Logie Community Council
Minutes of Meeting – 9 November 2021

Blairlogie Reading Room

Present: Mary Maxwell-Irving (Chair), Robin Kelsall (Vice Chair), Cameron Campbell (Treasurer),
Susan Allen and Peter Jennings.

Residents: 12

1. Apologies: Councillor Susan McGill, Community Police Team, Katanya Hamilton (Minutes
   Secretary).

    

   Resignation: Ken Todd (Secretary) had resigned from the Community Council earlier in the
   day and it was with much regret that the Community Council accepted his resignation. The
   Community Council wished to record its gratitude for Ken’s outstanding contribution to date.
   In particular, his unwavering determination over the past 6 years to get speeding reduced on
   the A91 in Blairlogie village has been much appreciated. Following his successful Petition to
   Stirling Council in 2019 to have the speed limit reduced to 30mph, this has produced
   pavement, lighting and signage improvements and has also involved consistent engagement
   with officers and Councillors and an overall sustained level of effort which has gone far
   beyond the call of duty. For all of this, the community is hugely grateful.

    

2. Declarations of Interest: None

    

3. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting: The minutes of the meeting held on 14
   September 2021 were approved (Proposed by Robin Kelsall and seconded by Cameron
   Campbell).

    

4. Matters Arising: None

    

5. Treasurer’s Report: The account balance as at 14 September 2021 was £1055.53, with
   expenditure since then of £40 for the Minutes Secretary. Income since 1 October 2021 was £68.23
   from Stirling Council resulting in a balance as at 1 November 2021 of £1123.76.

    

6. Police Report and Police Community Speedwatch Scheme:

    

   Police Report: The community police team submitted a written report for the Community
   Council area prior to the meeting, with the key points as follows. In the period from 1 August
   2021, there were no undetected case and one detected case concerning a wilful fire raising,
   with 3 youths reported for starting a fire. This was confirmed by the resident as a fire started
   in an outbuilding at Gogar House. There were also 21 calls made to the Police, the vast
   majority of which were road traffic related. The Police will continue speed checks in the
   coming weeks where possible to reinforce the reduced speed limit.

    

   Police Community Speedwatch Scheme: Although it had been previously agreed in
   principle to take the Scheme forward, and volunteers and cost of radar gun had been
   identified, it was decided to take no further action at this time until a conclusion had been
   reached on speeding reduction measures.

    

7. Planning Report: The planning application for an extension to 2 Rowanbank, Blairlogie, had
   been refused by Stirling Council on 25 October 2021. The decision on the planning application to
   build two houses on the Guschetneuk Field, Blairlogie, is still awaited. It is understood that a
   planning application has been very recently submitted for the development of serviced plots at

   2

    

   Gogar Mains. A key point raised will be the need to provide for adequate passing places on Gogar
   Loan to cope with the increase in traffic associated with any development.

    

8. Speed Reduction Measures on A91 at Blairlogie Village and Choice of Planter Style:

    

   Report on Speed Reduction Measures: Ken Todd and Mary Maxwell-Irving met with
   Stirling Council on 8 November 2021 to discuss the speed reduction measures. This followed
   the results of the speed survey following the speed reduction project which delivered the new
   30mph speed limit. Ken’s analysis of the survey data reveals a significant number of vehicles
   speeding at over 35mph: around 7,500 vehicles in one 7-day period passing the survey point
   just east of Manor Loan and around 17,500 in one 7-day period passing the Blairlogie Orchard
   car park survey point. This represents 17% and 39% of the traffic speeding at over 35mph at
   the two survey points respectively. The Stirling Council team leading the project however
   concentrate only on average speed levels (around 31mph and 34mph at the two survey
   locations respectively). The Stirling Council team has agreed to move the electronic speed
   sign on the south side of the road further east towards the car park to help reduce the speeds
   at that end of the village and, once the planters are in place, they will undertake a further
   speed survey. The most recent speed survey data, presented on Excel spreadsheets, can be
   requested via the Community Council email address: Logiecc@gmail.com

    

   Final Choice on Planter Style: After some discussion of the results of the preference
   exercise, a final choice was made of the ‘Taunton’. In addition to the planters, it was requested
   that to further enhance the ‘sense of place,’ the village place name could have ‘Conservation
   Village’ added to it. Post Meeting Note: The Community Council has informed Stirling
   Council of the choice of planter and requested a ‘Conservation Village’ addition to the signs. It
   has also submitted to Stirling Council the request made by a resident to add signs at the
   crossroads to indicate elderly people crossing and has thanked the Council for the speed limit
   reduction and provision of new signage on Manor and Gogar Loans.

    

9. Flooding Issues:

    

   Flooding Event: A report was received from Stirling Council following the serious flooding
   event on 29 October 2021, when the Blairlogie burn overflowed, due to its grilles being
   blocked by leaves. Property of nearby residents was flooded for the third time in two years.
   This report was reviewed by Ida Bailey. Her detailed response was submitted to Councillor
   Thomson, who has (together with Councillor Gibson) recommended that a risk assessment by
   an independent consultant be carried out, as Ida suggested. The appropriate Stirling Council
   team is to report back to the Councillors as soon as possible on this.

    

   Ditch/Burn Clearance: Work has started at the other end of the village (opposite Blairlogie
   Park) to clear the ditch/burn from the culvert under the A91 south for around 600m where it
   has silted up. Thanks are due to Iain Diamond from Stirling Council for initiating this
   following Ian Doyle’s taking-up of the action, and to the landowners for working together to
   agree the way forward and engaging contractors.

    

   General Drainage: All four of our Stirling Councillors for the Community Council area have
   been informed again that all properties in the area use septic tank sewage systems which
   depend on drainage for the outflow of treated water. There is no public sewerage available.
   Drainage across the carse to the Forth is therefore crucial and this may be a problem for the
   community in the future.

   3

    

10. Recent Tree Preservation Order and Tree Work Procedure in Conservation Areas:

     

    Recent Tree Preservation Order: The Community Council submitted an objection to the
    recent Tree Preservation Order (TPO) in respect of the trees in the West Lane that are causing
    the garden retaining wall at The Croft to collapse. The Stirling Council Tree Officer will meet
    with representatives of the Community Council and tree owners on 19 November 2021 to
    discuss the matter.

     

    Tree Work Procedure in a Conservation Area: Tree works in a Conservation Area (where
    the tree is not subject to a TPO) do not require permission but require provision of 6 weeks’
    prior notice to Stirling Council for the sole purpose of its deciding whether to place a TPO on
    all, or any, of the affected trees. There is no prescribed format for such notice and no
    conditions can be put on any such work if no TPO is put in place within the 6-week period.
    Neighbours do not have to be informed.

     

11. Resurfacing of Pathway Beside Blairlogie Burn: A request had been made by a resident to
    request resurfacing of this path with tarmac. The path is adopted by Stirling Council for
    maintenance purposes. Following discussion, it was agreed that it was preferable to leave the
    path as an absorbent surface for several reasons and not to request tarmac re-surfacing.

     

12. Improvements to Blairlogie Playpark: Requests have been made by residents to consider
    improving the playpark. Following discussion, it was agreed to explore this further with Stirling
    Council. Post Meeting Note: The Community Council has submitted a Community Council
    Enquiry to Stirling Council for an upgrade to the playpark and offered the services of a member of
    the Community Council to discuss this with appropriate Stirling Council officers.

     

13. Powis Loan and Manor Powis Update:

     

    Powis Loan: There is still to be a footpath on the west side of the A91 along Powis Loan. The
    actual route is currently being reviewed by Scottish Power Energy Networks and a revised
    proposal will shortly be submitted to Stirling Council for Road Construction Consent.

     

    Manor Powis: The speed limit on the Old Alloa Road serving Manor Powis and Manor Steps is
    to be reduced to 20mph.

     

14. Community Council Enquiries: This method of communication has been working well, with
    Stephen Bly co-ordinating and submitting good responses from officers back to the Community
    Council within the 10 working day response time. It was agreed that the Community Council
    should continue to use this method for all communication with Stirling Council where an agreed
    point of contact had not already been established.

     

15. AOB: The following subjects were raised by residents:

     

    Cycle Track: In a recent Stirling Observer, Mark Ruskell MSP had referenced government
    grants available to Councils for additional cycle tracks, and it was suggested that the
    footpath/cycle path could be extended from the West Lane westwards across the Dumyat
    Farm land (now owned by the Future Forest Company) to Logie Kirk. It has been
    established that the new owner would be agreeable to this in principle. Post Meeting
    Note: The Community Council has contacted the Sustainable Development Manager at
    Stirling Council to explore this possibility and received a very promising reply setting up a
    communication channel with the project manager responsible.

    4

     

    FFC: It is anticipated that the Future Forestry Company (FFC) will wish to engage with the
    community early next year, once it has developed its broadleaf tree-planting plans for
    Dumyat Farm and the local manager appointed for this project is in post.

     

    Signage: A resident requested that the signage at the entrance to Blairlogie village be
    reviewed. When entering the village from the west, one is confronted by a plethora of signs
    giving a cluttered look (and an ‘elderly people crossing’ sign has been requested in
    addition). Perhaps any signs considered superfluous could be removed. The Community
    Council will investigate further.

     

16. Dates of Future Meetings: The next meeting will be on 18 January 2022.

Dates of subsequent meetings in 2022 are: 15 March, 17 May (+ AGM), 19 July, 13 September and
15 November. All meetings will be held face to face in Blairlogie Reading Room at 7pm.

Stirling Councillors will attend on a rota basis.

Peter Jennings

Logie Community Council