Ayton
Community
Council

Minutes for meeting held Tuesday 6 January 2026

Held in Ayton Community Hall at 7:00pm.

Present

Apologies for Absence

Minutes of the meeting held 2 December 2025: AW proposed and PI seconded, and minutes were unanimously approved.

Community Council Consultation / Place Plan

Members noted that the Place Plan questionnaire had been distributed to all households in the village and that an excellent response had been received.

It was agreed that this work should now progress. A subgroup consisting of Toby Foster, Paul Cliffe, and Alison Currie will meet to discuss next steps and how the process should be taken forward.

Trevor Smith shared his experience of similar work undertaken in another council area. This was noted by members and will be considered alongside options for collating and feeding back information.

It was further agreed that priorities should be identified, with a focus on the most significant issues. Early indications suggest that the village play park is likely to be a key priority.

Members noted that funding for improvements is expected within the 2026/27 budget. It was agreed that Scottish Borders Council should be contacted in advance. Councillor Hamilton advised that Carol Cooke should be contacted in the first instance. Trevor Smith agreed to undertake this, with the aim of clarifying next steps and any preparatory work required from the Community Council ahead of any works taking place.

MMWR

The December report has not yet been received. It will be circulated to members once available.

Planning

No planning applications were submitted during this period.

Road Closures

Members were advised that a road closure will be in place in Reston for two days in the coming week. Trevor Smith noted that he had not previously been made aware of this. Councillor Hamilton agreed to forward the relevant details so that the information can be shared via the village Facebook page.

Treasurer’s Report

Account Balances:

Project Account: £54.43
Treasurer’s Account: £366.83

Paul Ingram advised that £200 from Cow Club funds has not yet been received but is expected imminently.

Expenditure noted:

Electric Vehicle Charging

Members considered options for electric vehicle charging within the village, noting that there are currently no charging points.

Councillor Hamilton confirmed that Scottish Borders Council policy is to encourage private companies to install charging infrastructure on a commercial basis.

It was noted that a number of properties, including those in Old Town and on the High Street, do not have access to private driveways. As such, installation of chargers would require cables to cross public footpaths. Members were advised that this may be possible through the installation of a gully across the pavement or cable cover; however, this would require planning permission on a case-by-case basis and would be at the cost of the individual applicant(s). Councillor Hamilton will request an update on SBC policy and plans.

SBC Councillors’ Report

All SBC Councillors submitted apologies and, as a result, no reports were presented.

Any Other Business

Toby Foster advised that he had been approached regarding potential involvement in this year’s village show. It was agreed that initial discussions should take place, with the next meeting providing an opportunity to consider this further once views have been sought from those typically involved in organising the event, which is usually held in September.

It was also agreed that confirmation of dates would be required in order to better understand member and volunteer availability.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of Ayton Community Council will take place on Tuesday 3 February 2026 at 7:00pm in the Community Hall.