Community Council Minutes

Giffordtown & District Community Council

All minutes can be under the Community Council tab

DRAFT Minutes of Meeting – 1st March 2021 via Zoom.

1. Chair’s Welcome. Thank you all for coming. A busy agenda.

2. Present: N. Brooks (Chair/Secretary), M. Sanders (Treasurer), J. Wightman, D. Ellison, W.Munro, J.Kennett (voice only), Cllr A. Heer, A. Christie (Co-opted). A. Emler (up to part way through 6.6), S. Brydon (up to part way through 6.6), Cllr D. Lothian (up to part way through 6.6), Five members of the public also attended.

Note: There was a problem getting Zoom to restart the same meeting for a third session, so a new meeting invitation was sent out that some people had problems accessing.

Apologies: N/A

3. Minutes of Meeting on Monday 4th January were approved.

4. Reports:

4.1 Treasurer’s Report: Funds stand at balance of £6111.92 once all outstanding cheques have been cashed. Winter safety for the community was a total of £1171.67 (£444.60 for rock salt and £727.07 for the four new grit bins). £250 donation to hall in memory of John Arbuckle.

4.2 Landfill Smells: No change yet. Secretary.

4.3 Paths: A.Christie will be overseas for approx. 3-4 months and a temporary Chair is being sought for the PWG; one person has put their name forward – to be confirmed. Cllr Heer informed the committee that Lairds do not have to create the core path diversion until current path is disrupted by works. However, they would be willing to bring this forward if the community wants it. A unanimous vote was taken to request early path creation and information as to what impact this would have on the current path. Cllr Heer.

4.4 Speed Reduction: The Telraam unit is still inside the now vacant house. Inquiries are being made to recover. D. Ellison/S.Brydon

Continue to work with council roads dept. to install speed reduction measures. D. Ellison.

Establish what parameters (Covid related) allow the Speedwatch campaign to recommence. D.Ellison. Missing 40mph sign at Edentown still missing – there had been a commitment to replace it last month - to be progressed. A. Heer.

Speed awareness signs. Can we buy our own using funds? J.Kennett/D.Ellison

4.5 Roads. There are currently 24 potholes recorded in the FC online system. The quality of the repairs completed recently were poor and many have failed already. Highlight this to FC. Secretary.

Kilwhiss road continues to deteriorate. Request site survey from FC to discuss how it can be repaired and future deterioration avoided. Secretary.

Establish from FC whether volume of traffic influences road classification and whether different classifications have a different construction method – e.g. A92 compared to B937. Secretary

Establish from Google how routings are determined as B937 seems to be preferred route. Secretary.

5. Business arising from minutes

5.1 Footpath at Kinloch towards A91. It has been agreed to scrape and resurface before summer. A. Heer

5.2 Ways to invest wind turbine money. No suggestions were discussed. Agreed that future suggestions be submitted in writing prior to the meeting to give time to think about them. All.

5.3 Faster Broadband. Openreach (there are other providers) website provides information where communities can create Community Fibre Partnership. It is free to use to find out costs, grants etc. Establish if there would be a Kinloch resident who could be co-opted for this. A.Emler

5.4 IBA. Planning was approved. Send a letter to the press to indicate our disappointment that so many objections were overridden and that work to prepare for IBA storage had commenced before the application had been discussed by the FC planning committee. Use the template letter sent in by a local resident. Secretary

6. New Business

6.1 Rock Salt Distribution. 70+ bags purchased and delivered FOC by the Secretary and John Sanders. Thanks to John for his help. Donations for salt to Hall funds was over £600. Notice thanking all those who donated was posted in the normal places.

6.2 Newsletter. Agreed it was worthwhile and there was a unanimous vote to make it an annual publication. Secretary to be refunded the purchase price of the Newsletter software £25.44. The small size was a problem for some readers. It can be made A4. Secretary.

6.3 Website. Funded for another year. Graph of number of visitors show per day. Max of 20. Website ownership has now been transferred to the Community Council.

6.4 Pumping Station. 56,000 gallons of water drained from flooded station. Pump still operational; monitoring in place every two days as it is suspected there may be water egress. V.Chair/Treasurer.

6.5 Volume of traffic through Giffordtown Main St. Some of this due to traffic avoiding the Kilwhiss road due to its poor condition. See 4.5

6.6 Special meeting – Paths and access

A.Christie reviewed the proposal. It was noted that the proposals were for maintenance intended to allow improved access to the paths for locals with minimal interventions – as there were some misconceptions that upgrades were planned. Letters from members of public were read out. After discussions were heard by CC members and members of public, the following motions were addressed:

1. Do we wish to have vegetation cut back on Coffin Road? This was amended to a limited cutting back as per previous years and passed by a majority vote.

2. Do we wish to have vegetation cut back on Kilwhiss to Shiells Ave (Dunshalt Rd)? This was amended to a limited cutting back and passed by a majority vote.

3. Do we wish to hire a tracked chipper? This did not have a seconder, so the motion failed. That means we will not hire a chipper.

4. Do we wish to have the fence on the west side of the Coffin Road put back to vertical? This was amended to a re-tension of the wires and was seconded and passed by a majority vote.

5. Do we wish to purchase new fence posts for the fence on the west side of the Coffin Road at a cost of circa £500? This did not have a seconder, so the motion failed. That means we will not buy any new posts.

The PWG will now take the above resolutions and come up with a plan to implement.

7. Correspondence. None

8. A.O.C.B. None

9. Confirmed date of future meetings are 1930hrs via Zoom: 3rd May, 5th July, 6th Sept, 1st Nov (plus AGM at 1900hrs)

Contact Chair/Secretary on: giffordtownsecretary@gmail.com 07938828589

www.thefivewayscommunity.com Giffordtowncc