Draft Minutes Fossoway and District Community Council
5th March 2019, Blairingone Primary School
Attending: Community Cllrs Angus Cheape, Trudy Duffy, Carol Farquhar, Graham Pye; P&K Cllrs Mike Barnacle, Callum Purves, Willie Robertson and Richard Watters; 12 Members of the Public (MoP)
Apologies: Associate Member Tam Carroll
Declarations of Interest: None.
Police report: Unfortunately, no officer was able to be present at the meeting. There were no incidents to note in our area since the last CC Meeting from the Commander’s Reports received via Perth and Kinross Community Watch.
Minutes of the previous meeting: The minutes of the previous meeting were signed off without amendment.
Matters Arising
Community Council By-Election: Co-opted member Carol Farquhar has submitted an application to become an elected member of the CC, thus narrowly restoring it to the minimum of four elected members. However, in the absence of any new members joining the CC during the remainder of this year, the current members will be unable to continue with the workload and this CC will therefore cease to exist at the time of the next election on the 7th November this year. In the meantime, the current members will only be able to perform the very minimum amount of the tasks they would otherwise like to.
Anyone wanting to join the CC, please get in touch with the chair, Trudy Duffy on 01577 840669.
Blairingone School Estate Transformation: The consultation report, including the report from Education Scotland, was made available for public review on 22nd February 2019. It can be viewed on PKC’s website at: https://www.pkc.gov.uk/media/43729/Blairingone-Consultation-Report/pdf/Blairingone_Consultation_Report.pdf?m=636864437595870000
The Lifelong Learning Committee will decide whether to implement the closure proposal at the meeting on 27th March 2019. If the decision to close goes ahead, then comments on the process or assumptions made in the report can be made to the Scottish Ministers (via tocs.vog|etatseloohcs#tocs.vog|etatseloohcs) by three weeks after that date, i.e. 17th April 2019. The CC encourages everyone to express their opinions by contacting the Lifelong Learning Committee members. Cllr Barnacle offered to meet local people before the meeting to discuss any issues.
Powmill in Bloom: Bulbs, etc., are being planted. Judging of the Well-kept Village competition will be in September this year; CCllr Farquhar will be attending a meeting about the competition.
Crook & Drum Growing Together: CCllr Duffy told the meeting that 500 snowdrops and some primroses have been planted in the grass triangle in the centre of Drum, and a wooden bench installed there. A spring flower arranging workshop will be held in the hall on 30th March. See the group’s Facebook page for details of all their activities.
Hydro Scheme Fund / Crook of Devon Bridge: CCllr Duffy reported that a Site visit is planned to finalise the location for the new bridge. Other monies are available from the fund for small grants.
Fossoway Gathering: CCllr Duffy reported that planning of the event on 25th May in Waulkmill Park is going well; see the Gathering’s Facebook page for more details.
Fossoway Area Transport/DRT: Cllr Purves reported that there is an ongoing review of PKC’s transport provision across Kinross-shire. Meanwhile a survey is being held to establish requirements. A MoP asked about DRT coverage of Blairingone, Cllr Watters answered that a new company is hoping to join the DRT scheme soon, but needs to finalise some licensing issues which are being progressed by PKC Officers.
Carnbo VAS: Cllr Watters and a PKC technician met on site and discussed the location of the VAS on the west side of village with local residents. The technician explained that it is in the best place. The VAS at the east end of the village is being installed now.
There was substantial opinion at the CC meeting that the 40mph limit on the east side of the village should be extended further out. A MoP from Blairingone expressed the opinion that the VAS hasn’t helped there.
A977 Mitigation: Cllr Barnacle reported that the proposed traffic lights at Blairingone are hoped to be installed by the end of March. These lights will stay on red as vehicles approaches until there are no pedestrians.
Cllr Barnacle added that the Crook of Devon / School Road junction improvements are currently held up due to problems with moving services in the road. There are also different opinions about whether to keep the existing pedestrian lights when the new ones are installed – it is possible that they will be covered temporarily, or perhaps linked with the new lights.
Crook Moss Travellers Site: Cllr Barnacle had a meeting with Barbara Renton, PKC’s Director of Housing and Environment, and suggested that if the appearance of the site was improved it would go a long way to improving the local community’s view of it.
Ivy Cottage Powmill: Cllr Barnacle has spoken to the owner’s solicitor and told him of the Community’s desire to move urgently towards Compulsory Purchase of the site.
Matters Arising with no update since last meeting:
Blairingone War Memorial, Powmill Play Park and LDP2: No information at present.
New Business
Winter Snow Clearance and Gritting: PKC have written to the CC seeking comments on this. Additionally they are seeking new participants for self-help schemes:
• Farmers self-help scheme for assistance with snow clearing operations
• Footway hand gritting self-help scheme
For both of these schemes Perth and Kinross Council will supply and maintain the gritting and snow clearing equipment plus in the case of the footways scheme they will supply the salt as well. Interested parties should contact Andy Brown at ku.vog.ckp|nworbra#ku.vog.ckp|nworbra.
A MoP present noted that the Milk Bar junction was not gritted on the only day of snow this season, causing substantial delays.
Community Council Business - Meetings Attended
Community Investment Fund: CCllr Duffy attended this, at which a total of £50,000 was awarded to nine projects in Kinross-shire.
Kinross-shire Fund: CCllr Cheape attended a meeting of the fund on 4th March at which an award was made to KYTHE. There is more money in the fund still to be distributed.
P&K Councillors’ Reports
Callum Purves: Cllr Purves did not support the administration’s proposal at the budget meeting because it included proposed Council tax rises of 4% whilst Cllr Purves believes he was elected on a promise of much lower rises. Cllr Purves reported that he seconded Cllr Stewart’s amendment that would have replaced Dundee with Perth as the lead role in the Tay Cities partnership. However the amendment was defeated by the Provost’s casting vote.
Mike Barnacle: Cllr Barnacle suggested that there is a process problem with the Council’s budget approval meeting – Officers come to the meeting proposing draconian cuts and then the Cllrs immediately reject the majority of them. It would be better to bring proposals for discussion and then a week later vote on them.
Cllr Barnacle found that a couple of issues he raised with LDP2 were not accurately included in the submissions to the reporter, so he has sent further details directly.
Richard Watters: Cllr Watters added that the sort of proposals Cllr Barnacle mentioned make the press causing great distress, but then are not implemented. An example would be the proposal to remove all School Crossing Patrols, which was rejected, but smaller underlying cuts to the service didn’t get reported.
Willie Robertson: Cllr Robertson noted that PKC have borrowed £360M for capital investment, which seemed to him to be a bad idea as it will have to be paid back in the future. Cllr Robertson does support the 4% increase in Council Tax because he believes that otherwise many cuts would need to be made.
Planning Matters
19/00082/FLL Change of use, alterations and extension to bothy to form a dwelling house, and erection of a garage (revised design) at Former Bothy, Briglands, Rumbling Bridge.
No CC comment.
19/00268/FLL Alterations to building at County Fabrics, The Water Mill, Crook of Devon, KY13 0UL.
No CC comment.
Decided applications - None this month.
Correspondence - All correspondence was available for viewing:
There will be a major cycling event on 12th May 2019, and although it’s called the Ochil Hills Sportive, it’s centred on Lochore Meadows Country Park and only a small part of the route, through Dunning Glen and Glen Devon, is close to our area. Details at https:www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/ochil-hills-100-sportive/
PKC have created a revised Scheme of Establishment for CCs which was approved by the Council on 27th February. The Scheme will come into force after the November elections and includes provisions for EU citizens to be members of CCs, and other minor changes.
A PAN for development at the site of the former Solsgirth Colliery has been published. There will be a Community Exhibition at Saline Primary School between 3 and 7pm on Wednesday 24th April 2019 to describe the development of houses, live/work units and business space.
PKC have published reports of progress in updating Flood Management Plans at https:www.pkc.gov.uk/frmplans
AOCB: In pursuit of the new GDPR scheme, PKC have deemed it necessary to remove planning application comments from the website one year after an application has been approved. Kinross-shire Civic Trust have written to Anne Condliffe objecting to this change on the basis that subsequent applications are often made referring to earlier ones and it is very useful to be able to view previous comments. This CC agreed with this objection and will write to Anne Condliffe supporting the Trust.
A MoP had requested the provision of a dog waste bin at the entrance to Rumbling Bridge Gorge from Naemoor Rd. Cllr Purves agreed to look into this.
The CC was contacted by Morag McKenzie to ask if the Council would strim the verge on the main road whilst other areas in the village are being done. Cllr Barnacle will chase this.
Draft Agenda for Next CC Meeting
Welcome and Apologies, Declarations of Interest, Community Policing, Minutes of last meeting.
Matters arising: CC By-Election, Blairingone School Estate Transformation, Powmill in Bloom, Crook & Drum Growing Together, Hydro Scheme Fund, Fossoway Gathering, Fossoway Area Transport, Carnbo VAS, A977 Mitigation, , Ivy Cottage Powmill, Blairingone War Memorial.
Community Councillors: Meetings Attended, PKC Councillors’ Reports, Planning, Correspondence, AOCB
Next Meeting: Tuesday 2nd April 2019 7:30 pm
Powmill Moubray Hall
All Welcome
