Causewayhead Community Council

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting meeting for 2019-21 held by Zoom on Monday 10 May 2021

Present:

Val Sinclair, Chair

Sonja Cameron, Treasurer Joyce Carberry, Member Darren Draper, Resident Paul Mcdonald, Secretary Fiona MacLeod, Vice-Chair Bill MacLellan, Member

In attendance:

Thelma Barron (Resident and Minutes Secretary) Andrew Smith, Stirling Council Community Link Officer Mr Jim Thomson, Councillor, Ward 4, Stirling North Ms Susan McGill, Ward 4, Stirling North

Apologies:

PC Greig Lowery; PC Martyn Paterson, Community Police Officers

1. Welcome

The Chair welcomed all attendees to the Annual General Meeting and extended thanks for their contributions over the preceding year.

2. Appointment of Officers for 2021-22

The Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer formally resigned from their posts, following which an election was held. Posts were filled as follows:

Chair: Valerie Sinclair; Vice-Chair: Fiona Macleod; Secretary: Paul Mcdonald Treasurer: Sonja Cameron

3. Vacancies and Nominations for Ordinary and Co-opted Members

The Chair reported that Catriona MacGregor had stood down as an Ordinary Member. Members approved the nomination of Darren Draper for election as a Co-opted Member.

4. Adoption of Minutes of Previous Meeting

The Unconfirmed Minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2019 were proposed for adoption by Val Sinclair, seconded by Fiona Macleod.

5. Annual Report

5.1 The Chair presented the annual report which exceptionally covered the period 2019-2021 due to the suspension of meetings during the pandemic. She thanked all members and residents for their continuing support. Thanks were also extended to the Ward Councillors for their support in addressing any issues arising in our community, and to Community Police

Officers for their continuing availability to deal with any issues in our community. It was noted that during the pandemic, Police Scotland have necessarily concentrated their resources on supporting the public and communities, and consequently have not been in a position to provide police reports over the last 16 months.

5.2 Matters of note highlighted in the report included:

5.2.1 Airthrey Kerse

(i) The Minister’s refusal of planning permission in late November 2019, on the recommendation of the Reporter, in effect rejecting the Graham’s Dairies’ claim that there was a shortfall in Stirling’s planned housebuilding, and taking the view that the development would be contrary to Stirling Council’s adopted development plan because of its Green Belt location.

(ii) The submission by Graham’s Dairies of a further appeal in February 2020 to the Court of Session on a technical issue, namely the Reporter’s methodology for calculating housing land supply, which, they said, was counter to Scottish Government guidance. The Court of Session referred the case back to the Scottish Government, who appointed yet another Reporter to look at the case

(iii) The ongoing case in which the Reporter will consider all previous evidence submitted, but requested that only new evidence be submitted at the present time. The period for written submissions from members of the public ended in November, with further written information then having been sought, including from SEPA. However, despite repeated requests by the Reporter to SEPA for a report on drainage of the proposed site, to date SEPA has not submitted any data, due to a major cyber attack at the end of last year.

(iv) The submission of a formal objection to SEPA by Jim Thomson in his capacity as a resident, asking for a response to his request for information. He would now submit a FOI request.

(v) That it would be for the Reporter to decide if another public hearing/ enquiry is required

5.2.2 SUSTRANS

(i) Working in partnership with Stirling Council, the progression by SUSTRANS of ‘Walk, Cycle, Ride’, a project to improve routes from the city centre to Forth Valley College and Stirling Station to the University of Stirling, with the aim of making it easier and safer to travel on foot or by bike.

(ii) Following several consultative sessions to address the route that should be taken through Causewayhead, the emergence of two options: to develop a new walk/cycle pathway up the entire

length of Causewayhead road or to keep Dunster Road, the current designated cycle route, and enhance this route to the University.

(iii) That SUSTRANS had been known to favour the direct route down Causewayhead Road, but the installation of full barriers at the Cornton Level Crossing would now impact the volume of traffic on Causewayhead Road. While there was no decision as yet on the preferred route, the estimated date of work commencing was 2022.

5.2.3 Defibrillator

(i) Following a further very successful fundraising night, this time at the Birds and Bees, the purchase of a second d for the community which had now been installed outside the Birds and Bees. The Community Council expressed its appreciation to Ross Henderson, owner of the establishment, for allowing, and paying for, installation on his premises.

5.2.4 Craigmill

(i) Continuation of speeding issues on the A907 Alloa road at Craigmill.

(ii) The installation of flashing speed signs at Craigmill, prior to the Covid lockdown in March 2020, (although batteries needed replacing).

(iii) The need to gather evidence on the impact of the new signs, and how effective they are in reducing speed of traffic.

(iii) That the road was presently one way only due to a land slip which had reduced traffic flow, but not speeding, with two near misses having been reported, one involving a cyclist.

5.2.5 Network Rail

(i) The electrification of the rail line, with work presently underway to install full barriers at Bridge of Allan Crossing which would result in barriers being closed for a longer time than previously, with the possibility that this would lead to increased traffic flow through Bridge of Allan, along Airthrey Road and along Causewayhead Road.

(ii) That regrettably there had been two fatalities at Cornton level crossing, the first in late 2019 and the second in late 2020.

5.2.6 Wallace Monument

(i) The assumption by Stirling Council of ownership and management of the Wallace Monument. It was noted that the managing committee comprised in membership various interested parties and members of community councils, including Paul McDonald from this Council. Entry would be free for local residents for one year.