Jan 2022 Minutes

THORNHILL & BLAIR DRUMMOND COMMUNITY COUNCIL

12^th January 2022 at 7:30 pm Online.

Minutes

1. Present and apologies Scott Patterson Chair (SP), Gabriela Ingle -Secretary (GI), Hector Muir -Vice-Chair (HM) Elaine Blanchard - Treasurer (EB), Al Rawlinson (AL), Andy Greig (AG), Joanne Inglis (JI), Cllr Martin Earl (ME), Cllr Jeremy McDonald (JM), Yvonne Dickson - Minutes (YD)

Apologies Sheena Stewart (SS), Cllr Evelyn Tweed (ET)

Approval of minutes of meeting on the 24^th November 2021 Agreed (EB) Seconded (SP)

2. Matters arising – N/A

3. Reports – External:

a. Transport Scotland re Traffic Alleviation at Safari Park – HM nothing more at the present time. (ME) mentioned (ET) Strategic Transport project review 2 *(STPR2). Action (ME) will send email of Forth Valley doc and FAQ’s.

(GI) A meeting agreed about for Fri 28 January, monitoring traffic GI cannot attend, the school will issue invitation to (HM). There will be a follow up online meeting to go over the school scheduled the discussions.

b. Police Scotland – emailed out to all CC. (GI) read out report.

c. Stirling Council Councillor update from Evelyn Tweed - is going to write to Transport Scotland again regarding the A 84 at Blairdrummond to see how their

*STPR2 appraisal is going on and whether they can move to make any decisions yet.

(JM) wished all a happy new year. The council starting back to action next week discussing resilience plans. We will be asking for a summer programme picking up rubbish and discussing tourism, winter programme to look at gritting etc for the future. JM is no longer on the planning committee so can now discuss community views on planning. (ME) following on re planning application. Due to the scale of the proposal at Burnside. This will be heard by full council. It won’t go to the planning panel. The important forum is the determination forum which we will be part of. JM and I can still assist with process but can’t make any comments re application. (AG) asked for explanation as how the process works. (ME) there are two stages before Full council there is a predetermination stage - a process to be aware of facts and the second is a formal meeting which is a determination meeting. These are two separate processes. (ME)There is an opportunity for CC to be present at this meeting. Not sure of the date it may be a rough timeline of the end of April. If it takes place before the 4 May it will be determined by current council otherwise it will be the newly elected councillors who will make the decisions.

4. Reports – Internal:

a. Chair - (SP) starting a new group to look at the development (AG) is happy to go ahead with a steering group. Asked if people out with the CC can attend this group. (JM) yes that would be fine.

b. Secretary – asked SC re face to face meetings, these are not possible at Thornhill School at the moment (GI) requested a SC officer to attend the meetings, planning officers rejected this as they have to be impartial. A request to have Michelle to attend as she is familiar with the Thornhill CC, no response to date. (SP) asked why no one from SC has responded to the request and asked if (ME) or (JM) can look into this. Action – (GI) send email regarding not having had a response.

c. Treasurer - £1870.11 current balance with only recent outgoings minutes payment (£40). The Futures Group requested funds to start the local place plan planning this year. Thornhill Community Trust agreed to support this with £300 and the CC was asked to match this amount. Consensus was yes, we would give

£300 too. We need to start thinking about funding exercises so we have enough money in the bank (SP)

d. Planning – (HM) sent planning update to all CC

e. Thornhill Future Group – (EB) The emphasis with the group has been to complete the application to the Scottish Land Fund to conduct a feasibility study on the village centre, including the Scout Hall (still up for sale) and its environs. This has now been submitted by Thornhill Community Trust. Futures Group also preparing an objection letter on the Burnside Works development.

f. Blair Drummond Community Hall – (GI) received a letter from them. A problem with fly tipping at the hall. Around Xmas there was boxes and bags dumped around the hall. The only recycling there is bottle bin. Cars from Doune and Thornhill going there to dump rubbish. They are going to negotiate with SC and want CCTV or cameras to see what’s happening. There were mattresses on one occasion. (ME) the hall committee contacted us this has been long running. It is a convenient location. There will be a meeting at the hall reps from Committee and waste services to see what can be done. (GI) is there anything else we can do. (ME) contact hall committee and let them know this was discussed add it to the agenda and ask for an update of the meeting and this keeps a record of it. (JM) are there gates that can be locked. Should we have a glass recycling there (GI) they need the glass recycling as previously they had a problem with this. This is exclusively for the hall. (SP) asked is there signage up (GI) there is signage up. (JI) it’s not local knowledge that this recycling is only for the hall (ME) his understanding is it is a glass recycling facility for the hall and the local residents. (JI) there is a need to find out who it is for Action (GI) will ask the question.

5. Community Council Business

a. Dunsire and Partners’ development in Thornhill: (AG) extension to 21 Jan to make responses, there are a lot of personal responses to be put in. I would like to publicize this to make the locals aware. It looks like an April timeline. What is the CC response and we need to check if we have previously objected. Action Check the previous minutes. (GI) we were instructed to object to the process which we did. The meeting before Xmas had 30 people who objected and another 18 letters. We should object – everyone agreed Action (AG) will write a letter. (JM) suggest talk to BOA CC as they have been through a similar process, if there is a hearing you will need someone to talk at it and be prepared with what to say. (AG) there is a time limit of 5 minutes to talk. (JI) What more can we do once the hearing has passed. (JM) focus on the hearing and if there are more processes after that we can look into it then. (JI) this is what the steering group will do. (ME) don’t lose sight of what you are focussing on and your objections to this so make sure that whoever talks sticks to the point The LDP is changing and could be very relevant.

b. Windfarm – Shelloch development in Gargunnock – (AG) – meeting was held 7 Dec not quorum so didn’t reach decision a new meeting Jan 19^th. (ME) will continue to represent Thornhill.

c. Slow down sign/flashing light on A873 after B8031 (near Coldoch Road) towards Stirling –(GI) no more development at this time. If nothing is done to slow down the traffic there will be another accident. (ME) there was some talk amongst SC officers to see what could be done. We will see what they come back with

d. Sommers Lane – (ME) Angela McGibbon, roads and transport officer, did a report saying there should be weight restriction, this should be progressed. In emergency situations heavy trucks should have access. This is ongoing

e. Junction of Main Street and Kippen Road / Road B822 from Thornhill to Kippen- (EB) - this can now come off the agenda.

f. Debris at the newly-constructed bridge over the Boquhapple Burn at the western entrance to Thornhill – (AG) – work in progress as SC has been on a go slow due to Xmas holidays etc

g. Scout Hall ownership – (EB) – still up for sale and there is interest in this. FG looking at other ways to use it.

6. Residents Forum: N/A

7. AOB (SP) Peter Stewart at POM is putting in an objection, he has asked if any other residents can put in objections. (JM) yes but it has to be relevant.

(GI) suggest keeping the meetings online for this time.

Chat from resident. Sam Campbell (Can the CC request support regarding adherence the speed limits in the village please? Speeding a regular issue especially when walking the kids to school)

Action (GI) will write to police Scotland (JM) suggested signage (JI) suggested speaking to schools re-flashing light signage. (JM) says cost of signs could be around 5K (ME) schools have travel plans and there is a budget for transport. A conversation with the head teacher to discuss when the travel plan was updated and it may unlock funding from the dedicated budged Aberforle and Gartmore have done this. CC can