HELENSBURGH
COMMUNITY COUNCIL
“Helensburgh
– Be Better : Be Excellent”
Minutes
of the Helensburgh Community Council Meeting
Thursday
22nd February 2007
Present: Sonja Aitken, Karen Brabender, John Croy, Marion Gillies,
Alastair Macbeth, Compton MacGill, Catriona Malan, Findlay McQuarrie, Nigel
Millar, Jim Milligan, Stewart Noble, James Robb, Maggie Sheen, Kathleen Siddle,
David Sinclair, Richard Trail and Gordon Tran.
Councillor Al Reay.
In the chair Nigel Millar.
Apologies: Ronnie Finnigan and Jim Gorie.
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Topic |
Minute |
Decision / Action |
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1. Welcome |
The Chair welcomed the members, and our
speakers. |
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2. Public Session |
George Douglas spoke to the meeting
about the difficulties that the residents of parts of the Clyde-Arran and
Glade estates were experiencing with young tearaways and the police response
thereto. A number of points were made.
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2. Public Session (cont’d) |
Members of the Council spoke and a
number of points were made.
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It was agreed that the Chair would arrange with Councillor Tacchi for
the Community Safety Forum to meet the residents and the police one evening. |
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3. Town Issues |
3.1 CCTV
system Stewart Noble reported on the work of
the CCTV Trust, which is shortly to be converted into a company limited by
guarantee. Argyll and Bute Council have provided a
state of the art system comprising four cameras in the town centre. It is
being extended to Williamson Drive and Kirkmicharel by ACHA (Argyll Community
Housing Association). The financial way is clear for the next
18 months, but other sources of revenue will have to found within that time. |
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3.2 Out
of Town Shopping Centres Following the petition in connection
with out of town shopping centres, the attention of the Council was drawn to
an article in a recent edition of The
Herald in which the concept of integrated transport called for a ban on
free parking for out of town shops. |
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3.3
Ambulance Cover It was reported that currently
ambulances servicing Helensburgh on Thursdays were single manned, but that
they would be double manned from 1st April. |
It was agreed that the Ambulance service be invited to talk to a |
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3.3
Ambulance Cover (cont’d) It was elaborated that this was due to
an historical development of the rostering of crews in the Helensburgh area
and the use of a centralised control. |
subsequent meeting of the
Community Council. |
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3.4 Conservation
Areas Kathleen Siddle spoke on the recent
exhibition of celebration of the conservation areas. Of the 150 copies of the
first draft Appraisal Document, there had been to date 53 questionnaires
returned. A data base for the analysis of
responses is in course of preparation by David White. This stage of the process would be
finished by summer. John Black (of oortoun web site) had
created a web site for the Conservation Areas Group. |
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3.5
Community Council Web Site It was noted that our site is attractive
and up to date. It was suggested that Richard Trail, who looks after our one,
should be given a slot at each meeting of the Community Council. It was reported that Brian Stevenson
who runs a town site and Userfriendly Computers have difficulties in
maintaining their sites. The address of our site is www.helensburghcommunitycouncil.co.uk
We should investigate identifying sponsors |
It was agreed to convene a meeting of all those having a web site
relating to Helensburgh with a view to establishing whether it would be
better to concentrate efforts on a single town web site. |
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3.6
Kirkmichael Sports John Watson of the Kirkmichael Sports
and Recreation Association, who thanks to Argyll and Bute Council and
Dunbritton Housing Association, are providing a seven a side sports pitch and
other recreational facilities in Kirkmichael and are holding an open evening
at the Kirckmichael Learning Centre in Townhead Road on 1st March
between 18.00. and 20.00 to which interested parties are invited. |
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3.7
Retailers It was noted that the Chamber of
Commerce nominate a member of the Community Council while the Retailers’
Association do not. The interest of the former tends to be of a strategic
nature while that of the latter is of more immediate issues. Thus the
business community cannot satisfactorily be served by only be or other body. |
It was agreed that the Retailers’ Association should be invited to
nominate a member to join the Community Council |
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3.8
Hustings |
It was agreed to defer consideration of this matter to a future meeting. |
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4. Minutes of Previous Meeting |
Due to an administrative foul up, the
minutes of the previous meeting were not issued. The Chair apologized for
this. They will be issued along with those for this meeting. It was considered that Vivien Dance should
be invited to address a subsequent meeting on the future of the Vale of Leven
Hospital and likewise Jackie Pollok to a separate meeting. Each would be
asked to submit for prior circulation a one-page summary of their talk and be
given a slot of 10 minutes presentation, followed by 15 minutes discussion. |
It was agreed to invite Vivien Dance and Jackie Pollok as noted. |
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5. Statutory Plans Group |
Alastair Macbeth, assisted by Jim
Milligan and Findlay McQuarrie presented a detailed report on the Local Plan.
Of prime importance is whether the Community Council should maintain their
objections to the proposals for the pier head and the sports field at the
East Clyde Street School. |
It was agreed to hold a public meeting to determine the community’s
views prior to making a decision. It was further agreed that the Statutory Plans Group
would consider the appropriate format for this meeting for others to
implement. |
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6. Planning |
6.1 TMobile Catriona Malan presented
her report on a preliminary meeting held with the promoter. It should be
noted that there is no planning application made. It is proposed that the
existing 10 metre high flagpole be replaced with a 15 metre high flagpole
which will incorporate the necessary aerial inside it. The Bowling Club have
agreed to its erection by 42 votes to 8. However those neighbours attending
the meeting were very much opposed to its provision. |
The position was noted. |
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6.2 Victoria Road Catriona Malan presented
her report. The planning application, for five houses and eight flats plus a
new point of entry, is to go to a PAN41 hearing. It is expected that the
development will not comply with the requirement of 0.1 hectare per plot or
an overall density no greater than 10 dwellings per hectare. |
The position was noted. |
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6.3 Hermitage Academy Site The planning application
has been lodged and an objection has still to be lodged. |
The position was noted. |
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6.4 East End Commercial Site Various interest groups
will get together to see if they can reach a common position which would lead
to the withdrawal of all objections. If this is not achieved, development of
the site will be held up by at least two years. |
The position was noted |
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3. Finance |
It was reported that the
bank balance stands at £1,561 with some expenditure in connection with the
Remembrance Day parade still to come in. It should be noted that the
end of the Community Council’s financial is 31st March and so all
claims for expenses should be submitted promptly to the Treasurer |
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9. Next Meeting |
The next full meeting will be held on
Thursday 29th March 2007 at 19.00 in the Victoria Halls. |
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