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Cornton Community Council
Minute of meeting held on
31st July 2024
in the Cornton Community Centre
Minute status: ADOPTED
Community
Councillors
Present
Stuart Meldrum (Chair) – SM; Charles Russell (Planning) - CR; Shona Cullen - SC; Rose
Curley (Treasurer) - RC; Patricia McCormack (Vice Chair) – TMcC.
Apologies Sarah Jane Welsh - SJW; Scott McArthur (Associated member) - SMcA; Councillor Susan
McGill; Joshua Capes - Police Scotland.
Also in
attendance
Caroline Stewart (Minute taker); Chris Burns (Stirling Council) – CB; Councillor Jim
Thomson – JT; Janice Beaton (Support 4 Families) - JB.
Abbreviations Cornton Community Council – CCC; Stirling Council SC; Support for Families - S4F
Item Number Notes Actions
072024-01
Welcome, Apologies, and Conflicts of Interest
The chair opened and welcomed everyone to the June meeting. He gave
apologies for Sarah Jane Welsh and Scott MacArthur. Anna Johnstone
(Secretary) has given her resignation due to ill health and the chair wanted to
thank her for the commitment she has shown to the community council over
many years. He will seek advice from Stephen Bly, Stirling Council, on what
this means with regards to membership numbers and what the options are
moving forward. The chair has taken on some secretarial responsibilities in the
Secretary’s absence and has distributed the agenda for the July meeting as
well as the minutes from the June 2024 meeting. There were no conflicts of
interests declared.
072024-02 Adoption of minutes for previous meetings
The minutes for the June meeting had been shared by email prior to the
meeting. They were proposed by SC and seconded by RC. The chair advised
that all the previous minutes have now been sent to Stephen Bly and they will
be posted on the Stirling Council website. An enquiry had come in from a
member of the public and the relevant minutes have been shared with them.
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072024-03 Matters Arising and Actions
062024-4 Landscaping and Gardening – see item 7
062024-5 Social Media: A Facebook page has now been created for Cornton
Community council and the link was shared. Chris Burns will also get the link
distributed within his wider network. SC agreed to print and distribute the
agenda and minutes for the August meeting.
062024-6 Noticeboards see item 6
072024-04 Residents Voice
There were no members of the public in attendance.
072024-05 Targeted Good Food Fund
The fund will be used to reinstate the community café in Cornton community
centre. There was a discussion about the funding that was secured for this and
the community council holding the money temporarily until the organisation
could be disclosed. The chair has been in contact with Chris Burns from Stirling
Council to ensure liability is transferred over to Support 4 families who will be
taking over the running of the café. There was a feeling that there needs to be
more transparency in the future if a similar situation occurs however, it was
acknowledged that sometimes decisions have to be made at short notice
otherwise funding would be lost. Janice Beaton was in attendance from
Support 4 families and advised that she had asked for the organisation to
remain anonymous as she was in negotiation with the board and had to ensure
that the relevant insurance etc was in place. Janice was keen to emphasise if a
decision hadn’t been made quickly the money would have been lost to
Cornton.
There was agreement that a letter will be drafted to Support 4 families
advising that the community council approve the funds being transferred to
them on the basis that they take on responsibility for the terms and conditions
of the fund award. There was a vote, and the motion was passed that the funds
should be transferred to Support 4 families.
Janice gave an update on Support 4 Families plans for the community café. The
original plan was to open on 27th August, however this may be delayed due to
the money not yet being transferred and a she is keen for the volunteers to
complete food hygiene certificate.
SM
072024-06 Noticeboards
SJW has agreed to take on the lead for this project, and with the chair, has
started to research the range of noticeboards available and advised if the
community council wanted a larger noticeboard they may need planning
permission. There was a suggestion to get advice from Causewayhead
community council as well as Paths for All and Active Stirling who are both
involved in delivering Health walks in Cornton and may want to use the notice
boards to promote their walks. The chair will contact Stephen Bly to find out if
permission would be required to install a noticeboard outside the community
centre.
It was also suggested that it might be useful to have a flat screen TV as this can
be a source of revenue with local businesses buying advertising space. It was
highlighted that there have been issues with Morrison taking down flyers
promoting the community council. The chair will email the manager.
SM
SM
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The chair has also spoken to the fisheries about their noticeboard. The area is
currently overgrown and there is no access to the noticeboard as the keys have
to be found. They are happy to work with the community council and local
groups to try and tidy up the area around it.
Chris Burns has already spoken to the manager of the community payback
team, and they have offered support from 1st October. They are extremely
busy at the moment as they are supporting with clear ups in other areas due to
Stirling Council cuts.
Councillor Thomson raised the issues of the wooden bridge in the area which is
near collapse and advised there have been issues identifying the land owner.
Chris Burns will send on a site map of the area to Councillor Thomson.
072024-07 Landscaping and Gardening
Three whisky barrels have been purchased and photos were distributed of the
proposed locations around Cornton with one opposite the library, one opposite
the Scotafric shop and the other opposite Morrisons local. The librarian from
Cornton library is keen to adopt one of the barrels to work on with local
children. There was a discussion about trying to get the Primary school
involved. The next phase of the project is to have more whisky barrels
installed on Strathmore Drive towards the Chilli Hut. There are £300 in the
funds that were donated and £80 has been spent on the barrels. The deadline
to spend the money is November otherwise it has been to be returned as it is a
restricted fund.
There was a discussion about using the free compost available at Polmaise
recycling plant and speaking to local garden centres regarding donating plants.
SC has already approached garden centres top ask for donations. CR agreed to
send SM a close-up photo of one of the barrels as a risk assessment needs to be
carried out. Chris Burns agreed to send SM more information on risk
assessments.
It was agreed that £103.20 can be transferred to CR to cover supplies, receipts
have been passed to the Treasurer.
CR
072024-08 December Meeting date
There followed a discussion about future meeting dates, and it was agreed that
the December meeting should be cancelled. The Chair will inform Stephen Bly
and provide him with details of all the meeting dates up until May 2025.
SM
072024-09 Police report (PC)
The chair advised that he has been in correspondence with the local officer
Joshua Capes. It was agreed he will send dates to PC Capes to try and arrange
a face-to-face meeting with 1 or 2 community council members attending to
discuss the police report. Chris Burns highlighted the frontline workers meeting
which takes place monthly and is chaired by his team at Stirling Council. This
covers Cornton, Raploch and Merkat Cross as all of the areas have recently
been pulled together to meet. Chris will get details of the next meeting sent
over as all the local police officers are invited to this meeting.
072024-10 Chair’s report
The chair sent his report prior to the meeting therefore didn’t feel there was
need to read over it during the meeting. Most of what was covered in this came
up in other parts of the agenda.
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072024-11 Vice Chair’s report
The vice chair hadn’t prepared a report but went through a number of issues :
● There is a lack of signage in Ledi View and delivery drivers etc can’t
find addresses. Councillor Thomson will raise.
● Ongoing issues with the bus service. There was a discussion about what
could be done including inviting McGill’s to a future meeting, suggesting
that the route goes back to the previous circular route as there are
issue with people from Cornton getting transport to Causewayhead.
● Residents have also been asking if there is still a community council and
it has been suggested that they come to a meeting to find out more
about what they do.
072024-12 Treasurer’s report
Details were provided of the current balance as of 28th June 2024. There have
been 3 invoices received, one for the hall booking for the Mini Bino’s, one from
Artlink and another for a party (unsure of who this is for).
There was also a cheque for £100 sent to Karen Kiakowski for carrying out the
recent audit. Karen has offered to donate £90 back to the
gardening/landscaping fund. The community council agreed to send a thank
you letter to Karen once this has been received.
072024-13 Secretary’s report
There was no report due to the resignation of Anna Johnstone, the chair sent
out the agenda and minutes and will seek clarity from Stephen Bly on how to
move forward.
073024-14 Planning and Licensing report
There has been a request from a resident for planning permission to extend a
private building in West Haugh. It was felt no action was required.
There is going to be a lot of roadworks around Cornton over the next 3 to 6
moths with work planned at Easter Cornton Road, Haugh Road and also Bridge
Haugh Road. A paper copy of a map of the affected areas was provided during
the meeting. There was also a discussion about the ongoing issues with people
parking and the double yellow lines in Johnstone Avenue. An enquiry about this
has been sent to CC enquiries, the work has been approved but a date has not
been set.
072024-15 Elected Councillor’s report
Councillor Thomson provided an update. He was standing in for Councillor
McGill who sent her apologies. He advised that the council went into early
recess due the Westminster elections being called and due to this meetings had
to be cancelled. At the moment they are still in recess, so nothing is happening
at a strategic level.
There is a new Chief Executive of Stirling Council, Caroline Sinclair who started
her new post this week following the resignation of Carol Beattie.
New laws around pavement parking will be enforced from 15th July.
There is a new anti-social behaviour strategy, Councillors have been invited to
a briefing tomorrow. This will be put to committee soon for approval.
There was a discussion about the van parked in Johnstone Avenue that is
causing an obstruction. Councillor Thomson will contact the enforcement
team.
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There was a question asked regarding the bin strikes. Councillor Thomson
advised he has no further information as this is being dealt with by COSLA.
There was also a discussion about providing training for residents on how to
recycle. Chris Burns will provide stickers on what to include in each bin.
072024-16 Stirling Council’s report (CB)
Chris Burns wanted to say thank you the community council for holding the
money for Support 4 families.
There is training available for each community council role on the SC website
as well as various training available on the SVE website.
There is a new Manager taking over the recovery café and Chris has arranged a
meeting with them. He will pass on details once he has more information
There are a number of initiatives taking place in Cornton including increased
interest in health walks and plans to train more walk leaders, over 50s group
starting up, carpet bowls, table tennis and also hoping to get Doghouse Boxing
back for another session. Chris will send out a timetable of all the planned
activity.
There was a discussion about having a sandwich board and noticeboard outside
the community centre with details of everything that is happening. It was
agreed that an enquiry will be sent to CC enquiries to check if there is an
option to do this
072024-17 AOCB
None
The meeting was closed at 2045.
Next meeting
The next meeting will be on the 28th of August, 2024 at 7pm in the Cornton Community Centre