May 2021 Minutes

KILMADOCK COMMUNITY COUNCIL

MINUTE OF MEETING HELD ON 10 MAY 2021 AT 7.00PM
BY WAY OF VIDEO CONFERENCE

Participants : Alison McAlpine (Chair), Michelle Ashford, Tony Farrant, David Harding, Sue
Harvey, Jim McGroarty, Dougie Morrison.

In attendance : Councillors Martin Earl; David Clark (Minute Secretary).

Apologies for absence : Wiesek Chodyniecki, Ben MacCorquodale, Ken Russell; Councillors
Jeremy McDonald and Evelyn Tweed, Michelle Flynn (Stirling Council) and Police
Representatives

1

Minute

The minute of the meeting of 12 April 2021 was approved – proposed by Tony Farrant,
seconded by Michelle Ashford.

2

Matters arising

a)

4b - it was noted that a response had been received from the owners of the old
website indicating that permission to remove obsolete or incorrect information had
been granted but not yet done.

b)

4c – it was noted that £200 had been granted from the Windfarm Trust for bedding
plants at the war memorial, this sum now residing in the Kilmadock Development
Trust's hanging basket fund. As nothing further had been heard about the
proposed wildflower seeds it was agreed that Alison McAlpine would pursue the
matter. (Action – Alison McAlpine)

c)

5 - it was noted that the invoice for the revised insurance cover had not yet been
received and that expenses for the Deanston Covid Support (provision of soup and
rolls) awaited payment.

3

Police Report

10/04/21 to 08/05/21 Compiled by Constable Lorna Deans :

a)

Antisocial Behaviour - sometime between 29/04/21 and 30/04/21 attempts have
been made to remove/damage a memorial bench situated outside the medical
practice, Doune. Enquiries are ongoing

b)

Road Safety -On 19/04/21 police were called to A820 between Doune and
Dunblane in relation to a road traffic collision. One of the drivers involved has
been reported to the Procurator Fiscal in relation to road traffic offences.

On 20/4/21 damage was caused to a parked vehicle within the car park opposite
the Coop, Doune by another vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle failed to
stop/provide their details and failed to report this incident. Enquiries are currently
ongoing in relation to this.

c)

On 24/04/21 police were contacted regarding an amount of material that
had been discarded as fly tipping within the grounds of Doune Castle.

This was passed over to Stirling Council.

4

Councillor's Report

Councillor Martin Earl reported as follows :

a)

There has been little committee work of late but a new cycle of meetings
would begin soon.

b)

The criteria for assessing pavement maintenance are being revised and
any issues regarding pavements should be referred to Cllr. Earl as soon
as possible.

c)

There have been very few questions or concerns raised about the Covid
19 pandemic in recent weeks nor many requests for assistance. A
Recovery Committee is to be set up by Stirling Council which, after the
June Council meeting, will begin to distribute funds in the region of

£12million over the Council area.

5

Chairperson's Report

Alison McAlpine reported as follows :

A number of complaints have been received from residents in the Argaty area
concerning nuisance of noise and dust from the motocross facility. Contact had been
made with Safer Communities (Stirling Council) but with no response as yet. It was
agreed that contact should be made with Dan Hartle. Team Leader. (Action – Alison
McAlpine) It was agreed that a constructive approach to the issue should be adopted
and a letter to the site operators would be sent by Michelle Ashford. (Action – Michelle
Ashford)

6

Treasurer's Report

Jim McGroarty reported as follows :

The bank balance at 10 May 2021 is £9,582.65 A revised invoice from the insurance
broker for the cost of additional assets and activities is awaited. The defibrillators have
been added to the assets register.

The balance includes funds still available for Covid-19 Community Support. The
Community Council has agreed to support the next phase of the Doune and Deanston
Soup initiative, by paying for the supply of rolls to go with the soup distribution. The
balance also includes the £6,500 award from the Windfarm Trust towards the first year’s
running costs of the new toilets. In addition, £2,000 is been held by Kilmadock
Development Trust to cover legal costs in relation to the toilets.

£350 from the Windfarm Trust is held to cover any works / repairs which may be
needed to the Christmas lights. There is £350 from the Windfarm Trust for
painting/refurbishing of the Doune former phone box. This will be used to prepare the
phone box to take the Defibrillator.

lowing the completion of the work on the Commonty Walk, there is a residual balance of

£468.94. Following work by Moray Estates to put in access roads to the Black Park, we
are considering continuing work on the top section of the Commonty Walk.

7

Secretary's Report

Michelle Ashford had no matters to report.

8

Community Covid Support

There was no further activity reported or required in Doune, while in Deanston the
provision of soup and rolls concluded at the end of April. The availability of further
assistance would be advertised locally.

9

Kilmadock IT Fund

It was noted that Ben MacCorquodale had joined the website team and that monthly
meetings were being held.

10

Planning

Dougie Morrison reported as follows on planning issues :

a)

Protective, restoration and strengthening works are scheduled on the Bridge of
Teith

b)

Application for erection of a dwelling house on land west of Drumlochan House

c)

Approval of extension to the forestry road to allow a hammerhead to the south-
west of Cornton House, Doune

d)

Application for an extension to side and rear of house at 10 Bluebell Woods,
Doune

11

Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund

Tony Farrant reported as follows :

a)

Moray Park Toilets - the process of water and electricity metering, and sub-
metering with the football club has not yet been completed. The football club is
happy to assist in this exercise which must be completed before a lease is signed.

Concerns have been raised about possible damp in the building and the contractor
is being approached to give assurances on the building's structure. It is proposed
that the lease should explicitly exclude responsibility for pre-existing issues or
condition.

Roof work has been completed and the football club is proceeding with heavy duty
guttering. Exterior painting has been authorised and will commence shortly,
weather permitting. Foliage in the graveyard has been referred to Stirling Council's
cemeteries team.

It will be a condition of signing the lease that Stirling Council retains responsibility
for public liability insurance.

b)

Tourism – the next meeting was scheduled for 6 May and expected to include
officers of Stirling Council.

On the issue of marketing, Ben MacCorquodale met with Charlie Croft of Stirlng
Council on 26 April and it is noted that the Council is completing the administration
of grant funding for tourism companies and will now focus on destination
marketing. The Wallace Monument has now re-opened and the content of the
yourstirling.com website will be increased. For this Ben MacCorquodale will supply
content on local businesses from the douneanddeanston.com website and has
asked to be involved in the proposed marketing campaign.

c)

Green shed site – at a meeting with Kevin Argue of Stirling Council the issue of
coach parking at the site was discussed and it was noted that this would greatly
reduce the number of car parking spaces to an unacceptable level. The revised
outline plan will include parking spaces for electric vehicle charging, disabled
vehicles, motorcycles and motor homes or minibuses.

Discussions are being held with Moray Estates regarding a small additional piece
of land and the question of ownership of the former railway land is being
investigated.

No planning application will be completed until all issues have been resolved and
the site clearance will not be done until planning and funding for the project is in
place. The next meeting will be on 11 May with a site meeting to follow.

d)

Grass cutting – the Community Council has been asked to comment on the
proposed pilot Pollinator Strategy involving two areas in Moray Park and one at the
Muir Hall, after complaints about grass cutting policy on the national cycleway. A

change in cutting policy would promote a single cut in late summer or autumn with
removal of cuttings where possible, to improve biodiversity of grassland to the
benefit of pollinators.

e)

Cycleway – Sustrans has completed repairs to the path in the area of the
allotments, together with the removal of a small number of trees.

12

Kilmadock Development Trust

While there was no report it was noted that application for funding for a
Development Officer for three years was being made.

13

Community Action for Deanston

A report from Ben MacCorquodale indicated that a request was being made for ideas for
activities to be run by or from the community centre. The hall was scheduled to reopen soon.

14

Roads

Michelle Ashford reported that the primary school had been requested to confirm that it had
no objection to the removal of the speed bumps in Balkerach Street. It was suggested that
noise 'rumble strips' should be considered as an alternative if the speed bumps are not to be
removed. It was noted that pothole repairs have been carried out.

15

Doune Ponds

Tony Farrant reported that work parties were now operating on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The survey had now been completed and the results would be published shortly.

16

Christmas lights

Dougie Morrison reported that he had now heard from the contractor but awaited information
on light styles and prices. It had been confirmed that the old lights were not returnable to the
contractor.

17

Forestry

There was no report.

18

Other business

a)

Defibrillator at former phone box – David Harding reported that he had been
successful in acquiring free paint and timber for the project. Initial expenditure of

£180 was approved and David thanked for his efforts.

It was noted that the other defibrillator was now ready to be fitted to the toilets in
Moray Park.

b)

Lighting at Health Centre lane – it was agreed that Dougie Morrison would
establish whether planning permission would be required for lamp standards of the
desired height. Thereafter the specification and funding of the lights would be
considered.(Action – Dougie Morrison)

c)

Moray Park toilets- approval was given to acquire a suitable A3 frame to display
the opening times etc. of the refurbished toilets. (Action – David Harding)

19

Next meeting

It was agreed that the next meeting would take place on Monday 14 June 2021 at 7.00pm,
again by video conference.

The meeting closed at 8.20pm.