Agenda and minutes

Minute of Meeting of 3 February 2016 to be agreed and signed.   (Copy attached.)

1.         There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the Kelso Common Good Fund Sub-Committee held on 3 February 2016. 

         DECISION

         AGREED to note the Minutes for signature by the Chairman.

Consider report by Chief Financial Officer.  (Copy attached.)

1.         There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Financial Officer which provided the income and expenditure for the Kelso Common Good for the year 2015/16 including balance sheet values as at 31 March 2016 and proposed budget for 2016/17.  Appendix I provided the projected income and expenditure for 2015/16 which showed a deficit of £2,966 for 2015/16 and a projected deficit of £3,326 for 2016/17.  Appendix 2 provided the projected balance sheet value to 31 March 2016 which projected a decrease in reserves of £49,253.  Appendix 3 provided a breakdown of the property portfolio showing actual Income and Expenditure to 31 March 2016 and Appendix 4 showed the value of the Newton Fund to 31 March 2016. 

                     DECISION

(a)       NOTED:-

(i)                  the actual income and expenditure 2015/16 in Appendix I;

(ii)          the final balance sheet value to 31 March 2016 in Appendix 2;

(iii)         the summary of the property portfolio in Appendix 3 of the report; and

(iv)         The current position of the investment in the Newton Fund in Appendix 4 of the report.

(b)          AGREED the proposed budget for 2016/17 as contained in Appendix 1 of the report.

Update on request for financialassistance from Kelso Cricket Club.

With reference to paragraph 3 of the Minute of 3 February 2016, the Democratic Services Officer advised that Kelso Cricket Club had provided confirmation that all funding was now in place.  The Sub-Committee agreed that the award of £3,500 previously agreed at their meeting on 3 February 2016 be paid.

DECISION

AGREED that the grant of £3,500, approved at the meeting on 3 February 2016 be paid to Kelso Cricket Club.

Consider verbal update on fence work at Pinnaclehill Woodlands.

The Estates Manager advised that a request had been received from Mr Graeme Coutts and Mr Peter Small, residents of Pinnaclehill Gardens requesting that the boundary fence surrounding Pinnaclehill Woodlands be replaced.  The Estates Manager circulated at the meeting photographs of the fencing and a plan of the area in question.  The Sub-Committee were advised that in 1975, the then Town Council had purchased the woodland at a cost of £5,000 and the title deeds to the woodlands specified that as it was the property of the Common Good, and were required to maintain a post and wire fence.  However, it was a timber post and rail fence which was currently in place, following work undertaken to fences in 1998/99.  It was further reported that the timber post and rail fence was not in good condition and might result in the entire fence requiring to be replaced.  In terms of the title to the ground, the Common Good would only be required to replace the current fence with a post and wire fence.  Following considerable discussion, it was agreed to offer the removal of the timber post and rail fence to be replaced with a post and wire fence, which was all that was required. 

DECSION

          AGREED that:-

(a)       the Estates Manager meet with the residents to explain the options; and 

(b)       the Estates Manager update the Sub-Committee at its next meeting

          on  Wednesday, 14 September 2016.

Consider clearing work be undertaken on Common Good Land, Sprouston Road, Kelso.  (Copy correspondence attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a letter received from Mrs Kathleen Binnie, Cairnbank, Sprouston Road, Kelso, together with a reply, regarding the burn directly across from her home on Sprouston Road, Kelso.  The Area Neighbourhood Manager (Cheviot) circulated at the meeting a copy of a plan which outlined the extent of Common Good ownership at Pinnaclehill Woodlands.  It was explained that Mrs Binnie had written with a number of issues in January 2016 and when officers investigated, it was found that the burn was on the boundary and on the opposite side of the stream which did not belong to Scottish Borders Council or the Kelso Common Good.     The area in question was likely to be the area between the burn and Abbey View to the west which was outwith the boundary and which was most likely to have been owned/ be owned by the developer of Abbey View.  It was further explained that as a result of the letter received from Mrs Binnie, the area had been visited by Officers, who had removed a bike, and rubbish from the area.  Remedial work had already been undertaken following the flooding of the property at the Lodge, Sprouston Road and a fallen tree had been removed from the burn to try and prevent any issues with the flow of the burn at that point. 

DECISION

AGREED that:-

(a)       as the ground was outwith the Common Good Boundary, there was  no further action to be taken; and

(b)     the Democratic Services Officer write to Mrs Binnie, explaining the situation and enclosing a copy of the map detailing the Common Good Boundary.

            The meeting closed at 5.15 p.m.