February 2014 Meeting
The fifth CRA Cellardyke Burns Supper was agreed to have been another success, and an excellent evening. Glenn Jones and Allan Mclelland were thanked for all their work in organising it. Cllr Keith McCartney had delivered a poetically inspired Immortal Memory, John Wood had addressed the haggis in dramatic style, Bill Batchelor had toasted the lassies in all their facets, and Malcolm McDonald had taken the company from smuggling on the high seas to the shops of Cellardyke in his Town and Trade. Jim Harris had performed Holy Willie’s prayer with aplomb and night cap, and David Corstorphine had recited from Cellardyke’s own Poetry Peter, Peter Smith. The songs of Burns were movingly performed by May Muir and Robert Murray, accompanied by Robert Gardner. The evening was chaired by Glenn, and wrapping the evening up was CRA Chairman Dorothea Cargill Thompson who proposed the vote of thanks. The Burns Supper resulted in a small profit of £68.33, thanks to the raffle. (It was decided regretfully that ticket prices would have to rise next year.)
The CRA had been represented at a meeting called by the Community Council in the Dreel Halls regarding co-ordinating activities across all the local organisations. With regard to pre-Christmas activities, a date of 5th December 2014 had been suggested for Anstruther’s Christmas late night for the current year, and the CRA will give serious thought to participating. It was also noted that The Rowing Club Regatta will be held on 10th May, and the Harbour Festival on 15th – 17th August; the CRA will also consider supporting these in some way.
From the Silverdykes Liaison committee, it was reported that “leading to” road signs had been erected to help visitors find the new streets , as had been suggested by the committee, and the East Forth Street pedestrian entry was now open. It was felt, however, that work still needed to be done on the wall west of the entry. No further progress had been made on identifying a possible location for the skateboard park which had been suggested during consultation with the area’s young people, and this would be reconsidered. Proposals for traffic calming would be discussed at the forthcoming SLC meeting, but the view if the CRA was that the suggested measures looked excessive.
The group considering information boards for Cellardyke, Dorothea, Catherine Wilson, Diana Sykes, and Diana Webster had held a very positive meeting on 24th January. Progress had been made in firming up ideas for themes for four poster boards and their content, but expert advice now needed to be sought, both with regard to the accuracy of the historical aspects and with regard to costs and possible sources of funding. Alex Barclay had expressed an interest in becoming involved in the project and would be invited to a future meeting.
Other points arising were: no further news on the proposed Cornceres wind turbine; consultation on the No.95 bus route had closed; the CRA have been awarded a floral grant of £402 for 2014; Kate Shearer and Mary Thompson will again be co-ordinating Cellardyke’s floral effort; two new members have joined the CRA; two defibrillators are now operational - one at the Town Hall and the other at the Health Centre, and a training session is to be arranged; the next meeting is in Cellardyke Lower Town Hall at 7.15pm on Tuesday 4th March.
March 2014 Meeting.
Chairman Dorothea Cargill Thomson welcomed a small turnout to the meeting, due to an exceptional crop of apologies. The numbers were briefly swelled by a number of residents of Sou’wester Court, who were concerned about an application from Muir Homes for a change to site design involving plots 64-84. Reference was made to this at the last SLC meeting, but no details had been forthcoming at that point. Basically, their point was that this change represented a major threat to their privacy, and was contrary to everything the Reporter had said at the enquiry. After a long discussion, it was suggested that the Sou’wester residents attend next week’s meeting of the Kilrenny, Anstruther and Cellardyke Community Council, (KACC) , it being the CC who had the statutory right/responsibility to comment on all planning applications. Councillor Riches, who attends this meeting, would be able to advise them on what the procedure for this change was likely to be, and what avenues were available for them to influence it.
Kathryn Shearer had reported on progress with flowers and tubs within Cellardyke. The first of the new daffodils were showing, with more planned for next year to increase the impact. Kate suggested more perennial plants – which would save time and money, and be more environmental friendly. Some of the plants from last season have lasted through the winter, and Kate had caught sight of a creel which someone had "planted" at the John Street car park bay. The CRA would continue to enhance these areas - hopefully with further help from residents. More posters would be put up around the village once Kate’s printer had been restored to good health. She had also conceived of the idea of planting Christmas trees around the town. These could be bought as small trees and would grow in places where they could be decorated by the residents during the festive season, and could be part of the winter festival which was to be discussed the following evening at the Dreel Halls meeting.
Secretary Catherine had been in touch with Eleanor Bowman, who had welcomed the CRA’s interest in participating in the now-annual Silverdykes Street Party. A date was still to be confirmed, but organisers were looking at the last weekend in June. Eleanor suggested that the CRA might like to apply for funding from the National Lottery Celebration fund to assist the event. There was a general discussion among the members present on the pros and cons of applying for funds for this venture, and it was decided that any decision on involvement would need to wait until a meeting when more CRA members were present.
From the Silverdykes Liaison Committee (SLC), it was reported that proposed traffic calming measures for Windmill Road were awaiting modified plans from Colin Stirling at Fife Council, and these would also be discussed at the KACC. It had been agreed that a Skate Board Park at Cellardyke Bathing pool was a non-starter, and representatives from the Bankie Park group had been invited to attend the next SLC meeting to outline their on-going plans for Bankie Park.
News in brief:
Treasurer Allan McLelland’s reminders on subscriptions were bearing fruit, with a number of renewals. Attending members pay £1.00 per meeting towards funds, while those who cannot attend meetings in person pay an annual £10.00 towards the work of the CRA.
Concerning renovations to the War Memorial and its steps; information had been received from Steve Liscoe outlining steps to take when applying for grants under this scheme.
Glenn had confirmed a date of January 31st 2015 for the next Burns Supper. This had been booked with David Barnett, and that the hall had been booked provisionally. Glenn would formalise the hall booking on his return from holiday.
The Secretary had received a thank you note from Paul and Jean Lewis, thanking the CRA for the sympathy note and flowers sent on their recent bereavement.
David Corstorphine would be in touch with the first responders concerning the training session on the use of defibrillators which the CRA was willing to sponsor.
April 2014 Meeting.
Chairman Dorothea Cargill Thomson welcomed members of the CRA to the April meeting in CellardykeTown Hall. Residents had reported problems caused by delivery drivers thinking that the new houses on Acorn Way, but overlooking East Forth Street /Urquhart Wynd junction, were part of East Forth Street. The numbering of these houses is very close to those of the houses nearby on East Forth Street. It was suggested that there should be a sign in front of these houses somewhere to let people know they were not part of the East Forth Street numbering scheme. (This was discussed with Muir Homes at the Silverdykes Liaison Committee, and Muir Homes will put up signage to solve the problem.) An accident which had occurred in Sou'wester Court, possibly due to the lack of lighting, was reported. The absence of lighting was believed to be due to this area not having been ‘adopted’ by Fife Council? Secretary Catherine Wilson would write to Cllr Riches for her advice on this. There will be some changes to the SLC, as Catherine intimated that due to new commitments she would be resigning as one of the CRA representatives on the SLC from the time of the May/June meeting. Dorothea agreed to take her place after that meeting. Grateful thanks were extended to Catherine for her sterling work on this committee since its inception. A report was awaited on traffic calming measures on Windmill Road, which were to be discussed at the next Community council meeting.
New daffodils were appearing around the village thanks to the work of Kate Shearer and the floral team. Special mention was made of the pupils from WaidAcademy who had made a big contribution to the planting. Catherine had written to Gillian Duncan of First Responders who had given a positive reply to the offer by the CRA to set up a training session on the use of the new defibrillators. The suggestion was made that training could be combined with the CRA’s AGM in September. The CRA’s annual donation of £100 to maintaining the defibrillators, for which Gillian had expressed appreciation, was authorised.
On planning matters, it was noted that an application for the erection of a wind turbine at Cornceres Farm was due to be considered at the next NEF Planning Committee meeting. There had been no further information regarding the financial arrangements in the event of approval. However concern was expressed about the number of applications approved and pending throughout the East Fife area. The ‘major’ change to plans regarding house types and layout in the Silverdykes development raised at the previous meeting was to be discussed at the forthcoming Silverdykes Liaison Committee meeting. A representative from Fife Council Planning Department had been asked to attend. It was understood that KACC had registered an objection to the proposals, and this was later confirmed.
Discussion took place regarding possible CRA assistance with obtaining funding for the Silverdykes Street Party in June. It was suggested that the CRA should make a donation towards the event. It was then proposed formally, and approved, that the CRA should donate the sum of £100. Kate Shearer had written to Mr Hughes, the Rector of Waid Academy, regarding the possibility of The Waid participating in a revival of the ‘Anster Fair’, a possible community event which had received a positive response at the March meeting, although concern had been expressed about ‘fitting’ it into an already congested timetable. Ensuing discussion indicated that the CRA would be interested in the possibility of participating, but felt that it would it would be 2015 before something of that magnitude could be organised
Possible CRA participation in the Anstruther Harbour Festival 2014, (15th – 17th August), was discussed, although the CRA were unsure as to who was the contact point for the festival. It was suggested that the CRA could arrange transport from car parks at the ‘Waid’ or elsewhere to the harbour. Catherine would investigate the appropriateness/acceptability of this idea with the event organisers, and Dorothea to look into the possibility of obtaining a minibus.
May 2014 Meeting.
Chairman Dorothea Cargill Thompson welcomed members to the May meeting in Cellardyke Town Hall on Tuesday 6th of May. The situation regarding the lack of street lighting in Souwester Court, Cellardyke, and the problems resulting, had been investigated. Councillor Riches had explained that the problem dated back to the original road and lighting arrangements not meeting Fife Council standards. Consequently they were never adopted by the Council. In order to get the area lit the residents would have to contribute towards the cost of the lamp standards. Fife Council was to send an engineer to examine the state of the existing wiring, to establish whether it was sufficient to ‘support’ new lighting, and to determine what the cost of the installation would be. If appropriate new lighting were to be installed with funding by the residents, then the Council would adopt it for maintenance purposes.
Kathryn Shearer, Floral team leader, outlined the problems she had been experiencing in finding volunteers to assist her in carrying out the necessary work of preparing the ground/containers, planting and keeping the plants watered. She commented that maintenance of the displays was the biggest problem, as it was essential for the well-being of the displays, that they were watered and tended to on a regular basis. This task had been particularly taxing and time-consuming last year. It was of the utmost importance that anyone volunteering gave a commitment to daily watering and maintenance as and when necessary. Allan McLelland agreed to look at his list of volunteers for the sites in Cellardyke, and to contact the people involved to establish what the situation was for this year. Dorothea and David Corstorphine volunteered to be responsible for the Martin’s Court and East Forth Street displays, respectively. It was agreed that the next issue of the newsletter should include an appeal for volunteers and it was also suggested that the Silverdykes Street Party might provide an opportunity for a further appeal. Kathryn was thanked for her very hard work, the appearance of the bulbs at the corner of Crail Road and Windmill Road receiving especially favourable comments.
The Silverdykes Street Party will be held on 21st July, starting at 2pm. A request for baking had been received from Eleanor Bowman. The CRA would be giving a donation of £100 towards the costs, and had received a letter of appreciation. This event would be included in the next CRA newsletter for distribution in Cellardyke.
An e-mail had been received from Steve Liscoe on behalf of the East Neuk Preservation Society, saying that a long standing project of the society had been the installation of armorial stones within the burghs of the East Neuk. The most recently carved stone was designated for Cellardyke, and the ENPS wished to consult the CRA, and engage in a discussion regarding suitable sites. The members present identified 3 possible sites, namely: at the foot of Caddies Burn; on Cellardyke Town Hall above the Mercat Cross; on Harbour House facing Skinfasthaven. Cellardyke Town Hall was thought the best location.
The CRA had contacted the organisers of the Harbour Festival regarding the possibility of the CRA organising a minibus to take people to and from the car park opposite Waid Academy on the Sunday of the festival when no public transport would be available. There had been no response to this suggestion as yet. (Dorothea had ascertained that the RVS bus would be available on the day in question.) Subsequent discussion suggested that caution might be needed given the limited success of last year’s festival and the lack of detail currently available for this year’s event.
The official minutes for the last meeting of the Silverdykes Liaison Committee (SLC had yet to be produced, but Catherine Wilson gave an abbreviated report. Three representatives of the Bankie Park Development Group had attended the meeting, and had given a presentation on the present state, and proposed further stages, of development. The SLC members had been impressed by the professional way in which the group had undertaken its work to date and were in sympathy with their aims for Phase 2. Three stone ‘capstans’ for the works of art had now been erected in the development but were awaiting their etched plaques. David Scobbie had indicated that Muir Homes would erect a sign to reduce the likelihood of confusion in the house numbering, given the position of Acorn Court in relation to East Forth Street. A representative from Fife Council traffic management department was to attend the next meeting of the KACC to explain the situation regarding traffic calming on Windmill Road. Catherine had announced that due to new commitments, she would be resigning from the Liaison Committee after chairing the May meeting.
An e-mail had been received from the 3CBDT (Community Development Trust) outlining its aims and raison d’être and requesting a meeting with the CRA. It was agreed that the 3CBDT should be invited to send the secretary and an additional representative to talk to the Association at its June meeting. It was noted that the 3BCDT would be holding its AGM in the Dreel Halls on Tuesday, 13th May, starting at 1900 hrs.
The first CRA donation of £100 had been paid to First Responders towards the maintenance of the defibrillators in Cellardyke, and Gillian Duncan had agreed to run a training session on the night of the CRA AGM. (2nd September in Cellardyke (upper) Town Hall.)
Catherine had written to ask whether a grant from the War Memorial Fund might be made, not to refurbish the Kilrenny War Memorial in Cellardyke, but to refurbish the steps up to it. Receipt of the letter had been acknowledged but a response to the specific question was awaited.
George reported that he had had no communications in connection with the web site, and read out a list of dates and functions which he would include on the web site as result of this meeting.
June 2014 Meeting.
With some members taking their holidays ahead of the school summer break, attendance at the June meeting of the Cellardyke Residents Association was somewhat depleted but the range of topics discussed was not! And as usual, matters were discussed with good humour.
A short presentation by two of the directors of the Three Burgh Community Development Trust opened the meeting, the purpose of this being to inform CRA members of the aims and objectives of the Trust and to initiate discussion on how the two organisations might work collaboratively. Collaborative working across all the various organisations in the community is a longer term goal.
This being the summer season, floral displays are high on the agenda of the Association and a full report was received from Kathryn Shearer. Her sterling efforts are once again improving the appearance of the village, and it was pleasing to note that other residents are now adding their own contributions to the displays, including some quite novel containers! The work is ongoing with more tubs and an additional boat to be put in place The support of staff and students from the Waid Academy has been much appreciated.
A report was made on the May meeting of the Silverdykes Liaison Committee, the most pleasing aspect being that three of the planned four ’Works of Art’ are now in place on the Silverdykes Development. These take the form of capstan-shaped stone ‘cairns’ to which will be attached metal plates, etched with images representing farming - a plough and a windmill - and fishing - an anchor and a steam drifter. It is hoped that there will be a formal unveiling when the fourth capstan has been put in place, later in the summer.
On a less positive note, concerns were expressed at the scale of flagging of garden areas and erection of outbuildings at the southern end of the development which would affect land drainage in the immediate environs adversely.
There was some discussion of play facilities in the village and it was noted that the play area in Windmill Court was very poorly provided with suitable equipment - two swings and a see-saw - while the number of children living in the area had increased. This matter was to be taken up with the Community Council and Fife Council.
Members also received a report on the work of the Community Council.
Contributions to the June issue of the CRA newsletter were sought urgently, the aim being to circulate this in the third week of the month - an aim which was achieved!
There will be no meeting of the Cellardyke Residents Association in July. The next meeting will be held on 5th August and the Annual General Meeting of the Association will be held on 2nd September. All meetings, held in Cellardyke Town Hall, are open to anyone wishing to attend. (In addition to the AGM on September 2nd, the Association is organising an awareness-raising/demonstration session with regard to the recently installed defibrillators. This session will be run by the East Neuk First Responders.)
July 2014 - No meeting.
August 2014 Meeting.
The August meeting of the Cellardyke residents Association focused mainly on community issues, in particular improvements to the community. This being the first meeting after the judging of the burgh for the Fife in Bloom/Beautiful Fife awards, members were quick to thank Kate Shearer and her small team for all their hard work. Kate, supported by Allan McLelland, had put in many hours of work creating new floral features, as well as renewing and maintaining existing ones, and their efforts resulted in several residents adding their own contributions to the CRA funded displays, contributions which were warmly welcomed. The outcome of the judging will be made known at an evening event in Glenrothes on 24th August, to be attended by Kate and Allan.
Time was also spent at the meeting discussing a number of potential projects which would improve facilities for various age ranges in the community. These included improved equipment in a number of play areas, the installation of more seats/benches for the public at a number of strategic points, and a fresh look at the possible ‘landscaping’ of open ground between East Forth Street and Shore Wynd. Notice of a meeting between interested parties and representatives of Fife Council to consider the development of safe cycle paths in the locality was welcomed. The state of the War Memorial, both with regard to the weathering of the plates recording the names of the fallen and with regard to its accessibility via badly worn steps was also discussed. It was recognised that the maintenance of such memorials required expert knowledge, but the situation would be kept under review.
The possibility of pontoons being built for Cellardyke Harbour had been raised by a resident returning to the area who had been disappointed to find the waiting time for a berth in Anstruther. Advice on this matter received from two ’sailing’ members of the Association illustrated graphically - in poetry and in photographs of the damage to boats in the harbour caused by winter storms in the early 1990s - the likely problems associated with such a development.
The Association is keen to hear from local residents and to offer advice and support where possible. Anyone wishing to know more about the Association will be welcome to attend the Annual General Meeting, to be held in Cellardyke Town Hall (Upper Level) on 2nd September, starting at 7.00pm. The meeting, which will last no more than 30 minutes, will be followed by an awareness/training session run by East Neuk First Responders on Public Access Defibrillators. The evening will conclude with a time to socialise over light refreshments. (Details of all CRA activities can be found on its website: http://e-voice.org.uk/cellardyke )
September 2014 AGM
Annual General Meetings are rarely the most interesting events in an organisation’s calendar, so the Cellardyke Residents Association (CRA) decided to increase the attractiveness of its AGM, held in September, by linking it to a training/awareness session on the use of Public Access Defibrillators.
The AGM took its usual form with reports from the Secretary and the Treasurer and a review of the year undertaken by the Chairman. The Association continues in a healthy financial state and it had recently sponsored a drop-in session to allow residents to discuss a Fife Council consultation document concerning an appraisal of the Cellardyke Conservation Area and its future management. Members were pleased to learn that Anstruther/Cellardyke had achieved a Silver Gilt Award under the Fife in Bloom/Beautiful Fife scheme.
In the election of officers, the meeting was not overwhelmed by volunteers but posts were filled as follows:
Chairman - Glenn Jones
Vice Chairman - George Walker
Secretary - Catherine Wilson
Treasurer - Allan McLelland
The training session was run by Gillian Duncan and Ruby Urlotti of the East Neuk First Responders and they had plenty of experience and expertise to share. It was very well-received and the majority of those present took part in some hands-on exercises. (The CRA had decided in the course of the previous year to make a grant to the First Responders for the upkeep and maintenance of the defibrillators located in the village.)
The evening closed with the serving of light refreshments and a chance to socialise. The whole evening was judged to be worthwhile and enjoyable.
CRA Subscriptions will be held at £10 per annum (or £1 per meeting) for the coming year. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month in Cellardyke Town Hall and more information about the Association can be found on the Association’s website e-voice.org.uk/cellardyke
October 2014 Meeting.
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 5th August were received and approved subject to a minor textual error of a missing word. The minutes of the AGM held on 2nd September were also received.
Matters Arising
(a)The Secretary reported that she had written to Reni Timmermans of 3BCDT about the Interpretation Board project and their pilot envisioning exercise and awaited a reply.
(b) It was noted that the AGM for the Harbour Festival would be held on 22nd October with a ‘wash-up’ session re the 2014 Festival on 14th October. It was rumoured that the Festival would be held in May in 2015 with the hope of there being better weather then.
(c) The date of the next meeting about safe cycle routes had been fixed for Wednesday, 29th October. The Secretary intended to attend.
Secretary’s Report: Correspondence
The Secretary reported that an e-mail had been received from a CRA member drawing attention to the erection of a satellite dish on a house on Shore Street in the centre of the Cellardyke Conservation Area, where such dishes are not allowed. The Secretary had referred the matter to the Fife Council Heritage Officer who had confirmed that this should not have been allowed. She had thus registered a complaint on behalf of the CRA.
Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer, Allan, had circulated a report for the period 1st to 30th September in advance of the meeting, which showed working capital of £1851.37 at the end of September. (£48.61 cash in hand and £1802.76 in the bank). There were hall costs of approximately £40.00 outstanding and there were also some bills for floral items anticipated.
Social/Community and CRA Activities
(a) East Neuk Community Action Plan Programme The Chair reported that he had attended a meeting about this initiative which had been set up by an organisation called STAR on behalf of Fife Council. Others attending had represented a number of local organisations such as the Community Council, the 3BCDT, the AIA - but it was by no means a comprehensive list of local interests. The meeting had been/was being replicated in other community council areas within the East Neuk. The overall aim was to prepare a long term vision and plan for the East Neuk, built from the bottom up, so that the community was in a position to influence and shape ‘external’ planning and projects, development and service delivery in the area. A follow-up ‘drop-in’ meeting was to be held on 9th October which George volunteered to attend, the feeling being that this was a venture which the CRA should keep an eye on. It was also felt that the organisers should endeavour to identify ALL local interest groups.
(b) The Future of Cellardyke Town Hall The Chair reported that he had also attended the AGM of the East Neuk Centre Trust at which the proposed merger between the Cellardyke Town Hall Committee and The East Neuk Centre Trust had been discussed. The proposal had gone forward to the AGM of the Cellardyke Town Hall Committee and had been approved. The Secretary agreed to check the situation with regard to forward bookings.
(c) New community website: www.anstruther.info A new website, superseding the anstruther.org website, had been developed by Alan Stewart and Kevin Lancaster, with funds from, among others, the Community Council. It was intended to be a forum for all groups in the area. It was agreed that the CRA should subscribe to and feature on the new site, with a link to the Association’s own site. The joining fee was £10. The hope was expressed by featuring on the new site there might be a cross-fertilisation of ideas and new members might be created.
(d) Burns Supper 2015 The Chair reported that he had now booked the piper and the majority of the speakers for the 2015 Burns Supper. Some suggestions were made for possible people to give recitations. The possibility of the piper playing as people arrived for the event was floated. With regard to the singing of Burns Song it was agreed that a sing-along should be tried. The Secretary agreed to ask Elizabeth Dickson and Jackie Smith if they would be willing to lead such singing.
Muir (Silverdykes) Liaison Committee (SLC)
(a) The Chair gave a verbal report of two recent meetings. (The SLC Minutes had not, as yet been released, pending their formal approval by the committee.) At the most recent meeting two youngsters had made the case for the development of a skate board park in the community, citing Dreelside as a possible site. They were now working on a business plan for such a development.
(b) The Committee had drawn up a modus operandi for the disbursement of Section 75 funding and Cllr Riches had presented this for approval by Fife Council. This had, in effect, cleared way for ‘going public’ about the availability of funds and the manner in which applications should be submitted. A set of draft criteria for judging applications made for funds had also been drawn up and it would be submitted to the Council for approval - the criteria included such aspects as proximity to the Silverdykes development, the number of likely beneficiaries, the quality of the proposal, amount of money raised from other sources, etc. It was noted, however, that as the amount of public access land available for development within the Cellardyke boundaries was very limited, proposals for development within the Community Council area would be considered.
(c) The Chair reported that a question had been raised by a Community Council member about the legitimacy and appropriateness of there being co-options to the SLC, but it was noted that such additions to the committee had been approved by Fife Council, and that all co-options were for one year only after which time they would be reviewed. It was noted that the SLC would soon have a formal constitution which would cover the matter of co-options.
(d) It was reported that all four ‘capstans’ were now in place to which engraved plates would be affixed. As this artwork had been developed under budget it was suggested that there might be a celebration/formal unveiling ceremony.
(e) It was confirmed that permitted development rights for property on the Silverdykes development had been removed and thus the erection of all extensions and garden sheds, etc, required planning permission. There was an enforcement officer for North East Fife to oversee such matters.
(f) It was also confirmed that the passing places for the Blacklaws road would be constructed in the period January to March 2015 at an estimated cost of £8000.
Local and Environmental Issues
(a) Floral Report: The Secretary reported that Kate Shearer had confirmed her willingness to continue with the floral work in Cellardyke in the coming season but that she was resigning from the Community Council. Kate had already bought bulbs for planting in tubs and at roadsides.
Allan suggested that the Fife in Bloom competition was perhaps over prescriptive and it was questionable whether the CRA could do any more than it was already doing. The idea of a local competition to encourage individuals or groups to supplement the work of the CRA was floated. Such a competition might have a number of categories such as window boxes, private gardens and open spaces. It was agreed that this idea should be considered further at the November meeting and that a small sub-group might take the matter forward. In the meantime, work was needed on the application for a floral grant and it was agreed that Kate, Allan and the Secretary would work on this. It was noted that some tubs were in need of repair, but it was recognised that the available manpower was very limited.
(b) Watchfulness re Cellardyke Conservation Area: This case of the satellite dish had highlighted the need for this. Kate had commented in an e-mail that there should be a move to preserve what is left of the old dykes and had suggested that the CRA should keep a note generally of the really old bits which should be preserved.
(c) The state of tracks, pathways and roadsides: Concern was expressed about the state of the path/track extending beyond Braehead towards the Town Green. There had been no spraying to prevent the growth of weeds and now the borders of the track were becoming repositories of rubbish and litter. The state of the Waur Path was also a cause for concern, as was the apparent discontinuation of spraying roadside gutters with weed killer. It was agreed that this matter should be taken up with the Council.
CRA Website.
George reported that he had not received any feedback on the CRA website although there was evidence of a good number of ‘hits’. The Secretary reported that she had sent a summary of the AGM to the local press but it had not been published.
KACC Liaison Report
There was no formal report from the KACC but it was noted that it would be dissolved shortly as elections were due in November. Nominations for the new KACC were supposed to be sent in by mid-October but the necessary details had not been sent out.
AOCB
(a) Allan reported that he had ordered two wreaths for the CRA to lay at the Anstruther Memorial and at the Kilrenny Memorial. It was noted that the service and the major wreath-laying ceremony would be held in Anstruther this year. Allan also reported that he had been asked to lay the British Legion Wreath this year. It was agreed that Paul Lewis should lay the CRA wreath.
(b)George reported that Harry Peddie had taken up with him the matter of the coastal path interpretation board which he claimed was facing the wrong way. No action was considered.
(c) Susan Holmes had sought advice on whom to contact re the pick-up points for the school buses on the St Andrews road, several of which caused traffic hazards. A letter to Councillor Riches was suggested.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at approx. 9.00pm
November 2014 - No meeting.
December 2014 Meeting.
The Chairman, Glenn Jones, welcomed everyone to the meeting with a particularly warm welcome to Diana Sykes on her return.
Present: Glenn Jones (Chairman), Catherine Wilson (Secretary), Dorothea Cargill Thompson, Susan Holmes, Paul Lewis, Allan McLelland (Treasurer), Cath Parker, Diana Sykes and George Walker
Apologies for absence were received from: David Corstorphine, Sonny Corstorphine, Catriona and David Coulter, Rosina Gentle, Stella Hunter, David Kettles, Steve Liscoe, Gaynor and Alan Mathieson, Kate Shearer, Diana Webster, Paul and Margaret Whiteley, Ronnie Wilson and Allan Wood. (It was noted that Sonny Corstorphine was now in hospital in St Andrews – good wishes would be sent to him via David.)
Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday 5th October were received and approved subject to a minor textual error regarding the Secretary’s e-mail address. (Her own mistake!) Proposed: George Walker, seconded, Diana Sykes.
Matters Arising
(a) It was noted that the Harbour Festival in 2015 would be would be held on the last weekend in May. The change being made in the hope that the weather would be better at the new time of year. The notification of the date to the CRA had been accompanied by an invitation to organisations to become involved actively or to contribute ideas for the Festival programme. It was agreed that this invitation would be discussed at the first meeting of 2015.
(b) The Secretary spoke briefly about the meeting re the development of safe cycle routes connecting the East Neuk villages which she had attended in October. A short report on this meeting had been circulated in advance. It was reported that good progress was being made in defining the route from Pittenweem to the Kilrenny traffic lights. (The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 11th December but unfortunately the Secretary is unable to attend.)
(c) The Secretary drew attention to the increasing amount of information accessible on the new Community website, including information about the early plans for the new WaidAcademy buildings. George Walker reported that he had tried to register the CRA’s interest in being actively linked into the site but had received no acknowledge-ment. It was confirmed that necessary cheque to pay for this link had not yet been cleared.
(d) The Secretary reported that she had contacted Councillor Riches about the problem of weeds alongside paths and tracks and in roadside gutters/gulleys. It was noted that some weed-killing had been undertaken in the meantime along the gulleys and Cllr Riches had promised to forward concerns about weeds alongside Braehead. (See minute of Floral Matters item on agenda.)
Secretary’s Report: Correspondence
(a) The Secretary reported on a phone call she had received from the great grandson of Peter Thomson, who had started a draper’s shop in James Street, but who had also had other commercial interests in the village. This phone call had been followed in due time by receipt of a parcel of miscellaneous items of correspondence and local administrative transactions, including a certificate of insurance for the windows in (new, 19th century) Cellardyke Town Hall. It was agreed that the material should be handed over to the Burgh Collection and George suggested that some of the information in the latter might be history section of the CRA website.
(b) The Secretary drew attention to the note, circulated with the meeting papers, from Diana Webster concerning the old lamp standard, now in her possession, which the Council had taken down when the new lighting had been installed. Members expressed their appreciation that Diana had ‘saved’ the standard and indicated that they were happy for her to preserve it in whatever her chosen location might be. Alternatively, if she felt that there was not an appropriate position in her own grounds, Paul Lewis would be interested in erecting the standard in his garden. A further alternative might be to erect the standard on Windmill Road close to the tattiee-boxes. It was noted that there were still two old lamp standards on East Forth Street near to the Fisherman’s Court junction(?).
Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer, Allan, circulated a report for the period 1st to 30th November, which showed working capital of £1851.37 at the end of November. (£84.61 cash in hand and £1802.28 in the bank). There were hall costs of approximately £50.00 outstanding and all bills for floral items had now been settled. A refund of £351 paid into the account erroneously by Fife Council was now in hand.
Social/Community and CRA Activities
(a) East Neuk Community Action Plan Programme: There was no progress to report.
(b) Extension to the Cellardyke Conservation Area: It was noted that an extension to the area from 60 East Forth Street to 4 Braehead had been authorised (?). Steve Liscoe had indicated that the purpose of the extension was to preserve the present skyline as seen from the harbour.
(c) Burns Supper 2015: The Chair gave a detailed update on the programme for the Burns Supper, all the speakers now being in place. (See attachment to minutes.) He expressed the view that the impact of the piper emerging from the kitchen to pipe in the haggis would be lost if he had already piped in the guests (as had been discussed at the October meeting) so the idea was not pursued. The Secretary reported that she had approached Elizabeth Dickson about leading the singing of Burns songs and she had agreed to organise a small group for the purpose.
The issue of complimentary tickets was discussed in the context of trying to keep the cost of tickets down as far as possible. It was agreed that there should be no change of policy with regard to the main speakers but that those leading the singing might be offered tickets at a reduced price (covering the cost of the meal).
It was agreed that Mary and Catherine should take charge of the raffle. An appeal for prizes would be circulated with the minutes of the meeting.
The need to start marketing the event immediately after the start of the New Year was agreed. Publicity would be achieved through posters, information on the CRA website and on the Anstruther Activities sheet.
Muir (Silverdykes) Liaison Committee (SLC)
(a) The Chair reported that there had been no SLC meetings since the October meeting of the CRA but that one was scheduled in two days’ time. Once the minute of the previous meeting had been approved, it would be circulated to CRA members.
(b) It was noted that up a modus operandi for the disbursement of Section 75 funding had been drafted and was awaiting consideration and, hopefully, approval by Fife Council. Once such approval had been achieved, wider publicity of the availability of grants would be undertaken. It was noted that there were no time limits with regard to expenditure under Section 75 funding procedures, unlike expenditure in the transportation area.
(c) Questions were asked about the development of passing places on Blacklaws Road and it was noted that following recent road works linked to cable-laying for wind turbines, the state of both the metalled road and the verges was very poor and potentially dangerous.
(d) There was no progress to report with regard to the artwork for the four ‘capstans’.
Local and Environmental Issues
(a) Floral Report: It was noted that for the time being the KACC was in abeyance. It was thus considered appropriate for Cellardyke (the CRA) to act independently with regard to financing and developing floral displays within the village. Kate Shearer and Allan McLelland had met with Ken Jackson (who oversees the Beautiful Fife Scheme) who had basically approved this action.
There followed discussion of ways of obtaining additional finds for local floral displays, including the setting up of a specialist floral sub-group which might put in an additional application for a floral grant. Some of the potential problems of doing so were considered. The possibility of a house-to-house collection was mentioned and would be discussed at a future meeting, as would the idea of a competition to encourage individuals or groups to supplement the work of the CRA.
(b) The Future of artefacts in Cellardyke Town Hall: It was agreed that the future of some of the artefacts, such as the Weights and Measures and some of the painting and portraits needed safeguarding and that an inventory should be made in this regard. The name of Dallas Mechan, Museum & Heritage Development Manager, was mentioned in this regard. The possibility of a local museum being established, perhaps within the new WaidAcademy, was floated.
(c) Planning application for a dwelling house on the Silverdyke Caravan Park: It was noted that an application had been lodged with the Council but agreed that it would be inappropriate for the CRA to object, although individual members might be encouraged to do so. It was further agreed that approval of such a building might set a dangerous precedent.
KACC Liaison Report
As had been noted earlier in the meeting, the Community Council was in abeyance. The hope was that the Council would be resurrected in the New Year.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at approx. 8.30pm and a period of socialising ensued over seasonal refreshments.