Fossoway and District Community Council
Minutes of AGM
May 6th 2014 7.30pm
To be approved.
1. Attending: CCllrs: Sandy Morrison, Kevin Borthwick, Rod Patterson Alastair Lavery and Trudy Wigman-Duffy; Cllrs Mike Barnacle, Joe Giacopazzi and Willie Robertson; 11 Members of the Public.
Apologies: CCllrs: Angus Cheape and Graham Pye; Cllr Dave Cuthbert.
2. Minutes: Minutes of the 2013 AGM meeting were read, approved, and signed off.
3. Chair’s Report:
The elected members of the Community Council are as follows:-
• Kevin Borthwick
• Trudy Duffy-Wigman
• Alistair Lavery
• Sandy Morrison
• Rod Paterson
The co-opted members are:-
• Angus Cheape
• Graham Pye
During the year Sheila Anderson resigned and Graham Pye was co-opted. The Community Council (CC) wishes to record its thanks to Sheila for her contribution over the years.
The Community Council has had another very busy year with eleven scheduled meetings and one special meeting regarding the potential acquisition of the Crook Moss. The main issues during the year have been:
• Crook Moss Planning Application: Planning permission was granted with a number of conditions which had timescales for their implementation. The majority of the conditions have not been met and enforcement orders have now been issued with new timescales for some of the conditions. This matter involved a significant amount of correspondence, telephone calls and meetings with Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) officials.
• Local Development Plan: The Plan was approved by the Scottish Executive with some amendments. PKC accepted the findings and adopted the Plan which in the main reflected the Community’s views.
• Introduction of a Unitary Police Force and Unitary Fire Service in Scotland: These changes are still being implemented and the only effect so far is the closure of the desk service for the public at Kinross Police Station.
• Community Speed Watch Programme: The new police service has decided not to support this measure.
• Fossoway Church Car Park: No progress has been made by the church.
• Core Paths: Signposting has been completed.
• Lambhill Site: There is still ongoing discussion with PKC on this matter.
• Glen Quey Quarry: The planning application has still not been determined.
• Wind Turbines: The CC has decided to object to all applications until PKC produces detailed guidance regarding wind turbines, in particular cumulative impact.
• AGLVs: The CC has lobbied PKC to produce a replacement policy for this subject.
• Bus Investment Fund: The CC supported the bid for a local service in the area.
• Blairingone War Memorial: Progress has been made and it is anticipated the relocation will take place in 2014.
• Devon Hydro Scheme: The CC has had significant dialogue with the developer which has resulted in the developer amending the scheme and meeting the CC’s initial objections.
• Ryder Cup: The impact of the Park and Ride at Balado and the traffic management system has been discussed with the CC and the community.
• Crook Moss Community Acquisition: A sub-group of some CC members and volunteers from the Community was set up to explore the possibility of the Community acquiring Crook Moss.
• Community Consultation: PKC organised an event to discuss the LDP and its effect on Blairingone.
• Green Routes: These have been introduced in various parts of the district.
In addition to these specific issues, there have been a significant number of planning applications, together with an increasing number of issues which the Community Council has been consulted on, extensive correspondence and a large number of meetings to attend.
The emphasis coming from the Scottish Executive is increasing community involvement and empowerment of communities. The Scottish Executive’s aim is to involve people at all age levels in the community but it is extremely difficult for people with busy working lives to become involved to the level envisaged.
The concept is laudable but in my view it is not easily achievable through voluntary bodies such as CCs. The current workload is significant and increasing therefore any further major increase will not be dealt with effectively with the current structure.
Thank you to my fellow councillors for their support and for the significant efforts they have made in dealing with their portfolios and attending external meetings. Thanks also to our local Councillors Barnacle, Cuthbert, Giacopazzi and Robertson for their support and assistance to the CC on numerous occasions. Our local MP Gordon Banks has also provided support and assistance to the CC.
4. Secretary’s Report:
I have now settled into the role of Secretary, and have got a system of how I deal with all the work. Basically I have to deal with it as it happens, and not let it build up. Fortunately as I work from home I am more or less able to do this.
We have had a really busy year, in 2013/14, and we have had a substantial increase in the amount of correspondence, and meetings attended.
Over the past year I have dealt with 1137 (916 last year) incoming emails, and have sent out 585 (471 last year). I also ran off 1828 (1576 last year) prints for the correspondence, and agendas etc. This is an increase of approximately 20%. When you include phone calls and meetings it soon adds up to a fair bit of work.
Streamlining the way we do the correspondence at the meetings has been a great success, although I fail to see why I have to print it all out, as very rarely does anyone ever look at it. But rules are rules.
This year I have tried to lobby PKC to cut out the amount of SPAM emails we receive, and also to remove as much of the inane blurb that is at the foot of all their correspondence. I have had some success, in that any correspondence does not have all the copied recipients listed in the email, cutting out half a page, we also have had the Ryder Cup logo removed, but not a lot happening with the SPAM. I’m still waiting on more feedback on that one.
I will keep looking at the processes we have to follow as a Community Council, and keep trying to make things easier and less laborious and tedious for both the members and the public. To try to make our meetings run smoother and make them a more pleasurable experience.
Sandy thanked Kevin for all his hard work.
5. Treasurer’s Report:
The Annual Accounts were approved and signed off – Proposer: S Morrison, Seconder: K Borthwick.
The closing cash balance for the year was £291.83, including accruals for outstanding creditors. Major expenses during the year included £245.84 for accommodation and £127.96 for secretarial expenses. In line with new PKC guidelines, ongoing funded for the Community Council will be capped at £700. The Chair thanked Rod for stepping in to do the accounts at the last minute.
6. Confirmation of Office Bearers:
The Office Bearers all resigned from their current posts, and new post holders are as follows:
Sandy Morrison, Chairperson – Proposed: K Borthwick, Seconded: T Duffy-Wigman
Kevin Borthwick, Secretary – Proposed: T Duffy-Wigman, Seconded: R Paterson
Rod Paterson, Treasurer and IT – Proposed: K Borthwick, Seconded: A Lavery
Alastair Lavery, Planning – Proposed: K Borthwick, Seconded: S Morrison (Note: Alastair will only be in this post for three months until a substitute is found.)
Graham Pye, Minute Secretary – Proposed: K Borthwick, Seconded: S Morrison
Trudy Wigman-Duffy, Vice Chair and Deputy Secretary – Proposed: A Lavery, Seconded: K Borthwick
Angus Cheape – Deputy Planning and Community Office – Proposed: S Morrison, Seconded: K Borthwick
With no other business, the date of the next AGM was set for 5th May 2015 and the meeting ended at 7.50pm.
