KILMADOCK COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTE OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON 12 AUGUST 2024
AT 7.00PM IN DOUNE LIBRARY
Participants : Tony Farrant (Chair), David Harding (Secretary), Rowena Drowley, Alison McAlpine, Ken Russell, Sue Sedgwick, Alistair Sutherland, Elizabeth Wallace
In attendance : Councillor Gene Maxwell; David Clark (Minute Secretary).
Member of public present : Alan Farley
1.
Minute
The minute of the inaugural meeting held on 10 July 2023 was approved – proposed by Elizabeth Wallace. seconded by Ken Russell.
2.
Chair’s Report
The Chair, Tony Farrant, reported as follows on the work of the Community Council since the last AGM :
Since the current Community Council was formed in July 2023 a number of
issues have been raised with Stirling Council, some still not concluded.
We have been actively involved in the changes to the main village car park, agreement for the removal of speed bumps in Balkerach Street, upgrading of the Main street zebra crossing to a pelican crossing, Teith Bridge vehicular and pedestrian crossing, Old Green shed site, war memorial and a number of other areas. Unfortunately, we have not been provided with any completion dates. Armistice Sunday service and the laying of wreaths went well as did the Christmas lights and tree to brighten up the village.
Moray Park toilets continue to be managed by the CC in conjunction with Kilmadock Development Trust although there is concern regarding the Councils behaviour to flooding caused by the drains issue, following an on-site meeting we hope for a positive resolution.
We were involved with other rural Community Councils on the proposed budget cuts being proposed by Stirling Council for the financial year 2024/25.
In January this year, Kate Hudson and Lindsey McNair from Stirling Council attended our meeting to hear about our frustrations with the Council’s current system of raising issues. A number-of-examples were given, where responses had not been in a timely or detailed manner. Not dealing directly with an officer but having to go through a gatekeeper simply was not working.
Our regret is that, nothing has changed leading some CC members to question what is-the-point of having a Community Council.
We have subsequently contacted other rural CC’s who are all complaining about the same standard of service. As soon as a new CEO is appointed by the Council, we intend to take the matter to the top of the organisation.
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Thanks go to all those involved.
- Secretary’e Report
The Secretary, David Harding, reported that the Community Council had a dedicated email address
(communitycouncil@kilmadock.org) and that business cards were provided as appropriate. He
commented on continuing issues with anti-social behaviour and poor maintenance of local streets
and facilities.
Applications for grant assistance had been made in respect of the running costs of the public toilets,
Christmas lights and maintenance of the defibrillators. Funding for correcting drainage at the public
toilets is being explored with Stirling Council.
The Chairperson expressed the Council’s appreciation of the Secretary’s efforts.
- Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer, Elizabeth Wallace, submitted the examined statement of account for the year ended
31 March 2024. Total income amounted to £19,849.63 and expenditure to £11,886.43, increasing
the opening balance of £6,469.68 to a closing balance of £26, 319.31.
The statement of account was unanimously approved by the Council
- Appointment of Officebearers
Councillor Gene Maxwell took the chair for this item of business.
Appointments were made as follows :
- a) Chair – Tony Farrant, approved unanimously
- b) Vice-Chair – Alistair Sutherland, proposed by Tony Farrant, seconded by Rowena Drowley.
Alison McAlpine, proposed by David Harding, seconded by Elizabeth Wallace, withdrew.
Alistair Sutherland was appointed Vice-Chair
- c) Secretary – David Harding, proposed by Sue Sedgwick, seconded by Ken Russell, approved
unanimously
- d) Treasurer – Elizabeth Wallace, proposed by David Harding, seconded by Sue Sedgwick,
approved unanimously
- e) Planning/Licensing – Alistair Sutherland, approved unanimously
Tony Farrant resumed the chair and expressed his thanks to all involved in the work of the Council.
The following were appointed to the respective areas of interest:
Roads – Rowena Drowley
Villages – Sue Sedgwick
The Bridge – Ken Russell
- Other Business
- a) At the invitation of the Chair, Alan Farley spoke of concerns about traffic in the area of Moray
Street and North Lea, partly because of increased traffic to the toilets and partly because
there is no indication at the entrance to Moray Street that there is no access to the ponds
area etc.. Rowena Drowely undertook to pursue appropriate ‘no through road’ signage at the
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junction of Main Street and Moray Street. Comments were also made about parking issues
in other parts of Doune.
b)
Ken Russell warned that The Bridge is losing three of the most experienced members of the production group at the end of this year, so unless new volunteers step forward to take on the running of the monthly newspaper it will end with the December/January issue. The 'Spotlight on the KCC’ feature has provided a valuable summary of the monthly community council meetings to a wide audience much faster than the long time delay before the meet-ing minutes appear on the Stirling Council website. It was agreed to look at providing a simi-lar form of rapid reporting to a wide audience, using social media and the community web-site, should The Bridge cease publication as anticipated.
c)
Cllr. Gene Maxwell indicated that Stirling Council was still in extended recess, partly because of staffing issues and the recent appointment of a new Chief Executive.
d)
On the matter of antisocial behaviour and Stirling Council’s social housing policy, it was agreed to repeat the request for a face-to-face meeting with relevant officers and the police.
e)
Chairperson Tony Farrant indicated that an early meeting with the new Chief Executive of Stirling Council would be sought and that other Community Councils had responded positively to the suggestion of working together in liaison with officers of Stirling Council.
f)
It was noted that a new public bench would be required to replace the existing dilapidated bench close to the corner of Main Street and Castlehill, and that as Stirling Council had not adopted the existing bench they would not supply a replacement, it was therefore agreed to source funding. It was proposed to make a funding application to FEL to support the landscaping of the two public spaces either side of the old parish church tower – it was decided to wait for another funding round to allow time for a full plan to be developed.
g)
It was agreed that thanks be expressed to Caledonian Collective at the Red Lion for its work with the primary school amongst other local contributions.
7.
Next Annual General Meeting
It was agreed that the next AGM would be held in June 2025 and that the next Council meeting would be on 9 September 2024
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.05pm