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STRATHBLANE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
Meeting Monday 12th June 2023 in the Village Club
final
Members Present: - Julie Hutchison; Kate Ramsden; Grace Edmonds; John
Gray; Andrew Thompson; Pamela Lee; Graeme Kemsley
In attendance: Councillor Paul Henke, SC; Councillor Rosemary Fraser,
SC; M Vass, SCDT; + 1 resident
Apologies: There were no apologies
(SC = Stirling Council. CC = Community Council. CDT= Community Development Trust * Denotes an action)
1. Welcome from the Chair and declarations of Interest
JH welcomed everybody to the first meeting of the new CC. She talked about
Evelyn and her work for the CC as Treasurer and in helping to co-ordinate
and deliver the BVB. We will miss her, and our thoughts are with Moray and
her daughters.
There were no declarations of interest.
2. Appointment of Portfolio Holders.
Village Club – Grace Edmonds
SCDT - Julie Hutchison and Andrew Thompson
Mugdock Management Committee – Julie Hutchison
Roads - Rob Davies
Planning Deputy - Graeme Kemsley
3. Proposal to co-opt new members
Ian Boardley and Eleanor Balfour failed to submit their nominations on time
for the election process but would both like to continue on the CC. We intend
to co-opt them at the September meeting.
4. Police report
Anti-social behaviour
There were reports of young people congregating in the garden of a local resident and making a nuisance of themselves, having previously caused damage.
Please continue to report instances of anti-social behaviour.
There was a report of a person with firearms in a wooded area near to Station
Road. Officers attended but there was no trace of the suspect person. Please
report any suspicious activity, particularly where firearms are involved.
Additional reports of persons allowing dogs to chase rabbits/hares in afield.
No persons were traced when police attended.
Despite the presence of the new fence around the quarry at Mugdock persons
have still been reported on the wrong side of the fence and jumping into the
quarry. It appears that they are able to burrow under the fence and the ground will take some time to settle around the boundary. The quarry remains very dangerous and there have been fatalities there in the past. The access gate has also been damaged.
Road safety
Reports of a vehicle failing to stop after colliding with a parked vehicle at Eden
Mill.
Minor RTC on Stockiemuir Road where one driver failed to stop.
A motorist has been charged with Careless Driving after driving at speed towards the traffic calming measures on Glasgow Road, overtaking waiting vehicles and failing to give way to an oncoming vehicle that had to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
5. Future meeting venue
We have been exchanging emails with SC about this for months. They have
suggested two possible venues. One is the library, but the bookshelves are
very heavy to move and there are no tables or chairs. The other is the school,
which SC claim is free. It is not actually free as the council will need to provide
heating etc and janitorial services. There is no reliable Wi-Fi in the school so
we would be unable to hold hybrid meetings. SC has suggested that we purchase portable Wi-Fi via a Community pride Grant, but this will also add to the cost for the council.
MV read out the scheme of operation which included the provision of accommodation.
It states that if a let requires a caretaker, then it is not free.
RF will look into the situation on our behalf.
6. Elected members’ surgeries.
SC books the VC for surgeries. PH and RF said that they plan to attend these.
GMcG has indicated that he does not intend to do so. JH asked for a rota of
who will attend at each meeting and RF will send this for the September meeting.
7. Elected Member’s Report
PH met with Richard Baines from the Paths Group to walk along the path to
the distillery. Some areas need work. Scottish water is doing most of it and
the paths group hope to do the rest so that the path will join the WHW.
8. Change of Bank Account
We currently have two bank accounts with RBS and propose to amalgamate
these and to move to digital banking.
KR has kindly completed the accounts for this year and will get them examined.
Once the admin grant application has been paid, we hope to move to the BOS
or an on-line bank. GK said that we will need to check what SC requires in
terms of signatories. We will discuss this further at the next meeting.
9. Planning and Licensing
Local Place Plans Training session Tuesday 27 June 4.30pm-5.30pm via
MS Teams
- Several members of the CC are available to attend this meeting so intend
to meet together in the library to take part. - RF said that Dunblane are doing their place plan and that we should be
able to access their questionnaire via their Facebook page. - New assessment criteria/procedures from June 2023 (Michael
Mulgrew/Lesley Hay email 1/6/202 The planning service will be introducing
changes to how we handle Non-Material Variations, Discharging
of Conditions, Retrospective Applications and Preapplication requests
from Monday 12th June. - We will also be making changes to how representations and requests
for hearings are handled, and changes to consultation procedures for
Community Councils. - To explain more detail about these changes we have prepared a newsletter which can be found on our planning toolkit page at
https://www.stirling.gov.uk/planning-and-building/planning/planningtoolbox-
and-guidance/ - Further detailed customer guides will be published from Monday 12th
June. - If you have any questions regarding the above changes please email
planning@stirling.gov.uk - Planning group & CC members to study these changes asap. They
give a very short time to respond, meaning that there may not be a CC
meeting before responses have to be submitted. AT said that the
changes appear to put an unfair workload on the Planning reps who
are volunteers. Commenting on Planning issues is one of the main
functions of the CC. - JG requesting planning schedules sent to CC planning@ email address
New Planning Applications
- Installation of Air Source Heat Pump on the ground beside external
wall of house. Townhead Of Auchengillan Blanefield G63 9AU Ref. No:
23/00306/FUL
We do not intend to comment on this. - Demolition of existing rear conservatory and construction of single storey
extension to rear of dwellinghouse 36 Kirkhouse Road Blanefield
G63 9BX Ref. No: 23/00273/FUL
We do not intend to comment on this. - Erection of new dwellinghouse, formation of new access and installation
of 24 solar photovoltaic panels Land Adjacent And North West Of
Troughstone Cottage Strathblane
Ref. No: 23/00261/FUL
o Previous approval based on brownfield status: - Erection of two storey timber clad dwelling house Ref. No:
18/00161/FUL | Status: Application Refused - Erection of dwelling house Ref. No:
19/00316/FUL | Status: Approved with Conditions
4 - Erection of new dwelling house Ref. No:
20/00831/FUL | Status: Application Withdrawn - Erection of new dwelling house Ref. No:
21/00238/FUL | Status: Application Withdrawn
o It was agreed that SCC planning group will review the new application
against previous approval to check for material changes.
(A house on the site has previously been permitted based on
“brownfield” status)
o - Erection of single dwellinghouse, driveway, parking, landscaping and
associated works Land South East Of The Mill House Milndavie Road
Strathblane
Ref. No: 23/00236/FUL - Many neighbour objections.
- JG recalls previous SCC objections based on downstream flood
risk. Only one house this time but flood risk assessment needs
to be evaluated by Stirling experts. JG notes wrong 'catchment'
used for climate change uplift. - It was agreed that SCC will oppose development on this site unless
and until we see the Flood officers and a SEPA report addressing
risk of flooding, especially downstream in the village.
SCC had previously raised an enforcement case about compliance issues
with the site at the Devil’s Elbow. Permission requires streetlights and an improved pavement, and extensive planting around the site. It is noted that this work is now being undertaken.
SCC had also raised compliance issues with the Campsite on Cuilt Brae. JH will forward a letter of complaint that she has received from a resident.a
10. AOCB
GE will circulate meeting dates to CC members.
RD said that the Edmonstone Hall is looking at the possibility of installing
electric charging points. The VC and library are also looking into this.
GK asked is the traffic calming at the VC is still needed along with the 20mph
limit. JH said that SC has no plans to remove it. They have now replaced the
warning sign. JG said that it is difficult to cross the road when the road is
busy.
A resident notified JH that there was gridlock on Old Mugdock road due to the
volume of traffic. A delivery lorry moved on of the planters. The resident has
notified Angela McGibbon at SC.
MV raised the issue of Greens shop. Residents are boycotting the shop due
to high prices and poor choice. MV is concerned that the Post office might
disappear if the shop is not busy. She suggested that we should invite a representative from Greens to our September meeting to discuss their business vision. GE and JH will contact Greens.
JH and GE attended a meeting about re-introducing the local forums. There
is another meeting this week.
A resident has complained about the lack of notice from Scottish Water regarding the closure of Cuilt Road.
11. Date of next meeting
September 4th, 2023
Copy date for the BVB – June 23rd, 2023
Contact us at contact@strathblanecc.org.uk Also on our website
www.strathblanecc.org.uk. Telephone numbers for Community Councillors
are on the notice boards, in the library and in the Blane Valley Bulle