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Fintry Community Council 

Minutes  

11^th December 2023 

19:30

 

 

Menzies Hall

 

 

 

 

Present/apologies for absence: 

 

 

 

 

Declaration of interest in any items of business 

 

None 

Approval of Minutes of last meeting: 

Minutes will be approved at next meeting

 

 

Councilor's Report 

 

Central Scotland Environmental Trust

Cllr Henke became a trustee for Central Scotland Environmental Trust (CSET) a few weeks ago.

MB states that she may apply for more grants from CSET, including for landfill funding. 

The FCC can apply for Kirkintilloch funding as technically Fintry is within the area.  

Cllr Henke urges MB to apply again as this is no longer a requirement. 

Balfron Bowling Club 

Balfron Bowling Club applied for a £17k grant to conduct renovations in which they were successful in their application. 

Cicily’s Way and grant applications 

Money is needed to complete Cicily’s Way’s fourth section due to price increases now that it must be tarmacked. The Community Council will now need to apply for additional funding. Cllr Henke spoke to someone from the Central Scotland Environment Trust about applying for a grant from Balfron for the work. As there are location application rules, Cllr Henke advises MB to research and potentially apply for another grant to finance the project. 

The Community Council has already applied for the Scottish Office fund. MB is to meet up with Cllr Henke in the first few months of 2024 to discuss applying for funding and grants.

Stirling Council budget 

MB questions Cllr Henke on budget details, however Cllr Henke states that he doesn't know the details of the new budget as meetings will likely begin in February 2024. 

MB states that she is concerned about budget cuts put forward by Stirling Council, particularly regarding social work.  

Cuts to Fintry nursery hours are also noted as a large concern for the Community

Council. Many parents rely upon the service so they can work. MB plans to raise this concern again. The Community Council photographed the ‘Big Conversation’ questionnaire, and the Nursery parents took it around the village to raise support for the nursery, this occurred at the Community Council’s own expense. 

Discussion was held about proposed cuts to libraries, and the community benefits of having libraries. 

MB states that the street lighting was down for replacement but cuts to the budget from Stirling Council have made it, so this did not happen. RG references proposed cuts to the X10 bus service, stating that this is not aligned with low-carbon emission goals as bus travel should instead be promoted because it is more environmentally friendly. The rural elderly are very likely to suffer due to such cuts. 

Cllr Henke states that his main concerns are the damage cuts may cause to libraries, nurseries, public toilets and buses. 

It is also brought up that budget cuts have led to a lack of grass cuts, and that urban areas of Stirling should not take precedence over its rural areas. 

Signs at Culcreuch Castle 

MB has written to Stephen Blyth and is going to request that Stirling Council remove the signs for Culcreuch Castle as tourists get confused. 

Area officer 

It is noted that there is no longer an officer for the area, and this has caused it to take a very long time for correspondence to receive replies. Carron Bridge Community Council took this up with Stirling Council as they felt this meant that they received little guidance, particularly guidance fast. 

Parking legislation change 

MB questions whether Stirling Council will be taking on the role of enforcing the new law change on parking and pavements. Parking affects disabled access. 

MOP raises that there are particular problems with parking for rugby games along Kippen Road. Discussion is held surrounding whether double yellow lines would be a viable solution. MB states that the Rugby Club should take on some of the responsibility of policing parking. Nobody should ever have to walk on a main road due to cars being parked on the pavement. 

Cllr Henke is unaware of any plans for Stirling Council to enforce the new rules, it would instead likely require illegal parking to be monitored and then reported after the fact. 

Grass cutting 

Cllr Henke states that areas in the ward need to stop requesting Stirling Council to cut the grass.  

JG disagrees with this as everyone pays council tax and so having tasks performed by the council is something that should be expected. 

Cllr Henke states that he is not being political, but the council tax that Fintry pays is one of the lowest. MB and RG respond that still, it is expensive for people to pay for. 

Discussion was held surrounding government funding and council tax.

 

Police Report - report submitted 

None received

 

 

Treasurer’s Report   

 

The contingency fund is to be used for the Christmas lights in the village as the old ones were broken. 

The parent council requested a grant to pay for printing flyers for the nursery. MB states that the Kingsburn funding criteria does not cover printing. The Community Council admin budget has already been used for other printing and so the grant cannot be given. The Community Council contacted the school directly to discuss this application with the head teacher who advised that they had funding within the nursery budget to print these leaflets. The Community Council still has to complete the Place Plan questions which will be very costly. 

MB and JG are scheduled to have a meeting with Kingsburn in January.

 

Resilience Update 

 

Flooding 

Discussion was held about the recent Flood forum meeting and the ongoing report on flooding and management. 

MB reports that one of the river gauges in the Endrick had broken. Its repair is currently being looked into by Stirling Council’s flooding officers. 

The community council is looking into expanding willow spillage natural flood management further along the orchard bend, Kippen Road. 

MB arranged for the issue of drains in the village to be fixed. 

Tree planting day was organized for Saturday 9^th of December but was cancelled due to the weather and flooding. It was re-organized and completed on Wednesday the 13^th of December. 500 trees were planted to help with flooding management.

 

Planning 

Planning for wind turbine has been delegated. 

 

Single story rear extension Number 3 Menzies 

Approved with conditions 

 

Single story rear extension dormer window  

Approved with conditions 

 

Roads/Paths 

 

Speeding and speed reduction measures 

MB participated in a meeting with Stirling Council roads department. 

Stirling Council agreed to conduct a speed survey at the Clachan end of the village, and they will research the possibility of putting in a path between Kilunan and Fintry. 

The price of speed assessment signs is around £2500, this is potentially something for the Community Council to consider. 

Discussion held about speed reduction measures. No decision, however, was made on the traffic survey - Stirling Council roads department is to get back on this in the next few weeks.  Parking 

Discussion held around parking. MOP and RG talk about putting in gates - RG not in favor of this for parking reasons. 

Footpath 

Fintry is on the rolling programme regarding a footpath request from Kilunan into the village. MOP questions whether this will ever happen, and MB informs them that Fintry is on a 7-year rolling programme and so whilst there are developments that are prioritized, being on the programme does make it more likely that the path will eventually be constructed. 

Cicily's Way 

MB states that Stirling Council has said that Cicily's Way must be hard-shouldered. This is more expensive, but consultants have been requested from different firms. 

MOP questions where the last part of Cicely’s Way will be constructed. MB replies that the final stage extends past the cemetery and needs to be routed and tarmacked. 

 

Correspondence  

 

Correspondence email received from CAB requesting for Citizens Advice to be put up on a noticeboard in the village. 

Correspondence email received from MOP requesting information to be distributed on potential bus cuts. 

Correspondence letter received from MOP concerning the Christmas lights. The author commended the lights and wished to thank all the volunteers. 

Correspondence concerning the Place Plan received from Stirling Council housing department in regard to affordable housing. MB to pass this on to the planning group. 

Fintry Sports Club has two spare grit bins. The Community Council has been requested to ask Stirling Council to pay for these to be filled for use in the car park of the Club. MB will write to ask about this.

 

A.O.B. 

 

Shoppers bus 

Clarified to MOP that the Shoppers buses are advertised on Fintry Buddies Facebook group. 

Bus shelter 

The bus shelter near Menzies Hall belongs to the Community Council but it is leaking and therefore up to the Community Council to repair it. RG to take a look at it. 

Airspace change 

Glasgow airport has had an airspace change which was first brought up just before COVID. Christopher Day came to speak to the Community Council about this development. RG is now examining the plans, whilst MB is looking to find out how busy the airspace above Fintry will now be. 

Meeting schedule for 2024 

Councilors were questioned about the schedule of meetings. MB requests the next meeting due on January 10th to be rescheduled to the 17th of January as Stirling Council will still be getting back together. No meeting is scheduled for April. 

My Place Awards 

The My Place Awards are still ongoing. The Community Council is still working on a submission. It is noted that Cicily's Way could potentially be submitted as an example of a development achieved if it is completed in 2024. 

Shelloch

IR is still waiting on a response from Shelloch the wind farm company. He has been referred to a new contact who is still to reply back despite email prompting. 

 

Date of next meeting 

 

January 17th, 2024