Minutes of meeting 1st August 2024

Present: Stuart Freckingham (Chair), Craig Potter (Vice Chair), Alison Limbert (Secretary), Fiona Shaw (Member), Stuart Duffy (Proposed Member), Sue Bell

(Treasurer), Alasdair Street (Member), Laura Shaw (Minutes) Euros Campbell (Visitor)

Apologies: Chelsea McKinnon (Proposed Member)

In Attendance: Cllr Gerry McGarvey

2) Adoption of Minutes of Previous Meeting

The Minutes from the meeting on 6th June 2024 were proposed by Fiona Shaw and seconded by Craig Potter.

Matters Arising
Declarations of Interest

5) Co-option to Balfron Community Council

It is the intention of Balfron Community Council to co-opt two new members at the next meeting on 5th September (Chelsea McKinnon and Stuart Duffy).

6) Projects

Active Places

A bollard that was installed at The Clachan has been damaged by a vehicle; it highlights a safety issue that drivers are mounting the pavement next to the pedestrian crossing. The Active Places team has been alerted to this. Cllr McGarvey suggested recording this through the Stirling Council online form. Repainting road markings and snagging issues are still to be completed.

The path has been completed at Donaldson Loan. Safety concerns were raised for children playing with balls that may roll onto the road. A safety barrier would help to prevent this; Cllr McGarvey suggested contacting the local community police officers to obtain reports of such incidents to use this as evidence to advocate Stirling Council to install a barrier.

War memorial No update.

Millennium benches

Craig and Alasdair are to conduct a maintenance survey on the benches to identify repair issues. Action: CP, AS

Phonebox

BCC have submitted a grant application for the Coop Local Causes funding. A decision will be made in early Autumn.

7) Police Report

Anti-Social behaviour

A female was reported to the Procurator Fiscal for acting in a threatening and abusive manner and being in possession of an offensive weapon whilst within the street.
Damage was caused to a local workplace whereby the Perspex panel was smashed. Extensive enquiry was carried.
A member of the public was a victim of an assault and threatening and abusive behaviour on Buchanan Street. No injuries sustained. Extensive enquiry was carried however no further evidence identified.
A local resident was a victim of abusive behaviour whilst within their home address. Extensive enquiry was carried however no further evidence identified.

Road Safety

A driver was reported to the Procurator Fiscal for driving his vehicle with no insurance or mot after being stopped by the police.
A driver while performing an overtake has damaged another vehicle, thereafter, failing to stop. The driver has now been reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
A driver has damaged a road sign on A875. Enquiries are still ongoing.
Police were on mobile patrol when they stopped a vehicle. Routine checks were carried out, the driver and passenger were thereafter reported to the Procurator Fiscal for several offences, including driving, drug, and offensive weapon offences.

Dishonesty

A local resident was a victim of a fraud after she was contacted by a person pertaining to be her friend asking for help, thereafter, requesting multiple gift cards, the resident sent over a three-figure sum at this time. Enquiries are still going.
A local resident was a victim of a fraud after purchasing a bike online however failing to receive the item. Enquires are still ongoing.
A recycling bin was stolen from the side of a property in Balfron.

Incidents of Note

Please keep in mind that there have been a number of attempted house breakings in other villages and remember to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

8) Elected Councillor's report

Cllr McGarvey updated the meeting. Stirling Council has been in recess since June but officials are operating as usual. Bin strikes within Stirling Council are to take place on 14th and 28th August.

9) Treasurer report

Sue updated the meeting. BCC is looking after the money for the Festiv-ALL Christmas lights initiative; £5963 has been raised by the group so far. BCC has received £175 interest on its bank account. Sue has received receipts from Balfron in Bloom and billing for insurance. The ringfenced phonebox funds held in the BCC bank account continues to pay for the weekly fruit and veg phonebox delivery.

10) Planning report

Three applications have been received in the last month. All involved extensions to dwellinghouses (Spoker's Loan, Endrick Gardens and Hillhead Brae). BCC has no comments to express on these applications.

More details can be found on the Stirling Council website:

11) Chair’s report

Stuart updated the meeting. He has received a message from a resident concerning the pavement parking ban; as cars must park on the road, it is more difficult to see along Cotton Street from the side streets. Cllr McGarvey noted that there can be exemptions issued by the council. Residents can submit requests via https://www.stirling.gov.uk/roads-transport-and-parking/parking-and-permits/pavement-p arking-prohibitions/consideration-for-exemption-order/

Stuart has been alerted to the issue that an elder and sycamore tree are growing within the Clachan Oak. This has been reported to the council, however they have said they do not have responsibility for the tree. Craig is going to investigate ownership of the

land. Action: CP

The Scout Association board is currently looking for external trustees to sit on their board. Contact chair@balfroncc.org.uk for more information or to express interest.

12) Playpark

There had been delays to replace the damaged basket swing, however it has now arrived and been installed. BCC ran a consultation for ideas on enhancements to the park. Responses have been collected and Alison will write a report to summarise the responses next month. It was suggested that these ideas might be taken forward by a community initiative.

13) School crossing

Work is currently ongoing to install two zebra crossings at the Balfron school campus. These will ultimately replace the school crossing staff, however there will be a crossover with both staff and the new zebra crossings at the start of the new school year. We would encourage drivers to avoid the area during peak school times to increase pedestrian safety. School newsletters have been issued that advise drivers to drop children off at the Donaldson Park carpark or at the Co-op carpark.

14) Local Place Plan

Craig updated the meeting. BCC received the £6k grant and official permission to start undertaking a public consultation to inform the Local Place Place. However, the initial consultant that was commission to undertake the work can no longer do so; another consultation may be able to begin the work in September. The planned launch event of the community consultation has been postponed from 23rd August and will be rescheduled. The Local Place Plan is due to be complete by April 2025. Information on the Local Place Plan will be added to the Balfron Community Council website.

15) AOB

There has been a fraud awareness event at the bowling club in June and another event is scheduled to take place in Killearn on 12th August.

BCC needs to choose Christmas tree lights for the Tontine Christmas tree in the village.

Stuart will contact the Festiv-ALL group to coordinate the lighting scheme. Action: SF A resident raised the issue of road repairs to an unnamed lane; there is confusion over who owns the lane as Stirling Council suggested it is owned by an unknown housing association. Cllr McGarvey will take this issue forward. Action: Cllr GM 16) Next meeting 5th September 2024 at 7:30pm in Balfron High School.

August 2024 Minutes