Kilmun Community Council
Facebook - @shoresweepersandKCC Website - www.kilmuncc.co.uk
MINUTES OF MEETING
10th March 2020 held at Younger Hall, Kilmun 7.30PM.
PRESENT: Brian Tester, (Convener), Diane Nicholson (Vice Convenor), Janet Holm (Secretary), Russell Humphreys (Treasurer), Mandy Grout, Lachie Macquarie and Victor Sandall.
Also, Present: Councillor A Reid, PC Richard Bolt, Bruce Marshall, Lorraine Hopkin-Munro, Les Orr, Kirsty Manual, and Gordon Holm.
APOLOGIES - Dale Mallin, Fraser Smith, Graham Revill, Bob Darracott (National Park), Caroline Munro, Sue Rule (Blairmore Village Hall) Councillor Y McNeilly, Councillor G. Blair,
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: none
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING:
Proposed: Lorraine Hopkin-Munro
Seconded: Diane Nicholson Carried
4. MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA
None
5. TREASURER’S REPORT
Carried forward 3066.24
Expenditure -
Donation 20.00
Funds In
Totals
General fund 1229.37
Gardening and Shore Sweepers 123.48
Festive Lunch 595.47
SSE grant 1090.92
Directory donations 7.00
Overall total 3046.24
POLICE REPORT
PC Richard Bolt gave the following report:
In the last month there have been 18 calls. The golf club alarms had gone off on several occasions which was probably cause by power cuts.
In addition, there was a road traffic collision and a firearms issue.
PC Richard Bolt said that there were a few things from Police Scotland to make people aware of;
Police Scotland has now issued all mobile police officers with Samsung Note mobile devices. This is to replace paper notebooks.
You will now see police officers using mobile devices in the community.
This allows officers access to administration tools that previously they may have had to return to the office to complete and allows officers to complete paperwork from the device.
Strachur community is now using speed reminder stickers on “wheelie Bins”. The bins would only be left out on a bin day. This if a highly visible way of highlighting the speed limit of the local area to drivers, especially on bin collection day. Some enquiries have been made with Police Scotland (as you can see below) from residents of Kilmun to see if this might be something that Kilmun may wish to become part of? More information may be provided if required. (contact PC Laura Evans). 30mph signs can be bought on amazon.
CALMS – is a new call handling system when people call Police Scotland, depending on your call the police will now give you an immediate response, a response within 4 hours, a scheduled appointment with officers or a resolution over the phone.
PC Richard Bolt told the committee about portable speed guns that can be used by residents. KCC asked for more information about this.
7 Correspondence (Already been circulated to committee members)
NP - An update on Active Park, Healthy People
ABC - How good is your place? Engagement results from the Place Standard consultation now online
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service - Local Fire Plan Consultation Request
Sue Rule - Shore Road Collaboration
ABC - Review of Licensing Policy (2020)
Planning Applications
None
The Kilmun Pier application
See Bob Darracott’s report.
Pier Hotel
See Bob Darracott’s report.
9. Community Matters
The Shore Sweepers
JH said that the Shore Sweepers had a meeting to decide on the priorities for this year. Beach cleans @ Ardentinny, Gairletter, Blairmore, Strone and Graham’s Point are planned. Work is going to start this Friday are at the shore across from the Strone Inn.
The Brae Garden has been tidied up and heather plants and spare tete a tete bulbs have been planted. The information signs that were up last year will be varnished and put up again.
The Shore Sweepers have been successful in getting a grant from ABC sustainability fund for £660 which will go towards getting the special planter for the junction leading into the Shore Villages. More money will need to be raised to be able to do this.
ACHA on request has agreed to help the Shore Sweepers with work they need done at Graham’s Point.
JH has made a request to Western Ferries for a replacement bench just at the pier entrance at Kilmun Pier.
Moira Tester has asked SSE for paint to paint the electric substation at Kilmun Pier.
The Shore Sweepers will receive £200 from the festive Lunch fund.
10. DISCUSSIONS A&BC LOCAL COUNCILLOR AND NATIONAL PARK REPRESENTATIVE
Councillor Alan Reid reported
Roads capital works for this summer.
A880 Strone - Blairmore £75,000 Pre Surface Dressing & Surface Dressing
A815 Dalinlogart - Sandbank £75,000 Pre Surface Dressing & Surface Dressing
C9 Gairletter to Glen Finart Bus turning area £98,000 Overlay & Passing Places
Large pothole about 100m north of the three new houses in Shore Road, Blairmore
Roads response, “This section of road was inspected on the afternoon of 17/02/2020 and no pothole.”
They will look out for it during their March inspection.
White line at Tyneshandon
Roads response,
“This location will be resurfaced, and new road marking applied where appropriate. There is an access point that will be required to be relined for access to the lane, but the full front of the property won't be relined.”
Bus stop and “elderly people” signs opposite the Crescent are down
This will be inspected, and an update provided within 30 days.
Between Ardentinny and Blairmore white lines only on one side and also gaps. Faded SLOW signs on the road in Blairmore not repainted.
Roads response,
“The areas that were missed were done so due to mud on the road from vehicles driving on the verge, so this is required to be cleared before the liner returns.
“The lining vehicle is scheduled to return after a period of inclement weather, the plan is to have the lining works completed by the end of the financial year, weather permitting.”
Trees cut down opposite Eachaig
Roads, response,
“Further to your most recent response regarding the removal of trees apposite Eachaig – Kilmun.
“We have enquired directly with Police Scotland regards any report of an incident involving a vehicle off the road, at this location.
“Police Scotland have no record of any calls or actual attendance by officers, at any incident in this location since the turn of the year.
“There is however a record of a police vehicle broken down at a location within 200m of Eachaig, this was not however, attending an incident.
“Even if there has been an individual incident, this in itself does not materially change the status of this location within any potential hierarchy of locations for Vehicle Safety Feature provision.
“The accident records for Argyll and Bute roads show incidents over almost the whole network, even in isolated locations.
“It would be unreasonable to expect the Roads Authority to provide protection over the entire length of routes with exposed edges and in this particular location, the mitigating elements previously mentioned regards geometry, speed restrictions and winter treatment priority still remain.
“It is unusual that a community so involved with day to day life, as is the group in Kilmun, cannot furnish any information of the perpetrators of the unauthorised tree felling.
“I ask again, that you bring this up at the next Community Council meeting so as to assist officers in engaging with the contractor towards mitigating the unrecoverable costs to the Council.”
Flooding on road outside Kilmun Court
Roads response,
“Following the last inspection/clearing of this gully there have been no faults noted or reported following inspection, therefore we advise this gully is now clear.”
Repeating 30mph signs in unlit stretch of road in Blairmore
Roads response,
“These signs have been ordered and we are awaiting delivery before we can install. We will look to update again in 6 weeks.”
Strone Sign discoloured
This will be inspected and an update provided within 30 days.
GH reported that there were 7 gulleys completely blocked in Strone between the Strone Brae road end and the Post Office.
RH reported overgrown hedges at Blairmore.
Bob Darracott (Loch Lomond Representative)
LLTNP Representative
Kilmun Pier. Yes, the NP have received revised drawings however they are in too large a format to load up onto the Planning Portal. Alison Williamson is currently seeking to resolve this technical issue and will aim to lodge the drawings ASAP. Thereafter there will be a period for further representations to be made prior to any Committee meeting. The earliest this will be considered by the Park will be their April meeting - 27th.
The Pier Hotel -I believe we are still chasing up the agents acting for the owners of the former Kilmun Hotel to ascertain if they intend lodging a revised planning application.
Signs at the entrance to the A880 I was assured that an officer would take a look at the ‘illegal’ signage issue. If this isn’t a Roads issue it will fall to the Park to employ planning legislation. I will chase this up again and get back to you. As you know this is a thorny little matter - I’m aware that some of the community don’t want to be seen to be ‘undermining’ local businesses. However, the Park will be obliged to treat them all the same. I’ll get back to you soon on this.
Derelict House - I’ve said previously - I don’t believe we have any powers that would speed up the refurbishment of the vacant/derelict house you refer to and I recall Bob Cook from the Park has written to that effect. I will be meeting Bob tomorrow in Balloch and take this matter up with him again.
KCC is going to make concerted efforts to pursue who is responsible for these derelict building which are very unsightly for all of our community.
Blairmore Village Trust
GH reported that not much had been discussed at a recent meeting. There is to be a quarterly joint meeting with Blairmore Hall.
Blairmore Hall
See BVT’s report.
Forestry and Land Scotland - John Hair (FLS)
NTR. BT expressed disappointment at the fact that Forestry have failed to communicate with KCC as we have been provided with no updates for some months. BT will be trying to contact Forestry and Land Scotland in the next month.
Younger Hall
RH said that there was to be a fund-raising charity event in The Younger Hall on the 21st March 11 to 3 o clock.
A stitched patchwork display was unveiled in memory for Rose and Bob Balfour.
Strone Primary
NTR
Benmore and Kilmun Community Development Trust (BKCDT)
At their recent meeting they discussed the possibility of renewing the local plan consultation.
BKCDT have asked ACHA to cover the insurance costs of the play boat.
11 CURRENT ISSUES
Argyll Community Planning Group (ACPG)
Bute & Cowal Area Community Planning Group Workshop
The Bute and Cowal Area Community Planning Group will be holding a workshop on the 14 May 2020, in the Timber Pier Building, Dunoon, to shape the actions of the Area Community Planning Action Plans based on the results of the recent consultation
Caucus of Community Councils
NTR
Bird Hide at Kilmun
Now the ownership has been settled some earthwork has been done with a path being made for access and which will be ultimately used for a disabled access. Bob Darracott has been given outline drawing of the plan for the new hide.
Highgate Hall
NTR
BT will email Graham Thomson to ask about progress.
BT Broadband
Report from Fraser Smith
Broadband in the Kilmun area - approx. from Patterson’s house to Lachies. This area should now be accepting orders for ‘super-fast’ broadband, i.e. speeds up to (and close to) 80Mb/S. It’s been a long time coming but appears to have now been fixed
Broadband in many properties in Rashfield and Benmore. This area also now appears to have FTTP, i.e. broadband over fibre to the house. So many of these properties should be able to order speeds of over 300Mb/s
I had a look on the Openreach website for Clachaig... no indication of any change to their poor coverage.
13. Any other competent business
Moira Tester, Mandy Grout and Janet Holm will attend The Litter and Waste Summit at National Park headquarters in Balloch on 11th March.
VS – informed committee about LEZ for emissions in Glasgow – website https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone
VS – Informed the committee about the congregational meeting @ Strone Kirk.
Next Meeting
Place: Blairmore Hall, Blairmore
Date: Tuesday 14th April 2020 at 7.30pm.
Meetings held Second Tuesday each month alternating between Younger & Blairmore Halls.
Kilmun Hall – January, March, May, July (Recess) September, November
Blairmore Hall – February, April, June, August, October, December
