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Kippen Community Council
Minutes of the Meeting held in Kippen Reading Rooms at 7:30pm on Wednesday 14th February 2024
Present:
Derek Shanks (DS) Chair; Barbara Ross (BR) Vice-Chair; Margaret Beaton (MB) Planning/Licensing; Robert Clubb (RC) Treasurer; Scott Crawford (SCr); Ann Milligan (AM); Christine Stewart (CS).
In Attendance:
Esther Lim, Minute Taker.
Apologies:
Michaela Yates (MY), Secretary.
Residents:
There were 2 members of the public present
1. Welcome and Apologies
The Chair welcomed attendees to the meeting and gave the apologies.
2. Adoption of Minutes from the Last Meeting
In the absence of the Secretary, members were uncertain whether the requested changes had been made to the draft minutes of the last Kippen Community Council (KCC) meeting held on 13th December 2023. It was agreed to approve the draft minutes at the next KCC meeting in March.
The Chair requested that going forward the Secretary send a copy of the draft minutes to members when sending out the meeting agenda so that members can check these prior to the meeting. [Action: Michaela Yates]
3. Matters Arising from the Last Meeting
3.1 Giant Hogweed
BR wrote to Stirling Council (SC) and Members of the Scottish Parliament on this matter. Evelyn Tweed, MSP, has forwarded the enquiry to the Minister for Energy and the Environment. BR is awaiting a response. She stressed the need for KCC to keep up the pressure for this to be dealt with.
BR noted that a lot of work has been done to remove giant hogweed north of this area. Information on invasive species can be found and reported on the Nature Scotland Facebook page. BR will find the details and share with the group. [Action: Barbara Ross]
DS informed members that he had seen a red squirrel in the village for the first time.
3.2 Blocked Drains on Main Street
SCr sent an email enquiry about this to SC but currently can’t access the KCC email account to view any reply. MY may have the latest information on this.
3.3 Standing Water and Ice Risk – The Meadows Members think MY has actioned this.
3.4 Annual General Meeting
MY has been in contact with SC to confirm that this will take place in May 2024.
3.5 Permission for the Playgroup to use the Woods RC has actioned this.
3.6 Request for Assistance from Gargunnock Community Council RC has not had time to action this as yet. [Action: Robert Clubb]
3.7 Reading Rooms Online Booking & Invoice
MY has booked the Reading Rooms for future meetings. The invoice has not yet been received for payment.
3.8 Details of Potential Funding Opportunities
BR emailed Councillor Gerry McGarvey regarding a list of potential funding opportunities. It appears there is no list available. CCs can contact Jean Cowie at SC when they have a specific project that needs funding and she will direct them to potential funding if available.
4. Matters for discussion
4.1 Police Report
The Chair read the police report for January 2024.
Antisocial Behaviour: the police received several reports regarding threatening and abusive behaviour towards another resident. The person responsible was arrested, and a report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal Service.
Road Safety: an unattended hire vehicle was parked and left in a resident’s driveway blocking their access with no sign of the driver. Police do not have jurisdiction over private driveways, however the hire company was contacted to have the vehicle removed.
Issues have been reported with the temporary traffic lights at Kippen Station not working leaving a significant amount of traffic to build up. Openreach were contacted and engineers have rectified the matter.
Attempted Fraud: an unknown person contacted a local resident by telephone purporting to be from Santander’s fraud department regarding unusual activity on their bank account. The resident recognised this to be a scam and hung up the phone and did not take the call any further.
Incidents of note: a person has been arrested and held as a custody for failing to comply with the conditions of their bail.
The police report also included information on how to report scams and recognise fraud and phishing. Members requested that this information be shared on the facebook page. [Action: XX]
4.2 Correspondence
No matters raised.
4.3 Planning Applications/Decisions/Appeals No matters of concern.
4.4 Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer provided the finance report for the period up to 14 February 2024. The current balance is £2,738.77.
The GoFundMe campaign for the maintenance of the defibrillator raised £965 (minus fees of £40.27) in less than a week.
4.5 Councillor’s Report
There was no councillor’s report and no councillor in attendance.
4.6 Local Place Plan (LPP)
BR and RC attended a meeting with the Community Trust and the windfarm regarding the Community Plan (CP) and the LPP. The next step is for BR and RC to complete the training on obtaining quantitative and qualitative data to take place in March (date tbc). This will then be expanded out and outsourced to various groups. [Action: Barbara Ross and Robert Clubb]
The free year’s access to the mapping software, Parish Online, has run out. RC will pay the £90 for another year and grant access to members. [Action: Robert Clubb]
RC warned members that with services being cut due to budget constraints, councillors will expect rural communities to be more self-sufficient on funding issues, especially when they already receive money from the windfarm. He stressed the need for KCC to be clear what services the community want to continue and what they can do to make this happen. He cited Strathaven CC which has set up as a bus operator in conjunction with Transport Scotland to run a daily bus service in the area.
4.7 Defibrillator
The Chair expressed his appreciation at the generous support of the community in giving money for the maintenance of the defibrillator. Maintenance has not progressed as KCC have emailed SARS twice, as well as Jeremy Gaywood and Ricky Muir Simpson, but have as yet received no reply.
RC suggested KCC apply for another defibrillator through the British Heart Foundation. They have specific conditions for supplying a defibrillator which Kippen appear to meet. They also provide online training and will maintain the defibrillator as long as the conditions are met.
After some discussion, members agreed that KCC will apply to the BHF to supply and maintain 2 defibrillators. RC agreed to take this forward. [Action: Robert Clubb]
4.8 Bridge Handrail Repairs
While the bridge itself is sound, the handrail has come away completely on one side. Members agreed that this was dangerous and should be repaired as a matter of urgency. The KCC are not able to close the bridge for longer than a week as it is a core path. Christine Stewart agreed to put a sign on the bridge warning people to keep to the centre. [Action: Christine Stewart]
DS has been in contact with 2 local contractors, neither of whom could help. B7 Landscape gardeners have agreed to come to look at the bridge. If they are able to do the repair work, DS will share their quote with the other members via WhatsApp. If approved, DS will move to get the repair done quickly. [Action: Derek Shanks]
4.9 Budget Cuts
Joint CC Meeting on 20/02/24
KCC in conjunction with other rural CCs submitted questions to SC on 8 areas where cuts are expected to have the most impact on rural communities. The CC’s are disappointed at the response from SC. They felt SC did not have the relevant information and had not done the due diligence to measure the impacts of these cuts on rural communities. BR will try to attend the debrief meeting on 20th February.
4.10 Long Term Planning
4.10.1 Who Owns What Land in Kippen?
Members recognised that this question has come up numerous times at KCC meetings. Currently the KCC wish to apply for funding to upgrade the area where the glass bin and the memorial are but need clarity on who owns the land before they can apply for funding. Members agreed that there is likely to be other land in the village owned by KCC of which they are not aware.
After some discussion, members agreed to find out what it would cost to do Land Registry searches to determine whether KCC could absorb this cost or would have to apply for funding to cover the cost. [Action: KCC]
4.10.2 Community Ownership Roadshow Event, Stirling 27/02/24
Under the Community Empowerment Act the community has the right under law to ask council to give them assets if they can prove they can run them better than the council. The purpose of the roadshow is to provide information about how the community can take over facilities and own them as a community. After some discussion, members agreed that most assets in Kippen were already owned by the community but that there were opportunities for rural communities to work together to manage some assets that benefit them all such as the mobile library.
4.11 Speeding/Signage Around Kippen
A 40mph sign is to put on the Fore Road ahead of the 20mph sign.
Members expressed concern at speeding and dangerous overtaking as vehicles leave the Kippen roundabout. This has previously been raised with SC, but members agree the issue should be pursued.
5. Round Table Discussion / Any Other Competent Business
5.1 Flooding Concerns
BR asked members if anyone knew if it is SC’s responsibility to ensure adequate drainage of their roads. Recently a drainage ditch was blocked outside her house causing flooding across the road at the point where water was meant to go underground.
This led to a discussion around a number of local areas which have flooded for the first time in a number of years, such as Faraway Farm which flooded recently for the first time in 100 years. Members suggested that recent building projects and the cuts to verge cutting could have contributed. They expressed concern over the environmental impact if the anaerobic digester were to be flooded.
DS suggested that this be added as an agenda item to the next KCC meeting and reported to the councillor in attendance. [Action: Derek Shanks]
5.2 Sign for Cauldhame
SCr asked members if there used to be a sign for Cauldhame at the end of Point-end. He queried whether residents want a separate sign. The Chair agreed to bring this up at the next meeting. [Action: Derek Shanks]
5.3 KCC in The Wee Vine
BR wrote an article on KCC for The Wee Vine which was featured as the first article.
6. Date of Next Meeting
The next KCC meeting is scheduled to take place at 7:30pm on Wednesday 13th March 2024 in the Kippen Reading Rooms.