Oct 2021 Minutes

KILMADOCK COMMUNITY COUNCIL

MINUTE OF MEETING HELD ON 11 OCTOBER 2021 AT 7.30PM
BY WAY OF VIDEO CONFERENCE

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

In attendance : David Clark (Minute Secretary).

Apologies for absence : Wiesek Chodyniecki; Councillors Martin Earl, Jeremy McDonald and
Evelyn Tweed, Michelle Flynn (Stirling Council) and Police Representatives

1

Minute

The minute of the meeting of 13 September 2021 was approved – proposed by Ben
MacCorquodale, seconded by Michelle Ashford.

2

Matters arising – none

3

Membership

It was noted that Wiesek Chodyniecki had requested leave of absence from the Community
Council for a matter of months on health grounds. The Council was comfortable with such an
arrangement but considered that it would be useful to establish the constitutional position
from Stirling Council (Action – Michelle Ashford)

4

Police Report

10/09/21 to 8/10/21Compiled by Constable Lorna Deans :

a)

Antisocial Behaviour - During the reported period police have received numerous
calls in relation to antisocial behaviour in and around Moray Park/Moray Street,
Doune. Officers will continue to patrol this area, in particular at weekends.

There was an incident in the early hours of 8/10/21 within a property in Doune.
Dueto this incident, a male was arrested and charged.

b)

Road Safety - On 14/09/21 two vehicles were involved in a minor collision on the
A84 near to Buchany. Officers continue to carry out road checks in the area.

c)

Theft – there have been no reports of theft during this period.

d)

Community Engagement and Reassurance - On 19/20 September there
was an increase in police presence due to a high risk missing person
having been sighted in the area of Doune. Thankfully the person was
located safe and well in another area.

Lone police officers to offer verification check to members of the public - Police
Scotland is immediately introducing a simple officer verification process to provide
reassurance to any member of the public who may be concerned about whether or
not they are being spoken to by a genuine police officer working alone. The move
follows the understandable public concern surrounding the horrendous murder of
Sarah Everard.

On duty officers operating on their own will now proactively offer to carry out a
verification check for anyone they come across who appears to be concerned for
their safety. A member of the public can also request that a verification check be
done. Although police officers normally work in pairs in Scotland and it is very rare
for a lone police officer to approach a member of the public, there are occasions
when this could happen.

The new process, introduced on Saturday, 2 October, will allow for the officer's

personal radio to be put on loudspeaker and for an officer or member of police staff
in a Police Scotland Control Room to confirm that the officer is who they say they
are, that they are on duty and the reason the officer is speaking to the member of
the public. The Control Room will then create an incident number which can be
displayed on the officer’s mobile phone or radio to confirm the broadcast message
details. More details can be found on Police Scotland website.

5

Councillors' Reports

While there were no Councillors present it was noted that Stirling Council had
relaxed the regulations concerning meetings in person and that it was now possible
for meetings to be held either in person, by video conference or by a mixture of both.

The general view of the Community Council was that it was content to continue to
meet by video conference at least for the time being.

6

Treasurer's Report

The Treasurer, Jim McGroarty, reported that :

The Kilmadock Community Council Bank Account balance at 11 October 2021 is

£9,868.43.

The annual Admin and Minutes grant had been received, totalling £815.96 after
deductions of £193.04 for insurance premiums. A further insurance premium of £142.36
for additional activities has been paid and the defibrillators have been added to the
assets register.

Costs are being incurred in further voluntary work on the Commonty Walk, with a grant
made from the Windfarm Trust. The Windfarm Trust has also awarded a grant of £3,000
for new Christmas lights for Doune and Deanston. This sum is not yet included in the
account balance above.

The sum of £100 has been paid to Trossachs Search and Rescue in recognition of their
assistance with defibrillator training. It was noted that regular funding will be required for
replacement pads and maintenance of the defibrillators.

7

Secretary's Report

Michelle Ashford reported that she had received a request from a local resident to
press for repair of a broken drain cover on the A84 near Teith Bridge. It was agreed
to contact Scottish Water. (Action – Michelle Ashford)

It was noted that while SSE have recently completed tree pruning works below the
power line adjacent to the old railway cycle route, work is also required by Stirling
Council to prune trees overhanging the cycle path itself. (Action – Michelle Ashford)

8

Website

Ken Russell reported on developments and stressed the need for further local
promotion of the new website

9

Planning

Dougie Morrison reported as follows on planning issues :

a)

Creation of 1st floor balcony at 6 Elm Court, Doune - delegated

b)

Replacement windows at 16 Balkerach Street, Doune - approved

c)

Green Shed site parking proposals – application now in.

10

Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund

Tony Farrant reported as follows :

a)

Green Shed site – the planning application has now been lodged and decisions on

RTIF funding should be made within the next month.

b)

Tourism – The interactive workshops have now taken place and were considered
generally positive.

c)

Parking – in the light of the proposals for the former Green Shed site it was agreed
that, while further core parking was required for Doune, it would not be appropriate
to pursue parking issues at this time.

d)

Moray Park toilets – the matter of public liability insurance has now been taken by
Councillor Martin Earl to a senior level in Stirling Council. The issues of water and
electricity metering and connection were now being dealt with. The defibrillator is
due to be installed within the next week.

e)

Projects – work on completing the pedestrian bridge has been delayed because of
supply issues; work on river bank reinstatement has been postponed until the
summer of 2022 because of concerns expressed by Blair Drummond Estate and
this project will be deleted from RTIF funding and completed in-house; work on
signage and interpretation is underway and installation should commence in
November.

f)

Former phone box – work on the box is underway, with painting and the fitting of a
board to house the defibrillator awaited. It was agreed to approach Stirling Council
to carry out adjustments to the paving around the box. (Action – David Harding)

11

Kilmadock Development Trust

Michelle Ashford reported that interviews for the post of Development Officer would
be held shortly and that applications were being invited for a replacement for one of
the Post Office staff members who is leaving.

12

Community Action for Deanston

Ben MacCorquodale reported on a successful fundraising event in October and intimated
that the AGM would be held in November..

13

Roads

Michelle Ashford indicated that there was nothing further to report. The proposed air quality
monitor was likely to be sited at the primary school adjacent to the weather station.

1.

14

Doune Ponds and Commonty Walk

Tony Farrant reported on children's activities during the October break and for a Fairy Trail at
Christmas.

He indicated that work on the Commonty Walk had been hampered by bad weather. Further
volunteer labour is sought and it is hoped that the whole walk can be completed with hard
standing.

15

Christmas lights

Dougie Morrison reported that an order for 150 metres of lights had been placed and that a
discount had been achieved. This length of lighting should allow for some new provision for
Deanston as well as Doune. As noted above, a grant of £3,000 has been awarded for this
purpose from the Windfarm Trust.

Tony Farrant confirmed that Christmas trees had been ordered.

16

Tourism and Marketing

Ben MacCorquodale reported on a research project undertaken by Aberdeen University.
There would be a presentation of findings on 23 November with a video likely to be available

thereafter. It was noted that there was no functioning local business association at present
and consideration would be given to encouraging the setting up of an appropriate body.

17

Forestry

Sue Harvey reported that a new forestry road was under construction to allow timber
extraction from the Black Park area. When complete this would provide a walking route to
the motor hill-climb area.

18

Other business

a)

Lighting at Health Centre lane – in the light of the practical difficulties with this
project it was agreed to take no further action meantime.

b)

Adult gym equipment – it was agreed to leave this matter in abeyance until the next
round of RTIF funding.

c)

Remembrance Day – Alison McAlpine reported that she had arranged for Rev
Alison Peden to conduct the service on 14 November, that road closure had been
applied for and that appropriate wreaths would be ordered.

2.

19

Next meeting

It was agreed that the next meeting would take place by video conference on Monday 8
November 2021 at 7.30pm.

The meeting closed at 8.28pm.