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GARGUNNOCK COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
04 December 2023
Date: 04th December 2023
Time: 19:30
Location: Gargunnock Community Centre
In attendance: David Millar (MD), Christine Phillips (CP), Douglas Barr (DB), Lovat McGregor
(LM), Richard Parkin (RP), Carolyn Johnston (CJ), Julie Cole (JC), Mike Buckley (MB)
Residents: Maitland Clerk, Anne Clerk, Tom Jamieson, Mike Kay, Andy Mayhew
Local Councillors: Gerry McGarvey (Cllr GM)
Agenda
1. Apologies (DM) NA
2. Update on previous Action Points
Cllr Rosemary Fraser to raise the Station Road/A811 junction issue with the
Head of Roads.
UPDATE: No update or response received from the Councillor
ACTION Cllr GM to follow up
Drainage on Main Street
UPDATE: Cllr Paul Henck was to follow up. Potholes have been filled but no
action on the drainage problem.
ACTION Cllr GM to follow up with Cllr Paul Henck
Request for a zigzag marking in front of the primary school.
UPDATE: School has been following up on this issue
Cycle Path to Stirling was due to start in 2025 but the Council decided to take
over the landowner negotiations. All work has now stopped until they have
completed a new transport strategy due next year. Requests made to Stirling
Council not to stop our project as the funds are already there via SUSTRANS
but they are not going to conduct any further work at this point.
UPDATE: None received
ACTION: Cllr GM to follow up with Cllr PH
Concerns raised that the recent RTCs at the Station Road/A811 junction are not
being logged in the Police reports.
ACTION: Cllr GM to follow up:
3. Adoption of previous minutes (DM)
Proposed by JC, seconded by MB
4. Declarations of interest (DM)
None
5. Co-Opting new member (DM)
Tom Jamieson voted in by the GCC bringing the Community Council up to the
required numbers of members.
6. Matters arising (DM)
(a) Village Shop (CP)
AGM being held on 05 December providing full update on the shop. A
management committee needs to be established to oversee its
operation. Both grant applications to the Community Ownership Fund
application (£241k) and Scottish Land Fund (£150k) were successful. This
covers the cost of procuring the premises as well as undertake the
necessary renovations.
(b) Roads (LM)
A811/Station Road Junction
After two years of trying, LM was finally able to discuss the issue with Cllr
PH and Stirling Council Roads Department. Stirling Council stated that if
the farm wall was listed then the cost of removing it would be prohibitive.
It is not known whether it is listed. The wall is owned by Gargunnock
Estate. GCC and the public expressed concerns that Stirling Council is not
taking the issue seriously and that it is only a matter of time before
someone is seriously injured/killed at the junction. There have been two
serious accidents in the past two years, funding has already been
ringfenced and approval given yet Stirling Council continue to avoid
taking any action.
ACTION: LM to reach out to Gargunnock Estate to ascertain whether the
wall is listed and their interest in improving the junction. Cllr GM also
recommended LM responds to Stirling Council to remind them Council
has already voted in favour of the junction to be improved and that
funding has already been ringfenced.
(c) Planning (JC)
Stirling Council stated that the planning application for the shop requires
a new inspection for bats in May 2024 as the previous one was conducted
at the wrong time of year.
ACTION: Cllr GM to chase up with Stirling Council Planning to see if the
process can be expedited to ensure grant funding for the shop can be
spent in the allowed timeframe
(d) Defibrillator Ownership (MB)
Ownership transferred to the Gargunnock Trust
(e) Christmas Lights (DM)
The new Gargunnock Christmas lights are up and shining. So far, the
reviews from residents have been glowing. Thanks were expressed to DM
and MB for coordinating this effort.
(f) Local Place Plan (DM)
Focus group has been established and plan to compile a question set to
distribute to the community in paper and electronic form. Aim is to get
this out before the end of the year. Public meetings will follow the
response from these questionnaires.
(g) Website & Communications (MB/ DM)
Gargunnock Community Trust are keen to work with GCC to create a
village website. Next steps to pull together a straw man structure to share
with the Trust and members of the community to get consensus on a
structure/format.
ACTION: MB do another FB post for a web designer interested in helping
with the project.
7. External report
(a) Police report (DM)
None received
8. Finance reports (DB)
RBS balance at 10 October 2023 £3,538.68
Income between October and December meetings £5,201.58 comprising of
grants and donations.
Expenditure between meetings £1,125.95 mainly in relation to Christmas light
installations. RBS balance at 4 December 2023. £7,614.31.
9. Residents’ forum
Gregor MacCallum provided an update on Ultrafast Broadband opportunity in the
village:
Gargunnock is not in Openreach’s plan to extend the fibre network. Grant
funding exists from government to support this (£4,500 per household).
Openreach has quoted £500k to connect the village to the network.
Openreach has said they would require 150 properties to receive the grant
and they will roll out fibre to the village. It needs to be confirmed that
government will cover the grant for the required number of households
before ascertaining whether 150 households in the village are interested in
the upgrade.
Resident raised question over the lack of painted lines at the bottom of McNeil
Crescent.
ACTION: LM to follow up
Resident raised concerns over children racing down the Main Street pavement on
scooters, forcing pedestrians onto the road. The matter has already been raised with
the Police.
General concerns raised over drivers speeding in the village. Cllr GM suggested new
mobile speed cameras that are being trialled as a potential solution. Their cost can
be prohibitive though it may be possible to share the equipment (and cost) with
neighbouring villages if there was sufficient interest.
ACTION: Cllr GM to share details on the cameras with GCC when they become
available.
General frustration is felt by GCC and local residents over the growing number of
issues that are being held up by inaction and obstruction at Stirling Council.
ACTION: DM to raise a formal complaint with Stirling Council over poor
engagement and issues of inaction/obstruction
10. AOB
(a) 2024 Meeting Dates
Next meeting: 1930 on Monday 5th February 2024