Charlie Reid Thomas to be attached to the minutes of this meeting. The chairman emphasised that the Newsletter had expressed our views, our beliefs, and our understanding of the situation. The community council has tried to encourage villagers to engage in and comment on the Local Plan consultation. They deserved as much information as we could provide.
There are very serious issues for Fife Council about how information had been presented in the paper document and on line. There was a huge amount of information to navigate through, with little by way of an easy access summary, for those looking for big impact stuff. Other communities had encountered similar problems with the document and with the unhelpful attitude of Fife Planning officers. Regret was expressed that the Andrew McCafferty process may have been undermined by the absence of information about development land elsewhere on the Estate. It seems that reputations may have been damaged all round.

8. Limekilns Pier
a) Lottery application to Investing in Ideas for a feasibility study has been sent off.
b) Still awaiting a date when Broomhall Estates Conservation Trust trustees will meet. Ed Dunbar does not know who they are.

9. Planning
a) New Surgery Lighting. Soon after the opening of the new surgery, car park lights were switched on. There were 15 of them shining bright white light into the houses in South Row and into the eyes of passing drivers. Secretary has phoned Gerry who had driven down to have a look. The next day both an Environmental Health and Planning Enforcement Officer had paid a visit. The lights are switched off in the mean time. One of the conditions upon which planning permission was granted was that any external lighting be approved in writing before installation. There was no evidence that his had been done. Secretary had written a formal letter of objection to the lighting.
b) 7 Main Street. Secretary provided back ground and reported that CC members had examined the plans on line, and agreed that, in view of the comments about large dormers made in the very recently published Limekilns Conservation Area Appraisal, an objection should be submitted. Charina Beswick, the applicant was in attendance. She described all the work they had done on the house, their professional qualifications and experience as architects, their desire to stay in the village, and their need of more space to accommodate a growing family. The dormer to the street was to provide headroom to a new staircase. It was suggested that CC members re-examine the plans in light of the discussion and consider whether their objection still stands.

10. 76 Bus Service
Secretary had carried out research on how bus services were financed, and had drafted a letter to Steve Walker (Stagecoach East Scotland Operations Director) which had been discussed and amplified by members. Copies had been sent to Stewart Stevenson, Councillors, MSPs and Willie Rennie. Several supportive replies had been received.

11. Treasurer’s Report
a) Dunfermline Building Society insists that we have three signatories. This means that the third signatory has to go along together with Liz and Sue to prove their identity and sign on the dotted line. The meeting agreed that Beryl Leatherland (Vice chair) should be the third signatory. Liz will arrange a date.
b) Year end is approaching, so accounts will be finalized.
c) Secretary had received application form for our Annual Grant which she passed to Liz.

12. Secretary's Report
a) Visit to new fire station. Secretary and Sheila Green had attended a visit arranged by West Fife Villages Community Councils Forum. Most of the work of firemen is now to do with prevention, with a great deal of data analysis to anticipate problem areas or situations before they arise. They reckon a fire engine going out is a failure of their prevention strategy rather than a routine occurrence. Only 7.5% of their time is spent on actual emergency call-outs. Firemen have visited every house in West Fife to offer fire prevention advice and free smoke alarms. They have a red, amber, green code for each house, depending on the success they have had in getting the fire prevention message across.
b) Rabbits. There are plagues of rabbits in the gardens of South Row and of East Harbour. Secretary had contacted a pest control person who advised that they used ‘any legal method’ but that this was not a good time of year because rabbits were already breeding.
c) Entrust. Secretary had completed ‘Form 4’ – the annual Entrust renewal to retain our recognition as an Environmental Body.
d) DWFCHP. Four copies received of their very glossy newsletter.
e) Fife Culture Strategy. Lousie Trow had asked if she could attend a meeting. Katrina said she would be meeting her next week about Gala and Garden club applications, so she would check out other ideas which might be appropriate for the Community Council to consider.
f) The 9.30 am bus last Saturday had failed to appear. Apparently, part of the gear box fell off, and there was no replacement available.
g) Development Services had written giving a list of forthcoming consultations.

13. Councillor’s Report.
a) Dead Seal. A dead seal had been removed by Environmental Health Officers from the beach at Red Row, after some discussion as to whether it belonged to the Estate or not!
b) Gerry had sent Secretary information about West Area Transportation’s plans for dealing with bad weather that is forecast for tonight!

14. AOCB
a) Dr Chan had contacted the chairman to report that there had been an application to open a pharmacy in the villages. This would have serious implications for the GP practice.

Date of Next Meeting April 27th 2010 7.30pm

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE GELLET HALL ON 23rd FEBUARY 2010

Present: Sue Hamilton, Peter Curry, Annie Nally, Liz Hutchings, Graham Urquhart, Ali MacKerron, Beryl Leatherland, Doreen Kempsell, Charlie Reid Thomas,

In Attendance: Cllr McMullan, Andrew McCafferty, Lesley Scott, Katrina Tebbutt, Alex and Kathy Hill, Ronny Watt, Tom Leatherland, David Hutton, and from Forth Energy, Calum Wilson, Daniel Jeffs, and Natalie Crooks

1. Apologies: Lyndsy Adam, Suze Anderson, Cllr Walker,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 26th January 2010
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Peter Curry. Seconded: Graham Urquhart

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 26th January 2010
a) Bus shelter. Iain Henderson still has it on his agenda. No money this year!
b) Trees at Braehead. Will be done when surgery is complete – about now then.
c) Lowered kerbs. Ian Jones has now confirmed to Gerry that we are to get seven in Limekilns and two in Charlestown before the end of the financial year!
d) Road and Footway at the Sutlery. Still no definite start date, but may happen at the same time as the lowered kerbs.
e) Stagecoach buses. They do their 3-point turns anywhere and everywhere. Secretary still to arrange a meeting.
f) Phone boxes. There is a phone pox in Easdale that is used as both a greenhouse and a village notice board. It might be a good project for the school to use ours as a greenhouse, but it would be more practicable if it were relocated to the school playground. Secretary had totally failed to find any way of contacting BT now that the so-called consultation period has ended!
g) Traffic management. Iain Henderson has assured us that they will not proceed to a Traffic Order without first sharing the plans with the Community Council! Ronnie Watt highlighted the issue of cyclists coming down Church Street at great speed. Speed tables would need to slow them down too. The ineffectiveness of the speed cushions on the Promenade in moderating the speed of buses, white vans and other large vehicles was commented upon.
h) 7 Hall Row. This application to build two houses in the garden of a cottage in the Conservation Area had failed to make it onto the agenda of the South West Area Committee for 17th February. It will be on the agenda for 17th March, with a recommendation to refuse.
i) Street Lighting lower Charlestown. Following John Anderson’s visit to the last CC meeting, he had written to say that it had been decided that modern lamp posts would be installed, unless they heard from us in the mean time. A copy of the letter and information about the relative costs of the two designs had been sent to all households in East Harbour and Saltpans, with an invitation to comment. As a result, one householder had written to John Anderson, objecting to the decision. His comments had been noted, but the decision stands. The meeting agreed that it would be important to use plastic rather than steel fixings for attaching signs to the new aluminium poles.

4. Presentation by Calum Wilson of Forth Energy on proposed Biomass Plant at Rosyth.
ForthEnergy is a joint venture between Forth Ports plc and Scottish and Southern Electricity. Plans are intended to contribute to Scotland’s renewable targets of 50% of energy and 11% of heat being generated from renewables by 2020. The stages and time scale of the application were explained. They hope to build four plants (Grangemouth, Rosyth, Leith, and Dundee) with a total capacity of some 500 MW (Longannet is 2400 MW). Energy projects come outwith the normal planning system and are dealt with under the Electricity Act. Statutory consultees are local authorities, SNH and SEPA. Three years to build. Nominal 20 year life time. The building would be 60m high with a 100m high chimney. The expectation is that chipped wood fuel (1m tonnes per annum) would be brought in by sea from sustainable sources overseas. Electricity would be fed directly to the grid. There could be potential for Combined Heat and Power. Many of the questions which followed concerned the sustainability of biomass sourced from overseas. What crops / environmental resource would be displaced? This was not very clear. How could such high transport costs be justified? The coal, oil and gas which currently fuel our generating stations are all imported over large distances. Relative carbon footprint is tiny compared with coal. Where and how will two week’s supply of fuel be safely stored and kept dry? Plans for an offloading and stockholding area beside the quay. Do they intend to build at all four locations. Yes.
Mr Wilson and colleagues were thanked for their presentation.

5. Police Report.
a) With the new community policing arrangements, we will no longer expect a police presence at Community Council meetings. We will receive a regular monthly newsletter, giving details of Fife-wide campaigns and local issues. Ryan Hutchison will hold meetings at Cairneyhill School at 7pm on the first Monday of every second month, starting in March. The absence of a report or police presence this month is probably due to management of the transition.
b) Non-emergency contact number is 0845 600 5702. Oakley is still available directly on 01592 251187

6. Draft Local Plan
The start of the consultation period has been delayed until 22nd of February and will now continue until the 19th April. Secretary has a hard copy of the Draft Plan. It is huge. She will place extracts relating to the villages in folders in the Post Offices, as well as paper response sheets. CC members who had viewed the document on line did not find it easy to navigate. Andrew McCafferty will bring a copy of the objection report which Broomhall plans to submit to the March Community Council meeting.

7. Charlestown and Limekilns Conservation Area appraisals and management plans
Information about the appraisals had been put in the Village News, together with information as to how to view them on line. Secretary had printed one hard copy of the Charlestown one. Copies of both will be in the Lime Centre from the beginning of March. Diane Barbary will hold a drop-in event there on Friday March 12th. It would be helpful if any comments could be copied to the Secretary.

8. Limekilns Pier
a) Liz has an updated estimate from Rambol.
b) She needs a letter from secretary confirming that we support the application and will only use the money for this purpose.
c) Factor said that Broomhall Estates Conservation Trust trustees had not yet met.

9. Community Council e-communication
a) Suze Anderson has set up a Facebook page ‘Charlestown, Limekilns and Pattiesmuir Community Council’ for disseminating brief bits of information.
b) She has also set up a Community Council email address clpcc@googlemail.com. An email to this address generates an acknowledgement which promises a reply within two days. People can choose to receive mailings on particular topics. This will mean that Suze holds lists of email addresses, and that we will need to register as a data handler.

10. Treasurer’s Report
a) We have spent £608 (our income is £489) already – mainly the result of our contribution to the Scout fireworks event.
b) Secretary had a letter from Mary Laidlaw, writing on behalf of the individuals who guide the occasional walks round the Charlestown heritage trail. George Campbell, who is in his eighties has cleared and strimmed paths prior to walks taking place. They are looking for an unspecified amount of grant to carry out this strimming work. In the mean time, George Campbell has already spoken to Charlie Reid Thomas who has agreed that Estate employees could help with this. It was also suggested that this was the type of conservation project that Explorer Scouts might wish to get involved with. Secretary will speak to Elizabeth MacKenzie.

11. Secretary's Report
a) Charlestown toilets. These have been closed since the beginning of the icy weather. Apparently the plumbing suffered a number of bursts. These have now been repaired, but Ron Farn is reluctant to reopen them until either the weather warms up or a frost stat heater is installed.
b) Doctors surgery. The surgery building work is just about finish. The surgery will open on 1st March. Residents of South Row have been distressed, this week, by security lighting shining right into and through their houses. Secretary had spoken to James White of Environmental Health who had contacted the architect. The security lighting is also mentioned under the list of planning conditions.
c) Recycling Point. A new textile bin has arrived with a vertical panel sticking up much higher than the surroundings. Secretary has requested that we get the old bin back.
d) Newsletter. Thanks to all deliverers. Graham had yet to deliver his. Fiona Davies had, apparently, not yet delivered the Pattiesmuir ones. Liz will chase up.
e) CC boundary. We have formally requested the incorporation of Hilton Farm, Steadings, and Cottages into our Community Council area.
f) Scottish Health Council Annual Report.
g) Fit’n’fun in Fife
h) Invitation to participate in Beautiful Fife. We don’t want to enter unless we can enter as a community, rather than separate villages.
i) Letter from Alistair Lawson of Scotways. In 2001, they had erected the green footpath signs at either end of the path from Rosyth Churchyard to Brucehaven Farm. He had visited this week to place two new ‘Heritage path’ signs on the poles at the north and south end of the route. He was dismayed at the amount of clutter that had accumulated on ‘his’ pole at the south end, and the absence of the Scotways sign from his pole at the north end. He asks whether the Community Council could find £25 for a replacement sign for the north end. We agreed that we could.
j) Pattiesmuir road has been resurfaced last week. They received notice on Tuesday morning that work would start on Tuesday morning and could they move their parked cars! Tuesday also not the best day to choose since so many cars come and go with College Club members!
k) Pattiesmuir residents do not receive any notification of when there might be a military funeral at Douglas Bank. Secretary has asked Liz Murphy of Bereavement Services to tell her if another one is planned, so that she can alert Liz.
l) Secretary had forwarded an email with information about the funds available for ‘Celebrating Fife’

12. Councillor’s Report.
a) The various pilot recycling pilot schemes were now complete, and it has been decided that the ‘Markinch’ model shall be rolled out across Fife. This seems to entail a fourth bin. This is impracticable for small gardens.
b) Crossford had erected dog walker signs, saying thanks to those who picked up after their dogs, and no thanks to those that did not.
c) Reduced bus service to Crombie is causing grief there.

13. AOCB
a) Charlestown Green is getting churned up again. Perhaps investigate grass paviours or similar. Gerry will pursue.
b) Buckshot from shoots. Shoots have finished for this year. Estate is reviewing its procedure for next year. The signage at the various entrances may be what is required by law, but is totally inadequate. Something like a red flag at each entrance would alert the public. Also Queen’s Hall gates have remained locked over some weekends.
c) The pavements along Charles Way which had received slurry seal treatment last year, have been ruined by contractors scraping snow off the pavement (after it was melting!) and dislodging the slurry seal.
d) Nothing has yet been done about the gas toby outside Ali’s house. His son managed to detect its whereabouts with the toy metal detector he got for Christmas!

Date of Next Meeting March 30th 2010 7.30pm

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE ELGIN HOTEL ON 26TH JANUARY 2010

Present: Sue Hamilton, Peter Curry, Sheila Green, Annie Nally, Liz Hutchings, Graham Urquhart, Ali MacKerron, Beryl Leatherland, Lyndsy Adam, Charlie Reid Thomas, Suze Anderson, Linda MacPhee

In Attendance: Cllr McMullan,
PC Ryan Hutchison and PC Alan Davidson (for item 3).
John Anderson, Fife Council (for item 5)
Andrew McCafferty, Andrew Bain, Justin from Andrew McCafferty Associates, and the following 25 members of the public: Andy and Maureen Sturton, Graham and Terry O’Connor, Peter Dreyer, David Hutton, Ena Calder, Malcolm Hamilton, David Crabb, Craig Hutcheson, Paul Spriddle, Kevin Coffey, Lesley Scott, Katrina Tebbutt, David Mackay, Katherine Isherwood, Gordon McKissock, Lesley Maul, Ian Maul, Moira Hoyes, John Hoyes, Eric Holmes, Jennifer and Ken McNeill, Ken Bellini (until the end of item 9.

1. Apologies: Cllr Walker, Doreen Kempsell, Christine Page,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 24th November 2009
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Sheila Green. Seconded: Peter Curry

3. Police Report.
a) PC Ryan Hutchison introduced himself as the new community beat officer for Limekilns, Charlestown, Crombie and Cairneyhill. They will be using a model of community engagement which has been successfully piloted in Methil. The plan is for the beat officer to meet with members of the community to identify three policing priorities for the area. The Community Officer will thereafter co-ordinate police action on these priorities and report back to the next committee meeting. The first meeting for this area will be at Cairneyhill School at 7pm on 1st February.
b) South West Fife now has 2 Domehawk mobile CCTV cameras and await the delivery of four more. These can be deployed in areas where there are persistent problems – both as a deterrent and to identify offenders.
c) When would the next Police in the Community programme be running? Don’t have a date yet, but intend that it will be based in West Fife, and start in March or April.
a) Non-emergency contact number is 0845 600 5702. Oakley is still available directly on 01592 251187

4. Matters Arising from Meeting of 24th November 2009
a) Bus shelter. Iain Henderson still has it on his agenda. No money this year!
b) Trees at Braehead. Will be done when surgery is complete.
c) Lowered kerbs. No action yet on this. Gerry has spoken to Ian Jones, who says one or two will be installed by March. What we need is a sequence of crossings that allow proper passage for motorized scooters. One or two will not address the problem.
d) Limekilns Park messy corner. Work is complete, except for seeding which will be done in the spring.
e) Damaged play equipment. Now fixed.
f) Road and Footway at the Sutlery. Janice had been visited by roads people to advise that works to the footway and road would be carried out in a matter of weeks. Apparently this doesn’t mean they have a start date.
g) Stagecoach buses. They do their 3-point turns anywhere and everywhere. Secretary still to arrange a meeting.
h) Phone boxes. Some ideas had been floated.
i) Scottish Water - smells Capernaum Pier. They had replied at length, mentioning pumping stations at the Green, the Ship, Benjy’s Burn, but not Capernaum! On querying this, Secretary was told:
‘Pump failures in the network result in sewage being held in the system for longer periods, causing septicity, and the ingress of seawater into the system results in the release of hydrogen sulphide gas (giving a rotten egg smell). The resulting odours become apparent at the treatment works, as this is ultimately where the sewage from the network pumping stations ends up. Our resolution of the pump failures, and the maintenance activities relating to seawater ingress at the network pumping stations overflows, will therefore minimise the possibility of future malodour problems at the treatment works at Capernaum Pier.’

The pumps are equipped with telemetry, so engineers know when they need to come out.

j) Traffic management. Secretary had contacted Iain Henderson on 12th December, asking for a progress report on the work he had promised at our Pattiesmuir meeting in September. His reply, on Christmas Eve had not been enlightening! He even suggested they would proceed to a Traffic Order without sharing the plans with the Community Council! Gerry McMullan suggested that plans have actually been drawn up and a Traffic Order applied for. Secretary will write to him again. Peter Curry made a general point about consultation. Consultation is not a cheap process, either for the consulters or the consultees. Consultees need to know the consequences of their participation. Consulters should always say clearly how their proposals have changed as a result of consultation.
k) Dog Warden. Dog Warden has paid a visit to the dog owner who has difficulty managing his dogs.

5. New Street Lighting East and West Harbour
John Anderson of Fife Council kindly attended for this item. He explained that some of the existing lighting columns are prone to rusting from the inside, while they appear OK on the outside. He had sent the CC proposals for replacement lighting columns at lower Charlestown. There are two current designs – modern ones (as have already been installed at various locations in the villages) and ‘traditional’ ones. Both have the same power of bulb giving out the same white light. The modern ones are very plain, tapering columns of anodised aluminium and require little maintenance. Their unit cost is £275. The ‘traditional ones have a ‘period’ design are painted black, and so need maintenance to retain their appearance. They cost £925 each! West Harbour will get the modern ones, but Planning recommends the traditional ones for Saltpans and East Harbour as they are in the Conservation Area. Community Council expressed serious concern about spending the additional £650 on each of these 19 lamp posts (£12,350). Moira and John Hoyes had canvassed the views of residents. Of the 21 householders in Saltpans and East Harbour the 8 who responded favoured the traditional version, (but they did not have the information about cost!). John Anderson will take the views expressed and keep us updated on progress. (The columns in Brucehaven Road are already programmed to be replaced with ‘traditional’ columns.)

6. Broomhall Affairs
a) Factor said that shoot on Friday would be the final one of the season.
b) Kat Tebbutt had not been satisfied with the Estate’s response to her very serious concern about buckshot landing on her roof and in her garden at Halkett’s Hall. She had contacted the police about the matter.

7. Planning
a) 7 Hall Row. Application to build two houses in the garden has caused much consternation. Broomhall Estate has made a strong objection. Unless the application is withdrawn in the mean time, it will go to committee on 17th February with a recommendation to refuse.
b) Application for construction of a Renewable Energy Plant at Rosyth. Community Council has been sent a copy of the scoping document.
c) Paper on local Review Bodies. Secretary feels this is important but no-one has got round to reading it yet.
d) Local Plan. The consultation period begins on the 8th February and lasts for two months.

8. Presentation by Andrew McCafferty Associates.
The presentation was made by Andrew Bain. The November consultation event had produced a huge amount of material. Andrew Bain had compiled the ‘pink’ report which had been mailed to everyone who attended the meeting. There were a variety of themes which emerged – demands for improvements to the Limekilns junction, general dislike of the speed cushions, concern about the dilapidation of historic structures, and consistent abhorrence of the prospect of inappropriate development. The raw data from the meeting had been collated, and would be included as part of the submission made to Fife Council. It would not be made available to anyone else in the mean time. The representation to Fife Council on behalf of Broomhall Estate will, effectively, be an objection to the Draft Local Plan, as it is currently proposed. They plan to lodge their submission on about the 7th of April. A key focus of the submission will be the proposal for a Regeneration Strategy for the villages. This would identify areas for improvement and restoration of historic structures and identify potential areas for development. The Regeneration Strategy would, in theory, be drawn up with full community involvement, and the aspiration would be that it might be adopted as Supplementary Planning Advice. This might place constraints on types of development. Andrew Bain then spoke of individual sites in the villages in terms of their need for regeneration, or the opportunities they provided for development.
The Chairman thanked Andrew for his presentation, and implored everyone to engage in the 8 week consultation, beginning on 8th February. Everyone should make the most of this opportunity to express their views about development in our villages. It was explained that, following the consultation period, objections would be considered by Fife Council, and in the light of all objections and comments, modifications might be made to the Plan before it is submitted to Fife Council’s Planning Committee before being sent to the Scottish Office (along with all objections) for consideration as to the need for a Public Inquiry. It is anticipated that the final Plan will not be published until early 2012
The meeting was then opened to comment from Community Council and members of the public. Comments from Consultants are in italics.
Peter Curry. Welcomed the open and constructive dialogue so far. How can this be taken forward through all the planning stages and into the future? That needs careful planning. Consultants are happy to report back to the Community Council in February and March on the progress of their submission.
Graham Urquhart. Queried how Regeneration and Development strands would be connected, and how profit from sales of development land would feed back. Aim is to have a paragraph in the Local Plan with a legal stipulation to link Regeneration and Development.
Cllr McMullan. Welcomes ideas for small businesses – but why only now?
David Mackay. Praised the seductive presentation, but found it hard to believe. The interests of the Consultants were likely to be very different from those of the community, perhaps leading to an incentive to misinterpret the data. There was an implication of a balance of views in the responses, but this will be a qualitative assessment by whoever was writing the report of the consultation. Andrew McCafferty said their fees were not success related.
Kat Tebbutt. Had little faith that funds raised from development would ever be channelled back into regeneration. A house in Halkett’s Hall was sold by the Estate, with the promise that the proceeds would go into a Broomhall Estates Conservation Trust. This may be, but is totally invisible to the community.
Katherine Isherwood. Who, is it imagined will lead the Regeneration Strategy. Broomhall Estate would need to lead.
Lesley Scott. Does the Estate not understand that, after successful community campaigns against development on the Cow Field and the Ballast Bank, we don’t want development? Every time a new Local Plan is developed, it is a new opportunity for the Estate to get some land designated for development. This will inevitably happen every five years or so.
Malcolm Hamilton. We have been given no indication of the intended scope of any proposal – eg how many houses and what might be the impact on village infrastructure and the existing population? There would be no high density development. Costings have not yet been defined. As the community is not a legal entity, who would be the partners to any agreement? Broomhall Estate and Fife Council.
Charlie Reid Thomas. The Estate is now taking a holistic view. McCafferty Associates were engaged because they have a reputation for good community consultation.
Gerry McMullan. We should note the housing requirement for West Fife. It had been 500 homes over 20 years. This has now been reduced to 250 homes.
The Chairman thanked McCafferty Associates for their presentation and answers to questions, and thanked the members of the public who had come along.

9. Charlestown and Limekilns Conservation Area appraisals and management plans
The Secretary had, within the last week, received notice of the publication of these documents for public scrutiny and comment. The Charlestown document was shown on the screen, to give a indication of the style and scope of the publications. The Secretary said that details of how to find it on Fife Direct would be provided to anyone on request. There would be a formal consultation period and a drop-in event in the villages in March.

10. Limekilns Pier
a) No reply yet to the request for contribution to the funding of the feasibility study from the Broomhall Estates Conservation Trust.
b) Investing in Ideas funding will continue after March and is still the appropriate fund for us. Liz needs more information for the form, and, an update on the tenders previously invited.
c) It is unlikely that, as a statutory body, we need a Referee.

11. Limekilns Playgroup
A former Play Leader employed by Limekilns Playgroup who had been off on long-term sick leave with a bad back is now suing Playgroup and named committee members for mental trauma and inability to work. It is likely that Playgroup’s insurance will cover this, but it has been a shocking and dispiriting time for a number of mums who have given much time and energy over the years to manage the Playgroup which has provided such a wonderful service for our village children over some 40 years. With the suggestion that there might be any sort of personal liability upon the volunteer committee members, it is likely that there will be great reluctance among potential volunteers to come forward in the future. It may even be that our excellent Playgroup does not survive this crisis. Fife Council has a significant role in support of Playgroups as education providers, so Gerry McMullan has spoken to Iain Grant for advice.

12. Treasurer’s Report
a) Have paid a £20 bill for the Queen’s Hall.
b) Still a bill to be paid to the Church office for a wreath and paper for the newsletter.
c) Fife Council has issued new Financial Guidelines for Community Council.

13. Secretary's Report
a) Queen’s Hall Committee AGM is on Thursday this week. Annie Nally will represent the Community Council (among other things!)
b) The changes to Fife Council’s Community Council Scheme have gone out for public consultation.

14. Councillor’s Report.
a) There is an underspend in the Ward budget. Community Council is advised to come up with ideas for works which could benefit the community. Lynn Hoey, Locality Manager, is happy to discuss ideas with us.
b) Ice and Snow. After all the chaos, at least Fife Council will now develop an emergency strategy for unexpected icy weather.
c) Gerry advised that people should take up the offer by the Fire Service for free home safety inspections and smoke alarms.

15. AOCB
a) Dog fouling is very bad again.

16. Date of Next Meeting February 23rd 2010 7.30pm

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 24th NOVEMBER 2009

Present: Sue Hamilton, Peter Curry, Doreen Kempsell, Annie Nally, Graham Urquhart, Ali MacKerron, Beryl Leatherland, Lyndsy Adam, Charlie Reid Thomas, Suze Anderson

In Attendance: PC Eddy McNight, Cllr McMullan, Christine Page, Andrew McCafferty (item 5)

1. Apologies: Liz Hutchings,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 26th October 2009

Minutes were approved: Proposed: Peter Curry. Seconded: Graham Urquhart

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 26th October 2009

a) Bus shelter. Iain Henderson still has it on his agenda. No money this year!

b) Trees at Braehead. Will be done when surgery is complete.

c) Lowered kerbs. No action yet on this. Gerry has spoken to Ian Jones, who suggest we identify the one place that is urgent!! Newly wheelchair-bound Ken Nicol, pushed by Stewart Webster, is having difficulty getting to the village from South Loanhead. Norman Fotheringham had written to the secretary about the experience of scooter users in Charlestown. The absence of lowered kerbs can lead to social isolation for such folk and Fife Council may well be in contravention of the Disability Discrimination Act.

d) Padlocks for the gate at Brucehaven. Sorted! Two interlinked padlocks. Estate holds the keys to one. Two keys to the other are held by Sue Hamilton and Doreen Kempsell respectively.

e) Limekilns Park messy corner. Work has begun!

f) Damaged play equipment. Not yet fixed. Secretary will contact Stephen Cowan.

g) With reference to the play park, organisations which provide services for young people in the village have been invited to apply to the Limekilns Community Project committee for a share of the residual funds.

h) Traffic Management. No response at all from Iain Henderson to the CC letter requesting speed tables. Secretary will write to him again.

i) Scottish Water Public Meeting. 10th November, Glenrothes. Christine had attended, and raised the issue of smells emanating from Capernaum Pier. They will investigate.

j) Dunfermline Association of Community Councils. Graham had attended the meeting on the subject of the new Forth crossing. There had been wide ranging discussion and no certainty among participants that a new crossing without proper public transport links was the right way to go. During subsequent discussion, Ali MacKerron declared an interest in that his firm was a partner in one of the consortia interested in tendering for the project.

4. Police Report.

a) PC Eddy McKnight had no crimes to report in the villages.

b) An incident concerning the use of a gun on the Estate is subject to investigation.

c) Blue Light Discos are held once a month at Carnegie College.

d) There is a gang or gangs operating in Fife. Plausible people. Hover at supermarket tills, apparently using a mobile phone, where they are actually recording the PIN number as it is entered. Others distract the shopper outside the shop, usually with a map and asking directions while a further accomplice steals the purse containing the card.

e) Police in the Community programme. Course continues to be excellent. We should write to the Chief constable, praising her for the initiative.

f) Non-emergency contact number is 0845 600 5702. Oakley is still available directly on 01592 251187

5. Broomhall Affairs

a) Andrew McCafferty confirmed that the community consultation will be held tomorrow 25th November 7pm – 9.30. Thanks to CC for delivery of the fliers. He will report back to the CC on or before out next meeting, 26th January.

b) Bad muddy puddles beside cattle grid at new path on the Estate.

6. Planning

New application for extension at 1 Halkett’s Hall. Seems much more appropriate for the prominent site in the Conservation Area.

7. Limekilns Pier

Request for contribution to the funding of the feasibility study from the Broomhall Estates Conservation Trust will be considered when the trustees meet in the new year. Application to Investing in Ideas can be sent off along with this information.

8. Red Phone Boxes

British Telecom had written to the Community Council inviting us to adopt the red phone boxes for £1 each! There had been a suggestion that they be used as community information centres. Maintenance of attractive and useful displays would be an onerous task. Need committed volunteers. No other bright ideas come to mind. In the mean time, the phone boxes are still relatively well used, with over a hundred calls having been made from each in the past 12 months.

9. Treasurer’s Report

Letter of thanks had been received from the Scouts.

12. Secretary's Report

a) Secretary thanked everyone for the efficient distribution of the village newsletter.

b) Norman Fotheringham had written of his concerns for the apparent lack of care for the Sylvia McLaren Album which is available for perusal at the Lime Centre. Secretary will investigate.

c) Digital Switchover. Secretary has a pack of information.

d) Secretary had received three letters of what she termed ‘NHS Babble’ on three different issues to do with ‘strategy’, ‘targets’ and ‘consultations’, none of which seemed to be very informative at a CC level.

e) General Hospitals and Maternity Services newsletter – mainly about pouring concrete, ready-made toilet pods, and hotel-style numbering. Not much about health services!

f) Peter Curry has some concern about how a Directly Elected Health Board will work for Fife.

g) Ecology Centre, Kinghorn. Now producing timber products commercially.

13. Councillor’s Report.

a) Mentioned again the pot of money for educational initiatives associated with Celebrating Fife. Two funds – one for projects between £2,500 and £3,000, and one for projects between £10,000 and £15,000. Gerry is offering to help with applications.

b) Traffic speed vans will be on the A985 in the next two weeks.

c) Concern about the deteriorating bus service to Crombie. This is associated with the bus doing a three point turn in Charlestown.

14. AOCB

a) Phoebe, the Westie belonging to Dorothy Bell was involved in a nasty fracas with the two collie dogs who seem to be out of control. Secretary will contact the dog warden and ask him to make a sensitive visit.

b) Beryl is keeping an eye on the Core path plan as it progresses.

c) West Fife Community Council Forum seem to think they should have their own representation on the Community Council Working Group. Beryl keeps in touch with all the CC secretaries.

d) Thanks you Suze for the hot mince pies.

e) Happy Christmas everyone.

15. Date of Next Meeting January 26th 2010 7.30pm

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 27th OCTOBER 2009

Present: Sue Hamilton, Peter Curry, Sheila Green, Doreen Kempsell, Liz Hutchings, Annie Nally, Graham Urquhart, Ali MacKerron, Charlie Reid Thomas, Suze Anderson (from 8.30pm)

In Attendance: PC Eddy McNight, Christine Page, Andrew McCafferty

1. Apologies: Beryl Leatherland, Lyndsy Adam, Cllr Walker, Cllr Gerry McMullan,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 29th September 2009
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Graham Urquhart. Seconded: Ali MacKerron

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 29th September 2009
a) Bus shelter. Iain Henderson now has it on his agenda. No money this year!
b) Trees at Braehead. Will be done when surgery is complete.
c) Lowered kerbs. No sign of any action on this.
d) Some tarmac was laid in Charlestown, but not in the relevant place! Charlie Reid Thomas suggested that it would be useful to liaise with the Estate when there were meetings about bits of road in which the Estate might be involved.
e) Padlocks for the gate at Brucehaven. Doreen Kempsell, Sue Hamilton and Charlie Reid Thomas will meet at 4pm on Monday 2nd.
f) Limekilns Park messy corner. Money has been allocated from South West Fife budget. Work will begin shortly.
g) Community Council Seminar 7th November.
h) Noise from dockyard has been audible but not intrusive.
i) Damaged play equipment. Not yet fixed.
j) Alex Bruce had emailed Secretary saying that the plans for the Merryhill grain store had been approved.
k) Secretary had attended the Planning Aid ‘Active Mediation’ conference. The main speaker was John Sturrock who had been commissioned by the Scottish government to produce a guide for the use of mediation in planning situations.
l) Traffic Management. Secretary distributed copies of what she proposed to write in the Village Newsletter about the Community Council’s demands for speed tables in Church Street. There were no adverse comments. There had been no communication from Iain Henderson since our last meeting, although speed measuring wires had been seen for a while on Main Street and beside the Green.
m) Dunfermline Choral Union had thanked us for the £50 donation and respected our request not to be approached again.

4. Police Report.
a) PC Eddy McKnight had no crimes to report.
b) Secretary had been given a place on the ‘Policing in the Community’ course. The first session had been excellent.
c) Peter Curry commented on the excellence of the Pass Plus course. Others commented on the reluctance of some young people are to attend. ‘I’ve passed my test haven’t I?’
d) What has happened to the Blue Light Discos. Finding the right venue is difficult.

5. Broomhall Affairs
a) Andrew McCafferty has booked The Elgin for a community consultation on 25th November 7pm – 9.30. He would produce a flier to be delivered to every house with the village newsletter. Various other stakeholders would be invited.

6. Planning
a) Notice has been received of an application in principle for the conversion of the current doctors surgery for residential use. We have no objection in principle.

8. Limekilns Pier
a) A request for a contribution to the cost of the feasibility study from the Broomhall Estates Conservation Trust had been put in writing to the Factor.
b) Form is now ready to be submitted to Investing in Ideas.

9. Treasurer’s Report
Donations had been sent to the Scouts. No acknowledgement to date.

12. Secretary's Report
a) Secretary was writing a village newsletter, and asked for any ideas for inclusion.
b) ASCC ballot ad been submitted electronically
c) ASCC AGM Scottish Parliament 7th November.
d) STUC and Action for Chruches together in Scotland were organising a joint conference on Equality. 6th November.
e) G20 meeting and fringe events in St Andrews 6th November.
f) DWFCHP Spiritual Care networking event 17th November.
g) Two press releases from NHS Fife in separate envelopes on the same day. One was about the development of Mayfield a new Assessment and Treatment Unit for people with Learning disabilities, and the opening of Dale View, a more specialist assessment centre. The other was about a series of Carer information workshops for carers of people who have diabetes or heart disease or who have had a stroke.
h) Scottish Water Public Meeting. 10th November, Glenrothes. Christine will attend.
i) Dunfermline Association of community Councils. Meeting tomorrow on the subject of the new Forth crossing. Graham will attend.

13. Councillor’s Report.
a) There is a pot of money for educational initiatives associated with Celebrating Fife. Two funds – one for projects between £2,500 and £3,000, and one for projects between £10,000 and £15,000.
b) Limekilns Primary: This coming Friday sees Limekilns Primary School recognised for their initiative to participate in helping to reduce our carbon foot print. The initiative supported through the Catering and Cleaning Services provided reusable cups as opposed to throw away ones.

14. AOCB
a) The bus turning in Charlestown is still causing a degree of alarm. Secretary will enquire where Stagecoach intends their drivers to turn, and what risk assessment has been carried out. At certain times of day, folk from the Cairns have to walk to the Green to get a bus that goes to Dunfermline.
b) Scarborough Muir site at Rosyth. Members expressed their concern at the apparent decision to reserve this for port related industrial development. Most people seemed happy that it be a mixed use housing and employment site
c) Sheila Green alerted the meeting to the possibility that the massive pylon line through the highlands may get approved.

15. Date of Next Meeting November 24th 2009 7.30pm

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 29th SEPTEMBER 2009

Present: Sue Hamilton, Lyndsy Adam, Suze Anderson, Doreen Kempsell, Liz Hutchings, Graham Urquhart, Ali MacKerron, Charlie Reid Thomas

In Attendance: Cllr Gerry McMullan, Christine Page, Andrew MacAfferty (for item 5), Iain Henderson (for item 9), Alex Bruce (for item 6).
Suze Anderson kindly volunteered to make notes for the minutes.

1. Apologies: Peter Curry, Sheila Green, Sarah Angell, Police, Cllr Walker,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 25th August 2009
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Suze Anderson. Seconded: Liz Hutchings

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 25th August 2009
a) Bus shelter. Iain Henderson now has it on his agenda. No money this year!
b) Trees at Braehead. Will be done when surgery is complete.
c) Lowered kerbs. Should be done soon.
d) Pothole outside Sutlery will be dealt with, and there may be a future project to properly surface both the roadway and the pavement here.
e) The matter of who holds keys to which padlocks for the gate at Brucehaven has still not been fully resolved.
f) Limekilns Park messy corner. Secretary and Cllr McMullan to attend a site meeting with Joan Milne, a colleague of Lynn Hoey.
g) Kerbs at junction had been painted white, as requested!!!
h) Community Council Seminar 7th November. Main topics are the new Planning (Scotland) Act and Community Engagement. Secretary has booking forms.
i) We will write to Dougie Grant of BAMNuttall, thanking him for the notice to villagers and reporting that there had been no disturbing noise. Secretary would remind him about Hilton Steadings and Pattiesmuir who had not received the letter.
j) Community Council Working Group. Secretary had attended the last meeting in Beryl’s place. Fife Council are talking about having 7 area managers!
k) High hedges consultation. Several members had read the document. There was no real consensus to allow us to respond as a Community Council. We will respond as individuals.
l) Damaged play equipment. Lyndsy had spoken to Peter Howden. Several flying foxes in Fife had been removed from use following an accident resulting from a faulty component. The one that remains in Limekilns is apparently OK. The damaged rubber surface fixed.
m) Speeding on the A985. Suze reported that it had not been so bad with darker evenings and wetter weather.

4. Police Report.
a) PC Ed Wright had attended at the Queen’s Hall!
b) A ‘Policing in the Community’ course is being run at Carnegie College for six Mondays from 26th October. We have only heard about it because Cllr Walker forwarded us the information.

5. Broomhall Affairs
a) The planning application for the three house plots in Pattiesmuir had been refused. The Estate has recently filled some potholes in the unmade road beyond the College. It may be that in the new local Plan, the village envelope will be drawn to include these plots.
b) Andrew McCafferty presented his ideas for a community consultation exercise in the villages. It was agreed that The Elgin might provide the best venue. It was agreed that the earliest possible start time for an evening meeting would be 7pm. Hopefully there will be a facility for those who cannot attend to submit ideas by email. Advertise in early November for the event to be held towards the end of November. Open to all in the community, plus various invited stakeholders.

6. Planning
a) Local Plan Process. The Dunfermline and West Fife Local Plan has been published in draft electronic form. Very few of the pink patches on the Issues and Options maps have become proposals in the Draft Plan, and none on the maps for our villages. Secretary understands that planners have found that much of the housing requirement can be satisfied by allocations from the existing plan which await development. The Ballast Bank has no designation. Broomhall Estate believes that it should be Brownfield Development. Peter Curry contends that more remediation funding could be accessed if it were designated as Public Open Space.
b) Proposed garage at 8 North Row. Andrew Mitchell had sent copies of his plans to the Secretary. No objection was raised.
c) Merryhill Grain Store. Alex Bruce provided an update on the progress of the planning application. The proposals are still as described by Alex at our April meeting. There had been a hiccup and hiatus when the new planning procedures came into force in early August. He had not been aware that all submitted papers would be published on line. Alex was thanked for keeping us updated.
d) Planning Aid ‘Active Mediation’ conference 16th October. Secretary would like to attend.
e) Changes to the Scottish planning system. Secretary had been sent a letter detailing the changes likely to affect Community Councils. These were largely associated with pre- application consultation with Communities for large applications - including developments of over 50 houses. Will this encourage developers to propose fewer than 50 houses? Enforcement procedures were also to be strengthened. Local authorities are required to produce an Enforcement Charter. Secretary not certain that we have received a copy yet. Secretary will query what is meant by fixed penalty notice for developers who fail to comply. A third significant change is the introduction of a review process for all delegated decisions, if the applicant is not satisfied. The review is carried out be three trained Councillors, and there is to be no further appeal.

7. Core Path Plan
A draft Core path Plan has been published. Following the meeting Beryl commented as follows: ‘Broomhall causes some concerns but I think the paths as they have them at the moment are fine. Public Local Inquiries will address disputes and we will have to live with decisions until the first Core Path Plan review [5 years time I think]. I think the only decision the CC has to make, other than the Secretary writing to say we accept the current situation for this area, is to decide whether we want to offer to contribute to the PLI processes. Personally I feel that, if there is an opportunity to have our say then we should. There are so many of these to be held all over Scotland that it could be a very costly and lengthy process. I think there are over 50 for Fife alone, and many Local Authorities have many more than that’

8. Limekilns Pier
a) Liz Hutchings, Lyndsy Adam and Sue Hamilton had met on 26/09/09 and completed the application form for ‘Investing in ideas’ Lottery money for the feasibility study. They had referred to the form which was completed some 5 years ago for funding from the Aggregates extraction fund. Lyndsy was thanked for her subsequent work filling in the on-line form. There were one or two issues to be resolved at questions 12 and 13. Liz and Lyndsy will complete this work.
b) A request for a contribution to the cost of the feasibility study from the Broomhall conservation Trust would need to be put in writing to the Factor.

9. Traffic Management in Church Street
Chairman provided a resumé of our concerns about hazards to pedestrians on the stretch of road between Upper Wellheads and the beginning of the Promenade. A recent survey carried out by Limekilns School in the development of a Safe Routes to School policy had found that 95% of responses from parents mentioned hazards which related in some aspect or other to this stretch of road. Iain Henderson of Fife Council gave his perspective. There is £10,000 to be spent on calming measures in Church Street. The Community Council reiterated its request for two speed tables. Iain Henderson will get quotes and drawings for a table each at the Manse, and at the beginning of the Promenade.

10. Treasurer’s Report
a) The Scouts had again written to ask for sponsorship for their fireworks event (without making any reference to our generous donation last year!). It was decided to give them £250 again this year, but to emphasise that, because of other likely demands on our funds, we are unlikely to be able to repeat this next year.
b) Dunfermline Choral Union Junior Chorus is seeking our support. We supported them previously, when several local children were performing at the Carnegie Hall in New York. We will send them £50, but explain that we are not an organisation from which they can regularly expect funds.

12. Secretary's Report
a) Cost of printing. Secretary had sought a quote for printing from Panda Print. £145 for 780 x six A4 sides back to back would be £145. Ali will seek a costing from another printer.
b) Beachwatch event. Keep Scotland Beautiful had come with a group of volunteers to do a beach clean and litter survey. Christine Page, Gerry Mc Mullan and Sue Hamilton had helped at Limekilns Pier beach.
c) Several D&WF Community Health Partnership documents – ‘Patient Focus Public Involvement Strategy’ Consultation; ‘What do you expect from Opticians Registers? Consultation; ‘Quality Improvement Scotland Local Report Access to Healthcare Services for People with a Learning Disability’.
d) Association of Scottish Community Councils Conference 14th November, Scottish Parliament.
e) Fife Diet event. 10th October, Holy Trinity Church, 12.30pm prompt.

13. Councillor’s Report.
a) There is a pot of money for educational initiatives associated with Celebrating Fife. Two funds – one for projects between £2,500 and £3,000, and one for projects between £10,000 and £15,000.
b) Has seen a developer’s proposal for a massive expansion of Crombie – including a hotel and roundabout at the brow of the hill. (There is no housing land allocation for Crombie in the Draft Plan.)
c) Gerry will lay the wreath at the Remembrance Day service on 8th November.

14. AOCB
a) Secretary had received a complaint about how drab our villages look compared with those with floral displays. A discussion followed about the apparent inequity in floral effort between Glenrothes and Dunfermline. A letter to the town center manager might be in order.
b) The new lamp post at Lower Wellheads is awaiting Scottish Power to come and connect the electrics.
c) Interested contractors have submitted their proposals for the Forth Replacement Crossing. Process is progressing as per programme with a start date in 2011.
d) Would a route through the dockyard have merit as a Rosyth bypass? Could have big implications for us in getting traffic back onto the A985 at Hilton.

15. Date of Next Meeting October 27th 2009 7.30pm

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 25th AUGUST 2009

Present: Sue Hamilton, Lyndsy Adam, Suze Anderson, Doreen Kempsell, Liz Hutchings, Graham Urquhart, Ali MacKerron, Beryl Leatherland, Charlie Reid Thomas, Peter Curry, (arrived 21.15)

In Attendance: Andrew MacAfferty.

1. Apologies: Sheila Green, Annie Nally, Sarah Angell, Police, Cllr Walker,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 30th June 2009
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Suze Anderson Seconded: Lyndsy Adam

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 30th June 2009
a) Bus shelter. Cllr McMullan Now progressing with Ian Jones. It will be addressed.
b) Trees at Braehead. Will be done when surgery is complete.
c) Lowered kerbs. When secretary enquired about progress, she was told that they didn’t have enough money to do them all, and to say which were priorities. She had explained that it was a route for access which she had mapped out, and prioritizing was very difficult. She chose crossing points at 15 Charles Way and 39 Upper Wellheads. In the mean time we are getting complete footway and ‘olde world’ street lighting renewal in Brucehaven Road. Ours is not to reason why.
d) Pothole outside Sutlery has not been dealt with.
e) The matter of who holds keys to which padlocks for the gate at Brucehaven has still not been fully resolved.
f) Limekilns Park messy corner. Secretary asked Cllr McMullan to arrange a site meeting with Secretary and Lynn Hoey, with a view to possibly using Cleaner Tidier Fife money for doing a tidy-up during the winter.
g) Michael Enston of corporate affairs had explained the purpose of the new hieroglyphics in staff motivation. The design work had been done in house, so no additional cost.
h) Kerbs at junction. Secretary had, today, received an email from Frank Mills of BEAR, saying the kerbs would be painted ‘this month’.
i) There had been no response from the owner of the observatory at Haven’s Edge to the letter from the CC inviting him to a meeting with the neighbours who are offended by the structure.
j) Community Council Seminar 7th November.
k) Communication with Babcocks. We now have constructive contact and dialogue with Dougie Grant of BAMNuttall, the contractors for construction work at the Dockyard. There had been a letter-drop to Limekilns residents about night-time working for 16 weeks beginning 24th August. Neither Hilton Steadings nor Pattiesmuir had received the letter. Secretary would forward it to Suze and Liz.
l) Bin at Rosyth Churchyard. Secretary seems to have managed to get this bin maintained and emptied. Who knows by whom and how often!

4. Police Report.
a) There had been a theft of an outboard motor from Charlestown Harbour between 26th and 31st of July. Any information to 0845 600 5702.
b) Various males from outwith West Fife being interviewed in relation to thefts from commercial properties in other Rosyth and Comrie.
c) Suze Anderson had been told about kids wild camping on Ballast Bank, jumping on the roof of a parked car.

5. Broomhall Affairs
a) Broomhall Estate is attempting to prevent access by vehicles to the Ballast Bank. Additional logs are in place.
b) Planning consultant appointed. Charlie Reid Thomas introduced Andrew McCafferty of McCafferty associates. He has been appointed by Broomhall Estate to look at the issues and opportunities in the new Local Plan. Mr McCafferty emphasise the need for dialogue with and listening to the local community which is required under the new planning legislation. He hoped he would be able to come to meetings of the Community Council to share and discuss the ideas which he was developing with his colleagues and the Estate.
c) A further surface layer as been applied to Double Row.

6. Planning
a) Under the new planning legislation, there is to be a review process for all delegated decisions, if the applicant is not satisfied. The review is carried out be three trained Councillors, and there is to be no further appeal.

7. Limekilns Pier
a) Liz has had no support in filling in the form. Meeting arranged for the evening of Saturday 26th September at Liz’s house for all who can come.
b) It was again stressed that clear commitment and support from the Estate was vital for this process to proceed.
c) Charlie will locate the application form which was completed some 5 years ago for funding from the Aggregates extraction fund.

8. Dog Fouling
a) Reply received from the school Eco Group, saying they will integrate the dog fouling issue into their programme for this year.
b) Thanks to Suze for her commitment to promoting the Green Dog Walker initiative at the Gala Pet Show (in the rain). She will enquire of Robbie Blyth how many pledges have been received from this area.
c) The general fouling problem has improved, and is not such an issue at present.

9. Traffic Management in Church Street
A reply from Ian Henderson seemed to miss many of the points that we made in our letter. It was suggested we invite Mr Henderson to our next meeting. CC members will exchange ideas before the meeting. Secretary suggests that we produce a newsletter including information about our belief that something should still be done to make this stretch of road safer.

10. High Hedge consultation
Secretary will see whether she can make a proposed response for other members to comment upon. Something about this should go in the newsletter – but particularly with reference to overgrown vegetation obstructing footways.

11. Treasurer’s Report
a) 10p bank interest added.
b) Expenditure to date is £148.09 – mostly on high vis vests.

12. Secretary's Report
a) Forth Replacement Crossing exhibitions 12th – 28th August. Main thrust of exhibition is to give information about compulsory purchase and compensation. It may be that we will need to counter some of the anti-crossing sentiment that is around.
b) Fife Children’s panel publicity seeking members
c) APRS Newsletter;
d) ‘Forthsight’ newsletter of Forth Estuary Forum
e) Acute hospitals newsletter
f) D&WF Community Health Partnership – public involvement and wheelchair letter
g) Doors Open stuff

13. Councillor’s Report.
a) There are plans to close Grange Road for an extended period in the near future. The future of the road will be determined by plans for south-western expansion of Dunfermline in the new local plan.
b) Scottishpower is looking to extend the lifetime of Longannet until 2030. This has implications for ash disposal. It is likely there will be extensions to the lagoon near the power station.
c) Will a Rosyth bypass go through the dockyard?

14. AOCB
a) One ‘flying fox’ is missing from the playpark. There is a dangerous trip potential between the rubberized surface and the tarmac on the basketball surface. Lyndsy will contact Community Services.
b) Speeding on A985. Suze will monitor peak times for the problem before we contact Andy Jones of the Fife Camera partnership.
c) Hedge fire at the entrance to Limekilns. Four late primary age boys had been observed at the site of the fire. Will ask Anne Marsh to mention fire danger at school.
d) Community Council support working group. Beryl has collated responses from only 3 of the possible 14 community Councils in West fife.
e) Telephone kiosks are in need of a lick of paint.
f) The wall on the sea front near Rosyth churchyard is in a very leaning state.
g) Tomorrow is the 150th anniversary of Jules Verne getting off his ship at Crombie Point and walking to Oakley!
h) Swine flu. Peter reminded us that we should keep a look-out for vulnerable neighbours if the epidemic hits the villages

15. Date of Next Meeting September 29th 2009 7.30pm at Pattiesmuir.

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 30th JUNE 2009

Present: Peter Curry, Sue Hamilton, Lyndsy Adam, Suze Anderson, Doreen Kempsell, Liz Hutchings, Sheila Green, Beryl Leatherland, Annie Nally, Charlie Reid Thomas, Christine Page (late)

In Attendance: Inspector Gordon Mitchell, PC Alan Davidson

1. Apologies: Graham Urquhart, Karen Munro, Ali MacKerron, Sarah Angell, Cllr Gerry McMullan,

2. Minutes of the meeting of 26th May 2009
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Sheila Green, Seconded: Suze Anderson

4. Police Report.
a) Inspector Gordon Mitchell introduced himself as Inspector Colin Caldwell’s replacement. He intends to be based at Dalgety Bay and Oakley in alternate weeks. PC Colin Mason and Sergeant Jillian Neill have moved on. There will now be two full time Sergeants in West Fife. PC Alan Davidson and PC Eddie McNight will be our community officers. Contact with Community Police is on 01592 251187, which now has an answering machine. Call Centre number is 08456 005702. Two traffic Wardens are based in Dalgety Bay and come out regularly to the West Fife villages. We can alert them to particular parking problems.
b) Doreen Kempsell mentioned her concern about wild campers drinking and leaving rubbish in the woods at Windylaw. If there are concerns, contact Community Police.
c) Our requirement for Traffic Calming measures in Church Street was discussed with the Police. (See Item 8 below).

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 26th May 2009
a) Bus shelter. Cllr McMullan still progressing with Lynn Hoey. It will be addressed – along with the removal of the proposed shelter on the north side opposite the proposed surgery.
b) Trees at Braehead. Estate has it on a to do list. Still not done
c) Lowered kerbs. Hope will be included in the work programme before August.
d) Muddy path at Brucehaven. Stones have been spread thanks to kind assistance of Paul Spriddle.
e) Fife Council says pothole outside Sutlery has been dealt with. (Following the meeting, Sheila Green reported that it had not!)
f) The matter of who holds keys to which padlocks for the gate at Brucehaven has still not been fully resolved.
g) Merryhill. Alex Bruce had sent us a copy of the letter he had sent to Angus Dodds in support of his next planning application.
h) Limekilns Park messy corner. Secretary and Lyndsy Adam had a useful meeting with John McQueen of Fife Council on site. The area seems to have been rather abandoned since the construction of the new enclosed Play Park. We agreed that if the bumps could be smoothed out and bushes removed it could be restored to a mowable state.. This would requires a certain amount of funding (Cleaner Tidier Fife, Community Council, and Community Safety were mentioned), some light machinery – which Fife Council has, and some labour which might be provided by Community Payback, or Fife Council during the winter season. Secretary had sent a record of the meeting to Archie Melville of Community Payback. He didn’t seem interested in assessing the job for its suitability, but seemed very hung up that this was work that Fife Council should be doing. Meeting agreed that we should find out how other communities seem to be able to build relationships with Community Payback for path clearing etc. Beryl will enquire.
i) Bus turning in Charlestown. Cllr McMullan was meant to be enquiring about this. No communication from him. Secretary will follow it up.
j) Secretary had emailed Michael Enston of corporate affairs to enquire about the function and cost of the new hieroglyphics. No reply yet.
k) Secretary had not written to the folk in Double Row about their proposed fence.
l) Kerbs at junction. Secretary had, today, received a phone call from Frank Mills of BEAR, saying he thinks he has found a source of paint which could be applied by hand to the kerb stones.
m) Observatory at Haven’s Edge. Has applied for retrospective planning permission for a temporary structure. Secretary received the weekly list on15th June. She emailed our objection on the 18th, only to be told the report had already been sent to councillors. Secretary expressed her dissatisfaction at this state of affairs. The main objector said that a notice had appeared in The Courier on 16th June, and he had still to send in his formal objection.
n) Communication with Babcocks. Secretary was having difficulty establishing useful dialogue with Mike Murray of Babcock. As the works develop, she had hoped that there could be a single email address or telephone number to access information on such things as the people landing on the beach carrying out a survey of wildlife which was to do with the Container Port. Mike Murray initially denied any knowledge of this survey!

5. Broomhall Affairs
a) Since FM Developments have gone into administration, Broomhall Estate no longer has a relationship with them. Instead, they are engaging a planning consultant to look at all the opportunities for development on the estate. In reply to a question from the Secretary, Charlie confirmed that Broomhall Estate had added a large area of land to the South West of Dunfermline to the ‘options’ for the new Local Plan.
b) Bat boxes. The issue of climbers and their access to the Gellet Rock had come to the fore again in the last couple of weeks. A dozen or so bat and bird boxes had been attached to the rock in an apparent attempt to prevent access to the climbs. This had apparently been done without the knowledge of the Factor nor any apparent approach to Bat experts. The boxes were removed days after they were installed. There has been a meeting with Alison Irvine, the Fife Access officer. It would seem that more information on the history of the rock would engender greater respect for their links to the village lime heritage. Lord Elgin was thanked for providing some information for the Community Council. Broomhall Estate had been troubled by another access issue. A woman had fallen on the cycle track in January 2008 and broken her arm. She had attempted to sue Fife Council. Fife Council had tried to push the liability onto the Estate for leaving leaves on the path. Beryl pointed out that, under the Access legislation, there was no liability upon the landowner for injury to anyone taking access. Alison Irvine has been very supportive in dealing with this matter.
c) Padlocks at Brucehaven. There are two padlocks. It would seem to make sense for one key to each to be held by the Estate and the other held locally by Doreen Kempsell or the Secretary for emergency access.
d) Annie Nally was concerned that there had been someone shooting, one evening, in the woods at the Back of North Row, with shot landing on the roofs of the cottages. Police had been contacted.

6. Limekilns Pier
a) Barbara Solway confirmed that LEADER is, indeed, funding of last resort. She advised we should apply for Big Lottery ‘Investing in Ideas’ money for the feasibility study. Complex form to fill in, but rolling programme, so no specific dates to apply by.
b) Liz has the form and wants some support in filling it in. Sheila volunteered.

7. Dog Fouling
a) There seems to have been a reduction in the severity of the dog fouling problem (although Graeme Anderson had not been contacted). Indeed, the Secretary had not found any deposits on a walk through Charlestown. The meeting agreed that there had been an improvement, and that there was no point in a high profile poo spraying event just now. Secretary had discovered a source of biodegradable pink spray paint from UK Tapes. This is only available in packs of 12 cans at £12 a can. If we need to get some at a later date, it may be a good idea to get Fife Council to buy it for use by us and anyone else who might like to run a similar campaign.
b) Secretary had contacted the school Eco Group, but had received no reply yet. Anne Marsh knows they are discussing how they could participate.
c) We should have a Green Dog Walker presence at the Gala. It maybe a good idea to be mobile, rather than necessarily having a stall. Lyndsy will be there.

8. Traffic Management in Church Street
a) In an email to the four Ward 1 Councillors, Iain Henderson has indicated that there is new funding to address traffic management in Church Street.
b) Secretary had asked Cllr McMullan to find out how much money. He said £10,000.
c) Iain Henderson seemed to be of the opinion that painted roundels would suffice. We do not agree.
d) Meeting agreed that we would request two speed tables, or full width humps – exact locations to be discussed. Contrary to advice from Traffic Management, it is clear that these are used on bus routes – the former photographed in South Queensferry, and the latter in Pitcorthy. We need to stress that it is the use made of this piece of road, rather than speeds per se that is the issue.

9. New Model Scheme for Community Councils
Secretary and Beryl had put together our response.

10. Treasurer’s Report
Fife Council grant had been received

11. Secretary's Report
a) Secretary had been delighted when Cllr Walker had sent her a list of all the relevant contacts for Transportation in West Fife.
b) Detailed report of consultation on Fife Replacement Crossing had been published.
c) The second National Strategic plan has been published. Interestingly, this describes the Rosyth strategic site as ‘possible additional container capacity in the Forth’ rather than a Container Port.
d) Linda Purdie had sent out suggested seminar topics for Community Council Seminar on 7th November 2009.
e) Scottish Health Council newsletter. One item of interest is the news of the proposed scheme for direct elections to Health Boards. Fife will be one of two pilot areas. Peter Curry expressed the concern that there is a danger of special interest and campaign groups dominating the agenda. Fife is a particularly tricky situation because of the perceived conflict between east and west Fife. He hoped that sensible individuals would also put themselves up for election. The commitment was one day a month for meetings.
f) Bin at Rosyth Churchyard. This bin is an anomaly and very full. Doreen has been trying to get it emptied – to no avail. Secretary will deal with it.
g) ‘Enquire’ is an agency which provides advice to parents in securing help for their children if they have additional needs.
h) Street cleaning. Street cleaning is being reorganised. New local service teams are to be established which will take on responsibility for all street cleaning functions including routine cleaning, fly-tipping response, waste bins, and cleaning recycling points. Team working and mobility will be key themes.

12. Councillor’s Report. None.

13. AOCB
a) Royal Marine concert in Culross on July 31st for the Heroes Fund.
b) Beryl had attended the Outdoor Access Forum meeting which had been excellent. A good talk from a farmer.
c) Scottish Outdoor Access Festival. 1st – 22nd July. Various events around the country.
d) Fife Outdoor Access Festival. 1st – 9th August. An excellent programme of events to look out for.

15. Date of Next Meeting August 25th 2009 7.30pm.

CHARLESTOWN, LIMEKILNS AND PATTIESMUIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE QUEEN’S HALL ON 26th MAY 2009

Present: Graham Urquhart, Peter Curry (from 8.15pm), Sue Hamilton, Ali MacKerron, Lyndsy Adam, Suze Anderson, Doreen Kempsell, Liz Hutchings, Sheila Green, Beryl Leatherland,

In Attendance: Cllr Gerry McMullan,

1. Apologies: Annie Nally, Christine Page, Karen Munro, Police

2. Minutes of the meeting of 28th April 2009
Minutes were approved: Proposed: Graham Urquhart, Seconded: Lyndsy Adam

3. Matters Arising from Meeting of 28th April 2009
a) Bus shelter. Cllr McMullan still progressing. It will be addressed – along with the removal of the proposed shelter on the north side opposite the proposed surgery.
b) Trees at Braehead. Estate has it on a to do list. Still not done
c) Electronic signs in village. Ali had received a reply to his letter. In his reply, Iain Henderson denied that there was any problem at all with the flashing lights at the entrance to Limekilns, despite the fact that it is quite obvious to the rest of us that they give very confusing messages. He says that ‘there is no evidence to suggest that the traffic calming measures are not regulating the speed of vehicles through Limekilns’ and then goes on to quote a report commissioned by Transport for London! He asks that the CC consider whether we want cushions on Church Street, where cushions were, apparently, ruled out during the first round of consultations. The meeting discussed the matter further and all were agreed that a raised paved speed table would be the most appropriate means of slowing all traffic from both directions. Lyndsy will take a photo of one on a bus route in Dalmeny. Sue H said she had observed that Pitcorthie had full width humps despite being on a bus route.
d) Lowered kerbs. Fife Council had eventually acknowledged Secretary’s suggesting locations. Andrew Sneddon had replied saying they would try to include the work in a programme before August.
e) Muddy path at Brucehaven. Estate has delivered a small load of stones to the gate. Doreen will organise a barrow and people power.
f) Secretary would again request that the kerb stones at our junction be painted white.
g) Still no progress with pothole outside the Sutlery.
h) The matter of keys and padlocks for the gate at Brucehaven has still not been resolved.
i) Beautiful Fife. Secretary had written to say we did not wish to participate as separate villages. No acknowledgement.
j) Welfare committee letter re Rights of Way. A reply had been drafted and agreed, indicating the changes brought in by the Access legislation, the role of the Access officer, and the fact that Broomhall Estate should be consulted if private individuals were preventing access through hitherto open ways.
k) Following our request, weedkiller has been used to deal with weeds coming through the slurry seal. May help in the short term. Ali’s gas toby is still obliterated.
l) Merryhill. Alex Bruce had read the minute produced by the Secretary after his visit to the April meeting. Secretary had sent a copy of the minutes to the local resident who had objected to the original planning application.

4. Police Report.
a) Petrol cap, but no petrol, stolen from a car in Brucehaven ‘Drive’. Theft of potted bonsai tree and garden ornament from a garden in Charlestown.
b) Police had attended at the school to enforce if there was parking on zig zags. There was none. Meeting agreed that the problem is much more extensive than parking on zig zaga! No speeding detected in the villages.
c) There had been an incident of vandalism to equipment in the school playground.
d) Incident with a youth who had appeared needing help at a house in Charles Way.

5. Dog fouling
There have been even more complaints about dog fouling of late, including a letter from a mum to the CC. We believe that the problem may be largely due to one individual with two dogs over which he has little control, and who probably does not understand about clearing up after them. Lyndsy Adam will speak to Graeme Anderson and explain the problem.
With reference to a CC campaign, Suze Anderson had obtained a lot of advisory material from Dunipace about running a Green Dog Walker scheme. It seemed that involving children is a good idea. Sue H will contact the school with a view to speaking to their Eco Group.

6. Grange Road residents survey
Residents of Grange Road had contacted the CC because they were concerned that their views about the safety of Grange Road were being swamped by those of Rosyth residents who want it kept as it is. A number of CC members had completed and returned their questionnaire and the residents had been invited to attend this meeting, but evidently have not done so.

7. Double Yellow Lines?
Secretary had been contacted about inconsiderate parking by users of Limekilns play park. The meeting discussed whether we should consider having double yellow lines at various locations. Meeting agreed that we did not wish to explore that option at this time. It was suggested that a short white line be requested where individuals wished to access their driveway. Lyndsy volunteered to place notes on windscreens of inappropriately parked cars.

8. Local Plan Meeting
Secretary had attended a meeting at the City Chambers where there was to be an update on the Local Plan. It was a poorly managed meeting with very poor slides, only 17 people in attendance, and not even enough handouts for them. There was a lot of fluff about the process and very little information relevant to the folk who were there. There was one significant alteration to the proposed development sites which were published in the Issues and Options paper. This was a very large area of land between Douglas Bank Cemetery and Dunfermline, bordered by the railway line to the east and Limekilns Road to the west. Another map showed, with ellipsoid shapes where expansion might occur to the south and west of Dunfermline. When asked where these ellipses had come from, Andrew Sim, the planner making the presentation said that he had put them there that morning. Is this how planning works?? He also stated that a major reason for developing Dunfermline in a westerly direction was to revive the town centre! The Community Council felt that development on any scale to the south west would compromise the one visually pleasing approach to Dunfermline that remains.
Clearly, if development were to happen on this scale to the west of Dunfermline, the matter of the status and condition of Grange Road would adopt a very different complexion! Also, the meeting wondered what would happen to Alex Bruce’s plans for his single source barley, if all this prime agricultural land on Broomhall Estate were to be covered in housing!
Although the power point slides were almost useless, there was one aspect of each slide which stood out colourfully. This was a line of meaningless coloured shapes. Secretary discovered that this is a new branding for Fife Council. She read out a list of what the various shapes were supposed to represent. The meeting agreed that the development of this image was enormously wasteful, unless the pubic could identify with and understand it. Secretary would enquire how much this had cost.

9. Broomhall Estate Affairs. No factor. No additional issues raised.

10. New Model Scheme for Community Councils
Linda Purdie of Fife Council had now sent us more information and a questionnaire about the new model scheme for Community Councils from the Scottish Government. This had been briefly discussed at the Community Council Support Working Group recently attended by Beryl. Secretary and Beryl would put together our response.

11. Treasurer’s Report
Members had agreed to purchase 20 High visibility vests, printed with ‘Community Council Volunteer’ on the back. The bill was £85.20. Suze Anderson currently has the vests.

12. Secretary's Report
a) Secretary had been approached by a resident of Double row who was concerned about the apparent intentions of the new tenants in one of the council properties to enclose their front garden with a fence, and also drive a car between the two properties. Although the design guidelines say you can have a metre high wooden fence, there are actually no front gardens in Double Row which are enclosed by such a fence. Such a fence would be out of character with the rest of the row. Secretary would write to the tenant with a copy to the council. Cllr McMullan would speak to Lyn Hoey who is substitute Locality Manager at Oakley. As far as driving a vehicle between the properties, the resident had been advised to check her deeds, and if the land did not belong to her it would belong to Broomhall Estate and the Factor would deal with the issue.
b) Secretary had again been approached about the messy state of the south east entrance to Limekilns Park. She wondered whether this might be an appropriate project for Community Payback. Meeting agreed that we should pursue this idea.
c) Secretary had been contacted about a garden observatory which had suddenly appeared in the garden at 9 Haven’s Edge. She had suggested that the neighbours contact planning in the first instance.
d) Linda Purdie had written to clarify that CCs are exempt from FOI legislation, after a reminder had been sent out in error. However, it was agreed that we should always behave and maintain our records as if we were subject to it.
e) We had been invited to put our minutes on the West Fife Villages web site, but find that there is currently no mention of our villages on the web site!
f) Cycle track edges had been mowed. Secretary would ask that branches be cut too.
g) Secretary had received rather short shrift from Michael Murray at Babcocks when she had enquired what the new activity was on the RD57 site. She would try to establish a better point of contact.
h) Secretary had, today received a letter from a mum in Limekilns wondering where hypodermic syringes and needles had been found in Limekilns. It was thought that one had been found during the beach clean. However, as there was no address and the signature was not decipherable, it would not be possible to respond to the lady in question.
i) Willie Rennie had contacted the Secretary encouraging us to sign the petition for a Rosyth Bypass. Most members did not feel inclined to do this!
j) Secretary had received a mailing about the strategic development plan, whereby fife will be divided between Edinburgh and Dundee as far as future strategic planning is concerned.

13. Councillor’s Report
Cllr McMullan had nothing further to report

14. AOCB
a) Stagecoach bus seen doing three point turn at the Sutlery. Potential hazard and damage to unadopted road. Gerry will follow up.
b) Limekilns Pier. Liz has heard nothing from Barbara Solway since putting in a register of interest in LEADER funding on 1st April. Barbara Solway seems to have changed her view on what LEADER funding could be for. She had originally said it would be very suitable for a Feasibility Study. Now she seems to be saying that LEADER is funding of last resort.
c) People in Pattiesmuir had been alerted to the fact that everyone with a septic tank has to register it with SEPA by 31t May to qualify for free registration.
d) Secretary mentioned that the Church was having an ‘Inside Out’ event at the weekend. Also, the Church had produced an update of the Village Directory.

15. Date of Next Meeting June 30th 2009 7.30pm.