Crail Preservation Society
Minutes of Committee Meeting
Monday 10 August 2020, 7.30pm
via Zoom
Present: Dennis Gowans (Chairman), Kelsey Jackson Williams (Secretary), Derek White (Treasurer), David Jerdan, Anne Black, Sandy Young, Sutherland Madeiros, Derek Maclean, Jude Gallon, Paul Hutchison, and Stephen Illingworth.
1.Apologies were received from Laura Mackay and David Mann.
2. Minutes of the previous Committee Meeting were approved as read.
3. Officers’ and Sub-Committees’ Reports were given as follows:
- Jude Gallon gave the Membership Report. The leafleting of the village with the kirkyard brochure has resulted in an inundation of new memberships (34 in all). Subsequently there have also been two new life and seven ordinary memberships, giving a new total of 100 members. There have also been a significant number of donations over and above membership fees. DW proposed that Iain O’Neill be given honorary life membership. It was unanimously agreed that this should be done.
- Derek White gave the Treasurer’s Report. Our current situation is good. No questions were asked concerning the report circulated previously.
- Paul Hutchison gave the Planning Report. Planning permission has been granted to the old coastguard station with no concerns. Permission has also been granted for the extension of the Sauchope caravan park which may be an issue but which seems unlikely to happen in the near future. More worryingly, a property in West Braes Crescent have successfully purchased public open space behind their home with the intent of enclosing it for their garden. Eleven objections have been made in the area with two letters of support (the owner and the owner’s agent). Despite this the request was passed at council level. It is worrying that a principle may have been set for the privatisation of public spaces. DJ made the observation that this concern applies to all public spaces in the village not yet in secure public ownership.
- Kelsey Jackson Williams gave the Website Report. The website now contains the results of the kirkyard brochure research. The most recent minutes are now due to be published. DW indicated that the constitution posted on the website is slightly out of date and KJW requested that a revised version be provided. DW also indicated that OSCR have now clarified the publication of accounts and would like the CPS to publish them themselves. Better photographs of the CPS’s properties and revisions to property descriptions were also requested.
4. Dennis Gowans reported on the Harbour Master’s Office. The Community Partnership and the Crail Museum are now involved with this project (originally managed only by the Community Trust) to ensure a result favourable for the community as a whole. Planning permission has been granted for a tourist office and heritage space. The cost for renovation is estimated at £91,000.
5. Derek White reported on the question of the Trustees’ Indemnity. The change of insurance was unanimously approved via e-mail vote, but has not yet been enacted. Trustees’ indemnity of £100,000 has been offered for the cost of £106 additional premium. It was unanimously agreed to go forward with this.
6. Dennis Gowans reported on the Kirkyard Project. Regrettably, HES have now rejected this project for the second time citing a lack of greater benefit and long-term sustainability of the programme of renovation. This may impact negatively on the outstanding Pilgrim’s Trust application as the latter have asked for HES’s opinion. We do, however, still have the £10,000 received from the Fife Council Grave Dressing Fund and £500 from the Lumsden Family Association. Thanks were minuted to AB and DJ for their volunteer work weeding and tidying in the kirkyard.
7.Paul Hutchison reported on the Mercat Cross Project. Fife Council have now granted planning permission for the renovation of the Mercat Cross including the removal of the two trees currently obscuring its view. The cost is likely to be approximately £20,000 but will be a restoration for the long term and will include protective bollards and an information board. The HLF are not currently accepting applications, but PH has put in two applications: one to the Common Good Fund and one to Fife Environmental Trust. DG will take on the funding application to HES. At the moment all three applications are outstanding. DW suggested that the Helen Main Trust might also be a possible source of income.
8.Dennis Gowans reported on Denburn Park. The CPS still has £1,500 from Paths for All for the paths and gates (this money should have been spent by the end of March and may have to be returned). AB pointed out that the effect of lockdown should be factored into the time frame for spending this sum.
9. Sandy Young reported on the Doocot. The Doocot was reopened on 14 July and has been regularly visited since then. £50+ have been deposited in the collections box since reopening. The door catch and lock are operational and working smoothly. SY has written to Nick Sweeney concerning the harling but awaits a response. Iain O’Neill has requested the removal of a clause concerning access without notice from the agreement regarding the doocot’s electricity. DW responded that this clause had been inserted on the advice of Gillian Black, but agreed that it was not essential. Scottish Water have run a branch off the doocot’s telephone line to the substation on the other side of Triangle Park. This was done without requesting permission for access to the grounds of Triangle Park, but it would appear that this was done on the lower section of the park, not in possession of the CPS. DW noted that as part of our new insurance policy the CPS has made a commitment to weekly inspections of the doocot’s condition. SY noted that he does this anyway. AB enquired whether the proposed nest box sponsorship was still being considered? It was agreed that the moment for this had passed.
10. Dennis Gowans reported on Denburn Wood. Because the CPS is unable to perform community asset transfer, the Community Partnership has offered to perform a community asset transfer for the remaining portion of Denburn Wood and then lease the same gratis to the CPS. DJ commented on the large number of volunteers (15-20) now regularly attending the monthly tidy ups in Denburn Wood. He noted that the stone work on the tributary of the burn will need to be reinforced in the near future.
11. Small Projects and Updates:
- The kirkyard brochure has already been discussed.
- The Heritage Trail is scheduled for completion this winter.
- Dennis Gowans reported on the dial stone. Jimmy Aird has still not moved it, but DG hopes for it to be moved this winter for an estimated £300-400.
12. AOCB: SM welcomed SI back to the committee which was seconded by the other members. DJ noted that an open day at Wormiston, Sunday, 13 September, has now been confirmed. Due to social distancing restrictions it will be fully ticketed and limited to 100 tickets. The proceeds will be split between the CPS and the Community Partnership. The CPS has also been given the offer of a second open day in late April 2021. DJ and DG have met with Dennis MacArthur, captain of the Golfing Society, who has encouraged us to consider another golf day in the spring.
The next meeting will be held on 7 December 2020.
Respectfully submitted,
Kelsey Jackson Williams
Hon. Sec’y
10 August 2020
Crail Preservation Society 