Fiver Fest is part of the Totally Locally Fiver Fest which is “a big celebration of Britain’s fantastic small businesses and shops, many run by families or individuals, but ALL contributing massively to the economy of the UK and the wellbeing of our towns”.

It will run in Burntisland (and other places) 15-29 February.

If you know a local business that wants to be involved (and get extra custom!) email by Midnight (Wednesday).

“Businesses taking part put on special £5 offers over 2 weeks, to show the diversity and value of what they sell, and to say thank you to the communities that support them.”

PDF

(The paper version will be put through all letterboxes in Burntisland by BB volunteers from next weekend.)

Petition by Bridget Fraser of B.A.S.C.

https://www.change.org/p/fife-sports-and-leisure-trust-show-fife-sports-and-leisure-trust-how-much-we-value-the-beacon-leisure-centre

700 signatures in the first three hours!

1600 in first 14 hours (including overnight)

More than 2,500 in first day

“In 2018 Fife Sports and Leisure Trust (FSLT) proposed a full closure of the Beacon to Fife Council. At that point reduced opening hours were negotiated as an alternative. This was supposed to be a 3 year arrangement, but not much more than a year later further cuts have been proposed. I believe that there is a real risk that further cuts would lead to the eventual closure of the Centre.

“There is no other similar facility within at least 12 miles. As well as being suitable for lane swimming the pool has recreational facilities such as flumes and a wave machine. The pool is accessible due to the large carpark, lift and sloping entry into the water. Most local people aged 25 and under learned to swim here, and there is still an ongoing massive demand for swimming lessons.

“As current Chairman of Burntisland Amateur Swimming Club and Humane Society, I am creating this petition so that people can tell FSLT and Fife Council how they feel about the Beacon Centre, their views on the potential further cuts, and put forward ideas/suggestions as to how to improve our Leisure Centre and sustain it in the long term.”

UPDATES (Thursday 23rd)

https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/politics/councillor-quits-over-fears-cuts-could-close-fife-swimming-pool-1-5079202

https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/politics/huge-response-as-petition-launched-to-block-fife-swimming-pool-cuts-threat-1-5079446

Post on Facebook

New for 2020 at the Toll is a planting project.

This will encourage people to take an interest in growing things. This could be garden flowers from seed or a tomato plant thriving in a sunny window, perhaps a bonsai tree.

A packet of seeds is very cheap – a pound or so for hundreds or even thousands. Many people have open packets that they will never use all of the contents.

Others have tools they no longer use. The Toll hopes to receive unwanted items (almost anything except lawnmowers) and make them available to others.

The Toll has begun planting around the Community Centre. The start of a beech hedge, crocuses that are beginning to poke through and a few young trees.

More to come.

The bikes are for the existing TCC bike project where volunteers make donated bikes ready for new owners.

Several people have come for bike for a child or grandchild, and left with one for themselves too!

CONTACT DETAILS

tollcentre@gmail.com

https://en-gb.facebook.com/pg/TollCommunityCentre

http://www.tollcentre.org.uk

01592 872854

Poster outside Erskine Church

Poster outside Erskine Church

Facebook

Burntisland, Common Good and controversy seem to go together.

The saga about the use of CG money to renew the cables under The Links rumbles on.

The whole business of who decides what can be done with CG assets and any cash from income never seems to be clear.

Courier story from April.

The roles of Fife Council, its officials, Kirkcaldy Area councillors and Burntisland’s own Community Council seem unclear or at least are disputed.

The photo above, posted on the CC’s Facebook suggests that FC has realised that it needs to do a consultation.

This seems curious as, previously, it had been announced that the land was sold.

It was sold in April.

“Although the property is held on the Burntisland Common Good Account, the Sheriff’s consent to the disposal is considered not to be required because of the history of leasing and the public not exercising any rights over the property.”

Burntisland: New House Planned for the High Street

Fife Council has two Common Good sub-committees –

West Fife Area Common Good Sub-Committee

Common Good and Trusts Investments Sub-Committee

Fife Council accused of years of mismanagement of community assets

Today’s Kirkcaldy Area Committee is due to consider a proposal to move the 30 mph signs 66 metres further away from the school along Cowdenbeath Road.

Extract from report –

2.1 There have been a few requests from concerned residents in the area regarding the speed of traffic past the houses at Craig Court and Binn Avenue.

2.2 The existing speed limit gateway on Cowdenbeath Road has potential for some improvement to make the gateway more conspicuous and improve speed compliance.

2.3 Concerns have been raised regarding the volume and speed of large goods vehicles (LGVs). LGVs constitute approximately 13% of total traffic which is expected given the nature of the local businesses that operate in Burntisland. The downward slope of Cowdenbeath Road on approach to the town may also contribute to speeds on entry into the town. A speed survey will be requested post speed limit extension which will also be forwarded to the Police for their consideration in terms of enforcement.

It’s perhaps surprising that this short section isn’t already 30 mph as it has street lights – a requirement for a 30 mph (or lower) limit.

Councillors should now consider speed limits in and around Burntisland. There are few 20 mph areas within the town. By contrast the main road through Kinghorn is 20 mph.

One of Burntisland’s List MSPs, Mark Ruskell, campaigns for lower speeds and has introduced a bill in the Scottish Parliament.

The roads from Kinghorn have 40 mph limits until they reach the town near the Kingswood and Golf Club.

The roads from Aberdour and Cowdenbeath have the national speed limits (“the speed limit is the absolute maximum – it doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive at this speed in all conditions.“) until they meet the 30 mph signs.

This means it’s perfectly legal to drive at up to 60mph along the road past Grange Farm and the new housing development started by Deveron Homes.

The pavement there is narrow and unpleasant to walk on. People have to go this way, and cross the road, to get to the path to Binn Pond.

Road (and pedestrian) safety would be improved if this section was 40 mph. It would make sense if the limit started before Kilmundy Steadings. There are already warning signs, so a lower speed limit would seem to be justified.

There is DfT guidance for setting local speed limits.

And more advice on traffic calming (as seen at Kinghorn) –

3.4.3 According to the traffic calming regulations, the following self-enforcing measures are allowed on 40 mph limit roads: rumble devices, build-outs, chicanes, pinch points, narrowings, islands, pedestrian refuges, gateways and roundabouts (see Sections 5 to 8). However, for some of these features (such as chicanes) careful planning is required to ensure a safe and effective scheme.

Although the road has a 40 mph limit, crossing by the Golf Club to reach the path to the Binn is far from ideal. It’s a real concern for Burntisland Primary School teachers. As a result they only take small numbers of older pupils to visit the woodlands – infrequently.

In Edinburgh, some traffic calming measures have been shown to have a significant effect- “100mm high sinusoidal asphalt humps (Figure 1) have been installed on residential roads in The Grange area. Speeds have been reduced to values similar to that for round top humps. The original mean speed of 33 mph has gone down to 15.5 mph at the humps, and 22 mph between humps spaced 100m apart.”