HELENSBURGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL

“Helensburgh – Be Better : Be Excellent”

Minutes of the Helensburgh Community Council Meeting

Thursday 29^th March 2007

Present: Sonja Aitken, Karen Brabender, John Croy, Ronnie Finnigan, Marion Gillies, Jim Gorie, Alastair Macbeth, Compton MacGill, Catriona Malan, Nigel Millar, Jim Milligan, Stewart Noble, James Robb, Kathleen Siddle, David Sinclair, Richard Trail and Gordon Tran.

Councillor Gary Mulvaney, Al Reay and John Tacchi.

In the chair Nigel Millar.

Apologies:. Findlay McQuarrie.

Topic	Minute	Decision / Action
1. Welcome	The Chair welcomed the members.
2. Hospital Watch	The Chair welcomed Vivien Dance who spoke to us about Hospital Watch. She made a number of points. Many people have concerns about aspects of the health service. The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board have responsibility for the Vale of Leven hospital which has a catchment area extending beyond the Health Board’s own area. There are clinical concerns about anæsthetics at the hospital. Hospitalwatch is non-political	It was agreed that the Community Council should write to NHS Highland to enquire how and when the health care needs will be undertaken in the Helensburgh area.
Topic	Minute	Decision / Action
2. Hospital Watch (cont’d)	All categories of health needs of the people of West Dunbartonshire are at the worse end of the spectrum. This will have an effect on the Vale hospital. NHS Highland, which covers the Helensburgh and Lomond area has still to undertake the health needs assessment. Anæsthetists are in relatively short supply as a profession, but not disastrously so. The Vale hospital is said to be working at full capacity. There is co-operative working between West Dunbartonshire Council and the Health Board in a way that isn’t evident in the Helensburgh area. The Chair thanked Vivien. There is to be a Health Hustings for MSP first-past-the-post candidates on 17^th April at 19.30 in the Victoria Halls.
3. Public Session	No members of the public had any matters to raise.
4. Minutes of Previous Meeting	The final sentence of Item 3.1 should read – It is being extended to Williamson Drive and Kirkmichael by ACHA (Argyll Community Housing Association). In Item 3.2 concept ... transport should read Commission for Integrated Transport.	Subject to the amendments noted, it was agreed that the minutes were accurate.
5. Matters Arising	5.1 Kildonan Drive (Item 2 in previous minutes) It was reported by Councillor Tacchi that the situation had improved with the appointment of a multi-agency task force.
	5.2 Community Council Web Site (Item 3.5 in previous minutes) It was reported that the meeting suggested had not yet taken place.
	5.3 Retailers (Item 3.7 in previous minutes) It was reported that a nomination has not yet been made
	5.4 Invitation to Jackie Pollok (Item 4 in previous minutes)	It was agreed to invite Jackie Pollok to speak to the April meeting of the Community Council on a similar basis to Vivien Dance.
Topic	Minute	Decision / Action
6. Town Issues	6.1 Traffic Orders (Craigendoran) It was noted that Argyll and Bute Council are promoting traffic orders for one way streets and for a mandatory 20 mph speed restriction in the vicinity of the new Hermitage Academy. It was felt that it will be necessary to consider also the effect of the development of the old Hermitage Academy site.	It was agreed to remit this matters to the Planning Sub-Group.
	6.2 Faslane Fair It was noted that the Faslane Fair will not take place this year. The only similar community event will be the Helensburgh Gala to be held in the East King Street Park.	It was agreed that the Community Council should support this event.
	6.3 Street Tree Planting It was reported that the Tree Conservation Trust are currently undertaking tree plating in various parts of the town. This is not without complaint by some householders.
5. Statutory Plans Group	Alastair Macbeth, presented a detailed report on the Local Plan. See the Appendix for details. Jim Milligan reported that the Helensburgh and Lomond Open Space Audit and Action Plan required by the Scottish Executive was complete but not yet available to the public.	The position was noted.
6. Planning	6.1 The Pier Site The public meeting scheduled for 12^th April in connection with the Pier Site was considered. Two hundred organisations had been invited to send representatives. We must have confidence in the outcome of this meeting which might be difficult if the attendance is low. Other means of gauging opining were discussed such as a poll in the Helensburgh Advertiser and via our web site. In considering the options it should be borne in mind that the alternatives should be qualified by predominantly, ie not exclusively one type of development or the other.
7. Hustings	Jim Gorie reported on this. There is to be a single meeting only on Tuesday 24^th April. There is need to develop publicity for it.	The position was noted.
Topic	Minute	Decision / Action
8. Finance	It was reported that the bank balance stands at £1,452. The financial year ends on 31^st March. The response to the local plan is involving significant expense in relation to our total annual budget. The Community Council will have to pay for the two meetings (Pier Site consultation and the Hustings) to be held in the Victoria Hall.	The position was noted.
9. Next Meeting	The next full meeting will be held on Thursday 26^th April 2007 at 19.00 in the Victoria Halls.

APPENDIX

Report of the HCC Statutory Plans Group

1. Procedures for the Public Local Inquiry on Argyll and Bute Council’s (ABC's) Modified Draft Local Plan are currently requiring a great deal of work. They are bureaucratically complex and made more challenging by demanding deadlines and some confusion over what issues are to heard when.

2. The Helensburgh Community Council (HCC) objections are being heard in two stages. The first in May when strategic matters are to be taken and the second in July for Helensburgh and Lomond matters. In some cases (e.g. the business site) no allocation has been made.

3. Most of HCC's objections are being put in the first session, but the East Clyde Street Open Space will be on 24th July (if the HCC decides to continue with that objection) and the Pier Area on 26th July (if it decides to continue with that objection).

4. The HCC is combining with the Study Group, the Civic Society and the Green Belt Group over some objections held in common. This is at the request of the Reporter hearing the Public Local Inquiry (PLI) as it will simplify his work. The main topics for combining are

(i) population and household projections,

(ii) housing provision for Helensburgh and Lomond Area (and Helensburgh in particular),

(iii) the business site,

(iv) paragraph 2.19 of the Draft Local Plan which describes the key underlying issues for ABC in such a way that, in our opinion, it could disadvantage Helensburgh, especially in resource allocation,

(v) various lesser issues.

5. For each objection it is necessary to state whether an objector wishes to take a matter to a full formal hearing or an informal hearing or to rely on a written statement or the original objection. An objection can also be withdrawn.

6. HCC has been able to withdraw 15 objections because either ABC has recognised our view and has responded in modifications to the Draft Local Plan or because we have been persuaded that are points are covered in other ways. More changes may be possible.

7. It was a pity that ABC did not hold follow-up talks with HCC which had been promised because other matters might have been cleared previously which are now going to the PLI.

8. A particular difficulty is that we are mid-way in a culture change in Scottish planning. This is not just about the new planning legislation, but goes back 5 years. The Scottish Executive has published statements which acknowledge that public trust in the planning system has diminished. For example, We all have a part to play in building trust and confidence back into the planning system and effective community engagement will be the way we achieve this. The HCC has sought to follow the new emphasis on community involvement in a conscientious way.

9. The HCC established its basic views and made them public in 2005. There has been no change in these. Briefly, they are :

(i) that most of the Draft Local Plan deserves support,

(ii) that projections of population decline should be replaced with a steady population,

(iii) that more housing is needed, especially in the affordable sector,

(iv) that Helensburgh should neither stagnate nor suffer urban sprawl but should grow in a steady and measured way based on a sound vision which allows for all interests,

(v) a business site, and

(vi) various other points.

10. HCC is critical of the delays in commissioning the study of affordable housing and the unsatisfactory way in which it has been released at the last moment. A first quick assessment suggests that it contains much useful data, but there are also some immediately identified minor errors and larger aspects which need to be questioned. It will require detailed examination of its methods and conclusions.

11. There will now be two reporters hearing the evidence for the PLI. Quite a few objections have been withdrawn. These two factors mean that the inquiry should be completed this year

12. An SPP21 review of the green belt will start in early 2008, for every local authority. A twenty year horizon is to be considered.

13. A big thank-you is given to all members of the Statutory Plans Group.