MINUTES OF COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING

11th November 2008 at 7.00 pm, Dumyat Centre Library

Present:

In the chair

Les Sharp

Secretary

Caroline Crawford

Vice-Chairperson

Wendy Holt

Members

Beth Cook
Stan Paterson
Monika Mackenzie
Austin Mitchell
Ann Roberts
Derek Hughes
Linda Matheson
Jim Gardner
Alison Muirhead

Apologies:

Louise Craven

In Attendance:

Councillor Eddie Carrick
Constable Currie
Craig Graham, Cunningham Lindsay, Loss Adjustors

1. Approval of Minutes of 14th October 2008

Item 10 should read 'that a salt bin should be put at the bottom of Craighorn.'

Approved: Austin Mitchell
Seconded: Derek Hughes

2. Matters Arising from Minutes

Salt Bins

The bin has been reinstated at the top of Lipney. The Council will be contacted to ask for a salt bin at the bottom of Craighorn as there is a camber on the pavement and several elderly residents live in this area.

ACTION - CC/EC

3. Treasurer's Report

In the absence of the Treasurer a verbal report was submitted on her behalf.

Wood Account - £894.19
General Account - £1,913.60
Ring Fenced IT Budget - £358.09
Gala Fund - £358.09

BTCV account for £4,577 and the Council Lets for Gala have now been paid.

Outstanding accounts:

Account Audit - £70
Remem. Wreath - £21.50

It was suggested that the accounts could be up to date by the end of August so that they could be audited in good time for the AGM.

ACTION - LC

Renewal of the website costs were approved at a cost of £49.55.

4. Community Policeman's Report

Since the last meeting there have only been four reported crimes in the village, two of which have been detected and two undetected. Again it was emphasised that people should be diligent about locking their cars when they are unattended with any valuables locked in the boot.

There are still no new lines outside the Primary School so the law cannot be enforced until they are completed. Contact will be made with the Council for an update on when this will be done.

ACTION - CC

5. Councillor Carrick's Report

Landscape Partnership

The Landscape Partnership first stage has been approved and work will now be done on the Stage 2 application. EC is putting a team together to take this forward. It will take a year to get up and running, with a contribution from the Council and the Wind Farm money.

Litter

The path up the hill is littered with broken glass etc. Hopefully the Community Council will be able to organise a clean-up in the Spring and EC will ask an officer of the Council if a clean-up campaign could be organised for the schools. LS agreed to take a walk up the hill to see just how bad the problem is.
The Police have been told not to go up the hill in the interests of safety.

East Mains

Another sign indicating directions to East Mains was requested earlier this year but no sign has been erected so far. The Council will be contacted again.

ACTION - CC, EC

6. Landslip at Deafhills

Craig Graham from Cunningham Lindsay, Loss Adjustors gave a presentation on the problems of stabilising the hillside to prevent further problems and how they would go about re-profiling the slope. This would require egress into the Woodland by up to 10 metres to the west of the garage. They would also have to get rid of the Japanese Knotweed. The timescale for the work would be approximately three months.

No decision could be taken by the Community Council at this time but they will, in liaison with Eddie Carrick, endeavour to involve experts from the Council for their advice. Councillor Carrick will ask officers of the Council to look at the proposal and Cunningham Lindsay will pass the details to him so that a site visit can take place.

It was agreed that Craig Graham or somebody from the Consultants, EC or LS, and CC should meet at the Council offices to discuss the proposal with Building Control and the Council's Engineers. EC will set up the meeting.

ACTION - EC

7. Correspondence

All correspondence was read and actioned as necessary.

8. Dumyat Extension

This has not yet started. Awaiting confirmation of the funding.

9. Park Road South

This is high on the Council's agenda. The residents will be contacted by the Legal Department regarding their contribution.

10. Public Art

This is now complete and has gone to be galvanised. It should be erected before the end of the year. The Council will provide the base.

11. Community Woodland

An application has been made for funding to provide work tools for the woodland. We await a decision.

12. Fete Week and Gala 2009

A Steering Group needs to be formed. A further meeting will be held on 18th November with Ann as the facilitator.
A fundraising Bingo Tea has been organised for the 26th November in the Burnside Inn.

13. Any Other Business

Menstrie Matters

Last date for articles for the Newsletter - 20th November.

Carols around the tree

Jim has organised that the Carol books from the Church will be available for the Carol Singing. Lorraine will provide live music on a keyboard. In Jim's absence Wendy will liaise with the Church. Les will liaise re. power. The Community Council Christmas Tree will be erected on Saturday 29th November. Santa and Carol Singing will take place on Thursday 18th December.

Website

The hits on the website are averaging 4,000 a month, with a high of 7,605 in June.

Playpark

One of the play parks in the Gladale/Manor Kingdom development has not been completed. LS will contact Stephen Bell.

ACTION - LS

Light needed

Menstrie Toddlers reported problems with a light bulb being out in their storage cupboard. They have reported this but no action has been taken. CC will contact Sheila Bulloch to look into this matter.