May 2022 Minutes

Topic

Discussion

Action

1. Opening

2. Apologies

Trevor Geraghty (TG) chaired the meeting & welcomed all.

Police, Stuart Stephen, Gillian McEwan.

3. Minutes

Minutes from last meeting proposed Paul Mackintosh (PM)

Seconded Joyce Kelly (JK)

4. Matters arising

Flood meeting with SC Maria Lucey has been postponed at the

last minute until 13/5/22

5. Planning

6 applications in for forestry tracks – these don’t need planning consent, just for information. No questions raised.

3 applications in:

New dwelling between Craigmore Cottage & House, Lochard Road – no objections or comments lodged on portal. No comment from community councillors.

TG to confirm Don Bennett will attend next CC meeting

Demolition and rebuild property on Manse Road – Dunhardy, straightforward replacement and no comments or objections recorded. No comment from community councillors

Old Coop building – Change of use. 8 comments have been recorded, 2 supporting/6 objections.

TG has spoken to the Development Agent Don Bennett who represents the owners – Sava Estates. The intention is to secure planning and then seek leaseholders wishing to locate their businesses there. Don could not attend this meeting so the NPA Planning Officer has allowed an extension to the deadline (now 12/06/2022) to enable the community council and residents time to ask questions of the agent at the next community council meeting on 2/6. It was felt vital that residents should get the opportunity to meet with the agent and gain more information. If Don Bennett is unable to attend on 2/6, it is proposed the next meeting should move to 1/6/2022 and that the meeting should be held at Aberfoyle Memorial Hall.

Caroline Fleming (CF) asked that an extraordinary meeting be held to discuss the Coop. TG highlighted that this is not an

unusual application and can be addressed through usual Community Council meetings.

There was lengthy discussion relating to the risks of negative impact (particularly flues dispelling smells) to nearby residents as well as around parking & encouraging increased transport by car to and around Aberfoyle. CF raised the point that this conflicted with the recent life plans, particularly around increased traffic, saturation of hospitality offer within community and mutual respect for residents. There was also discussion around risks of increased littering, late night misbehaviour and poor parking behaviour. These are existing issues and would not be created by the change of use. Lyn Turner asked that the CC consider the community benefit of any development. Sava Estates seem to operate by buying up, changing the use and putting on the market or leasing either directly or through an agency with a full repair and insuring lease. CF raised that this should be considered as a risk to any business entering into a lease with the company.

The Community Council were clear that in order to raise an “official objection” they must be able to tie this to a material consideration in current LLTNP planning regulations or an infringement of key themes and or principles the Aberfoyle Community Life Plan. JK stressed that it was extremely important for the SCC to follow the guidelines to avoid being open to legal challenge by the Developer They acknowledged the validity of residents concerns around all of the operational issues but it was clear that these could not be addressed by the community council and that the agent would be invited to address these at the next meeting. Jeremy McDonald (JM, ex SC councillor) highlighted that the application parameters were likely being made as broadly as possible as it was a commercial opportunity intended to attract businesses and that this did not mean a leaseholder would operate within those timescales at an operational level. It was clarified that the condition of the building highlighted within its feasibility study, would be the responsibility of any business owners taking on a lease and outwith the role of the Community Council. The SCC were aware that some residents were in favour of the development and expressed the importance of taking all residents’ views into consideration. The importance of having the building in use rather than lying derelict was also a consideration which the SCC had to consider.

Approval has been given to the Bike Shelter/storage behind Aberfoyle Bike Hire.

2 Outstanding applications still showing – Campsite at Ledard (which Fergus Wood had indicated he intended to withdraw) and the Bellmouth entrance on Loch Ard road which the

Community Council had raised objection to due to safety concerns.

6. FLS CEG

Work has been progressing around access at the newly installed gates and JK hopes to hear confirmation that the required hardstanding allowances were all now in place at the next CEG.

So far, the CEG seems to be acting as a route for FLS to provide information of actions taken/intended, rather than as a true consultative process where time/opportunity to shape actions from a community perspective is facilitated. JM asked if it was worth engaging our MSP. JK confirmed this step would be taken in advance of abandoning the CEG process but

would keep trying for now.

7. Community Life Plans

NPA are now gathering the data from the Community Life Plans to help inform the Local Development Plan for Strathard.

At the recent KCLP workshop it was identified that the location of the Kinlochard play park gate was causing a hazard with several near misses involving children egressing into the path of oncoming traffic. JK informed the meeting she had been in touch with SC and had positive feedback from the Roads Dept regarding placement of double yellow lines. Post meeting note: SC Playparks dept have agreed to move gate to a more suitable point when they replace the perimeter fence. A Teams meeting with the Roads Dept was scheduled to discuss double yellow on both sides as it was believed this

would be necessary to mitigate the risk.

8. B829 Roads meeting

PM, TG, JK and Nick Lester-Davis (NLD) had a meeting with SC in order to progress a strategy around long term management of this road. The meeting did not produce the required result and SC were unable engage with the issues – partly due to lack of funds & also due to it being outwith their departments remit. There is a camera based survey – state of roads – being conducted by an external company and SCC should engage with this. SC officers were also unaware of the SC school holiday road management policy. SC officer will provide a list of bullet points raised at the meeting, JK will follow up asking

who to contact for each of these points.

9. NPA Board recruitment

NLD raised this and asked if there had been interest. NPA running virtual information sessions for potential board members on 12/5 & 26/5. Candidates should have 10 nominations from those registered with the NPA for voting.

10. Bins

Community Council will request the big commercial general waste bins be moved and permanently located beside the

glass banks. This is behind the coop in Aberfoyle’s Riverside car park.

11. Events

There will be an Aberfoyle Gala on 31/7/2022 from approx. 12-4pm. There appears to be a great deal of enthusiasm and energy for this event to take place, and also lots of ideas and willing volunteers.

There will be a Community Jubilee event on Sunday 5 ^th June at AMH with food, games, music and activities free of charge for all residents.

KVH are holding a variety of activities on 3,4 & 5 ^th June for the Jubilee.

12. Safe Routes to school

No meeting was held in April. Mays meeting was about funding which will be used to pay for the feasibility study for the back path (behind lochard road houses from Staball ard) including lighting & electricity supply issues. SCC have asked for pedestrian priority/safety signs be installed at the manse road bridge. NLD had raised the value of changing the road colour/surface as a stronger signal – KB will keep CC notified of any ongoing issues with traffic behaviour.

13. SCC digitisation

Clare Graham (CG) has been researching this and will demonstrate the choices available. Some functionality, such as survey options, will incur a fee per user. CC will need to approve any action taken.

SC – Crawford Bell – can be approached for funding support for the costs of facilitating hybrid meetings ongoing.

14. Treasurers

report

See Appendix 1

15. Police report

See Appendix 2

16. Broadway Broadband

Residents can now put their details in to the website in order to get an update of progress.

17.

Flooding/Resilience

There will be a public meeting on 24/5/2022 in Aberfoyle Memorial Hall to encourage engagement with flooding and the ongoing consultation with SC. This will also be to develop a focus group around emergency resilience for Strathard Communities.

Brian Roberts is the SC manager who sites above the flooding/resilience teams.

18. AOCB

Isobel Madden (NHS/FV rep on SCC) unable to attend. All covid restrictions have now ended. No further update or information provided.

CCN (ALP)

(4050.00)

Treasurer expenses

( 16.15)

Total monies out

(4136.79)

Monies in

0.00

Total monies in

0.00

General Fund closing Bank balance 28 March 2022

7375.67

Subsequent income/expenditure

Minute Secretary

( 40.00)

Total subsequent spend

( 40.00)

General Fund closing Balance 5 May 2022

7335.67

Less Commitments

Community Events Fund

1011.62

1011.62

Available Funds

6324.05