Boarhills and Dunino Community Council Notes of Meeting held Thursday 5 March 2020 at Boarhills Village Hall 1.Apologies: Sybil Scott, Mike Frodsham. Nothing from Bill Porteous, Lib Dem Councillor. Present: Committee members Arlene Slaughter, chair, Helen Raeside (vice chair), Bobby Simpson, Danny Slaughter, Janice Furness (secretary), Lorna Drummond (co-opted member); SNP councillor John Docherty and Ind. Councillor Linda Holt. Also present: Jo and Anne Fairburn, Bruce Low, Athol Fraser, Kevin McCulloch, Louise Roger, Matthew and Mathilda. 2.Declarations of interest: Arlene and Danny Slaughter declared an interest in the Beley Bridge Development due to ongoing court case against Carriden Homes, developer. 3. New Secretary: Janice Furness was welcomed onto the committee as Secretary, proposed by Arlene Slaughter and seconded by Helen Raeside. 4. Minutes of the last meeting (7 Nov 2019) accepted. Matters arising: 4.1. Beley Bridge trees: Helen Raeside advised that at least 20 trees were stipulated in the original agreement, but none have been planted as yet. Linda Holt has contacted Lyle Smith, Planning, Council, once again to chase for enforcement. 4.2. Beley Bridge development entrance: Fife Council Roads were contacted by the Community Council requesting signage for the entrance to the development, moving the 40mph sign and speed restriction measures. There has already been an accident and a few near misses. They replied that developers are still to install two junction delineation bollards and clear sight lines of vegetation, and they consider that sufficient. Fife Council will not move the 40mph signs, and surveys from 2018 and 2019 (though the latter was incomplete because vandalised) give the average speed as 38mph. However, through Dunino the average speed is given as 45 mph (which is contradictory). They don’t consider this warrants Vehicle Activated Speed Signs - £8,000 per sign. ACTION: Community Council to write asking for speed strips to be carried out again. Fife Council to chase the developer again. 4.3. Boarhills village entrance: Fife Council refused our request for a vehicle restraint system. They don’t consider there have been enough accidents to justify it. They need three or more injury crashes over three years and have records only of two in the last six years. We know this is absurd, there have been far more. The wall is still down from the last crash and there was another accident there this week. ACTION: Arlene to contact Frank Roger (who repairs the wall) to ask for statistics. 4.4. Deer Warning Signs: Our request for deer signs has also been turned down in spite of several deer fatalities near Beley Bridge and on Lathockar road. It would be ‘signage clutter’. ACTION: Arlene to write again pressing for this. 4.5. Dunino Church Access: The Roads dept are satisfied with the visibiity on exiting, claiming that ‘the stone walls on either side of the junction are low enough to see over’ but this is only true in a large 4x4, not in smaller cars. Also the slope on the main road means approaching traffic is not seen till the last moment. They advise us to liaise with Police re enforcing speed limit. ACTION: Arlene to write to Fife Council again. 4.6. Pothole in Boarhills by Kenly Green Farm: Fife will repair this before the end of March. ACTION: Bruce Low to let Arlene know if and when it happens. 4.7. Significant flooding Dunino at entrance to The Beeches Lathockar road and approach to bridge, an overflowing ditch at Stravithie and water running off the fields at Beley Bridge: Reported to Scottish Water on 24 Feb who say further investigation needed – not from a main. Added to their list for site investigation.

ACTION: Councillor Linda Holt thought our best route would be to go to the press with repeated demands for speed restriction measures, rumble strips etc. We should launch a campaign, get lots of publicity and local support, then take it to the NE Fife Area Committee. This should be done as soon as possible as there is a waiting list for said committee items. Lorna Drummond said we should get the facts right first, get evidence, report all accidents and near misses. Councillor John Docherty said he would chase up the road signage matters. 5. Notice board for Dunino: The church will allow one in their car park. Arlene will speak to Sheila. Bobby Simpson said it should be protected from the weather. Men’s Shed might be able to make us one. Linda Holt said we could apply to the local community planning budget for help with expenses re notice boards – they would match fund. Their budget is released early April. Bobby thought the Boarhills notice board needed attention ACTION: Check Boarhills notice board for wear. Arlene to contact Sheila Blair and St Andrews Men’s Shed. 6. Boarhills street lighting: Bruce Lowe reported that this had still not been corrected. ACTION: Arlene to contact Fife Council again. 7. Police Update Jan – Feb: 1,108 calls received, 12 of these relating to Boarhills and Dunino area. Speed checks carried out in . Talk of a community speed watch – we would like to be involved in this. 8. Scamming advice leaflets sent to Arlene. She will get more to hand out at next meeting. 9. Boarhills and Dunino Community Trust has asked the community council to contribute by paying for the apple trees about to be planted (£346 for trees plus stakes). Committee voted in favour (Bobbie abstained) of giving £200 (half our yearly grant from Fife). ACTION: Cheque to Community Trust for £200 given to Louise. 10. Councillors’ Reports: Linda Holt: The proposed (by NnG) off-shore wind farm off is a massive project. Helen Raeside had been to an exhibition on it in Dundee. It is designated as ‘a potential area’ but there are studies to be done on bird impacts which are likely to be a huge problem. The government was only funding off-shore but has changed back to funding on-shore again as well, which means Kenly is back on the cards. The MoD is still refusing permission, and there is also the problem of the cable route. Students are trying to pressure the MoD. Planning permission runs out shortly but will be automatically renewed. There is an Community Forum meeting on this in Cameron Hall on Thursday 19 March, 7pm. John Docherty: The Area Committee has appointed him Fife Council Representative for the Madras College Endowment Fund Committee. John had brought leaflets with his surgery details for the notice board(s). ACTION: Bobby to put John’s surgery leaflet on Boarhills board, and Arlene to take one for Dunino board once this is erected. 11. AOCB: 11.1. Bruce Low felt it wrong that six families from Syria should be given council housing when locals had been waiting years. John Docherty thought some of the Leuchars housing may be used. This was Fife’s gesture towards helping people from war-torn Syria. Linda Holt said the number of homeless in Fife had doubled over the past year. 11.2. War Memorial: There is a stone slab from Boarhills church the back of which could be used for the Boarhills memorial. Arlene will ask for estimate for engraving. 11.3. Atholl Fraser reported more instances of hare coursing at night on the Boarhills – Dunino road. ACTION: Community Council to contact Animal Welfare, Police and SSPCA.

Date of next meeting: Thursday 7 May, 6.30pm, Boarhills Village Hall.