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Approved Minutes of Fintry Community Council Meeting 11^th September, 2024

Present: Susan Rodger, Ian Rodger, Moira Mackay, Michele Bennett, Hendy Spence

Apologies: J. Garvie, R. Garvie

Declaration of interest in any items of business

None

Approval of Minutes of meeting

Approved

Stirling Councillor’s Report

Rosemary Fraser informed the meeting that Stirling Council has appointed a new Chief Executive: Caroline Sinclair.

Meeting at Gartmore regarding DRT MB to attend

Police Report

No police report this time.

Finance

Main grant, individual grants and micro grants:

Grant application forms will be posted on Fintry Buddies or people can ask for a form via the admin email. This will be open from 2nd September until 11^th October, 2024.

We are having to do it this way because of ongoing problems with our webpage. We will advise our main grants decisions in the first week of November.

Movement of the shed was approved and voted on

FCC received money from the BBC community grant of £400 towards the toddlers’ area of the park.

Individual grants: Two individual grants for the seed hub and for the community garden have been received. Both were voted on and approved - £250 each.

3 Student Travel Grants were voted on and approved

1 Tuition Grant voted on and approved

8 Driving Lessons grant approved

It was agreed Hendy would write to Jackie giving her all the details etc, Jackie will carry on paying invoices in the interim .

Resilience Update

Moira and Michele attended a meeting about The Food Conversation it was very informative

Grant Applications Submitted -

Application to The Hub Seed Grant for trees for the orchard.

Application to Stirling Council for ground clearance works for Orchard

Application to FVL for leaky dams’ equipment etc.

Application to SSEN Fund for flooding project

The school resilience shed will be moved to a more permanent site in the near future.

The defibrillator at the hall needed new pads and at the church a new battery. All works have been carried out.

Flood Forum Meeting –

Minutes of the flood resilience meeting held on

4^th September 2024

Present/apologies for absence: Present:

Michele Bennett
Ryan Campbell
Doug MacPhee
Malcolm MacCormick
Gail Donald

Apologies:

Hendy Spence

1. Overview of flooding issues in Fintry

 DM had not attended a Fintry Flood Forum meeting before and had some questions about the situation in Fintry with regard to where the flooding occurs, how many properties are affected, what measures are already in place and what still needs to be done. The group gave DM some background information about how the group had formed and what had been done so far. MB noted that more properties are being impacted in the last year or two compared to previously.

2. Flooding camera on Kippen Road

 The flooding camera which is sited on a lamppost on Kippen Road to monitor the flooding on the sports field had been moved by contractors working on building a house there. It has now been turned back so that it is monitoring the sports field. It takes a photograph every hour. DM noted that areas can be blurred out if any properties are in the picture.

3. Flooding Gauges

There are a number of flooding gauges in and around Fintry which are monitored by different organisations. Stirling Council has a gauge on the Kippen Road bridge and one on the B818 (Denny Road) bridge. RC wondered if one of those could be moved somewhere else as the recordings in those two places would be very similar. SEPA have a gauge further down the Endrick at Greystones bridge. MM was aware of a gauge above the Loup of Fintry but did not know who it belonged to.
MB felt that another gauge in Hall Burn would be useful. DM has been looking into the best supplier of gauges. At the moment, most gauges are supplied by River Track who can supply affordable river level monitoring systems designed to provide local community flood alerting, giving people time to react and take preventative action. DM has been getting prices from other companies but felt that River Track are able to provide a more bespoke and personal service than other companies who were more automated. ACTION: MB to contact Gary Martin from River Track to explain where another gauge could be sited and what is required and DM will try to arrange one to be provided.
DM also suggested thinking about surface water gauges which can be placed on land which is prone to flooding. MM noted that they would need to be ‘cow-proof’ if they were going to go in the fields near the Endrick.

4. Leaky Dams

 Leaky dams are a flooding prevention measure, moderating the flow of water downstream. Barriers are added to a stream/river to prevent soil and silt escaping and allowing water to escape at a slower rate. MB has submitted an application for funding for a leaky dam’s project to help to protect properties on Menzies Avenue and should get a response by the end of September. MM confirmed that if this project goes ahead, he would inform SEPA although he was not sure if the project would be subject to Controlled Activity Regulations (CAR). GD noted that it would be useful to look at the data from River Track before and after the leaky dams are installed.

5. Flood warning signs

The flood warning sign on Kippen Road is the type that has to be manually flipped down when there is a risk that the road may become flooded. MB is struggling to open it. ACTION: RC to have a look at it as it may have rusted up.
A second flood warning sign had been promised at the bottom of

Culcreuch Avenue but has never been erected. ACTION: RC to look into it.

6. Underground river

 MB noted that the underground river at the side of the Mill House was returning.

7. Drains

 MB noted that the drains at the School House were due to be enlarged and asked if this had been done. RC did not think that this had been done and stated that they may also need to be cleaned out. There has been an issue with the company that has been doing the drain cleaning and this is due to be taken over by Stirling Council themselves soon.

8. Road subsidence

 MB has contacted Stirling Council with regard to the embankment collapsing underneath the road just before Knockraich Farm. There is a danger of the road giving way. ACTION: RC to chase this up.

9. Erosion behind sports centre

 This has been looked at before but nothing has been done. There is a danger of the hillside collapsing which could cause damage to properties and power lines. There is also a tree which is exacerbating the problem but it would be difficult to remove it unless water levels were quite low. ACTION: RC to take a look.

10. Any other business

 RC asked for confirmation of the procedure if another flood event occurs. MB confirmed that she should be contacted and she would be able to inform RC if any sandbags were needed. DM recommended using polythene sheets alongside the sandbags. He also noted that floodsax were a good alternative to sand bags but pointed out that they needed to be saturated before use.

Date of next meeting

Friday 1^st November 2 p.m. (to be preceded by a walk round)

Planning

Notice of application for premises licence from the Fintry Inn

Moira Mackay attended the Licensing Meeting on 13^th August nothing to report for Fintry.

No new planning applications have been received

Roads/ Paths

Gonachan Bridge: There have been 3 accidents at the bridge in one week and a lot more over the bridge in the last few months. MB will be taking this forward with traffic management and will arrange site meeting.

A big thank you to Stirling Council for cutting back the hedge at the steps going into the Playpark so quickly.

The corner of the road by the Rodgers’ farm is deteriorating. This is getting looked at through the Flood Forum and the Roads Department are aware.

A member of the public has been asking for signs saying “please slow down” for children and animals. MB to discuss with traffic management.

A member of the public has asked us to bring up with Stirling Council the state of disrepair of the garages and overgrown area by Culcreuch Avenue. MB discussing with housing services.

Road Closure B818:

The Stirling Council (B818 Balfron) (temporary prohibition of traffic and suspension of parking – no 2) Order 2024 under the Road Traffic regulation Act 1984 (as amended) on 6.9.24.

This Order will close the B818 from its junction with the A875 to its junction with the C23. This Order will also suspend the parking on B818 from a point 260 metres or thereby north-east of the junction with the A875 in a north-easterly direction for a distance of 1100 metres or thereby from 0900 hours until 1700 from 30.9.24 until 6.10.24 to facilitate resurfacing works. Emergency access will be maintained.

We had an enquiry about the footpath between Fintry and the Clachan end of the village being overgrown. This has been cleared by Stirling Council and we would like to thank them for their quick response.

Himalayan balsam has been partially cleared by volunteers over several days.

Cicely’s Way

We were approached after the last meeting re the drystone dyke works. Community Council to seek advice.

Correspondence

A letter received from Amanda Quinn, Inclusion Support Worker at Balfron High School about putting in a bid to Arnold Clark regarding a mini bus for young people for events from sport to geography field trips etc.

Susan Rodgers to attend meeting.

A.O.B

Members of FCC invited to Strathendrick Rugby Club on Saturday 28^th September for an Event at Fintry Sports Club and to watch the match against Wigtownshire. Ian and Susan Rodger were elected to attend.