GARGUNNOCK COMMUNITY COUNCIL
AGM MINUTES
Monday 26th April 2021 MS Teams
Members Present : - Jeremy Wilkinson (Chairman), Jon Sutherland, Julie Cole; Charlie Fitches, Douglas Barr, David King, Christine Phillips.
In Attendance: Councillor Robert Davis, Pam Campbell.
1. Apologies
Apologies were noted from Police Scotland, Lovat MacGregor, Helen Rowell.
2. Adoption of Previous Minutes
Minutes of the last AGM were accepted. Proposed by Julie and seconded by Christine.
3. Chair’s Annual Report
The Chair’s Report is in Appendix A.
There were no questions following the Chair’s Annual Report.
4. Secretary’s Annual Report
The Secretary’s Report is in Appendix B.
There were no questions following the Secretary’s Annual Report.
5. Treasurer’s Annual Report
The Treasurer’s Report is in Appendix C.
Jeremy Questioned if the annual free to the Scottish Rights of Way Society was continuing, Douglas reported it was not.
6. Election of Office Bearers
Jeremy and Helen stepped down from the Community Council, everyone thanked them for their work with the community council.
For the new Chair position Jon was proposed by Jeremy which was seconded by David.
There were no offers for Secretary position, Pam reminded everyone that the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer cannot have more that one position.
Office Bearers therefore are:
Chair: Jon Sutherland
Vice-Chair: Christine Phillips
Secretary: (OPEN, currently Jon Sutherland) Treasurer: Douglas Barr
Planning/Licensing Representative: Julie Cole
Lovat MacGregor: Roads & Transport Representative Charlie Fitches: Defibrillator Representative Facebook Administrator (OPEN)
7. Date of Next Annual General Meeting
The date of the next AGM will be shared at a later date. The Chair declared the meeting closed at 20:10
Appendix A: Chair Report
Gargunnock Community Council
Chair’s Report to the AGM on 26th April 2021 (draft)
The AGM scheduled for 11th May 2020 was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
GCC are required to hold meetings in public, however, thanks to the temporary amendments that SC have made to the Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils, we are now permitted to hold GCC meetings by video, teleconferencing or other remote means – consequently this meeting is being held virtually using MS Teams.
Despite the Covid-19 restrictions, Community Councillors have continued to support the residents of Gargunnock; and following is a summary of the issues and activities of the Community Council since the last AGM on 13 May 2019.
1. Planning
GCC reviews planning applications for projects within the Community Council area, and where appropriate may meet with developers to understand the project and may provide comments to the planning authority. Planning applications that have raised community interest included:
● Solar Farm at Patrickston on The Carse: SC has approved this application, but negotiations on an extension of the operational life of the Farm are taking place.
● Dog Boarding Kennels on Glinns Road: Residents were concerned about potential noise problems, light pollution, increased road traffic, and disposal of waste. This application has been withdrawn.
● Leckie Estate Woodland: GCC commented to the developers on the importance to the villagers of the well-used paths through the proposed woodlands, asking that they ensure access is maintained and that 1.5m wide self-closing gates should be installed where deer fencing crosses any path.
● Wolfcraig Distillery: A Proposal of Application Notice has been lodged with SC for this £15 million “whisky experience” to be located in Touch between the A811 and Touch Road. This is outside our area, however, the developers have recorded GCC as an interested party.
● Shelloch Wind Farm: This proposal is for five wind turbines on the Fintry Hills, to be located just West of the existing Earlsburn and Kingsburn Wind Farms. Two Gargunnock residents felt that the 8-week public consultation did not allow them enough time to consider the proposal, and therefore GCC approached the developers who agreed to extend the consultation by an extra two weeks.
The Wind Farm will not be visible from the village, and after much discussion, including consideration of the fact that SC had approved a previous application for turbines at this location, GCC recorded our support for the project.
If this project proceeds, there may be a Community Benefit Fund that could support projects in the village. In order to take advantage of the expertise of Gargunnock Community Trust in negotiating with Wind Farm developers, and the Trust’s experience in the management of community benefit funds, GCC asked the Trust to lead negotiations on the Shelloch Windfarm Community Benefit Fund on behalf of the village. The Trust has accepted this invitation.
● Boquhan Home Farm Dairy: Graham’s Dairy has submitted a Proposal of Application Notice for a new Jersey herd dairy to be constructed at Boquhan Home Farm.
2. Roads & Transport
We have continued to try and engage with SC on the subject of safety at the junction of Station Road and the A811. SC has stated that the issue has been resolved by improved white lining on the A811 and installation of junction marker bollards.
However, road traffic incidents continue to occur at this junction, and GCC have responded to SC that we believe the visibility for vehicles joining the A811 from Station Road needs to be improved. Our concern is still recorded as an active issue with SC’s Environment & Housing Committee.
The poor condition of roads in the village continues to be a concern, and consequently GCC regularly lobbies SC for improvement works. SC has recently re- surfaced a section of the Eastern entrance road into the village from the Gargunnock House West gate to the top of Manse Brae. We have been notified that re-surfacing of Moray Place is on this year’s list of capital works; and that Main Street will be assessed for next year’s projects.
After many communications with SC, it appears that an electric vehicle charging point will be installed in the near future on Main Street (opposite the Gargunnock Inn).
At the request of GCC, following communications from residents, Police Scotland has conducted occasional speed checks on vehicles in the village.
As part of SC’s budget process called “Your Stirling – You Decide”, GCC proposed the creation of Gateway Entrances to the village to help improve road safety whilst also enhancing the visual welcoming of visitors into the village. The concept included improved signage and planters, together with traffic calming by road-width reduction and single-file traffic flow at the Gateways, thus improving road safety by helping to reduce speed of vehicles entering the village. SC allocated £100,000 to communities in our Ward for projects, but unfortunately the Gargunnock Village Gateways did not receive enough support from residents, so was not implemented.
SC has recently announced that, using the “Spaces for People” Fund, they will be installing “traffic calming entry gateway treatments” in the village. This appears to consist of 20mph signage painted on the road surface!
3. Maintenance of Pavements, Parks and Open Spaces
SC completed repairs to uneven steps on the footpath on the South side of Main Street (at the junction with McNeill Crescent) following requests from the Community Council.
Repairs to pavements on Leckie Road are on this year’s list of SC’s capital works.
Residents are concerned that the build-up of vegetation on the banks of the Burn adjacent to the school may lead to flooding. GCC has pushed SC to remove the vegetation.
Efforts to convince SC to replace a tree in the Rest Garden that had been lost in a heavy storm have failed.
GCC has worked with SC and Scottish Water to resolve blocked road drains on Main Street, Charles Street and Manse Brae.
Following SC’s decision in 2020 not to plant flowers in the Rest Garden, GCC coordinated with SC to allow residents to use the flower beds. No residents offered to take up this opportunity in 2020, however this year a resident has planted wildflower seeds.
GCC has provided advice to residents and/or made representation to SC on public access issues related to paths in the area.
4. Covid-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, a group of residents formed the Gargunnock Mutual Aid Group to help the village during the Covid-19 pandemic. To help gain additional support, the Group linked themselves to the wider SC area efforts. However, the Group was not eligible for funding from SC as the Group is not a constituted organisation registered with SC.
In order, to support the efforts of the Group in helping the elderly, vulnerable and key workers of Gargunnock, GCC adopted the Gargunnock Mutual Aid Group as a sub-group of the Community Council. This then provided some level of insurance cover for the Group’s work relating to resilience efforts (e.g. leaflet delivery, collecting shopping, etc.). GCC also then became eligible to receive and distribute a grant of £500 from SC to help cover the expenses (travel expenses, masks, hand gel, etc.) of those volunteers who are supporting the community during the pandemic. GCC are required to keep details of how the grant is spent; and when the current crisis is over, any underspend must be returned to SC. To date, there has been no claim from members of the Gargunnock Mutual Aid Group for any expenses.
GCC would like to thank the Gargunnock Mutual Aid Group for their efforts in supporting residents of the village.
5. Communications
GCC has regularly submitted articles for The Bugle newsletter and posted information on facebook providing information for residents, and updating the community on our work.
Although a grant has been received from SC’s Community Pride Fund for installation of a dedicated noticeboard for GCC communications, GCC decided to shelve this project due to the restrictions of the pandemic and the refusal of the Wind Farm Fund to support the project.
GCC would like to thank Gargunnock Community Trust for the opportunity to provide input and comments on the Trust’s draft Strategic Plan, which GCC supports. GCC also suggested adding a project into the Plan for creation of a “Gargunnock Village Welcome Pack” that would contain useful information to introduce new residents to the facilities available in the village.
6. Other
GCC obtained funding from the Gargunnock Wind Farm Fund for installation of a defibrillator at the Community Centre. The defibrillator was installed in February 2020, but unfortunately the planned “CPR & Defibrillator Familiarisation” training had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
Helen Rowell has submitted her resignation from the Community Council and will be stepping down at this AGM. I would like to thank Helen for her hard work and support she has given to GCC, and particularly her efforts to improve communications by actively managing our facebook page.
I have also decided to resign, and will step down from the Community Council at the end of this AGM - but will be available to provide help and support to GCC if required.
Jeremy Wilkinson
Chair, Gargunnock Community Council
Appendix B: Secretary Report
Gargunnock Community Council AGM 2021 Secretary’s Report
● Meeting updates.
o Last face to face meeting 9th March 2020.
o MS Teams meetings started 1st March 2021.
● Communication to email account. (gargunnockcommunitycouncil@gmail.com)
o Request from Dean Lockhart MSP on 9th Feb 2021, to attend meetings.
o Update from Alyn Smith MP, 8th March 2021.
o CC Admin Grant& Minute Taker From to be completed by 31st July 2021.
o Asset Insurance request form 5th Feb 2021.
o Survey Requests.
▪ Health & Social Care Consultation.
▪ Climate Emergency 2021.
▪ Impact of COVID19.
o CC enquiry references
▪ 200231: Road situation Main St, Moray Place, Hill Head.
▪ 20100329: Diversion signs.
▪ 2011244: Speed bump installation.
▪ 2003249: Retaining wall Station Rd.
▪ 1909059: Uneven paving.
▪ 1909060: Paper Recycling.
▪ 1908049: Cllr Davis Enquiry.
▪ ?: McNeill Cresent broken drain cover.
o Kilearn CC 7th November 2020: Implementation of 20 MPH experience.
o Member of public: Access to walled garden at Gargunnock house.
o Spam
▪ Public Sector Executive, Charities Buying Group, Playforce, ….
● Promotion of meetings.
o Stirling Observer notice for meeting 9th March 2020.
o Facebook
o Up and coming meetings posted on Community Notice Board.
● Publication of approved minutes.
o To communityengagement@stirling.gov.uk once minutes are approved.
o Gargunnock website.
o Minutes need to be published on notice boards also.
Appendix C: Treasurer Report
