As it is still not possible to hold physical meetings of the CC we are continuing to publish this description of what would have been discussed, including any updates that we are aware of. Members of the Public are encouraged to comment on and question the items below, by email to moc.liamg|cc.yawossof#moc.liamg|cc.yawossof or via the CC’s Facebook page, which we will answer in our next meeting, be it virtual or physical, on Tuesday 4th August.
Contributing: Community Cllrs, Angus Cheape, Trudy Duffy, Carol Farquhar, Carole Haigh, Michael Haigh, Nicola Marchant (Associate), Graham Pye and Rob Young; P&K Councillors Mike Barnacle and Callum Purves.
Apologies: CCllr Sarah Bruce-Jones; PKC Cllrs Willie Robertson and Richard Watters
Declarations of Interest: None.
Police report: There were no incidents to note in our area since the last CC Meeting from the Commander’s Reports received via Perth and Kinross Community Watch.
The CC is pleased to note that speed checks are continuing in the villages to discourage the few drivers who are taking advantage of the quieter roads to drive recklessly.
There is a renewed problem with cars parking along the road next to Devonshaw Whinstone Quarry. This site is dangerous and should not be entered, but also because the cars are obstructing part of the road making it difficult for other vehicles to pass oncoming traffic. The CC will ask the Police to address this.
Minutes of the previous meeting: The minutes of the March meeting will be signed off once normal meetings resume. Any significant decisions made during the virtual meetings held since then will be brought to the next physical meeting to be formally recorded and ratified.
Matters Arising
Powmill in Bloom: Like all bloom groups the current restrictions have prevented any activities. However CCllr Duffy has been told by PKC’s Community Greenspace team that now two people can meet bloom group activities can resume taking appropriate precautions.
Bank of Scotland Kinross Branch Closure: Cllr Barnacle has received a letter from Natalie Birch which says that the branch will stay open until the end of the pandemic – we hope this means until the branch is able to be fully open again so that the Bank can honour their promise to speak to all businesses and users who are losing access to the branch. Cllr Purves said he will contact Liz Smith MSP for an update on the actions from the March meeting.
Fossoway Tennis Club: The Tennis Club have passed a cheque to the CC’s treasurer which has been paid in to the CC’s account. CCllr Young has finally been given permission to edit the application and has now changed the ownership of the planning application sponsored by the CC. CCllr Pye can now pay the fee and submit the application.
Community Development Trust: Cllr Barnacle has approached possible candidates and many have agreed to be part of the Trust. There were some minor problems with people who don’t live in the Fossoway district even though they represent an organisation that is within the area – this will be worked round by making them associate members. Cllr Barnacle is optimistic that the Trust will be able to get off the ground as soon as meeting restrictions are lifted.
Corona Virus – Information and Links:
PKC have announced that Recycling Centres will reopen from 1st June, although initially it will only be possible for householders to deposit bagged waste under limited rules – no other recycling options are currently available.
Crook of Devon Resilience Group:
A total of four expense claims have now been processed, disbursing the majority of the funding. The Group is now seeking additional funding to continue its operations.
Devonshaw Whinstone Quarry (FK14 7NH):
After concerns were raised by several local residents last month about the amount of rubbish at this site, CCllr Marchant has investigated the history of the site. Planning consent 11/000111/FLL for four executive houses and a leisure facility was given on 5th March 2013 to the then developer Devonshaw Development. The site was then sold to Easy Living Development Ltd in 2015 who completed construction of the access roads, and hence PKC granted consent in perpetuity in 2016. The company are operating from an address in Glenrothes and appear to be financially active.
After some discussion of possible options, CCllr Duffy proposed that the CC sends an open letter to the developers saying that we’re worried about the amount of rubbish and risks of the public accessing what is potentially a dangerous site. Are the owners covered by insurance in the event of a serious accident? CCllr Marchant will draft a letter to the developers addressing those issues and asking what the developers plan to do with the site and when.
Fossoway Gathering: The Gathering Committee has secured a £7700 grant from the Lottery Fund for equipment, mostly marquees. They are hoping to hold some sort of event in September that the whole community can get involved in – suggestions are welcomed.
Matters Arising with no update since last meeting:
Rumbling Bridge Gorge Bridge, Hydro Scheme Fund, A977 Mitigation, Crook & Drum Growing Together, Fossoway Area Transport/DRT, Crook Moss Travellers Site, Blairingone War Memorial, Ivy Cottage Powmill, Coulshill Forestry Development, Cemetery Car Park Extension, Powmill Play Park, Vegetation on Aldie Road: No information at present.
New Business:
None this month.
Community Council Business:
Hall Bookings: A provisional booking has been made for Carnbo Village Hall in case the August meeting can take place. CCllr Duffy has proposed a rota using the three halls at Carnbo, Powmill and Crook of Devon for the remainder of the CC’s year; bookings are in the process of being confirmed.
P&K Councillors’ Reports:
Mike Barnacle: Cllr Barnacle is comparing everyone’s availability to choose the best time to hold a meeting of the Community Transport Group when restrictions are lifted.
Seventeen of the eighteen residents have agreed to financially support the Drummond Park road adoption. Cllr Barnacle is investigating ways to meet the shortfall against PKC’s Roads Department’s budget.
Last month Cllr Barnacle reported that the developer had created an unplanned footpath by the three new houses at the end of Vicar’s Bridge Road, and raised that issue with PKC’s Andy Brown. Mr Brown wants a site meeting, but that’s not currently possible to arrange due to the lockdown.
Callum Purves: Cllr Purves noted that the Council are trying to resume meetings as much as possible – the full council meeting was achieved in a virtual manner last week, together with some others. Virtual meetings are live streamed so the public can observe – there is a link to the stream on the same page of PKC’s website as the meeting papers. Cllr Purves, and the other local Councillors, are worried that more decisions are being made by officers than is ideal, although the Councillors are doing their best to ensure that there is an adequate overview of all decisions.
PKC’s budget for this financial year could be as much as £25-30M adrift. There have been financial contributions from Westminster for additional Covid-19 related expenditure and the Scottish Government is meeting the full cost of social care, but PKC are looking for further contributions from Holyrood.
Cllr Purves observed that one of the good things to come out of the current crisis is the development of quicker and more efficient ways of doing things, which hopefully will continue to be the case from now on. Additional community involvement in decision making has been under discussion for a long time, but may now be able to be brought to the fore.
Cllr Purves and Andrew Mitchell have been working on a project with Perth & Kinross Council and Grow Biz on behalf of Cleish Hills Community Interest Company to help upgrade the local digital infrastructure: Gigabit Kinross-shire. Every property in Kinross-shire is eligible for a Rural Gigabit voucher of up to £3,500 per premises from the UK Government. There will be a meeting to discuss the proposals on 8th June at 7pm. CCllrs Duffy and Pye will attend.
Planning Matters:
No new or decided applications in our area this month.
Withdrawn Applications
20/00417/IPL Erection of a holiday accommodation unit (in principle) at Land 90 metres south of Craiglaw Poultry Farm Cottage, Rumbling Bridge. The CC objected.
Appeals
19/01881/IPL Residential development (in principle), land 80 metres north east of Powmill Milk Bar, Powmill.
The applicant submitted an appeal to the LRB on 17th March. A virtual meeting of the LRB is scheduled for 23rd June, but the meeting agenda is not due to be published until five days before the meeting.
Pending Applications
19/01539/FLL Erection of four dwelling houses at Land 30 metres south of Easter Muirhead Bothy, Blairingone. No decision had been made as of 2nd June and the application is not included in the agenda for the Virtual Planning Meeting on the 3rd June.
19/01673/AML Erection of 10 dwelling houses with associated infrastructure and landscaping (approval of matters specified in conditions of 18/01855/IPL) Land 100 metres north-west of Schiehallion, Crook of Devon. This application is being taken to Committee on 3rd June. Although the CC had already objected to this application on 29th October 2019, the CC submitted a further document confirming our objections to the Development Committee Members on 1st June.
Correspondence: The correspondence list is attached at the end of this document. Should anyone wish to see any items other than those described here, please contact the CC by email and a copy can be provided.
The CC was invited to the Kinross-shire and Glenfarg Stronger Communities Meeting, although no-one was able to attend, CCllr Marchant agreed to contact the group in order to represent this CC at future meetings.
AOCB:
CCllr Marchant mentioned the PKC return to school survey; Cllr Purves was asked if the results from this could be published before the CC’s next meeting in August.
As the furlough system winds down we need to become aware about potential redundancies in future and how we might support them.
Draft Agenda for Next CC Meeting:
Declarations of Interest, Community Policing, Minutes of last meeting. Matters arising: Powmill in Bloom, Crook & Drum Growing Together, Fossoway Tennis Club Application, Community Development Trust, Corona Virus Info, Devonshaw Whinstone Quarry. Fossoway Gathering. PKC Councillors’ Reports, Planning, Correspondence, AOCB
No Meeting in July!
Next Meeting: Tuesday 4th August 2020
Carnbo Village Hall - if Government guidelines allow, otherwise virtual
Correspondence May/June 2020
| Date | From | Description | Action | Who |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/05/2020 | Police Scotland | Commanders Bulletin | Noted | GP |
| 8/05/2020 | PKC | Covid-19: Staying Safe Leaflet | ||
| 8/05/2020 | Scottish Council for Voluntary Orgs | Coronavirus Third Sector Bulletin - Wellbeing Fund and Connecting Scotland | ||
| 13/05/2020 | Police Scotland | Commanders Bulletin | Noted | GP |
| 13/05/2020 | PKC | Update re 2020 Holyrood Garden Party | ||
| 14/05/2020 | PKC | Financial support for organisations across PKC area | ||
| 17/05/2020 | Victoria Sutherland | Financial support for organisations across PKC area | ||
| 18/05/2020 | Victoria Sutherland | Financial support for organisations across PKC area | ||
| 20/05/2020 | PKC | Perth and Kinross Disability Sport Funding ideas | ||
| 20/05/2020 | Police Scotland | Commanders Bulletin | Noted | GP |
| 22/05/2020 | PKC | Kinross-shire and Glenfarg Stronger Communities Meeting: | ||
| 27/05/2020 | Police Scotland | Commanders Bulletin | Noted | GP |
| 30/05/2020 | Cllr Callum Purves | Gigabit Kinross-shire: Help us upgrade our digital infrastructure locally | Cllr Rept | |
| 31/05/2020 | PKC - Planning | Submission for the Virtual Meeting of the Development Committee | ||
| 02/06/2020 | PKC | COVID-19 Recovery and Renewal Fund OPENS TODAY | ||
| 02/06/2020 | PKC | URGENT - Temporary Measures for Physical Distancing - Wards 1, 2, 4 - 9 |
