BOWDEN VILLAGE COMMITTEE
Trustees of Bowden Common
Minutes of Meeting Held at Bowden Village Hall
29th January 2018.
Present:Andrea Beavon, Euan Lockie, Margaret MacIntosh, Maggie Magee, Jonathan Key, Jill Calvert, Cllr Edgar, Cllr Thornton-Nicol
Also present: Caroline Penman (Observer), PC Entwhistle, John Gaddie (part), Malcolm Morrison (part)
1.Apologies:Sarah Gant
2Minutes of the last meeting and Matters Arising
Minutes agreed as an accurate record
Cllr Edgar confirmed that SBC were unable to support the purchase of permanent speed signs for each end of the village, but were looking at alternative mobile options, therefore were unlikely to pay for the installation and ongoing maintenance of any that the Village may purchase. Committee agreed to discuss further other options for the installation or use of the mobile speeding signs. Action: Committee to re-agenda Speed Signs.
Carried forward:
Trust Funds: Cllr Edgar confirmed that the requests from Bowden Village Committee had been granted in relation to the William Dick Mortification Trust, The Heron-Maxwell Trust and the Pringle Trust funds. Cllr Edgar suggested contacting SBC’s Sign Shop. Action: Cllr Edgar to ensure written confirmation is provided to the Committee, AB to follow up with Kirsty Robb, SBC.
SBC had confirmed they would assess the swings in the Playpark. Action: AB to follow up with Craig Blackie
Dog fouling – installation of bins, Committee agreed that a fuller discussion with SBC was required. Action: AB to invite Craig Blackie to attend a future meeting to discuss installation of dog-poo bins around the village.
3.Report from Councillor
John Gaddie requested an update on the proposed changes to the Eildon Medical Practice at Newtown St Boswells. Cllr Thornton-Nicol responded: the partners have indicated they wish to relinquish ownership of the building in 2019, she is meeting with NHS this week to discuss further as plans to renovate Melrose practice have been put on hold as a result. Cllr Thornton-Nicol will update the Committee at each point she has further information. The pharmacy has indicated it will remain in Newtown St Boswells. Committee discussed the implications for the community, John Gaddie gave his view on the proposals.
Cllr Thornton-Nicol assured everyone that she would respond to any resident in Bowden who had any concerns about the proposals, and that they should get in touch with her directly
Cllr Edgar encouraged the Committee to engage in the voting ballot for the now confirmed Localities funding bids. The SBC budget will be discussed at full Council Feb 22nd 2018.
4.Report from Police Scotland
PC Entwhistle presented the Police Scotland report; there was no activity that would cause any concern within the village. The Committee welcomed him to his first Village Committee meeting as the community policing representative.
5.Planning Applications
Southbank – installation of tennis court, new access and additional parking. Committee discussed concerns re access, change of use from agricultural to domestic land use, environmental impact, conservation area status and use of existing lay-by’s. The quality of the plans did not allow the Committee to make full use of the information. AB will submit the comments.
Northbank – retrospective planning permission for erection of fence – only comment was allowing regrowth of existing hedge. AB to submit comments
East Bank – mainly internal alterations, no observations made.
Longleefoot Herdsman’s Bothy – conversion of bothy to three bedroomed house. The Committee discussed at length their concerns including size of house, impact on right of way, access, rationale for plans, environmental impact, access during building, access to right of way, precedent for further building. AB will submit comments.
6.Financial Accounts as at 29/1/18
Copies of the accounts were available, original in Minute Book.
Funding bid successful re the purchase of protective clothing for work parties and chainsaw training. The Right of Way Grant has also been awarded for 2017/18.
Refund of historical charges from Royal Bank of Scotland received.
7.Correspondence
Zurich Insurance request for renewal to Community Council insurance, AB has completed and returned
AB suggested that a thank you be sent to the contractors who successfully renovated the Kirk Bridge. Action: AB to send thank you to SBC to forward to contractors.
8Neighbourhoods
T Junction at West End of village causing concern as the state of the road is poor and white lines have been eroded.
Bench round the trees on the village green needs repaired
Action: Cllr Edgar to progress re road and repairs to benches.
9.Resilient Communities
John Gaddie requested a note of the Resilient Coordinators names. Action: SG to circulate Resilient Coordinators contact details.
10. AOCB
AGM date set for 30th May 2018, in partnership with the Hall Committee. The Committee will have two vacancies, with a possible third if SG decides not to remain on the Committee as a member rather than Chair. Both members who are required to stand down at the end of their four year term in 2018 have indicated that they would be willing to stand again for re-election.
EL will require to be co-opted again in August 2018, but can be proposed as a Committee member.
JC and AB will provide a draft of leaflet at next meeting and release the Facebook page for publication.
Defibrillator
John Gaddie and Malcolm Morrison (Brunton Trust) had requested a meeting to discuss the future maintenance costs, repair costs and running costs of the community defibrillator.
MMc gave an overview of the defibrillator project leading to the installation. The village committee had agreed to hold a fundraising coffee morning to kick start the fundraising, and to hold a defibrillator account on behalf of the Defib group and to pay any costs associated with the defibrillator until the funds are depleted.
Malcolm Morrison gave an overview of the role of the Brunton Trust to date; funding provided for installation etc and asked about ownership of the defibrillator. The Committee made it very clear atthe outset that as a charity they could not take on ownership of the machine, and Malcolm assured the meeting that the Brunton Trust could not own such an asset. Both he and John Gaddie felt it was incumbent on the village to ensure that the machine is kept in good working order and available to anyone who needs it. A good number of people in the village have been trained on how to use it, but there is no “first responder” response should it be required in other parts of the village away from the Hall where it is located.
Discussions re ownership were inconclusive, but “liability” was discussed as well as the requirement for the defibrillator to be the responsibility of some body/group for maintenance and ensuring it always remained in good working order. The Village Committee felt that this was the responsibility of a ‘Defibrillator Group’ (possibly the Resilient Communities Group as this represented the community as a whole and had a role to ensure resilience for the village, or the trained first responders as a group) to take this forward.
The Committee assured the meeting that it would continue to meet any associated costs of the running of the machine until the defib funding ran out.
The committee agreed that it would contribute to any fundraisingrequired for defibrillator running or repair costs but would not take sole responsibility for it.
Agreed Actions:
SG to check with the existing resilient coordinators if they could consider being “first responders for the use of the defibrillator”
MM/JG to provide further details on what a first responder model would look like.
Trustees of Bowden Common
1Financial Accounts as at 29/01/18
As above
2. Rights of Way
Final comments re the map of the Common have been submitted to SBC, this will form the basis for an Interpretation Panel. JC and AB are working on obtaining quotes for this work to allow a grant to be applied for.
SG has contacted Faughill Farm to ask for a meeting re the proposed fencing plans for 2018 as they have indicated plans to re-fence a joint “march” fence at the Curling Pond. Committee felt it would be really helpful for everyone to have the chance to discuss and ask questions as there are other areas of fencing that the Committee may want to repair, but would need to work with Faughill to share the cost eg north fenceline behind Curling Pond. AB had shared some photographs of the fence line north of the Curling Pond that is virtually non-existent presently – this means the Curling Pond is not stock-proof in relation to planning for grazing. The Committee felt that a discussion about grazing would also be helpful to enable a good grazing regime to be planned. Action: Committee to consider re-fencing to the north of the Curing Pond to stock proof the area.
Action: SG to ask if Donald Maxwell could attend a meeting to discuss fencing and grazing.
3Common/Curling Pond – general
Work party this month focussed on clearing gorse and sycamore saplings on the West Common, good turnout and all material either burned or stacked, which is suggested good practice.
Next workparty on 24th February 2018, 10am to 12 noon, will be tree planting at Straiton.
In future, any work parties where chainsaws are used will require a short risk assessment. MM confirmed that the current insurance cover will include the use of chainsaws etc without any additional cost. Action: SG to ensure that all work parties using chainsaws are risk assessed.
4Projects –specific
Interpretation Panel – quotes being sought.
5Correspondence
Nothing to report
6AOCB
A volunteer has successfully completed the chainsaw course and the required protective clothing bought.
EL to cost additional protective clothing for work parties.
Next meeting:26th February 2018, 730pm, Bowden Village Hall.