Howgate Community Council (HCC)
March 17th, 2016
Present: Colin Bennett (CB, Chair), David Wilson (DW), Kirsten Sadler (KS), Bruce Hobbs (BH), Ian Quigley (IQ), Adrian FitzGerald (AF)
In attendance: PC Stuart Gunn, Councillor Rosie, Pat FitzGerald
1. Apologies: None
2. Minutes of February meeting: Proposed: DW, Seconded: KS
Minutes of January meeting: Proposed: BH, Seconded: IQ
3. Matters arising.
Glebe consultation. There is to be a consultation event held on Saturday 19th March in the Village Hall. It is agreed that development of the area had potential benefits but IQ warned that careful thought needs to be given to proposals if potential problems are to be avoided.
Tommy Goldie (Midlothian Council’s new Liaison Officer) will be attending.
Local Plan. AF reported that the April Planning Committee will be asked to agree the submission to Scottish Ministers. HCC still awaits clarification over the procedures that can be expected once this submission is made. In particular, AF noted that the Development Plan Scheme (March 2015) required the Council to provide Ministers with a summary of unresolved representations where these have not been resolved through negotiation. No such negotiation has been attempted.
Cllr. Rosie offered to clarify with Peter Arnsdorf.
4. Police Report.
PC Gunn presented the report for the Penicuik/Howgate area for February/March. DW reported that a generator has been stolen from his property.
Eight further road checks have been carried out by Roads Policing and Community Policing Team Officers. Twenty speeding offences were reported and sixteen warnings given.
Cllr Rosie confirmed that it was still the intention to collect more comprehensive data on vehicle speeds through the village once the weather improves. CB stressed the need for firm dates to be set and for assurances that comprehensive feedback will be forthcoming. CB also stressed the need to include Loanstone in this exercise.
PC Gunn informed the meeting that a crime initiative was to take place at the end of the month to include farm visits.
DW had recently attended the Access Forum at Dalkeith and found it very informative.
He had made contact with Dave Sharp (traffic) and suggested that it would be useful to have him along to an HCC meeting.
Concerns over cycling safety were discussed together with the current status of cycle tracks (e.g. Leadburn to Valleyfield).
5. New Constitution Requirements
AF outlined the key proposals/requirements that all community councils are to conform to. IQ and AF will look more closely at the requirements in order to ascertain how much change is needed to the existing Constitution. IQ expressed reluctance to allow the new Constitution to become too detailed.
AF suggested that the Code of Conduct that has to be adopted could potentially pose problems particularly if it is similar to the existing Code of Conduct for Midlothian Councillors. Discussion of planning matters is an area of particular, potential concern. Tommy Goldie may be able to clarify whether HCC should have concerns about the implications.
6. Standing Items
(a) Correspondence.
None
(b) Planning E-mails have been in circulation regarding Hargreaves’ intentions with regard to Cauldhall. No Section 75 agreement was agreed so no final decision notice was issued. The company’s intentions remain unclear.
BH had noted that the application for the Kilrubie Wind Farm had been withdrawn and resubmitted.
(c) HCC Funds. The grant has been banked and the HCC account is believed to be ‘healthy’.
7. AOCB
None
8. Date of next meeting. 21st April (BH unable to attend).
Action List
· Cllr Rosie will attempt to obtain updated information on the intended procedure relating to the Proposed Local Plan
· AF and Ian Quigley will look in more detail at the new Constitution requirements
· DW will approach Dave Sharp with an invitation to attend an HCC meeting.