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APPROVED minutes CVDCC meeting held 7 February 2024
APPROVED minutes Carron Valley & District Community Council
Meeting held Wednesday 7 February 2024 meeting at 7.30pm, via ZOOM
In attendance
Peter Hayward, Chair, PH Dorothy Breckenridge, Sec., DB David Petch, DP Maureen Berry, MB Scott Farmer, 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 first meeting of the year.
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.
Potholes on local roads were raised by a member of the public.
2 Minutes of previous meeting
2.1 Minutes of the December meeting were approved with no amendments.
Proposed DP, seconded MP.
2.2 ACTION HB approved minutes to DB for Stirling Council. Draft minutes to DB
for circulation.
3 Community Police report
3.1 Attached as Appendix I
Road traffic offences, drink driving and resisting arrest. It is thought that the report is perhaps more for the Bannockburn area. Police Scotland have been in touch with Forestry Land Scotland - looking for collaboration.
3.2 DB to suggest the new police are taken on a tour of the community to inform them about the area. ACTION DB
4 Matters arising – actions from December meeting
2.1 Lack of police report and attendance closed
3.1 Minutes of November and draft minutes December to DB closed
4.1 Unmarked gas main concerns closed
5.1 Local plan ongoing
5.3 Resilience fund application
No further developments
5.4 Resilience fund issues ongoing
11.1 Grit issues Roads
11.3 Gateside Road
It's up to the contractor to do the work. ongoing
13.3 Ash die back what action is being taken? LATER
13.5 Concerns regarding suspicious visits to properties closed
13.4 Grant scheme for people wanting to work in agriculture closed
13.1 Resilience issues
DP had a power cut in December. Spoke to Scottish Power - residents affected received a compensation voucher.
APPROVED minutes CVDCC meeting held 7 February 2024
4.2 Concerns were expressed about continuing sudden road closures - residents should have local access. See item 5.1
4.3 Suspicious activity in the area - there was a discussion as to whether a neighbourhood watch would be useful for the area. ACTION HB to draft something for social media.
4.4 If residents are trapped in a power cut - if a vulnerable person is living there, they notify their power supplier so they are on an at-risk register.
4.5 ACTION PH to write piece regarding approaching power companies about resilience planning.
4.6 SF - partnership work between statutory agencies - in recent storms SEN there were big gaps in their intelligence regarding vulnerable individuals. During Covid Stirling Council has quite a substantial knowledge in local communities regarding vulnerable individuals, but people should ensure they have contacted the utility companies if this has not already been done.
4.7 Scottish Power said some residents could have a hotel room overnight however this was after the power was back on.
4.8 DP Stirling Council have changed care packages - it is contracted out - the company is employing immigrants who have not been in the country long and are having to drive on untreated roads when they are unfamiliar with such icy conditions. This is very unfair.
5 Chair’s report, PH
5.1 Emails from the Council regarding C10 and B818 both being closed at the same time. Reply said that Falkirk Council had not been informed of Stirling Council works. They will try to ensure that this happens in the future.
DP The work was being carried out by a BT contractor who was replacing poles. They do not seem to apply for road closures but just take action unilaterally.
5.2 Ash die-back - Stirling Council are drafting an action plan following guidance from the Scottish Government. If you wish to register a tree that is dangerous you contact the Council. Adrian Walters is the trees officer, but specific enquiries should use the current contact form.
SF - as chair of the audit committee, ash die-back is on the strategic risks register and is being treated as a priority in terms of risks to the area.
5.3 Grit bins - PH contacted the Roads department. C10 - SC were happy that the grit was adequate on the C10 and it had been filled the week before. However, PH has noticed that there is far less grit around than there used to be.
5.4 Roads - one of the members of the department will be happy to meet with the CC in 2024 regarding location of grit bins etc. PH agreed to log our bins and arrange to meet the Roads department. At least two are damaged and have not been replaced.
APPROVED minutes CVDCC meeting held 7 February 2024
MP was on C10 in December and counted 24 piles of grit and 5 grit bins however there was not much on the side roads. DP had thanked the Council for putting out more grit following our request.
5.5 Local Place Plan - this would be a major undertaking. He asked for comments. The requirements seem quite onerous. A statutory community consultation is required. It seems more of an urban than a rural project.
5.6 SF - it's an overall plan for the whole area. NPF4 provides more protection for rural communities. It's a matter for individual communities as to how much involvement they want. They will be invited to comment on particular issues. PH presumably there will be a possibility to comment on Stirling Council's plan once it is available.
5.7 MB - there are ways of keeping it quite simple. If we start quite small and let the Council know about rural issues that they may not have considered previously.
DP we have repeatedly raised issues in the past 20 years, but they have not been acted upon. ACTION MB to look into it further.
5.8 Local place plan on website - PH had requested a sample copy of a local place plan for a rural community for reference. He then contacted Stephen Bly on CC enquiries who referred him back to the initial email.
6 Secretary’s report, DB
6.1 Nothing not covered elsewhere.
7 Treasurer’s report MH
7.1 Attached as Appendix II
7.2 Current balance £1208.47. However, the bank statements are still being sent to the previous Treasurer despite many requests.
8 Stirling Councillor report, SF
8.1 Budget time is going to be extremely challenging. 900th anniversary of establishment of the Borough of Stirling anniversary this year, but events are very much dependent on budget constraints. The current gap is £12.7563 million including additional funding from the Scottish Government and use of earmarked reserves. We have concessionary funding of approx £27 million, but this is not recurring funding. There are difficult decisions to be made.
8.2 A constituent complained regarding Sauchieburn estate with both north and south gates being locked. This is a repeat offender. SF contacted senior officers with regard to this and his frustration that he is a serial offender. A letter was sent saying that immediate action would be taken if the gates were not unlocked and this was done. The new access officer will do periodic checks to ensure that the landowner is complying with the law.
9 Valley Renewables Group report, MP
9.1 Contributions are requested for the newsletter which will be sent out later this month. ACTION ALL
9.2 The new trustees are finding where their skills best fit. The make-up of the subgroups has been reworked to ensure a more even spread of the workload.
APPROVED minutes CVDCC meeting held 7 February 2024
If any CC members wish to contribute. The subgroups open to non VRG directors are as follows
•
Investments
•
Woodland
•
Communications
•
Meeting Room
•
Open Day
•
Community Projects
•
Windfarms
•
Energy Efficiency
9.3 Event planning - there will be two events this year - a Flowers and Produce show and BBQ on Saturday 24 August, and a Pomona Apple day on Saturday 26 October.
9.4 The meeting room is now to be referred to as the Community Hall. There has been a meeting with the architect. A probable cost has been arrived at. There will be another meeting on 12 February with the architect if MB is also able to attend via Zoom.
There will be a joint meeting between VRG and the CVDCC in the near future to make a final decision whether to go ahead or not
9.5 Shelloch Windfarm development is now owned by Vantage RE owned by a Malaysian company. We have made contact with a representative to reaffirm the community benefit previously agreed, and a meeting will be arranged Robert Ferguson, Peter Shand and MP.
10 Woodland Group report, DB
10.1 Four people have completed the chainsaw course. The skills gained have already been used to remove a tree felled in the recent storm. As many residents use chainsaws, it would be a good idea to have a health and safety briefing.
10.2 First Aid course - we hope to be able to open this up to up to 6 additional people. The one day course is to take place in the Spring.
10.3 Volunteer day tree maintenance Saturday 11 February.
10.4 9 March is the first Wood fuel day this spring. There will be further ones on 6 April and 11 May.
11 Roads report, PH
11.1 ACTION PH to contact the department regarding updating maps of grit bins etc. Also see item 5.4
11.2 MH has reported numerous potholes but has struggled to upload photographs. Coping stones have been stolen from the bridge over the Bannockburn which is now seriously damaged. MH has tried phoning but been unable to get through.
DB recommended going via CC enquiries. A bridge is a serious problem. ACTION PH to put in an enquiry.
APPROVED minutes CVDCC meeting held 7 February 2024
12 Planning report, MB
12.1 There was a discussion about the large number of planning applications in the area.
These included an application to develop the old community hall site at Muirlands where the lack of parking is a concern, as well as developments at Drum Farm. It was agreed to advise residents to check for any affecting their area.
ACTION MB to send link to HB for Facebook.
13 AOB
13.1 VRG reply regarding funding patient service - outwith their articles.
13.2 Funding for resilience - more information required. In first pages of the Articles which are on the website it details what VRG can provide funding for.
13.3 Refuse areas are bringing in a booking system at the beginning of May.
14 Date of next meeting Wednesday March 6 2024 at 7:30pm via Zoom.
The meeting ended at 9pm.
15 ACTIONS
2.2 Approved minutes of December and draft minutes February meetings HB
3.2 Minutes of February
4.3 Neighbourhood watch proposal – draft post for social media HB
4.5 Power companies / resilience planning PH
5.7 Local place plan MB
9.1 Articles/ideas for newsletter ALL
11.1 Grit bin issues PH
11.2 Concerns for bridge safety PH
12.1 Planning website link for Facebook MB
APPROVED minutes CVDCC meeting held 7 February 2024
Appendix I
Name of
Community Council 07/02/2024 – Carron Valley Community Council
Our priorities in the Carron Valley area continue to be Anti-Social Behaviour, Drug misuse/Drug dealing, Road Safety and Community Engagement and Reassurance.
Crime reports Crime Reports for the Carron Valley area between 06/12/2023 – 06/02/2024 Detected: 6 Relating to Road Traffic Offence, Drink Driving, Threatening & Abusive Behaviour and Resist Arrest. Undetected: 4 Relating to crimes of Theft of Fuel and Theft by Shoplifting. Total Crime Reports: 10 Of those undetected 3 reports are open with possible lines of enquiry identified. The remaining report has been submitted for closure. 999/101 CALLS There were 44 calls made to Police for the Carron Valley area over the stated period. The calls relate to incidents including road traffic matters, vulnerable persons, intruder alarms, police information, threatening and abusive behaviour, missing persons, sudden death, planned shoots and found property. This call number is for an extended date range and includes 21 calls relating to Road Traffic Matters and weather related calls during the recent storms.
APPROVED minutes CVDCC meeting held 7 February 2024
Other
Incidents of
note/relevant
Community
Council
information
Police have recently been in contact with Jacqueline Kane
from Forestry and Land Scotland and her Andy Gallagher.
It is hoped some joint partnership working can be
undertaken.
Feedback
from meeting
Please e-mail any feedback/questions to PCs Goldie /
Spike at:
StirlingWestCPT@scotland.pnn.police.uk
Treasurer’s Report February 2024