Causewayhead Community Council
Minutes of the meeting held by Zoom
Wednesday 8 September, 2021
Present:
Val Sinclair, Chair
Sonja Cameron, Treasurer
Joyce Carberry, Member
Darren Draper, Member
Fiona Macleod, Vice-Chair
Paul Mcdonald, Secretary
In attendance:
Thelma Barron (Resident and Minutes Secretary),
Councillor Susan McGill, Ward 4, Stirling North
Councillor Jim Thomson, Ward 4, Stirling North
Apologies:
Bill McLellan, Member; Sue White, Associate Member; PC Greig Lowery; PC
Stuart Gray, Community Police Officers
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Welcome
The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting.
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Adoption of Minutes of Previous Meeting
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The Unconfirmed Minutes of the meeting held on 7 July, 2021 were approved,
having been proposed for adoption by Valerie Sinclair, seconded by Fiona
MacleodElection of Darren Draper as Co-opted Member
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The Chair highlighted M2.3 ‘The Community Council agreed that the election of
Darren Draper as a co-opted member, be deferred to the next meeting on 8
September, to allow adequate time to promulgate the proposed appointment.’
Members were invited to confirm the appointment. -
The proposed appointment having been formally promulgated to members on 15
August, Community Council members confirmed the election of Darren Draper as
a co-opted member.Appointment of Sue White as Associate Member
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Community Council members approved the proposal from the Chair that Sue White
be appointed as an Associate Member. -
Matters Arising
Issue of speeding on Alloa Road (M2.4.1 - 2.4.3 refers)
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Although residents agreed the speeding issue had been worse during the
period when the Alloa road was closed, nevertheless they reported that
this was an ongoing problem. It was noted, however, that the Council’sRoads Department had agreed in principle to impose a 30mph speed limit
later this year.SUSTRANS: Walk Cycle Live, Stirling (M2.4.4 - 2.4.7 refers)
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Following a meeting between the Chair, Councillor Thomson and
Kayleigh Webster, Project Manager, to discuss a collision between two
cyclists, as a result of their view being obscured by a high beech hedge,
Ms Webster had arranged for the beech hedge to be cut back. However,
with regard to overhanging shrubbery on Airthrey Road, the Chair had
delayed contacting Derek Leitch, as she perceived the problem to be less
pressing, now that the trees were shedding their leaves. -
A request to Stirling Council to trim overhanging foliage on the left-hand
side of the railway bridge, which was obscuring the sign warning about
the height restriction, had yet to be actioned.[Action: Kayleigh Webster]
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Following the decision to route the cycle lane along Dunster Road, there
was no further progress to report on how the junctions with Easter
Cornton Road and Airthrey Road would be managed, or whether Dunster
Road would become one-way. However, Community Council members
highlighted the severe parking issues on Dunster Road, particularly
around Wallace High School start and finish times, when parents’
vehicles were often parked on both sides of the road, resulting in a
narrowing of the road, and an impasse for traffic from either direction
trying to proceed through the middle of the road, at the same time as a
high volume of school children were making their way along Dunster
Road on foot. The Transport Development Team Leader, was aware of
the problem and was understood to be considering installing metered
parking in this area to prevent problem parking. -
It was noted that the temporary 20mph speed limit on Causewayhead
Road, was being monitored by police, particularly in the early morning
rush hour. However, one member considered that the signage was not
fully effective, having observed regular users tailing close or overtaking.
Secretary’s Note: the 20mph speed limit was introduced initially as a
pilot for 18 months from 2.6.21 to 2.11.22, but had subsequently been
reduced by Stirling Council to 12 months.Stevenson Bridge Renovation (M2.4.8 refers)
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There was no progress to report at this time.
Abbey Craig Work and Closure of Alloa Road (M4.1 refers)
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Members noted that the Alloa Road had opened again at the end of July.
Exclusion of Wallace Park from CityFibre Rollout (M4.2 refers)
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Sonja Cameron confirmed that she had written to Stuart Milne and had
received a holding reply. However, if she did not receive a detailed
response by the end of the month, she would pursue the matter.
[Action: Sonja Cameron]Replacement of play equipment, Easter Cornton Road Park (M5.4 refers)
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It was likely to be some months before the new play equipment
would be delivered, so replacement would be delayed.Obstructive hedging, Wallace Park (M7.1 refers)
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The issue relating to maintenance of the hedge at the walkway linking
Buchanan Drive and the Wallace Park housing estate dated back 5 years.
The builders, Stuart Milne, were supposed to maintain the hedge but failed
to do so. Originally, the hedge should have been removed to comply with
planning conditions, but residents had wished to keep it. However, this had
produced a situation where the hedge had not been maintained. The hedge
was now too high and obscuring the view from a busy thoroughfare leading
onto a busy road, without any traffic calming measures, such as chicanes
to slow the traffic at that point. One member and local resident expressed
concern that failure to maintain the hedge could lead to a serious accident.
The matter was being pursued by Stirling Council planning enforcement.
Councillor Thomson remained hopeful that Stuart Milne might be
persuaded to maintain the hedge; otherwise it would need to be removed.
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Police Report
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As both Community Police Officers were on annual leave until 20 September,
there was no Police Report for this meeting. -
The response of PC Lowery to a query on the previous Police Report was noted.The query related to anti-social behaviour at the AirBnB at Beech Lane, which had
been reported to the Police, but was not included in the Police Report. PC Lowery
clarified that as no crime had been committed, and no-one had been charged, the
incident had not been included in the Police Report.
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Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer provided an oral report.
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Council members noted that the current balance stood at £7443.97.
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The Treasurer reported that our Administration grant had been reduced from £513
last year to £130 this year, due to last year’s underspend, during a long period of
inactivity. -
The Chair suggested that we should consider using some of our funds to maintain
the lettering on the Barnwell Monument at the Causewayhead Roundabout, which
has become faded.
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Chair’s Report
The Chair provided an oral report:
Deliberation on Face-to-face Meetings
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Stephen Bly of Stirling Council Community Development Team had informed the
Chair that there could be no return to face-to -face meetings at the present time,
pending discussion of the issue by Stirling Council on 8 October.Airthrey Kerse Development
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The Chair reported that Graham’s Dairies had appointed new solicitors:
Shoosmiths.However, since their appointment, Shoosmiths had contravened the
Reporter’s guidance on the scope of submissions, by submitting documentation to
the Reporter that had been submitted previously. Stirling Council’s solicitor was of
the view that, if the Reporter were to accept this documentation, he would have to
give other interested parties the opportunity to resubmit past documentation. -
The Reporter had decided that updated flood risk and transport assessments
should be undertaken, and that a hearing or inquiry session was required to assist
in reaching a conclusion, including consideration of housing land supply.
Accordingly, those who had made previous representation to Stirling Council had
been invited to indicate whether or not they wished to be involved in the hearing
or inquiry session; in this context, an invitation had been extended to
Causewayhead Community Council. The Chair would liaise with our Associate
Member, Duncan McDougall, who was dealing with Airthrey Kerse matters on
behalf of Causewayhead and Bridge of Allan Community Councils, with regard to
the response, the deadline for which was 27 September. At the present time, all
such meetings were being held by video-conference. A pre-examination meeting
would be held in October.[Action:Val Sinclair]
Bridge of Allan Destination Marketing and Community-led tourism
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The Chair had attended a meeting of Bridge of Allan Destination Marketing and
Community-led Tourism, the focus of which was how to establish buy-in and
community ownership of the Wallace Monument. However, with regard to
engagement with the Wallace Monument, the perception was that opportunities to
do this were very limited. Any bus tours taking visitors to the Wallace Monument
would simply stop at the Monument and then depart to their next scheduled stop;
they were highly unlikely to stop at Bridge of Allan. In any case, parking was
already a problem in Bridge of Allan. -
It was noted that Bridge of Allan’s deliberations focused primarily on how the
Monument might be used as a vehicle to enhance local business. (Bridge of Allan
has always been very enterprising in harnessing available financial support for
local businesses and recently secured a total of £10k in grants for this purpose.) -
However, Causewayhead Community Council inclined to the view that we could
takea more flexible approach, using the Wallace Monument as a mechanism to
raise awareness about local facilities, restaurants and businesses, and being
realistic as to the likely impact, but that we should also encourage local businesses
to run events linked to the Wallace Monument, and to seek mechanisms topromote existing activities at the Monument more widely in the community. The
Chair had already spoken to the florist’s, the carpet shop, and Corrieri’s restaurant.
She had also met with Tracy Mackintosh, Events Co-ordinator for the Monument,
who had informed her of a series of events being run currently at the Monument:
a 4-week painting class; evening yoga; free guided walks around Stirling as part
of Archaeology month, including a walk to explore the Battle of Stirling Bridge,
which started out from the Monument; and a monthly creative writing course.
These events were publicised on the Legends web-site, but as the Legends web-
site was not yet as widely used as it might be, there was a lack of awareness
locally about the events. As a first step to wider promulgation, the Chair undertook
to tag the events on the Community Council web page.[Action: Val Sinclair]
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Members noted that, as a result of Covid, the Wallace Monument was currently
running at 25% of usual capacity. The car park was currently free of charge, and
Stirling Council were reluctant to start charging. However, University students
were known to use the car park, and now that the Autumn Term had started, the
parking situation was being closely monitored.Subsidence in Buchanan Road
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Councillor Thomson had written to Scottish Water. Stirling Council Officers were
satisfied that the site of the subsidence had been made safe, but parking space
was tight. -
Council members noted that Stirling Council’s capital plan for the next financial
year included funding for road repair. It was possible some money could be made
available in the current year, as approval of capital spend for the current year had
been delayed because of Covid. However, it was noted that any available funding
would be used only to maintain steady state, rather than to undertake dramatic
improvements. (For example, any work to address flooding at Causewayhead
Roundabout would necessarily preclude repair to the underlying sewers, as this
would require ripping up the roundabout.) -
Continuing problems with flooding in the areas around Wallace Park were noted,
and that Stirling Council had written to Scottish Water, to ask why they were not
taking steps to ensure that Stuart Milne fixed the problem. (See previous Minutes.
M4.2). -
It was further noted that SEPA had carried out a reassessment of flood risk in
Stirling in 2003, in consequence of which Stirling Council was not permitted to
build in a number of locations. An interactive map could be accessed on the SEPA
web-site, which showed the (historic) risk for specific areas. However, over recent
years, flooding had increased such that parts of Stirling, Bridge of Allan, Aberfoyle
and Callander were regularly affected. SEPA now predicted that sea and river
levels would increase by 80cm by the end of the century, which had clear
implications for Stirling and the surrounding area. SEPA were currently in
consultation with Stirling Council to re-evaluate flood risk. Community Council
members would await the outcome with interest.Request to identify vacant or derelict land
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Stirling Council Planning Department had requested that Community Councils
identify any vacant or derelict land in their area. Causewayhead CommunityCouncil identified no such areas, which were not already or likely to be the subject
of planning applications.Cornton Crossing
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The Chair had attended a meeting with Network Rail. The ‘yodels’ or alarm signal
at Cornton Crossing had been replaced with much louder signals. However, this
had attracted complaints from residents on either side of the railway, culminating
in the alarm system being vandalised, when the wire basket containing the ‘yodels’
was filled with foam. Network Rail were addressing this incident as a matter of
urgency to ensure safety of the crossing.Reduced bus services
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For various reasons, including self-isolation as a result of Covid, there was
currently a shortage of bus drivers. Residents were advised to check web-sites for
local bus service schedules.Planning Applications
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There had been two planning applications:
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Airthrey Cottage, Easter Cornton Road – an application for a one and a half
storey extension had been approved; -
40 Castle Road – an application to build a house in the garden was not
approved.
SUSTRANS and Public Seating in Causewayhead
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The Chair confirmed she was awaiting purchase of a bench which would be
positioned at the top of Easter Cornton Road. Another bench would be positioned
at the carpet shop by the Causewayhead Roundabout. The Chair had asked
Kayleigh Webster, Project Manager of the SUSTRANS project to produce a flyer,
for residents of Dunster Road, to obtain their views on the decision that Dunster
Road continue to be the designated cycle route and feedback on the desirability
and possible location of public seating and planters. [Action :Kayleigh Webster]
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Councillor’s Report
Speed limit on Easter Cornton Road
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Drivers continued to exceed the 20mph speed on Easter Cornton Road, which
was a matter of concern to residents. To make the speed limit more visible,
additional signs, nearer Castle Road, would be erected, and roundels would be
painted on the road surface.Speed limit on Causewayhead Road
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Stirling Council had decided to reduce the duration of the temporary pilot exercise
to reduce the speed limit on Causewayhead Road from 30mph to 20 mph from 18
months to 12 months. (It was noted that at the Stockholm Convention last year,
every government represented there had signed up to the imposition of 20mph
(30km/ph) speed limits in urban and village areas.)Possible reduction to 40mph on A91
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A possible reduction to 40mph on the A91 was under consultation.
Scotrail: Fit for the Future
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Scotrail had unveiled plans for a new timetable to be implemented from May 2022.
The proposed new services included a reduction in the number of trains to
Dunblane and an increase the number of trains to Alloa. The Community Council’s
comments on the consultation would be welcomed in due course.Impact of Covid on Services
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The Covid infection rate was currently high. It was noted that Social Services, the
Health Service, GP Services and Child Protection were all under pressure as a
result of staff self-isolating or contracting Covid. However, Public Health Scotland
considered the infection rate would dip in a few weeks time, and that the current
pressures on services would be alleviated.
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Any Other Business
Blind Spot on Union Street
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High fencing which had been erected around the site of the former Orchard House,
now a building site, was creating a blind spot for drivers going up Union Street
towards the mini roundabout. Councillor Thomson confirmed that this had been
reported.Completion Certificate for Extension
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After submitting internal photographs to Stirling Council 7 weeks ago, one local
resident had still not received the completion certificate for her extension.
Councillor Thomson undertook to pursue this matter.[Action: Councillor Thomson]
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Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting would take place on Wednesday 3 November, by Zoom, unless face-
to-face meetings were re-introduced before then.