WelcomeChairman Eric McNulty welcomed everyone along to the meeting.

PresentCllr R Paterson, Cllr L Riseam, Cllr C Mabon, Cllr K Hanson, Cllr A McEwan, Cllr M Blackmore

3 members of the public were also present.

MinutesSecretary Gillian Byers

ApologiesCllr S DiLorenzo, Cllr M Scott

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the previous meeting on 18 September 2007 having been circulated were passed as a true record of events by Cllr Blackmore and seconded by Cllr McEwan and signed by the Chairman.

MATTERS ARISING

·Kelso Medical Practice – Surgeries In Morebattle To Close

Public meeting changed to 23 November 2007.Thanks to Cllr McEwan for organising the meeting.Irene Morris the Director of Organisational Change & Development who deals with consultations has informed us that the consultation papers will not be ready until nearer December as they take at least 3 weeks to set up.Dr Ross Cameron and both the MP and MSP for the area will attend the meeting, however there is no word as yet as to whether there will be a representative from the health centre attending.KCC should receive a copy of the consultation papers and the consultation should not be finished until the end of February and therefore the surgeries in Morebattle will have to continue until then.It was also suggested that the press be asked to attend the meeting.Yetholm CC were asking people in the area to write individually to the secretary who would then send the letters on as a mass batch.KCC has also set up a petition that can be found in the village shop.Cllr Nicol has also sent demographic statistics to the Chairman and Cllr McEwan who have both agreed to look at the demographic issues surrounding the closure eg transport, age etc.It was agreed that it may be effective if people send letters of concern directly to Dr Ross Cameron at NHS Borders.A notice with the address will be put in the notice board.

·Website

Groups are encouraged to have a go with the website.Any interested parties should get in touch with Cllr McEwan.Cllr Riseam will investigate the possibility of Ability Net for Internet access.

·Information Board

A firm quote has been received from Walter Johnston (Cllr McEwan’s) graphic designer for a map design and leaflet design that came to £1500.1000 A4 folded leaflets would also cost £250 plus VAT.Cllr McEwan will also approach Ian Douglas about building the mount for the board.The council has also informed us that we will require advertisement planning permission but we should be able to get this at half price as we are a CC.

·School Playing Field

The plans for the field have now been done.Chairman is awaiting a copy.The next stage is to have a meeting to do the costing.The Chairman has also been in touch with Jean Robertson about financing the project and she advised that Sport Scotland may be able to help but as it is council land they may have to apply for the grant.She believes that funding may be obtained without having to set up a separate constitution.

·Trees at Morebattle’s Graveyard

Cllr Cessford not present.Discuss at the next meeting.

·Christmas Lights

Unfortunately John Common is unable to get a Christmas tree from the same source as last year.Cllr McEwan agreed to approach Mr McFadyen at Linton Downs to find out if he has any trees available.No spare bulbs need to be purchased for the lights, as there are still some from last year.Also agreed to ask if Gilbert from the Institute committee if he would look after the lights again this year.Also agreed that based on the success of last year, the lights are switched on at the carol service by the festival queen.Provisional date is 16 December.

CORRESPONDENCE

Planning Application, Amec Wind Energy, erection of temporary wind monitoring mast – renewal for a further 2 years – No comments.

Local Plan – 2 main points of interest: Keltek site is the favoured site for the new supermarket in Kelso, the field behind the houses going out of Yetholm on the Morebattle road will be developed despite the YCC having this deleted from the draft plan.

Reply from Euan Calvert, Outdoor Access Officer, SBC – He is not willing to attend one of our meetings to give us a presentation.Cllr Nicol was dealing with this.

Tesco in Kelso – Presentation sent giving details of their proposals to build in Kelso

Achieving Community Benefits from Commercial Windfarms Letter

Friends Of The Earth, Training for the Planning System (Courses are in Edinburgh)

Scottish Borders Licensing Board Quarterly Meeting

Cycle Racks – There is an element of funding available if any community feels that they would benefit from this.

To be passed around the pink file:

NHS Draft Food, Nutrition & Health Strategy for Health Care Settings paper

Scottish Landscape Forum

Scrutiny Panel Work Programme for 2008

The Borders Party – Edinburgh City Region Letter

Report on Morebattle/Yetholm area from Cllr Nicol

Paths Around Kelso Leaflet

Kelso Area Pathways Minutes

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

When you are finished with the pink file PLEASE REMEMBER that if you are leaving it in the shop for the next person to collect, give them a call to let them know it is there.Regarding Cllr Scott and Cllr Weir, if they are unable to get to the shop or they are the last to receive the pink file, by all means keep a receipt of any postage costs and envelopes and these will be reimbursed.We need to ensure that everyone gets to see the file before the next meeting.Thank you.

A letter was received from the committee regarding the Robert Davidson poems.The committee is now closer to publishing the poems and were asking if KCC would like to make a donation to help publish the book.Perhaps this money could come from the book fund?Agreed that KCC would like to make a donation.ACTION: Chairman will write back to the committee to find out about costs and invite them to our next meeting.

MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED AT NEXT MEETING

Closure of Doctors Surgery

Information Board

Website

Update on Playing Field

Christmas Lights

Trees at Morebattle Graveyard