KIRKPATRICK FLEMING AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 13th SEPTEMBER 2016
Members present:- Colin Brown, Maureen Sharp, Kath Richardson, Michael Buckley, Stephen Muir
Councillors present:- Archie Dryburgh, Denis Male, Craig Peacock, Karen Carruthers
Villagers present:- None
Police present:- Ewan Fraser, Lyndsay McGoldrick, report given
Apologies:- None
Minutes of last meeting:- Agreed.
Matters arising from those minutes:-Water and sewerage rates for the hall resulting from change in policy by the Scottish Government. We have not had a bill yet but should still consider becoming a registered charity to run the hall.
Chairman’s report:-
Our website, kirkpatrickfleminglife.org.uk has been live for 3 months now, and it contains a variety of items, from historical data and photographs, to current local businesses and social activities. At present there is no ‘visit counter’, so it is not possible to tell how many visits are made to the website in any given period.
Thanks to Stephen for organising the re-pointing of the front of the hall, this has proved a success in keeping rainwater from penetrating, and the inside wall has been re-plastered – so a successful conclusion to a worrying problem.
For the first time, bowling has continued throughout the summer, generating useful income to help pay for hall maintenance.
Due to insufficient numbers attending, the re-start for the Monday social afternoon sessions has been put back until 7th November.
The monthly quiz nights were well attended between September last year and May this year, and after the summer break the first quiz of 2016/17 takes place next Tuesday, 20th.
Secretary/Treasurer's report:-
Following payment for the repairs to the outside of the front of the hall our current bank balance is £9785.82. The repairs to the inside of that wall will cost a further £850.
Beck Burn Wind Farm:-
This new windfarm is due to become operational in March 2017 when the first payments will be made by EDF to the Community Fund. Four Community Councils and four Parish Councils are involved with the Community fund. EDF will pay £155,000 per annum to Cumbria Community Foundation who will administer the fund. 20% of the annual fund is to be ring fenced for education and training.
The fund panel who will make the decisions relating to applications for payments from the fund will be made up of one representative each from Canonbie, Gretna and Rigg, Springfield and Gretna and Kirkpatrick Fleming Community Councils and one representative each from Arthuret, Rockcliffe, Kirkandrews on Esk and Westlinton Parish Councils. These are the 8 communities in the priority area of the windfarm. Representatives from Dumfries and Galloway Council, Carlisle City Council and Cumbria County Council will be involved in advisory roles.
Colin and Maureen have been to some of the meetings and the next meeting is due to take place on 4th October. Members of the Community Council agreed that Maureen should be the Kirkpatrick Fleming Community Council representative on the funding panel with Colin as deputy.
Councillor Archie Dryburgh added that it was agreed at the meeting last week with EDF and the other representatives that £5,000 per annum will be paid to each of the 4 Community Councils and each of the 4 Parish Councils so that small awards of up to £500 could be made to eligible groups without application to the funding panel. The remainder will remain in the Community fund for big projects to bid for. Area Committee will consider a report regarding inclusion of 2 D&G Councillors being on the advisory panel.
Junction 21 slip road:-
Stephen raised this again following an accident recently and several near misses resulting from vehicles leaving the motorway and driving out on to the B7076 without stopping to consider traffic already travelling on that road.
Archie agreed to follow up this issue with Autolink because he has not had a reply to his last enquiry and will raise it with Area Committee. The junction further down the road coming out from the services is also an issue.
Any other business:-
Stephen raised the issue of the bus stop at the top end of the village again. Also he said that the bushes are overgrown at the school flashing sign. Archie said he will follow up both of these issues.
Stephen also talked about the state of the footpaths, this will be raised with Derek Crichton, Director of Communities when he meets Community Councillors on 12th October.
The children’s Halloween Party will be held in the Victoria Hall on 28th October from 7.00pm to 8.30pm.
Date and time of next meeting:- Tuesday 8th November at 7pm.