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CROFTAMIE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Venue – But & Ben
Wednesday 8.6.22 @ 7.30 pm
Attendees- Henry Braid (HB), Margaret Firth (MF), Donnie Watson (DW), David Armstrong
(DA), Cyndy Bourbousson (CB), Paul Henke – Stirling Councillor and 12 residents
Apologies – Willie Nisbet, Police
1. Previous Minutes- proposed by DW seconded by CB
2. Police Report – no report received
3. Planning Report – CB
RSHA Croftamie – Buchanan Crescent no update
Application Notice to LL&TNP RE Pirniehall - an Official response from CCC has been submitted
to Paul Houghton Planning. ( see end of meeting for further Pirnie Hall comments)
No further planning applications for our village
4. Roads Update – DW- nothing for our area
5. Treasurer Update – DA
Bal of account remains unchanged. The complaint with SSE has now been raised with the
Ombudsman to get a resolution to finally close off the account to Nil.
6. Stirling Council Update – Councilor Paul Henke in attendance. Other elected councilors
are Rosemary Fraser and Gerry McGarvey.
There will be a rota by the council but Paul wants to come along each month to Croftamie.
No further Council proposals have been raised since Election day.
Re the Croftamie Bridge: A resident in Balmaha has written to the Council and these were his
questions with the answers provided by Richard Hayes, Interim manager Roads and Lands
Service:
When will work start on the bridge? Tenders for the reconstruction works are due to be
returned this week and will be evaluated prior to an appointment of a Contractor by the
end of the month at the earliest. The Contractor will require a short period to mobilise
his apparatus which will require to be diverted.
What completion date will the Council now commit to? The completion date will be
agreed as soon as the Contractor provides an acceptable programme of works.
Given that the Branshogle Bridge rebuild has been much delayed, what confidence can
the public have in any assurances concerning the Croftamie Bridge? The tender process
for Croftamie has been extended to allow as much information as we have currently
available to be provided to the tenderers but the successful completion of the schemes
will depend on actual conditions encountered during the works and every effort will be
made to expedite the works.
If work will not start this month with an October finish a realistic possibility then when
will the council consider emergency temporary alternatives such as the Feb 22
proposal by Mr Martin Contractor or a Bailey bridge as suggested by Jim Thomson,
Convenor on 12 Oct 2021? The use of a temporary bridge has been considered but not
proceeded with as it would require a significant amount of additional works, land
acquisition and construction.
Given the acute pressures facing local businesses that have been greatly exacerbated
by the fiasco concerning the collapse of the Croftamie Bridge what financial help is the
Council willing to offer local businesses to obviate closures or job losses? In such
situations, The Council is under no legal obligation to provide compensation to affected
concerns. There are limited provisions for reduction in Business Rates which are
available by application to the Valuation Office.
Is the £1.5M funding promised for the rebuild still secure and adequate? The £1.5M
funding is in place for this scheme and a number of schemes.
There has been a presentation on Branshogle bridge which PH has asked for it to be shared
with the communities.
Branshogle has been more complex than expected.
Croftamie- Tenders have been received and they want a week to ten days to assess and then
appoint a contractor.
Over 100 queries asked from the Contractors. Approx 6 companies have bid for the contract.
There will be a Quality check then Procurement checks.
£1.5M Budget is to cover both bridges (approx £950K for Croftamie and Budget is £650K for
Branshogle) If is short there is a council meeting on the 23rd June to discuss
Q-What if it is more A -Would have to go to Government for more.
Concern as raw materials are increasing in price.
Q- Is our £950K ringfenced for us? A- no the total is £1.5M for both bridges. Concern raised
that Branshogle will be use some of our allocation if they are first.
Expectation the build will take approx 4 months to complete.
The Contractor is to engage with the community at our August meeting and this should
include our local business.
Further ecological survey is to be done before the work starts. (Bats is one)
Water and Broadband diversions are in place and the Gas is causing concern about the
diversion of their pipes.
PH to let CCC know the outcome of the meeting on the 23rd.
Bins- PH asked if there have been any complaints about the bins- ie only 4 weekly collections
of grey bins or £35 charge on Brown bins. PH trying to get grey bins back to two weekly.
70% of council tax collected rurally but 70% of spending done in Stirling city
PH advised that there is a group looking at Public transport.
MF advised that the previous bus service was reduced so significantly that people going to
work were unable to reply on public transport. Should any transport be reinstated it would
need to be assessed to see who would be using it and would it be cost effective. Concern
around last buses in the area being cancelled.
Gartocharn/Balloch bus is changing to McColls. Discussion around the use of buses for
tourists
Comment made re the new development in Buchanan Cres for Rural Stiring- and there is no
public transport.
Pavements– no feedback has been received from Community payback as to whether they
could assist. Pavements are not safe to walk on and urgently need scraped back.
7. LL&TNP -WN- no report provided
8. Outstanding points from last meeting
Copy of CCC response to LL&TNP – PAC on Pirniehall
Comments was circulated.
Park authority are not receiving objections / comments yet.
Paul Houghton should have submitted all his feedback to the Park as the results of the
consultation. The Park are then able to say that they would /would not accept and application.
Planning application is a public document. Ecology report is on the park site. The Park will then
decide if they want an environment impact assessment.
Local development was written over 7 years ago. Community didn’t engage on the VE1 Plan.
HB clarified PH will submit application and details to be shared at our next meeting.
We can meet in July should the plans go through but we have a minimum of 3 months to make
any comments.
It was unknown if the planning application will be online before or after the application is
reviewed. However there is a Portal which CCC can access.
Catterburn Bridge Update
B818, Branshogle Bridge Repair- pillar in place and possibly will be finished in 3 months.
Participation Request – 20-21-002 Pavements & 20.2.003 Speeding Update- nothing further
to note
Croftamie Webpage Updated- MF has made initial updates on the Community Website but
volunteer requested to keep this maintained.
9. Correspondence Received
Drymen/ Croftamie - 20 min neighbourhood report.
Could review at our meeting in August.
10. Any Other Business –
Community Hut – requires some TLC – possible day - Fri 17th DW to review.
Q asked around empty Council property in Mill Quadrant but no update given. Council
looking at providing accommodation for Ukrainian families.
Confirmation of next Meeting –
Wednesday 10.08.2022 @ 7.30 pm
Location But & Ben
However, there could be a July meeting if we wish to discuss Pirnie Hall plans before August.