Minute of Meeting on Tuesday 20 December 2011

Kalewater Community Council

Minute of Meeting on Tuesday 20 December 2011

In the Village Institute, Morebattle

Present:  Community Councillors; Eric McNulty (chair), Andrew McEwan, George Aitchison, Margaret Lister (Treasurer), Helen Cessford (Vice-Chair), Michael Scott (Secretary), Paul Grime, Sarah Dixon.

Public: 2

ACTION

1

Apologies

Matilda Hall, SBC Cllr Alec Nicol.

2

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting of 17 November having been circulated were passed as a true record of events.

Proposed: Cllr Lister; Seconded: Cllr Grime.

3

Matters Arising from 17 November Actions

3a

No progress yet.

Secretary

3b

Completed. The new LED lights look good.

3c

Completed. SBC Officer grateful for thanks.

3d

Completed

3e

Completed

3f

Unknown

3g

In Progress

3h

To be added to January agenda.

Secretary

3i

Completed

3j

Completed

3k

Don’t know

3l

Fence repaired

4

Vattenfall Whitton Wind Farm update

Cllr Scott felt that there was a need for a public meeting in Morebattle to publicise and discuss the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vattenfall.

Cllr Grime suggested that a solicitor check the document and noted that the MoU suggested Vattenfall would contribute £500 to the related costs).

Cllr McNulty noted that the MoU’s division of income between the two community councils was somewhat ambiguous.

Cllr McEwan suggested a leaflet drop in Morebattle, hand-delivered costing around £100 for printing.

Agreed that the February meeting would be best.

Chair to contact Andrew Bennett (Vattenfall).

ALL

Chair

5

Windfarm Seminar report, 1 December 2011

Cllrs Grime and Scott attended the event at SBC HQ.

Cllr Grime noted that the most interesting presentation related to a proposed Borders Energy Agency.

All the presentations had been printed out for the circulation folder and also emailed to community councillors.

6

Planning Matter update

11/00762/PPP Erection of two dwellinghouses, Land North Of Hownam Schoolhouse, Hownam (agenda item July 2011)

Scottish Borders Council’s Head of Planning, Brian Frater had written to the community council to advise that the application had been rejected on the grounds that it would represent an inappropriate addition to the existing building group at Hownam.

7

Morebattle Interpretation Board Update

Cllr Grime noted that the text was nearly complete. The remaining artist was one of his daughters and as a result Cllr Dixon would report on that area.

Cllr Hall noted that Douglas Hall had yet to submit text on Morebattle Kirk.

Cllr Dixon noted that the artist will draft each section of the board.

Cllr Grime noted that the text will be circulated before the next KCC meeting in January.

                         Cllr Hall

 Cllr Grime

8

Condition of Dere Street between Pennymuir and Whitton Edge, and 'The Street' between Hownam and Belford

Cllr Dixon was concerned that a stretch of Dere Street had become impassable to walkers in part due to the effect of 4 wheel drive vehicles using it during promotional events for journalists. The situation around gates was particularly poor despite the use of grit.

It was noted that these sections of path are part of the road network and open to vehicles. Cllr Aitchison noted that the landowner or farmer was likely to be receiving recompense for damage from events organisers.

SBC Access Officer Neil Mackay to be contacted for his opinion on whether damage to the path can be minimised.

Secretary

9

Correspondence

Secretary read through recent correspondence, some of which was placed in a new circulation folder.

·   Scottish Borders White Ribbon Campaign 2011 (add to January agenda)

·   SBC Carbon Reduction Officer Fiona Munro (contact re. potential for KCC to work with Morebattle Primary School eco-committee)

·   Woodland expansion consultation (The community council agreed that it would welcome more broadleaved trees to enhance environmental protection, flood reduction and riverbank stabilisation as well as enhancing amenity. There was support for establishment of more hedges. Deadline 6 January 2012.

Secretary

Secretary

10

Items for Circulation Folder

The Secretary summarised items going into the new circulation folder as listed on the agenda.

• Cheviot & Berwickshire (South) Wardens’ Monthly Update, November 2011
• Safer Borders newsletter – Festive edition
• Lothian and Borders Police Board Newsletter, December 2011
• Police Report, Kelso, November 2011
• Carbon monoxide awareness campaign
• ASCC Bulletin, November 2011
• Scottish Borders Elder Voice Newsletter, December 2011

11

AOB

• Planning Application for external decoration of The Neuk, Heughhead, Main Street, Morebattle TD5 8QN. No objections.
• Concern raised by Cllr Hall about the state of the vennel next to the village institute as a light needs repairing and the salt bin has been removed. Contact SBLocal.
• Chair noted a recent email from SBC Cllr Nicol re. SBC Planning enforcement of a development site in Morebattle.
• Cllr Grime briefed on the Kelso Townscape Heritage Initiative and his recent design commission to progress public artwork in the town square working with a SBC town planner and Heritage officer. A consultation is underway using an online survey. There will be a presentation to the Stakeholders Group in late January with final proposals due at the end of February.

Secretary

Secretary

12

Items for Next Meeting 17 January 2012

Proposal to co-opt new community council member

Meeting concluded at 8.30pm

Signed:

Date: