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Public Meeting Minutes Date: 22^nd February 2023

 

1. Welcome and record of those present and apologies

Everyone welcomed to Riverside Primary School.

 

2.    Declarations of Interest

No Declaration of Interest was recorded.

 

3.    Approval of Previous Minutes

One correction noted: Jude Treliving’s surname incorrectly written as ‘Treeling’ several times in document.

 

Minutes for January were adopted, with noted correction. Carol Robertson proposed; Alison Swanson seconded.

 

4.    Matters Arising from previous minutes not to be addressed within the meeting

None.

 

5.    Reports

1. Chair

 

Noticeboards: a new noticeboard for entrance/exit to Lovers Walk has been ordered, to be installed by the Council. Keys to the Pontoon noticeboard have been made available to the Community Council for use, meaning there will be four noticeboards in total in Riverside.

 

Community Council Elections: Sue Dumbleton reported that Stirling Council have indicated that there will be Community Council elections in April. Consequently, the current Community Council will cease on Friday 14^th April, meaning that the next meeting on 29^th March 2023 will be the final of this session.

 

All information for nominations will be published by Stirling Council on 3^rd April, with nominations needing to be received by 17^th April.

 

A minimum of seven members is needed to form a Community Council, with a maximum of nine. If between seven and nine eligible nominations are received (meaning: from persons on the electoral roll, over 16 years old and who live in Riverside), then the Community Council will be formed with meetings to be announced afterwards.

 

If fewer than seven eligible nominations are received, there will be no Community Council for Riverside. If ten or more eligible nominations are received, there will be a ballot organised by Stirling council, with elections held in June and there will be no meeting until July.

 

It is necessary to elect a Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.

 

Several current Community Council members will not to be seeking re-election, so everyone attending was encouraged to consider getting involved in order to keep a full council of nine.

 

More information can be found by emailing the Community Council, contact details are on the website. Posters will be put up around Riverside making people aware of the elections. Please get in touch if you would like to speak with a member of Riverside Community Council to find out more.

 

b.      Secretary Police Report

There was one undetected case recorded in the reporting period. The case relates to theft of a motor vehicle.

 

Consultations and Funding

Love Your Neighbourhood is a temporary limited term grant until end of March 2023 for areas of deprivation or those seeking to work with marginalised groups. They provide free equipment and training for community organisations or groups who want to enhance or improve their local area for walking, wheeling, and

cycling. Within Riverside, this could involve walks for women or seeking ways of promoting active travel for disabled people.

 

Correspondence

Stirling’s Pollinator Strategy: A strategy to help protect the local environment and the planet by halting the decline of pollinators has been approved by Stirling Council.

 

Litter League is an opportunity for young people to take part in Spring Clean Scotland competition 13 March – 31 March. More information is available at https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org

 

Cambuskenneth Community Council emailed for advice re redeveloping the area near Cambuskenneth Abbey currently occupied by a pergola and bench.

 

c.       Treasurer

Income: The Community Council received £100 from Stirling Council to host a ‘Let’s Get Together’ event for the community. This will be held in March.

 

Expenditure: The Community Council purchased a new noticeboard (£677.94).

 

Assets Insurance: Stirling Council have asked if we would like to insure any assets. It was agreed to insure the same items as last year, plus a projector and screen (at a value of £40 each).

 

d.      Planning

Place Plans: Alison Swanson attended meeting with Stirling Council about Place Plans. Place Plans seek to increase the empowerment and engagement of residents around land use and development, and how these can potentially help residents and communities to have some say in the shaping of their area.

 

Any community group can develop a Place Plan, but it is expected that Community Councils will be key contributors. The aim of the guidelines and legislation is for Place Plans to be a material consideration by planners and for these to contribute to the overall development plan. Place Plans are not a replacement for statutory functions and Place Plans are an influence rather than a compulsory consideration for planners. Place Plans require engagement with residents to facilitate their input and the guidelines sets criteria for Place Plans to follow. Place Plans, if they meet the criterial will be registered. Cllr Thomson interjected that Place Plan have links with 20-minute Communities and sustainability.

 

Several questions were raised about Place Plans. It was acknowledged that preparing a place plan for Riverside would require detailed engagement with residents and volunteer community councillor’s time. Councillor Thomson expressed his view there was time for the community council to do this.

 

It was noted that Riverside Community Council have experience and capacity, having consulted in detail on previous initiatives such as Active Travel, parking, the Green at Riverside and School Streets. Qualitative and quantitative research and the outcome of working with consultants also was provided to council departments.

 

It was agreed that if there were to be a Place Plan developed for Riverside, a Community Council sub-group should be formed to progress this and write plan and it was noted that some of the work already done by RCC could be incorporated. This will be discussed at the next meeting, when further information regarding action on these ongoing initiatives is available.

 

Place Builder Tool: a free subscription has been offered to this digital engagement tool funded by the Scottish Government, which is relevant to the above, as it provides tools to support the work involved with place planning. Andrew Fraser has looked the subscription, but suggests Riverside CC is potentially too small to benefit from it. Andrew will follow up on this.

 

Sub-Groups

1. Active Travel and Sustainable Transport

Active Travel Newsletter: Ashleigh Phillip has produced the inaugural newsletter which is now available. It will be on the website, added to the Riverside WhatsApp group and placed in the RCC noticeboards. Although introductory at this stage, it is hoped that it will become a place for interviews, suggestions for walks and cycle routes as well as advice for all weather active travel and replacing short car journeys with active travel.

 

Scottish Cycle Repair Scheme: this scheme provides free repairs and maintenance work up to the value of £50 for standard bikes and £100 for non-standard bikes. The closest centre offering this service is Recyke-a-bike. They accept children’s bikes and adult bikes; simply turn up, no need to book a place.

 

Active Travel for Older People: a question was raised regarding an Active Travel Survey for Older People done in 2020 and whether there was any action on the findings. This will be mentioned in a meeting with RCC members and Stirling Council, which is discussed below.

 

b.      Environment

Ash Dieback Disease: Ash Dieback is a disease effecting over 50% of the British population of Ash trees. Stirling Council makes all decisions about any trees to be felled. It has been pointed out that trees along the riverbank near the Cambuskenneth bridge will become unsafe and will need to be removed.

 

Old Harbour Woods Proposal: Di Alderdice, Judi Legg, Fiona Berrow and Joan Murphy to meet with Council Ranger on Monday 27^th February. A named person is needed as the liaison between the project and the RCC. There will be an assessment opportunity for those who will be leading the group on Thursday 2^nd March, and some time coppicing trees on Saturday 4th March. Further information will be on the RCC website.

 

Grit Bins: Waiting to hear back from Stephen Bly regarding installation. They may, in fact, be installed in time for next winter.

 

c.       Parking

There has been considerable discussion recently in the Riverside WhatsApp group regarding the issue of parking, particularly in streets closest to Stirling town centre. It is noted that the WhatsApp group is not controlled by the Community Council.

 

It is evident that many people park in Riverside to walk into town or go to the train station, creating issues for residents. It is also noted that although this is understandably very frustrating, no one has the right to the car parking space outside their property.

 

Joan Murphy collected various opinions and frustrations of Riverside residents, as well as a list of work promised by Stirling Council which has come to no fruition. These frustrations and unfulfilled promises were emailed to the Council, which has led to a Teams meeting on Monday, 27^th February. The RCC representatives at this meeting will seek to get answers from the Council about the inaction following previous promises and expensive initiatives (e.g. School Streets).

 

It is clear from various comments/questions that there are significant concerns regarding development in Riverside and the effect it would have upon parking, as well as the merits and concerns regarding controlled parking zones.

 

All proposals from RCC to Stirling Council will be available on the website, and the recent email to the Council is available upon request.

 

d.        Misc. Initiatives

Stories Project: as the project hasn’t been moving forward, it is proposed to push it back to late spring or summer.

 

Imagination Library: nothing to report

 

Spring Tea: Stirling Council have given £100 to have a Let’s Get Together event this Spring. There will be get-together on Saturday 11^th March, 10:30-12:30 in the Riverbank Centre. All are welcome, a great time for meeting neighbours in this post- pandemic world.

 

Offers of help or contributions of cake are willingly accepted by Sue Dumbleton; email the RCC to get involved.

 

Information will be added to the noticeboards and submitted to the newspaper.

 

Community Resilience: Emily McLaughlin and Sue Dumbleton met with a representative of Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN) who are working to build a meaningful network across the Forth Valley for all community groups with the aim of working for a fair, connected, locally resilient and supportive society. Reports were positive, but with nothing actionable right now.

 

6.    Local Groups

Defibrillators: an extra sign has been ordered for the school, making the defibrillator location clearer and more visible. There will also be Spring Windows again this year, with Riverside Naturally, to raise money for the defibrillators.

 

Our Front Room: there will be a Spring concert on Sunday 26^th March at 3pm in the Bowling Club. The Our Front Room singing group will be singing songs on the theme of ‘rivers’. The concert is free to attend, with donations being accepted in aid of the Turkey/Syria DEC appeal.

 

Litter Pick: in partnership with Riverside Naturally and Keep Scotland Beautiful, there will be a Spring Clean litter pick on Saturday, 25^th March. Meet at the Orchard – details will be on the RCC website.

 

7.    AOB

Bellwood Hall: there is no further news about Bellwood Hall from either Mr Fotheringham or the Councillors involved.

 

Abbey Road Market: there was a general disappointment all round that the market has been closed and sold, as it was an excellent, local meeting place.

 

8. Date of Next Meeting: 29^th March 2023, 7:15pm, Riverside Primary