Mar 2022 Minutes

CROFTAMIE COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Venue – On line via Zoom Wednesday 9.3.22 @ 7.30 pm

Apologies –Anne Ewing, Police

Attendance: Margaret Firth (MF), David Armstrong (DA), Donnie Watson (DW), Cyndy Bourbousson (CB), Henry Braid (HB), Willie Nisbet (WN) Jane Hutchison, Stirling Council (JH)

Plus three residents

1. Previous Minutes- proposed by DA, and seconded CB

2. Police Report (emailed report) –

March 2022 - Compiled by PC Steven Graham

Antisocial Behaviour

There have been no reports of anti-social behaviour since the last meeting.

There have been no further reports of the suspicious male in the West Highland Way/Mugdock area.

Road Safety There were no reportable RTCs in the Croftamie area since the last meeting.

Theft

There was a theft of a quad bike from a farm on the back roads between Croftamie and Alexandria. Enquiries are ongoing.

There was a house broken into in Buchlyvie but nothing appears to have been stolen.

What basic steps can I take to protect my home?

Think about basic good housekeeping routines that aren’t expensive:

•Keep your home locked at all times

•Many thieves do not need to break in at all because a door or window has been

left open or unlocked

•Don’t leave keys on the inside of door locks, under mats or anywhere else they

can be easily found

•If you have a ‘thumb turn’ lock on the inside of a door, ensure that it cannot be

accessed from outside

•Don’t keep house keys and car keys on the same key ring

•Don't keep a lot of cash in the house

•Mark your property with a UV marker pen or Security DNA marking Kit - these can be bought online or in some stores

•Look for the Secured By Design accreditation on the product and register - you can place an invisible imprint of your postcode and house number on your possessions

•You can record and register details of your valuables, serial numbers and features or marks, on devices on the national mobile property register on the immobilise website - this includes mobile phones, cameras, laptops and tablets

•Don’t leave valuables where they can be see through a window - for example, around the tree at Christmas time

•If you have a wall calendar, avoid having it shown near a window from where

appointments can be seen - people may see when there will be no one in.

•Use timer switches on lights and radios to make it look as if your home is

occupied.

•Ensure all doors and windows are secure when you leave and when you go to

bed.

•If possible use secure lighting at the front and back of your property.

•Make sure all garden tools and ladders are locked away when not being used.

Don’t give the thieves the tools to break into your house.

•Use a good quality lock on any garden sheds and outhouses.

•Make a note of all makes, models and serial numbers of expensive items in your home.

•If your house is fitted with an alarm then please use it. This is a good deterrent

should thieves manage to force entry to your house.

•If you note anything suspicious in your neighbourhood report it on 101.

Fraud

Fraudsters can make contact with you by phone. The caller might pretend to be from your bank and ask for personal information such as bank details or they might be someone offering you a deal or a prize. Other calls have been made by persons purporting to be from HMRC stating that there was a warrant out for the receiver of the call and was asked to contact the number that was given. This is clearly a false call so please heed the below advice:

•Consider making your phone number ex-directory.

•Don’t give out any personal information unless you are the one who made the

call and you are certain of the identity of the person you are speaking to.

•Don’t give out your credit card or bank card details to strangers on the

telephone.

•NEVER tell somebody your bank PIN number, even if they claim to be the bank or police. If the caller is genuine they will never ask for this information.

•Don’t give out information which may infer that you live alone, are older or

vulnerable.

•Never send money to anyone who claims to have a prize for you.

•If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

•Contact local trading standards – they may be able to use approved ‘call blocking’ technology.

Community Engagement and Reassurance

It is important to you to have community officers who you know, who are accessible and who address local problems

PC Steven Graham is based at Balfron Police Office and can be contacted at the office, on 101, or at ForthEndrickCPT@scotland.pnn.police.uk. It is recommended that this email address is used by the local community for email contact.

Please remember that we regularly publish useful information and updates on social media, including appeals for information, updates about road closures and crime prevention advice. Our Facebook and Twitter pages can be found at

www.facebook.com/forthvalleypolicedivision www.facebook.com/policescotland www.twitter.com/stirlingpol www.twitter.com/policescotland

3. Planning Report –

Update on Pirniehall from Paul Houghton, Planning consultant on behalf of new owner Mr Lewis.

Initial plans were shown to the meeting.

Indicative layout for the plans for the refurbishment of the main House being done as close as possible internally and externally to what it looked like previously.

Plans to convert the stables and build holiday accommodation in the form of approx 23 lodges.

They have identified an area for allotments for the community.

Technical studies are being done, ecology, tree surveys, transport statement, research site conditions and drainage.

Architect is looking at floor plans and elevations and within a month these should be ready to view.

If the requirement is for one single application for all properties, a pre application consultation is required for application this size. Two formal consultations would be held with the Community.

If the Park allow phased applications the consultations would not be required. First application could be ready by end of April or Large application could be ready by end of June.

Looking at the possibility of increasing parking areas for neighbouring properties.

· Q what type of properties? looking at various products for the lodges.

· Observation was made re the high density in layout of the lodges. Paul confirmed this was indicative but comment was made that the architect will have been given the brief for so many lodges.

· Q- was asked around the size of the lodges and the answer was 2 and 3 bedroom lodges

· Q was asked How flexible is he is reducing the number of the lodges? Yes would be flexible – concentration is being made on the main house and conversion.

· Comment was made that so many lodges would change the Village considerably and the implications of them on our quiet village.

· Comment was made that there is a lot of lodges. Paul noted that Caravan parks only require 6 metres between properties.

· Comment made that there would be positives if the right plan was forthcoming encouraging visitors to the village thus would benefit the businesses.

Next meeting will be in person and the plans could be shared with the community.

RSHA Croftamie – Buchanan Crescent- no further updates since 14 Feb which detailed the plans for the properties.

CB to take on the role of looking into the local planning for the area and to summarise for the future meetings.

JH- to see if one email can be sent for both Council and Park requests.

Killearn Lodge - a planning application was made one year ago and there was an assumption was that there was a right of way which impacted neighbouring properties which had been discussed at our meetings. That application was withdrawn but a new application has been made for a house/studio and garage at Killearn Lodge Farmstead.

Confirmation has now been received from Richard Barron, Access Officer- Stirling Council that there is not a right of way implication at this location.

4. Roads Update – DW

Reminder to adhere to the routes diversions

There are signposts at Gartness for works to be done next week.

5. Treasurer Update – DA

Bal as at 9 March 2022 is £1738.68. This is after expenses of £159.51 to SSE,

£200 to Minute taker for 5 meetings and Zoom fees of £57.56.

SSE still require £94.80 to disconnect the supply and this Quarters fee of £60- however they have promised a Goodwill gesture refund due to the mix up and delays – amount to be confirmed.

6. Stirling Council Update – Councillor Jane Hutchison

Catterburn Bridge update received from Marie Lucey (9/3/22)

An inordinate amount of work has been undertaken over the past month. Detailed engagement has taken place with utility providers and changes have been made to the detailed design to accommodate utility providers requirements. Reaching consensus with all 3 utility providers has taken much longer than initially programmed and additional structural modelling was required based on their individual requirements. Scottish Water and BT are currently progressing with diversion designs, with diversions scheduled to take place at the start of the construction phase. SGN are progressing with a near immediate diversion of their apparatus to an above ground location at the centre line of the bridge. A further diversion of the apparatus will also take place ahead of the construction phase.

Following extensive engagement and receipt of informal approval, a detailed formal submissions has now been made to Loch Lomond and National Park Planning department. The proposed design has been discussed in detail with the National Park and current design has been selected as it does not triggered a requirement for planning, from the planning authorities’ perspective. A detailed submission has also formally been made to Nature Scot.

Due to complexities in the final negations with utility providers, compilation of the tender package has been slightly delayed. It is now hoped that this will be complete

and reviewed by early next week and that the project can formally go to tender at this point.

MF- has raised that diversions impact on the environment

DW- asked if the road could be made one way but this has been discounted WN- has there been any updates on the tendering process. Answer - Tendering process has been delayed but there are a couple of contractors that have indicated a desire to take on the task.

· Branshogle repairs should be finished by the end of April.

· Bruce Reekie has left the Bridges team and a replacement is being sought.Other Council business

• Budget – discussions have been passed

· Council Tax will increase by 3%.

· Wallace Monument has been lit in blue and yellow to show support to Ukraine

· With Jane not standing for re-election this is potentially her last meeting. Thanks given to Jane for her support during her time in the role.

7. LL&TNP -WN

Post Covid the Park are looking at back to some normality - full board meeting in person on Monday coming. This will also be live streamed. Nat Park HQ will be open to the public and they can attend this meeting within the regulation numbers.

Staff working in Hybrid system of mixed working from home and in the office. Prep for the coming season but there are unknowns ie will tourists come if fuel costs are higher.

Q- manhole in Gartocharn for three weeks– when will it be repaired? A- this is ongoing

· Elections for councillors on Nat park board (2 reps from Stirling will likely change) and Directors elections in June- 5 at moment but 3 will be standing down so changes will be made there too.

· There is a new Minster for National parks in Scotland- Lorna Slater.

· 20th anniversary of LL & T National Park this year.

8. Outstanding points from last meeting

Catterburn Bridge update – see Maria Lucey update.

MF to invite Maria Lucey, Bridge officer to the next meeting.