Mar 2022 Minutes

Public Meeting Minutes Date – 30^th March 2022

Members Present In Attendance Apologies

Fiona Berrow Andrew Fraser Di Alderdice

Bob Dale Fiona Dyet

Sue Dumbleton Residents: 8 Carol Robertson

Emily McLaughlin David Sherman

Ashleigh Philip Joan Murphy Alison Swanson

1) Welcome and record of those present and apologies

Chair Joan Murphy welcomed everyone in attendance in addition to those Members and Associates listed above.

Joan Murphy started the meeting by discussing the optimism and positivity brought to the Community Council by the Community Councillors and the Riverside Community.

Riverside Community Council has been actively asking and welcoming opinions, suggestions and criticism for three years and treats people with respect and courtesy, following the agreed Code of Conduct .

This is a reciprocal relationship and as a gentle reminder no community councillor will engage with unacceptable and abusive behaviour.

2) Declarations of Interest

No Declaration of Interest was recorded.

3) Approval of Previous Minutes

Minutes for February were adopted

Sue Dumbleton proposed; Joan Murphy seconded

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

None arising

5) Reports

a) Chair

Sandra Engstrom has left Riverside to move to Glasgow. Riverside Community Council thanked her for her work with the Community Council and wish her well.

Riverside Community Council has a vacancy for a Community Councillor. Contact riversidecommunitycouncil@gmail.com for more information.

There was discussion within the community regarding buses around school drop off and pick up times - there is a service bus to and from Causewayhead to the school both at the start and the end of the school day. This service is not currently well used.

To enhance our understanding of people travelling into Riverside, Kate Joester from Living Streets has been asked to do an audit of people crossing at two junctions: Forth Street/Dean Crescent/ James Street and Forth Street/Shore Road and Forth Place/Crescent

b)Secretary Police Report:

Over the past month there were 5 undetected cases including Fraud and Vandalism, and one detected case.

Housekeeping:

Lovers Walk Closure Traffic Jams - the timing of the traffic lights between Seaforth Place and Goosecroft Road have been extended

Double Yellow Lines around the school will be repainted

Reporting Issue – There appears to be an inconsistency when using the Report It function within Stirling Council’s website. This has led to issues not addressed or information being shared. This will be raised with our liaison. The issues are as follows:

Trolleys in the River Forth

Broken Fence on Forth Crescent Degrading railings along the riverside path

Pedestrian Crossing: Community members raised the issue of the pedestrian crossing at the junction of Seaforth Place and Goosecroft Road being too short. This will be reported to Stirling Council.

Waverly Park: Community members commented on the addition of new bark in Waverly Park voiced of approval of the enhanced aesthetics. Riverside Community Council will approach Stirling Council regarding repairing or replacing the broken or missing equipment.

A reminder was issued that some information is shared between meetings, including road closures, TROs and other Stirling Council communications and this is available on the Riverside Community Council Website. The weekly Planning Schedule is also available each Wednesday.

c) Treasurer

Expenditure: The Community Council paid for the Zoom account for February and March (£14.39 per month), for the design proposals (£2,160) and the consultation event (£1,080) for the Riverside Gateway

Project (to landscape architects Raeburn Farquhar Bowen).

Income: There was no income this month.

Note: £40 for the annual ICO registration fee was transferred back into unrestricted funds (from the admin grant budget). This had been paid for from the unrestricted funds rather than the admin grant budget due to the late payment of the admin grant.

Funds were moved from Unrestricted and from Active Travel and Sustainable Transport budgets to cover costs for the Riverside Gateway design proposals and consultation event.

d) Planning

There were no planning issues.

Riverside Community Council has invited a representative of Montagu Evans LLP to speak about the proposed development at the Rainbow Slide. They will most likely attend April.

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

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

7) Sub-Groups

a) Active Travel and Sustainable Transport

Ashleigh Phillip contacted Stirling Council and Network Rail to request that more space was made on the footway along Lovers Walk as it was felt the fencing was encroaching unnecessarily upon it. Network Rail appear to have moved this as much are possible.

St Ninians Community Council has been in touch regarding their speeding issues and to ascertain if this is an issue across Stirling. Ashleigh Phillip will be responding.

b) Community Resilience Plan

Sandra Engstrom has moved away and stepped down for Riverside Community Council. Riverside Community Council will continue to look into hosting a flooding awareness event. Further activities will be postponed at this time to be re-visited later in the year.

d) Defibrillators

No activities to report.

e) Environment

Cherry Blossoms – Last month Riverside Naturally approached Riverside Community Council regarding the removal and replacement of the ornamental cherry trees by Stirling Council. Riverside Naturally proposed that these trees be replaced with the native Gean (Bird Cherry/Wild Cherry) as these trees are far more wildlife and pollinator friendly. As the planting season for trees is winter no change would take place until next year.

It was confirmed that Riverside Community Council supports the planting of Gean.

Riverbanks – A mammal survey was undertaken by Stirling Council and there was evidence of Mink in the area. These are considered an invasive species and are a threat to native wildlife. To find out more

and to report a sighting visit NatureScot .

Community Planters – There is now a team of Riverside residents who have adopted a planter and will look after them this season.

f) Parking

Stirling Council and Living Streets is currently trailing the closure of some roads around Riverside Primary School explore the effect on the volume and flow of school traffic and to make it a safer place for children to travel to school.

There are monitors at each junction guiding traffic and collecting information and feedback.

Due to being in the midst of the trial it is too soon to discuss or draw any conclusions and Riverside Community Council will have feedback from the trail for the next public meeting.

g) The Green, Forth Place

A community consultation event for the proposed enhancements to ’The Green’ area was held on-site on Saturday 19th March. It was hosted by local landscape architects Raeburn Farquhar Bowen, who created the draft proposals for the area. Residents were given the opportunity to look at proposals and give feedback or suggestions.

The proposals were then displayed at Abbey Road Market and on the Riverside Community Council and Riverside Naturally websites for a week after the event and an email address was provided for feedback and comments.

The process of compiling the comments is underway and these will be used to inform the next steps.

g) Summer Jubilee Celebrations

David Sherman and Carol Robertson have been planning and organising the Older People's Afternoon Tea and Music Events

Andrew Fraser has been working on the application to close part of Riverside Drive on Saturday 4^th June 2022.

Riverside Naturally will be organising activities including bio blitzes, story telling and other nature related events

David Sherman will be submitting an application for funding from the Community Pride Fund. Agreement given in October 2021 to seek funding was confirmed.

Riverside Bowling club agreed facilities free of charge for Afternoon Tea and Saturday day and evening event, with come and try bowling, bar open, toilets and Ceilidh at night with possible Music event in the afternoon from 2-4pm

Discussions are continuing with the Abbey Road Market to host a DJ music event from 4-9pm, discussions ongoing.

8) Local Groups