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MINUTES FOR CROFTAMIE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Venue – But & Ben Wednesday 9.11.22 @ 7.30 pm
Attendees: Henry Braid (HB), Donnie Watson (DW), Margaret Steel (MS), Cyndy Bourbousson (CB) Alli Peterson (AP), David Mackie (DM) LL&TP, Rosemary (Fraser RM)( Stirling Council) and 16 residents.
Apologies – David Armstrong, Police,
- Previous Approved CB by Seconded by MS
2. Police Report (emailed report)
Forth and Endrick, Croftamie Community Council November 2022 - Compiled by PC Steven Graham
Antisocial Behaviour
There have been no reports of anti-social behaviour since the last meeting.
A female slipped on a rock at the Devil’s Pulpit and ended up in the water, Emergency services and the mountain rescue team attended and effected a rescue. The female was not injured.
Road Safety
One vehicle RTC. Vehicle came off road and into a hedge. No injury sustained.
Advice for Drivers
Prepare for the winter by keeping your vehicle well maintained before you take to the road. Take special care that brakes, tyres, lights, batteries, windscreens and wiper blades are in good condition. In addition, washer bottles need to contain an additive to stop the water from freezing.
Tyres should also be checked weekly to ensure they are legal and at the correct pressure (consult your vehicle handbook). The minimum legal tread depth for cars is 1.6mm across the centre 3/4 of the breadth of the tread around the entire circumference. They should also be checked for bulges, cuts or tears which weaken the tyre. Failure to maintain your tyres could lead to a maximum of
£2,500 fine and 3 penalty points per tyre.
Make sure your windows are clean, properly demisted and clear of snow and ice before you drive. Also make sure that your roof is clear of snow as this affects drivers behind you and can also cause obstructions on your windscreen when braking. Be careful with low sun as it can make it difficult to see and a dirty, greasy or damaged windscreen can make this worse.
All lights must be kept clean and clear and be in good working order, including registration
Theft
No reported thefts for the Croftamie area during since the last meeting although there was an attempted HB in Drymen.
Fraud
With rising energy costs and the government energy grants, please be aware of scammers potentially targeting vulnerable members of the public. Never give bank details or make payments if you receive cold calls/ emails. If in doubt, telephone your energy providers main customer service number.
Identity theft
Identity theft is when criminals get access to someone's personal information. They then use it to steal their identity. They could then pretend to open bank accounts, get credit cards, loans and mortgages or to claim benefits. They could even take over someone's accounts and change the address. They can steal someone's name and reputation. Then can use this to make money.
Here are a few ways which these criminals work:
They search through rubbish to find bills or bank statements They target flats where shared mail boxes make theft easier
They bribe or rob postal workers or purchase the information from other criminals They search through unattended bags.
Warning signs
There are a number of warning signs to look out for:
If you get bills or invoices for goods you have not ordered
If you get collection letters for debt that isn't yours or
There are transactions on your bank or credit card statements that you do not recognise Important documents such as your passport or driving licence may have been stolen.
Take action
There are a number of steps you can take to avoid falling victim to identity theft:
Keep all your important documents safe and secure
When using a credit or debit card, make sure it’s never out of your sight
Cash machines may have been tampered with. Your cards could be skimmed and cloned Never give out your personal details when you’re contacted by phone, fax, post or email Always offer to ring back any suspicious callers but check the phone number you are given
When throwing out documents which contain personal information try to shred them so that nobody could read your personal details
Always check your bank and credit card statements. Report any transactions you don’t recognise, even small amounts
Close all accounts you no longer need
Move your mail when moving home by arranging with the post office to forward your mail to your new address
Get organisations to send to your new address.
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’s Steven Graham and Graeme McNulty are the Ward Officers for the Forth and Endrick area. They are based at Balfron Police Office and can be contacted at the office, on 101, or at ForthEndrickCPT@scotland.police.uk. It is recommended that this email address is used by the local community for email contact however this should not be used to report crimes.
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 Comments: Fwwd
Missing from last months report was the theft of 69 m of coping stones -7.5 -10 tonnes which will cost £15K to replace. Would have taken 30 hour period over two nights to uplift. Also happened in Milngavie recently too.
3. Planning Report – CB
Rural Stirling House development LL&TNP approved Buchanan Cres planning has been approved for 14 two storey houses, cottage flats and semi detached houses with new private access road and associated landscaping
A resident has complained about flooding in a garden with water coming off the field which is the site for the above development. A drain has collapsed and the water is running into two gardens. Rosemary Fraser took some details and will investigate.
Pirniehall Development – no updates received.
4. Roads Update – DW
Nothing to report in addition to the bridge diversions. Too many cars parking on this side of this the bridge. – to be raised with the contractors
5. Treasurer Update – DA
Balance of Bank account is 2080.47.
Xmas tree lights update. Lights have been purchased and they are to be installed by beginning of Dec.
6. Stirling Council Update – Rosemary Fraser
We are to email all three councillors who are on a rota for responses to be sent. Rosemary is on the Audit committee, is Vice chair of Governance and Risk, is on the Joint board for Social care partnership.
The Net Zero group is meeting tomorrow.
Rosemary has a background in Chartered Financial Planning and has an Arts and crafts shop. Keen on environmental issues.
Q- Branshogle bridge closure. The closure of Dunmore St for resurfacing- has been reversed- tractors would have had to go past the primary and high school.
Decisions are being made from offices without people visiting sites.
Last night’s meeting suggested that Branshogle will be open by the end of this month.
200 bridges in Stirling – we need to have a proper programme for assessment before bridges have to be closed. RM priority to have this plan of action to repair.
Freedom of info request – Branshogle was identified as needing repair in 2015, 2017 and again in 2019. In Feb 21 it fell down.
Difference with us and Bransholge was that subcontractors were used there but ours has a contractor in place.
Raised that there will be a Major planning application is imminent of Pirnie Hall. Lodge park with main house. Environment impact assessment are different to what was presented to the CCC.
RM cant read docs as she may have to vote and wouldn’t be allowed. Roads and infrastructures and impact to the village.
7. LL&TNP - Update David MacKie
On the planning committee now so cannot say anything in relation to Pirnie Hall. Planning committee will visit sites as required.
Local Place Plan will feed into Local Dev Plan. Alli visited Drymen to see what they are doing. Get in touch with Park to get funding – the Trust have been in touch. We will hold off until Feb.
Drymen have said that they need input from Croftamie. They have a separate committee to look at the Plan.
In the past the community have come together to come up with ideas. DM is encouraged by the volume of residents that attend our meetings.
With any planning application the community has to object if that’s how we feel and individuals can also do so.
DM is on the Audit and risk committee and Planning at the Park.
Linking the villages – what influence does the Park have on the pavements in linking the two villages.
Feasibility study has been done in the past and the pavement was supposed to link the two villages – but the funds ran out and therefore it didn’t happen.
8. Outstanding points from last meeting
Catterburn Bridge Update – meeting 10.11.22 at But & Ben. Meeting here at But and Ben from 4pm to 8pm.
Parking to be raised.
Key thing from online meeting was timings and when will it be open.
Piling work had not started on schedule. Reassured that the drilling and piling has commenced and there wont be too much of a delay.
Opening mid Feb single lane from Feb to mid March two way.
Q -What is the plan to control the speeding in the village? This can be looked at once the road is open again.
Community Benefits suggestions update- see attached
Participation Requests – 20-21-002, Pavements & 20.2.003 Speeding – ongoing
Bus stops were removed – but the bins were taken away One bin has been delivered.
Stirling Community were planning to remove the Bus Shelters – they were not aware that the school kids use them and they are also used by walkers/residents. MS has had no update yet from Stephen Bly.
Update on Croftamie Community Trust.
AGM was held and two directors stepped down- Sheila Welsh and Jenny Freeman. New Directors appointed were Alastair Strong and Sabeen Lochhead.
Closure of the Nursery - Trust will meet and will be asking the community to get involved in discussions.
Action – RM was asked if she could find out when the nursery will close.
9. Correspondence Received
Fireworks points to consider , change in law
https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/your-safety/outdoors/fireworks-and-bonfire-safety/
times and when you get let them off. not allowed Before 6pm and after 11pm – report it if there are any issues.
Resident – asked RM about fireworks, birds and sheep and the environmental damage even from displays, regulations are needed to prevent this damage.
Hogmany at Wallace monument RM has asked can they be silent ones.
10. Any Other Business –
- Confirm next year proposed Wednesdays- 1.23, 8.02.23, 8.03.23, 12.04.23, 10.05.23
& AGM, 14.06.22, 9.08.22, 13.09.22, 11.10.22 & 8.11.23
- Switching on Xmas tree lights/ Christmas Carols date - 12.22 6.30pm AE will provide posters. Drymen switch on is 4th Dec.
- Drymen Community Council is in abeyance at the
- Email account Admin @ is HB and DA to sort.
- There is a Winter Volunteer scheme where the Council provide yellow jackets and grit for those who Volunteer to spread grit in areas that the Council cant get Q- who is insured if you don’t do it or what if you forget to do it – who is liable?
Confirmation of next Meeting – Wednesday 11.1.2023 AT 7.30 pm Location But and Ben
Appendix:
Catterburn Bridge & Community Benefits Ideas collated for the Community
Discussion around ideas for use of Contracotors contribution to the Village from both AMCO and Rural Stirling
There is an Apprentice fund. Local supplier – have any been given contracts. Money left is unknown.
We don’t have shopping trollies so burn does not need cleaned in the same way other areas might.
Repair of pavements- they cant do as this has to be the Council. Repair of wall leading from Bridge into village- they cant do
Cut back of undergrowth from bridge to corner leading to Mill Quadrant – improve sightlines. landowners
Traffic calming measures to reduce speeding in 30 mile limit in village. Funding to ask for a report to be done to reduce the limits to 20 mph. Drymen received funds to reduce the width of the road 14m reduced 6m.
20mph is being considered across all villages in Scotland.
Q- what do the community want – single or two lane bridge.
The repairs are being done to technical standards and it is perhaps unable to be amended. Q- how do we go to 20mph by Stirling Council by law.
New bench in memory of past resident -Agnes McQueen a locally born resident to Ned OKeefe ( however family didn’t think He would have been comfortable with this proposal)
If Rural Stirling also offering money could a play park be considered? Road will need to be resurfaced
Existing Notice board to be repositioned with a bench further round on the Quadrant.
Would be better on the Sustrance cycle path. Scottish water may own the land that was suggested
Q- a play park – only green space is at Quadrant.
Q- amount was £30K who is in charge of the fund
A – planning MS to speak to Marina Foster at Stirling Council.
Other ideas :Flower trough/planter, Salt bin for Cattermills, Resurfacing of non-tarmac path/pavement - 3 suggested areas
- Dalnair House to bridge roadside A809
- Repair of path in woods to Dalnair
- Repair of path around corner at T-Junction on the A809 & 811 enabling access up to our only bus stop
A Donations for Nursery suggested but rejected as it’s closing soon.
Repair work in village
- Replace broken Perspex window in bus shelter
- Replace broken Perspex doors on Community Notice board
- Fix two metal bench s in place (community have the 2 two legged benches) but need screwing or fixing in position. One on Cycle track to replace Jenny’s Bench.
The other could be outside a Bus shelter
Or remodel a part of the village green next to post box. Corner below Mill Quadrant.
- Using existing bench and repaired noticeboard
- Swing noticeboard out to be seen from road instead of flat against wall swing one side out so facing road
- Move bench forward in front of noticeboard
- Place New planter in area to create a place to sit &
Any other ideas.
Please remember a lot of these ideas are not actually feasible for various reasons but have been suggested.