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THORNHILL & BLAIR DRUMMOND COMMUNITY COUNCIL
13th of July 2022 at 7 pm
Online.
AGENDA
1. Present: Elaine Blanchard (EB) Treasurer, Gabriela Ingle (GI) Secretary, Andy Greig (AG), Al Rowlinson (AR), Cllr Martin Earl (ME), 2 members of public
Apologies: Joane Inglis, Hector Muir, Yvonne Dickson, Sheena Stewart, Richard Waite (chair of TCT)
2. Approval of minutes of meeting on the 20th of April 2022: approved by AG, seconded GI
3. Matters arising: n/a
4. Reports – External:
a. Transport Scotland re Traffic Alleviation at Safari Park – HM presented a letter to an MP who disputed the number of accidents (66 according to HM vs 4 according to the official reports)
b. Police Scotland: On 29/04/22 police were contacted regarding the driving manner of a vehicle travelling on the B822 towards Thornhill. Police traced the vehicle and the driver was found to be intoxicated. The driver was arrested for driving whilst under the influence. On 08/05/22 officers, whilst on patrol in Thornhill, observed a vehicle. Due to the driving manner, officers stopped the vehicle. The driver was found to be intoxicated. The driver was arrested for driving whilst under the influence. On 28/05/22 officers were carrying out patrols on the A84 between Craigs Roundabout and Blairdrummond. At this time they had reason to stop a vehicle. The driver was found to have no driving licence or insurance. Their vehicle was seized by police and the driver is now subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal. On 25/06/22 a vehicle travelling on Kirk Lane, Blairdrummond collided with a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction, causing damage. The driver of the offending vehicle failed to stop or report the incident. Overnight from 6/5 to 7/5/22 a number of high value push bikes were stolen from the Blairdrummond and Dunblane areas. Enquiries are still ongoing in relation to this. Should anyone have any policing issues they wish to discuss or raise, please contact us at Callander Police Station on 101 or via email at TrossachsTeithCPT@scotland.police.uk
c. Stirling County Councillor: ME: minority labour administration; nobody has a majority, so it must be consensus – real opportunity to do sth positive. ME raised the motion about the bins. There is an agreement that there is going to be a whole review of the services, which obviously do not work well. The council will seek residents’ views: what they found problematic or great. The council will then decide on the matter. Another thing is wind farm 0 ME had a meeting with Force9
trying to make the case for our CC and port of Menteith to have some kind of recognition for the impact on the view if there can be ant benefit for the community. The response was that the EDF don’t have any money and they are not interested in supporting our community which is unfair. ME will pursue. EB explained that ME is trying to get money for the North commons path.
5. Reports – Internal:
a. Chair: n/a
b. Secretary: nothing to report
c. Treasurer: Current balance £1106.23. Admin grant applied for: £508.88 to cover zoom license, Community newsletters and GDPR registration fees. Minute taker funding applied for: £280
d. Planning: nothing major to report
e. Thornhill Future Group: Kate Blankey – TFG going to summer recession. TFG will draft a place plan asap, then they want to present it to the whole community and have a consultation in early Autumn. They are thinking of what role will the plan have on Stirling Council’s approach to the LDP. ME: this is unique in Scotland. National Park’s approach to local planning is way more advanced. There are other villages that have LDP in place and SC should be involved in the process. KB thinks it's a good idea to bring SC officers to the table. Both Strathyre and Callander have LDPs in place. ME would like to invite Stuart Mairns from National Park. SC is dealing with matters here and now and they do not plan for the future. We need to encourage a bigger vision. KB: there is a discussion about boundaries, there must not be overlaps between one plan and another, e.g., Port of Menteith and Thornhill, perhaps it would be worth investigating whether we can go together and create a bigger place plan. At the moment, there is no support from SC.
f. Thornhill Community Trust: EB: there is a new chair (Richard Waite). Litter pick event on 20th of August. Orchids on North
g. Blair Drummond Community Hall: no news from BEAR Scotland on the slow-down traffic measures near the KIM school. GI had a meeting with Chritopher McKenna from Active Stirling who will organise a community consultation meeting after the summer holidays, to discuss potential sport activities in Blair Drummond.
6. Community Council Business:
** extra thing: coopting AG and AR as full CC members
a. Dunsire and Partners’ development in Thornhill: AG: further information was sought about the process from SC but we need to wait until 25th of September which is the target day. KB: response from Inverdunning includes a plea to the reporter to contact the director of economic development at SC. AG: everything that was submitted to SC is now with the reporter. The reporter should not contact anyone else as she needs to consider only the files that were given to her by SC. ME: yes, we should be able to trust the process, but reporters make mistakes occasionally. Perhaps we should communicate the appellant’s plea to
the case officer at SC? AG will email SC about this. KB pointed out that SC was not able to issue any report on sustainability of the development. While the numbers about economic advantages and disadvantages was not according to the consultation process. ME: developers always try to use the housing land supply matter as an advantage of developments, as they did in Bridge of Allan
b. Slow down sign/flashing light on A873 after B8031 (near Coldoch Road) towards Stirling – GI: GI and Christine Bauer submitted a petition signed by 65 people who live on that stretch or road (or feed to it) on Monday. ME: the number of signatures is great. ME sits on the environment and housing committee which will meet again on 8th of September next meeting. It’s possible that the case will be discussed then. ME suggested to start compiling evidence of speeding and accidents in the area
c. Sommers Lane – ME: order for 40mph that should bring about some signage and ‘walking/cycling’ signage as well. There already is weight restriction signage on Sommers Lane. But the signage is blocking the view but the officers are going to check that. There’s a bridge restriction on Kirk Lane, and the sign is in a wrong place so the location needs to be reviewed
d. Ochertyre Road signs (blocking access to Briarlands Farm) – GI contacted SC about this asking for explanation of the signage. The reply was that when Briarlands Farm got permission to open up attraction for children, the accepted route was via the road that feeds to Safari Part. However, Ochtertyre Rd should still be used by any vehicles that go to/from the working farm itself. Local residents complained that Ochtertyre Rd was overused and, due to lack of passing places, the verge was destroyed. The agreement is that Briarlands Farm will pay for constructing passing places on the road and then SC will remove the signage, but will install new signs on A84 to encourage visitors to use the Safari Park entrance. GI will monitor the progress.
e. Scout Hall ownership – EB: 4 rounds of auction hearing, still not sold.
f. Speeding in Thornhill – EB: speeding continues.
7. Residents Forum: nothing
8. AOB: nothing
9. Date, time and venue of next meeting: 24th of August at 7:30pm. Venue/online tbc. GI to check if we can meet in one of the schools. ME: schools were not available until summer break because, apparently, no one could deep clean the school after the external meetings.