Jan 2022 Minutes

Public Meeting Minutes Date – 26^th January 2022

Members Present In Attendance Apologies

Fiona Berrow Fiona Dyet Di Alderdice

Bob Dale Andrew Fraser Phil Boydell

Sue Dumbleton David Sherman Sandra Engstrom

Emily McLaughlin Joan Murphy

Ashleigh Phillip Residents: 8 Carol Robertson

Alison Swanson

1) Welcome and record of those present and apologies

Chair Joan Murphy welcomed the eight residents attending, in addition to those Members and Associates listed above.

2) Declarations of Interest

No Declaration of Interest was recorded.

3) Approval of Previous Minutes

Minutes for November were adopted

Ashleigh Phillips proposed; Sue Dumbleton seconded

4) Matters Arising from previous minutes not to be addressed within the meeting

None arising

5) Reports

a) Chair

Link with Stirling Observer – Thanks were offered to Gillian Armstrong for working on reporting our community news to the observer which supports our non-digital communication aims

Lovers Walk Closure - Lovers Walk is scheduled to be closed for eight months in 2022, the date has been delayed until sometime in February.

A marine licence has been requested. Licence application details can be found here .

Riverside Community Council met with representatives of Network rail to discuss some of the community concerns. Details of this meeting can be found here.

Riverside Community Council asked Stirling Council to consider placing a temporary crossing at Forth Street throughout the duration of the Lovers Walk Closure. This was declined and we were advised that “the council will be monitoring the situation during this closure period and if there appears to be a problem, we will contact Network Rail to find a suitable solution.”

b) Secretary

Police Report - Over the past two months there were 3 undetected cases including Theft and Damage to a parked vehicle, and two detected cases.

The Community Police Officers have attended at Riverside Primary School at pick up times and spoken to a number of drivers in relation to considerate and safe parking as well as being mindful of speed.

The Community Police issued a warning that there has been a rise in theft related offences and remind people to lock properties and cars and do not leave valuable in your car.

Storm Arwen caused damage and disruption to several Stirling communities. Stirling Council would like to hear about your experiences and how you and your colleagues were affected. They will use your feedback via their survey to improve future partnership and community responses.

Anti-Social Behaviour - Between April and December 2021 there were 413 anti-social behaviour cases reported to Stirling Council’s Community Safety Team. Stirling Council offering residents the chance to share their experiences of anti-social behaviour and help shape how Stirling Council tackles the issue. Find out more here .

Benches, River path – Stirling Council is currently working on pricing up the fabrication of replacement timber slats etc. and the work will take place as soon as possible thereafter.

Road markings – Stirling Council repainted many road markings around Riverside. Dropped Kerb – Stirling Council lowered the kerb in front of the Waverley Park Broken Fencing on Forth Crescent – Reported to Stirling Council

Forthside - Stirling Council Environmental Health officer has advised that there are no grounds that can be applied to either encourage the land owner to look at the situation or prosecute. Riverside Community Council will write to the landowner to ask them to address this issue.

Cambuskenneth Netting – Will be removed as soon as feasible.

Fire Alarm Legislation new legal requirements in Scotland – find more information here .

Dog Fouling – There has been an increase of dog fouling around Riverside, in particular on the streets. Residents are encouraged to make use of the poo bags Riverside Community Council provides for free. These are not supplied by Stirling Council – though you can pick up free bags at the library, including our library van.

City of Culture - Stirling is bidding to become UK City of Culture 2025 and is the only Scottish city left in

the running. Being named UK City of Culture 2025 would bring investment and international attention to Stirling, with a breathtaking programme of events and activities for 2025 and beyond. To find out more and offer your support you can visit the website here .

c) Treasurer

Expenditure - The Community Council hired Riverside Bowling Club to hold our November meeting (£30) and paid for a topographical survey (£720, arranged by Raeburn Farquhar Bowen Ltd.) to be carried out on the Riverside Gateway project site.

Income - Joan Murphy donated £30 to the Community Council in exchange for surplus donations to the Christmas parcels. The Community Council received the funding for the Riverside Gateway project from The Mushroom Trust (£3,500).

It was agreed to spend some unrestricted funds on a gift for a notable centenary.

d) Planning

There were no planning issues.

Rainbow Slides proposed Student Accommodation – this is not currently a planning issue however it was agreed that the displaced parking may have further impact on the parking issues in Riverside. It was agreed that Riverside Community Council would discuss this with Stirling Council to understand what the process was for registering an interest/concern in the potential proceedings.

The COUNCIL proposes to make The Stirling Council (On-Street Parking Spaces for Disabled Persons No’s 6-17) Order 2022 under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The Order will introduce disabled parking on Alexandra Place.

Further details can be requested by e-mailing traffic@stirling.gov.uk for three weeks from 19-1-22 and objectors should send their reasons in writing to the Senior Manager, Environment and Place by e-mailing traffic@stirling.gov.uk quoting the appropriate reference number by 9-2-22.

You can visit Stirling Council’s Planning Portal for further planning information.

You can visit the Scottish Government’s Tell Me website for further licencing information.

7) Sub-Groups

a) Active Travel and Sustainable Transport

Nothing to report.

The group will be meeting shortly and are looking for enthusiastic community members to join the group.

b) Christmas Parcels

The weekend before Christmas a group of jolly volunteers delivered an amazing Christmas goody bag to 47 people in Riverside.

It was a huge success and the gifts were received with delight and sincere appreciation, with many kind words, goodwill shared and beautiful words of thanks.

It was a joy to be able to do this after another strange year and couldn't have done it without the generous donation of the Riverside Community and Stirling businesses.

c) Community Resilience Plan

Sandra Engstrom has approached the Scottish Flood Forum regarding a face-to-face presentation but is yet to hear back..

d) Defibrillators

Over seventy households took part in the Living Advent Windows throughout December. The fundraising event was a huge success and enough money was raised to replace the pads and batteries ensuring the defibrillators are up-to-date and ready for use. In addition the batteries will be returned and used for training on defibrillator use and maintenance.

A new cabinet has been ordered and will be fitted for the unit located at the Riverside Dentist on Forth Crescent.

Since the group was formed over £6.3k has been raised for this life saving equipment.

Step into Spring – From 21^st March 2022 the Window’s group will be inviting people to support Riverside Naturally in a spring themed window event. Money raised will go to further the enhancement of the green spaces around Riverside in an environmentally conscientious way.

e) Environment

Cherry Blossoms – Two cherry blossoms have been marked for being felled. This is most likely to be because they are diseased or dying. Over the next few years many of these trees will be removed and replaced.

Riverbanks – Stirling Council will be piloting works to clear up to 75% of the brambles and overgrown vegetation which will hopefully allow other species to colonise the banking. There is a contractor lined up to use a tractor and flail to clear the growth between Cambuskenneth Bridge and the Boating Club. This is hoped to help especially with the very invasive Himalayan balsam.

Community Planters – Riverside Community Council in previous years had funding to support the Riverbank Centre in the planting and maintenance of the community planters. This ran out last year and Riverside Community Council was successful in securing a grant for the planters in 2021. Funding is no longer available for this endeavour and the Riverbank Centre is moving on to alternative environmental projects.

It was agreed that the community would like to see the planters in use and a sub-group has been formed to explore the various options to allow this to be successful. It was agreed that £100 of unrestricted funds would be made available to this group.

Thank you was given to the Riverbank Centre for their many years of work in looking after the wonderful planters that has brought such joy and colour to Riverside.

Thank you was given to Nicholas Trull and Mary Buchanan for their time and expertise in exploring option for the community planters.

Stirling Council Pollinator Consultation – Riverside Community Council submitted a comment on Stirling Council’s pollinator policy draft. It can be found here .

f) Parking

The Living Streets steering group met on the 30^th November 2021 – this was comprised of representatives of L iving Streets *, Stirling Council, Riverside Primary School teacher and parents and a teacher and Riverside Community Council.

Stirling Council received £34,000 from Paths for All towards three interlinking projects relating to the parking problems in Riverside.

• School Streets Project (running until March 2022) which will lead into

• Parking Management Plan (starting in the next financial year)

• 20-minute Neighbourhoods

The funding will be used to commission Living Streets to carry out research and a detailed consultation including Riverside residents and businesses, parents whose children attend Riverside Primary and teachers.

Living Streets is a UK wide charity with over 90 years’ experience whose main aim is to encourage and facilitate everyday walking.

The development of the projects includes:

• Research – previous data from Active Travel and FEL plus current research including

a. Travel tracker

b. Air quality

c. Traffic count

d. Pedestrian count

• Comprehensive Consultation – December 21 – March 22

• Trialling of new measures – school summer term 22

• Evaluation of new measures – for up to 18 months (concurrent with trialling)

• Successful measures will be made permanent

Representatives of Stirling Council and Living Streets are meeting to finalise plans for the consultation.

A three day, part time closure of streets near the school is due to be trialled before the Easter break, as part of this consultation process. This will enable residents and the school community to experience and reflect on whether further closures would be beneficial.

Kate Joester from Living Streets attended our Community Council Meeting and explained the consultation, trial road closure project and answered further questions posed by the Riverside residents.

It was discussed that the process of trailing the street closure was to understand better what will work as a permanent solution for Riverside and may be changed when the feedback and results of the trial were available.

More information, a link to the consultation and a history of parking in Riverside can be found here.

g) Riverside Gateway

Meetings were held to discuss and finalise the plans for the Riverside Greenspace project.

The consultation process, scheduled initially for the end of January has been postponed due to COVID restrictions. Residents will be informed when new dates have been decided upon and information will be shared on Riverside Community Council's website here .

g) Summer Jubilee Celebrations

Riverside Community Council is proposing a Jubilee Celebration on the 2 ^nd - 5^th June. Thursday: Older People afternoon tea – potential school engagement

Friday – Rowing Club Event

Saturday – 12pm-4pm Family Fun Day, including Bake Off, Crafts, Visiting Services, Active Travel Saturday – 6pm – 10pm Music Event

Sunday – 10am – Litter Pick – Tea and Cake

David Sherman has:

Approached the Riverside Lawn Bowling about hosting the afternoon tea. Volunteers needed. Approached the Riverside Rowing Club regarding hosting the event – tide dependent.

Fiona Dyet will offer defibrillator training Lawn Bowling may offer bowling lessons

Abbey Road Market is interested in supporting the event regarding beverages and catering. Looking for crafters who may like to hire a stall for the family event.

Investigating funding opportunities closer to the time when specific funding becomes available. Three fundraising opportunities – Defibs, RN and RCC

8) Local Groups

Riverside Naturally – The otter carving was named by the P1’s at Riverside Primary School – Alice was the chosen name and the garden she is situated in will be called Alice’s Woodland Wonderland.

Riverside Naturally will be embracing the Year of Stories and have plans to develop a willow arbour in the woodland garden nearest the Cambuskenneth bridge

27^th February at 9.30am – Maintenance Session, 10.30am – Tea break and a chat.

9) Upcoming Events

28th Jan Mindful Meditation

29th Jan Maintenance Session and RSPB Bird Watch - Riverside Naturally 6th Feb - Neighbourhood Walk