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KILMUN COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Facebook - @shoresweepersandKCC Website - www.kilmuncc.co.uk
MINUTES OF MEETING
14 th December 2022 @ 7.30PM.
Blairmore Hall Blairmore
Meeting Start -7.30pm
PRESENT: Diane Nicholson (Convenor), Janet Holm (Secretary), Peter Hunter Douglas, Lindsay
McKenna (Vice Convenor) and Lachie Macquarie.
Also Present: Councillor William Blair (Argyll and Bute Council), Caroline Munro, Kathie Harper,
Malcolm Bird and Eddie McGunnigal (Cowal Police).
APOLOGIES: William Sinclair (Argyll and Bute Councillor), Graham Revill, Mandy Grout, Russell
Humphreys (Treasurer), Fraser Smith, Kerris Bone, Sue Rule Councillor Y McNeilly, Fraser
Macdonald (Forestry Land Scotland), Gordon Holm, Moira Ferguson, Kirsty Manual, and Becky
Hothersall.
This session was recorded for the minutes
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST:
None
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING:
The 13 th of September 2022 minutes were:
Proposed: Janet Holm
Seconded: Diane Nicholson Carried
4. MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA
None
5. CO OPTIONS ONTO THE COMMITTEE
Lachie Macquarie - This was agreed by all the committee
As Kerris Bone was not present, she will be co-opted onto KCC at our next meeting on January 23
5. TREASURER’S REPORT
The convenor explained that our treasure Russell Humphries is not now a member of KCC but has
agreed to continue doing the work of treasurer for the committee for the time being. This has been
agreed with ABC.
Carried forward £3023.76
Income
Expenditure
Data Protection 40.00
Spanglefish 29.95
Funds In
Interest 0.23
Totals.
General fund £ 1590.93
Gardening and Shore Sweepers £54.44
Festive Lunch £154.47
SSE grant £1090.92
Directory donations £7.00
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Grant from ABC (For new road sign) £56.00
Overall total £2953.81
6. POLICE REPORT
No. of Incidents reported
(Since last meeting)
Between 17/08/22 and 13/12/22 there have been 35 incidents actioned to police in the Kilmun
Council area, these include.
A sudden death
Several Assist a member of public
Several Abandoned 999 calls
Several Noise complaint/disturbances (Same reporters)
1 x Fraud
1x Theft (Theft of a parcel)
Several Road Traffic Incidents
2 x Vandalism.
The remaining incidents were routine police enquires or incidents having no bearing on the
community
No. of Crime Reports generated (Since last meeting)
7 crime reports raised.
2 x Vandalism, (Broken window and damage to a Dinghy) Not detected.
1 x Fraud – Crime occurred outside Scotland and has been transferred to English Force.
1 x Section 38 CJLSA (1 Male arrested)
1 x S5(2) MDA (1 Male reported)
1 x Theft (Not detected)
1 x S5 RTA (1 male arrested)
7 CORRESPONDENCE
Letter received from M Bird and V Dematteis of Highgate Lodge House
An explanation was given to Malcom Bird as to why he had not received acknowledgement from
the post Office for his recorded delivery letter which had been sent to The Younger Hall.
Email from Moira Ferguson re Dog Fouling – see below.
8. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
An explanation was given to the audience on how to access applications within the National Park
website using the codes shown below within the planning section.
An explanation was also given about how the Community Council relates in planning to the National
Park planning and that KCC gets a list of all the planning applications which are passed onto all
members of the KCC and are listed on our minutes.
2022/0324
Erection of extension with associated internal and external renovation works
Finnart, Kilmun, Dunoon. Listed Building Consent
2022/0294
Erection of 3 cabins (for holiday let), formation of car parking (totalling 36 spaces) including electrical
charge points, formation of access paths and renovations to existing village hall
Ground to The North of Blairmore Village Hall Blairmore Argyll and Bute
Neighbour notification.
There was a lot of discussion surrounding this application.
M Bird said that it did not think that the LLNP had really communicated about this application with all
people involved. He also asked us where he could find the archived minutes of Blairmore Village
Trust, who the members are what the finances are. JH said that the way the Community Council is
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run is very different to how a Development Trust is run. Councillor Blair also explained how a trust
can be set up and that you can have a trust that does not need a constitution etc. DN said that the
main contact for the Blairmore Village Trust is Agnes Harvey.
It was agreed that KCC would write to Agnes (and copy Malcolm into the email) to say that a
member of the community is asking for the archived minutes of Blairmore Village Trust and to
LLTNP to say that there was concern raised about this application.
Councillor Blair also said that the National. Park is required to use due diligence in there planning.
2022/0271/HAE
Erection of detached garage and change of use to ancillary residential accommodation within the
curtilage of existing dwellinghouse Householder Planning Permission
9. COMMUNITY MATTERS
The Shore Sweepers
DN And JH had a meeting with ACHA about Graham’s Point in October and we went through all the
points that had been raised in the survey of the park that ACHA had identified. This is something
that we are going to look at in the new year. The willow tunnel is going to be done by HELP and
some items are going to be removed because they are not safe. We will have to go back to ACHA to
get some way that we can empty the large concrete flower tubs which are so big and heavy they
cannot be removed. We will get then cleared out and new earth out in them. We can work with
ACHA on that, but we do need volunteers to help with this work and we need to organise the
removal of the old earth. JH explained that a lot of work that the Shore Sweepers did is now being
done by individuals. In the New Year. The Shore Sweepers will ask for help.
Dog Poo
JH said that she had received a email from a resident re dog fouling
“However I’d like to add my support to any action taken about the dog fouling in the area, an issue
allowed to happen because of the very few irresponsible dog owners.
As you know, I live just below St. Munns and next to the car park.
I, along with my two immediate neighbours, each have grass in front of our properties. This is
Council-owned land, but must be maintained by us, as the Council stopped cutting it several years
ago.
It is very unfortunate that many dog owners park in the car park and then walk along the road,
allowing their animals to relieve themselves on these grass areas. I frequently have to clean up after
them, of if I can speak to the offending owners, offer a dog bag if they don’t have one.
Last winter and recently in the last month Ross MacArthur’s employees have had occasion to dig up
sections of the grass in two places to access water pipes. They commented to me how disgusting
the last occasion was, because of the dog fouling.
I don’t want to be a vigilante, but I have seriously considered making some notices to place on my
wall or the Council’s grass, to state, ‘No Dog Fouling’.
If this is also an issue further along the shore or at Graham’s Point, could there be a community
effort to have some signage made for both areas?”
JH said that there is an area on ABC site where you can report dog fouling. Councillor Blair said that
he will request for 5 bins for dog poo to be distributed as fairly as possible.
There was much discussion on suitable areas for dog poo bins and making sure they are emptied
https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/planning-and-environment/dog-warden-service
Tyneshandon
NTR. A request was made to Councillor Blair to find out what is happening
Highgate Hall
The minutes of the Highgate Hall committee are published on KCC’s website.
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The committee also thanked KCC for helping to Highgate Hall for our help in sharing communication
about the survey.
L Mc K said that she was concerned that one of the members of the Highgate Hall committee was
also on the Blairmore Hall committee and she considered that this could be a conflict of interest. DN
explained that ultimately it was a community decision.
10. DISCUSSIONS A&BC LOCAL COUNCILLOR AND NATIONAL PARK
REPRESENTATIVE,
Strone Primary School
NTR
Strone Primary Parent Council
A report was submitted from Strone Parent Council
The Shore Primary Parent Council were successful in our application to the Rural and Island
Communities Ideas into Action Fund (Inspiring Scotland's Community Led Local Development
Fund).
We now have funding to run a series of events linking the school to the wider community, with one
event in each of several community venues along the Shore Villages during winter/spring 2023. We
hope that the first of these will be a Burns Supper in Kilmun Hall on Friday 27th January (I've
provisionally arranged this via Russell and Helen). The plan is for it to be a free event for the
community. Most of the organisation can be done by the Parent Council but we'd be delighted to
have any additional support from local organisations. If anyone's interested in getting involved,
please ask them to get in touch with me.
This will also link in with the recent survey conducted by the Highgate Hall committee by providing
opportunities to share the outcomes and future direction of local development in the area.
Inspiring Scotland have said that we can share the news within our communities but not publicise
the grant yet as they want to do a press release for the overall programme first. I'll keep KCC posted
when we can share more info but happy to discuss if anyone wants to know more.
Argyll & Bute Council
Councillor Blair was asked about the mobile speed camera in Kilmun which had suddenly
disappeared, and we have had a request for it to be moved to Blairmore because there is a speed
problem in the stretch of road passed the Blairmore Hall. Councillor Blair said he will find out about
that
He also said that work was being done with Sandbank because of the recent accidents looking at
speeding, flashing lights, chevrons, signage etc. Gordon has sent an email to roads department to
say that is that side of the loch is being looked at could this side of the loch be looked at too and has
been raised with transportation. DN said that there are similar problems through Clachaig which has
a very narrow road. The consensus was that it is mainly local people and businesses that are the
main offenders.
Caroline Munro said what a difference it has made on the Shore Road, Kilmun to have the
vegetation at the side of the road cut down and this has greatly helped the sight line of the road. A
thank you to ABC for getting this work done.
Councillor Blair also reminded everyone that they can individually report to the council via their
website potholes, lighting faults etc other than waiting for a community council meeting.
JH reminded Gordon about the report about the hole in the right of way at Westfield and requested
that he investigates what is happening with this issue.
Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Representative
No report at present. A request for a report for next month.
Forestry and Land Scotland – Fraser MacDonald
A map is also attached on the minutes.
Current Felling:
There are several SPHN sites being worked or in process of starting within Kilmun Community area
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• Beinn Ruadh (above Coylet Inn) – There is a small section of Larch still to be felled adjacent to
SSE Overhead Power line still to be completed when a shutdown can be organised. No confirmed
date as yet however.
• Beinn Ruadh(above Coylet Inn) – Harvesting site currently on stop. There have been a number of
issues on this site that have to be resolved and a contract review meeting was held at Glenbranter
this morning. An SSE OHPL shut down will be required to complete works and as yet this is not
planned.
• Corrach (Scottish Water Treatment Plant) Harvesting site – site is currently inactive but hoping
contractors will return to site soon. Likely to resume early 2023.
• West Loch Eck (opposite Coylet Inn) – site is currently active including timber haulage.
• Pucks Glen –. Pucks Pylons currently inactive but will resume early 2023
• Kilmun Hill – Timber felling operations are complete with exception of some chainsaw remedial
works only timber extraction and timber Haulage ongoing. Site should be completed by Christmas
time.
• There will be ongoing civil engineering maintenance works associated with harvesting sites as
listed above.
• Benmore Botanic Garden (Burmah Road) – Chainsaw felling and extraction of larger timber above
BBG Courtyard there is no timescale for this yet due to complex nature of operations. Will update
when plan in place.
• Fell to waste of young Larch within KCC area – Fell to waste operations have been carried out in
Inverchapel/Pucks Glen area with further areas close to Gairletter Sand quarry to be carried out
later. Some individual trees still to be removed that have been missed. Now able to deal with these
as no environmental timing restrictions.
There are new harvesting sites planned to be sold and worked throughout 2023 as per map
provided that may impact on KCC area, I will update you well in advance of any of these sites
starting. Due to timing restrictions for SSE shut down which take at least 90 days to be authorised
no coupes have been agreed yet.
There will be no new harvesting sites started in Kilmun Community Council area until after
Christmas at the earliest due to focussing efforts in the P.A.Z.
There is the potential for a harvesting coupe to commence early in 2023 in Ardentinny that timber
haulage may use A880, I will confirm this for next meeting.
Wildlife Management:
Night shooting has now started and will be ongoing until 31 st March 2023
Public Access:
We have recently carried out some maintenance and tidying up around Benmore and Puck’s Glen in
terms of vegetation management and way marker/bridge cleaning more of this work is expected to
take place after Christmas.
We will be getting the path works and railings fixed on the Big Tree Trail as soon as we can get the
contract awarded.
Ongoing Engagement:
No further SPHN’s have been received, we have currently got 68 active SPHN’s with in Central
Region of which 18 of these are non-compliant due to complexity of sites, terrain, location, lack of
infrastructure. Since June 2014 we have cleared over 100 SPHN’s in Central Region with the
majority being in Cowal.
We have received 7 new SPHN in the Priority Action Zone and 37 in the Risk Reduction Zone so far,
this this year and are waiting on further helicopter and ground trothing surveys to be completed.
PAZ is an area that has a short timeframe to fell infected Larch (6 months) and this area takes in
Arrochar, Glen Croe and Cruach Tairbeirt.
The RRZ has a longer timeframe to deal with infected Larch and we have had confirmed infections
in KKC area and new sites in Glendaruel and Strathlachlan indicating a wider spread of the
pathogen.
KCC forested areas now falls into the new Phytophthora pluvialis (a fungus like pathogen)
demarcated zone, this is another tree disease that impacts on Western Hemlock, Douglas Fir and
Pine.
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MB said that the other implication of all this work is an increase in the work at the quarry above
Blairmore and there is increase in the water coming down. DN said that is anyone is having severe
problems to contact Fraser McDonald at Forest and Land Scotland at Glenbranter.
Younger Hall
NTR
Blairmore Hall
A report from Sue Rule November 18 th
Blairmore Hall’s fortunes have been gradually picking up through the year as usage increases, and it
is good to see it now in frequent use. The committee is confident that securing the Adapt and Thrive
grant to refurbish the Hall has made a significant contribution to this progress, attracting many
favourable comments on how bright, fresh, and welcoming it is after its makeover.
Part of the work this grant allowed us to do was to run power and light to the former workshop at the
rear of the Hall. The committee agreed that this space should be known as “Sam’s Place” in memory
of Samuel Rae, since it was gifted to the community by his daughter, Catherine Rae, to provide
space for upgrading the facilities of the Hall – a project we still hope to progress at some point. In
the meantime, we are still considering how best to make use of this space. An attempt to open it as
an upcycling workshop was unsuccessful in attracting support.
Joint Strategy meetings with Blairmore Village Trust resumed during 2022. We await the decision on
BVT’s development plans, which will impact on plans to upgrade the Hall itself.
Maintenance of this historic building is an on-going headache, and as well as members of the
committee (in particular Andy Blackburn and Bryan Shewry) we are grateful to Colin Gunning, Eric
Whitton and Garry Tickell for their help with various repair jobs, and to the Community Payback
team. At present, finding people with the skills to do these jobs (whether on a voluntary or
professional basis) falls to the Chair, who would dearly like a volunteer to step forward to take over
responsibility for getting all these jobs done. The Maintenance Officer does NOT have to be capable
of doing them all themselves (though a few DIY skills would be very helpful), just capable of smiling
sweetly and twisting a few arms here and there to access the goodwill towards the old Hall that a
number of local people have.
The financial outlook is better now than it was this time last year, when the effects of COVID
drastically depleted our reserves, but despite a modest increase to hire fees, rental income still does
not cover outgoings, and the various fund-raising activities put on by the committee are essential to
achieve break-even point. However, an unfair and unsustainable burden of work associated with
these events currently falls on the Secretary; we desperately need people willing to help ‘on the day’
at these events if we are going to be able to continue to hold them. As stated above, they are
essential to the financial survival of the Hall, besides being very enjoyable social occasions, which
help bring the community together.
We will be holding a Christmas ‘tree-warming’ evening again on Sunday 18 th Dec with mince pies,
mulled wine and a few festive songs.
Historic Kilmun
NTR
11 CURRENT ISSUES
Argyll Rally – feed back from Fraser Smith
Feedback from Argyll Rally ‘Community Council Engagement’ call (Mon 12/12/22 @ 20:00)
Chris Woodcock, Kenny Wilson, Iain McCuaig – organising committee
Iain Wilkie – Strachur CC
David Clough – Dunoon CC
Fraser Smith – representing KCC (though made clear that I’m no longer on the KCC)
Notes
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Dunoon CC are in the process of being inaugurated hence David’s position isn’t confirmed
yet (assume the same for Strachur CC and some others not present?)
The 2023 Argyll Rally is now into the consultation phase. Assuming all goes to plan this will
be followed by the issuance of a ‘permit’ which then leads to the MotorSport order. The
expectation is that the permit should be issued prior to the next meeting in Jan (all going
well)
The rally route is similar to last year. For the KCC area the Whistlefiled-Ardentinny stage is
the same as previous years (possible minor ‘tweaks’ to the start line)
Some brief discussion on the Carbon Offset programme. Discussions on suitable
programmes ongoing (reiterated by the org’ committee that they are keen to keep these
projects as close to the local communities as possible)
Next meeting proposed as Mon 16 th Jan 23 (pending confirmation of Dunoon CCs inaugural,
to avoid any clash)
Fraser Smith will update us when necessary.
Councillor Blair said that he has been impressed at how the event is being monitored and that any
issues are very quickly responded to
Clachaig Water
No update
SSE power lines Dunoon 132kV Overhead Line rebuild Project
Drop in consultations
Wednesday 14 th December @ 2-7pm Dunoon Burgh Hall. DN will attend on behalf of KCC.
13. Any other competent business
Local Successes
CN also said that as a community we need to congratulate Dunoon Grammar School on their recent
successes. Councillor Blair also said that it was community power which helped in the refurbishment
of Dunoon Primary which had just been officially opened. In the past it had been proposed that the
school should have been amalgamated with 2 other school, but the community had resisted this
proposal
CN also said that the Dunoon Project has the potential to have a positive impact on or communities.
Defibrillators
We do have our other defibrillator which hopefully in the new year be connected up to the Strone
Inn.
P Dh said that he has written to the man who used to do the training in this area, but he has gone
out of business, He has contacted the man who does the GP practices etc, but he is fully booked up
for 18month/2 years. Peter said that if he could get the equipment, he could do the training. There is
also a local nurse who could help. This will be explored in the new year. JH said that the
defibrillators are going to be logged and that the police, ambulance know where defibrillators are
located.
CM asked if the boat speed race is to come back. It was thought likely that it would.
Meeting closed at 9.15PM
Next Meeting
Next meeting – Tuesday 10 th January 2023 @Younger Hall Kilmun @ 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
ecember 2022
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