Fossoway & District Community Council met on 2 March in Blairingone School. Issues discussed included traffic mitigation for the A977, Blairingone War Memorial and the 4 public meetings being convened by the Fossoway Community Strategy Group to determine a new Single Development Plan Scheme for Perth & Kinross and Fossoway. Click on the link to download the minutes of the community council meeting.

Please come along to the Fossoway Open Art Exhibition, which will take place over the third weekend in March.

Art - Craft - Jewellery

Friday 19 March 7-9pm
Saturday 20 March 11am-4pm
Sunday 21 March 1-4pm

Free entry.

The event is in conjunction with the WALC Spring Tea

Location: Elizabeth Wilkie Hall (next to Fossoway Church) Crook of Devon

All profits go to WALC and Fossoway Church.

David

I'm a bit more optimistic about our democracy than you seem to be. But that's partly because there are people like yourself out there helping the process along. I'll be following your group on Facebook - keep up the good work!

I'm not sure i'd agree with the sentiment that our society is broken, however i whole heartedly agree that our democratic system is not just broken, but in ruins!

Through a Facebook group i have attempted to gather information about the forthcoming election, who the candidates are, what they stand for, how the process will work. I am doing this in attempt to help inform would be voters in their choice.

I will try to remain impartial! Hope its of use at least to a few people!

David

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=205025484430

Traffic mitigation measures have now been agreed following a public meeting to set priorities that took place at the Institute in Crook of Devon on 22 February 2010. Read more about Road Safety and Traffic Mitigation on the A977, including the note of the public meeting.

A quick update on the outcome of the public meeting on 22 February to discuss traffic mitigation on the A977 - the puffin crossing outside The Institute in Crook of Devon got the go-ahead, as did an additional puffin crossing in Drum. All the other proposals on the list in the A977 Traffic Mitigation Proposals report (see p10) were given the go-ahead apart from the footpaths at Crook of Devon and Powmill, which would have cost £77k and £22k respectively. Not proceeding with the footpaths saved sufficient money for these crossings as well as a bus shelter at Balado. I'll put the notes from the meeting on this website when they are available.

Calling All Fossoway Residents!

Please Attend these Meetings to Discuss Future Housing Sites in Fossoway

A series of crucial meetings has been organised to decide where the residents of Crook of Devon, Drum, Powmill, Rumbling Bridge, Blairingone and Carnbo want new houses to be built over the next 14 years to 2024.

The government has indicated that it wants this part of Kinross-shire to be the fastest growing area in Scotland, and Perth & Kinross Council has recently revised its assessment of the number of new houses that need to be built during the period to 2020. Perth & Kinross Council has now issued guidance stating that 855 additional houses are required in the Kinross Planning Area, which includes Fossoway. This figure will increase slightly when the new Strategic Development Plan (TAYPLAN) is published and the newly released (increased) population estimates are taken into account.

Based on residents' responses to questionnaires, opinions expressed at previous public meetings, and in response to a recommendation from the Local Plan Inquiry Reporter, the Fossoway Community Strategy Group has produced maps of the settlements of Fossoway that indicate areas where development should and should not be allowed.

The development sector has submitted 28 potential construction sites to Perth & Kinross Council within Fossoway. These sites will be appraised by the council for the Main Issues Report in preparation for the new Development Plan, which will specify those areas zoned for new development. One such submission is the Thomson Homes proposal for 315 New Houses in Powmill on 2 of these sites.

The Fossoway Community Strategy Group has met to discuss the submissions from the development sector and there is now an urgent need to consult residents and find out the views of the wider community. There will therefore be 4 evening public meetings in Fossoway during March where this consultation will take place.

We have a very attractive rural area which we all enjoy, and we must ensure that any development framework preserves and hopefully enhances what we have for future generations. At this time, it is imperative that the community take ownership of this development strategy that we have been working on since 2005 and do not allow the development sector to subvert it.

The following meetings will take place at 7.30pm. Please attend if possible and share your views. Please also remind others to attend these meetings - they are important.

Click on the link to download the Letter to Residents about the meetings from Councillor Mike Barnacle.

Come along to the Spring Tea in aid of WALC

When: 2-4pm on Saturday 20 March.

Where: Church Hall in Crook of Devon

Admission: £3 for adults and £1.50 for children.

As well as all the lovely home baking, there will be some plants for sale, too.

If you would like to donate any home baking of your own please bring it along.

ALL WELCOME!

Work has now begun on the construction of a new footpath in Crook of Devon from Naemoor Road to the Back Crook, which will complete the Fossoway School Millenium Walk around Crook of Devon, Drum and Rumbling Bridge. The new path will include a bridge over the River Devon between the Scout Camp and the existing footpath behind Moubray. The Fossoway School Millenium Walk is a 6.5 mile circuit and this last section of footpath completes the loop. Well done to WALC for making this happen - this is really exciting news!

Click on the map to see the location of the new brigde.

The path from the river to Lendrick Muir woods is not actually all that new - it's been there a number of years. Apologies for any confusion caused, I've amended the descriptions of the photos on the gallery page to remove the word "new"; "path put in by WALC" would describe it better. Here is a link to a map of the path location. Just zoom out to get your bearings.

I've also uploaded your photo of the path from near the church to the Institute, thanks for sending it.

New Paths

I see your new gallery (WALC Photos) of a new path through Lendrick Muir woods. I can't figure out where this is though! I was through there last weekend and managed to miss it entirely. Idiot-guide please :-)

A new path has also been laid from by the church, at the back of the newer graveyard, past the foot of Waulkmill Park towards the new houses by the Institute (I have a lovely dreary photo but can't attach it!?)

Thanks for keeping us 'posted' on all this stuff.

Perth & Kinross Council have prepared a series of proposals to mitigate the effect of increasing traffic on the A977 and to make life for the communities alongside the A977 safer. The proposals include a puffin crossing at the Institute in Crook of Devon. Now we - the community - have to set priorities. Fossoway & District Community Council have organised a meeting in which the proposals will be presented and discussed. This is the chance to get your voice heard!

Monday 22 February 7.30pm Crook of Devon Institute

ALL WELCOME!

FOSSOWAY AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL

ELECTION

1. Notice is hereby given that an election will be held on 4 March 2010 for the election of 8 members to the Fossoway and District Community Council.
2. Nomination forms duly completed and signed must be lodged with the Returning Officer, Councillor Mike Barnacle c/o Elections Office, Perth and Kinross Council, Council Building, 2 High Street, Perth, PH1 5PH on any day after the date of this Notice, but not later than 4pm afternoon of 11 February 2010.
3. Forms of nomination may be obtained from Fossoway Garage or from the Returning Officer, Councillor Mike Barnacle, or download from here, on or after the date hereof.

Councillor Mike Barnacle
Returning Officer

21 January 2010

The possibility of a new pedestrian crossing over the A977, with traffic lights, between Fossoway Primary School and the Crook of Devon Institute was mentioned at a recent Fossoway Community Council meeting. Fingers crossed that Perth & Kinross Council will fund this. Parking for parents dropping off and collecting their children from school is provided at the Institute car park, which means that children either have to cross the busy A977 at a particularly dangerous section of the road (on a bend that lorries come tearing round) or face a lengthy detour to the crossing outside the Inn. An extra crossing at this location would improve road safety and might serve to slow down some of the vehicles that currently thunder through Crook of Devon doing well over the speed limit.

Now that the election campaigning has begun, it seems like a good time to let you know about a couple of websites that can help you cut through the rhetoric and spin and provide you with the facts you need to make up your mind which way to vote.

A great place to find out about your local MP is TheyWorkForYou.com, which will tell you who your MP is, what he or she has said in Parliament, how they have voted on different issues and much, much more. You can even ask to be emailed whenever an MP speaks in Parliament or a particular topic is mentioned. It's well worth a look.

In just a few short clicks I quickly discovered that Gordon Banks is my local MP for Ochil & Perthshire South and that he voted very strongly for the introduction of the smoking ban, introducing ID cards and Labour's anti-terrorism laws. He voted very strongly against an investigation into the Iraq war and moderately against laws to stop climate change. He has a majority of 688 votes.

Another useful site is TheStraightChoice.com, where you can upload photos of election leaflets that come through your door and view leaflets uploaded by others. It's very easy to use and lets you see how the different parties vary their message across different areas. It also lets you find out about the candidates if you were not lucky enough to receive one of their campaign leaflets.

If you would like to offer your help to these projects and other similar ones, visit the DemocracyClub.org.uk.

There will be no collection of bins with BLUE or BROWN lids until at least Friday 22 January.

Residents’ green lidded general waste bins will be collected on the next scheduled collection dates for both green lidded and blue lidded bins. Householders should refer to their relevant collection calendars. Green lidded general waste bins will be collected where it is safe for the vehicle to access the road and it is possible to uplift the bins.

Perth & Kinross Council is making these temporary changes to its kerbside waste and recycling services from Wednesday 6 January 2010 to improve the overall collection service during the adverse weather.

Read the full announcement from Perth & Kinross Council

The Meeting of Fossoway Community Council, which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 5 January 2010 has been postponed and will now go ahead a week later on Tuesday 12 January. The meeting will be at Fossoway Primary School in Crook of Devon and proceedings will start at 7.30pm, as usual.

In a blunt letter to the Perthshire Advertiser, Peter Hounam urged the Scottish Government to step in and investigate Perth & Kinross Council. His calls follow a series of controversial decisions made by the council, including giving the green light to inappropriate development in the Kinross area, which led to the resignation of a senior councillor.

Read the entire article entitled, "Perth and Kinross Council changes needed 'at the top'", which can be viewed on the Perthshire Advertiser website.

Have your say on this topic by joining the fossoway website and leaving comments on the forum. All you need to do is register a username and valid email address, then you can make your voice heard!

WALC thanks everyone for playing their part in raising a grand total of £700 at the Pudding Party on 28 November. The Institute was packed and the puddings were delicious!

What a great evening! Lots of people turned up and everything ran smoothly. Excellent puddings, too. Well done to all those who helped make it happen.