October 2022 Minutes

Date: 10^TH October 2022 Time: 19:30

Location: Gargunnock Community Centre & Zoom

In attendance:

Christine Phillips (CP), David Millar (DM), Mark Dickson (MD), Mike Buckley (MB), Lovat MacGregor (LM), Julie Cole (JC), Lorna Rodger (LR), Douglas Barr (DB)

Members of the public: Martin Harrick (MH), Kirsty Cuthbert (KC)

Virtual attendance: Cllr Rosemary Fraser (RF)

Agenda

1. Apologies

Richard Parkin

2. Adoption of previous minutes

Proposed by DM, seconded by JC

3. Declarations of interest:

None

4. Matters arising:

• New noticeboard (DB)

Up and running. Sustained some damage in strong winds. The manufacturer has been difficult to contact. If no solution is found then alternate arrangements to repair will be taken on – DB getting assistance from Pete Rowell for this

· Defibrillator training (MB)

15 people in the village received training for the defibrillator from the Trossachs Search and Rescue team. The village has two defibrillator machines, one of which needs new pads. It is unclear who is responsible for maintaining the machines. One was provided by Trossachs Search and Rescue but they may not assume responsibility for maintenance after their installation (this was confirmed by RF). The other is located at the Community Centre.

It was not possible to provide a donation to Trossachs Search and Rescue using Wind Farm funding owing to the application being made retrospectively. It was agreed that if another session was organised for next year a more generous donation could be made to make up for this.

MB has costings for replacement parts for the machines:

£90 for twin pack of pads

£222 for batteries

ACTION: MB to use costings to look at funding for spare parts from the Wind Farm Panel. MB also to arrange a new training session in Spring 2023 and to apply for Wind Farm funding for a proper donation to Trossachs Search and Rescue. MB to also write to the Community Trust to confirm who is responsible for maintenance/upkeep of the unit at the Community Centre.

· Roads:

o Speeding signs at entrance (LM)

LM had previously been in touch with Angela McGibbon from SC who said there was no funding until April 2023 for new radar speed signs. The current plan is to fund this directly from the village using Wind Farm funding. LM has since tried to contact Angela McGibbon to check they are happy for the community to go ahead and install these but still pending response.

ACTION: RF agreed to chase up with SC

o Works to improve exit to village (LM)

LM tried to contact Caroline Fraser from SC on the plan to improve the Station Road access to the village but hasn’t received any

response. LM was also in contact with Paul Henck from SC who visited the village to see the issue and recognised the problem. LM has tried chasing this up but hasn’t received any further update from either party.

ACTION: RF agreed to follow up with SC

o Parking in electric charging bays

Complaints have been made to GCC of people leaving cars parked in the Electric Vehicle (EV) bays for extended periods without using the chargers. RF confirmed that SC would start to charge for rapid Electric Vehicle charging. There are also plans to charge people who stay on at rapid charging points beyond their time. RF was unsure as to when the plan will be implemented but RF will feedback the issue of people staying parked in standard charging points.

· Village shop (CP, MB, DB, JC)

CP provided an update: The site of the shop is currently on the market. In addition to the purchase costs there are substantial repairs and upgrades required on the premises. Plans to raise funds and purchase the shop as a Community Owned Asset are moving ahead. Expecting to hear on current funding application to the Land Fund in December and another funding

application for £55k was submitted to Rural and Island Communities at the beginning of October.

ACTION: RF to send GCC links to additional funding opportunities

5. External reports

• Police report: One recorded theft of materials reported from a garden in September.
• Planning report: JC provided an update on Earlsburn windfarm extension. There are plans to put an additional 15 wind turbines on the existing site. The proposed new turbines are significantly larger than the existing ones on the site and the blades of two will be clearly visible from the village. A letter has been submitted on behalf of GCC to the Scottish Government and SC objecting to these additional turbines owing to their impact on the landscape and clear visibility from the village.

MB attended the open meeting where it was suggested that the two offending turbines which would be visible from Gargunnock could be repositioned but the developer explained this would not be possible.

Members of the public (MH and KC) expressed their concerns over the impact of the two turbines on the landscape as well as the requirement for a new access road which would be required to transport the larger turbines up to the site.

GCC reaffirmed the village is supportive of windfarms in the area and while there is no issue to the building of additional turbines, there are objections to the two turbines which will clearly be visible from the village. The community objection would be withdrawn if the two visible turbines are either moved or taken out of the plans.

It is unclear who is responsible at SC for coordinating the response from the local communities to the proposals.

ACTION: RF to find out who is involved with the planning applications at SC.

ACTION: JC to solicit advice from people who have worked in the sector.

6. Internal reports

• Finance reports:

Previous balance: £998.34

Current balance: £1,373.19 (receipt of admin grant from SC and payments from hall lets account for the change).

7. Residents’ forum

· KC: Robert Graham sold a plot at Glynn’s Road but failed to make sure it was connected to the grid. Residents were informed the road will be closed

during the day (0900-1600) for a fortnight to allow for it to be connected. Four week’s notice are required to close a road and the process has been setback owing to paperwork issues. KC it was unacceptable for this much public disruption to be made by the Council for upgrades to a private residence. KC reminded the GCC that Birkenwood and Glynn’s Road are part of Gargunnock but people living there don’t receive the newsletter and with the closure from the shop have less contact with the village. It’s difficult to get news and information, particularly for those who don’t use social media.

ACTION: CP to get in touch with editor of the Bugle to see if future publications can be delivered to residents there.

8. AOB:

I. Co-opting new members

Two new members were co-opted to GCC:

• Lorna Rodger (voted in unanimous)
• Richard Parkin(voted in unanimous)

II. Autumn Social (Confirm Numbers)

Social gathering on Saturday from 1500 at the Manse for Community Council members and to recognise the service of David King who recently resigned from GCC.

III. Community Council Newsletter Ideas – For Stephen Bly.

SC is looking for content ideas to draw up a newsletter from various villages for the wider community in the area. GCC suggested it may be better to get in touch with the local newsletter editors and source their articles rather than duplicate the effort.

IV. Fences and boundaries at Provost Park

A member of the community has raised this issue with SC. To be followed up at next meeting.

V. Lack of Give Way signage at McNeill Crescent junction

Owing to inaction a member of the public has now raised it as a formal complaint with SC. This is now going through the due process with SC.

VI Stirling – Gargunnock Cycle Path

David King is looking for a new representative to join the Trust in acting as a liaison for the proposed cycle path from Stirling to Gargunnock. JC agreed to take on this new role.

VII Snow clearance on road