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MINUTES
Meeting Monday 13th May 2024 in the Village Club
Final
Members Present: - Julie Hutchison; Grace Edmonds; Rob Davies; John Gray; Ian
Boardley; Pamela Lee; Kate Ramsden; Eleanor Balfour; Andrew Thompson
In attendance: Councillor Gerry McGarvie SC; Margaret Vass SCDT; + 1 resident
Apologies: Graeme Kemsley
(SC = Stirling Council. CC = Community Council. CDT= Community Development
Trust * Denotes an action)
1. Welcome from the Chair and declarations of Interest
JH welcomed everybody to the meeting and welcomed AT back in person.
JH congratulated Chris Edmonds on getting a £19,000 grant from the National Lot
tery Community Fund for repairs to the Edmonstone Hall.
There were no declarations of interest.
2. Minutes of April meeting and matters arising.
The minutes had been circulated to all CC members and were accepted. Proposed
by RD, seconded by KR.
Matters arising: JH spoke to the surgery about the District Nurses. They have no up
date on what is happening despite the trial being completed. The doctors have been
telling patients who have difficulty getting to Killearn to ask the nurses to come to
them. GMcG asked JH to email him as a member of the Health Board and he will try
to find a solution.
MV said that work on the West Highland way path on Cuilt Road is now complete. JG
noted that it has a loose surface that will wash away. Cars are still parking at the
edge and the pavement is very narrow at the start meaning people have to walk on
the road.
JH mentioned that we no longer receive a list of proposed road works despite having
a participation request with Roads. JH will email GMcG regarding this.
RD reported that one of the abandoned cars on the A809 has been removed but has
been replaced by another one near Queen’s View.
3. Police Report
Anti-social behaviour
A person was found to be in possession of a small amount of Cannabis at Mugdock
Country Park and received a recorded Police warning.
Theft
A theft has been recorded after a bag was stolen from the bank of Mugdock Loch
while the victim was wading in the water.
A theft has been recorded after security lights were stolen from the side of a stable
on land used to keep horses.
Incidents of Note
A report was received about a dog being dangerously out of control after a large dog
managed to break free from the owner and attack another dog. Fortunately, the other
dog was unharmed, and Police are currently engaged with the Dog Warden regard
ing the matter.
Another report was received regarding a dog being dangerously out of control after a
dog bit a person on the leg, puncturing the skin. Enquiries are ongoing to trace the
owner.
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Both of the above incidents occurred within Mugdock Country Park. This is a popular
area for dog walkers so please ensure that your dog is under control at all times.
GMcG said that there is a new Area Commander for Forth Valley and a new local
commander for Stirling. He has raised the issue that one community officer is not
enough. These officers are important for the local community, especially in rural are
as.
4. Local Place Plan update.
We have tried hard to persuade residents to complete the survey and currently have
252 responses. Some of these are responding on behalf of their household, making
about 350 responses altogether. This is a response rate of about 16%. GMcG said
that this is a basis for going forward with engagement.
AT reported that there are roughly 2:1 female to male and the majority of responses
are from people over pension age. The percentages of responders are roughly the
same as the age distribution in the census.
JH suggested that we should close the survey on Friday 17th May 2024. This was
agreed by CC members and JG will notify the community via Facebook.
5. South West Stirling Climate Action Network
AT has been working on this with residents from other villages in the area. They have
been holding informal meetings to talk about how we can move forward with the cli
mate change agenda. They are trying to bring all the rural villages into the network
and are inviting CCs, Community Trusts and individuals to join them. It is proposed to
set the network up as an unincorporated association, which would be non-profit, al
lowing voluntary members to discuss the climate emergency. AT has circulated a
paper from the network to CC members.
RD queried if the CC should take part in this as we are supposed to represent resi
dents rather than be an action group. GMcG said that members could potentially join
as individuals. We think this is more suited to the SCDT.AT asked if there is any rea
son why the CC could not be a member of the network. JH said that she is not sure
that this is part of our remit. GMcG said that the CC could play a part in communi
cating with SC and working with the SCDT. JH said that we are all supportive of the
work the network is doing. The CC can advocate on behalf of the network.
6. Elected member’s Report – Councillor Gerry McGarvey
GMcG said that the Stockiemuir Road is a mess, but there are two schemes due to
commence on repairs. On June 10th work is scheduled to take place from Carbeth for
300 meters. On the 13 June work is due to begin on the stretch from the Council
Weather station for 400 meters. The council also hopes to undertake major drainage
work at Stockiemuir Farm.
IB said that Old Mugdock Road also needs a lot of work.
An approach was made to GMcG about the arrangement between Greater Glasgow
and Clyde and Forth Valley Health Boards and if this still exists. GMcG said that it
does. JH said that there was agreement that unless it is an emergency residents
could request to be taken to a Glasgow hospital. Since Covid the agreement seems
to have disappeared. The arrangement may still exist at high level but has not been
cascaded to ground level staff. GMcG will report this to the head of Health.
JG raised the issue of the road closure on Campsie Road being poorly advertised
with a long diversion. EDC subsequently closed the road at the other end effectively
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trapping residents who live between the closures. The closure was advertised be
tween 8 and 5 and Councillor Fraser asked if it could be moved to 9 to 5 to allow
children to get to school. This was agreed but did not actually happen. GMcG said
that JH should contact Gary Neil at SC about roads issues.
We have had no communication about the bridge repairs at Duntreath. JH will email
Gary Neil about this. JG asked if we can be confident that SC has learned lessons
from the other bridge problems in the area. GMcG said yes, in as much as there is an
ongoing inspection programme.
JH thanked Councillor McGarvie for his report.
7. Planning and Licensing.
23/00692/FUL: House opposite Moor Road. JG has sent additional comments on
this.
He noted that there is no clear rule regarding precedent in planning applications. IB
said that it should be clear that Green Belt land should be protected.
24/00143/PPP: Erection of 4 no. dwelling houses and upgrade of existing access,
land East of Auchineden Farm Dairy Cottage, Blanefield. JG will draft a response to
this which he will circulate to CC members for approval.
SC sent information on the LPD Evidence Report consultation, which will shape the
process of creating the new Local Development Plan. This consultation involves a
series of surveys through the Engage Stirling website. The closing date is June 7th
2024. Topics of the different surveys are:
Have a Say on the Scope of the Evidence Report
Three surveys to build up an evidence base for important policy areas concerning
Housing, Local Living, Heritage
Play, Sport and Recreation Survey
Site Assessment methodology
GMcG said that our Local Place Plan, when approved, would be another contribution
to this.
JH thanked JG for his work.
9. Finance
We have £4400.74 in our account.
The accounts have gone to Kate Baxter to be examined and will be back by the
AGM.
PM is currently working on the Admin Grant application and will be asking for help
with this.
We will look into changing the bank after the AGM.
10. Correspondence
We had an email from SB to remind us that we need a councillor or council officer
present at the AGM. GE will check this with SB.
11. AOCB
JH reported the accident to the CC shed, which was badly damaged by a resident
reversing out from the library. JH has spoken to Willie Oswald who thinks the CC
raised funds to but the shed years ago. He suggested that we check with Patsy
Fischbacher and JH will do this.
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PL said that a resident asked her about the phone box opposite Greens. We asked
residents for ideas about what could be done with it and had several suggestions, but
nobody volunteered to do anything with it. KR will put it on Facebook, asking for ide
as again.
12. Date of next meeting
June 10th, 2024, following the AGM.
Copy date for the BVB – 23rd June 2024
Contact us at contact@strathblanecc.org.uk Also on our website
www.strathblanecc.org.uk. Telephone numbers for Community Councillors are
on the notice boards, in the library and in the Blane Valley Bulletin
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