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APPROVED minutes Carron Valley & District Community Council Meeting held Wednesday 3 April 2024 meeting at 7.30pm, via ZOOM

 

In attendance

Peter Hayward, Chair, PH                                                    Dorothy Breckenridge, Sec., Margaret Porter, MP                                                      Morag Holdsworth, Treasurer, MH

Maureen Berry, MB                          Rob Ferguson, Treasurer VRG, RF Neil Benny, elected rep, NB                                Helen Bang, minute clerk, HB

 

1                  Introductions and welcome

• The Chair welcomed everyone to the
• Apologies – Morag Holdsworth, David Petch

 

• Declarations of interest for items on agenda. None
• Items raised by members of the public for inclusion in agenda -

 

2                  Minutes of previous meeting

• Minutes of the March meeting were Proposed DB, seconded PH.
• ACTION HB approved minutes to DB for Stirling Draft minutes to DB for circulation.

 

• Actions from March meeting
• Approved February minutes and draft March minutes to DB done
• Concerns about bridge safety where coping stones stolen JP - ongoing (Bridge on North Third Road near Todholes Farm near the

entrance to the Fisheries. New ACTION NB.)

6.2        Asset list for Council done

11.1      Concerns regarding positioning of barn – entrance

Planning reference number 24/00106/NAG

A revised drawing with a different entrance was submitted and approved on the same day. On the site map the applicant is claiming ownership of an area of land that is not the applicants but belongs to someone else.

PH has informed the residents who do own this land - they are seeking legal advice to clarify the position. PH has informed Planning that the drawing is incorrect.

NB - as an agricultural application it doesn't always require planning but sometimes depends on how much land is under use. If this is incorrect on the drawings it may be an issue. ACTION PH

 

12.1      Community healthcare concerns                                                     JP ongoing See Item 7

3                  Community Police report

Attached as Appendix I. Also see Item 4.

 

4                  Chair’s report, PH

PCs Alastair Spike and Lynne Goldie went on a tour of the district with DB and PH. it was very useful to point out areas where fly-tipping happens, other areas of concerns.

New policy on roads - potholes, this will take into account the importance of a road, especially if it is the only access.

 

5                  Secretary’s report, DB

• Scottish Water Ranger is liaising regarding antisocial
• Stirling Council Community Newsletter for April has been

6                  Treasurer’s report MH

• No report but only expense was clerk's fee £50

7                  Stirling Councillor report

• Budget - there was an increase in the fee for garden No Council tax rise this year.
• Langarth House has sadly been damaged by Offers on the property were unable to be completed owing to various issues.
• Cycling events - an UCI host statue has been The economic report about this event is with the Council for review.

7.5       The new financial year has started. Hopefully road repairs will now increase as the weather improves. There is an inspection regime, but it is important for residents to report potholes, issues with culverts and drains. 01786 404040 Also an online portal. ACTION HB to put on social media. Residents should emphasise that a road is the only access in the area if appropriate. They can also use What3words.

• Medical provision for This was raised at the March meeting. The CC is concerned about how care is dealt with in the Carron Valley. Concerns about ungritted roads, carers being unable to access clients in bad weather.
• NB one issue that has come up, framework agreements for self-directed The Council has just approved a new framework which should help. It is about using smaller, rural-based care agencies which may be more flexible. ACTION NB to provide more information on this and on the care agency based in Aberfoyle.

 

• A letter was sent to the Did we get a reply? None has been received.

ACTION MB to follow up.

 

• SDS - self-directed support, it was agreed to provide information on the website and the next newsletter. ACTION MP.

8                  Valley Renewables Group report, MP

• A Board meeting was held on 2
• Grants - the number of applications has fallen substantially

Prepayment may be extended to more of the grant schemes. The Grant subgroup will meet shortly to discuss how to move forward.

 

• The Woodland budget was See Item 12
• It is proving difficult to get more households to apply for an EPC+

 

Surveyor Shirley Paterson has not yet produced reports for houses already surveyed, she is being contacted about this. DB agreed to provide surveys at the Wood fuel day. ACTION HB.

 

• Community Hall

Dates - 18 April planning application building, warrant submssion 10 June There will be a site meeting on 8 April.

 

We require a community hall management team. Ideally this will have a VRG director, a member of the CC and residents. Issues include the fitting of kitchen, security, website, booking system, room charges etc. If anyone has ideas as to who to invite, please let VRG know. ACTION ALL

 

• Subgroups reported on finances, grants, woodland, energy efficiency, flower and produce show.
• Flower and Produce Show – preparations are

 

• Newsletter - copy required by end of
• It was noted VRG's next Board meeting falls the week after the May CC

9                  Woodland Group report, DB

• The next Woodfuel day is Saturday 6 BioBlitz at 11am.

 

10               Roads report, PH

• Planning report, MB
  • Nothing new to

 

12               Community Woodland Budget, RF

This report was taken first. See Appendices II and III.

Link to spreadsheet https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/91g0tamxkygbnixhxtf38/2024- 27-DRAFT-COMMUNITY-WOODLAND-

BUDGET.xlsx?rlkey=tluif3pvm3nnz1s062qcd4ihd&dl=0

A great deal has been achieved over the past six years. Highlights include converting a commercial forest into a native woodland. We have set up and operated wood fuel days, now up to six a year in response to the energy crisis. 75 households, about half, receive wood. There are about 54 volunteers involved. We received a Commended Award for Scotland's Finest Woods in 2023 received at the Royal Highland Show. Our MP, MSP and a representative from the Scottish Forestry Asset Transfer Group have visited the woodland.

The woodland is developing as a community asset. The woodland group has 13 members who manage the woodland. They staff the woodfuel weekends and do a lot of work in the woodland.

Annual budget of just under £30K a year. This has paid for footpaths, converting from sitka spruce to native trees, and getting wood fuel days up and running. Some grants have also been received from the Environment Trust and Renantis who part- funded the wood fuel processor to generate timber to be distributed to the community.

 

Income from Outlander for area for car parking. We were able to sell timber from the bottom part of the site overshadowing Muirlands, this generated £30K for the investment fund but will be used for items of capital expenditure as needed.

 

The woodland group has put together a programme of work. Budget has been generated with Peter Mitchell, the Forestry Manager.

Expenditure is under three headings:

• woodland management (routine work, creation of green paths, weeding out sitka, biodiversity improvements, mostly to be carried out by volunteers going forward.
• Woodland Manager's fees, insurances and power to the cabin are the main

£15K per year estimate.

 

• Woodfuel enterprise. We buy in firegrade timber at bulk from local harvesting companies, stacked and dried then processed on site, distributed free of charge to the It has received much appreciation from residents. Costs for running equipment, insurances, timber-handling costs £16K a year.

 

Health and safety for volunteers is critical. The Woodland Manager takes professional responsibility for this.

Going forward - capital projects

 

We have identified two significant bits of capital investment to improve the efficiency and comfort of the wood fuel days. Last year we constructed an area of hard standing. We would like a concrete base for the firewood processor. It makes cleaning up afterwards easier.

 

The second item is a pole barn. This was suggested by David Petch. AN open-sided barn would enable the processor to be operated under it if the weather is bad on wood fuel days. We would like to do the concrete standing first and then make a decision on the pole barn.

 

Sale of mature timber funds - £26K remains. This would go towards the cost of these two items.

Community Benefit funds from Earlsburn and Kingsbarns are both restricted funds, they cannot be used for individual grants but only for community-wide projects, events and activities including the woodland.

A number of other candidate projects may come into the restricted fund bid - RF has included figures in table XXX.

 

The Woodland Group would like community council approval for the budget set out. Reporting would be on a monthly basis to the VRG Board.

There was a discussion following RF's presentation. It was agreed that the concrete base would be beneficial. Councillors MH and DP had emailed to indicate their support for the proposals.

Previously costs had been estimated at £12-£14K a year which is the general management costs, the additional costs have developed out of the energy crisis and need to provide wood fuel for the community.

 

The VRG Board received the report at their meeting on 2 April and were unanimously in support.

 

Concerns were expressed that large amounts of money are not reaching a large percentage (50%) of the community. The scheme is open to all. Some residents won't use woodburners, some may not feel the need for it. We hope the number taking advantage will continue to grow. In addition, costs for the community hall will also take a large amount of the restricted fund.

 

Proposed windfarms have not yet come online, and it is not clear at what stage they are at with regard to additional community benefit to the restricted funds.

 

£67K a year on the wood fuel, the woodland and the community hall.

We do need to have community-wide projects, or we would be accused of not spending the funds we are allocated.

 

Another charity is looking at the value of volunteers, what their work would cost if they were employees - in this case it is the cost of getting the wood to people, not just the cost of purchasing wood. We greatly appreciate the many hours of volunteer time to make the project work.

A vote was taken - there was unanimous agreement to approve the budget. RF left the meeting at 20:05

13               AOB

• There was a further discussion on issues on care in rural areas, the ungritted roads and unsuitable vehicles of some care workers being one area of concern.

• Date of next meeting this was agreed as Wednesday 1 May 2024 at 7:30pm via Zoom.

 

• ACTIONS

2.3       Coping stones on bridge item 2.3 March                                                      NB Item regarding planning permission Item 11.1 March                                                      PH

7.5        Pothole reporting information for social media   HB

7.6.2     Rural care      NB

7.6.4     Follow-up on letter to NHS     MB

7.6.4     Information on SDS in newsletter                                                                           MP

• Energy usage questionnaire for woodfuel day HB
• Community Hall committee ALL

 

The meeting ended at 8:45pm.

 

Appendix I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix II

CARRON VALLEY COMMUNITY WOODLAND - 2024/27 Budget

Introduction

We are nearing the end of the second three year programme of work and budget for the 21Ha (51 acres) of our Community Woodland. The Woodland Group is now looking forward to the next three year’s work (2024 - 2027) and is seeking to agree the budget from the Restricted Funds to deliver this.

Background

Much has been achieved in the last six years:

• conversion of the commercial forest into a thriving native woodland
• excavation of a large wildlife pond with access deck
• two accessible footpaths built to link the forest road to the right of way
• sale and harvesting of over mature conifers overshadowing river and homes at Muirlands with restocking by volunteers
• thinning of mature Norway Spruce and start of the community wood fuel days
• CSET grant to complete the accessible circular footpath
• bulk purchase of firewood grade timber; six firewood days a year to help with household energy costs
• a grant from Renantis towards the purchase of a firewood processor; and a large woodyard constructed for wood storage and processing
• more than 75 households receiving wood with 54 volunteers helping and delivering logs
• events space upgraded with levelling, seeding and cutting for community events

- the open day/picnic and apple day

• winner of the Commended Award for Scotland’s Finest Woods in 2023
  • visits by our MP, MSP and the Scottish Forestry Asset Transfer Group
  • a BioBlitz group from the community is monitoring wildlife in the woodland

 

• the first four residents have successfully completed an accredited chain saw training course

The woodland is developing into a community asset with a current value of £193,500, and is a real focus for community activities and events. The proposed Community Hall will consolidate this role. The project is steered by the Woodland Group with 13 members and the work supported on site by over 50 volunteers from the community.

Over the last three years an annual budget of £29,000/year was provided for development and management of the woodland. In addition we funded big capital items and bulk firewood timber purchases from grants (CSET and Renantis), and from income (Outlander car parking payments), and from the timber sale monies of

£34,037 held in the Investment Fund.

The Next Three Years (2024/27)

For the coming three years (2024/27) we have divided the programme of work and the proposed budget into three parts, and set these out in the Community Woodland budget spreadsheet:

• woodland management work
• the community wood fuel enterprise capital development

Woodland Management

The major capital expenditure has been completed and much of the work in the woodland will be to continue the access improvements with a series of green paths, removing tree shelters and stakes, weeding out Sitka seedlings, wildlife and biodiversity improvements, and routine maintenance work. This will be mostly undertaken by our volunteers with much of the cost associated with the woodland manager’s fees, insurances and power to the cabin. These are estimated to be

£15,270/year.

Community Wood-fuel Enterprise

Our community wood fuel project has now been running for five years and was expanded to six days a year from 2022 in response to the energy crisis. We buy in firewood grade timber in bulk and at cost, process this into logs and distribute to the community. 75 households have received firewood with more than 50 volunteers processing and delivering.

The wood fuel project is a major ongoing community enterprise and we have identified its costs separately for the first time. Most of these are in timber purchase and the management of the wood fuel days - insurance and safety for operation of the processor, and for timber handling. The costs are estimated to be £16,390/year

Health and Safety for our volunteers and visitors to the woodland are of first and foremost concern during our operations. This is one of the reasons we employ a woodland manager who takes professional responsibility for the preparation and delivery of risk assessments in everything we do.

 

Capital Projects

The Woodland Group is planning two further capital investments to improve the efficiency and comfort for wood fuel days. A concrete base for the firewood processor at a cost of £4,000 and a pole barn - a simple open sided barn with a roof that would allow us to operate the firewood processor under cover in all weathers - at a cost of

£16,800. Both items would be funded from the balance of monies (£26,000) from the timber sale currently held in the Investment Fund.

The Restricted Funds

The Community Benefit funds from the Earlsburn and Kingsburn wind farms operated by Renantis and managed by Foundation Scotland are Restricted funds. These are proscribed and may not be used to fund our various grants to individuals and households. As community-wide projects, the Community Woodland and Community Woodfuel Enterprise, are both eligible for Restricted funding. The Community Woodland has been the principal recipient of Restricted funds since its inception 2018. Ongoing support from the Restricted Fund for the two projects is requested.

Restricted Fund income and expenditure for each financial year through to 2026/27 has been updated to show the consequences of making ongoing provision for the Community Woodland and Community Wood-fuel projects. In summary, the Restricted Fund remains in credit throughout, whilst investing most of each year’s income in the community.

Funding Request

The Woodland Subgroup requests that the Community Council supports continuing funding of the Community Woodland and Community Wood Fuel projects from the Restricted Funds in accordance with the Restricted Fund budget 2024/25 - 2026/27 as presented, with the expenditure being overseen by the VRG Board.

RF for the WSG 15/03/24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix III Table 1