Feb 2023 Minutes

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THORNHILL & BLAIR DRUMMOND COMMUNITY COUNCIL
22nd February 2023 at 7:30 pm
Thornhill Community Hall
Minutes

1. Present and Apologies
Present: Hector Muir (HM) Chair, Secretary, Elaine Blanchard (EB) Treasurer, Alison
Newlands (AN) Minute Taker, Andy Greig (AG), Cllr Gene Maxwell, Al Rawlinson (AR), Moira
Russell (MR), Gary Richardson (GR), Sam Campbell (SC), Sheena Stewart (SS), Catherine
MacGregor (CMG), Robbie Craig (RC), Alyn Denham (AD).

Apologies: Gabriela Ingle (GI), Joanne Inglis (JI),

2. Approval of minutes of meeting on the 11th January 2023.
Minutes approved, no objections or comments.
Approved by AG
Seconded by EB

3. Matters Arising
a) Recent communication from Stirling Council: no active Community Council from 14th
April 2023 until 3rd July 2023 (The next CC meeting is scheduled for 19th April 2023) – AG
AG - Stirling Council is putting in place the arrangements required to provide a full set of Community Council elections in the first half of 2023. Formal notice of election will be published in due course, but it is expected that the process will start around April. A full timetable will be published when set, with periods set out for nominations to be made, and, where required, for polls to be held. Once memberships have been elected, Stirling Council will support inaugural meetings of each Community Council.
This effectively means all the Community Councils will be dissolved for a period of over 2 months. If a vote is required due to more members standing for election than spaces the process for voting will commence. If no vote is required, all nominees will be elected.
HM asked if there is a deadline for nominations.
AG – No information on election process, will follow up with Stephen Bly.
Thornhill and Blair Drummond Community Council agreed to continue with meeting on the 19th April unless advised otherwise. Agreed to notify the public via Facebook page.

4. Reports – External
a. Transport Scotland – Traffic Alleviation at Safari Park
HM - no update on this issue at present.
b. Police Scotland
The Police Scotland latest report has been received and has been circulated to members prior to the meeting.
AG – A dialogue has now been established with Police regarding the speeding issue in Thornhill and further visits have been made to the village.
GR raised the same issue with speeding in Kippen and requested if this could be raised with Police Scotland.
c. Stirling County Councillor

2023/24 Budgets
GM advised that Stirling Council was in the middle of budget preparation and proposals for 2023/24. The budget meeting is due to held on the 3rd March 2023. There are major issues around Teacher Pay Awards, almost half of the council budget is allocated to Education in some form.
At present the housing budget has been approved and the rural housing budget needs to be reviewed.
A decision has been made to rephase PPE contracts and a decision needs to be made as to where this money should be used to cover any gaps this year.
GM added that all Stirling Councils employees have been offered a voluntary severance package.

Footway Doune – Deanston
GM advised that a proposal for a walkway across the bridge between Doune and Deanston has been accepted. The proposal has gone to Transport Scotland for a feasibility study to be carried out.

5. Reports – Internal
a. Chair
HM - Nothing to report.
b. Secretary
GI - Nothing to report.
Update received and added in agenda item 6b.
c. Treasurer
EB updated the meeting with the current financial information.
Treasurer’s Report: £3555.06 in the account. Most of the income is allocated to warm room funding for the Community Hall.
d. Planning
AL – Nothing to update, report circulated prior to the meeting.
e. Thornhill Future Group
EB advised that Joyce Firth has carried out a lot of work on the Parish Online Community Map Scotland. This is in partnership with the Improvement Service for which 12-month licenses for groups linked to Community Councils are currently free.
This would be a huge benefit to us to offset the costs of mapping licenses etc in preparing maps for the LPP. The mapping programme could also be used for other purposes locally.
EB advised she was happy to be the point of contact for the project.
Thornhill and Blair Drummond Community Council agreed to be involved in the process.
f. Thornhill Community Trust
EB advised that the Thornhill Clubs & Groups Fair will be held in the Thornhill Community Hall on the 25th February from 10am to 2pm.
g. Blair Drummond Community Hall
Nothing to report.

6. Community Council Business
a. Dunsire and Partners’ development in Thornhill
AG updated the meeting on the development application and advised that there was nothing further to report at present. Unclear on timescales at present and could be a long drawn-out process.
b. Slow Down sign/flashing light on A873 after B8031 (near Coldoch Road) towards Stirling.
GI circulated an update prior to the meeting regarding an article in the Stirling Observer.
The article refers to a meeting that Christine Bauer and Gabriel Inglis had with the Stirling Council Environmental Committee. There will be another meeting held in March.
c. Speeding in Thornhill
See item 4b.
d. Cycle Path near the Smiddy
HM – No further update.

7. Residents Forum
Nothing to report.

8. AOB
Sommer’s Lane, Blair Drummond
RC advised that the weight limit on the Sommer’s Lane was not being adhered to.
The Thornhill and Blair Drummond Community Council entered a discussion on the issue. It was agreed to follow the issue up with Angela McGibbon at Stirling Council, regarding to Council enforcement and signage.

Castleview Park and Ride
GR commented on the facilities at the Castleview park and ride facility in Stirling, including the car charging facilities. The concern is around the building based on the site and the opening times to provide a warm and sheltered space for commuters to use.
GM agreed to check the opening times of the building and report back to TBCC.

Demand Responsive Taxi (DRT) Update
GM advised that the DRT continues to prove very difficult to manage despite the offer of increased payments to taxi drivers. Killin and Strathyre currently have a volunteer driver system, where they transport people to medical appointments and the driver can claim back mileage.
GR advised that Stirling Council offers a car share programme. Stirling Liftshare matches people who are travelling in the same direction for regular or one-off journeys. Registration is via the Stirling Council website.
GR added that previously the option of the car club scheme was considered for Thornhill. It was discounted due to the set-up costs of £5000, it might be worth considering again if the DRT scheme continues to be an issue.

Winter Fuel Payments
GM advised that there is a fund for people who do not have mains gas or electric to claim Government help to meet the costs for energy costs. This can be claimed through Stirling Council.

9. Date, time, and venue of next meeting
Future meetings dates confirmed. Members agreed to continue to offer hybrid meetings.
19th April 2023

Meeting closed 20:30.