Monimail Community Council Meeting

Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 9th March 2015

at 7.00 pm in Letham Village Hall

1. Present

Community Councillors

Chair David Hamilton (DH), Treasurer John Vaughan (JV), Secretary Karin Vaughan (KV), Hugh

Laidlaw (HL), Pat Laidlaw (PL), and Juliet Forest (JF)

Community Members

Gordon Smith (GS), Hazel Grant (HG), Debbie Smiles (DS), Kenny and Gail McLean (KM GM )and

Bruce Forest (BF).

Fife Council

Councillor Andy Heer (AH)

2. Apologies

Willie Fenton

3. Approval of Minutes of the meeting 12th

January 2015

DH opened the meeting at 7:00pm, explaining that the meeting had been brought forward in

order to accommodate Councillor Heer who also has a meeting at Auchtermuchty on the same

evening as our CC.

The minutes of 12th

January 2015 were adopted as an accurate record of the meeting, proposed

by BF and seconded by DS.

As previously agreed the minutes for January had been posted on the village notice boards and

DH had loaded them on Letham website. Some attendees reported difficulties with down

loading them and printing. DH said this had already been rectified and that the links were now

working properly.

Some attendees said they preferred minutes to be delivered but DH pointed out that there was

a significant cost to this and that mailing lists were hopelessly out of date. The decision to

publish minutes this way had been taken at the last meeting and could be re-evaluated at a

future meeting once it has had a chance to settle in.

GM and KM Gail pointed out that the Bow of Fife needed a notice board. The bus stop was

suggested as a potential location.

JV asked AH how other communities resolved the issue of publication of minutes. AH, described

a variety of solutions that are used by other community councils that he regularly attends

including those where the full minutes are published in the local paper

As a result of the discussion it was decided that bullet points from our meetings would be sent

to DS for publication in 'The Herald

4. Matters Arising

a) Speed Limit Pitlessie Road / Community Police.

The police sent their apologies for not attending due to their work load and shifts. Item to be

retained for the next meeting

b) Speed Survey

See a) above

c) Dog Fouling

DH reported that the problem seemed to have improved on the farm track, and JF reported

that she'd seen the notices being read on the park gates

It was agreed to remove this item from the agenda for the time being.

5. Cllr Andy Heer Update and Questions

a) Ballantager - Letham Footpath

AH reported there was no feedback from the Roads Engineer.

b) Verges Monimail to Collessie

He reported that the verges from Letham to Collessie are to be tidied up this month probably

in the next week.

c) Monimail Cemetery Gates

The refurbishment will be scheduled for action once the weather has improved

d) School Brae Adoption

AH has spoken to the Chief Roads Engineer who has stated that this may go ahead.

e) Hall Waste Certificate Charges

AH has still to enquire into this but will report back at the next meeting.

f) Other Questions

No further issues or questions were raised for AH

6. Replacement Street Lighting

Replacement street lighting is being planned for Letham.

There will be new lamps and poles that will be in approximately the same positions as the

existing ones. However there will be an increased number on The Row in order that the new

lighting meets the latest requirements

The new lighting will be dimmed to 70 percent between 10.00pm to 5.00 am. The proposal

will be presented to Fife Planning Committee and it is hoped that the new lighting will be

installed before the end of this current year.

A map showing the exact location of the lamps will be available for interested residents and

is being held by the Treasurer for inspection.

Individual householders will be notified by letter as to the new location of any street lamp

close to their property. The positons have been chosen to minimise light entering property

windows by placing them between properties or at gable ends.

The planners have proposed to the use the standard lamps and not the conservation type.

The standard type costs £250 whilst the conservation lamp style costs £750.

The anachronistic lamp at the bus stop was discussed, as the lighting department appeared

to have no record of it being installed! DS expressed the sentiment of the village when she

said that it is important to have the same style of lighting throughout the village, including

the currently un-adopted School Brae.

AH reminded the meeting that as a community in a conservation area we can lodge an

objection if the community thinks the proposals are unsuitable for our needs.

The pavement on The Row will have be dug up to lay new cables for the replacement poles

and lamps cables and it was commented that it would be ideal if School Brae were adopted

before the new lighting is installed.

It was agreed by the CC that we will object to the installation of standard street lamps in any

part of the village (which is designated as a conservation area). The CC does however

welcome the plans for new lighting and would fully support the installation of conservation

style lampheads.

7. Community Defibrillator / Telephone Box Adoption

JV reported that we are now at Stage 1 and have permission to adopt the box. He will

contact BT regarding the legal requirements and any contract that is required for the hand

over to the CC.

Leaflets explaining all about the initiative are ready for printing for distribution in the

community.

A subsidiary bank account for the Community Council has been opened for depositing any

money that is raised. The same signatures apply to this account as to the normal one.

The telephone box needs to be cleaned and repaired.

8. Superfast Broadband Update

AH reported that the roll out has progressed slowly. There is a place for the cabinet at the Letham

Exchange.

Collessie, Giffordtown, Springfield, Bow of Fife, Flisk, and Kilmany are all on the time- table for

Community Broadband and it seems to be going forward.

9. Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer report the account balance stood at £1890.18

BF asked if some of the balance could be used as a set up for the defibrillator fund. It was agreed

that we would conduct our own fundraising efforts first and then decide whether or not to add any

further community funds.

10. Planning Applications

It was noted that the residents of Milnholm have applied for planning permission for new sash and

casement windows, a new garden gate at the rear of the property and solar panels on their rear

building. The CC has no objections to this.

11. Community Groups

1. Village Hall

JV reported that an application had been made to Fife Environment Trust (FET) for funding

support for replacing the main hall windows and those in the gentleman’s toilet and store /

gas boiler room with UPVC triple glazing.

A further project to replace the gas central heating is being considered but any funding

application will be deferred until after the window one is complete.

2. NHTT

Nothing to report

It was agree to remove this item from future agendas.

3. Community Baker

Bakery is in the process of being wound up

It was agree to remove this item from future agendas.

4. Letham Primary School

School Transport Plan

Due to the lack of a footpath between Monimail and Letham signs will be installed to

indicate the presence of children and walkers. The Roads department disliked the idea of

a painted warning strip on the road surface.

A request to install Speed bumps was again suggested as an option, but it was agreed

that these bring their own issues and this idea was not supported.

11. Any Other Business

a) Telephone Box Bow of Fife

GM reported that the telephone box at the Bow of Fife was in a poor state of repair. She

was asked to identify if there was a contact number on the box and to report that to BT .

b) Post Office Services

JV reported that Post Office Services will be offered shortly at the Deer Centre. Times of

operation will be Thursday 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm only

c) Flood Risk Scotland

KV reported that she had received notification from Fife Council relating to the public

consultation regarding flood management that began on 2nd March 2015. Information is

available through the Citizen Space web site at https://frm-scotland.org.uk The

consultation will continue until 2nd June 2015.

d) Wheelie Bin Cleaning

GS indicated that there is a company locally who will trialling the cleaning of brown bins

for one month. There wasn’t a great deal of support within the meeting for this service.

e) TAYplan including North Fife

JV had received a letter inviting community councils to a briefing event on 5th May, to be

held in Dundee. (6.00 pm to 7.30pm) Enterprise House, 3 Greenmarket. There will be an

information event about the TAYplan that will be held in the Corn Exchange, Cupar on the

28th May (3.30 pm to 7.00 pm).

f) Monimail Church

A musical evening is being held in the church in aid of “Dogs as Partners” on 20th March.

12. Date of Next Meeting

Next meeting will be held Monday 18th

May at 7:00 pm (the third Monday of the Month due

to Community Councillors’ availability),

13. Closure

Meeting closed at 8:15 pm

David Hamilton Karin Vaughan

Chair Secretary