Nov 2022 Minutes

Minutes of Meeting on 15^th November 2022 Blairlogie Reading Room

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

In Attendance: Councillor Rachel Nunn, Community Policing Team (part time) PCs Stuart Gray and Neil Hunter, and 8 Residents

1. Apologies: None

2. Declarations of Interest: None

3. Approval of Minutes of Meeting of 13th September 2022: The minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2022 were approved (proposed by Cameron Campbell and seconded by Georgina Cairns) .

4. Matters Arising

SPEN Beauly – Denny Pylon Mitigation meetings : Regarding swan deaths, SPEN has replied to the Community Council’s response to the report by Heritage Environmental Ltd (HEL) on the additional survey and monitoring work. The response from SPEN concludes that: SPEN does not consider that further mitigation (ie bird diverters) requires to be installed along this particular section of the overhead line, and that SPEN has complied with its consent conditions for the overhead line and now considers the matter closed.

Regarding the Powis Loan Footpath, Stirling Council has advised that the Road Construction Consent has been granted (11 November) and that SPEN is looking to commence construction works in February 2023. The drawings for the footpath show the first 100m of footpath from the south end of Powis Loan being beside the road. The footpath then runs for 590m behind the hedge through a field, returning back to the road side going past all the houses to the exit onto the old road. The total length of the new footpath is about 1335m (around 0.83 miles), so about 44% is behind the hedge and 66% by the roadside.

Blairlogie Orchard Carpark Improvements : Councillor Thomson had taken a note of the two issues at the last meeting and agreed to follow up (the two issues being suggested improvements to the car park and surrounding area, with funding from the speed reduction project underspend, and a rubbish bin that Danny Gibson was to try again to get put in the car park.) As there had been no response, Councillor Nunn agreed to follow-up.

Clearing Footpaths : Georgina Cairns confirmed that the higher footpath behind Blairlogie remained thick with vegetation, although this is now dying back. Need to

ask TCV (The Conservation Volunteers) to see if clearing this stretch can be included in its work next year, as well as the lower footpath.

Electronic ‘Your Speed’ Sign at West End of Blairlogie : Councillor Thomson took a note at the last meeting of the request to replace the electronic speed sign at the west end of the village with a ‘your speed’ sign’ and agreed to follow up. As there had been no response, Councillor Nunn agreed to follow up. This will also be raised at the meeting next week with the Council on the speed surveys.

Blairlogie Burn Flooding : An update on the actions agreed at the last meeting with the Council on 16 September had been requested from the Council and a response is overdue. Councillor Nunn agreed to chase this up.

Hillfoots Road footway update : A resident raised a complaint (in July) about the state of the pathway from Falcon Foods towards Wallace Monument and a Community Council Enquiry was submitted. The response (in August) following an inspection by the Council was that it had been added to the list of foot ways requiring a deep clean and will be carried out as soon as resources become available. A later response (24 October) stated that the Community payback team is unwilling to carry out this activity next to a live road, but the Council is looking to see if there is anything else that could be done without siphoning-off from the roads maintenance budget. A further response is awaited.

A further footpath clearing issue at Manor Powis was raised by a resident since the last meeting. A Community Council Enquiry was submitted for this on 11 November which has received a similar holding response.

5. Treasurer’s Report

Cameron Campbell gave the latest position. Bank balance at last meeting was £2503.76. Income and expenditure since has been nil with the balance at 15 November remaining at £2503.76. An invoice is on its way from Stirling Council for the additional play equipment (we already have the £1350 funds granted for this which, when spent, would leave the balance at £1153.76).

6. Police Report

The police report was submitted to the Community Council covering the period 12 September to 15 November 2022. In summary, there were 2 undetected cases with enquiries ongoing (assault to injury, and theft & fraud) and 2 detected cases which were reported to the Procurator Fiscal (driving without insurance, and dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, no insurance/licence/MOT) which was reported to the Procurator Fiscal. The police have continued to conduct speed checks in the Blairlogie area and surrounding roads. In the months following the last report, a number of drivers have been dealt with for speeding offences – either by report to the Procurator Fiscal, Conditional Offer fixed penalty notice, or warning.

The review of police attendance at, and reports to, Community Councils is ongoing and the Community Policing Team had nothing further to report on this.

A resident asked if speed checks could be made from a position further west in the village on cars entering the 30mph zone from the west. This is not within the line of sight for the usual position of speed checks at the car park location.

7. Planning Report

Robin Kelsall gave an update. Planning permission had been granted on 23 September for an agricultural access to land on the north side of Manor Steps. The planning enforcement for a fence at Blair House requires, it is understood, the owner to apply for retrospective planning permission.

8. Blairlogie Speed Reduction Project

There is a meeting with Stirling Council next week to discuss the results of all traffic surveys.

9. Blairlogie Burn Flood Risk Assessment and Culvert/Downstream Burn Clearing

Update since Meeting on 16^th September: see item 4 Matter Arising.

Downstream burn : Clearance of the burn downstream from the culvert on the south side of the A91 has been ongoing since late October and although not confirmed to the Community Council the work appears to be nearing completion or even complete.

Stirling Council flooding team : while on the subject of flooding, incidences of flooding in Logie Community Council area have been submitted to the Stirling Council flooding team. A response from that team included: “The issue with the culvert is one we are looking into at the minute and we’re commissioning some work to better understand the mechanisms of flooding as well as the capacity of the culvert. From that we can identify suitable solutions we can put in place to mitigate future flooding.”

10. Improvements to the Blairlogie Play Park

Work started installing the multi-unit on 23 August and the additional equipment (the two springers) were installed on 8 September. Completion awaits the installation of a replacement part that was found to be missing/faulty and the swings.

[Post meeting note: the upgrade was completed on 16 November. The picnic table is to follow.]

11. Community Resilience Plan

Susan Allan provided an overview of the issues and questions needing answers, including: interactive maps that the Council Resilience Officer was to produce; communications in times of crises; and planning for blackouts. Councillor Nunn offered to take all the questions Susan would like answered and follow up within the Council. As well as asking the questions, we should also articulate to Councillor Nunn where we see the weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

12. Active Travel Route – Blairlogie to Stirling University

Clackmannanshire Council has confirmed that the City Region Deal funding bid application is still with the Scottish Government and being assessed. There is therefore