Apr 2022 Minutes

Topic

Discussion

Action

1. Opening

2. Apologies

Trevor Geraghty (TG) chaired the meeting & welcomed all.

Clare Graham, Police

3. Minutes

Minutes from last meeting proposed Joyce Kelly (JK) Seconded

Lynda McColl

4. Matters arising

Joyce Kelly sought clarity as Fergus Wood (FW) application still active, FW confirmed application withdrawn and will be submitting another for the hill side of the B829 away from the

Loch.

5. Flood Scheme appraisal presentation

Christopher Roads - (CR, Resident and Strathard Community Trust Director) and Walter Semple (WS, Resident) have been spurred on by Economic Development potential and via conversations at the Aberfoyle Life Plan meetings. Collaborating with fellow resident & civil engineer Roger Doubal they have reappraised flood mitigation options and made a short presentation to SCC. Proposal to reassess options around mitigating regular flooding impacts rather than 1 in 200yr focus as per the Mouchel Report done in 2017. Potential simple cost effective options. WS indicated importance of community collective action/pressure. Re funding, Mouchel options had progressed but since stalled due to vast cost. Discussion around wildlife impact and costings. It was agreed to engage Stirling Council to progress further investigation into options including an Environmental Impact assessment, costings and professional scrutiny of suggestions. SCC thanked CR, WS and RD for their work, time and effort to drive this forward. JK highlighted the

value of the Life Plan process in supporting this activity.

Action TG to raise with Maria Lucey at SC.

6. Broadway Broadband

Michael Armitage presented potential investment in Fibre Broad band in Strathard, 50% private funding 50% Westminster funding. Evidenced as more resilient. Natashya Shephard (NS) queried what physical works would be needed. This would be minimal with some modest trenching along Openreach network

with majority as overground wiring. Stuart Steven enquired

Action TG

BT Digital Voice

about timeframe, Broadway would hope to complete by the end of the year. Jeremy McDonald checked about resilience – there would be 3 backwall points strengthening this.

Nick Lester-Davis – BT have suspended switching analogue off SG policy mobile all areas as back up for digital, value esp where community vulnerable. Evelyn Tween MSP is taking up the potential business population of the Ledard Mobile Mast with Kate Forbes. Alyn Smith MP is supporting free battery back ups

in case of emergencies

7. NHS/Surgery

update

4^th vaccination requests will be forth coming

8. Police Report

See Appendix 1

Cut out Police Officer had been used at speed display by park to good effect. Community can invest in its own if it wishes to.

Re Road Safety/Speed Martin Earl – hand held speed monitors not suited to Gartmore area of A81 but signage of speed checks can be used as deterrent. In addition, crossing safety/signage and road surface markings will be upgraded around crossing at

Rob Roy roundabout when road surface next gets upgraded.

9. Treasurers report

See Appendix 2

Lynda McColl asked if minute taker allowance would be reviewed as need to ensure is above minimum wage.

10. Planning

New Applications:

Joyce Kelly briefed on planning. There were 7 new planning applications made in February and March however 2 seem to be duplicates. 3 of the proposals were for ATV access tracks which don’t need planning approval. None seem to be controversial or have attracted any negative comments.

Approvals:

There have been 8 approvals in the same period. These cover the Proposal Erection of ancillary accommodation and garage Location Gartnerichnich, the Proposal Removal of existing conservatory and erection of single storey extension Location Corriearklet Farmhouse Inversnaid already discussed above and 2 proposal for the same property. Proposed alterations to existing dormer windows and formation of new dormer in roofscape front elevation Location Edendarroch and the Proposed alterations to existing double garage upper floor to form holiday accommodation Location Edendarroch. The

Proposal for Installation of water bottle refill station Location

TG – SCC

will raise issue with LLTNPA

Planning

The Pier Cafe Stronachlachar and the Proposed 2 no. single storey extensions to dwellinghouse comprising one wraparound extension to side and rear and one separate extension to the rear. Location Hillview Cottage. The final approval was given for change of use and extension of 1 existing building to dwellinghouse and erection of 5 no. terraced dwellinghouses and 1no. detached dwellinghouse Location Stronachlachar.

Approval has been outstanding for over a year while the LLTNP obtained a inclusion of a legal condition stating that the houses should not be sold as holiday homes. In addition one of the ATV applications was given the nod through.

Overdue Applications:

There are currently only 3 overdue applications something of a record for Strathard. The application for creation of a Bellmouth entrance at Loch Ard Cottage and the Ledard Farm proposal for a camp site on the shores of Loch Ard still await a decision. These are well overdue and both have SCC official objections raised against them. Fergus Woods who was in attendance at the meeting reconfirmed that he was withdrawing his Ledard Farm application and replacing it with a similar application on the other side of the B829. The 3 ^rd overdue application is the proposal for Construction of cycle shelter; covered outdoor dining terrace; bicycle storeroom and associated landscaping works Location: Aberfoyle Bike Hire Main Street Aberfoyle. A member of public queried the changes to a driveway at the railway cottages by the Aberfoyle Play Park and asked if planning had been sought as resident parking was regularly blocking wheelchair access point along path. JK said she was not aware that a planning application had been made for changes to an existing driveway.

11. Community Life Plans

Community Life Plans:

KCLP

JK provided the updates on the various Community Life Plans. A meeting was held on 17 March to update the KCLP. Circa 50 residents attended and it was a good meeting. The outcomes of this meeting have been circulated via a Monkey Survey to give all residents the opportunity to comment on the proposals

to amend, update, remove or append the KCLP. The aim is

Action SCC to engage Scottish Water re sewage plant options and water quality.

that at the conclusion of the exercise we will have a consensually agreed updated KCLP which reflects the hopes, aspiration and needs of Kinlochard residents at this point in time.

FW – Septic tank issue, water quality impact on Loch Ard – what options to access sewage work at Forest Hills

JK said that it was hoped that the infrastructure KCLP working group would include this issue when the working groups were once more activated post COVID.

Stronichlachar/Inversnaid CLP

JK appealed for volunteers in Stronachlachar/Invesnaid to form a Steering Group to take forward an update to their CLP.

Aberfoyle CLP

Has now been completed and agreed by the Aberfoyle residents involved in developing the CLP. It will be circulated to all Stakeholders in the next couple of weeks for feedback from them.

There is an outstanding action for all CLPs to convene a workshop, which will include external businesses and landowners to obtain their feedback and input into the CLP’s. We are currently working out the best format for this to happen and hopefully will have an update for the next SCC meeting.

12. Safe Routes to School

18m long process of progressing safe routes to school and additional crossings within village. All works put in place according to the rules of Safe Routes to School and SC.

TG some snagging and apparent comms issues around this.

13. SCC

digitisation

This is progressing

14. FLS/CEG

FLS/CEG’s (Community Engagement Groups) General CEG Goup

JK provided briefs on the various CEG’s. Following the general FLS/CEG meeting held in February there was a follow-on meeting to look in more detail at the FLS plan for introduction of

17 new/upgraded gates. The results were inconclusive as the

contract only completed on 31^st March so it is too early to determine that there will be the required 1.5 mtre access around the gates required to facilitate pedestrians and cycle usage of the forest. Also there are outstanding issues around limiting resident access in the event that their normal route is closed to them for various reasons. It was agreed that these issues would be swept up in the wider issue of provision of access along the Duchray road in the event that the B829 is closed for any reason. Nothing of any value seems to be happening taking these negotiations forward. FLS maintain that it is a Stirling council issue to resolve perhaps by adopting a forestry road that would be covered by their T&C’s in times of emergency. It was agreed to revert to the subject at the next CEG meeting scheduled for May. In addition there was an issue of the missing bridge over the stream at the foot of Craigfoots Terrace which is preventing residents and visitors alike from using a popular walk way. It seemed that we had reached an agreement in the meeting that despite ongoing negotiations to establish a Safer Routes to School FLS would go ahead and instate either a bridge or culvert to re-instate the walkway. The logic being that it could take a considerable time to establish all landowners with a stake in the land required to create the Safer Routes to School and Scotways are unlikely to move forward without a complete plan. In the event FLS have come back, without recourse to the CEG group, and said that they have placed stepping stones on the bed of the stream as a solution. 2 members of the CEG group visited the site and do not believe this to be a satisfactory or even safe solution.

Andrew Clark has been notified of the conclusions. We await a response.

Loch Katrine Land Management Plan (LMP) CEG Group

This LMP headed up by James Hand is going forward with good CEG engagement. It is early days for the plan but the CEG members are being included in all discussion going forward.

Loch Achray LMP

The LMP is headed up by Stephen Murphy but this seems to be getting off to a slow start. It is hoped that this will improve as work progresses. The next 2 plans which are due for revision is the Loch Chon and East Loch Ard Plans but managers for these

plans still have to be nominated. The West Loch Ard LMP has been completed and is still Forestry Scotland for approval.

15. B829 Road

works

Impact of works means community and local businesses bears cost. SCC were reassured works would happen out of season. TG asks why not conduct at night for such location. NS suggests survey to gather evidence of effects. Endorsed by ME. Road should have different policy applied as only ingress/egress for residents. JK has written to Carlyn Fraser SC. TG will follow up with Brian Roberts and possibly Carol Beattie.

16. SCT update

No Directors update provided. Kate Bovill is being continued in her role as Development Officer for Financial year 2022-3.

Ongoing funding is being sought.

17. Stirling Council

Now in Purdah, no business.

Ukraine support being coordinated.

18. QEFP update

Appendix 3

19. AOCB

KB enquired if SCC had been consulted when large climbing frame installed in Aberfoyle Play Park. Due process is community consultation before park improvements are made. SCC confirmed no consultation had been made. KB seeking to ensure the policy process is working and seeks to support collaborative group to lead on park improvements generally.

JM thanks SCC for their welcome and work over the past years as he is now stepping down as a local authority ward councilor. SCC thanked him for all his work and wishes him well in his future roles.

Monies in

0.00

Total monies in

0.00

General Fund closing Bank balance 21 February 2022

11512.46

Subsequent income/expenditure

Domain Host registration

(

70.64)

CCN (ALP)

(4050.00)

Treasurer expenses

( 16.15)

Total subsequent spend

(4136.79)

General Fund closing Balance 31 March 2022

7375.67

Less Commitments

Aberfoyle Life Plan

0.00

Community Events Fund

1011.62

1011.62

Available Funds

6364.05