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Cambuskenneth Community Council
Meeting held on Monday 23 October 2023 at 7.30pm in the Village Hall
Present: Tessa Carroll (Vice Chair), Elaine Turner (Secretary), Barbara McElhinney (Treasurer), Archie McIver, Graham Barrett
In attendance: Councillor Rachel Nunn, 1 resident (co-opted onto CC at this meeting), Marco Farnocchi (Stirling Council - Sustainable Transport Project Officer), Tom Horner (Stirling Council - Team Leader for Sustainable Transport Development, Climate Change & Sustainability), Ashleigh Phillip (Riverside CC)
Apologies: None
The meeting was chaired by Archie McIver. Minutes were taken by Tessa Carroll.
Adoption of minutes from meeting held on 25 September 2023:
Proposed: Elaine
Seconded: Graham
Presentation on plans for cycle route avoiding Manor Powis roundabout and discussion
Much of the meeting was given over to this item. Marco Farnocchi and Tom Horner gave a short presentation on plans for the long-overdue cycle route to Manor Powis and active travel routes throughout the city as a whole and beyond, and gave responses to the questions submitted in advance by the CC. More questions and discussion followed. Key points:
• Link to Manor Powis is part of the wider overall plans and strategy for active travel, which include walking and wheeling, not just cycling.
• Stirling Council is working on major urban and rural connections to defined points and on neighbourhood to local destinations and transport hubs.
• Different funding sources have been identified for different sections of the plans, e.g. levelling-up funding, and their deadlines affect timing and prioritising of the various sections.
• The Manor Powis link project has stalled previously because the planned alignment was difficult in engineering terms, and because of changes in Sustrans requirements for route.
• 3 possible routes: 1) widening footpath along Alloa Rd 2) north of railway line, joining Alloa Rd 3) south of railway line, joining Broom Farm road.
• Timescale will be affected by option chosen. 3) would link with planned A91 active travel route so would be quickest and simplest.
• Possible timescale: design planning winter 2023/24; public consultation spring 2024; technical design summer 2024; review of design winter 2024/25; construction starts spring/summer 2026; completion winter 2026.
• TH has had a positive meeting with a member of the property section of Network Rail and is committed to working with NR.
• TH and MF intend to build on and update the work that’s been done already on this project.
• They aim to get approval of the overall strategy, including the Manor Powis link, from SC in March 2024, and to put in place a clear strategy and action plan for 5 years to ensure continuity.
• Lack of SC personnel could cause delays, especially if multiple projects are running at same time.
• TH and MF will provide regular updates to CCs and there will be a public consultation event as part of active travel consultation.
Other issues raised:
• Possibility of speed cameras on Alloa Rd, given that construction of safe cycling/walking/wheeling route may still be 3 years away? Cllr Nunn noted that Police Scotland is less keen to use speed cameras than are police forces in England and that resources are stretched; however, other communities have had successful petitions for measures to encourage drivers to stick to
speed limits.
• Poor state of cycle lanes and pavements - Cllr Nunn reported that SC gets capital finance for routes but little for maintenance. SC has just passed a cycle lane ABC priority maintenance plan as for roads and is pushing Transport Scotland to get funding for maintenance of cycling infrastructure.
• Tailbacks on Causewayhead Rd because buses now stop on the road instead of in laybys. TH said this change had speeded up bus journey times and the practice will become more common.
Matters arising
Welcome leaflet: Discussion held over to next meeting.
Hall and Park Funds: Stirling Council had confirmed that permission to install the new noticeboard would be needed from Cowane’s Trust. They have given permission, with the requirement to send them a photo of the noticeboard once installed, for their records. Elaine will ask a resident with relevant expertise to install it. Discussion of picnic table/bench for hall garden held over to a future meeting.
Traffic: Parking on North St and speeding in village: Elaine will invite our community police officers to attend a future meeting to discuss these issues. Cllr Nunn noted that other communities have had successful petitions for measures, e.g. street furniture, speed humps, rumble strips, to encourage
drivers to stick to speed limits.
Access: Core path management: SC’s access officer has confirmed that it is currently not legal for members of the public to cut back vegetation on core paths and that any concerns or issues relating to the condition of core paths should be reported to her and she can then approach the landowner.
Tom Horner confirmed this and said he had some funding available for improving access, which might be a way to help with the issues of access to the abbey raised at our July meeting. Elaine will mail the access officer again to take this forward.
Park - wild flower strip / grass cutting / swings / dogs: Further discussion held over until Cllr Nunn has a response from council officers to the queries she raised on our behalf after the last meeting.
Pergola: It was agreed that the safety of the pergola and bench was crucial and they will have to be removed if judged unsafe. Elaine will ask a resident with relevant expertise to assess them and see whether this is the case or if a temporary repair is possible while plans for an alternative setup in the
area, e.g. raised beds and benches, are developed.
Orchards: Another maintenance session in Tower Orchard was held in mid-October.
SUBGROUP REPORTS
Cambuskenneth Nature and Environment Group (CNEG) Report: Full update from Helen Barrett, CNEG Chair, at the next meeting.
Social Group Report: Plans for the Quiz Night on Friday 27 October are going well. No events planned for Christmas, but possibly a musical evening around Burns Night.
Sustrans Art: no update
Resilience Group: Graham had had a positive meeting with a member of SC’s resilience team. Full report held over to next meeting.
There will be a defibrillator training session in the hall at 7.30pm on Thursday 9 November; places are limited so please contact Elaine Turner on 07876 374860 to reserve a place.
Membership and Office bearers of Community Council:
Members voted unanimously to co-opt Maggie Ruddy and welcomed her to the CC.
Tessa had emailed the other CC members to give notice that she will resign as Vice Chair and CC member at the end of December after 10 years on the CC. The CC confirmed her resignation and thanked her. Discussion of how to fill the vacancy held over to the next meeting.
Election of new Chair and Vice Chair deferred to beginning of next meeting.
Treasurer’s Report: The BBQ made a profit of £292.14 and admin and minute taker grants from SC have been received. The accounts have a healthy balance.
Report from Councillor: Cllr Nunn said that there will have to be enormous cuts in the next annual budget.
Police Report: No reports at present.
Date of next meeting: 7.30pm, Monday 27 November 2023 in the village hall
Stirling Council: 01786 404040, Police non-emergency 101, NHS 24 111
Scottish Power emergency: 105, Scottish Gas emergency: 0800 111999
Reminder: Minutes are available via the CC website and Facebook page. If you would like them emailed privately or paper copies, please let us know via email at cambuskennethcc@gmail.com or by contacting any CC member.