Minutes – 7 September 2021

The Minutes of Colinsburgh & Kilconquhar Community Council held at Colinsburgh Library at 7.00pm on Tuesday September 7th

Apologies: Rosalind Darvill, Cllr Bill Porteous, Anne Toye, Mariana Paul

Those Present : Patricia Finlay Chair, Anne Forgie Treasurer, Mac Logan, Cllr Linda Holt, Peter Marshall. Catherine Spence, Alan Webster, Susan Webster, Gordon Campbell

Minutes of the Last Meeting

As the July meeting was inquorate there were no minutes. Peter Marshall agreed to take the minutes as there is no secretary art present.

Chair’s Report

  • Discussions concerning the second defibrillator to be sited in Barnyards are on-going. Due to the lack of a power supply the defibrillator case will have to generate its own supply. East Neuk First Responders are helping look for a suitable model.
  • White lines still need painting in Kilconquhar Main Street. Patricia to write to Lesley Craig
  • There is continuing concern at the speed and weight of traffic going through our two villages. Patricia has written to Lesley Craig suggesting changing the speed signage for Colinsburgh to signs that tell the speed of oncoming traffic.
  • The passing places on Balbuthie Road are of poor quality and not sign posted and consequently often not used by traffic using the road. Patricia to write to Leslie Craig.
  • Due to the inadequacy in design of our web-site we will be discussing with Mr McCool a digital consultant recommended by Fife Council, about designing a new site.
  • Rose Darvill from the Balcarres Estate had written to say that they had experienced the theft of a truck and some equipment. The theft was organised. The Estate felt that residents of Kilconquhar ans Clinsburgh should be on their guard.
  • Rose Darvill also mentioned that an estate cottage had been hit by a vehicle travelling at speed.

Mac Logan pointed out that several residents of Colinsburgh have applied for the police Speed Awareness Programme. Lockdown had seen that temporarily halted. PC Chris Stekker had written to say that they hoped to get it up and running again as lockdown eases.

Treasurer’s Report

The current account stands at £833.14p. There had been no outgoings since the direct debit payment on the 9th of December for Data Protection insurance.

Councillors’ Reports

Linda Holt: Councillor Holt reported that the booking system at the re-cycling centres was to be discontinued at some unspecified time in the future. While the scheme had been unpopular with users, the staff at the sites felt that the scheme helped protect them from physical and verbal abuse, especially from commercial users.

Cllr Linda Holt left after her report to attend a meeting in Elie.

Planning Report

As Anne Toye (planning) was absent there was no planning report. Mr Campbell asked if the Community Council was aware of the application for the change in use of the farm buildings at Balbuthie Farm. Patricia to write to the Fife Council voicing our concern.

It was pointed out that enforcement order on Kithrig had not been activated Patricia to contact Andrew Hamilton at Fife Council over this.

Correspondence

The Chair had received several letters concerning the choice of Community Councillors / availability of minutes and emails over planning issues. These were discussed at some length in AOCB.

AOCB

Catherine Spence was concerned that Noah Miles and Roy Maclean were now members of the Community Council as they were not residents of Barnyards nor on the electoral register.

Patricia pointed out that they were not council members although at the AGM, as they were present and as the Council is in need of members that their joining the Community Council was entertained. At this point we did not know that they were not on the electoral register. The meeting was held via Zoom so no paperwork was available and they did not join. Obviously as they are not on the electoral register they would not be able to join as community councillors.

Catherine Spence pointed out that Noah Miles was advertising himself on his Linked In page as being the Secretary and having taken minutes. Patricia was to contact him over this and ask him to correct the entry. Gordon Campbell said that there was a need to check the suitability of people applying to become community councillors via the Fife Council Guidelines. This was agreed.

Catherine Spence said that she was concerned that the minutes were unreliable. Due to lockdown and the short comings of our web-site the minutes have been available on Facebook. Faulty minutes were put up after the AGM and were taken down. And new ones added. Without explanation. They also were taken down. It was agreed that this was unacceptable although the lack of a secretary was one factor in this. Minutes will be put up on noticeboards and on the website when it is ready.

It was mentioned that some community councils employ a secretary. It was agreed that the Community Council would investigate this as a solution.

Alan Webster expressed a concern that his letters to the chair had not been answered and requested communications with the Council over the development at Kithrig dating back to 2018. Patricia apologised for the shortcomings and said she would look for the emails to Fife Council.

The next meeting to be held at Kilconquhar Church on November the 9th at 7.00pm