November 2022 Minutes | Stirling Council

Mercat Cross Community Council Minutes of Meeting

Thursday 10^th November 2022 The Tolbooth, Stirling

Present: Jim Thomson (Councillor), Jacki Hamilton, Ann McCormick, Karen Bellingham-Baird, Meg Pinkerton, Stuart Baird, Toby Tollan (Minutes)

Apologies: Linda Friel, Rhys Foret

Chair opens meeting and welcomes everyone. There is a discussion about the possibility of a new Community Development Officer and who is the current point of contact. Previous minutes are discussed and everyone agrees they are happy with what was discussed.

There are several discussions regarding Stirling Council and the current cost of living crisis, including;

The Council is currently facing a financial challenge with up to a £17million funding gap. How will they fix this gap and which services will be affected because of this.
Will there be a social tariff to help people affected by the current cost of living with broadband and inclusion, amongst other How will people find out about any help available, how will it be advertised? Will any help be automatically offered or will you have to ask/apply.
Development and locality plans are coming up and the CC will be drafting up any suitable questions and requests
There have been several cases of bicycles being Current cameras are not capturing which direction they are going. Can anything be done about this?

The positon for the vacant minute taker is now A rate of £50 is agreed on and there are no boundaries on where they live. It is discussed where it should be advertised – the College and University are proposed and also the possibility of notice boards.

Next for discussion is current roadworks around the When will they be finished and who is funding the works. Some of the works mentioned included;

The Causewayhead Road To be finished in December 2022 but more work to follow once it is completed.
The Park and Ride bus has been affected and is going an alternative route, which is causing disruption to some residents.
There has been many incidents of large buses parking illegally and blocking windows and spaces in the local area. This has been causing disturbance to the residents and forcing locals to park elsewhere. It is discussed what can be done about this. It is advised that names of bus operators and the times they are illegally parking is given to the local enforcement officers.

There are some general questions, proposals and discussions from members of the group;

The wall across from St John Street has been down for some time and is still to be repaired. The damage to the wall is getting worse.
Large buses travelling to the castle/top of the town are so big that they are crossing the pavement whilst turning corners, causing a danger to pedestrians. Can there be a solution to this and what can the council do, if anything to help? This will be mentioned in the locality plan.
With regards to development plans, it is discussed if it would be beneficial to work with students at the University to help with the It was mentioned this has been done before with a Professor at the university with successful results. Arranging a meeting with Go Forth Stirling to work together is also proposed.
Several roads in the local area have subsided and need
Salt bins in the area have disappeared and no longer align with the route
Courtyard steps in the area are becoming slimy and dangerous due to moss which is causing a slip hazard. It is discussed having a walk around with the councillor to discuss trees in the area which are causing the problems.
There have been instances in Darnley Street of people using pick up sacks instead of bins. This is not council policy and is causing a mess in the local area due to birds and animals tearing the sacks

It is mentioned to notify the local councillor with any problems as they arise and you don’t have to wait until surgeries to discuss any problems.
The next meeting is announced for Thursday 7^th January 2023, 7pm at The Tolbooth.