Raploch Community Council Meeting
3rd July 2024 – 6.30pm
Raploch Community Campus
Present: J Haslam, Chair, (JH), S Currie, Vice Chair & Treasurer (SC), I Lowe, Secretary & Planning (IL),
R Robertson (RR), L Kettrick (LK), M McKinley (MMcK), G Slade (GS), H Makhatholela (HM), Mike
Lowe, War Memorial Committee, , Gill Christie, Ecologist and local resident, Robin Clark, Treelink,
Barry Hughes (BH), Heidi Haigh & Chris Kane, Leeds United, Lee Maltman, Stirling Council.
Councillor Jim Thomson (JT)
Marnie Foster – Stirling Council, Community Development Officer
C Stewart – Minute taker (CS)
Apologies:
Welcome, apologies & Conflicts of Interest
JH welcomed everyone to the July meeting of the Community Council and gave apologies for Liz
Kettrick and Pauline Roberts. No potential conflicts of interest were declared.
1. Approval of Minutes/Matters Arising
There were a few spelling amendments requested for the May minutes. The minutes were approved
by SC and seconded by IL.
2. Chairs Report
JH went through both her report and the main points were:
The summer sessions that were held recently went well and brought lots of trade to local
businesses. There were some issues with parking mainly in the streets around the fire
station.
There is a new digital communication board on Drip Road where local businesses can
advertise free of charge. There is a QR code provided on the noticeboard and Julie will also
send out an email address that can be used by interested parties. There was also a
discussion about planting around the noticeboard to make it into a local focal point. JH will
check if this is an option.
Legislation around pavement parking will come into force on 14th July. There is an option to
report offenders on the Stirling Council website. There was a discussion about cars parking
on Glendevon Drive which is an access point for fire engines.
There has been a planning request made for an accessible disabled bay on Back O Hill.
3. Treasurers Report
SC provided an update:
Still looking at different bank accounts
No payments in or out since last month
4. Councillors Report
Councillor Thomson provided an update:
Council currently in recess due to the election.
Issues with caravans parking at KIldean in the area behind Highland Gate which has now
been dealt with.
The polling station for Raploch is at Raploch Community Campus. There was a reminder the
voters need to take along relevant ID and there is information on the Stirling Council website
around postal votes. Postal votes can ben handed into the polling station in person if not yet
posted.
5. Potential closing of Deli at Raploch Community Campus
BH has written to the 4 elected members and Evelyn Tweed, MSP to express concerns about
the possible closure of the Deli.
The deli is regularly used as a meeting place, Raploch has already lost Sainsburys café and it
is also used by other partners as a safe space including the employability team.
Councillor Thomson and Barry Hughes will follow up.
6. Police Report
No one present from Police Scotland and no report provided. Councillor Gibson has already agreed
to take forward ongoing traffic issues.
7. Billy Bremner Memorial
Heidi Haig and Chris Kane both came along from Leeds United to give an update on the Billy Bremner
memorial.
There are 3 proposals that have been put forward all by Scottish sculptures. Some members
of the community council hadn’t had the opportunity to watch the You Tube videos that
were shared previously so these were shown during the meeting. There were some issues
with the sound.
It is estimated that the memorial will cost between £80,000 and £100,000 which will include
legacy costs such as maintenance, repair and insurance.
The Scottish Football Supporters Association have agreed to be the fundholders. They will
also be the Project Managers.
The panel had a meeting where they looked at the work of all 3 artists. They felt the work of
Kenny Hunter was their preferred choice as it gave a vision of Billy as a young man leaving
home from “Raploch to Elland Road”.
One the sculptor has been chosen then fundraising can begin. There are plans to combine
this with the unveiling of the plague in Weir Street in September.
If there is any money left over from fundraising it is hoped that it will be donated back to
Raploch. There are also plans to set up a Billy Bremner memorial award at St Modan’s, his
former school.
It was decided that the CC were also in favour of the Kenny Hunter sculpture and Heidi and
Chris will notify the Scottish Football Supporters Association so that the project can start.
Heid and Chris will report back to the CC on a regular basis.
It was agreed that the fundraising would be launched on 4th September with the unveiling of
the plaque in Weir Street and the CC meeting will be held after the unveiling ceremony.
8. Treelink
Robin gave an update for Treelink:
The free fruit and nut tree project has now opened and residents of Raploch and
Bannockburn are able to order their trees online. The plan is to distribute the trees in
December and January. This will depend on the weather as winters are getting warmer so
delivery dates may be pushed forward. Treelink will give advice on the site of tree, size and
how to plant and care for the tree.
The launch was changed from 1st July to 9th July due to the election. The launch will include a
local resident and Julie Haslan as the Chair of the CC. “Out of Doors “the TV show will also be
present.
If someone wants to request a tree but has no IT access it is possible to use a friend or
families email address.
It was also fed back that there is no confirmation email once a tree has been requests. Robin
will investigate this.
Treelink are also planning another project planting a mini woodland on the land adjacent to
Back O’Hill (near Orchard House health centre), Councillor Thomson will follow up the
matter as he was under the impression that the land was allocated for housing.
Alison from Treeelink who is managing the project will attend the September CC meeting to
give a presentation. They had also hoped to give the Presentation to Mercat cross
community council as the land is on their boundary however Marnie Foster from SC advised
that there is currently no CC at Mercat Cross. The only group is Darnley Park which isn’t fully
formed yet. The plan is that the project will be a “Thank you” from the Ukrainian community
in Stirling. They hope to plant lilies native to Ukraine.
St Marks update
BH provided the St Marks update:
The holiday club will run next week with over 60 people signed up. The young
people will be with The Big Noise in the morning and will be walked over to St
Mark’s in the afternoon where they will be provided with a hot meal from Forth
Valley College. Vinnie has donated juice and water and Sainsburys have donated
snacks. On the Friday the children and families will be taken to Briarlands Farm and
a friend of Barry’s has donated £500 towards the cost. Contracts Scotland, a local
recruitment agency based at the Castle Business Park have also sent 10 staff to
volunteer at the holiday club.
Barry will also be attending the Beavers, scouts and cubs camp at Inver Trossachs
9. War Memorial Update
Mike Lowe came along to give an update on the War Memorial. He advised that things are currently
at a bit of a standstill. The group are getting support from Pauline Roberts, Stirling Council with
regards to planning. They currently have a credit union account but they hope to open a bank
account this week.
10. Gill Christie update
Gill has been in contact with Pauline Roberts from SC about putting together a community
development plan for Raploch. Pauline has sent Gill examples of surveys that have been completed
by other CCs and Pauline has also written a draft survey that she has passed to Gill. Gill felt some of
the questions have too many options and referred to the Fallin CC survey which only had 3
questions. Gill will look at drafting a survey to be included in the next newsletter and will pass the
survey to Susan to be publicise.
11. AOCB
JH reminded everyone that the AGM took place last month. There were 2 vacancies
due to the Secretary steeping down. Nominations were made for Chair, Vice Chair,
Treasurer and Secretary but Barry Hughes wasn’t present at the meeting and he has
expressed his interest in taking over the Chair role. JH has sought guidance from
Stephen Bly and he has advised that people can take up interim roles until the next
AGM. Marnie Foster also directed individual who are interested in taking up roles to
the training on the SC website that gives more information on what each role in the
CC involves.
It was raised that the minutes are not up to date on the SC website. JH has been in
touch with Stephen Blyth regarding this and he has advised they are uploaded in
batches.
Date, time, and place of next meeting: Wednesday 4th September. Time TBC.