DRAFT Minutes of Meeting of Kirkmahoe Community Council Date: 17/02/2022 Place: Online – Zoom 7.30pm (Weather warning of dangerous road conditions) Present: KCC Members: Jean Muir JM; Alistair Johnstone AJ; Alice Howdle AH; Irene Paterson IP; Peter Landale PL Councillor: Public: Apologies: John Duncan, Pamela Crosbie, Hugh Johnstone 2. Minutes of last meeting – Minutes approved once date changed Treasurer’s report – Community fund not events fund.
3. Matters arising from minutes and Correspondence–
1. Clarification on the statement re cuts in the Councillor’s report - £5.2 billion of COVID-19 funding has been removed from Scottish Government budgets in 2022-23, despite ongoing demands on Scotland’s NHS, transport networks and education system. Whilst the core Barnett settlement from the UK Government has increased, this is not sufficient to cover the impacts of the loss of this COVID-19 funding. The real terms reduction to total Barnett Funding (excluding Financial Transactions) is £1.747 billion by comparison to the 2021-22 Budget Bill position shown in this document. This represents a real terms reduction of 4.4%. The effects of the UK Spending Review settlement on the longer-term funding outlook for the Scottish Government are discussed in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. Funding for 2022/23 Council D&G
2021-2
2022-3
314.6
329.0
increase 14.4
percentage increase 4.6
Much of this is ringfenced (eg for Social Work, Education etc) resulting in less money available for non-ringfenced funds. 2. Speeding at Duncow – Jeff leaver is consulting with the roads department to get clarification on whether the C11N will be speed restricted as part of the Council’s project on safer access to schools. A reminder was sent that the school children have to cross the C11N to access the King George V playing fields. Council has said they will assess it taking various things into account.
Proposer
Proposed PL Seconded AH
Action
We await the results of this assessment. 3. Email APRS<info@aprs.scot> I am writing to ask if your Community Council would consider becoming an affiliated group member of APRS, the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland. We did not vote but will do so when we have looked at their website for more information. PL suggested we should not be affiliated with this and all agreed. 4. Handrail at Wellington crescent IP has been in touch with DGHP – they are examining the title deeds to see who is responsible for these steps. Other steps in the area have handrails but not 100% sure if put in by DGHPC or residents. 5. Dalgarno singers funding? AJ PL agreed – community group – only choir in our area. £100
6. Discover Kirkmahoe funding for planters?
Proposed IP Seconded All agreed
Proposed PL Seconded All agreed
Agree £200 PL to speak to Claxtons re free ones.
4. Police report No report Officers hope to attend face to face meetings in future
5.Treasurer’s report Little activity on account. Outstanding cheque for £70 for hall hire Balance before that payment £8280.07 6. Councillor’s report None PL to contact JL re road condition in Dalswinton
PL
7 Planning One item – Dalswinton. Nothing of concern 8. Soup and Pud club AH, IP and JM met with members of the community to discuss the continuation of the Soup and Pud club we started in December. Decided to go ahead on a monthly basis with a core volunteer group and additional volunteers to be sought on the day. Next lunch will be on March 8th at 12.30. Won’t go ahead in March Since then we have discovered that the premises used to prepare food has to be registered with the Council. Easiest way to do this is to get hall committee to register hall kitchen and use to heat shop bought soup and puds. IP to contact Insurance would be £15 for 10 events. 9. Hearse House AH took photographs HH empty. AH, IP, JM, AJ and HJ met with Bob McBride, David Muir, and other church representative to discuss the transfer of the Hearse House for community use. Affidavits to be sent by church solicitors to residents to check title. IP checked with Derek Hextall re the keeping of assets by CCs. Derek explained that the reference to property in the constitution is for items like gazebos, barbeques etc – not buildings so the CC cannot own or lease the Hearse House. David Muir (Hall Committee Chair) was asked if hall would take it on – to be raised at next Hall meeting later in February. JM – Suggested an alternative way forward was to set up another SCIO or similar for hearse house But this was not a welcome idea 10 Jubilee event 2nd June Thursday PL - Dalswinton Village are running various events for the Jubilee celebrations in June. BBQ, Beacon Lighting at 9.45pm Need to restrict numbers on Mullach for beacon lighting The Mullach hill can be seen from Dumfries PL keen for Kirkton to take part in the Beacon project as Kirkmahoe beacon. If zoom call can be done from there each area can have an input into this. Discussion ensued re how to co-ordinate this eg have wi-fi connection to Kirkton – difficulties re signal at Kirkton. IP and AH to test. Technical work to be done to ensure connectivity.
IP
IP/AH PL
JM - Reminder to Dalswinton to apply for funding if required. Check where Mullach can be seen from in Kirkton, Duncow, Auchencairn
IP/AH
IP to encourage Kirkton residents to run an event in Kirkton in line with Dalswinton ones eg BBQ
IP
Plus speak to village hall committee
IP
JM suggested scarecrow competition – this was received well and to be done.
JM
PL says website available for events that are happening.
11 Quarry update Report from Council – “This matter is being investigated by the Council’s Planning Enforcement Team. The relevant planning approvals for this site indicate the requirement for the installation of a wheel wash on commencement of ‘Phase 3’ of the development. A site visit will be undertaken by the Council’s Planning Inspector to establish what works have taken place and an update will be provided to the Community Council following this visit. The Planning Inspector has contacted the Council’s Roads department who have advised that the deposit of mud/debris on the road is covered under Section 95 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1985. Contravention is enforceable, whereby the local Roads Authority would ask the persons in charge/control of the vehicles to remove the said materials in a timely manner. If the carriageway isn’t cleared to the satisfaction of the Roads Authority, they have the powers to carry out the cleaning. The Road Network (East) Team will be addressing this issue.” Once we get this report we will discuss future response AH checked if plans have been agreed as this hasn’t appeared in our weekly updates. Planning was granted conditionally - in October. 12. Litter pick Some areas are getting bad for litter again. We need to encourage people to go out. PL suggested a 2 hour pick followed by tea and coffee at Dalswinton hall, on good friday Sunday morning suggested for Kirkton. We have sacks and gloves which can be used. Council to be told when we do one and they will pick up. PL suggested 1st Sunday in April. 3rd April for all of Kirkmahoe. This was thought to be a good date. 13. AH and IP - Met with Linda Dorward – Labour candidate for Councillor’s post in May for Lochar Ward This was a meeting to introduce Linda and for her to get to know the area and ongoing issues. She is the retiring Governor of Dumfries Prison. 14. Flood signs Flashing flooding signs are up but no response from Council re when they will be active and procedures to be followed when they are needed.
Alexander Muir did a transect to check depth of potential flooding. When the water is lying at Carnsalloch, it is about 4 ft deep at Wallamhill house. AJ suggested we need smaller signs linked to the big ones sited within village. This could also be done with triangular signs although someone would have to put them out during flood events and they would have to be stored. This and other issues to be discussed with Council group who organised the flashing lights.
IP
IP to organise a meeting to agree procedures. Discussion needed re school children if they can’t get home. Previous buddy system worked. This will be raised at meeting.
15. Correspondence 1. Dumfries and Galloway’s Active Travel Strategy is being refreshed, and your input is vital to developing this. We want to invite you to participate in our online survey, which will secure your views are considered in setting the future of active travel in our region. How to participate? The easiest way is to fill out the questionnaire at ATS 2022-2027 Consultation and submit it online. IP to send out original email again.
IP
2. I am Simon Bonsall and I work for the Scottish Government in the team preparing Scotland’s forth National Planning Framework (NPF4). A map of the proposed national developments is available within the consultation draft NPF4 and here. Original email to be shared again. Action area discussions: Thurs 10 Feb, 12.30 – 2pm – Northeast Transition Tues 15 Feb, 12.30 – 2pm - Northern Revitalisation Wed 23 Feb, 4.30 – 6pm – Southern Sustainability Tues 1 March, 12.30 – 2pm - Central Urban Transformation Tues 8 March, 4.30 – 6pm - North and West Coastal Innovation Policy themed discussions: Thurs 17 Feb, 4.30 – 6pm - Liveable Places Thurs 24 Feb, 12.30 – 2pm - Productive Places Thurs 3 March, 4.30 – 6pm - Distinctive Places Thurs 10 March, 4.30 – 6pm - Sustainable Place
IP
3. Social Security Scotland. As always there is dedicated information on a range of services and grants which are available including the Best Start Grant which is currently open for applications for families until the 28th of February 2022. Information on Best Start Grants payments has been shared on FB as best way to contact younger residents with school age children. 4. Active transport : Feasibility of an on road cycle route from Portpatrick to Eyemouth for Ebike visitors 5. Ward visit by Derek Chriton has been rescheduled for 3/3/22 at 14.15 – 15.00 at Kirkton green to discuss resilience group. JM and AJ to attend 6.Census informations meetings to be held. IP and AH to attend online.
AJ/JM
IP/AH
16. AOCB 1. Reports of sheep on road – can we get a list of farmer’s numbers to contact and where they are and where they have animals. Best person to contact?? JM says on resilience list. 2. Kenny Meek is keen to run concert/events – mainly music, BYOB in Kirkton hall. He likes the idea of an events group outwith KCC. KCC happy to encourage this. 3. AJ – hall committee should be pushed to get wi-fi in hall, both for resilience and events. Dalswinton getting it at a cost of £500 per year as a business from BT. Locharbriggs £35 per month plus £90 installation also from BT. Seems to be going rate. Discussion re Resilience in hall. IP said the hall should only be seen as an interim retreat until people can get to hotels etc. Hall will be made available for heat, hot water and cooking facilities if needed. IP to write a report re last event and create an action plan.
IP
Set up diary on FB page resilience.
IP
4. JB reported that car park is completed – thanks from community for KCC support. 5. AJ asked if lights at school were fixed. IP to check
IP
6.AJ has group to do basic maintenance. AJ to write something for Grapevine.
AJ
Insurance needs sorted out. 17 Date, time and place of next meeting March 16th 2022 at 7.30pm Dalswinton Village Hall Irene Paterson Secretary 16/2/2022