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Buchlyvie Community Council
Minute of a Meeting
5/12/23
Buchlyvie Village Hall
1. Present: Jessica Langford (Chair) Margaret Bennie (Vice Chair) Jim Hillock (Planning) Eilidh Weir, Alison Motion (minutes)
Apologies: Emily McLennan (Treasurer) Jo Edwards (Secretary)
In Attendance
Councillor Paul Henke, Joanne Boyne (ArtLink)
Residents: 14 residents attended the meeting
2. Recording of Declarations of Interest: None
3. Adoption of Previous Minutes: Robert Sim, Tricia Cumming
4. Matters Arising from minutes and update on actions from previous minutes
● Traffic speed data:
Stirling Council confirmed this can go ahead as follows:
Community Council to provide three locations for the survey.
- Stirling Council will make the necessary arrangements.
- Survey equipment should not be too close to village entry and exit point as they are not recommended as the speeds recorded at these locations are not representative of the speeds in the village itself.
The Chair asked for a vote on the Council recommendations which was passed after discussion
Action: the following places were agreed by the Community Council for the survey:
- In the vicinity of Harperstane and Howe Cottages to the west of the village
- In the vicinity of the Old Spitalton and the war memorial(near the east bus stop)
- In the vicinity of the Coffee Kiln.
Secretary to progress this with Stirling Council.
Other notes on traffic management:
- Buchlyvie is one of the villages that is still to have a 20-mph speed limit implemented.
- This is likely to be in the Programme for next financial year.
- This will include the provision of new road markings and VAS.
- No traffic calming measures will be considered prior to this taking place.
- Jim Hillock commented that all villages in Stirlingshire are to have 20mph limits by the end of 2024-25 financial year.
- Response to TACTRAN
Response to consultation was made as follows:
In response to the above consultation, and having worked with residents to review the consultation, we feel that the issues of rural transportation are not being addressed in a meaningful way. DRT does not provide a viable transport option, and the consultation does not present any reasonable alternatives or any new ways of addressing the challenges.
Whilst we support the strategic objectives, there is little to provide us with confidence that this will lead to any changes for travel and transport within our Village.
- Pavement between the war memorial and layby is overgrown.
Response: The Area Inspector has looked at this and the footway at this location is fine, however there is an extension to the footway which needs a bit of attention and Stirling Council will arrange to have this repaired.
Follow up - Pavement repaired and hedge cut.
Other correspondence
A follow-up enquiry was made to ask for the drains at the top of Mye Road to be cleared. Response: Both the drains indicated by the CC were cleaned on the 23 October.
Other drains were known to be blocked in the area.
Cllr Paul Henke asked that any that were an issue should be reported to him so that he could pass it on to Stirling Council, preferably with a photo of the blocked drain.
Strathard Community Council has arranged for other community councils in the area to discuss a response to the Council’s Big Conversation re budget cuts. This took place on 27 November. Jessica Langford (Chair) and Margaret Bennie (vice-chair) attended by video link.
5. Community Council Updates
Chair:
Funding calls:
The Community Council Fund. Further funding initiatives by the National Centre for Resilience aims to support Scottish Community Councils by providing funding to develop local resilience plans that address potential natural hazards such as heavy snow, landslides, high winds, and
other disruptive events
- Open to: Scottish Community Councils
- Grant Amount: £500
- Application Deadline: 31st January 2024.
Ideas for fund were invited from the meeting. Ideas included: school lane flooding, and appropriate drainage; if the village is without power, can we use the hall to support the community. Question as to whether this fund was to pay for the consultation for a plan to address community concerns in the event of natural events. It would appear that this fund is meant for.
Cllr Paul Henke brought to our attention the Clachmannanshire and Stirling Environmental Trust Clackmannanshire & Stirling Environmental Trust (clacks.gov.uk) which is a landfill community credit trust that may be able to fund some of our ideas. He is bringing the Trust to our attention
for future possibilities, as a number of things that we are discussing may fall under their objectives. Action : Committee will look at this fund and respond.
The Third Sector, Community and Practice Fund new for financial year 24/25.
- Open to: Community Groups, Practitioners and Third Sector Organisations from across Scotland.
- Grant Amount: Up to £15,000.
- Application Deadline: 31st January 2024.
- Theme: Building Resilience to Natural Hazards through Local Community and Place-Based Approaches.
Intro: This funding call seeks to support 12-month projects that prioritise the adoption and implementation of local community and place-based approaches to build resilience. Projects should demonstrate a deep understanding of local issues, interconnections, and relationships within their specific setting while focusing on coordinating action and investment to improve the
quality of life for their community. Additionally, projects should serve as frameworks for knowledge sharing and collaboration with other communities across Scotland facing similar challenges.
Jim Hillock raised the idea of an air source heating system for the hall to improve efficiency.
Action : Jessica will research this, though the Village Hall committee would be the group to lead on this. Agreed that this would be the correct group by Sandra McNee (Hall committee)
Treasurer’s report December 2023 - Emily McLennan (in absentia).
Bank account:
Income: £400 for bank compensation.
Cheques written: £20 Hall Hire
£40 Minute taker
Total £60
Current balance 21/11/23: £2850.64
CLLD Fund:
We have been awarded £3269.60 for a pilot Youth Cafe project 10 sessions until March 2025.
These funds include staff and set up costs and money for two local trips out. I feel as adults it is very important to provide safe and positive spaces for young people to congregate. This is especially important in rural locations where access to shops, cinemas and other indoor social spaces are in short supply. The fund pays out approximately one month after we provide
invoice evidence of spend. We therefore need to have a certain amount of funds in our account to maintain cash flow during this project.
I suggest that:
£2000 be used to administer the CLLD fund (this will be paid back by CLLD)
£500 be made available for community repairs/small projects eg bench repairs
£350 for running costs e.g. Hall hire and minute taker.
Action: The meeting agreed that the Treasurer should proceed with administering the fund as detailed above.
Other funds:
Often funding is made available at short notice with tight deadlines and there may not be enough time to wait for a council meeting. It seems to me that any funding for the good of the village is worth applying for. Can we agree that funding can be applied for without a vote at a meeting so that the village does not miss out? For example, could the community council vote by email when it is not possible to discuss at a meeting?
Follow up at meeting:
● Agreed that funds could be applied for short notice funds without a full committee meeting. To ensure community involvement any short notice funds would be notified to the community via Buchyvie Banter Facebook page, and on the Community Council website HOME | Buchlyvie CC The community council are approved to vote to apply for short notice funds via email. Other longer term funds would be brought to committee and the short notice fund actions will also be noted there.
There is FEL Seed Funding for community climate engagement I feel this would be worth applying for and has a very easy application process. Please vote on whether to go ahead with an application. This is funding to engage Buchlyvie in place planning/climate conversations.
This will provide evidence of what the community needs and wants in order to apply for future funding: eg Energy project, Retro fit homes, transport.
Follow up at meeting: application approved to go ahead.
Planning - there were no new planning applications.
Stirling Council have requested our meeting dates for 2024; currently underway. These will be posted on Buchlyvie Banter and on the Community Council website.
Stirling Council shared slides from the recent induction session for community councillors.
Saved in the shared Dropbox folder.
6. Discussion points:
CLLD funding application (Jessica) - We have been granted £3269.00 to set up a youth club in the village hall once a week until March 2024. It will employ a professional youth worker, pay for their travel, and will require 2 volunteers to help run it.
Margaret Sparkes asked how this would be put in place. The advert is being drafted and will go out on Buchlyvie Banter, the CC website and possibly Gumtree. Joanne from ArtLink said she would post our link. Membership of Youth Scotland will assist us with PVGs/training/insurance etc. The group is for 12-17 years old. Eilidh Weir asked if a general call for volunteers could be
made, and not limit it to parents. Answer: yes.
Village Place Plan: (Margaret) - This will encapsulate what we see the village looking like in 10 years time, and for that we need to gather opinions from the village. The group must have a proper constitution and asked for volunteers to take this forward, appealing for a breadth of people to take part. Maia Stables and Cameron Floyd, and Eilidh Weir volunteered to be part of
this group.
Proposed cuts to X10 bus service (Val Brand)
Val Brand has contacted other community councils in the area about the proposed cuts to X10 as follows:
“Dear All,
We now have details of the specific bus cuts alluded to in the councils budget survey see below. All of these options will have a huge impact on the ability of residents to travel across the area.
The cuts in option C are all crucial, busy, previously fought for buses which FirstBus cut.
It was established there were sufficient numbers of residents using these buses and there was a genuine need which is why they were re-instated under council subsidy …that situation has not changed.
The X10 Balfron -Stirling Sunday service was introduced as a pilot after a lengthy campaign and has been a great success particularly for youngsters enabling them to move around between villages and go to Stirling independently.
Option B is a combination of option C plus the removal of almost all X10 Stirling-Glasgow evening services.
We are asking that community councils along the X10 route to join forces and collectively help residents oppose these proposals.
Residents are also furious at the format of this survey.
On behalf of bus users we have put in a separate complaint re the lack of specific details in the bus question. Would how these surveys are presented to residents in future be something that community councils could also comment on?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
Val Brand
Passenger representative”
● Option C
10 - Balfron -Stirling whole Sunday Service would be cut.
Specific Journeys:
Mon - Friday
X10 Balfron-Stirling 09.32
X10 Stirling -Balfron 16.00
X10 Balfron -Stirling 16.42
Saturday
X10 Balfron-Stirling 08.04
These journeys will also affect Strathblane and Killearn residents travelling to
Stirling and villages east of Balfron including hospital appointments. The top
three in Option C are crucial buses subsidised because it was shown usage was high and there was a community need.
● Option B
All of option C above plus
Mon-Sat
X10 Balfron -Glasgow 17.47
X10 Balfron -Glasgow 18.57
X10 Stirling -Balfron 19.05 Mon-Thursday
X10 Stirling -Balfron 20.40
X10 Stirling -Balfron 23.00
Mon- Saturday
X10 Balfron- Stirling 19.29
X10 Glasgow - Balfron 19.10
X10 Glasgow -Stirling 20.35 Mon-Thursday
X10 Balfron - Stirling 21.47
X10 Glasgow - Balfron 21.40
X10 Glasgow - Balfron 22.40
In summary option B which includes C removes virtually all evening buses between Stirling and Glasgow.
● Option A
All the buses in both B & C - plus C30 will be cut.
There was general dismay at the way that Stirling Council had framed the cuts, with there being no “no cuts” option. The meeting decided to encourage all local people to send a letter or email to their local councillors, objecting to the cuts proposed to the bus service in their entirety.
Cllr Paul Henke noted that he was absolutely opposed to these cuts to the bus service. He also noted that no decision had, as yet, been made.
Actions: Eilidh Weir will attempt to draft a template letter to assist.
A list of Councillors emails should be attached to the request/ or a link to the
website where they can be found Councillors | Stirling Council
Village Hall energy efficiency (Jessica)
A meeting had been held with the Village Hall committee. Current heating is too expensive and alternatives need to be looked at. First we need an EPC certificate. That then allows us to seek funding via energy efficient funding routes.
Burngreen tub and gravel area (Margaret B)
The planters require maintenance, and the area needs general maintenance. Possibility of this being funded by the FEL grant. (This is the one that Rev Scott Brown used during COVID to set up the area).
Action: Margaret Bennie - Contact those that have tubs, asking if they wish to continue to maintain them. Then ask if anyone else wishes to take over those that are no longer being looked after.
Nancy Ward asked whether the area at the Hall could also be attended to. Was there an action here?
Mye Road maintenance and repair (Margaret B)
Road leading down to Mye Farm is in very poor repair due to recent flooding (by Arivain). It is the disabled access to the church. Currently it is an unadopted road.
Cllr. Paul Henke asked that the committee send him details and he will do his best to get this addressed. Action: Margaret Bennie
Decisions on how to best use BCC funds to support the village (Jim)
Jim asked how we could address the issue of the 4 memorial benches in the village. One of which is in poor repair (on Culbowie Road). He also asked for consideration of how we ensure funds are available for future repairs and maintenance in the village for items that are not Stirling Council’s responsibility.
After some discussion it was agreed that one of the Burn Green benches could be re-purposed to replace the dilapidated one on Culbowie Rd. This would mean re-siting one of the current benches to the hill. The cost to do this could be covered by BCC funds for maintenance for small projects.
Upkeep of playpark (Jessica)
Duncan Swindle of BCA informed the committee via Jessica that BCA is not yet wound up but is in the process of doing so. The BCA lease on the playpark expires 4/12/24. The BCA have already transferred remaining funds to the Village Hall. There is NO obligation for the council to maintain it.
Repair of the steps and installation hand rail at the Village Hall leading to the park:Joanne Boyle (ArtLink) has worked hard on this project and it has taken a considerable time to reach agreement. Stirling Council has finally agreed to split the cost between 2 departments. The handrail will be galvanised steel with a double handrail. Steps will also be replaced.
JIm Hillock asked if the installation timing could avoid the Buchlyvie 10k weekend if possible.
Everyone at the meeting is pleased with this outcome, and thanked Joanne for her perseverance with this.
7. Elected member report. Cllr Henke had nothing additional to add over what had already been commented upon.
8. AOB
Attended the Big Conversation re Stirling Council cuts. Margaret and Jessica attended the meeting with several local Community Councils,, discussing the effects of local cuts in the region. Plan for all local community councils to work together and campaign against the cuts.
Environment Link grant - see above under Treasurers report.
Tricia Cumming noted that Upper Ballaird Co-op may also apply. There was a suggestion that we could combine with Upper Ballaird to arrange an event at the village hall.
There is no limit to how many community organisations can apply.
Trisha suggested a meeting early next year to advance this. Funds must be used by March 2024.
Christmas frieze at hall - This year it was put up by the pensioners. This is hard work and next year it will need to fall to another group to do it.
Bus stop by shop - Council is responsible to ensure that no parking is in the stop next to the shop. Comment that the police non parking signs helped stop people parking there.
Action; notify Stirling Council.