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Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 8 April 2025
APPROVED Minutes Carron Valley & District Community Council
Tuesday 8 April 2025 meeting at 7.30pm, via ZOOM
In attendance
Peter Hayward, Chair, PH Dorothy Breckenridge, Sec.,
Margaret Porter, MP David Petch, DP
Helen Bang, minute clerk, HB
1 Introductions and welcome
1.1 The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
1.2 Apologies – police, Morag Holdsworth, Maureen Berry.
1.3 Declarations of interest for items on agenda - none.
1.4 Items raised by members of the public for inclusion - none.
2 Community Police report
2.1 Police were not able to attend this meeting. Attached as Appendix I.
2.2 Concerns were expressed about 'boy racers'. To be reported to the police. ACTION DB
2.3 Concerns were expressed about police reports covering other geographic areas
not relevant to Carron Valley. It is a backward step as it will lose the confidence of the
local population. There are two main access routes into the area - we have no coverage
of what is happening in Fankerton/Denny area, one of the main access roads.
If we send a map of our area to the police could they give us a summary of what is
happening in our specific area?
Lack of police attendance at CC meetings is a major problem as there is no one to talk
to about local issues.
ACTION DB to put in a CC enquiry asking how we resolve this issue. Also contact
Cambusbarron CC who have some overlapping issues.
Anyone moving into the area will get a poor impression of the area if they consult the
police reports via our publicly-available minutes as it appears more incidents are
happening here than actually are.
3 Minutes of previous meeting held on 11 March 2025
3.1 Proposed DP, seconded PH. ACTION HB to send to DB for Stirling Council and put on
CC area of VRG website.
4 Matters arising - Actions from the March meeting:
3.1 Minutes to DB for Stirling Council and put on CC area of VRG website. closed
4 5.8 Look into practicalities of generator for the community - to be reviewed DB
would contribute to community resilience.
DB: A Government fund is available via fines levied on misbehaving energy
companies, communities can apply to this. We may get a generator via this and get
SPEN to link this in at the community hall.
A mobile generator might be available for smaller communities. ongoing
4 14.2 uplifted litter away. It needs to be a regular service.
PH to put in a CC enquiry. PH
No direct contact was provided. PH advised to put in CC enquiry.
6.1 Scottish Water Ranger allow immediate posts on Facebook closed
Helen Rowntree came to the recent wood fuel day and spoke to lots of
residents. A litter pick is to be held next week at North Third.
6.3 Earlsburn/Kingsburn extension application to go on Facebook closed
Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 8 April 2025
9.2 Iain Macfarlane email. PH
Sheila Laidlaw email closed
9.3 Local place plan MP will email comments - defibrillators. closed
12.1 Land Services, see item 14.2 under Matters arising. closed
5 Chair’s report (PH)
5.1 Community Hall to be discussed under item 10
5.2 PH walked to John de Graham castle, a wind turbine here right next to this would
seriously impact the view.
5.3 The Carron Valley windfarm developers have asked for a meteorological mast to
measure wind speeds.
5.4 Earlsburn extension is with the Scottish Government.
6 Secretary’s report (DB)
6.1 April is the end of the financial year. We need to produce accounts for the AGM. These
have to be signed off by a non-community councillor shortly after accepted at the AGM.
6.2 Community Hall will have rates to pay. We can claim a discount if it is a community
building. VRG can be the 'owner' or the CC being the 'owner.' We could get 100% rebate
as CC, perhaps 80% if VRG 'owned.' We may need to give this more thought.
6.3 MP - we would have to ensure that the 'owner' and whomever insures the hall should
be the same entity. ACTION MP to raise at VRG meeting.
7 Treasurer’s report (MH)
7.1 Attached as Appendix II
8 Stirling Councillor report
8.1 No elected representative attended this meeting.
9 Local Place Plan (MB)
9.1 Requirement to request comments from everyone in the area. Once the hall is open
we will have a venue where residents can give comments. Proposed opening day late
June.
Sending survey via post - cost of postage, mailing, SAE, admin time etc. It could be
included with the newsletter for some residents. Rather than an SAE it was suggested
people return it to a box at the new hall or a drop-in session. Or a letter box to one of
the noticeboards. To be held over to the May meeting.
10 Valley Renewables Group report (MP)
10.1 The Board met last week.
10.2 Alan Findlay has resigned owing to increase in work
10.3 MP attended a number of events regarding community halls.
10.4 £58K drawn down for the hall so far. We will have to decide what happens to the rest
of the portfolio once the hall is built
The income to date has increased by 27% since it was established
10.5 Woodland group has purchased £1500 of logs
10.6 Outside funding - Alan Findlay had been looking into this, other directors now looking
into this.
10.7 Energy efficiency - expression of interest from CARES for expansion of the current
retrofit scheme to include more households and for a longer period.
10.8 Grant criteria being overhauled. We hope to have this completed shortly.
10.9 Hall progress report has been circulated
10.10 Request - we have. been trying to source outside funding for solar panels and PV
battery. We have a live application with Clackmannan and district trust but their meeting
has been postponed. We want to commission the work to avoid VAT costs, we want to
generate as much electricity for the building as possible and to ensure it can be a warm
Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 8 April 2025
place. But our application may not be considered in time and/or we may not be
successful, we are asking that £10K can be drawn down to cover this gap in the
meantime.
The contingency fund has already been used because of having to relocate the parking
area and replacing the septic tank.
When the hall is completed there will still be approx £100-£120K in the investment fund.
PH has contacted MB and MH who have said they are happy to agree to this.
Vote - agreed - unanimous decision. ACTION MP to advise RF.
10.11 Flower and Produce show - in planning stages. A meeting is to be held on 9 April.
11 Woodland Group report (DB)
11.1 Wood fuel day on Saturday - the processor wasn't working. Volunteers spent time
removing sitka and tubes.
DP queried how the machine is checked, maintenance etc.
What is the public liability/insurance for volunteers using the machine? We have public
liability and a good health and safety system, more people have been trained, there is
always someone from Forestry in charge of the machine. ACTION MP to find out the
level of insurance for volunteers.
PH thanked people for the current care to health and safety at wood fuel days, A risk
assessment is always carried out by Peter Mitchell before each event.
10 May is next Woodfuel day.
12 Roads report (PH)
12.1 PH to put in a CC enquiry about particular pothole and narrowness of road with steep
drop. Past junction to North Third.
12.2 DB put in CC enquiry regarding multi-user routes, off Glasgow Road, up C10 - popular
for walkers, cyclists, horse riders. There should be a speed restriction on these roads.
ACTION PH and DB to liaise regarding this. Staff from the Land Rover garage use it
this area for walking.
13 Planning report (MB)
13.1 Development at Sauchieburn House - seem to be no grounds to object.
14 AOB
14.1 Concerns were again expressed about the speed some motorists are travelling on the
C10.
15 Date of next CC meeting Tuesday 13 May 2025 at 7.30pm via Zoom.
The meeting closed at 8:45pm
16 ACTIONS
2.2 Concerns about 'boy racers'. To be reported to the police. DB
2.3 CC enquiry regarding inadequacy of police report and non-attendance DB
3.1 Approved minutes of March meeting send to DB and website. HB
6.3 Community Hall - ownership (rates, insurance issues) MP
10.10 Positive decision on additional funding for hall advise RF at VRG MP
11.1 Insurance situation regarding volunteers at wood fuel days MP
12.2 Road issues - lower speed limit on multi-use roads PH/DB
Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 8 April 2025
Appendix I Police Report
Name of
Community
Council
08/04/2025 – Carron Valley Community Council
Our priorities in the Carron Valley area continue to be AntiSocial Behaviour, Drug misuse/Drug dealing, Road Safety
and Community Engagement and Reassurance.
Crime reports Crime Reports for the Carron Valley area between
11/03/2025 – 06/04/2025
Detected: 1
Possession of bladed article (not used in further criminality)
– matter reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
Undetected: 5
Threatening and abusive behaviour - 1
Theft by shoplifting – 1
Possession of Offensive Weapon – 1
Vandalism – 1
Sec 5 Sexual Offence (Cause person to be present when
performing sexual act) – 1
All Undetected reports are currently live with enquiries
ongoing.
Total Crime Reports: 6
999/101 CALLS
There were 18 calls made to Police for the Carron Valley
area over the stated period. The calls relate to incidents
including reports of road traffic matters, planned shoots,
theft by housebreaking, suspect persons, a disturbance and
Police Info.
Other
Incidents of
On 01/04/2025 PC Goldie met with Helen Rountree, the new
F&LS and Scottish Water Ranger at North Third.
Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 8 April 2025
note/relevant
Community
Council
information
It is hoped that joint patrols will be conducted on identified
dates at both North Third and Carron Valley to show a Police
presence and hopefully curb any anti-social behaviour and
access issues etc during the months (hopefully) of better
weather.
Feedback
from meeting
Please e-mail any feedback/questions to PCs Goldie / Capes
at:
StirlingWestCPT@scotland.pnn.police.uk
Appendix II Treasurer’s Report