BLCC Minutes for June 2018
BONNYRIGG & LASSWADE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Meeting to be held on Thursday 14 June 2018
In Sports Pavilion, King George V Park
Agenda
1. Welcome and Introduction
2. Apologies
3. Visitor Matters
4. Minutes of Meeting of 10 May 2018
5. Matters Arising from the Minutes
6. Police Report
7. Report from Midlothian Councillors
8. Planning
Land behind Laird & Dog
HS10
9. Post Office and Spar Closure, Crummock
10. Community Council Boundaries 1) BLCC & ENCC 2)Hopefield
11. Road Issues
Closures July for SNG Dundas St/Cockpen Rd
Laird Terrace Virgin
Taxi Rank – fines for parking
Traffic, Roads & Paths Participation Request
12. Winter Consultation by Ricky Moffat
13. Twinning
14. Business Plan for BLCC including Mission Statement and Objectives and Action Plan
15. AOCB
16. Date of Next Meeting
2. Apologies
3. Visitor Matters
4. Minutes of Meeting of 10 May 2018
5. Matters Arising from the Minutes
6. Police Report
7. Report from Midlothian Councillors
8. Planning
Land behind Laird & Dog
HS10
9. Post Office and Spar Closure, Crummock
10. Community Council Boundaries 1) BLCC & ENCC 2)Hopefield
11. Road Issues
Closures July for SNG Dundas St/Cockpen Rd
Laird Terrace Virgin
Taxi Rank – fines for parking
Traffic, Roads & Paths Participation Request
12. Winter Consultation by Ricky Moffat
13. Twinning
14. Business Plan for BLCC including Mission Statement and Objectives and Action Plan
15. AOCB
16. Date of Next Meeting
BONNYRIGG & LASSWADE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of a meeting held on Thursday 14 June 2018
In Sports Pavilion, King George V Park
PRESENT
Community Councillors:
Marnie Crawford, (in the chair), Darius Namdaran, Diane Easton, Ruth Scott, Jan Irvine, Owen Proudfoot, Bill MacDonald
Midlothian Councillor Dianne Alexander
P.C. Keith Dornan
Visitors: Alan Waugh, Rhona Matthews
APOLOGIES
From Community Councillor Sheila Metcalfe and Midlothian Councillors Derek Milligan, Janet Lay-Douglas
VISITOR MATTERS
Rhona Matthews said she had come to draw attention to the ongoing problem of sheep and, particularly, horse worrying by uncontrolled dogs. She handed over a leaflet concerning this from The British Horse Society and advised that a readily available further supply was available from the Society which she could get and hand out to the public. She agreed to do so.
Alan Waugh made a request to P.C. Dornan to be passed on to local officers that a previous police commitment to carry out speed checks on the Waddingburn Road be met. The P.C. (who is from Penicuik), said he would do so.
MINUTES OF MEETING of 20th MAY 2018
These were taken as read and approved on the motion of Darius Namdaran seconded by Jan Irvine.
MATTERS arising from the MINUTES
On Community Council boundaries Marnie Crawford produced copies of a map showing boundaries as they would exist if areas were transferred to Eskbank and Newbattle as proposed i.e. all land up to the city bypass east of the A7 currently part of the BLCC area. She advised that all Community Councillors in each Council had to view the revised boundary map and give written approval individually for change to be competent.
On pavement parking it was noted that there is provision in a prospective Scottish Parliament Transport Bill for a specific ban on pavement parking,an issue extensively debated at our previous meeting. The pros and cons of this prospect were briefly discussed again.
POLICE REPORT
P.C. Keith Dornan from Penicuik ran through the May “Criminal Activity” Report and commented that the Community Action Team was now doing “a great job all over Midlothian”. He mentioned that 735 fines had been issued in May in Midlothian for parking on yellow lines. On traffic control he said there was due to be a 12-hour traffic survey “somewhere on Lasswade Road, probably nearer the Waddingburn Road junction than Lasswade itself.” He said he believed it was intended as more of a traffic flow modeling exercise than to be focused on curbing speed.
Alan Waugh then asked him to pass on a request to P.C. Jonny Cassidy to do what he could to revive a police commitment to carry out speed checks on Waddingburn Road itself.
P.C. Dornan then warned the meeting about the operation of bogus workmen in the area and asked that we as Councillors alert local people to this presence, advising us and them to ‘phone 101 if approached with suspect unsolicited work offers.
Owen Proudfoot expressed his concern about having heard loud bangs in his home area (Sherwood) a few nights previously whose exact nature and source he had been unable to identify. Suggestions of a car backfire or fireworks at Dalhousie Castle were made to him and P.C. Dornan advised that he ‘phone 101 if he heard similar sounds again.
REPORT from MIDLOTHIAN COUNCILLORS
Councillor Dianne Alexander was the only Councillor present. She began by expressing her concern about some Lasswade High School pupils being beyond the control of their teachers and engaging in gang confrontations at the shop complex outside the school at school break times.
She then led a discussion on parking (and driving) restrictions imposed last October around Lasswade Primary School at school opening and closing times. She advised that there seemed to her to be a general consensus between parents of schoolchildren and local residents that the restrictions were proving to be “a good thing “. It was observed that the parking problem was likely to reduce as more families with young children moved into the area immediately around the school so an increasingly higher proportion of those attending would walk forward and back to school rather than being delivered and collected by car. On the other hand, it was also noted that there seems likely to be an overall higher roll as an application for permission to install a portakabin in the school grounds had been submitted.
Darius raised the issue with Dianne of the General Data Protection Regulations as they applied to retention of information on planning issues held by Midlothian Council and submitted by BLCC. He said that he was outraged that the Council had threatened to delete all such submissions and comments unless he specifically logged in to the site to object. He believed that such a step would not be legally competent.
Dianne said that she would look into this and gave him her e-mail address so that he could remind her after the meeting.
PLANNING
At HS10 off the A7 the bridge building requirement is to be part of Phase 1 according to the latest planning application from the developers. Access to the housebuilding site through Gladstone Gait is only authorized for the developer to build the access bridge over the Pittendreich Burn and not for the housebuilding itself. (However, note that Marnie reported in an e-mail of July 4th that the developer is seeking to remove Condition 6 of the Appeal as it is now fulfilled. They also stated in the report that they would like the wording changed to committing to building the bridge before occupation of the first house on the north side. This access is in Condition 7 of the Appeal and is not what is being applied for at this time. Further to this application Marnie had had reassurances from the Council Planners that access for construction traffic would be via the new access over the burn once built only.
On the proposal for building on land behind the Laird and Dog the developer has reduced the application to one for 8 rather than 9 units. Four blocks of two much more traditional style units, following the appeal refusal. Darius advocated taking the advice of Lasswade Civic Society. Alan Waugh commented that “Traffic problems in that area are well recorded and this is just going to make them worse.” Traffic issues were not considered a valid objection in the Appeal following rejection of the first application and further reasons would have to be given if refusal was to be advocated.
POST OFFICE and SPAR CLOSURE; CRUMMOCK
A brief discussion was held on the apparent insolvency of Crummock, locally based civil engineering contractors. It had been announced on 1st. June that it had entered administration with the loss of 287 jobs. Administrator Johnston Carmichael has reportedly blamed the collapse on cashflow problems worsened by high retentions. There was some suggestion of Midlothian Council taking on some employees, Crummock being a specialist in groundworks for the road sector.
On the prospective Post Office closure, Marnie commented that efforts being to find a solution include the possibility of Moon’s across the road taking on the franchise. (It has been reported that this would not include taking on current staff)
ROAD ISSUES
Work to renew mains gas pipes under Dundas Street and the Cockpen Road is scheduledto begin on 9th July. The road will be closed as a through route from Bonnyrigg Cross down so the 31 bus, a vital commuter service, will have to be re-routed along the B6392, A7, Eskbank Road and Lothian Street for an indefinite period but expected to be about 6 weeks.
Virgin Media were now said to be cable laying along Laird Terrace.
Community Officers at Midlothian Council are asking that anyone interested in taking part in a Traffic, Roads and Paths survey get in touch with them to find out more and get involved.
WINTER CONSULTATION (Ricky Moffat initiative).
Ricky Moffat at Midlothian Council was carrying out a consultation on winter roads work had been perceived by the community. Previously Catherine Duns had suggested the Council was keen to involve the public in monitoring the provision, siting and re-supply of grit and grit bins for pavements for and during this coming winter. It was agreed that we need to know the criteria for placement of the bins as a first step to getting involved, and various other points (e.g. cost of bins, number actually and potentially available, etc).
Dianne Alexander invited Darius to e-mail her on these various points we wanted to raise with Ricky Moffat. Marnie said she’d draft a response to Ricky and circulate it for comment.
TWINNING
Marnie produced a copy of the Constitution arrangement with St Cyr L’ École. This provides that BLCC had taken over the role of Executive Committee of the BLTA. To distribute the funds, we will have to disband the BLTA and then, according to this Constitution, can decide to give the funds to charity. No evidence funds came directly from the Council but through the Midlothian Twinning Association. Discussion followed on allocation of the funds if we have the necessary discretion or at least scope to make recommendations. It was agreed that we should publicize the existence and nature of the funds and invite applications from local cultural/sporting/musical groups if appropriate.
PROPOSED BUSINESS, MISSION STATEMENT, and ACTION PLAN for BLCC
It was proposed and agreed that a meeting devoted to consideration of the proposed “Business Plan” put forward by Ed Angus replace our usual monthly meeting in July. This was set for Thursday, JULY 12th at 7pm at Lasswade High School Centre.
The next Monthly Meeting was then set for Thursday, August 9th at the usual meeting place, the Pavilion at King George V Park.
A.O.C.B.
Ruth Scott reported on the recent Health Forum of the Midlothian Older Peoples ‘Assembly on 12th June at Dalkeith Welfare Hall. One of the themes presented there in advising on personal health promotion was the importance of considering alternatives to trying to get a G.P. appointment. Visit your local pharmacy for advice if the condition is non-urgent and may be treatable by over the counter medicines. For muscular and joint issues see a physiotherapist, N.H.S. or privately, and for diabetic concerns consider an appointment with a nurse first.
Darius Namdaran raised the concerns he had heard over the excessive levels and time of noise from the recent visit of the fair to King George V public park. He said he had had several complaints about this from residents beside the Park over the 5 days it had been holding Shows there. He pressed for us to ask Midlothian Council to require the fair operators to lodge a deposited sum with the Council in advance of each future visit, this to be forfeited in the event of the noise level exceeding a prescribed decibel level. (It was agreed that we do this and it has been established that this is already the case.)
The issue of the 7-a-side football pitches at this park not being used in light of the higher rental fees being demanded by the Council was raised and discussed. Apparently Bonnyrigg Rose is refusing to pay the fees asked for.
Dianne Easton said she would look into this for our next meeting.
NEXT MEETING
This was set or Thursday 9th August at the Pavilion in King George V Public Park.
Minutes of a meeting held on Thursday 14 June 2018
In Sports Pavilion, King George V Park
PRESENT
Community Councillors:
Marnie Crawford, (in the chair), Darius Namdaran, Diane Easton, Ruth Scott, Jan Irvine, Owen Proudfoot, Bill MacDonald
Midlothian Councillor Dianne Alexander
P.C. Keith Dornan
Visitors: Alan Waugh, Rhona Matthews
APOLOGIES
From Community Councillor Sheila Metcalfe and Midlothian Councillors Derek Milligan, Janet Lay-Douglas
VISITOR MATTERS
Rhona Matthews said she had come to draw attention to the ongoing problem of sheep and, particularly, horse worrying by uncontrolled dogs. She handed over a leaflet concerning this from The British Horse Society and advised that a readily available further supply was available from the Society which she could get and hand out to the public. She agreed to do so.
Alan Waugh made a request to P.C. Dornan to be passed on to local officers that a previous police commitment to carry out speed checks on the Waddingburn Road be met. The P.C. (who is from Penicuik), said he would do so.
MINUTES OF MEETING of 20th MAY 2018
These were taken as read and approved on the motion of Darius Namdaran seconded by Jan Irvine.
MATTERS arising from the MINUTES
On Community Council boundaries Marnie Crawford produced copies of a map showing boundaries as they would exist if areas were transferred to Eskbank and Newbattle as proposed i.e. all land up to the city bypass east of the A7 currently part of the BLCC area. She advised that all Community Councillors in each Council had to view the revised boundary map and give written approval individually for change to be competent.
On pavement parking it was noted that there is provision in a prospective Scottish Parliament Transport Bill for a specific ban on pavement parking,an issue extensively debated at our previous meeting. The pros and cons of this prospect were briefly discussed again.
POLICE REPORT
P.C. Keith Dornan from Penicuik ran through the May “Criminal Activity” Report and commented that the Community Action Team was now doing “a great job all over Midlothian”. He mentioned that 735 fines had been issued in May in Midlothian for parking on yellow lines. On traffic control he said there was due to be a 12-hour traffic survey “somewhere on Lasswade Road, probably nearer the Waddingburn Road junction than Lasswade itself.” He said he believed it was intended as more of a traffic flow modeling exercise than to be focused on curbing speed.
Alan Waugh then asked him to pass on a request to P.C. Jonny Cassidy to do what he could to revive a police commitment to carry out speed checks on Waddingburn Road itself.
P.C. Dornan then warned the meeting about the operation of bogus workmen in the area and asked that we as Councillors alert local people to this presence, advising us and them to ‘phone 101 if approached with suspect unsolicited work offers.
Owen Proudfoot expressed his concern about having heard loud bangs in his home area (Sherwood) a few nights previously whose exact nature and source he had been unable to identify. Suggestions of a car backfire or fireworks at Dalhousie Castle were made to him and P.C. Dornan advised that he ‘phone 101 if he heard similar sounds again.
REPORT from MIDLOTHIAN COUNCILLORS
Councillor Dianne Alexander was the only Councillor present. She began by expressing her concern about some Lasswade High School pupils being beyond the control of their teachers and engaging in gang confrontations at the shop complex outside the school at school break times.
She then led a discussion on parking (and driving) restrictions imposed last October around Lasswade Primary School at school opening and closing times. She advised that there seemed to her to be a general consensus between parents of schoolchildren and local residents that the restrictions were proving to be “a good thing “. It was observed that the parking problem was likely to reduce as more families with young children moved into the area immediately around the school so an increasingly higher proportion of those attending would walk forward and back to school rather than being delivered and collected by car. On the other hand, it was also noted that there seems likely to be an overall higher roll as an application for permission to install a portakabin in the school grounds had been submitted.
Darius raised the issue with Dianne of the General Data Protection Regulations as they applied to retention of information on planning issues held by Midlothian Council and submitted by BLCC. He said that he was outraged that the Council had threatened to delete all such submissions and comments unless he specifically logged in to the site to object. He believed that such a step would not be legally competent.
Dianne said that she would look into this and gave him her e-mail address so that he could remind her after the meeting.
PLANNING
At HS10 off the A7 the bridge building requirement is to be part of Phase 1 according to the latest planning application from the developers. Access to the housebuilding site through Gladstone Gait is only authorized for the developer to build the access bridge over the Pittendreich Burn and not for the housebuilding itself. (However, note that Marnie reported in an e-mail of July 4th that the developer is seeking to remove Condition 6 of the Appeal as it is now fulfilled. They also stated in the report that they would like the wording changed to committing to building the bridge before occupation of the first house on the north side. This access is in Condition 7 of the Appeal and is not what is being applied for at this time. Further to this application Marnie had had reassurances from the Council Planners that access for construction traffic would be via the new access over the burn once built only.
On the proposal for building on land behind the Laird and Dog the developer has reduced the application to one for 8 rather than 9 units. Four blocks of two much more traditional style units, following the appeal refusal. Darius advocated taking the advice of Lasswade Civic Society. Alan Waugh commented that “Traffic problems in that area are well recorded and this is just going to make them worse.” Traffic issues were not considered a valid objection in the Appeal following rejection of the first application and further reasons would have to be given if refusal was to be advocated.
POST OFFICE and SPAR CLOSURE; CRUMMOCK
A brief discussion was held on the apparent insolvency of Crummock, locally based civil engineering contractors. It had been announced on 1st. June that it had entered administration with the loss of 287 jobs. Administrator Johnston Carmichael has reportedly blamed the collapse on cashflow problems worsened by high retentions. There was some suggestion of Midlothian Council taking on some employees, Crummock being a specialist in groundworks for the road sector.
On the prospective Post Office closure, Marnie commented that efforts being to find a solution include the possibility of Moon’s across the road taking on the franchise. (It has been reported that this would not include taking on current staff)
ROAD ISSUES
Work to renew mains gas pipes under Dundas Street and the Cockpen Road is scheduledto begin on 9th July. The road will be closed as a through route from Bonnyrigg Cross down so the 31 bus, a vital commuter service, will have to be re-routed along the B6392, A7, Eskbank Road and Lothian Street for an indefinite period but expected to be about 6 weeks.
Virgin Media were now said to be cable laying along Laird Terrace.
Community Officers at Midlothian Council are asking that anyone interested in taking part in a Traffic, Roads and Paths survey get in touch with them to find out more and get involved.
WINTER CONSULTATION (Ricky Moffat initiative).
Ricky Moffat at Midlothian Council was carrying out a consultation on winter roads work had been perceived by the community. Previously Catherine Duns had suggested the Council was keen to involve the public in monitoring the provision, siting and re-supply of grit and grit bins for pavements for and during this coming winter. It was agreed that we need to know the criteria for placement of the bins as a first step to getting involved, and various other points (e.g. cost of bins, number actually and potentially available, etc).
Dianne Alexander invited Darius to e-mail her on these various points we wanted to raise with Ricky Moffat. Marnie said she’d draft a response to Ricky and circulate it for comment.
TWINNING
Marnie produced a copy of the Constitution arrangement with St Cyr L’ École. This provides that BLCC had taken over the role of Executive Committee of the BLTA. To distribute the funds, we will have to disband the BLTA and then, according to this Constitution, can decide to give the funds to charity. No evidence funds came directly from the Council but through the Midlothian Twinning Association. Discussion followed on allocation of the funds if we have the necessary discretion or at least scope to make recommendations. It was agreed that we should publicize the existence and nature of the funds and invite applications from local cultural/sporting/musical groups if appropriate.
PROPOSED BUSINESS, MISSION STATEMENT, and ACTION PLAN for BLCC
It was proposed and agreed that a meeting devoted to consideration of the proposed “Business Plan” put forward by Ed Angus replace our usual monthly meeting in July. This was set for Thursday, JULY 12th at 7pm at Lasswade High School Centre.
The next Monthly Meeting was then set for Thursday, August 9th at the usual meeting place, the Pavilion at King George V Park.
A.O.C.B.
Ruth Scott reported on the recent Health Forum of the Midlothian Older Peoples ‘Assembly on 12th June at Dalkeith Welfare Hall. One of the themes presented there in advising on personal health promotion was the importance of considering alternatives to trying to get a G.P. appointment. Visit your local pharmacy for advice if the condition is non-urgent and may be treatable by over the counter medicines. For muscular and joint issues see a physiotherapist, N.H.S. or privately, and for diabetic concerns consider an appointment with a nurse first.
Darius Namdaran raised the concerns he had heard over the excessive levels and time of noise from the recent visit of the fair to King George V public park. He said he had had several complaints about this from residents beside the Park over the 5 days it had been holding Shows there. He pressed for us to ask Midlothian Council to require the fair operators to lodge a deposited sum with the Council in advance of each future visit, this to be forfeited in the event of the noise level exceeding a prescribed decibel level. (It was agreed that we do this and it has been established that this is already the case.)
The issue of the 7-a-side football pitches at this park not being used in light of the higher rental fees being demanded by the Council was raised and discussed. Apparently Bonnyrigg Rose is refusing to pay the fees asked for.
Dianne Easton said she would look into this for our next meeting.
NEXT MEETING
This was set or Thursday 9th August at the Pavilion in King George V Public Park.
Police Report
This was deferred to the August meeting.
This was deferred to the August meeting.