Oct 2021 Minutes

Drymen Community Council

Minutes Of The Ordinary Meeting
Held On Tuesday 05th October 2021
Via Skype Online

Virtual Meeting Platform

At 7.40 pm Marie Elder opened the meeting, welcomed all of the attendees and
thanked them all for participating. FR joined shortly thereafter.

Present

Fraser Robb (FR), Marie Elder (ME), Jemma Allan (JA), Walter Hemfrey (WH), Carol
Hemfrey (CH), Adrianna Dent (AD), Andrew Richardson (AR) and Carole Kerr
(Minutes)

Also Present

Councillor Rob Davies (CRD) representing Stirling Council, Kay Robertson (KR) and
Sally Kennedy (SK) from Stirling Council’s Education Department, Willie Nesbit
representing Loch Lomond And The Trossachs National Park Authority, and one
member of the community: Mr Robert Edwards (RE).

Apologies

Mike Kane (MK)

Declarations Of Interest In Any Agenda Item

None

Approval Of The Minutes Of The Last Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting were proposed by AR, and seconded by ME.

Matters Arising From The Previous Minutes

None

Police Report

AR read out the police report:

Antisocial Behaviour
- No complaints of anti-social behaviour within the Drymen area, since the
  last report.
Road Safety
- A single vehicle incident on the A811 near the gates to the Buchanan
  Castle estate, in which a car left the road.
Theft
- There have been no thefts in the Drymen area since the last report.
Fraud
- The community is reminded not to give out their bank details nor PIN to
  any unsolicited telephone call or emails.
  
  Buchanan Primary School Update
  
  KR introduced herself and her colleague as representatives of Stirling Council’s
  Education department.
  
  SK informed the meeting of the following:
In 2011, Buchanan Primary School located within Milton Of Buchanan, shared
a head teacher with Drymen Primary School.
During 2017, the number of pupils attending Buchanan Primary school fell
from five to zero, due to the parents requesting that their children attended at
Drymen Primary School.
During 2018, Buchanan Primary School was mothballed by Stirling Council.
The formal consultation process in relation to the future of Buchanan Primary
School has begun.
On the 19th October 2021, Stirling Council will hold two online public
consultation meetings: 1-3pm and 7-9pm. Anyone wishing to participate in
either of these meetings should contact Stirling Council via educ-
comments@stirling.gov.uk or telephone 01786 233633, to obtain the required
link.

JA said that she may be able to participate in the evening meeting.

WN asked if the consultation included the sale of the building. KR replied that the
sale of the building would be considered by Stirling Council’s assets department,
should the consultation recommend the closure of the school.

KR added that the consultation had three possible outcomes:
1. The school closes.
2. The school continues to be mothballed.
3. The school re-opens.
  
  FR asked who owns the Memorial Hall next to the school. KR replied Stirling
  Council, but it is used but it is used by the local community.
  
  AD asked if the school building could be used for commercial purposes. KR replied
  that that decision would be taken by the assets team, after the consultation had
  concluded.
  
  Both WH and WN raised the issue of children coming from the proposed new
  housing developments at Balmaha and Drymen, and the housing development at
  Dalnair. KR replied that the new classroom proposed for Drymen Primary School has
  been put on hold, because the MacTaggart and Mickel development in Drymen has
  been put on hold. Additionally, Drymen Primary School has a capacity of 150, but
  currently has 116 pupils. Therefore, the school has additional capacity which will be
  used first.
  
  FR asked about the Section 75 payment due to Drymen Primary School from the
  Dalnair housing development, and what would happen to that money if the additional
  classroom was not built. KR said that she would enquire with Stirling Council. FR
  replied that he had been in contact with Iain Jeffery from Stirling Council.
  
  AD said that she would post notification of the two consultation meetings onto
  Facebook.
  
  Post meeting note: on the 07th October 2021, Ms Robertson provided Stirling
  Council’s response to FR asking about the Section 75 payment (above): “The
  specific enquiry regarding funds related to house building would be needed to
  responded to as Freedom of Information request. If the group member wishes they
  can send a Freedom of Information request to FOI@stirling.gov.uk”.
  
  Correspondence
  
  AR informed the meeting of the following correspondence:
03rd October – Email received from a resident living on the Balfunning road
which links the A81 with the A811. The resident was concerned about the
amount of traffic using the road since the Catter Burn Bridge closed on
Thursday 30th September, and expressed concerns about the damage being
caused to the road’s verges, and the risk of a collision. On 04th October I
visited the road and observed the damage to the road’s verges and the
inappropriate speed of vehicles using that road. I then sent an email to Carlyn
Fraser and Angela McGibbon requesting that they close that road for road
safety reasons.
30th September – Email received from Councillor Davis informing us of the
Catter Burn Bridge closure.
30th September – Email from Bruce Hampton of MacTaggart And Mickle,
informing us that they are still waiting for the NPA to grant them planning
permission for the revised levels application, to address the peat issue on site
and retain as much of the peat on site as possible, rather than the peat going
off site.
29th September - Email received from Councillor Hutchinson informing us that
she will get together with Councillors Berrill and Davis to agree a way forward
on the lack of public toilets within Drymen.
28th September – Email received from Councillor Hutchinson in reply to
Mike’s enquiry about the number of parking spaces within the council owned

Balmaha car park. The number of spaces is as follows: 195 car spaces
reducing to 191 car spaces, which will facilitate 4 disabled spaces, 5
caravan/motorhome spaces and 5 coach spaces.
16th September – Email received from Councillor Hutchinson, forwarding on
the reply from Iain Jeffrey of Stirling Council in relation to the Section 75
payments due from the Dalnair estate. 19 units have been occupied.
Therefore, the Section 75 payment is due. Stirling Council will write to the
architect and request payment.
15th September – Email received from a local resident with an attached letter
from the Post Office. The letter informed us that Drymen Post Office will close
at 3pm on Tuesday 05th October. The Post Office will operate a mobile post
van from Kippen, which will be at The Square on a Tuesday: 3.30 – 4.30pm
and on a Thursday: 9am – 10.30am.

WN said that if the email from Bruce Hampton referred to the planning application
which had been considered recently by the National Park Authority, it was approved
on the 01st October.

RE asked why Stirling Council had not paid the Winnock Hotel its comfort partner
fee. FR replied that we were still waiting on an answer to that. CRD said that he
would attempt to find out the answer.

WN asked if it was just the Winnock Hotel or all comfort partners who had their
payment stopped. No one knew that answer.

ME suggested that Covid might be the reason, because the toilets should be cleaned
after each visit, and visitors should sign in and out of the hotel.

Chairman’s Report

FR informed the meeting of the following:
Meetings have been held between DCC and the DCDT in relation to The
Square, safe routes to school and obtaining funds for the resurfacing of The
Square. It was agreed that Stirling Council would be asked to provide a
pavement along the front of The Square, next to the road, linking The Square
with the Clachan.
Killearn Community Council has contacted DCC to express concerns about
the Ballat crossroads junction. FR said that he went to the junction and whilst
it was well marked, vehicles drove at speed past the junction. FR asked if
DCC should support Killearn CC with this matter.

There followed a discussion about Ballat crossroads during which:
- CRD said that Stirling Council has said that the junction already
  complies with the guidance.
- JA said that the increased volume of traffic caused by the Catter Burn
  Bridge closure has added to the volume of traffic using the Ballat
  crossroads junction.
- WN agreed with JA, that the volume of traffic using the Ballat
  crossroads was due in part to the Catter Burn Bridge closure. WM
  suggested that the local community councils should put pressure onto Stirling Council, to repair the Catter Burn Bridge and the A811 at
  Catter. He added that if the A811 is closed, there will have no direct
  access to Glasgow and Balloch.
- FR said that Stirling Council had been out to look at the A811, but
  failed to take into account the action of the Endrick.
- RE said that he believe that the repairs to the Catter Burn Bridge will
  take 120 working days, and asked CRD when the repairs to the bridge
  will start. CRD did not know when the repairs might start.
- CRD said that he has been contacted by the owners of the St Mocha
  coffee shop at Carbeth, who are worried that the closure of the bride is
  affecting their trade. FR commented that passing trade through
  Drymen was also down.
- CRD commented that he was concerned about the impact of increased
  traffic on the bridge at Blane Smithy, caused by the closure of the
  Catter Burn Bridge.
FR said that comments had been raised by a Drymen Community Councillor
regarding the proposed tree planting at Drumquassle Farm on Gartness
Road. Due to the short timescale for responses on the project, FR considered
the project and could not see any reason for DCC to object to the project.

Treasurer’s Report

JA provided the meeting with the following update:
There is £3214.95 in the bank account.
Stirling Council will send out the next admin grant. But she does not know
how much that will be.
Drymen In Bloom collected their cheque.

Planning Correspondent’s Report

WH provided the meeting with the following update
A planning application and listed building application has been submitted by
Endrick Hill, which is the house surrounded by trees at the bottom of the
village which used to be the manse. They have a small bothy which they wish
to convert into a small house. No objections were raised.
The Hanover development on Conic Way/Montrose Way has started, which
will provide 16 houses.

Roads Correspondent’s Report

AR provided the meeting with the following update:
30th September – RTC at the junction of the A81 and Gartness Road,
between a vehicle and a van which failed to stop at the junction. MK visited
the junction and found that the STOP sign was obscured by overgrown
vegetation, the STOP markings on the road were worn away, and the road
verges were overgrown. MK emailed Stirling Council who will task their roads maintenance team to address the issues at the junction. I informed Killearn
CC who were unaware of the collision.
29th September – FR, MK and AR met online with Paul Saunders, Richard
Boddington and Ewan MacKay of the DCDT, to discuss road safety measures
at The Square. It was agreed that the DCDT will request Stirling Council to
construct a pavement along the front of The Square next to the road.
21st September – FR, MK and AR joined Richard Boddington and Ewan
MacKay of the DCDT, Patrick Robertson who is the head teacher at Drymen
Primary School, and Angela McGibbon from Stirling Council’s roads
department, to discuss traffic management within Drymen. Drymen Primary
School has requested speed limit signage to be installed within the school car
park and roundabout area, and a zebra crossing to link the mountain rescue
car park with the school car park.
13th September – We received an email from Ewan MacKay of the DCDT,
informing us that they plan to undertake the following works at The Square:
RE asked about the legalities of creating a Zebra crossing between the mountain
rescue car park and the school car park. AR replied that it would be for the land
owners to agree between themselves.

JA asked if the proposed bike repair facilities would take business away from the
bike shop across from the Buchanan Arms Hotel. FR did not believe that it would.

Publicity Report

AD provided the meeting with the following update:
She will post reminders on Facebook about the Buchanan Primary School
consultation, and the Post Office mobile service at The Square.
She would like to post information about any Christmas activities within the
village, on Facebook.

JA suggested that a Halloween event could be organised similar to the Advent
windows, and DCC could provide a prize.

AD asked if the community councillors would be supportive of putting their pictures
onto Facebook, to inform the local community of who they are and what they do for
the community. It was agreed that AD would suggest a time and date when
community councillors could meet at The Square and have their photographs taken,
if they wish. This was agreed by the community council.

Councillor’s Report

CRD updated the meeting on the following:
The bridge closure has already been covered in the meeting.
There will be a meeting of Stirling Council on Thursday 07th October, during
which the possibility of returning to in person meetings will be discussed.
Therefore, he hopes that the November meeting of DCC will be in person
within the village hall.

Loch Lomond And The Trossachs National Park Authority Update

WN updated the meeting on the following:
The local community councils should work together to pressure Stirling
Council into repairing the Catter Burn Bridge and the A811 at Catter.
The National Park Authority have had their first face-to-face meeting within
their headquarters. However, no members of the public were admitted.

Community Councillors’ Photos For Facebook

This was discussed during the publicity report, and it was agreed that AD would
suggest a time and date when community councillors could meet at The Square and
have their photographs taken, if they wish.

Any Other Competent Business

AR informed the meeting of the following:
DCC data protection obligations mean that information can only be retained
for as long as is necessary.
The DCC Gmail account has over 2500 emails.
AR proposes to delete emails from 19th March 2019 until and including 30th
December 2019, during December 2021. This will allow anyone with any
genuine reason which complies with the data protection obligations, to save a
copy of any relevant email.

No objections were raised to AR’s proposal.
FR thanked CK for recording the minutes.

RE proposed the vote of thanks to FR for chairing the meeting.

Date Of Next Meeting

7.30 pm on Tuesday 02nd November 2021. The meeting format i.e. online or in
person, will be decided closer to the date and in line with official Covid guidance.

Drymen Community Council

Present

Also Present

Apologies

Declarations Of Interest In Any Agenda Item

Approval Of The Minutes Of The Last Meeting

Matters Arising From The Previous Minutes

Police Report

Antisocial Behaviour

Road Safety

Theft

Fraud

Buchanan Primary School Update

Correspondence

Chairman’s Report

Treasurer’s Report

Planning Correspondent’s Report

Roads Correspondent’s Report

Publicity Report

Councillor’s Report

Loch Lomond And The Trossachs National Park Authority Update

Community Councillors’ Photos For Facebook

Any Other Competent Business

Date Of Next Meeting