Topic

Discussion

Action

1. Opening

TG chaired the meeting & welcomed all.

2. Minutes

Proposed JK, seconded TG

3. Matters arising

Road improvement work:

ME – confirmed B829 one of 3 routes being
worked up for a bid, deadline march. He
cautioned however It may not be in the final bid.

Ian Henderson (IH) identified that minutes for
01/2020 were missing from the SCC website.

ME to keep SCC
informed

Action TG/GMc
Locate any notes &
bring for approval at
next meeting

4. Planning Lists
Attached Appendix 1

JK explained that due to the number of items
she had to brief she did not intend to go
through the planning list line by line and
asked all if anyone had specific concerns with
the contents of the list. She said nothing
appeared to be controversial. No specific
concerns were raised.

She highlighted the following for CC
attention

No 4 – new application for new build. No
objections lodged

2019/0305/DET has been given the go ahead
despite cc lodging formal approval

IH highlighted that the neighbour notification
he received contained mapping which was
not accurate. Michelle Flynne (MF) advised
IH to lodge his comments via the planning
portal.

JK advised that there were 9 overdue
applications extant this period.

5. LLTNP Visitor

JK provided a brief on a recent virtual

JK – will send on

management &

meeting she had attended with Matt

consultation survey to

preparation

Buckland, the LLTNP Visitor Operations
Manager who is responsible for looking at
the pressures of the increased visitor

SCC for review before

general distribution
to residents

footprint across the Park. Matt’s aim is to

develop plans to help manage the

situation. He is looking at short and

medium/longer term strategies. JK went on

to explain that while Strathard had a

particular problem this past year, even

before COVID 19, visitor numbers were

increasing, and there was no reason to

suppose the visitor footprint was set to fall in

the future. There may be less staycations

when restriction are lifted but we are seeing

that the Strathard region is very attractive as

a weekend/evening visitor spot. JK stated it
was a productive meeting with all indications
that Matt was keen to work with the

relevant community Stakeholders to try and
come up with solutions which, as far as is
practical, meet with approval of the
community and aspirations of the User groups
who wish to use the Park. She expected there
to be good engagement from our residents as
this is a topic very important to all and will
keep the SCC informed on progress.

Natashya Shepherd (NS) – highlighted

importance of any approaches re climate

crisis, low carbon targets & the ongoing

weight of traffic and asked if this would be

addressed?

JK – responded that this review was looking

at short term re new pressures with

‘staycations’ but there are obviously longer

term issues

ME – Commented that sustainable travel was

very much a priority for LLTNP, he chairs a

focus group in collaboration with LLTNP on

this subject to identify possible strategies.

Gillian McEwan (GM) added that many

cyclists travel to area by car.

TG – Enquired if the general impact of visitor
conversations & solutions was focussing on
Kinlochard?

JK – Responded yes but consultation will
include Aberfoyle and the wider Strathard
and this will be fed back to the park.

TG – The reality is that public holidays as well
as Mother’s day were imminent and said it
was imperative that Aberfoyle toilets were
open. Layby signage was also important and
looking at the possibility of business comfort
partners including Forest hills to support this
need.

ME - council are reviewing ways to provide
enforcement over evenings/weekends by
start of financial year. Police, alteration to
bylaw re alcohol use. Police will no longer
need to witness consumption – open
container will be enough but enforcement
will be essential.

ME said that the budget for LLTNP approved
with increase for managing due to impact of
covid (visitor numbers & change in
demographic/behaviours)

Car park – concern expressed that if
permission given to Fergus Wood for temp
car park that this will set precedent & lead to
negative impacts.

NS – identified risk to pedestrians,

particularly K’ard from more visitors as there
is no paths. JK said that Carolyn Fraser was
keen to get speed limits agreed to support
traffic management for the B829

Kate Bovill (KB) asked about budget
ranger/start date

ME said ranger budget was included in the
overall budget increases for this year.

IH, queried role of rangers re public
engagement and litter picking. KB responded
with detail around Ranger remit and byelaw
management.

Billy explained that litter collecting not part
of ranger remit. Not enough of them to
manage litter.

Jeremy McDonald (JRMcD) – Pop up bins,

tanks for grey water. Offered to take forward

TG to check toilets
available at start of
season

ME keep SCC
informed of progress.

JRMCD to keep SCC
informed

7 Collaboration with
other CCs

JK opened the brief by reminding the SCC of a
previous briefing which explained that Gavin
McLennan of Kilmaronock CC was spearheading a
mission to get a consortium of National Park
Community Councils to agree to lobby for the
LLTNP to adopt more accountable processes in
regard to their plans and policies. It was agreed
at the meeting in November that the SCC

should join the Kilmaronoch initiative. JK said
that this was an update to the initial briefing
explaining progress to date. Gavin had now

managed to interest a fair no of CC’s to become
involved. His plan is to ask each CC to circulate a
survey to gather empirical evidence on
perceptions within the communities on LLTNP
performance. While It is a fairly short survey the
SCC have a problem in that they have been, and
are continuing to, distribute surveys in support of
other initiatives currently being undertaken and
cited the need to avoid survey fatigue. JK said
that this had been explained to Gavin and asked
for SCC views on the timing of distribution of
another survey. It was agreed that the SCC
should delay distributing the survey until mid
March earliest. At this point ME said he had seen
the preamble which accompanied the survey and
took exception to some of the wording which he
said was inaccurate. He had particular concerns
with the bullet point copied at the bottom of this
brief. JK agreed to contact Gavin McLennan to
confirm where this information came from and
get back to the SCC and ME when she had
received a response.

• The Elected Representatives for each area
  have no responsibility to reflect the
  Electorate/Community since they sign a. Other Board members
  are all from outside the region.

JK to contact GM re
wording/conditions

8 Forth Valley
Health Board

Isobel Madden not in attendance so
unfortunately no update

Verbal confirmation of Aberfoyle and
Buchlyvie medical practice commencing
vaccination of those under 70 and/or with
underlying health conditions.

No knowledge of school reopening (main

building

9 Police Report

See Appendix 2

TG – Covid breach incident in national press,

At property in forest. Agent that lets

property fined as well as all attendees. Also
in Stirling observer.

Still visitors travelling outwith own area in

breach of regulations

10 Treasurers report

See Appendix 3

SS not able to attend tonight. Bank Balance
statement attached below

11 COOP/SKS

Community asset
transfer

JK and TG gave a short update on progress to
date. The Architectural and Engineering
surveys were now complete and the
Community Engagement exercise had
resulted in 200 responses over several
mediums (online, email and hard copy) which
was, in the view of SKS, an excellent

result. The returns offered up a good many
options for use of the building with varying
degrees of popularity. Not all the most
popular are likely to meet the affordability
criteria therefore may not make it into the
final Options Appraisals/Business

Case. However it is too early to say with any
confidence which options will. SKS have a lot
of background work to carry out and desk
top modelling to finally be able to advise
what is the most sensible way forward. JK
expects to get much more granular
information over the coming weeks and will
keep the SCC up to date with progress.

Report due beginning March. 200 responses
from community so far.

12. Community Life
Plans

Aberfoyle:

JK briefed that due to COVID 19 CCN have
had to change their strategy in community
engagement at least in the short to medium
term to try and ensure that the project
progresses. On confirmation at the last SCC
meeting of approval to convert some of the
Community Engagement funding into
support virtual online workshops as opposed
to actual face to face meetings CCN have
run 6 online workshops and they continue to
engage online with key Stakeholders in the
Aberfoyle community. Results so far, given
the less tangible methods of engaging with
the community have been encouraging. In

addition to the online workshops, in the run

up to Christmas, CCN authored an
explanatory leaflet and organised a drop
through every letter box in the Aberfoyle
post code. The response to the leaflet drop
was around 17% (and rising). This is to be
followed up during February by various
initiatives to build on interest

expressed including a social media campaign,
calls for action via personal and ‘club’
networks, and flyers and postboxes in the
petrol station, chemist, post office and

Coop. The aim is to get a minimum of 50% of
the residents to sign up to engaging with the
CLP process with a stretch target of 60+%. If
this can be achieved using all of the methods
described above CCN will be in a position to
gather sufficient information to initiate a first
draft of the Aberfoyle CLP however there is
still every intention to hold a community
workshop at the very first opportunity. CCN
have done their very best not to eat into the
overall fund for the face-to-face workshops
in the original budget, so if this push doesn’t
work there is still the option of reverting to
the original plan when COVID regulations
permit.

JK’s brief on the Aberfoyle CLP generated
discussion which highlighted concerns raised
by IH regarding the impact the CLP could
have on development applications and by KB
on the complexity of the questionnaires post
through the Aberfoyle houses aimed at
generating interest in the Aberfoyle CLP
initiative. JK responded that the CLP was not
designed to stop development in Aberfoyle
but to ensure that approved development
met the needs of the community. She also
acknowledged that while the survey was
quite detailed it was aimed at providing
sufficient information due to not being able
to have face to face communications.

Lynda McColl (LMc) spoke of the difficulties
of trying to get folk involved/motivated.

GmcE & IH previous life plan – folk see no

progression from previous initiatives & this

may contribute to apathy in engaging with
current initiative. ME advised that the LLTNP
is starting its development plan, stressed the
importance of CLP in this if the community
wants to be heard and appropriate
development very much part of the strategy.
MF also advised that the existing CLP’s and
the work which had gone into them were
held in high regard withing the various
authorities.

Kinlochard and Stronachlachar/Inversnaid
CLPs Updates

Ongoing work on the CLPs have been greatly
hindered due to COVID 19 restrictions but
notwithstanding this constraint there has
been progress. JK explained that she
attended a Planning meeting with the LLTNP
board in regard to the Stonachlachar
development and the report contained the
statement that the
Stronachlachar/Inversnaid CLP was
considered a Material Consideration in the
decision making process. This is a significant
hurdle and it must be presumed from this
that all Strathard CLPs will be treated in the
same manner. This is a compelling reason to
complete the Aberfoyle CLP as soon as is
practically possible. One of the works
streams set up at the last Kinlochard
Workshop held in Sept 2019 – the Dark Skies
Work Stream – has just produced a leaflet
and this will be distributed across the
Kinlochard CLP distribution list. It is an
extremely informative leaflet containing
many interesting facts. JK said she was going
to use this example to encourage other work
stream leads to start to move forward with
their areas of interest and not put off until
COVID 19 restrictions are lifted. It is

important that work is on going if the CLP’s
are to remain current.

13. SDT

IH – SDT update

Have met with SC for improving car park.

Pressure washing of walls due to take place –

Visitor centre, Dukes court. Progressing

installing Superfast BB at Braeval.

14 LLTNP update

LLTNP – Have received extra money from SG
budget for managing impact of Covid ‘19

IH asked where riverside signs had gone? The
signs contained descriptions of what wildlife
could see by the river. ME had no knowledge.

March board meeting will be finalising budget.

ME will check with
Matt Buckland LLTNP
about wildlife signage

15. Stirling Council

TG complained about the road condition of A821
through Aberfoyle. A 25 yr fix was proposed 3 yrs
ago and asked if there were dates planned for
this resurfacing?

ME has an enquiry in to Council about this. A821
included in list for doing overnight works (30%
more costly) will feed back when gets response.

GMc expressed concerns on finding safer routes
to school. TG - this keeps getting raised with no
resolution. No engagement from school. MF
advised that the Chair of parent council can act -
Parents could ask SCC to take up on own behalf.
MF will get safe routes to school info check re
school reopening. If parent council take to
headteacher & if it is not taken forward they can
take to their councillors to progress. No news at
present about Aberfoyle Primary refurbishment
progress and reopening but given weight of
visitors & change in patterns due to coop
development, now is a pertinent time to address
this child safety issue.

SC Budget meetings will occur 25/2. 11/3.
Expected to set balanced budget. Keeping council
tax frozen likely to result in increases in future
years or less available in budget for
improvements/development.

Other SC development work – reducing Gender
based violence.

Opportunities & benefits for learning from other
CC’s

GMc advised new section of Kirkton Graveyard,
wall is unstable ME will raise with Barbara
Docherty, manager of Cemeteries SC

ME/SC to respond
when more info
available.

GMcE to follow up
sharing info with
Parent Council.

MF to carry out a
safer routes info
check

ME to inform
Cemeteries lead

16. AOCB

SVE portal info. Worth encouraging, expand how
folk can contribute by volunteering in the
community & highlighting opportunities
available.

MF to send info

MF – SVE giving rock salt out to community
groups. Community response groups asked to
reregister by 28/1 for grant funding specific
works

SCC didn’t reregister as a voluntary group for
this.

Community pride award 9/3 deadline MF will
send

EWM – The Woollen Mill will be reopen in April,
staff have been notified but unclear what type of
outlet it will be in future. This will bring the
benefit of being able to promote Aberfoyle as a
destination for coach tours.

Community
Council:

Trossachs and Teith Ward,

Strathard Community Council

hello@ccstrathard.org

Reporting
Period:

01/12/20 to 03/02/21 Compiled by PC Lorna Deans

Ward Plan
Priorities

Antisocial Behaviour

You are concerned about antisocial behaviour including drunken behaviour.

On 27/12/20 police were called to a property in the Strathard area due to concerns
regarding breach of coronavirus regulations. Police attended and as a result 34 people
have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for culpable and reckless conduct.

Other
Incidents /

On 11/12/20 police were called to Loch Ard regarding concerns for an
unsecured boat. Police attended and were satisfied that there was no
concerns for anyone, the boat appeared to have come untied from where it
had been moored.

£

£

General Fund opening Bank balance

14364.41

Minute Secretary

(

40.00)

Microsoft 365 subscription

(SC Covid Community SG)

(

79.99)

Laptop for CC use (SC Covid Community SG)

(

200.00)

Aberfoyle LifePlan - CCN

(

1300.00)

Hub Membership

(

120.00)

Christmas Cards (Christmas Fund)

(

331.40)

Minute Secretary

(

40.00)

General Fund closing Bank balance

12253.02

Subsequent income/expenditure

SLF (Co-op grant)

4200.00

Web Domain Fee

(

56.92)

SKS (Co-op feasibility)

(

4200.00)

General Fund closing Balance

12196.10

• Aberfoyle LifePlan

Monies in

SC Community Pride Grant

£1500.00

Strathard Community Council

£1500,00

National Park

£1750.00

committed

Strathard Community Trust

£1500.00

Stirling Council

£1750.00

Monies out

CCN

£ 800.00

CCN

£1300.00

Available funds in Bank account

£4150.00

Monies committed but not received

£1750.00

• Christmas Fund

Funds in Bank account

£ 20.94

• SSE Resilience Fund Grant

Funds in Bank account

£1521.93