Minutes 2025
Minutes of Meeting of Elie and Royal Burgh of Earlsferry Community Council held on 7th January 2025, Earlsferry Town Hall
Present: Angela Anderson, Kirsty Barclay, Grizelda Cowan, Cath McIntosh, Carol Birrell, Nicky Nicholson, George Cowan and Cllr Alycia Hayes
Apologies: Alison Christian and Cllr Fiona Corps
November minutes: Proposed by Nicky and seconded by Kirsty
New declarations of interest: No new declarations
Councillors’ Updates
Alycia Hayes
Alycia has alerted FC to the need to have Toll Green Flag Pole removed and discussions are on-going re its replacement. Once we have an idea of what might be on offer from FC we will share this information with the local community. Thanks were expressed to Neil Grieve for his input and suggestions.
Alycia has requested that extra general waste bins should be provided, mainly for the benefit of visitors staying in holiday homes where there is no provision for waste disposal, but it seems unlikely that this request will be actioned. It is understood that the letting companies which manage short term lets do advise all their tenants on how to dispose of their rubbish but, regretfully, many are still using the village bins for all types of household rubbish.
Alycia informed the meeting that certain areas in Fife are being considered as ‘control zones’ for short term lets and it was agreed that Elie and Earlsferry should be considered as a pilot.
Questions from Public
We have received a request that street lighting in Fountain Road and South Street should be improved. Not only are the new lights not effective but there are parts in both streets where there is no lighting at all. Alycia to make request to FC.
We have also received request that the villages urgently need some public electric car charging points. It was noted that an application to install two points behind the church was made last year but there has been no action. One suggestion from the floor was that the lower Ruby Bay car park might be an ideal location.
Participation Requests Update
A further request was submitted to the parliamentary committee reviewing Participation Requests for a body which could oversee Participation Requests and establish an Appeals mechanism along with sanctions for non-compliance. Evidence of the Public Bodies’ negative and at times, obstructive response to Participation Requests was also submitted. Malcom Cowie who heads up the committee responded and advised that there is an ongoing review of the Community Empowerment Act and the need for Appeals and a review mechanism has been included in the review. The findings will be made available early next year.
Community First Responders
The Scottish Ambulance Service rejected the Participation Request submitted by Elie & Earlsferry Community Council on the grounds that they did not wish to discuss one of the key issues raised by our group i.e. extension of the Community First Responder role and recognition and accreditation of prior learning, as a review of the Community First Responder role is already ongoing. The recognition and accreditation by the Scottish Ambulance Service of the prior learning obtained by the Community First Responders would enable the Community First Responders along with paramedics to deliver the training locally.
The Scottish Ambulance has however agreed to provide training locally at Anstruther. Eight people have applied to take part in the training but there is concern that, if 10 suitable candidates are not available for training on the dates specified by the Scottish Ambulance Service, the training location will revert back to Newbridge. Information on the reasons for the Scottish Ambulance Service rejection has been included in the submission to Parliament. Also, a Freedom of Information Request was submitted to the Scottish Ambulance Service on 20 December 2025 requesting they provide us with up-to-date information on where the review of the Community First Responders is currently at.
Elmwood College
At the workshop with the Scottish Rural College, we tried to promote Apprenticeships as a way forward for Elmwood College. The Rural College indicated there was a limit on the number of Apprenticeships they could utilise. However following an approach by MSP Willie Rennie to the Minister for Further and Higher Education as to whether the Land based pilot project is to be extended, the Minister responded and shared the sentiment that the Land-based Pre-Apprenticeship program is a good route into the agricultural sector for students and while the Land Based Pre Apprenticeship Program has been developed on a pilot basis, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon and her officials are considering next steps for the programme. This includes options on taking it out of the pilot phase, expanding the programme, and providing more certainty over the longevity of the programme.
A Freedom of Information Request was submitted to the Scottish Rural College on 2 December 2024 to provide information on the income generated from the sale of the assets at Elmwood – the farm and the forestry land. We also asked for a tour of the site. The College declined to provide us with requested information on the grounds that it can be obtained from the Land Registry. We then advised the College that this would incur quite substantial costs, and we would expect to be reimbursed. The College responded that any additional information we wish to obtain from other bodies would be at our own cost, as the Scottish Rural College has no responsibility for this. They have however agreed to allow us to walk round the grounds. We are interested to see what space is available to extend the footprint at Elmwood.
We will be contacting the Scottish Rural College towards the end of January about the establishment of the working group to take forward the Outcome Improvement process. To-date, no clear Outcomes have been identified or systems put in place to monitor the Outcome Improvement Process and to see whether the desired improvements have been achieved.
Planning issues
We are awaiting decision from Fife Planning for:
A 12m flagpole at The Old Parsonage next to the Episcopal Church
A 2nd balcony at 1 Williamsburgh overlooking Mount Stuart and two over large dormer windows 24/02953/FULL and 22/02278/FULL)
The CC confirmed their support for erection of a mobile mast at the top of Park Place.
Local Place Plan
This has been sent to Fife Council but, unfortunately, has not yet been ratified. We hope that this will be actioned soon.
Infrastructure
The CC was glad to note that the excess sand on the road at the Harbour Road has been removed. Angela has sent another request that the dunes which are now encroaching on to the road be cut back to the original wall. Alycia informed the meeting that a pedestrian footway from the Toft to the harbour area is scheduled to be put in place this year. The CC has requested that this work should not be carried out during the busy summer months.
Yet again particular concern was expressed about the state of the access to the beach at Boat Wynd. Despite repeated requests, this has not been attended to and is now very dangerous. Cllr Alycia Hayes agreed to bring it to attention of FC – again.
Police report – from our local community officers. PC Robert Wallace and PC Rob Cook.
Contact your local community team on our email address:
eastneuklandwardCPT@scotland.police.uk
ROAD SAFETY
Road Safety within North East Fife continues to be front & centre for our officers. We are requested weekly to attend specific roads where speeding is an issue for persons who both live and work in that area. PC’s Cook and Wallace have carried out several speed detection sites throughout the area with a total of 25 drivers receiving warnings in respect of their speed, 1 vehicle seized for no insurance and 1 driver issued a ticket for not having an MOT certificate, we will continue to carry out such checks whenever possible. These deployments will continue to #KeepingPeopleSafe
In Elie/Earlsferry there were18 calls to the police. 2 crimes recorded
Giffordtown Speed Camera Trial
The cost for operating a similar trial as the Giffordtown one was confirmed to be £800. This would be paid by the CC who would also have the responsibility of collecting the data of speeding traffic and passing this information on to the Police. It was felt by the majority of CC members that this is not a job for the CC and, as a result, it was agreed we will not be participating in this project. It was also noted that that we are still waiting for ‘Your Speed’ signs at the two main entrances to the village. These were promised at the transportation meeting held in June 2024. Alycia agreed to speak to Nigel Hampton to request they be put in place as soon as possible.
Gateway Signs
They have now been repainted and replaced. Thanks were expressed to Carol who organised this.
Next meeting Tuesday 4th February 2025 at 7.30, Earlsferry Town Hall
