Download or view in pdf format
Draft minutes CVDCC meeting held 6 December 2023
Approved Minutes Carron Valley & District Community Council
Meeting held Wednesday 6 December 2023 meeting at 7.30pm, via ZOOM
In attendance
Peter Hayward, Chair, PH Dorothy Breckenridge, Sec., DB
David Petch, DP Maureen Berry, MB
, elected rep, Margaret Porter, MP
Morag Holdsworth, Treasurer, MH Helen Bang, minute clerk, HB
1 Introductions and welcome
1.1 The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
1.2 Apologies – none
1.3 Declarations of interest for items on agenda. None declared.
1.4 Items raised by members of the public for inclusion in agenda – none.
2 Community Police report
2.1 No report was received prior to the meeting. Police were unable to attend this
meeting. ACTION DB to chase as there was no report and no report for
November. Also see item 13.5
3 Minutes of previous meeting
3.1 Minutes of the November meeting were approved - Apologies from MH.
Proposed DP, seconded PH
ACTION HB approved minutes to DB for Stirling Council. Draft minutes to DB
for circulation.
4 Matters arising – actions from November meeting
4.1 Concerns about gas main. Contact Stirling Council
No response - email had claimed things were okay ACTION DB to raise issue
of the unmarked gas main with the Council as we have not received a
sufficient answer. DP's advice is to talk to Scottish Gas.
It is also thought that the workmen also crossed over the conduit for the
Craigengelt windfarm.
4.2 Secretary to contact Dial-a-ride for information
Ongoing
4.3 Would VRG fund a transport service for patients attending hospital?
To be discussed at January VRG Board meeting.
To be discussed later. See item 9
4.4 Ask if windfarms could make a contribution to Stirling Council
Awaiting response
5 Chair’s report, PH
5.1 Local place plan - other communities have been working on this for a while. It
is an opportunity to raise issues of what a community wants regarding
Draft minutes CVDCC meeting held 6 December 2023
housing, schools, transport, climate mitigation etc. over the next ten years.
Much of it is focused on urban settings. A local place plan can encompass
a wider area than specific CC areas.
https://www.stirling.gov.uk/planning-and-building/planning/developmentplanning/
local-place-plans/
PH asked if VRG would pay for Kerrien Grant to assist with this? It seems that
Stirling Council will provide support. There was a discussion.
Some councillors felt that this had been done in the past, but little notice had
been taken of rural communities' views. MH offered to help with this so the
CC's view is heard.
It was agreed to look at this in the New Year. ACTION DB/MH
5.2 PH pointed out that there was a lot of crime in this area, probably mostly thefts
from farm properties.
5.3 Resilience plan - the Scottish National Resilience Fund have £500 available -
applications need to be submitted by January. ACTION DB.
Could the CC apply to VRG for funding for portable generator and/or a
dehumdifier that could be stored in the cabin at the Woodland for people who
have lost their electricity supply? There was a discussion regarding this.
Concerns were expressed about security at the cabin.
Scottish Power do have a note of who is vulnerable in the area - they are
supposed to take generators to such residents if a power cut occurs. We
should liaise with them over this.
Road clearance is a resilience issue - during the bad storm of March 2018
roads were impassable for several days.
5.4 It was suggested that a group should brainstorm ways in which the communi ty
is vulnerable and things that would help mitigate this list. ACTION PH/MH
6 Secretary’s report, DB
6.1 Nothing not covered elsewhere.
7 Treasurer’s report MH
7.1 Forms - further forms have been completed regarding DP and DB being
signatories on bank account. PH has handled this.
The current balance is £1308.47 including new admin grant from Stirling Council.
8 Stirling Councillor report
8.1 No report was received by the time of the meeting.
9 Valley Renewables Group report, MP
9.1 Funding of service taking patients to hospital - to be raised at VRG meeting in
January. Order of Malta will take patients to appointments.
9.2 There are three new trustee/directors appointed following the AGM - Dugald
Macalpine, Peter Shand and Brian Young.
Draft minutes CVDCC meeting held 6 December 2023
9.3 Meeting Room: a meeting will be held on 19 December with the architect and
quantity surveyor.
9.4 Renantis - closing date 15 December, VRG is putting in an application for the
enhanced EPC surveys, part of the Energy Efficiency Project.
9.5 Drummarnock - improved offer - after an intervention by Rob Ferguson, PH and
MH the community is now getting £68K index-linked for 30 years instead of the
£38K originally offered.
9.6 Chainsaw course - four people have been trained and passed the assessment:
David Petch Junior, Robert Layton, Brian Young and Barbara Wilson who are
now available if work is required in the woodland.
There may be mileage in a one-day course for residents on basic chainsaw
operation as it can be easy to pick up bad habits.
9.7 VRG minutes for October have been received. (November was the AGM.)
10 Woodland Group report, DB
10.1 The next part of the chainsaw course is a Forestry First Aid course - we are
trying to arrange this next Spring. It can take up to 10 people so this could be
opened up to others in the community.
10.2 The last wood fuel day was very successful. 36 loads were distributed. The next
one will be March 2024
10.3 Saturday 9 December 10am - this is the final event of the year. Volunteers will
be planting the remaining trees to restock areas that have been felled.
Residents attending can choose a Christmas tree. Access is now better with the
new path.
The BioBlitz using the iNaturalist app - starts 11am
11 Roads report, PH
11.1 We have tried repeatedly to get the road gritted near Drum Farm. This is still not
being done.
MH there is no grit in the bins in her vicinity and there were three crashes over
the weekend. There are piles on the New Line Road. ACTION PH
11.2 C10 - there seems to be a vehicle counter near Dews Quarry / Old
Waterworks building.
11.3 Gateside Road - Forestry Commission said they were starting wood extraction
and residents are asking for an update. The roads are now in a bad condition
following the dam wall work. ACTION DB.
12 Planning report, MB
12.1 MB is to do a retrospective report following her holiday.
13 AOB
13.1 Scottish Power recent outage - these organisations should be liaising with the
CC. Replacement of poles on B818 - owing to bad weather it was half past six
Draft minutes CVDCC meeting held 6 December 2023
before the power came back on instead of 4pm. A catering van was supposed
to be provided to help residents but it was in Fankerton which wasn't affected.
There needs to be a register of vulnerable residents in the area which these
organisations should refer to. ACTION DP
13.2 Mailing list for the district. Councillors were asked to provide updates on new
residents or new properties if known.
13.3 Ash tree dieback - is there something the community should be aware of? Many
trees will have to be cut down. There are a number in the community - what is
Stirling Council going to do regarding those along the side of the road. Estimates
suggest as many as 90% of ash trees in Scotland may be lost. ACTION PH.
13.4 The Scottish Government has a £500 grant scheme for young people to improve
skills in agriculture. ACTION MH to send information to HB for Facebook.
13.5 Police presence in the area - MB has had suspicious people visiting her
property possibly fishing for information regarding vehicles etc. ACTION DB
13.6 Agree dates for 2024 - continue with meetings first Wednesday of every month
except January, July and August.
14 Date of next meeting February 7 2024 at 7:30pm
The Chair wished everyone a Merry Christmas. The meeting ended at 9:15pm
15 ACTIONS
2.1 Lack of police report and attendance DB
3.1 Minutes of November and draft minutes December to DB HB
4.1 Unmarked gas main concerns DP
5.1 Local plan DB/MH
5.3 Resilience fund application DB
5.4 Resilience fund issues PH/MH
11.1 Grit issues PH
11.3 Gateside Road DB
13.3 Ash die back what action is being taken? PH
13.5 Concern regarding suspicious visits to properties DB
13.4 Grant scheme for people wanting to work in agriculture MH/HB
13.1 Resilience issues DP