October 2024 Minutes

Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 2 October 2024

Approved Minutes Carron Valley & District Community Council

Wed 2 October 2024 meeting at 7.30pm, via ZOOM

In attendance

Peter Hayward, Chair, PH Dorothy Breckenridge, Sec.,

Margaret Porter, MP Maureen Berry, MB

David Petch, DP Scott Farmer, Councillor,

Helen Bang, minute clerk, HB

1 Introductions and welcome

1.1 The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1.2 Apologies – police.

1.3 Declarations of interest for items on agenda - none.

1.4 Items raised by members of the public for inclusion in agenda – Christmas trees see AOB item.

2 Community Police report Attached as Appendix I

2.1 Alasdair Pike has moved to a new role, Nickki Pullar has joined Lynn Goldie.

2.2 It was noted that the report continues to include items from different geographical areas.

2.3 How to get in touch with the police. Telephones are not answered. Resident has an ongoing issue and has been advised to go through the complaints procedure but they are also not replying.

At the Flower and Produce show the police advised the best way was through an email or Contact Us on the website. StirlingWestCPT@scotland.pnn.police.uk

3 Minutes of previous meeting held on 4 September 2024

3.1 Proposed DB, seconded PH. ACTION HB to send to DB for Stirling Council and put on CC area of VRG website.

4 Matters arising from the September meeting.

3.1 Approved June minutes to DB for Stirling Council. done

12.5 List of requirements for windfarm development circulated

The CC agreed with comments put forward regarding the Drummarnock windfarm. It has been posted on the Council website.

14.1 Care for residents – issues regarding agency staff etc. NB

SF advice to give specific examples to elected rep so they can follow this up.

4.1 ACTION DP

5 Chair’s report (PH)

5.1 Road closure on B818. Dealt with by Scottish Water - PH approached the Council and Falkirk Council and the Firedstone company repairing the road. It was made a priority.

We have a Roads contact at Falkirk Council Gary Henderson who is happy to take calls. PH raised the problem with gritting from the hotel to the dam. He said there was little chance of the two councils co-operating on this gritting issue which is disappointing.

5.2 Cairnoch Hill windfarm proposal. One of the turbines will be within 300 metres of the John de Graham motte and bailey and it will be 300 metres tall. It will dominate the landscape in a way unlike other turbines.

It was proposed that we should ask Stirling Council to investigate the effect on the historic sites in the valley. SF advised that there must be a framework for the criteria for this development. Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 2 October 2024

 

MP suggested that a community benefit for maintaining these sites going forward should be requested.

There was only one diagram in the 100 page document showing where the turbine was to be sited. The CC will include their concerns in the local place plan. Reference was made to a previous decision some years ago about not having turbines on every area of the Carron Valley - landscape capacity. ACTION ALL to email PH with thoughts so that he can register concerns about the impact on historic sites in the area.

5.3 Ash die-back. PH spoke to a plant pathologist. Government have changed policy on massive clearance and only to cut down dangerous trees in the hope that the more resistant trees will produce offspring that are more resistant to disease.

5.4 MB's house is on the market. When it sells they will be moving so she will be resigning from the CC. PH expressed thanks for all her work for the CC.

6 Secretary’s report (DB)

6.1 Nothing not covered elsewhere.

7 Treasurer’s report (MH)

7.1 The bank has sent statements to the previous Treasurer.

7.2 Stirling Council has approved admin grant. £518.32 top up grant.

We have agreed to pay HB £50 per ordinary meeting and £10 for the AGM.

7.3 Once MH receives the bank statement, she will update the accounts.

8 Stirling Councillor report (SF)

8.1 No specific issues raised in the past month in relation to the Carron Valley.

8.2 There will be a special council meeting on 3 October after election of Councillor Kane as MP for Stirling and Strathallern. They are questioning the appropriateness of Councillor Gibson being Convenor of Children and Young people committee and bullying in schools given that the standards committee sanctioned them for bullying and harassment of senior officers.

8.3 Budgetary position - ongoing iterations of what the funding gap is and how

SC is proposing to bridge that gap. There will be a generic high-level consultation closing on 17 November, getting general ideas from public, appetite for council tax rise etc. there will be specific proposals put forward consulted 6 January to 2 February.

8.4 Local place plan - impressed with the amount of work that the CC has put into this.

PH pointed out that MB has done the work on this.

8.5 There was a query regarding s peculation in the press regarding Chris Kane being paid both as a councillor and an MP at the same time. SF explained that there was a period where he was paid a dual salary, but he tendered his resignation as a councillor last Tuesday 24 October.

9 Local Place Plan (MB)

9.1 This has been circulated. See Appendix II and III Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 2 October 2024

 

9.2 No surprises regarding concerns about the condition of the roads. Could there be an article in the newsletter encouraging residents to report concerns. Unless done consistently no action will be taken.

PH pointed out that despite multiple meetings with Roads nothing has been done and the C10 is particularly bad.

9.3 Three points - in red on report. Reporting anti-social behaviour, any activities that caused concern. The police gave alternative ways to report - dialling 111 is not satisfactory, they advised that Police Scotland monitor contacts on their website and use this to record data.

9.4 Open swimming - an easy action would be to refer residents to Scotland's Open Access swimming code to raise awareness, safety advice etc.

9.5 It was pointed out that there are now 5 defibrillators in the Carron Valley.

9.6 MB hopes to get some more responses at the next wood fuel day on Saturday 5 October.

9.7 Carron Growers - were given money to set up the initiative, they were selling produce what is the agreement with the group? They had initial funds for set-up, it was anticipated that they would become self-sustaining.

10 Valley Renewables Group report (MP)

10.1 The Board met last night.

10.2 The grants group has yet to meet to discuss changes to the grants.

10.3 EE budget fully spent. A priority system based on EPC scores may be introduced wh

10.4 Advisory group Shirley Paterson and Ronan McGirr. will be available to advise residents. Up to 21 homes can be done each year for next 3 years.

10.5 Community hall planning delayed, asked for environmental assessment, flood assessment, road standard for fire engine access, SEPA septic tank permit, We therefore missed deadline in September. They have accepted information provided regarding environmental impact. Flood risk assessment is favourable. Decision will now be in November.

10.6 Tom Robb Memorial run - reduce support to £500 next year and zero following. There has been unease with support as it does not sit well with articles of association, until additional funds materialize money is tight.

10.7 Pomona Apple Day 26 October at the woodland space. Bring clean apples for scratting and pressing and bottles for juice.

10.8 AGM This will be held at 8pm on Tuesday 5 November Room 1 at the Mayfield Centre. All members can attend.

10.9 The Flower and Produce show will be on Saturday 9 August next year, earlier than usual. There will be additional classes for the show.

10.10 Possible additional windfarm at Cairnoch Hill - see item 5.2 Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 2 October 2024

 

10.11 Restricted/unrestricted funds. Source of fund to cover energy efficiency advisory team the cost is £14K. VRG is asking for transfer expenditure of admin to restricted, this is permitted under the MoU requires to be ratified by the CC. 10% transfer of £6K which would be applied.

Admin costs in 2023-24 were £9506.

If accepted VRG proposes to back date to the 1 July, start of VRG financial year.

Propose draw down of investment fund income - restricted fund, can only be spent on community wide purposes so the survey assistance does not qualify.

It is proposed to draw down £12K from the investment fund.

Restricted funds come from Nadara - it is accepted by Foundation Scotland that restricted funds can be used for unrestricted purposes if ratified by the CC.

PH the CC really needs more time to look into this.

MP the EE subgroup has appointed surveyor Shirley Paterson and architect Ronan McGirr to carry out this work. We need to transfer funds to the unrestricted fund and to agree that admin costs can be paid through the restricted fund going forward.

What was the tendering process for selecting these people?

Shirley Paterson was selected because she had carried out the EPC survey. We did not get feedback from people who have had surveys. The architect has done a lot of work on retrofitting. With regard to selecting an architect, Ronan McGirr was chosen from a number of submissions.

Some dissatisfaction was expressed with the EPC surveys which followed rules that were from a standard Government form and not relevant to particular properties.

MP pointed out that a contract had already been offered and agreed with the two individuals.

DP we need a structured discussion regarding the two funds.

Transfer of funds from restricted to unrestricted: Vote taken: 5 for and 1 abstention.

ACTION DB will ask for a joint meeting.

11 Woodland Group report (DB)

11.1 Volunteer day 16 September replaced wood fuel day. Volunteers removed 500 tubes and stakes, planted 100 trees.

11.2 Saturday 5 October next wood fuel day.

12 Roads report (PH)

12. Covered earlier.

13 Planning report (MB)

13.1 Nothing new to report.

14 AOB

14.1 MB may be departing, we need to think about a replacement councillor. ACTION ALL

14.2 Christmas trees - request from Strathcarron Hospice, they have a programme to encourage recycling at Strathcarron and could they put something to this effect at our event. This will be considered by the woodland group. ACTION DB. Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 2 October 2024

 

14.3 PH asked if they would like to be donated a tree.

14.4 An informal meeting between VRG and CVDCC was suggested.

15 Date of next CC meeting Wednesday 6 November 2024 at 7.30pm via Zoom.

The meeting closed at 9:30pm

16 ACTIONS

3.1 Approved September minutes to DB for Stirling Council and on website HB

4.1 Residents’ experiences of social care DP

5.2 Cairnoch Hill windfarm opinions ALL

10.11 Joint CVDCC/VRG meeting DB

14.1 Replacement councillor ALL

14.2 Christmas trees – recycled trees for Strathcarron Hospice DB Approved minutes CVDCC meeting 2 October 2024