June 2022 Minutes

APPROVED minutes Carron Valley & District Community Council Wed 1 June 2022 meeting at 7.30pm, via ZOOM

In attendance

Peter Hayward, chair, PH Sara Smith, councillor, SS Margaret Porter, councillor, MP Nicolas Sinclair, Treasurer NS Sara Smith councillor, SS David Petch, councillor, DP

Iain Macfarlane, resident, IM Robert Ferguson, VRG Treasurer, RF Jen Preston, elected rep, JP Helen Bang, minute clerk, HB

1 Introductions and welcome

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, especially new councillor Jen Preston.

1.2 Apologies – Police - Pam King, Morag Holdsworth

1.3 Declarations of interest for items on agenda - None

1.4 Items raised by members of the public for inclusion in agenda – AOB, development on C10 raised by IM

1.5 Sympathies were expressed for Morag Holdsworth's recent bereavement, ACTION DB

to send flowers on behalf of the CC.

3 Community Police report, Attached as Appendix I

3.1 PC Pam King can’t be present but will take note of comments.

Nine calls to the valley relating to road traffic matters, vulnerable residents, two crimes were reported, failure to stop after collision, dangerous dog out of control causing injury to a person.

SS - suspected drink driving incident.

3.2 IM organising Open Day 27 August this year - police came last Open Day, could CC a ask if they could attend this year? Also raise with them issue of security in rural areas. There have been a number of robberies at farms in the area. Information on tackling this would be useful.

DB has already asked PK to put date in diary, she has also asked her bosses to allocate her this date. IM thanked DB for this.

4 Minutes of previous meeting on 4 May 2022

4.1 These were approved with the following amendments: item 2.1 third paragraph 62K 108K required. Item 10.4 VRG Memorandum - only Articles of Association.

Proposed DP Seconded PH. ACTION HB to DB for Stirling Council

5 Matters arising

5.1 ACTIONS (from Feb 22)

4.3 Planning and Enforcement site visits / Roads DB see Roads

4.5 School bus DP no news

12.2 C10 water issues DB ongoing

5.2 ACTIONS from 6 April

Motorway news from BEAR to HB PH ongoing

Dropbox link for previous minutes for VRG website

HB still in process of uploading historic CC minutes to website.

VRG minutes - check articles NS

Articles of Association

Directors should ensure minutes of all meetings... any person may request a copy of the meeting provided and copy should be provided within 28 days of request

Where a request of minutes made, information may be retained provided the person requesting minutes is informed of reason for this.

Does CC want VRG minutes? Concern was raised that these would be attached to CC minutes and available to public via Stirling Council.

DB something to discuss at joint meeting to be held on 20 June. ACTION DB

6 Chair’s report [PH]

The Chair thanked the members of CC for their work over another term. Thanks to VRG for the management of the windfarm funds - thanks to HB for grants schemes admin etc.

CC has been reduced in its effectiveness - frustrated by lack of elected Councillor attendance. Other than Stephen Bly CC enquiries there is no contact and we are missing the personal touch.

Lack of action from Roads - we have visited, contacted repeatedly, mentioned to JP that there appears to be no one in charge.

JP had meeting with head of service last week - have now filled the post, not sure if they have started yet.

PH we have been asking for certain things over many, many months.

Look forward to new uses of community money that will arise from the VRG Strategy which is now underway. Hope CC can have some input into that.

7 Secretary’s report

7.1 Earlsburn information has been circulated. Appendix II Meetings to be held in Gargannock and Cambusbarron on 15 June. Proposal is large so it is to go to Scottish Minister to decide.

PH has map showing proposed location.

DP every community will be after benefit on this one.

JP has been sent same information - will be attending session 15 June to find out more.

PH new two turbines of 185 metres - most existing ones are 125 metres. Shelloch two of them are going to be 185 metres. These are going to be 180 metres. They will be visible for miles.

DP five times the power, four or five times the noise.

SS should be investigating other benefits, should be campaign for reduction of electricity bill in the area.

PH - reference to it being decided by Scottish Government is insult to local communities.

DP has campaigned against windfarms but that is over, need to get what benefit we can.

MP waste of effort to try to resist this. Put effort into ensuring community isn't inconvenienced by construction, making good damage, improving road, better laybys and passing places also inconvenience to nearby residents, one lives near the reservoir

- this should be acknowledged by Falck and recompense provided.

Also fair share of community benefit - someone from VRG and rep from CC should attend these meetings to argue best possible case.

IM question assumption that developer can circumvent planning process. Council will have authority to take a view, community has a role to play and that the Council is the initial arbiter of development. Dangerous to imply developers can just contact Ministers

- procedurally Stirling Council has fundamental role.

PH not saying it was going to be short-circuited - procedure will be followed but at the end of the day any objection will probably be futile as it is going to go ahead.

DP - legislation is such they can go to Scottish Government direct if the development is large enough. Can still have opportunity to comment. Local Authorities never given power over the larger developments. In this area they have always been under the margin.

MP good relationship with Falck, coming on too strong about objections with regard to new proposal other than things due to the practicalities might be a problem.

DB improvement on Roads network - precedent with Forestry Transport Policy - have to pay amount that goes to upkeep of roads on which they are extracting timber. Number of C grade roads in Highlands because they are updated and maintained by the Forestry companies

In the past have tried to get fibre Broadband up the road network - could be an opportunity to get fibre to the houses. 2 miles out of Stirling and don't have Broadband connection to properties.

PH this is going to go ahead, we can't stop it but should get as much benefit as possible for the community.

JP - on planning panel so has to choose words carefully. Community benefit sounds very sensible, please keep in the loop on this, will be at drop-in on 15 June.

DP have to ensure developers are aware that what we're supporting is a 21st Century development for Scotland. Some properties in area date from 17th Century and have responsibility to bring them into the 21st Century.

SS community benefit should not be lump sum of money to ponder over but be in, for example, fuel reductions or in Broadband provision.

DP Muirpark. Still talking to agents - should we start talking to them now? Potential friendly developer based on past experience, were knocked back before.

DB should we ask for meeting with Falck following consultations? 11am - 3pm 15 June Gargunnock community centre, Cambusbarron later the same day 4pm - 8pm.

Falck indicated on last expansion they wanted credit for spreading benefit to go wider than immediate area - reason for division of recent money.

IM as it's in this area, why have they not considered meeting for our area? There isn't a venue but a library could have been used.

CC needs to be careful that it is a voice for the community - only way to find out what community feels is to hold meetings which community can attend. Should do this before formulating strategy.

DP should write to residents asking for opinions. PH this is early days -

MP can we put something on Carron Valley Connections - it is on Facebook.

ACTION HB to draft something, circulate and then put on social media.

8 Treasurer’s report (NS)

8.1 Balance is £2850.40 £1500 plus is for defibrillator if required.

PH thanked MP for defibrillator now attached to property.

8.2 Map to go on Facebook page. MP to send HB jpg file. ACTION HB

9 Stirling Councillor report (JP)

9.1 JP said it was good to meet everyone. Good to hear the views on proposed windfarm. Improvements to the road is worth looking into.

9.2 During leafleting for election - issue raised re transport to school. Couple near C10 children go to school (St Modan's) to which they are having problems organising transport. Council wanted more details - ACTION DP to pass information to JP.

Have chosen Catholic school as is their right, didn't apply at start of year as were not resident then.

DRT not appropriate as it starts later in the day.

SS school runs has been an issue for a long time. If on boundary school allocations can be different from Council areas.

Is there anything else CC would like to raise with JP?

PH great to see you at the meeting. We have sorely missed link with Council. Been told we can only use TEAMS. Other elected officials have attended via Zoom.

10 Valley Renewables Group report (NS)

10.1 No Board meeting yet as today is 1 June. Meeting on 7 June.

10.2 Transfer of capital to investment fund was made.

10.3 Treasurer asked what money earned on restricted funds was - any income earned can be considered unrestricted, any interest or yield on investment or capital funds could be considered unrestricted. Only the principal funds advanced remains restricted.

10.4 Strategy process is underway - everyone has had opportunity to speak to consultant Kerrien Grant who is working on this for VRG. Trying to get community views, this is always a challenge, have attached a bribe of £50 to someone completing the survey! Excluding Directors of VRG from this. PH recognises they are including views of CC.

No applications were received for the street party grant for Jubilee.

11 Woodland Group report – (DB)

11.1 Day 19 May - not great weather but some older trees have spirals - these need removing, put in the bin.

18 June - another day 10-1pm kids activities, sitkar bashing.

Outlander filming at Duncannon Fort - permission to park grassy area where October day was set up for additional parking. Agreed with them 10, 14, 15 June again 6, 7, 8,

11 July

£1000 fee for this JP invited to this.

12 Roads report (PH)

Visitors from Devon with camper van - said C10 was one of the worst roads encountered.

13 Planning report (PH)

13.1 SC retrospectively refused planning permission for containers at the Fishery.

14 AOB

14.1 IM on C10 where a field occasionally used for carting is now substantial development with a semi-permanent stable block, increased traffic in and out of field, is this not a planning matter? On New Line Road - from vets, now semi-permanent trotting track development.

MP field is Bannockburn, not our area. PH noticed cars parked all the way by the field. SS they have lost Corby Wood, would be looking for an alternative site.

PH if proper development it should have proper entrances/exits by now.

IM even if outside our area we should have been informed, feels the process is unsatisfactory as it is impacting on our community.

PH asked JP to look into this. ACTION JP. DB could enquire from Roads as it impacts traffic - road is used by walkers, horse riders, cyclists as recreational route. There is a road safety issue here.

14.2 Joint VRG meeting on 20 June

14.3 Brief CC meeting to summarize - via Zoom - to circulate meet at 15 June 7:30pm.

ACTION DB

16 Date of next CC meeting – 7 September 2022 The Meeting ended at 9pm.

ACTIONS

Appendix I Police Report