Maxton & Mertoun Community Council - Minutes of the Meeting of 31st May 2007

MAXTON and MERTOUN COMMUNITY COUNCIL

MINUTES of the MEETING held at Maxton Village Hall
on 31st May 2007 at 7.00pm

Present:
Andrew Leitch Chairperson, Vera Holbrook, Trudy Leitch, Penny Harvey, Ann Collie, Isobel Veitch

In Attendance: PC Duncan Begg, Community Police Officer

Apologies: None

Members of the Public Present: 3

Councillor’s Up-date:
None
ACTION POINT: None

Community Police Report:
Duncan was able to give the Community Council and representatives from the community the assurance that there were no relevant crime figures or concerns about crime to report for the CC area. He will be keeping regular contact with the CC and will be happy to advice us on all issues related to Community policing, which he considers important and relevant to the Maxton and Mertoun Community Council area.

Both Community Council Members and the public present expressed their continued concerns about the speeding of all types of transport through the village. Duncan advised those present at the meeting that he would take our concerns to his colleagues in the traffic department to see if they could schedule some time with the speed detector vehicle. In addition he suggested members of the community phone Melrose police office to report any excessive speeding within the 40 mile limit. He acknowledged that it would not be possible to follow these reports through as the police would not have an actual speed of these vehicles being reported. However, there would be a log of all reports made regarding speeding, should we be able to get the local authority to take up our request for a reduction of the speed limit through the village.

ACTION POINT:
All Community Council Members to pass on this information to villagers.

Agenda Item 4, Changes to Maxton Bus Services:
(Public and Community Council Discussion)
Copies of a letter received from John Dellow, SBC Public Transport Officer informing the CC of the proposed changes to the Munro’s service 64 from Monday 30th July 2007 were circulated prior to the meeting to both the CC members and members of the public known to use the service regularly. There was some discussion about the ambiguity of the wording; some felt it was suggesting the service was to be reduced each weekday by three services the 16.40 Newtown to Melrose, 17. 15 Melrose to Maxton and the 17. 50 Newtown to Kelso, others read it as these services would only be removed on a Saturday… clarity to be sought from John Dellow. If it was the latter there appears to be a consensus of opinion that SBC should not be expected to provide a service which appears to be used very rarely. If the changes are for weekdays there was concern expressed that Maxton would no longer have a connecting service for people wishing to come home from Edinburgh, as a CC we would need to address this issue with John Dellow.

Comments were received from a member of the community unable to attend, she would like the CC to point out the lack of suitable transport, which allows our increasingly elderly and isolated community to visit relatives and friends in the BGH and also to once again request that at least two of the no 67 buses from Kelso be directed along the Maxton side of the Tweed. A number of people have indicated that these buses pick up no passengers after they leave Kelso until they arrive at St Boswells.

Members of the Community present asked the CC to include in any reply they make to John Dellow that Munro’s should ensure the 64 is appropriately advertised as people in appear not to be aware of the destination of the bus and also it appears Munro’s do not have the bus factored into their own internet service. It was also noted that the 17.50 from Melrose does not indicated on the timetable whether it goes as far as Rutherford.

ACTION POINT:
Secretary to clarify what services are to be changes and word the Community Councils response accordingly.

Notes of Meeting Held on March 29th 2007:
(meeting cancelled on 26th April due to lack of Community Council Members able to attend)
Proposed as correct: Isobel Veitch
Seconded: Trudy Leitch

Matters Arising from the Minutes of 29th March 2007:
a) Trees are now in place and looking healthy, the Chairperson thanked those who had donated the trees and who are looking after them well whilst they get established.
b) Visitors in the church car park are back and once again condoms are being left on the ground, it is hoped this will cease with the lighter nights… the situation will be monitored.
c) The Chairperson asked it to be noted that the receipt of minutes for the replacement meeting for the Eildon Committee, which is now being held in Kelso were not arriving until the Monday for a Wednesday Meeting. He feels this situation gives very little time for preparation and ability to attend.
d) Pot Holes in the roads around Rutherford, which were raised on behalf of a community member at the last meeting requires clarification as some roads in this area may be private, Secretary to clarify this with the Community member concerned.

Correspondence:
a) Notice of the following SBC Meetings, Education Executive, Executive, Scrutiny, Development and Building Control, Scottish Borders Council were circulated prior to the meeting for information and comments.
b) Notification of a meeting ref: SBC Structure Plan Alteration, one member to attend on 19th June 2007.
c) Draft Copy SBC’s Community Safety Strategy… to be circulated for comment.
d) Posters to display on ‘Domestic Abuse – There’s No Excuse’ campaign
e) Scottish Health Council News, copies circulated and displayed
f) Copy of SCB’s Community Councils Insurance Cover
g) Letter from Mertoun Estate Management, notification of tree felling and replacement programme.
Other mail was circulated in the intervening weeks and comments sort from members where appropriate

ACTION POINT:
Community Council Members to pass on comments re: (c) in correspondence, comments from community members welcome to aid our response to this important consultation. Secretary will formulate the response and send to appropriate body.

Treasurers Report:
No expenditure other than the hire of the meeting room since last meeting.

Treasurer understood from Clare Malster input at our previous meeting was that SBC wishes all Community Councils to have the same financial year as SBC. This will prove difficult if our AGM is not until September. Secretary was asked to check the Community Councils Guidelines and pass the relevant information to the Treasurer.

ACTION POINT:
a) Secretary to attend to above information for the Treasurer.
b) Secretary to ensure copy of monthly accounts are available within a reasonable time to any member of the community who wishes to inspect them

Concerns Raised by Public:
NONE

ACTION POINT: None

A.O.C.B. NONE.

ACTION POINT: None.

DATE, TIME and VENUE for next meeting:

Date: Thursday 28th June 2007
Time: 7.00pm
Venue Maxton Village Hall

Other meeting dates for your diary in 2007:
Thursday 28th June
No meeting in July
Thursday 30th August
Annual General Meeting Thursday 27th September