Sederunt:- Aileen McMann (Chairperson); Gordon McAllan (Vice Chair); Les Hoggan (Secretary); Sheila Tulloch (Treasurer); Morag Arnot; Linda Brown; Alister Hendry; Margot McDonald; Douglas Scott and Aileen Stewart. Councillors:- G. Campbell and I. Dorman.

Minute Secretary:- John Graham.

Visitors:- Dr. Lisa Cameron MP; Linzi Clark; Robert Murray; William Park and Rachael Wakefield.

Apologies:- Councillor Margaret Cooper.

Minutes of Previous Meeting (30/03/2021). The Minutes were approved without change. Proposed: M. McDonald. Seconded: M. Arnot.  

Matters Arising. AOCB – Section 17(f):- Councillor Dorman reported that a Road Mapping Exercise was on-going regarding the bins at Lethame Road. 

Community Action Plan (CAP).

(a) A timescale has been agreed for the launch of the Review of the CAP.

(b) The full Review will be launched on the 30th April, 2021 and will be available on the Community Council Website at http://www.strathaven.org. It will also be available on the CC Facebook Page.

(c) Returns to be in by 30th June, 2021 and the updated CAP is planned to be launched in October, 2021.

(d) The Consultation Document was approved at the Meeting. L. Hoggan to tidy up the Document prior to sending it out.

(e) As getting involvement with schools could be problematic due to COVID-19, it was suggested that the Head Boy and Head Girl from the Academy could be asked for comments on the CAP.

(f) It was agreed to involve schools on the Agenda for the June Meeting and to invite someone from the schools to attend. 

CC Membership. No reply has been received from Linda McCorrison to the recent contact made with her. L. Hoggan to write to her thanking her for her contribution to the CC and say that the CC shall consider a replacement for her on the Council 

Plans for Incinerator at Overwood.

(a) The CC to keep a watching brief regarding the Project until the Planning Application is submitted.

(b) Following discussion about the proposed Incinerator, it was agreed that the views of the CC Members be sought via E-Mail and that these be collated. L. Hoggan agreed to try to put a Report together for the next Meeting.

(c) Councillor Campbell reminded the CC that they were not a Statutory Group when it came to objections to the proposal. Any objections would have to come from individuals and not from the CC as a Group. 

Strathaven Inside/Out App.

(a) The App will be formally launched in May, 2021 and the Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust (SJHMT) are finalising the two Heritage Trails at present. The App will be free to use.

(b) Funding has been secured to add to the App. The additions will be two more Heritage Trails, two Cycle Trails and an Article on weaving in Avondale. Clarification is being sought as to how the Funding will be managed. 

Transport Sub-Group.

(a) December 2019 was the last time that the Sub-Group met and SLC have agreed to arrange a meeting of the Group as soon as is feasible.

(b) SLC wish notice of what issues the CC want to discuss prior to arranging the meeting.

(c) It was agreed that discussions should follow on from the last meeting. Details to be circulated to CC Members for comment and for them to suggest any additional items for discussion. 

Working Together for Avondale (WTA) – Update.

(a) 90 meals were distributed over the Easter Weekend.

(b) Peer Group support sessions have continued to be run from the Outreach Community Church.

(c) Mind Marvels have set up a series of on-line sessions during May.

(d) The Strathaven Food Bank continues to be supported.

(e) Work continues with Creative Strathaven to supply Craft Kits for families. (f) Take up for free transport to Vaccination Centres has been slow. More publicity for this Scheme is planned and the LEAP Hands On Project have agreed to publicise the service.

(g) £14,492 remains to be spent and ideas on how to use this funding will be most welcome.

(h) The Chairperson congratulated WTA on the excellent work which they are doing. 

Strathaven CARS.

(a) Work on the former Fruit Shop and on No 40 Common Green has been completed.

(b) Work is expected to be done on the Barber’s Shop, Craig’s Newsagent, The Taal, Roasted and Sorbie Hayes.

(c) Work on the Green Room is under consideration.

Kype Muir Community Fund.

(a) The Terms of Reference refer to an Evaluation of the Procedures and Terms of Reference after 3 years of the Fund running. It was verified that the date the Fund actually started was 19th May, 2019 therefore the Evaluation will take place in May, 2022.

(b) The Chair, George Smith, and other Office Bearers were appointed for a one year term to allow the alignment of Procedures.

(c) The Kype Muir Extension has been delayed due to a land issue. This should not cause any delay in the final readiness of the Development.

(d) There have been 2 Expressions of Interest for funding from the Fund:- 1. Strathaven Striders for £500 to cover hire of Strathaven Academy on the day of the Annual Half Marathon. This one is recommended. 2. Lanarkshire Larder for £5,000. This one is being researched and it may be one for joint payments from the Fund in view of the participants in this Scheme being able to advertise and bring to a wider audience the produce in Lanarkshire.

(e) There is £20,000 in the Fund at present but more should be added soon. (f) It was said that Strathaven W3ST would be submitting a Funding Bid to the Fund for the installation of CCTV at their premises.

(g) Representatives of Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill were invited to join as observers for one year. They need to meet the Regulations before becoming full Members. Dr. Cameron MP said that both communities were happy with the help which they have been given. 

CC Micro Grants.

(a) It was reported that 7 Grants for 2020/2021 have been completed with 5 outstanding from 2020/2021 and also 2 from 2019/2020.

(b) The Application for this years funding is with SLC. 

Secretary’s Report. All items covered in the Meeting. 

Treasurer’s Report.

(a) Following the CC Meeting of 30th March, 2021, Financial Accounts of 2020/21 were submitted to SLC on the 31st March, 2021. An Acknowledgement has been received and the official Audit of the Annual A Community Council constituted under section 52 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended. Accounts is awaited prior to the award of the Annual Administration Grant. During April a number of items relating to WTA have been paid.

(b) COVID Fund 2020/2022 – As the Covid Grant will be operational for a finite period it is proposed that the Accounts for these Funds be reported on a rolling basis over the financial period 2020/2022. As agreed at the outset to expedite payments the Treasurer will continue to make payments from personal funds with reimbursement on a monthly basis.

(c) Value of the COVID Fund is £36,000. To date expenditure is as follows:- Total spent to date = £21,507.29. Currently committed = £ 4,150.00. Total estimated spend = £25,657. 29 Balance remaining = £10,342.71

(d) The Financial Report was accepted by the Members. 

Reports from CC Members.

(a) Ed Archer from the Lanarkshire Heritage Forum has visited the Hallhill site in Glassford and the devastation was noted. The Ecology Report has been completed but it is heavily redacted and there is no mention of an Archaeological Survey on the site. (G. McAllan).

(b) A discussion took place regarding the Hallhill site and it was suggested that a Freedom of Information Request to SLC may prove useful. Dr. Cameron MP agreed to write to the Chief Executive of SLC regarding the situation.

(c) The lack of Public Toilets within the town was raised and the CC were asked to give serious consideration as to how this problem could be resolved. (L. Brown).

(d) Members were requested to think of ideas as to what could be done about the lack of Toilet facilities. Ideas to be E-Mailed to L. Hoggan at least one week prior to the next CC Meeting.

(e) Thanks were expressed to all who have given items for inclusion in the COVID-19 Experiences Project being conducted by the SJHMT. A plea was made for more articles to be submitted. Dr. Cameron MP agreed to provide an article. (M. McDonald).

(f) It was reported that bollards had been removed at George Allan Place and Threestanes Road. Councillor Dorman agreed to look into the matter. (D. Scott). (Since the Meeting Councillor Dorman reported on 7th May that the bollards would be replaced within the next 30 working days). 

Reports from SLC Councillors. There were no further Reports to be given. 

AOCB.

(a) No Report has been received from Police Scotland for this Meeting.

(b) The state of the pond in the Park was raised and it was reported that work was scheduled to take place soon to clean it up.

(c) The question of when the Re-Cycling Bins would be re-instated at the Car Park at Sainsbury’s was raised. No information was available regarding this. 

Date of Next Meeting. Tuesday 25th May, 2021 at 7.00 pm on-line via Zoom.

Members of the Public are most welcome to all our Meetings. All correspondence to:- strathavencommcouncil@gmail.com.