Draft
Minutes of Meeting of
East Lammermuir Community Council
held on Tuesday 27 January, 2015 in
Innerwick Village Hall
Present: Cllrs: Donna Collins/Janice Hanvidge/Chris Bruce (Chair)/Peter Armstrong/ Anne Lyall/Barbar Wyllie/Janette MacDonald
In attendance: PC Gavin Ross/Pauline Jaffray
1:00 Apologies: Cllr Michael Veitch
2:00 Approval of Minutes of Meeting held on 25 November, 2014: The minutes were approved.
3:00 Any items to be added to agenda:
3:01 Main Issues Report
3:02 Aikengall IIa
3:03 Superfast Broadband
3:04 East Lothian Fracking
4:00 Police Business: PC Gavin Ross submitted the following report and once again stressed the importance of rural inhabitants, locking doors, buildings, cars etc for maximum security. He further advised the ‘travellers’ who had been insitu at Skateraw were gradually moving on. Those still on site, were now all on East Lothian Council land, who were in the process of raising an eviction order.
During the period since the last police report of 25 November 2014 there have been very few incidents of note in the East Lammermuir Ward area. There may be more incidents but due to the nature of these or ongoing investigations I cannot give full details.
Road Safety
You told us that were issues with speeding motorists in rural areas and inconsiderate parking, especially near schools.
On the 25th November 2014 a female driver was arrested for drink driving at Thurston Manor Holiday Park.
On 11th January 2015, on the A1 near Innerwick a male driver was issued with a fixed penalty ticket for driving without a valid MOT.
Antisocial Behaviour
You told us there were problems with violent conduct, young people causing disturbance, antisocial behaviour and rowdy drunken behaviour.
Between 18th and 19th December 2014 a vehicle parked in Main Street, Stenton had its fuel cap broken off. No fuel was stolen.
Theft
You told us you were worried about security and the theft of personal possessions such as power tools, bicycles and money.
On the 26th November 2014, officers traced a vehicle a short distance from the scene of a theft at Lafarge. The vehicle was subsequently searched and found to contain stolen copper cable from Lafarge.
All 3 were detained for court and reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
Between 18th December 2014 and 6th January 2015 a laptop was stolen from a works office at Aikengall Windfarm.
Overnight 26-27th January 2015 an unlocked car at Redcliff was entered and two credit cards stolen.
Other incidents of note:
During the early hours of 12th January there were a spate of thefts from rural locations in and around Luggate, Whittinghame, Garvald and Morham. I would like to take this opportunity to remind residents to secure their belongings. Here are a few simple steps you can take to protect your property from theft.
Please secure your vehicles and property at all times.
Keep valuables and keys out of sight.
Keep garages and outbuildings locked.
Check your locks – if you can overcome them so can a thief.
Restrict access to your back garden.
Remember garages often contain valuable property and may allow access to your home.
Keep tools and garden equipment locked away.
CAPP priorities:
- Tackle Dog Fouling issues – Patrols to trace offenders and educate owners.
- Road Safety issues – Speed checks, parking issues and driving restrictions on Countess Crescent.
- Youth Shelters – Consultation with young persons, regarding demand, location and design
Next meeting: 7.30pm, Thursday 26th February 2015, Dunbar Police Station.
5:00 Treasurer’s Report:
Balance at Bank £1051.37.
Crystal Rig Community Benefit Awards were sent out first week of January, next round of application to be in by April 24 April 2015. PJ to issue to ELCC organisations beginning of March.
Local Priorities allocation of £580 to each village to the year end March 2015 available directly from Lillian Pryde. Janice has now requested that Lillian transfer these payments into each Community Associations Bank Account.
6:00 Matters Arising
3:01 Main Issues Report: Detailed discussion regarding the ELC Main Issues Report (MIR) and in particular with regard to the ELCC area. Cllr PA and BW attended the meeting organised by DCC on 19 January, in Dunbar and a response to the MIR must be lodged by 8 February, 2015. The meeting felt that the whole area in question and in particular to Dunbar (and East Lothian) lacked the infrastructure to support such a large development of housing. Little attention had been given to the formation of new business/industry with the main concentration being on the building of houses which would accentuate East Lothian becoming a community county for Edinburgh.
As a community we already experience problems with drainage and water issues and our rural roads cannot accommodate increased traffic. ELCC are continually reporting pot holes, lack of parking, speed of traffic etc to ELC representatives. Health and care issues were also of concern as was education and some schools in the area are already at their full capacity.
The MIR has allocated the building of 18 houses in Innerwick to the north of Kirk Brae. An alternative site to the west of Kirk Brae has also been identified. Stenton have 16 houses near to the Croft and Spott have 6 north of St John Street.
The meeting felt that a 2% growth in villages was acceptable providing the new build allocation was built with sensitivity and integration based on the amount of inhabitants already living in these villages. Allocation of houses to people with local origins was a requirement and confirmation that the local infrastructure was in place, not only with educational and environmental concerns, but with regard to transport links. Currently ELCC area did not have any integrated transport links. Health and care issues were also of concern and businesses development, supporting people working from home, must also be taking into consideration. Action: CB to draft and share an ELCC response covering these points
3:02 Aikengall IIa: In March 2014, ELCC, after consultation with local residents, lodged an objection with ELC to the initial Community Windpower Ltd (CWP) 27 turbines planning proposals. CWP have submitted revised plans as Borders and East Lothian Councils also lodged an objection, reducing the number of proposed turbines to 19 and turbine 1,2 and 27 sited in East Lothian have been removed, which left a total of five turbines being sited in East Lothian. The meeting discussed CWP revised plans and based on previous evidence agreed their objection, which has to be submitted by 28 January, 2015, would still stand as CWP new environmental study does not mitigate the concerns raised. Action: CB
3:03 Superfast Broadband: Better broadband connectivity for rural and remote communities in East Lothian. Representatives from rural communities in East Lothian are working with Haddington and Lammermuir Area partnership to try to address this. They want to make sure that people living and working in rural and remote areas have access to Superfast Broadband. ELCC to advise and encourage people in their areas to complete a survey (eastlothianconsultations.co.uk/policy-partnerships/community-broadband) which will remain open until the 20 February, 2015, or tel: 01620 827 822 for further information. Further discussion followed with regard to other options available and Cllr BW to contact Mr David Walls who was advocating the building of a large satellite dish in the Lammermuir Hills which would offer satellite broadband. Action: BW
3:04 East Lothian Fracking: Fracking means drilling deep into the ground, often under homes, schools and businesses to try to recover gas. Fracking exploration licences across Scotland, including East Lothian are being offered. East Lothian Council, is proposing to allow fracking as part of its new Local Development plan. Drilling firm Cluff also plans to apply for planning permission to drill into coal seams under the Firth of Forth, set fire to them and then capture the resulting gas. A variety of groups in East Lothian Against Fracking have been formed and leaflets were distributed to the meeting. A moratorium on fracking is being requested until its safety can be proven and verified.
Fast Food Chain McDonalds, Dunbar have lodged an application to build a 24 hour, drive through and restaurant at Spott Road. The meeting discussed the implications this would have on the local area and felt as it was near to the school it would impact on a number of already challenging issues. Children’s diet and the national obesity problems. The proximity to schools. The litter problems, which always surrounded McDonalds. The cycle path. Local eaters and Dunbar High Street. The 24hour opening was also of concern. ELCC agreed to lodge an objection: Action: PA
7:00 Councillors’ Reports:
Spott: Unhappy with the road repairs and AM would contact ELC.
Stenton: Have obtained planning permission for the renovation and extension of the village hall.
Website: Cllr J MacDonald has worked extremely hard on gaining the necessary experience to design and build the ELCC website, which the meeting viewed. Sincere congratulations and thanks were given to JMcD as what she has created is very pleasing, clear and informative. A note of thanks is to be forwarded to Mr Philip Immirzi of Sustaining Dunbar together with a £30 donation. Special thanks also to Mr B Cockburn for allowing use of his photography.
Lafarge Tarmac Liaison Meeting: Cllr P Armstrong attended the meeting and advised:
The team at the works are concentrating their time on preparing for the January shut down. £1.35m will be spent during the shut down on environmental, quality and reliability works.
Production for October was below forecast. November and December are level with forecast.
Bids have been made for supply of cement at : Aberdeen by-pass 180,000 tonnes, A1 North (2016) 20,000 tonnes. Offshore wind farm 200,000 tonnes, invest for 2018 1 million tonnes
Sale of company LafargeTarmac. 100 bids are being sought. Sale is expected in early 2015. Lafarge and Tarmac will then be separated. One site in England will be retained.
Next Lafarge Tarmac liaison meeting: 3 February, 2015.
8:00 Correspondence:
East Lothian’s Community Councils in order to draw attention to our ‘Special Landscape Areas’ onsultation: http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/news/article/1836/where_are_your_special_landscape_areas_in_east_lothian
If you would like any further information please contact scheyne@eastlothian.gov.uk.
9:00 Membership: members asked the Chair to write to a member of the public who attended last week’s (ultimately non-quorate) meeting to ask him to consider being co-opted onto the Community Council. Action: CB
10:00 Date of Next Meeting: 10 March, 2015 – Oldhamstocks Village Hall