Cupar Community Council &
the Douglas Bader
Community Garden organisation

31st May, 2007: The minutes of the DBCG organisation inaugural meeting dated Friday 4 th February, 2005 stated: "Dave Carstairs (Cupar Community Council) suggested that the designated Cupar Community Council representative should be a co-opted member of the Management Committee with full voting rights, rather than a member with no right to vote. This was accepted and approved."
As a representative of Cupar Community Council, Mr Carstairs (right) attended the following DBCG management group meetings as a voting, co-opted member of the DBCG organisation.

February 8 th, 2007
November 24 th, 2006
June 30 th, 2006
March 1 st, 2006
February 9 th, 2006
August 18 th, 2006
September 27 th, 2005
August 8 th, 2005
February 18 th , 2005
February 4 th , 2005

Members of Cupar Community Council were invited by the DBCG group to attend a meeting in Glasgow on December 4 th , 2006 in Glasgow , where the group's chosen specialist companies outlined plans for the proposed Duffus Park development.
This was one of several events which DBCG representatives personally invited leading members of Cupar Community Council to attend. On various occasions, Cupar Community Council representatives failed to respond to hand-delivered invitations sent by the DBCG committee.
On the 29 th November, 2006 , Bryan Poole (left), Chairman of Cupar Community Council, emailed DBCG to state: "Dave Carstairs reminded/prompted me to reply to your invitation ... Unfortunately I am unable to attend - I have to be at my 'day-job'. I understand though that both Dave and Stewart (Bett) will be attending and thus Cupar Community Council will [be] represented. I hope the visit goes well. "
Both Mr Carstairs and Mr Bett were present at the Glasgow event with their wives. Mr Bett subsequently reported to the Community Council, and no subsequent enquires to the DBCG group were forthcoming from Cupar Community Council representatives.
On the 30 th November, 2006 , Mr Poole, now an elected representative of Fife Council, emailed the DBCG project manager to state: "I have no recollection of anyone at a Community Council meeting suggesting that the Community Council hadn't been kept informed of the DBCG plans."
When asked why Community Council representatives had not replied to invitations to attend DBCG meetings or events, Mr Poole said (30/11/06) that: "From a Community Council perspective I perhaps should have tendered my apologies but I have been aware that two Community Councillors have been involved with the DBCG and would have alerted the Community Council if there were issues relating to the DBCG which the Community Council required to discuss."
On December 1 st 2006 , Mr Poole clarified the position of the Cupar Community Council representative on the DBCG management committee.
He stated in writing: "Given that we are now clear that Mr Carstairs is on the DBCG in his capacity as a Community Councillor, a slot was given at the November (2006) meeting for feedback from the DBCG representative. A slot will be available at each meeting of the Community Council for feedback from the DCBG."
Representatives of the DBCG organisation have made two presentations to the Cupar Community Council in the past two years. No correspondence exists in which any member of Cupar Community Council has expressed any concerns regarding the proposed DBCG plans.
Copies of all correspondence regarding the DBCG proposals have been sent to Cupar Community Council for comment since early 2005, when the DBCG organisation was established.
The Douglas Bader Community Garden group has applied for funding to support the group's objectives via Cupar's Common Good Fund on three occasions. Fife Council, as the scheme's administrator, routinely asks Cupar Community Council to comment on each Common Good Fund application. Twice the DBCG's application has been rejected.
In 2006, Susan Blake from the DBCG was awarded the Cupar Citizen of the Year award by Cupar Community Council.
According to the Cupar Community Council website:

"Citizen of the Year 2006

Susan Blake, Secretary of the Douglas Badder [sic] Garden project has been awarded Citizen of the Year 2006. Susan has been nominated for her commitment to the DBG Project and for her contribution to citizenship in Cupar. Susan plays an important role within the DBG project and this has resulted in her receiving a number of nominations for this year's award. Susan received her award on Tuesday 28th November 2006 and one of her first engagements will be to switch on the Cupar Xmas Lights on 2nd December."

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