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APPROVED minutes Carron Valley & District Community Council
Meeting held Wednesday 6 September 2023 meeting at 7.30pm, via ZOOM
In attendance
Margaret Porter, MP Dorothy Breckenridge, Secretary, DB David Petch, DP Morag Holdsworth, Treasurer, MH Maureen Berry, MB Neil Benny, elected rep, NB Helen Bang, minute clerk, HB
1 Introductions and welcome
1.1 The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
1.2 Apologies Peter Hayward, Iain Macfarlane, Police
1.3 Declarations of interest for items on agenda.
1.4 Items raised by members of the public for inclusion in agenda
Fankerton - boundary
2 Community Police report
2.1 No report was received.
2.2 Concerns were raised about anti-social behaviour by pedal cyclists, but no action is being taken. What powers do the police have in Scotland and to what extent are they enforced?
NB recommended contacting the police, also asking for it to be in the community action plan.
3 Minutes of previous meeting
Report on inaugural meeting 12 July. The draft minutes of April 2023 were
approved. Proposed DP, seconded MP.
Inaugural meeting in July minutes were approved - Proposed DP, seconded MH.
ACTION HB approved September minutes to DB for Stirling Council and put on
website.
4 Matters arising
4.1 Actions from April meeting
3.1 Approved March minutes to DB for Stirling Council HB - closed
5.1 Windfarm information for website PH/HB - closed
7.1 Finalising accounts NS/IM
MH has not had any new bank statements since June. This may be because no activity has been happening.
13.1 CC enquiries regarding Care in the Community PH ongoing
4.2 Re care in the community, there was a discussion as to how unsatisfactory the current provision is in the CV area. We have an ageing population, and this will become more of an issue. District nurses have a duty of care to all patients we were advised to write to Cathie Cowan as chief exec of the Forth Valley Health Board complaining about this.
NB was asked if it is possible to ask for a particular part of a service that a local authority would normally provide to be hived off or shared with the local community?
NB said under the Community Empowerment Act communities can request a stake in services. But with social care people can take direct payments and arrange their own care packages. Social carers have a responsibility to attend residents if required - he is looking into a particular case that has been raised with him.
There was a discussion about some local communities running services for
themselves with funds diverted to support this. It was agreed that there are a lot of hoops to jump through for this.
It was agreed that the Secretary would write to health board regarding these
problems on behalf of the community. ACTION MB/DB
5 , PH
5.1 The Chair was on holiday.
6 , DB
6.1 Stirling Council is running induction sessions on Zoom for Community Councillors.
Information was circulated.
ACTION DB to contact Stirling Council to let them know which session MB and MH will be attending. MP may also attend.
6.2 Joint CC email address - ACTION DB will circulate this to councillors with the password.
6.3 Consultation. Place Plans - NB pointed out that it concerns planning i.e. housing. It's very important that communities engage with this. It is an opportunity for residents to have a say on the type and location of housing going forward. e.g. in Plean there was an agreement but because there was no regeneration plan at the time there was no funding for a supermarket. There is an information session on 19 September. There is also an online Teams meeting 20 September 7-8pm. Email:
http://ldp@stirling.gov.uk for planning.
ACTION HB to put link on Facebook page.
6.4 DRT - this went into abeyance following the death of one of the people involved. It was felt that this was an important service for the community. However, residents trying to use the service when it was running found that the hours, 10:30am to 2:30pm, and the places they took people to i.e. nearest bus stop rather than the hospital, did not fit in with requirements.
NB there is an issue getting taxi drivers in the area - the majority of people using DRT have entitlement cards so pay a reduced fare - so it's not worth their while.
ACTION DB will look at what initial steps would be and take part in the Regional Transport Strategy currently underway.
7 MH
7.1 No activity to report £896.02 is the current balance. The application was submitted for the admin grant in July.
8 Stirling Councillor report, NB
8.1 Nothing particular regarding the CV area. Demolition of Stirling clock now being investigated by Historic Scotland and the police.
8.2 UCI cycling event - feedback. Some cyclists stayed in the CV area and were very happy with the accommodation. B818 - there have since been some accidents on this road in the Falkirk area - single vehicle incidents - and there have been questions about the road surface. NB said in the Stirling area the road surface was no different than normal.
8.3 Query raised regarding meeting in Stirling High - Ferne Milne, Community
Development Officer looking at £13 million shortfall for the Council raised two issues regarding flytippers and waste management service - people come to the area to flytip. Could there be easier access to waste management system easier to prevent this?
Also the road surfaces - pot holes - patching the roads is not satisfactory and costs more in the longer term.
Issues raised by other meetings. Better communication about what is available.
NB the biggest issue has been Falkirk Council introducing booking system for waste centres. Suggested emailing http://jpreston@stirling.gov.uk regarding these issues.
Food waste bins - not required for collection in MH's area, only 3 houses and mone have them. How to get in touch with council to say it isn't required and opt-out of this service? ACTION NB
9 Valley Renewables Group report MP
9.1 A Board meeting was held on 5 September. Approved minutes from previous meetings have been sent to the Secretary to be circulated to councillors only.
9.2 Grant schemes apart from Warm up, costs down are open again. The Warm up, costs down grant may reopen later in the year. Get the valley growing closes on 31 October, but may reopen in the Spring.
9.3 Meeting Room - the Board are disappointed that has been no progress - a meeting will have to be organised with the architect
9.4 Energy Efficiency - application being done for funding a survey of an initial 30 houses with the intention of scaling up across the community Aim to assess costs of bringing properties up to a good energy efficiency standard.
There will be a Q&A on 1-4pm Saturday 16 September at event space in
Community Woodland.
9.5 The AGM is to be held at 8pm on Tuesday 7 November at the Mayfield Centre. There will be a couple of director vacancies. It is hoped to have a presentation at 7:30pm regarding the Energy Efficiency Project.
9.6 Community mini bus - would prefer to have an effective DRT.
9.7 Care in the community issues - there was a discussion about issues regarding this in the area, see item 4.2
9.8 It was suggested that there could be a Carron Valley Residents' Association which would include people just outwith the area.
10 Woodland Group report DB
10.1 The Gardeners Q & A in June was well attended. There are autumn wood fuel days scheduled. The next is on Saturday 9 September, 7 October and 4 November.
10.2 Accessible path has been top-dressed. Cycling without Age attended the Residents' picnic with a rickshaw and complimented the path.
10.3 About 90% of the trees have been planted in the restocking area.
10.4 Hardstanding at the eastern end of the track is being added in the next couple of months.
10.5 Wood fuel days have proved a good place to do surveys as many residents are in attendance.
11 Roads report
11.1 PH was absent. Road closure 11 September - the map circulated shows junction of Greathill Road C10 heading towards North Third, but the signs are not at that junction, they are at the entrance to Sauchie Home Farm. Any clarification on this?
ACTION DB to ask Stephen Bly and Roads.
11.2 When are white lines being reinstated? It was resurfaced 18 months ago.
ACTION DB to ask Stephen Bly, ACTION NB to put in a query.
12 Planning report, MH
12.1 Nothing in CVDCC area. However 2 in Ward 5 Stirling West - moving of the trotting track - we do have an interest as it will increase congestion of one of the main access roads to our area. There was a discussion regarding the CC expressing a view, also contacting Borestone CC regarding our concerns. ACTION MB.
12.2 Falkirk Council planning - concerns were expressed that approval has been given for a hutted community without consulting CVDCC residents. Once the development is open it was suggested contacting the manager regarding concerns regarding gates being left open. Doups Farm
12.3 It was mentioned that there may be new windfarm applications in the Falkirk area and that we need to keep an eye on this.
12.4 Residents' comments on planning applications - new applications to be publicised on Facebook inviting views.
12.5 DB pointed out that sometimes planning applications associated with Fintry actually involves properties in the CVDCC area.
13 AOB
13.1 Some residents in the Carron Valley geographical area are outwith the CVDCC area: Fintry, North Lanarkshire, Denny Community Council areas. Currently these residents apply to their own CC /development trusts for windfarm monies. A Carron Valley Residents' Association could include residents from these areas.
Action taken by Falkirk Council impacts on our area but we have very little say in this. For example, there have been issues with developments in the Falkirk Council area just outside our boundary and road closures that affect the CVDCC area.
The CC cannot change council boundaries. Local communities can request a
change of CC boundary from their own council. For example, those residents in lower Carron Valley could seek to become a separate CC from Denny CC. This would enable their new CC to be involved with any future windfarm consultations in their own right. It would be really up to the Denny-facing residents to achieve such
If the lower glen residents have an issue with the current situation, then they should be raising this with Foundation Scotland which, it is believed, still administers the Denny Windfarm funds.
Whilst the current situation may seem unfair, CVDCC does not really have a locus
13.2 Litter. Ongoing problems at North Third reservoir. A new Scottish Water ranger should be in post in the autumn. Friends of North Third FB group is still operating.
Once the new SW ranger is in post, they should be getting involved more.
14 Date of next meeting Wednesday 4 October at 7:30pm via Zoom.
The meeting ended at 9:45pm
15 ACTIONS
Item Description Action
2.1 Approved April and July and draft September minutes to Secretary. HB
6.1 Induction sessions DB
6.2 CC email and password DB
4.2 Community care/ district nurse concerns MB/DB
6.34 Consultation local plan info to go on Facebook HB
6.4 DRT DB
8.3 Food waste bin collection unnecessary some properties NB
11.1 Road closure signs MH
11.2 Roads white lines DB/NB
12.1 Planning concerns contact Borestone CC MB