STRATHAVEN AND GLASSFORD COMMUNITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING 28TH JUNE 2022

1. Sederunt: Aileen McMann (Chairperson); Gordon McAllan (Vice Chair); Sheila Munro Tulloch (Treasurer); Morag Arnot; Alister Hendry; Margot McDonald and Aileen Stewart. Councillors: M. Cooper and S. Kerr. Minute Secretary: John Graham. Visitors: Dr. Lisa Cameron MP; Robert Murray and William Park. 

2. Apologies: Linda Brown; Councillor E. Frame; Les Hoggan (Secretary) and Douglas Scott. 

3. Minutes of Previous Meeting (31/05/2022) The Minutes were approved with the following addition:- (Subsequent to the meeting it was found that the Funding Request for the installation of the CCTV had not been progressed to an Application). Proposed: S. Tulloch. Seconded: A. Hendry. 

4. Police Report (a) The Crime Figures from 31st May to 27th June, 2022 were as follows:- 12 Thefts (5 Detected). 6 Assaults (3 Detected). 5 Asbo (3 Detected). 2 Frauds. 7 Road Traffic Offences (3 Detected). 1 Drug Offence (Detected). 6 Vandalism. 1 Wilful Fire Raising (Detected). (b) Aileen McMann contacted the Police regarding incidents in the town and requested increased Police presence, at appropriate times, to the areas identified. The Police replied by saying that they were aware of the issues and have spoken to a few of the residents of the new houses on Threestanes Road regarding the youths at the ash park behind their properties. A Police presence will be in the area on every opportunity and the issues will be passed on to the Response Shift Officers. (c) Any CC Members who may have questions for the Police to pass them to the Chairperson who will raise them with the Police. 

5. Community Action Plan (CAP) Review (a) CCTV – The Funding Request has not been progressed to an Application. 

6. Standing Items (a) Clydesdale Tourism Group – Nothing to report. (b) Strathaven Castle – Nothing to report. (c) Transport Sub-Group 1. A letter has been received from SLC informing the CC that the proposed One Way System for Bridge Street and Wellbrae will go to a Committee Hearing. SLC will inform the CC of the date of the Hearing and let them know of the outcome. 2. The bush impairing the line of sight at the North Street/Commercial Road junction has still to be removed. SLC has been contacted but there has been no reply to date. 

7. Planning Applications No problems have arisen regarding any of the proposed Applications submitted since the May CC meeting. 

8. Rotary Club Installation in Allison Green (a) The Chairperson informed the CC Members that she had seen the new Design for the proposed Garden in Allison Green. The Design is an improvement on the original but the CC have not received any information regarding the proposed Plan. The Chairperson found the information accidentally when asked to consider signing a Questionnaire supporting the Plan. The Rotary Club to be contacted on behalf of the CC requesting details of the Project. (b) SLC will look after the Garden but the CC would like to know the scale of the Plan. Councillor Kerr was asked of she could look into this and agreed to do so. (c) The Slate Beds in Allison Green are unsightly and it was asked if these could be replaced. Councillor Kerr agreed to make enquiries. (Subsequent to the Meeting Councillor Kerr reported that it is the Council’s intention to replant all three Beds with a sustainable planting scheme. This will happen once all the plants have been delivered to SLC). 

9. Working Together for Avondale (WTA) (a) Money has been refunded to Ann Davidson Butchers for supply of Food Vouchers. (b) A Funding Bid has been submitted for taking on a Community Worker who would be based in the Climate Action Strathaven (CAS) building and the outcome should be known by August. 

10. Strathaven CARS Nothing to report this month other than work is scheduled to start on the Weavers and all other projects are completed.

11. Kype Muir Community Fund (a) There has been an increase in the Funding available to the CC. The sum is now £81,154. (b) Margaret Vaughan leaves her post in June and will be replaced by Naomi Steven. (c) Strathaven Curling Club have been awarded £2,300 for the purchase of new jackets for Members to wear when representing the Club in matches. (d) Awards were also given to Lesmahagow Bowling Club and Stonehouse Men’s Shed. (e) Strathaven Choral Society have submitted an Expression of Interest for £2,000 to update their Internet provision. (f) An Application received from The Haven, which is within the Sandford area, is pending. Any information on The Haven would be welcomed. (g) The Wind Turbines for the Kype Extension will be coming through Strathaven soon. Information will be put on the CC Facebook Page and Councillor Cooper will put the details on her Facebook Page. (h) The next meeting will be in September, 2022 and Funding Requests should be in by then. 

12. CC Micro Grants Two new Applications have been received:- (a) 2022/23 – 003: Strathaven Dynamos AFC Girls U14 Team. The Club have requested a Grant of £500 towards the cost of new team football strips for a total of 25 players. The cost of the Project is £1,140. This is the first time an Application from a girls team has been received and it is recommended that the full £500 be awarded. Recommendation agreed. (b) 2022/23 – 004: Trinity Parish Church Guild Strathaven. The Guild have requested funding for a Christmas Shopping outing to Livingston for 40 people at a cost of £420. Given that the group includes Members out with the CC area, it is recommended that an Award of £200 be provided. Recommendation agreed. (c) £4,780 remains in the Fund. (d) The following Micro Grants have been signed off in the past month:- 2021/22 – 011: Rainbows. 2022/23 – 002: Gallowhill Farm Residents Association. (e) Outstanding paperwork is still required for 11 Projects. 

13. Secretary’s Report Nothing to report beyond items already on the agenda.

14. Treasurer’s Report (a) SLC Audit completed the Annual Audit of the CC Accounts and the Annual Grant of £515 has been received. (b) The two Micro Grants agreed at the May meeting have now been paid out. (c) WTA COVID Fund – £45,050.39 has been spent; £1,990.00 is currently committed and £5,155.61 remains uncommitted. (d) The full Report was circulated to CC Members prior to the meeting. 

15. Reports from CC Members (a) The Allotments on Lesmahagow Road are run by SLC and Applications for a site should go to them. There is a long waiting list. (J. Graham). (b) The Balloon Festival will be held on the last weekend of August and some 15 – 20 balloons are expected to be at the Event. Extra parking on the outskirts of the town and a Shuttle Bus to transport visitors from there to the Event and back should be available but this has still to be confirmed. (G. McAllan). (c) Fly tipping is still a problem in parts of the local area and needs to be addressed. (G. McAllan). (Subsequent to the Meeting Councillor Kerr reported that a site visit was undertaken to establish the exact location and types of materials to be uplifted. It is anticipated that the removal of materials will be carried out by the end of the week 08/07/2022). 

16. Reports from SLC Councillors Councillor S. Kerr (a) Footpath resurfacing has been announced by SLC for parts of the Strathaven area. (b) A Bill has been introduced at the Scottish Parliament for a National Care Service. This would take control of this Service from Local Authorities and transfer them to the Scottish Government. (c) The Community Fridge is doing very well and donations to it have been good. (d) She informed the CC that, regarding The Haven, they have been involved in house Therapy for people with mental health problems. (e) Councillor Kerr agreed to look into the concerns regarding the Rotary Club Garden. 

Councillor M. Cooper (a) The Slate Beds in Allison Green should be replaced by Planters and new benches will also be installed. (b) Detailed drawings of the Rotary Garden are available and Strathaven Academy are being consulted regarding what contribution young people can make to the Project. Councillor Cooper will send the Plans to the CC. Given the information supplied by Councillor Cooper, Councillor Kerr said that she was willing to allow her to address this issue for the CC. (c) A Pre-Planning Application has been submitted for the Multi-Sports Development at the Rugby Club. A full Application will be submitted soon. (d) The Noticeboard, to be situated in the Common Green, will be in place soon. The delay is due to an increase in price of £500 and more funding has been requested. (e) She has been dealing with footpath and roads issues. (f) Still assisting the Strathaven John Hastie Museum Trust on two issues. (g) A question was raised by the Chairperson about the bins on Waterside Street which block the footpath. Councillor Cooper agreed to look into this. 

17. AOCB (a) Dr. Lisa Cameron MP has written to the Health Board for advice as to how to set up a Patient Partnership Group in Strathaven. There is such a Group for the Surgery in Lanark, run by the Lanarkshire Medical Group who also run the Strathaven Medical Practice, and it was suggested that someone from the Lanark Partnership Group could come and speak to the CC. The Chairperson agreed to contact Mairi McAllan MSP about this issue and J. Graham indicated that he knew someone on the Lanark Group and would ask him for some information. (b) It was noted that Strathaven Ales are now available in the bar at Westminster. (c) The responses from the Questionnaire regarding problems on Commercial Road have been sent to SLC and to the Police. The CC will be kept updated on this. (d) Japanese Knotweed has been found in an area of the Burn running through the Park. SLC have been contacted and a response is awaited. There will be an update at the August CC meeting. (e) Two large commercial bins have been left sitting outside a local restaurant on Green Street for some time uncollected and rubbish bags are now appearing beside them. Councillor Kerr agreed to look into this matter. (Subsequent to the Meeting Councillor Kerr informed the CC that she had contacted SLC and the bins should be uplifted within a week). 

18. Date of Next Meeting Tuesday August 30th at 7.00pm in Avondale Community Wing.isMembers of the Public are most welcome to all our Meetings. All correspondence to:- strathavencommcouncil@gmail.com A .