Community Council 7 June 2024 Draft Minutes

COLVEND AND SOUTHWICK COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING

Thursday 7 June 2024 at 7pm in Colvend Public Hall

 

PRESENT: Chair - Roderick Morriss (RM); Vice Chair - Simon Pain (SWP); Treasurer – John Rowland (JR); Elected CCs: John Coates (JC), Kenneth Coltart (KC), Matthew Pumphrey (MP), Co-opted CC: Elspeth Collins-Taylor (ECT); Kippford Association Representative – David Butler (DB); Minute Secretary - Gwen Coates (GC)

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: Richard Bond (RB), Lee Maxwell (LM), Tom Nicol (TN), Save Sandyhills Group (SSG) Representative - Peter Shaw (PS)

APOLOGIES: Secretary – Gordon Webster (GW); Elected CC: Tracey Roan (TR), Kristine Filer (KF); Co-opted CC: Careema Wilson (CW); Local Cllrs: Ian Blake (IB), Kim Lowe (KL), David Stitt (DS)

 

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Adoption of the Minutes from 2 May 2024

With a slight amendment, the minutes were approved by SWP and seconded by JR. The amendment concerned the final sentence of the final paragraph of the AOCB section. SWP asked that this be amended to include Kippford, i.e., to read: ‘SWP suggested it would be good if, in high season, Sandyhills, Rockcliffe and Kippford could be on a warden visit rota.’

 

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

  1. Replacement CSCC website update. SWP informed members that this was now up and running and includes key Local Place Plan (LPP) documents. However, he noted that CW still has work to do on it.  To consider at the next meeting. (CW/JR/GW)
  2. Rural Post Office service update. In his absence, GW sent a note informing members that he had taken this issue as far as he could. This item is now closed.  
  3. Damaged footbridge on the Sandyhills to Portling coastal path. ECT said that the footbridge had suffered more damage. There was some discussion about who owned it and was thus responsible for its maintenance. ECT agreed to contact Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) to establish who the owner is – and if possible, to get this information confirmed in writing. To consider at the next meeting. (ECT /SWP)

 

POLICE REPORT

This was circulated to members prior to this meeting. It was noted that the police are holding drop-in surgeries around the region. A surgery at Colvend will be held on 23 September 2024. SWP noted that the report included a leaflet giving advice on cyber safety for holiday makers. He suggested putting this leaflet on the CSCC website so that members of the public could have access to it. 

 

TREASURER'S REPORT

The June Treasurer’s report was forwarded to members prior to the meeting:

Date

Description 

In

Out

Balance

   

£

£

£

30-May-24

GEOXPHERE LTD - Parish Online for LPP

 

60.00

38,150.05

29-May-24

Gala Cash - £185 float, £746.89 takings

931.89

 

38,210.05

21-May-24

Cash withdrawal for Gala - £110 for Band, £185 float

 

295.00

37,278.16

16-May-24

SIGNRIGHT GRAPHIX - LPP Sign 

 

623.52

37,573.16

08-May-24

GG&B LLP CLIENTS A M. MURDOCH TRUST 

3,659.81

 

38,196.68

03-May-24

ICO Reg

 

35.00

34,536.87

02-May-24

SIGNRIGHT GRAPHIX - Gala Sign update

 

46.32

34,571.87

 

At a previous meeting it had been suggested that CSCC funds were moved into interest bearing accounts. JR suggested that £10,000 be moved into a 95 day notice account paying 4% interest. He also suggested keeping £1000 available for ‘next day’ payments (this has since been increased to approx. £2000) and that the rest of the funds be put into an instant access account (paying 1.45%). This was agreed by members. There was discussion about cash receipts from the various activities at the recent Gala. Costs for this event have not yet been finalised but JR suggested that the event had, at a minimum, broken even. It was agreed that the remaining funds be ring-fenced for future Gala events. SWP asked for authority to purchase a repair kit for one of the marquees plus other materials needed to hang the LPP displays. This was granted. In addition, approval was given to a future payment of approximately £9000 for the Kippford Nature Reserve Shelter, which may fall due in July before the next CSCC meeting.

 

SHEEP WATCH 2024

Placeholder until re-activated when there is something new to report.

 

LOCAL DEFIBRILLATOR INFORMATION

DGC request for details of all local defibrillators. SWP told members that there are 7 defibrillators with public access in our area. They are located at Kippford Hall, Kippford Golf Club, Rockcliffe toilet block, Castle Point Caravan Site, Colvend Information Centre, Colvend Golf Club, Barend Holiday Village. SWP is currently trying to establish the ownership of each. He said that most are maintained by Dalbeattie First Responders but it is not clear who is responsible for replacing them when necessary. It was noted that there had been no response in relation to an earlier request to have a defibrillator at Portling. TN agreed to give the contact details he has used, in relation to this request, to SWP to see if the coastguard might respond to a request from CSCC for a defibrillator at Portling. (SWP)

 

PROJECTS

Prior to the meeting, SWP submitted a Projects Report detailing progress on a number of the projects, community involvement initiatives and Local Place Plan (LPP), all of which are discussed below. This document is available on the CSCC website. The following is a summary of issues discussed at the meeting that are additional to those included in the Projects report.

  1. Kippford Nature Reserve Memorial Shelter update. SWP noted that this project was on schedule. No issues additional to those in the Projects Report were discussed. (SWP) This project is on-going.
  2. Resilience Team grant application. SWP said he is hoping that the 3 leaflets mentioned in the Projects Report can be distributed at the same time to each address. Local individuals are being asked for their assistance with this. (SWP/JS) This project is on-going.

 

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  1. 2024 Colvend Family Gala update and marquee hire. The Gala was judged to be a great success. RM thanked all those involved in its organisation. He noted that there were lots of photographs and articles in the press. JC told members that he had had a number of queries about the possibility of hiring the marquees. He noted that it was agreed by members, when making the decision to purchase the marquees, that CSCC would consider renting them out. The difficulties involved in doing this were discussed – possible damage, problems with transportation, erection, drying out of marquees, etc. In addition, members discussed the size of any deposit in case of damage and whether a rental fee should be charged. It was decided in principle that this idea should be pursued as the marquees, in effect, belong to the community. JC agreed to put together a proposal for the next meeting. (JC/SWP/JR/CW) This item is ongoing.

 

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

  1. 22/0197/SCO Scoping Opinion – paused awaiting applicant response.
  2. 23/1426/FUL Sandyhills proposed car park development – rolling agenda item.
  3. 23/1711/CLE Certificate of Lawfulness – paused awaiting determination from Planning.
  4. 23/2027/SCR Screening Request related to 23/1426/FUL. No further information on this point. PS said he had little to report on the above points. The next planning application meeting is expected at the end of June, when representatives of SSG and of CSCC plan to give their views. There was some discussion about whether others should be encouraged to attend to support SSG. PS said that he was not convinced that a large turn-out of supporters was the right approach. RM suggested that PS discuss with other members of SSG what they would like in terms of support and media coverage and report back.
  5. Local Place Plan (LPP).
  • Gala Draft LPP feedback. As noted in the online Projects Report, consultation on the LPP at the Gala resulted in only a small response and as a result more engagement sessions with the public will need to be organised. This led to a discussion about whether it might be possible to erect a marquee providing LPP information outside Colvend Hall on Election Day. No decision was made on this.
  • Housing Needs Assessment. Details of this are included in the online Projects Report. SWP raised the idea of CSCC setting up a Community Interest Company in order to build/acquire a few affordable family properties These would be let to families with school-aged children who would attend Colvend Primary School and thus add to/sustain the school roll. Members discussed the difficulties of framing a tenancy/leasing contract that restricted tenants to only those with primary aged children and what might happen if such families chose to move their children to another local school, what might happen when the children moved on to secondary school, etc. (SWP)  

 

AOCB

  1. MP informed members that the Margaret Murdoch Trust transfer will be discussed at a committee meeting in October 2024.
  2. DB said that a land registry search is being carried out to establish the ownership of the ‘wee pier’ at Kippford.
  3. SWP informed members that the local Lions Club was low on numbers and would welcome new members.
  4. RM raised several items:
  • a resident had asked about vehicles driving too fast on the back road leading to the Baron’s Craig and the possibility of having traffic calming supports in place. It was pointed out that this is a private road and any developments are therefore the responsibility of residents.
  • a member of the public had reported being attacked by a dog. It was noted that this is not something that CSCC can take action on other than reminding dog owners that they must keep their dogs under control at all times – which is currently being done via posters and leaflets.  
  • it has been reported that bins at Colvend Public Hall are being filled with commercial rubbish. JC said that no one has raised such a complaint to him or other members of the Hall committee and he wasn’t aware of any problems.
  • in the past members of the Community Payback Team were available to trim hedgerows and clear footpaths in the local area. SWP said he has asked for such help again but has had no response. He agreed to contact DGC again. JC said that the National Trust (NT) have been clearing paths on their land recently. In addition, the NT has called for volunteers to assist with this in the next few weeks.

 

OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON THURSDAY 18 JULY 2024 AT 7:00 PM IN COLVEND PUBLIC HALL

We encourage people who live in the area to attend these interesting meetings!  Find out what is going on in your community.

www.colvendcommunity.co.uk

We also have a Facebook page & WhatsApp groups!

If further copies of these minutes are required, please email secretary@colvendcommunity.co.uk