Balquhidder, Lochearnhead & Strathyre
Community Council Minutes – 15th January 2025
This mee ng took place in Strathyre Village Hall at 7:30 p.m. on 15th December 2025. It was
chaired by David Johnston.
Present: David Johnston (DCJ), Carolyn Brooks (CB), Ruth McLusky (RM), Mar n
Mackenzie (MM), Maida MacLaren (LMM), Andrew Poulter (AP), Bob Wells
(RJW), Webster Inglis (WI).
Apologies: Angus Cameron (AC); PC Heather Campbell (HC), Police Scotland; David Fe!es
(DF), Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Na onal Park Authority (LLTNPA); Paul
Hicks (PH), minute-taker.
Also A!ending: Cllr Gene Maxwell (GM), S rling Council.
Item Content Ac on
- Approval of minutes from 4th December 2024
It was proposed by RM and seconded by CB, that the minutes of the
mee ng on 4th December 2024 should be accepted and this was
approved unanimously.
- Declara ons of Interest
There were no declara ons of interest by members present.
- Police report (5 Dec 2024 to 15 Jan 2025)
During this period, there was a report on 6th December about a loud
bang heard in Balquhidder. Police a!ended and ascertained that it had
been due to a vehicle back-firing. No offences were disclosed. On 9th
January, police were contacted regarding a male with a leg injury on
Creag Mac Ranich. Assistance was requested from Killin Mountain
Rescue Team and the person was assisted off the hill by them, but did
not require any further medical assistance.
During this period, there were four incidents rela ng to road safety
locally. Three concerned vehicles that had lost control owing to icy
road condi ons and, on one occasion, a tree had fallen onto the
roadway and was removed by BEAR Scotland. Police are being
deployed regularly in Strathyre and Lochearnhead with the hand-held
radar to assist with speeding issues in the villages. The 'pop-up' police
officer is also being used frequently in the villages. There were no
further ques ons from members about the report.
- Sco!sh Forestry
Ewan Young and Craig Armstrong gave an overview of how Sco!sh
Forestry managed the licensing of the felling and replan ng of trees.
They answered many ques ons from council members and informed
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Balquhidder, Lochearnhead & Strathyre
Community Council Minutes – 15th January 2025
Item Content Ac on
them that they were intending to hold regular mee ngs with the
various forest managers in the area to coordinate ac vity and limit
disrup on as much as possible. Members of the council were invited
to a!end these mee ngs and this was welcomed. RM raised a
ques on about previous flooding from Strathyre Forest East because
of a blocked culvert and was worried that it might happen again when
the trees were felled. Craig Armstrong agreed to talk to Forestry &
Land Scotland about this.
- Ma"ers arising from previous minutes
There were no ma!ers arising that were not on the published agenda.
- Forestry and mber transport
DCJ indicated that the annual review of the Timber Transport
Management Plan (TTMP) would be due around February to March
2025.
- Correspondence
There had been no correspondence of note since the last mee ng.
- C60 Bus Service
A working group had been established by the team leader for public
transport at S rling Council and had been considering ways in which
to promote and adver se the service in the area that it covers.
Minutes had been circulated and members of the community council
noted the work being done.
- Damage to Stronvar Bridge
With reference to item 10 of the minutes of the community council
mee ng on 12th November 2024, a response had been received from
the Bridge and Roads Team at S rling Council, but members did not
think that road signs would help and were of the opinion that there
were more than enough signs in the glen already. It was agreed that
DCJ should write formally to Cllr Maxwell, asking him to pursue
alterna ve op ons with the Bridge and Roads Team.
DCJ to request
GM to pursue
other op ons
with S rling
Council.
- Water provision in Balquhidder
It was apparent that the work recently done at Kirkton in Balquhidder
had not been successful in repairing all of the leaks as tankers were
s ll returning on a daily basis. In fact, there had been two parked at
Mhor84 as members made their way to the mee ng that evening (and
DCJ to request
Sco!sh Water
to a!end the
next mee ng.
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Balquhidder, Lochearnhead & Strathyre
Community Council Minutes – 15th January 2025
Item Content Ac on
this number had swelled to five when they returned home later). It
was agreed that DCJ should write to Sco!sh Water and ask for
representa ves to a!end the next community council mee ng.
- Road signs in local area
The community council was s ll wai ng for S rling Council to deliver
the signs promised for the local area.
- Water Level Sensor
Further to item 18B of the minutes of the community council mee ng
on 12th November 2024, RM reported having a!ended a mee ng at
S rling University concerning the inten on to site a flood warning
sensor in Strathyre. The sensor is able to provide real- me informa on
on river levels and alert local communi es to any imminent risk of
flooding. The sensor requires to be linked to an electricity supply and
wifi network and an appropriate loca on had been iden fied. It was
agreed to ask the university to explain what the data are being used
for and who the data may be shared with. It was also agreed that DCJ
would pass the ma!er on to BLS Community Trust on whose land the
sensor may be installed.
DCJ to refer
this ma!er to
BLS
Community
Trust.
- Upper Strathearn community benefit project
DCJ reported that a planned mee ng in December had been cancelled
due to the unavailability of several members.
- Planning Ma"ers
There were no current planning ma!ers for members to discuss.
- Ma"ers from ward councillors and Na onal Park representa ve
GM gave an update on the S rling Council budget which is to be
agreed in February and urged all members and local residents to make
known their comments on the form that had been circulated. There is
to be no council tax 'freeze' this year.
- Any other competent business
- a) Grit supplies. Members expressed disappointment at S rling Council's
response to the need for grit in Balquhidder.
There was no further business. The next mee ng is scheduled to take
place at Balquhidder Village Hall on Wednesday 26th February, 2025
at 7:30 p.m.
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