KILMUN COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Facebook - @shoresweepersandKCC Website - www.kilmuncc.co.uk
MINUTES OF MEETING
8th February 2022 @ 7.30PM. Online
Meeting Start -7.30pm
PRESENT: Diane Nicholson (Convenor), Janet Holm (Secretary), Fraser Smith, Graham Revill, Dale Mallin, Lachie Macquarie and Mandy Grout.
Also, Present: Councillor A Reid, Gordon Holm, June MacDonald and Becky Hothersall (from 8pm).
APOLOGIES Russell Humphreys (Treasurer), Bob Darracott (National Park), Julie Fish (HT Strone Primary), Councillor Y McNeilly and Councillor G. Blair (Argyll and Bute Council), PC Elaine Heffron, Fraser Macdonald (Forestry Land Scotland) and Jackie Weston.
This session was recorded for the minutes
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST:
None
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING:
The 11th January 2022 minutes were:
Proposed: Mandy Grout
Seconded: Diane Nicholson Carried
4. MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA
To be dealt with in AOB
5. TREASURER’S REPORT
Carried forward £3909.48
Expenditure -
Spanglish website (3 yr subscription) 89.85
gardening 48.75
Funds In
Interest 0.46
Totals.
General fund £ 1220.65
Gardening and Shore Sweepers £74.44
Festive Lunch £154.47
SSE grant £1090.92
Directory donations £7.00
Grant from ABC (For new road sign) £1262.00
Overall total £3809.48
POLICE REPORT
Officer Reporting: Officer Reporting: PS Elaine Heffron L230
No. of Incidents reported Dates between 12/01/2022 to 08/02/2022
There have been 2 calls relating to the Kilmun Community Council area.
The following were incidents of note:
1- Suspect Person
1 – Dropped 999 Call
Report Current Initiatives - will be attached to minutes
Main Points
Keeping Safe in Cowal
Dementia Project – the Herbert Protocol
Frauds
Roads Policing
Roads Policing Officers for Cowal and Bute regularly carry out speed checks at the following areas which have been highlighted as problem areas:
A815 Bullwood Road, Dunoon
A815 Strachur
A815 Shore Rd, Innellan
A886 Strachur
B836 Clachaig
In addition, given the time of year, they are currently carrying out adverse weather patrols working with Argyll and Bute Council and Bear Scotland (A82/A83/A85/A828) patrolling thousands of miles of main and trunk roads. During their patrols they are looking to ensure that these roads are passable and safe, reporting and dealing with any major floods, snow/ice, debris/trees in the roads and other adverse factors to ensure the smooth running of traffic as best as possible, as well as dealing with spontaneous RTC’s caused by the poor weather whilst maintaining a high visibility on the roads.
The following National Road Policing Campaigns are planned:
21 to 27 February 2022 Mobile Phone Campaign
14 to 20 March 2022 Commercial Vehicle Campaign
Each campaign will have a communications phase one week prior to the enforcement period. This will be facilitated by Corporate Communications and will raise public awareness via social media platforms.
JH to write report back to Police Scotland surprise that the A880 though the Shore Villages has not been highlighted as an area of concern for speeding when many residents and KCC have sent in comments that this is a problem on this road though this residential area.
Further to the meeting JH received the following email in response to many complaints that had been forwarded on from KCC
Further to your email, I have spoken to Paul Farrell of Argyll and Bute council roads department. He was able to provide me with a bit of an update which you could share with the Kilmun residents in regard to the ongoing speeding issue.
There has been a recent campaign completed in November 2021 in Strone, whereby the council set up for a period of 5 days, a device that recorded the number of vehicles, and the average speed of vehicles. This is then shared with the Road Traffic department and the police and on this occasion the average speed in the 30mph zone was 32/33mph.
On speaking to Mr Farrell, because this was conducted recently, in an area close to yours, although Kilmun is on Mr Farrell's list it means that Kilmun has dropped slightly in the list of locations through Argyll and Bute that these devices are used.
I have highlighted your concerns and he has stated that he will, if he can, accommodate Kilmun as soon as possible, although, as you will understand, he will not tell anyone the exact time of when he plans to conduct this research in order to get the best results.
Further to this it is his intention to re-locate a speed indicator device, currently being used in the Dunoon area, to Kilmun at the start of the new financial year, April.
My suggestion is that you encourage your members to contact the council and or the police to report any speeding motorists as this again highlights there is an issue in a certain area. This can be done online which may save your members waiting on someone answering the phone.
I hope this is of some help, and of course it is still my intention to continue sporadic speed checks within your area.
7 Correspondence
(Already been circulated to committee members)
Email from Resident re speeding on the A880 – Complaint passed onto Police Scotland
Emails from the Countryside Trust (LLTNP) re - funding for cycling and news updates of work in the National Park
8. Planning Applications
None
9. Community Matters
The Shore Sweepers
We are still waiting to be able to have help erecting the Welcome to the Shore Villages sign.
Bird Hide at Kilmun
The bird hide is nearly complete with only the window flaps and minor works to complete it. We are still awaiting information on barriers to protect wheelchair visitors along the path. A bird table and feeder has been put up and several bird-boxes have been attached to surrounding trees.
An article has been written up for the paper and it appeared with a note about the Sandbank Hide. It is hoped we can open shortly, and information will be circulated to the community to advertise.
Highgate Hall and Tyneshandon
See Councillor Reid’s report.
MG reported that a cherry picker was seen at the building and that the front windows have been boarded up. It was believed that the owner of the property was undertaking this work.
Councillor Reid will check what is the progress on this matter.
Highgate Hall
There is a provisional meeting with the trustees in 3rd May 14.30 at the Younger Hall. This meeting will be publicised, and the general public will be able to give their opinions
BVT
No Report
10. DISCUSSIONS A&BC LOCAL COUNCILLOR AND NATIONAL PARK REPRESENTATIVE, Strone Primary School
Becky Hothershall the chair of Strone Parent Council this year came into the meeting to inform the committee of the work she has been involved with in the consultation on the proposals to introduce cluster schools with HT moving to become heads of school under shared executive heads. She was also involved in co ordinating a response across the Cowal schools to the proposals for a pilot cluster which were put to the community services last June 2021. She has attended Q and As with the education team with the Argyll and Bute Parent Council network. Now there is an ongoing consultation seeking views from various stakeholders. The deadline for that has been extended to the 31st March 2022.
Becky said that the consultation that has taken place at Strone Primary is as follows:
Dedicated meeting with the Parent Council
All parents have been consulted through meetings emails and the WhatsApp group.
Concerns that the parents of Strone primary have are:
The proposals are too superficial.
They are being asked to approve the proposals in principal only.
Difficult to engage with parents when it is not clear what the proposals are and only the principals can be discussed.
Concern about losing the current Strone Primary HT who has a great relationship with parents and pupils.
How this could affect recruitment and retention of HT
Becky said she is concerned that there is the potential for a deadlock and how the process is being handled and asked for the help of the KCC and ABC councillors in this matter.
A Reid pointed out that there are council elections in May 2022 and that the consultation will only be taken forward from the newly elected council members so it will be the Autumn meeting before the consultation will be looked at.
After further discussion Alan Reid asked Becky to send an email to him with her thoughts and views on the consultation and he will look at the position.
Councillor Alan Reid reported
Tyneshandon
The owner has been advised that he has 7 days to undertake the works, and thereafter Building Standards will consider undertaken the works in default and recovering the charges.
After the meeting Alan received the following communication from Building Standards
Regulatory Services and Building Standards Managers update 9/2/22
Positive news. The owner contacted Mr Ward, Building Standards Surveyor week to advise that he was starting to work on the building. Sites visit on the 2nd and 4th Feb confirmed that the owner has commenced works with several of the windows boarded and some roof flashing removed to the front valley (see photo in attachments). There is still further repairs necessary to the rear of the property and this situation will be monitored. For further information, contact Paul Ward or Alan Morrison.
Stables block at Dunselma
Building Standards visited the site again on 12 January. There has been no movement that causes them concern. They will continue to monitor the building.
A resident raised concern about the condition of the prop holding up the lintel at this property.
Westfield.
Roads have finished works on the areas which are the Council's responsibility.
BM said that the road to Westfield was being narrowed because of overhanging vegetation. JH said that roads were able to identify the owners of the land involved a few years ago and the vegetation had been trimmed.
Graham’s Point.
A speed survey will be carried out by the end March.
House next to Rainbow’s End
Roads have programmed the shrub cutting for completion by the end of February.
Potholes at the passing place just after the entrance to the Faith Hope and Charity houses
Road’s response, “Pothole repairs in the passing place were completed on 03/02/22. We will look at the possibility of more passing places when we are in the area to carry out passing place improvements and surfacing at South Ardentinny. We do not have a definite date for these works yet, we would hope to complete before the end of the financial year.”
BM wanted it noted that the work that had been undertaken in this location was much better than had been done in previous years.
Loose chips on the Shore Road
Road’s response, “Chip loss in the first winter after surface dressing is normal. Retention is built into the contract and the contractor will return if this is necessary, and if that was the case it would be in the summer. We are monitoring this and will continue to do so. We will look at getting in the mechanical sweeper to deal with loose stones.”
JH asked if it was possible for the loose stones to be cleared off the pavements too.
Strone Brae vegetation blocking the pavement
Road’s response, “A works instruction has been issued and we will provide an update within 4 weeks.”
Speed Limits, Benmore straight in particular
Road’s response,
“In terms of recent correspondence on this subject we thought it would be helpful to summarise the current position in a single communication.
“We have had the opportunity to discuss the most recent crash with Police Scotland’s Road Policing Department who have confirmed that speed was not a factor in the crash.
“We have an agreement in place with the Police that our Officers will visit serious or fatal crash locations and perform an assessment from our perspective as the Roads Authority – ensuring that there are no issues with or affecting the road such as sight line obstructions which could be a contributing factor to any crashes.
“The assessment following the most recent crash is scheduled for Weds 26th January.
“Irrespective of the conclusions from the recent crash, we have a note of various concerns being raised by Elected Members and the local community as to the speed at which vehicles use this stretch of road.
“In response to these concerns we are planning to carry out a speed survey to baseline the actual position.
“We are in the final stages of developing a realistic programme of delivering various outstanding speed surveys – once this is in place, we will be able to better advise on the time scale for the one at this location.
“We are also in the process of pulling together various information on the whole process around speed surveys and how the results of these are then used. We are conscious that this is an area of work which Elected Members get a fair number of queries on so it would be helpful to you to have comprehensive information on the whole process to refer queries to. Ultimately we will also look to provide a one-stop-shop for this information on the Council website once we have had feedback from Members.”
Mobile Speed Indicator Devices (SID).
Road’s response, “The only sign we have in this area is currently deployed on Bullwood Road and will not be available for use in another location until the end of the financial year. No decision has yet been made as to where the sign will next be deployed, however Kilmun will be considered as a potential location.”
In summary, Councillor Reid said that roads are getting a lot of complaints about speeding throughout the Cowal area and that note has definitely been taken on this issue.
GR said that many of the problems were about driver education.
Bob Darracott (Loch Lomond Representative)
Bob was not able to attend the meeting because he needed to be at another meeting. However, he reported that there was little to report this month from the National Park.
Forestry and Land Scotland – Fraser MacDonald (FLS local based officer in lieu of John Hare)
Blairmore Farm – chainsaw fell to recycle will be complete by end of this month
· Ardbeg (above Rashfield) – Chainsaw fell to recycle is complete
· Beinn Ruadh (above Coylet Inn) – Chainsaw fell to recycle will be completed end of November as waiting on shutdown from SSE
· Scottish Water Treatment Plant – Chainsaw fell to recycle is now complete
· Corrach (Scottish Water Treatment Plant) Harvesting site – machine now on site with view to commencing operations this week. Timber haulage will be towards end of month.
· West Loch Eck forest road, there are tree surgeons on site carrying out high pruning of roadside branches to allow timber vehicles onto site
· West Loch Eck (opposite Coylet Inn) – we are waiting on EIA approvals and additional facilities to be constructed by civil engineering for working site, likely to be late November early December before harvesting begins, will update for next meeting.
· Pucks Glen – there are two active sites currently being worked in Pucks Glen with further three sites to be worked later in year by same merchant which will impact on trail closures, again will update for next meeting.
· Kilmun Hill – Harvesting operations and timber Haulage ongoing.
· There will be ongoing civil engineering maintenance works associated with harvesting sites as listed above.
Public Access:
Pucks Glen has reopened after remedial works to bridges, however will have section closed for a short period for harvesting operations at top of gorge bottom side of forest road. Will confirm dates as soon as possible.
· There have been two events held in last month “Dunoon Ultra”- running and “Dirt Dash” - cycling that have both been very successful and organisers are looking at hosting these again next year.
· Stay the night campervan trial finishes at the end of October and a review will take place regarding success of this with Scottish Government in order to determine if this continues.
Christmas tree sales will again take place at Glenbranter from first weekend in December, again only Friday – Sundays.
Ongoing Engagement:
Forestry and Land Scotland have been notified of 10 new SPHN to be served within Cowal area but are expecting to have several more as there have been 90 suspected infected reports sent to Scottish Forestry this year. Of the ten new ones Loch Eck area will be impacted the most, however we do unfortunately believe that Kilmun and Pucks Glen areas will be served with more.
We would like to be able to have more definitive maps and plans for next meeting showing all areas in Cowal but especially Kilmun and Blairmore.
There will be a harvesting site starting in Ardentinny area that will see an increase of Timber Haulage on A880 as timber is being transported via boat at Sandbank.
Felling and vegetation clearance work is planned to be undertaken in Westfield resident area before Christmas.
FLS is working with Argyll & Bute Council to deal with over hanging branches on A815 from Coylet to Glenbranter in next two months.
If you require any additional information, please get in touch.
There was discussion on whether FLS should organise community drop-in consultation sessions about the new felling works open session in one of the halls. KCC were asked to decide whether we say we would like:
an open session organised by FLS
maps and email information
information on our website
The committee decided that we would say that our preference is for them to organise a drop-in session.
Younger Hall
NTR
Blairmore Hall
No report.
On the 26th February 2022 the hall will hold a concert by the group Crossan which had been previously been cancelled.
11 CURRENT ISSUES
Argyll Rally
The organisers hold a monthly meeting which they had a couple of weeks ago and they now have the permit from motor sport and it now with ABC to agree that the stage goes ahead. Fraser, and some of the reps from other cc areas have been out speaking to residents who live on the route, and he found that there was no real objection and just some questions about the logistics. Fraser said that there has been positive feedback. JH set emails as we agreed at last meeting in January stating KCCs support of the rally to several people involved in the rally and that had been received with appreciation.
13. Any other competent business
Clachaig Water
Graham now has two names of the personnel from ABC who are involved in the Rural Supply Steering Group steering group
Corrachaive Farm Woodland Creation Consultation
NTR
Defibrillators
June MacDonald said that she would like to donate a defibrillator in memory of her late husband Gordon MacDonald who used to be a member of KCC. She said that Blairmore Hall have no objections to having a defibrillator located in the wall between the hall and the Blairmore Hall.
JH said that Brian Tester has said that he is willing to do continue the work on defibrillators even although he is not on KCC now. DN will put June in touch with Brian.
Meeting close at 8.50pm
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held online via zoom link on Tuesday 8th March 2022 7.30pm
