The Royal Burgh of Kilrenny, Anstruther & Cellardyke Community Council
Subgroup - Skateboard Stakeholders Meeting
Wednesday 26th October, 7pm in Lower Town Hall, Anstruther
Present:
Andy Peddie (chairperson, Vicky Gigou, Cllr Alycia Hayes, Cllr Sean Dillon, Scott Black, Allan Ballany, Lindsay McKinstry, Jordan black, Murray Scott, Susanne McElhinney, Alan Nairn, Ellis Jaffray, Sarah Rogerson 
In attendance: Daryl Wilson
Welcome
Andy Peddie welcomed all to the inaugural meeting of the Stakeholders Group. Andy advised Daryl Wilson to be in attendance in Martin Dibley’s absence solely as minute taker.
All agreed we want a skatepark and hope to work on that basis so all can move forward. All present were circulated The Charter for Responsible Debate from the RSE Academy prior to meeting as a basis for future discussions in this group. If voting must happen, the two Cllrs will not participate, and any ballot would be secret with the Councillors counting such votes.
Round Room Introductions
Vicky - representing Anstruther Parent Council
Sarah - Chairperson of Waid Parent Council
Ellis - Community Council representative
Alan - representing Bowling Club
Susanne - Keep Bankie Park Green group
Jordan Black - Representing residents around Bankie Park
Cllr Sean Dillon – Local Councillor
Lindsay - Community Council Representative
Murray - representing Anstruther Skatepark Group, local parent, and engineer
Allan - representing Anstruther Skatepark Group, new to the area
Scott - Representing young people of the Anstruther Skatepark Group
Cllr Alycia Hayes – Local Councillor
Andy advised the original consultation/SWOT analysis had six potential locations - good starting point to address each site and determine if it is in their opinion feasible to investigate further or withdraw from the table for further discussions – as follows;
1 - Silverdykes Park - Low scoring on consultation, was previously taken off the table as land not owned by Fife Council. Susanne asked if Ross & Liddell (current factors) could be approached again to see if this location could be possible. Scott stated from a young person’s perspective, it was not desirable. Agreed to ask factor the question.
2 - Mayview - thought to be boggy, named watery butts for that very reason, very small area – all agreed to remove from list of potential locations.
3 - Dreelside Park - Progress with new equipment, cycle path goes round the perimeter - football pitch takes up lots of the space. Worth consulting Dreelside Park group? Vicky worries location is too close to fields, too isolated, especially in evenings. Investigate further with Dreelside group for their opinion.
4 - West Braes Pittenweem - Andy aware it was not the young people’s preference. Scott advised the site was battered with wind and weather, and dark unsafe routes to get there. Vicky also stated surveys suggested it would not be utilised as much. Susanne does not believe it should be taken off table as the Local Area Committee covers Pittenweem area. Murray – as the skatepark group was started by kids in Anstruther, they want it to be in Anstruther and that is their remit. Andy also stated it would therefore also be out with our Community Council area. Why was it included in the consultation then? To be inclusive and explore if popular choice, however result proved otherwise. Q - Is there constraints on funding? Possibly but would need to be explored further. Andy suggested refreshing the evidence from Swot analysis to show consultation results. 
Waid and Bankie both proposed locations, work needs to be undertaken with Fife Council to explore both options. Identifying exact sites in conjunction with Fife Council, availability of land, cost of land etc. to try and build a better picture of both sites.
Susanne concerned that by ruling out too many sites, the options would be restricted, and she feels it imperative to have full reasoning for ruling out a site.  
Fife Council conducted the swot analysis, and they did not include Waid in their analysis as the land was not owned by Fife Council. Young people currently use the car park at Waid, but this is not a long-term solution, they skate there presently by default.
Anstruther Skatepark Group to carry out action points from above prior to next meeting. At this stage, visuals of each location could be produced for the next meeting using google maps. 

Allan B stated the Anstruther Skatepark Group are keen to investigate each proposed location and are open to considering all potential sites, however, each location whilst being investigated must bear in mind the overall principles from the Skatepark Group which match funding criteria. These include;
•	Must be a safe and accessible area, number of users - all potential locations will need to try and match these principles. 
•	Supports health and well-being
•	located in Anstruther but serves all of the East Neuk
•	Will be well used, limited barriers for access
•	Serves wide range of age groups and abilities with focus on beginners and intermediate users
•	Located to support inclusive play
•	Colourful, visually appealing
•	Minimizes carbon emissions in construction
•	Recycles waste within construction
•	Supports wider youth skills programme
•	Built at least fifty metres from residential buildings 
•	Does not have electrical lighting

Group member asked the Anstruther Skatepark Group what current links/working relationships are there presently with Fife Council. They responded by stating Fife Council have been very helpful and they have previous experience with this process from builds elsewhere in the Local Authority.  To progress further, Fife Council are supportive of this stakeholder group approach as the community must be on board to reach the right solutions and gain funding. They appreciate all potential locations have people for and against and each needs to be assessed against the principles and budgetary requirements. Some constraints will be out of their control, for example - landowner will not sell land, budgetary issues re purchase of equipment v purchase of land. Need to be an understanding that the best expenditure of public money is considered and therefore safe use, accessibility etc. will be considered.
Allan B  - at the last Skatepark meeting it was agreed the group need to engage with the High School as they know there is currently one potential site identified, although discussion re potential allotments is also being discussed for the same site. Sarah suggested a meeting with Mr Duncan would be helpful, however, made it clear that it is agreed by school and parent council that any proposed skatepark will not be a school project, they will not be responsible in anyway for the monitoring, cleaning of site etc. All understand that perspective, however, it would still need approval from the Waid Campus and Anstruther Primary School that the location is supported in principle by the school communities. 
This group needs to agree to support a skatepark in Anstruther - the group should have a lifespan, end date etc.? Timeframe - funding application is on hold to Sports Scotland as no location is identified - until location identified progress cannot be made. The kids initially involved in the establishment of the group are all getting older, and it would be disappointing if progress could not be made relatively quickly when there is a lot of positivity and input from the young people involved. Should Anstruther not be the desired location, then the Anstruther Skatepark Group and Community Council would not pursue further as outwith our jurisdiction.
Andy also hoped this group could be short, location identified and supported by group by March 2023 - construction/inflation anywhere between 7-20% presently so the longer term the project continues the higher the costs will be. All agreed on the above timescale, and it also ties in with future funding applications. No current time constraints on funding already received. Susanne asked if current funding conditions pose any conditions re site appraisal as she believes the Area Committee award had conditions in place to carry out full options appraisal on sites across the East Neuk and Landward and it is therefore important to look carefully at Pittenweem as an option outwith Anstruther in line with NE Fife Area Committee conditions on funding.
Ownership/Management of land definitely needs to be investigated further to identify if there is a potential location at Waid. No electric lighting - is there another source of lighting? There is presently no alternative lighting in the plan from the Anstruther Skatepark Group. Lighting will differ for each location based on what is presently available, near streetlamps, floodlights etc. Group not considering lighting as it would be out with the budget and group need to be realistic about what is affordable. Murray stated there are floodlights at tennis courts, floodlights at Astro turf - but all require power source, ducting etc. which ultimately uses a chunk of budget. It is ultimately a play area so no different to other play areas. Jordan raised concerns that if not lit it would pose safety issue for potential users and stated many skaters are older and it is realistic to expect it would be used of an evening, is this a risk if dark with no light? Concern amongst people regardless of location is safety in the dark, would it render the skatepark useless when dark - Murray compared it to the Muga in Bankie Park which is used presently in daytime and darkness. Anstruther Skatepark group would love lighting, but cost is ruling it out. Lindsay stated that Fife Council have not been pro lighting for any project and cited multi use path as recent project that has been denied lighting.
Hopeful to have another meeting pre-Christmas.
Questions - Susanne asked re size 290 metres squared - does this include paths, seating, planting? Allan said this is presently not determined as until location identified it is impossible to determine what would be necessary although they can say it would need to include an access path to the site. The only calculation made to date by the Anstruther Skatepark Group is the cost per square metre - so that is currently the only guide to size, based on the available budget.
Q - Original consultation included The Marches but it is not included with SWOT analysis - why? Lindsay was able to advise that the land at Marches has significant ownership from a private individual and they are currently applying to change the land from public open space to private garden ground - CC have objected to this. Also, fifty metre separation from houses renders this site unusable.
Date of next meeting - 1st December 2022