Draft Minutes Fossoway and District Community Council
3rd September 2019, Fossoway Primary School
Attending: Community Cllrs Sarah Bruce-Jones, Angus Cheape, Trudy Duffy, Carol Farquhar, Graham Pye and Rob Young; P&K Cllrs Mike Barnacle, Callum Purves and Willie Robertson; Nine Members of the Public (MoP).
Apologies: P&K Cllr Richard Watters;
Declarations of Interest: None.
Police report: There was one incident to note in our area since the last CC Meeting from the Commander’s Reports received via Perth and Kinross Community Watch: Between 9am & 7pm towards the end of August a red quad bike was stolen from a farm near Carnbo.
A local resident reported to the CC that highland cows belonging to a tenant farmer near Easter Muirhead are constantly escaping onto the road and causing a traffic hazard. The problem was reported to Sgt Michelle Burns, who passed it on to the local officer Dougie Stapleton.
Fly-tipping on the A91 reported to CCllr Cheape has been passed on to the Police.
Minutes of the previous meeting: The minutes of the previous meeting were signed off without amendment.
Matters Arising
Rumbling Bridge Gorge Bridge: CCllr Duffy reported that Jim Duffy had contacted Andy Middlemass about possible Army involvement in the bridge construction, but there had been no response yet.
Powmill in Bloom: CCllr Farquhar reported that the Well Kept Village competition will be judged on the 10th September and the members have done a lot of work to improve the area.
Powmill Play Park: CCllr Farquhar reported that the work has not yet started, although there is now a notice describing the work proposed, she will contact PKC to see what’s happening.
Crook & Drum Growing Together: CCllr Duffy reported that judging of their village for the above competition will take place on 11th September; local residents are encouraged to tidy up the area.
A977 Mitigation: CCllr Duffy is disappointed that roadworks at the School Road junction are still not completed, a view shared by Cllr Barnacle who wondered why the location of the BT cables which appear to be holding up the work was not determined earlier. Frank Mills, who has replaced Lachlan MacLean as the A977 Project Officer, had advised the CC that there was to be a meeting with the utility companies during the week of 12th August.
CCllr Duffy had previously written to Daryl McKeown to complain about the problem with noise caused by vehicles passing over a badly repaired section in Crook of Devon. Cllr Barnacle met an officer from PKC’s Highways department on site who agreed that the defect was causing the noise. Cllr Barnacle has also complained to Stuart D’All and Frank Mills but has not received an answer yet. Cllr Purves will follow this up too.
Overhanging Branches on Aldie Road: CCllr Duffy wrote to Garry McConnell about this issue, which was reported to the last CC meeting. Mr McConnell replied that if the branches belonged to frontagers, it would be their responsibility, but if they were on the verge he would contact the relevant PKC department. No-one present at the meeting knew whether any work had yet been done.
Fossoway Area Transport/DRT: Cllr Barnacle is trying to get each CC in the area to nominate a rep on this committee. CCllrs Farquhar and Duffy will attend on behalf of this CC if possible.
Blairingone War Memorial: Cllr Barnacle is still waiting for the stonemason’s estimate.
Ivy Cottage Powmill: Cllr Barnacle had spoken to Isobel Butt about this issue, who reported that David Littlejohn has agreed to move forward with a CPO, but they have to give the owner one last chance to sell, and have written to him. There has been no reply as yet.
LDP2: Cllr Barnacle has an issue that the reporter didn’t include any Landscape Guidance in LDP2. Meanwhile PKC have prepared a Supplementary Guidance document which is out for review, although it doesn’t propose including any new areas.
Cllr Barnacle finds the reporter’s decision to reject the development in the Crook of Devon Village Hall area, while approving the Blairingone development rather illogical since the latter has no services available, while the former does, and would also include a significant proportion of affordable housing.
LDP2 will be reviewed at the full council meeting on 25th September.
Matters Arising with no update since last meeting:
Crook Moss Travellers Site: No information at present.
New Business:
Fossoway Gathering: CCllr Duffy chaired an inaugural meeting of the Fossoway Gathering Committee on 28th August to kick off the planning of next year’s event, which will be held on Saturday 23rd May 2020. Anyone who would like to help with the organisation is welcome to contact the Committee.
Heart 200 Route: This CC has been asked by Mark Ruskell MSP if there should be a public meeting about the impact of this route. CCllr Duffy noted that we are disappointed that the community was not consulted about this before it was launched. Cllr Purves explained that the route had been organised by an external company who were given the funds to develop it by PKC, but without any direction about community consultation. CCllr Duffy has responded to Mr Ruskell expressing our interest in a meeting, and will also write to the organising company expressing our concerns about impact on the Community and lack of consultation.
Community Council Business - Meetings Attended
CCllr Young attended a meeting about extending the Crook of Devon Church Car Park, attended by Cllr Barnacle, Liam Hynd and another officer from PKC Bereavement Services, David Chisholm and Alan Harper from the Church. The plan is to use some waste land at the edge of the cemetery to create a new car park. It was suggested that the car park should be developed as a community asset rather than just for the Church. The land is owned by PKC but they would be prepared to lease it to the Community initially for 40 years, although this period could probably be extended. PKC will cover the cost of creating a fence to mark the new extent of the graveyard. A new planning application would be required as the one granted in October 2012 has now expired; if the CC was to make the application the fee would be less. Grants would need to be found to widen the entrance and improve the surface, although a properly tarmacked surface is not necessary. When this scheme was suggested before a number of local farmers offered to help with the work, although nowadays there would probably be issues with farm vehicles using red diesel for other than agricultural purposes.
Travel Expenses: Historically CC members have not been allowed to claim for travel to the monthly CC meetings, however in view of the rural nature of this CC’s area, and to encourage people to join the CC, this custom will be rescinded starting from this Financial Year.
CC Process: There will be an AGM at the start of the October meeting to hear reports from the chair and treasurer and to approve the accounts for the end of the new financial year.
P&K Councillors’ Reports
Willie Robertson: It’s estimated that it will cost £1200 to fund the equipment for the Community Speedwatch programme, and it’s intended that it should be up and running by next year.
Mike Barnacle: Cllr Barnacle held a road adoption meeting at Drummond Park, Crook on the 27th August, with a very positive response from the residents.
There was a disappointing answer from PKC about measures to dissuade speeding on the B9097. Cllr Purves suggested that perhaps installing a VAS would be the way forward – he will add the site into the list.
Callum Purves: The Bridge of Earn GP surgery has closed which will put pressure on other areas. Due to the recent suspension of the Integration Joint Board there has not been any movement on a replacement for the surgery, but it’s possible there could be an interim solution of an NHS run service.
In June 2018, Cllr Purves brought a Community Council boundary change proposal from Cleish & Blairadam CC to the attention of this CC. Although the proposal was discussed by email amongst the CCllrs at the time, the matter was never brought to a meeting to be formally approved, probably due to it having been overlooked by the time of the August meeting, there being no meeting in July. At today’s meeting Cllr Purves reminded the CC of the proposal, which was to move the Northern boundary of Cleish CC, approximately between Threapmuir and Ard Gairney, further north, thus including a stretch of the B9097 and the catchment of the Cleish Primary School. This CC voted unanimously to agree to this proposal.
Planning Matters
19/01279/FLL Erection of a garage and store at land 30 metres North West of The Meadows, Vicar's Bridge Road, Blairingone. No CC Comment
19/01346/FLL Erection of dwelling house at land 40 metres East of Hen Hurdle, Crook of Devon. No CC Comment
Decided Applications
19/00826/FLL Erection of a dwelling house and garage at land 30 metres South East of Croit Oran, Carnbo. Refused – The CC did not comment.
19/01001/FLL Extensions to dwelling house at New House, Powmill, Kinross, K14 7NS. Approved – The CC did not comment.
Correspondence - All correspondence was available for viewing: BT is planning to remove some phone boxes in PKC’s area, although there are none in our immediate area.
Audit Scotland has published a “Best Value Assurance Report” on Perth and Kinross Council. It can be found at: https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/report/best-value-assurance-report-perth-and-kinross-council
The Commissioners for the Safeguarding of the Regalia are seeking views on whether the Stone of Scone should be relocated to Perth City Hall, see https://bit.ly/2Z4wAr6
The M90 at Bridge of Earn will have a contraflow from 29th September to 11th October.
AOCB: CC nominations are open until the 22nd September – anyone interested is encouraged to apply.
On the 26th October a Scary Scarecrow competition will be held in the Crook of Devon churchyard, refreshments will be available.
Draft Agenda for Next CC Meeting
Welcome and Apologies, Declarations of Interest, Community Policing, Minutes of last meeting.
Matters arising: Rumbling Bridge Gorge Bridge, Powmill in Bloom, Crook & Drum Growing Together, Powmill Play Park, A977 Mitigation, Fossoway Area Transport, Blairingone War Memorial, Ivy Cottage Powmill, LDP2, Fossoway Gathering, Heart 200 Route.
Community Councillors: Meetings Attended, PKC Councillors’ Reports, Planning, Correspondence, AOCB
Next Meeting and AGM: Tuesday 1st October 2019 at 7:30 pm
Fossoway Primary School
All Welcome
