June 2024 Minutes

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Causewayhead Community Council

Approved Minutes of the Business Meeting held at 7.00pm 

on Monday, 3 June , 2024

 

Present:              Valerie Sinclair (Chair), Amy Britton (Vice-Chair), Joyce Carberry, Fiona Macleod (Treasurer), Stuart Wilson (Secretary).              

 

In Attendance:   Councillor Susan McGill, Ward 4, Stirling North; for presentation on next phase of SUSTRANS project, Marco Farnocchi, Senior Project Officer; two local residents, including Hamish Taylor, Lib. Dem. Parliamentary Candidate for Stirling and Strathallan; Thelma Barron (Temporary Minutes Secretary).

Apologies:          Darren Draper; Isobel Jackson; Susan White.

 

1.       Welcome

The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting, noted apologies, and introduced Marco Farnocchi, Project Officer, SUSTRANS. 

 

2.       Presentation on North East Stirling Active Travel Project

 

             2.1     Successor Project to Walk Cycle Live

Mr Farnocchi explained that he was Project Officer for SUSTRANS, working with the Transport and Development Team at Stirling Council, to take forward the North East Stirling Active Travel Project, the successor project to Walk Cycle Live, which was now almost complete.

 

2.2 The project would cover the design and implementation of a safer, high quality cycle and walking route from Manor Powys Roundabout to Causewayhead, along the Alloa Road, which is already part of the National Cycle Network. At Causewayhead the new route would connect into the Walk Cycle Live infrastructure.

 

2.2     There were three options for the new walking and cycling route along Alloa Road:

  • Widening the pavement on Alloa Road to a safe width;
  • Providing an off-road route running alongside the railway line to Alloa;
  • Providing a crossing over the railway bridge, at the A91, with a path running south of the railway line from the A91 towards Ladysneuk Road in Causewayhead.

 

These options would be appraised in terms of deliverability, desirability and cost.

 

  • An external Steering Group had been established with representation from Causewayhead, Riverside, Cambuskenneth and Polmaise. Stuart Wilson was representing Causewayhead Community Council. The Steering Group would inform the decision-making process on which of the three options was to be adopted. Project leaders were currently having conversations with landowners and other stakeholders. In due course, once designs and drawings had been released, there would be a public consultation, at which point proposals could come back to the Community Councils for discussion.
  • In discussion, Community Council members identified several issues relating to all three options:

 

                                        Option 1: widening pavement on Alloa Road

                         2.4.1                  It was noted that Alloa Road is not wide. At the juncture with 

Causewayhead, there is Causewayhead Park and the War Memorial on one side, with a long layby for parking, and on the other side, significant numbers of residents’ parked cars, outside a line of houses facing onto Alloa Road. Widening the pavement would inevitably reduce parking space for the Park, and it would not be possible to move the War Memorial to create parking space. Any reduction in parking at the Park was seen to be detrimental, particularly in light of the installation last year of a special swing for children with disabilities, especially children in wheelchairs. Therefore, the Community Council considered it essential that parking space for the Park be preserved. One possible solution previously discussed was to relocate parking space to a waste area at the bottom of the park, adjacent to a substation. 

 

                 Options 2, 3: off-road route alongside railway line or via A91, south of railway line, to Ladysneuk Road

2.4.2 Both these options raised the question of drainage issues. One resident suggested there would be merit in addressing flooding issues alongside the design and construction of the cycle and walking route, with a view to involving other important stakeholders, for example, Network Rail and local landowners, and perhaps the Forthside Development project, with the possibility of bringing in more funding to tackle the problems. In light of the flooding issues, the possibility of a boardwalk design for the walking and cycling pathway was suggested. 

 

2.4.3 Further concerns were expressedabout Option 3 and the proposed emergence of the cycle and walking route at Ladysneuk Road. As there was a cluster of retirement homes here, it could be dangerous to have cyclists travelling at speed in the presence of elderly and less mobile people.

 

2.5 Mr Farnocchi explained that two key variables would affect funding for the project: first, land negotiation, including land purchase or lease, and secondly, the series of projects linked to the levelling up fund, known as Forthside Development.  Over the next two years, work would focus on design and construction proposals to secure grant funding from SUSTRANS.

    It was also important to ensure that the project had the necessary human capacity across SUSTRANS and Stirling Council to move forward effectively. However, he was optimistic that construction would begin in 2026.

 

2.6   One member highlighted the importance of coordination between different departments to ensure that any road closures would be carefully staggered, to minimize disruption.

 

2.7 Community Council members noted that one of the unintended consequences of road narrowing for cycle lanes is that traffic is directed over drains. In particular, side entrance gullies on Causewayhead Road have been damaged, as traffic is now forced closer to the edges of the road. The question was asked whether SUSTRANS had a budget for repairs to drains. Mr Farnocchi clarified that SUSTRANS was primarily the gatekeeper of the funding. However, if a defect was discovered within a year of completion, the contractor would be responsible for repair.

 

2.8 In closing his presentation, Mr Farnocchi issued a written report to attendees, ‘Stirling, Walking and Cycling Index 2023’, delivered by SUSTRANS, which provides an assessment of data for cycling and walking in Stirling over the last two years, and aims to present evidence to further support investment in active travel that will deliver substantive progress towards net zero.

 

2.9     The Chair thanked Mr Farnocchi for his most helpful and informative presentation.

 

3.       Adoption of Minutes

 

The unconfirmed Minutes of the meeting held on 29th April 2024 were approved, having been proposed by Stuart Wilson and seconded by Fiona Macleod.

4.       Matters Arising

 

          4.1     Disused Convenience Store, Munro Avenue

 Stirling Council had sent the owner a warning letter stating that the warrant for demolition of the former shop would be withdrawn if they did not hear from him.  As the owner had failed to meet the deadline for response, the planning application was now closed. However, he had indicated to Councillor Thomson that he would like to submit another planning application to build two semi-detached houses on the site. In the meantime, the derelict shop continued to deteriorate.

 

             4.2     Safety Issues – Hillfoots Road (M4.2)

 The broken wall had been repaired. Unfortunately, ongoing traffic issues included tourists exiting the Wallace Monument car park and driving on the wrong side of the road.

 

                       Flooding on Easter Cornton Road

4.3 Intermittent flooding issues continued on Easter Cornton Road, on the lane by the Dance School, as a consequence of tree roots having grown into drainage pipes. The Chair had reminded Stirling Council to address the issue in dry weather, and had received reassurance it would be dealt with.

 

                       Stevenson Bridge

4.4 The evidence of documented inspections which had been requested by the Community Council under the Freedom of Information Act would be provided by 18 June 2024. 

 

    

 

Empty Homes

4.5 The Community Council had collaborated successfully with Stirling Council’s ‘Empty Homes’ officer to address issues relating to two empty properties. In one case the owner had been contacted and had tidied the front and back gardens; the second case was more complex but was receiving attention.

 

                       Sustrans – Residents’ Concerns: 

inadequacies of new road layout and priorities (M4.3)

4.6 Buchanan Drive. Following the installation of the cycle path on Causewayhead Road, a ‘Give Way sign was installed on Buchanan Drive, with a second ‘Give Way’ sign immediately before the junction with Causewayhead Road, beside a block of rented flats to the left. At the block of flats there is a massive hedge, which extends onto the pavement and is obscuring the view of drivers trying to turn left at the junction, across the cycle path, into Causewayhead Road, potentially exiting into the path of cyclists. 

 

4.7   A separate, but related, issue was that drivers had been observed failing to stop at the ‘Give Way’ and driving straight out onto Causewayhead Road, giving rise  to concerns that it was only a matter of time before a cyclist or pedestrian was hit. 

 

4.8  A further complication at this junction was that one of the tenants in the Buchanan Drive flats is buying vehicles at auction and parking them near the junction, while they are awaiting repair. 

 

4.9 At the last meeting, Councillor Thomson had reported that remedial work was to be undertaken, to replace the double give way with a single give way, and that, whilst Stirling Council had no powers to enforce removal of the parked vehicles, double yellow lines were to be painted on the road, to act as a deterrant. Councillor Thomson would undertake a safety check once the work was completed.

 

4.10 One member further suggested that another possible solution to these problems, if permissible under the new Highway Code, would be to reverse the priorities at the Buchanan Drive junction, so that cyclists on the cycle path on Causewayhead Road would have to give way to drivers emerging from Buchanan Drive. (It was noted that there was already a Give Way on the cycle lane from Cornton to Bridge of  Allan.)

 

4.11 With regard to the overhanging hedge, the Chair had submitted photographs to the Council Enforcement Officer, who would be writing to all tenants in the flats, with a deadline of 28 days to comply with an order to cut the hedge, n the expectation that the tenants would contact their landlords, to address the issue.

 

  1. Police Report

          There was no Police Report for this meeting.

 

  1. Chair’s Report

          The Chair provided an oral report as follows:

             

                    Application for seats for children’s park, Easter Cornton Road

 6.1 The Chair had submitted an application for seats for the children’s park on Easter Cornton Road, but was informed there was no funding available.

 

                    Planters

 6.2 Joyce Carberry and the Chair had planted up the communal planters with summer bedding plants.

                         

                    Stirling University/ Forth Climate Forest Event

 6.3 Stirling University in collaboration with Forth Climate Forest was conducting research into how to engage local communities in forest and woodland planting. An event was to be held on Fri 7 June, 1.00pm – 4.00pm, at the Raploch Campus, where attendees would be invited to share how they value local spaces.

 

                    Giant Japanese Hogweed on Causewayhead Road

 6.4 The Chair had contacted Stirling Council to report the giant Japanese hogweed growing along the bank beside the railway line on Causewayhead Road. The Council had undertaken to address the problem.

 

                    Speedbump on Airthrey Road

 6.5 The Chair had been advised of a possible issue regarding the speedbump on Airthrey Road, after the new pedestrian crossing. However, the Deputy Chair expressed the firm view that the speed bump should not present a problem provided drivers were observing the 20mph speed limit, and agreed to discuss the matter further with Councillor Thomson. 

 

                   Stirling Council – ‘Report it’

 6.6 Stirling Council had introduced a new online service, ‘Report it’, to facilitate reporting of any issues. Alternatively, reports could be made by telephoning 404040.

 

                    Deadline for feedback to Stirling Council LDP Survey

 6.7 Stirling Council’s Local Development Plan Survey would close on Friday 7th June. Feedback was being sought to inform the Evidence Report. In particular, people were being encouraged to have their say to help develop key areas such as housing, local living and heritage.

 

                    Summer Solstice Concert, Blairlogie

 6.8 A Summer Solstice Concert in aid of Mary’s Meals would take place on 21 June at Blairlogie Church. 

 

                    Proposed planting of trees and shrubs in Barnwell Monument area

 6.9 The Chair had reported to Stirling Council that the triangular bed behind the Barnwell Monument had become overgrown, following the removal of conifer trees as part of the Walk Cycle Live project. After the Council had cut back the grass and tidied the bed, she had submitted an application to SUSTRANS with a view to having the bed planted up again with small trees, to improve its appearance. She awaited their response. 

 

 6.10 However, there were two further flower beds in that area, which the Chair and Ms Carberry have weeded in the past. These beds were not included in discussions between SUSTRANS and Stirling Council Land Services, and current constraints meant that Stirling Council Land Services could no longer maintain them. If they were not maintained by local volunteers, Stirling Council would convert them to grass. The Chair proposed that the Community Council take charge of these beds, and plant them up with shrubs. One possibility was that an application for funding be made to Stirling Pride, the deadline for which was 9 July. Alternatively, an approach might be made to Treelink Stirling or CSET, or the Woodland Trust, to purchase trees for planting, with a view to obtaining more established trees rather than saplings. However, it was noted that under the terms of their Stirling Council grant, the Community Council could not use their monies to purchase trees. The Deputy Chair agreed to take enquiries forward.

 

                    Dunster Road – issues with exit onto Airthrey Road

 6.11 Following completion of the cycle lane, Dunster Road was now exit only onto Airthrey Road. However, drivers were finding the left sweep onto Airthrey Road, across an expanse of monoblock, to be difficult. The Give Way was at the top of Dunster Road before the monoblock; it was often challenging to creep forward and get across the monoblock onto Airthrey Road in time, before traffic came off the roundabout  at speed onto Airthrey Road. Stirling Council advised that at 6.2 metres the sweep at the top of Dunster Road met minimum requirements, but nevertheless offered to look at the sweep of the road.

 

 6.12 In addition, the signage was confusing. The ‘No Entry’ sign was facing onto the Vet Practice, and not visible to drivers approaching Dunster Road, but two 20mph signs were more visible, suggesting to rivers that a right turn into Dunster Road was permissible. Consequently, some drivers – including parents of Wallace Academy pupils, picking up and dropping off their children - continued to turn right from Airthrey Road into Dunster Road. It was confirmed that Councillor Thomson has requested a No Entry sign to be positioned on Airthrey Road on the approach to Dunster Road, where it would be seen. It was further suggested that if the Police were to monitor the traffic, especially between 8.30am and 9.30am, this might serve as a useful deterrant.

 

 6.13 In light of the fact that traffic is currently turning right into Dunster Road, there is a particular need to ensure that school pupils on bikes emerging from Aboyne Avenue are aware they should look left, as well as right.

 

 6.14 It was noted that the Secretary had informed Google about road traffic regulation changes affecting Dunster Road so that Sat Nav data could be updated.

 

                    Planning Applications

           6.15 The following planning applications had been submitted

  • 33 Easter Court Road, application for rear extension;
  • 13 Causewayhead Road, application to convert garage to two studio accommodation, for use as student accommodation in term-time, and shortterm lets over the summer period.

                         

                         

                    Stirling Food Train

 6.16 Funding has been withdrawn from the charitable body, Food Train, which works with volunteers to provide a service for elderly residents, shopping for food and groceries, then delivering and putting the shopping away. In consequence, Food Train is no longer able to provide the service free of charge, but requires either a monthly subscription of £60 or a fortnightly subscription of £30. Unfortunately, many elderly customers are unable to afford the cost, and have left the service. In theory, those unable to afford the service could refer themselves to Stirling Council Social Work for an assessment, but in practice Social Work has not the staff resource available to undertake such assessments. One member suggested that an alternative approach might be for those residents to open an account with Tesco ‘Click and Collect, but it was recognized that they would still need to pay someone to make the online order, collect it and deliver it.  In the meantime, it was important for the continued operation of Food Train that they increased the number of subscribers. Anyone wishing to volunteer for Food Train was encouraged to make enquiries by calling 01786 450 536.

 

                    Pesticides in public areas

 6.17 Stirling Council had decided to reduce the number of treatments of pesticide in public areas from two to one. Stirling Council Land Services had concluded, in common with other local authorities, that there was no practical or sustainable alternative to Glyphosate.

 

                        Thanks to local volunteer for collecting rubbish from Causewayhead Streets

 6.18 The Chair expressed her gratitude to one local resident who picks up and recycles rubbish from the streets of Causewayhead on a weekly basis.  

 

  1. Councillor’s Report

          Councillor McGill provided an oral report noting the following:

 

           Marie Curie – Connect, Share and Learn online session

7.1    Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise in collaboration with Marie Curie was providing an online session on independent advocacy, and the role of advocacy in palliative care. The session would take place on 20 June 2024 from 11.00am to 12.00noon. 

 

Cornton Community Action Planning Partnership: Community Action Day – Mental Health

7.2  Cornton Community Action Planning Partnership would be holding a Community Action Day on 4th July to coincide with National Mental Health Awareness initiatives.

 

Provost’s Reception for Wallace High School Girls’ Football Team

7.3          Wallace High School senior girls’ football team were honoured with a Provost’s reception on 30 May, following their Scottish Cup victory at Hampden.

 

Appointment of new Chief Executive at Stirling Council

7.4          Following the departure of Carol Beattie, Caroline Sinclair had been appointed as Chief Executive, and would be taking up her post in three months time. In the meantime, Brian Roberts was acting as interim CEO.

             

 

8.       Any Other Business

             

8.1  One of the local residents in attendance introduced herself as Karen Dunn, Chairperson of Wallace High School Parent Teacher Committee. All members agreed that there would be benefit in the Community Council working closely with the Wallace High School Parent Teacher Committee, with the possibility of mutually beneficial projects, including leadership schemes for pupils that could include help with gardening or litter picking. Moreover, this would afford a channel of communication to the school for safety issues, such as those highlighted in M6.11 – 6.13 above, in relation to Dunster Road. It was agreed that it would be helpful for the two bodies to share Minutes.

 

9.       Date of Next Meeting

          The next meeting would take place on Monday 5th August at 7.00pm in the Birds and Bees Function Room.

 

TASB/ VS  17.6.24