November 2021 Minutes

THORNHILL & BLAIR DRUMMOND COMMUNITY COUNCIL

24th of November at 7:30 pm

At Thornhill Community Hall and online.

Minutes

1. Present Scott Patterson Chair (SP), Gabriela Ingle -Secretary (GI), Hector Muir -Vice- Chair (HM) Elaine Blanchard - Treasurer (EB), Al Rawlinson (AL), Andy Greig (AG), Joanne Ingles (JI), Cllr Martin Earl (ME), resident Aileen Denholm (AD), resident Christine Brown (CB), Yvonne Dickson - Minutes (YD)

Apologies Sheena Stewart (SS), Cllr Evelyn Tweed (ET), Cllr Jeremy McDonald (JM)

Approval of minutes of meeting on the 13^th October 2021 Agreed (HM) Seconded (EB)

2. Matters arising – (EB) Circulated dog poo bin map on FB for suggestions to where they should go. Published plea for people in Thornhill to cut back trees to prevent obscuring street lights in Thornhill Views.

3. Reports – External:

a. Transport Scotland re Traffic Alleviation at Safari Park – HM (plus slow down A84 at Kincardine in Menteith PS) (HM) nothing has been done to date re this issue. (GI) there was an online meeting arranged by Kincardine in Menteith PS with BEAR Scotland and some parents re slowing down traffic near the school. The next step is to arrange an on-site meeting with BEAR Scotland so they can assess the situation. (ME) Action When the meeting is organised he would be happy to come along as no one from SC attended the last meeting. (GI) says that the situation with the road neat the school has been overlooked. She will provide (ME) with date as soon as the meeting has been arranged.

b. Police Scotland - report emailed around CC – car theft and public should review home security

c. Stirling County Councillor The ongoing situation with the bins. People are not getting bins picked up. Trying to report on line and not getting responses. Advice is make an effort to submit the online form rather than call the Contact Centre. Don’t leave it too long. If you are having problems contact your councillor. Council meeting on December 9^th and this is the last one for the year. No agenda yet. If there is anything directly relevant to Thornhill he will let CC know. (AG) asked who is responsible re the bins issue. (ME) some of us didn’t want this and voted against it. (AG) can this decision be reconsidered (ME) we have tried to reverse the decision and been defeated. Decisions were made without the right evidence and more consultation about how people want this service to work for them. It is not saving money. SC waste collection service is the most expensive in

Scotland. Cost per household is £130 is Stirling the average is £72. (AG) can you share the benchmarking with us. (ME) Yes, there was evidence that should have been used as Falkirk has done this and there is no savings.

4. Reports – Internal:

a. Chair – nothing to report

b. Secretary – nothing to report

c. Treasurer - £1901.91 in account

d. Planning – nothing to report

e. Thornhill Future Group – (EB) Couple of meetings, Scout hall ownership is the biggest matter at the moment with a survey having been circulated around the village to gain feedback on the use of the ‘village centre’(AG) a lot of digging by Joyce about ownership it goes back about 50 years. Some point ownership may have been passed to the scouts can’t find any evidence about this. There is quite a bit of interest in it. Legal agents say they believe they have titles to it. It will come out in the wash when someone buys it. In 1972 £200 changed hands but we don’t have the full picture. We could go to Mclean and Stewart and ask then

to go through their records. (SP) that would cost us money. – How did they come into possession of this. (AG)Only paper we have is from 1969 and then the paper trail goes cold till 1972 (SP) does anyone want to pursue this (AG) Action will keep an eye on it.

f. Thornhill Community Trust (EB) Working in collaboration with the Futures Group on ‘village centre’, publish the north common habitat survey- (ME) the

north common was earmarked by SC as entry level designation – there is enough bio diversity Action will send copy of report

g. Blair Drummond Community Hall – nothing to report

5. Community Council Business

a. Dunsire and Partners’ development in Thornhill: AG – nothing going on there at present. The JCC thing is a bit of a ruse. A planning app will go in before Xmas that is what the architects think.

b. Windfarm – Shelloch development in Gargunnock – AG/ME – no progress on that at all. (ME) sent email through to be circulated to CC it looks like the application will come before December 7^th. Everyone expected has submitted views. Some is quite extensive. 1. The original planning app that the developers can use as a fall back. That has been investigated by SC planning and they believe the developers are correct. There was a similar case in the borders that failed because to contest it would cost too much. 2. Community benefit – Thornhill and Port of Menteith have not been included in community benefit, other CC are sharing a lot of money between them. Not good news, (ME) will speak on Dec 7^th and take advice from CC. Action (ME) will address the panel to support CCs objections. (More turbines but less high) 5 very large ones or 7 smaller ones are the scope. There were also objections about the lighting, look at the portal for