Poltonhall & District Community Council
POLTONHALL & DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of Meeting held at 7.30pm on 12 October 2016
Present: J French(Chair), K Fuller, A Munro, F Warner, S Waterston,J Weirand D West
Attending Cllrs I Baxter and D Milligan, Mr and Mrs B Cunningham, S-J Reid
and PC J Wall,
Apologies M Fuller, A Thompson,
1.Chair’s Remarks
1.1Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2.Minutes of Meeting held on 14 September 2016 and Matters Arising
2.1Item 5.4 – amend ‘PC Rennie’ to read ‘PC Lennie’.
2.2Minutes were approved. Proposed by SW and seconded by KF.
3.Finance Report
3.1Statement of Account as at 12 October 2016
September: Bank Cash
B/F 751.99 12.74
Income: Interest 0.90
Expenditure: Nil
Bank: 752.89 Cash: 12.74
Total cash and bank: 765.63
4.Secretary’s Report
4.1There will be a Remembrance Day service in Lasswade Park on Sunday 13 November. FW will lay a wreath on behalf of PDCC. There will also be a further service in the afternoon in Polton Village where KF will lay a wreath on behalf of PDCC.
4.2Information had been received about a Scottish GovernmentEducation Governance Review of early years and schools education that was seeking views from Community Councils. An engagement session was being held on 30 November from 10.00 – 13.00 at the EICC. FW would attend if available. Action: FW
4.3Confirmation had been received of the 2017-18 grant application submitted to Midlothian Council.
4.4Details had been received about Transforming Care After Treatment (TCAT) drop in sessions every Wednesday between 10am and 12noon at Lasswade Library. Details would be posted on the PDCC website. Action: FW/DW
4.5 It was agreed that PDCC would sponsor an event at this year’s Bonnyrigg Christmas Lights Event. Action: AT/JF
5.Police Report
During the month of September in the beat area BD01 – Bonnyrigg,Lasswade, and Poltonhall & District – there were 67 recorded crimes reported; ofwhich 36 were were solved (53.7% solvency). During this time period, therewere 373 calls to Police Scotland.
5.1INCIDENTS OF NOTE
On the morning of Thursday 1stSeptember 2016 a Proactive Drugs search took place at a business premises in the Bonnyrigg area. A male has been reported for drugs supply and offensive weapons offences.
Between 11.30pm on Wednesday 31st August and 9.50am on Thursday 1stSeptember 2016 a vehicle parked in Polton Terrace, Bonnyrigg had its paintwork damaged.
About 1.45am on Saturday 3rd September 2016 the occupiers of a house in Eskbank Road, Bonnyrigg disturbed a young male trying to enter their house. The male made off having stolen property.
A 21-year-old male was arrested and charged in connection with a break-in to a hut in Eldindean Road that occurred on Saturday 3rdSeptember. A report willbe submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
At 11am on Monday 5thSeptember 2016, a male was seen to enter the Co-op,High Street, Bonnyrigg and fill a basket with meat before running off without paying.
A 25 -year-old male was arrested and charged in connection with a break-in toshop premises in Dundas Street, Bonnyrigg overnight between Monday 5thand Tuesday 6thSeptember. A report is being submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
About 8.40pm on Tuesday 6thSeptember 2016 two young males were seen acting suspiciously at the entrance to the building site at Hopefield, Bonnyrigg.
Police attended immediately but no youths were seen on arrival. Nothing stolen.
Between 8pm on Tuesday 6thand 9am on Wednesday 7thSeptember 2016 a car was stolen from Polton Street, Bonnyrigg. It was recovered that afternoon in the Bonnyrigg area.
At 2.30am on Thursday 8thSeptember 2016, Fire and Rescue Service and Police attended the Broomieknowe area after a report of a fire within a house there. The elderly occupier was taken to hospital for a check up after a small fire in a bin caused by a smouldering cigarette.
Between 8am on Thursday 8thSeptember and 7am on Friday 9thSeptember 2016 a window of a house at Auld Coal Road, Bonnyrigg was broken with a stone.
About 10.30pm on Saturday 10thSeptember 2016, Police attended in King George V Park, Bonnyrigg in response to a call. A 25-year-old male was subsequently arrested for a Breach of the Peace after shouting and swearingat officers.
Between 11am on Saturday 10thand 11am on Sunday 11thSeptember 2016 a red Corsa was damaged by someone running over the roof whilst it was parked to the rear of Polton Street, Bonnyrigg.
At 11.50pm on Sunday 11thSeptember 2016, a resident in the Brixwold area saw a male wearing a balaclava loitering outside their garden fence. On seeing them the male ran off. Area was searched at the time with no trace. Noother crimes were reported.
A 21-year-old male was arrested and charged in connection with a break-in to a shed in Dalhousie Avenue West, Bonnyrigg on Monday 12thSeptember2016.
A 50-year-old female was cautioned and charged in connection with a theft shoplifting at shop premises, High Street, Bonnyrigg. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
A 22-year-old male driver was arrested and charged with various Road traffic offences following a road traffic accident that occurred in High Street, Bonnyrigg in the early hours of Wednesday 14thSeptember.
Overnight between Wednesday 14thand Thursday 15thSeptember 2016 a white and blue Yamaha 250cc Motocross motor bike and two Carerra mountain bikes, one described as white in colour, the other described as green/blue in colour were stolen from a garage in Cockpen Terrace, Bonnyrigg.
At 11.50pm on Friday 16thSeptember 2016 a male was formally warned by police after drinking alcohol in Polton Street, Bonnyrigg.
At 12.30pm on Sunday 18thSeptember 2016 a male entered the Tesco Express, Bonnyrigg where he stole goods. He left in a vehicle and police are following a positive line of enquiry.
About 9.30pm on Monday 19thSeptember 2016 a house window was cracked by a stone in Durham Place, Bonnyrigg.
Around midnight on Tuesday 20thSeptember 2016 the alarm was activated at business premises in Lasswade. Four males had forced entry to the premisesand searched within. Nothing was apparently stolen.
At 4.30pm on Monday 26thSeptember a male entered Spar, Polton Street andstole around £50 worth of goods. Police are following a positive line of enquiry.
Overnight between Wednesday 28thand Thursday 29thOctober an attempt was made to steal a motorbike parked in Dundas Street, Bonnyrigg. Good security devices stopped the theft.
A 36-year-old male was charged and reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with a shoplifting at Tesco Express on Thursday 29thSeptember.
A 26-year-old male was charged having been found in possession of an illegalsubstance, whilst within King George V Park, Bonnyrigg on Friday 30thSeptember.
Over the month of September Police have dealt with 5 calls relating to youths on Primary School roofs, 5 calls to Bonnyrigg Ex-Serviceman’s Club which is currently vacant and awaiting sale at auction, and 12 calls regarding possible Anti Social Behaviour within King George V Park, Bonnyrigg. These areas aresubject of dedicated foot patrols by local officers.If any person has any information about the incident(s) listed above, orindeed any other crime, please contact your Community Policing OfficerPC Jack Wall via 101 or email:
5.2Additional Information
Hate crime and domestic abuse can now be reported online via the official Police Scotland website at or by visiting a Third PartyReporting Centre – details of which are also on our website.Information regarding crime can be passed to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111or through an Online Form - both of these routes are completely anonymous and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
5.3Initiatives
In October, Police Scotland will be running an initiative, working with Trading Standards in relation to tackling Door Step Crime. Also, during the coming months with Halloween and Bonfire Night celebrations taking place, Police Scotland will be working hard to maintain links with local shop keepers and schools in relation to anti-social behaviour associated with these offences to try and deter further incident.
Police Scotland use social media to circulate the latest news, events and information to the public via Twitter (@LothBordPolice and@MidLothPolice) and Facebook( and
5.4Your View Counts
Police Scotland consults with the public every year on what their priorities are for policing in their community. In the past this has always been by hard copy consultation questionnaires which were distributed by police officers within the community they work. This year Police Scotland's consultation process is widening and becoming more flexible. The consultation process is moving online to a digital format and consultation will be open all year. The public consultation is for you to tell us what is important to you in your community. Your opinion is valued – we need your opinion to inform our policing. Having your say in the decision making process of Police Scotland isa vital tool for residents of Scotland to be able to shape the way their public services should operate. Everyone's views across Scotland will be taken on board at a national and local level. We want you to help us focus on the priorities that will help communities most. There is no 'one size fits all' approach to local policing andall the needs and wants of individual communities will be considered. This is the first time Police Scotland’s public consultation is being hosted on a digital platform. This allows us to reach a much wider audience than ever before ensuring that everyone can have their say. Paper versions of Your View Counts survey were made available at the meeting.
5.5A Day of Action would be held in relation with the Department of Work and Pensions on 13 October 2016 to highlight the issues of bogus workmen.
5.6It was noted that Police Scotland would be going into Primary Schools to give reassurance to children concerning the recent issues around ‘clown’ disturbances.
6.Midlothian Councillors’ Report
6.1Cllr DM reported that Bonnyrigg Rose Boys’ Club were starting work on painting the Pavilion premises. They had taken over the running of and low maintenance of the building. KF supported what the Boys’ Club was doing but said that standards were not being maintained. The heating was not switched on for the PDCC meeting and not all the heaters were working. In addition the group which used the facilities prior to PDCC attending were leaving meeting area and kitchen in an untidy state. Cllr DM undertook to speak to the Boys’ Club. Action: Cllr DM
6.2Issues about the Waverley Line were reported. Housing Developers had been asked to support the Waverley Line but trains were being cancelled, not running to time and with only two carriages they were generally full in both directions by the time they reached Midlothian. It was no encouragement to people to leave their cars and use the train. Advice given was that it would be 2-3 years before more carriages would be made available.
6.3New additional Christmas lights had been purchased for Bonnyrigg and the Christmas lights event would take place on Saturday 3 December.
6.4Cllr IB expressed concern about the Local Development Plan in particular about transport issues. He could not understand why buses were not running more frequently given the number of people using them. He had concerns about the long term bus use in Midlothian.
6.5There were continuing issues around broadband usage at Hopefield. Openreach should be doubling the number of cabinets as only half the residents were able to get fibre despite Openreach saying it was now available. Cabinet 30 on Polton Road may be coming on stream soon.
6.6It was noted that the new bus stops at Hopefield from the primary school to the terminus did not have numbers on them.
Local Issues
7.1S-JR reported that both Taylor Wimpey (TW) and Scottish Woodlands Trust (SWT) had attended the residents’ meeting. It was noted that TW had fixed the problem in the
field across from the school and it was no longer swamped.
7.2Designs for both roundabout entrances into Hopefield at were awaited from TW as was the design for a bridge over the water which apparently had to go to Scottish Water before submitting plans to Midlothian Council.
7.3SWT was starting debt collection against those who had not paid either last year or for the current year. There were still issues around factoring but the issue could not be resolved until all development was completed perhaps in 2-3 years time.
7.4Cllr IB reported that were a number of the flats where the service entry button did not work. S-JR advised that there were a number of issues with the flats such as cleaning, lighting etc.
7.5It was noted that at the Stewart Mine development on the estate there still a number of health and safety issues.
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting would be held on Wednesday 9 November 2016
1