Draft Minutes of Kirkcowan Community Council meeting on 15th August 2022
- Attended: – Hazel Johnston, Mary Harkness, Mary Mackenzie, Hazel McWhirter, Kevin Dean, John Drysdale, Patricia Veevers, Robert Drysdale, Mary Murdoch, Mark Godfrey, David Edwards, Liz Edwards, Elizabeth McMillan, Kate Hanlon, Les Mercer, Jim Rae and Kate Hagmann.
- Apologies: – Andrew Gladstone, Richard Marsh and David Inglis.
- Minutes of last meeting:
approved Mary Harkness, seconded John Drysdale
and matters arising:
a) Some street lights still out in Main Street, possibly the timing is out.
b) Kath Googe offered to be minutes secretary which was graciously accepted.
c) Plaque has arrived still waiting for the base.
d) Container insurance is now in place.
e) The marquee will be available for hire at £100 or £150 out with the village, erection and dismantling will be arranged separately.
f) An answer to the planning application for the notice boards will be received by 22nd September.
g) A meeting with Tasha at the corner garden has been arranged for 1:00pm on Sunday 21st August.
h) A ‘Beetle Drive’ will now take place on 1st October and not dominoes matches. - Police matters:
On 10th August a Kirkcowan resident’s vehicle was traced for not having an MOT, a 6 point penalty notice was issued. - Treasurer’s report:
No.1 account £46.30 | No.2 account £66,546.72.
Outgoings: – container insurance £45.81. Planning £419.10, Jubilee £68.65, hall hire £177.50 and £57.50 for June and July. - Correspondence:
a) The grass has now been cut at Spittal Bridge.
b) Charles McEwan had asked why the footpath at the old railway has not been finished. – see item 11.
c) The council explained that they did not have to inform the community council or residents when part of Main St was closed in June.
d) Debbie McBain had asked why there had been no input from the community about the decision made by the Trust to keep the post office open and was this permanent –see item 10. Others in attendance also voiced their concerns. Hazel will take these concerns to the next Trust meeting. - Planning:
No planning applications have been received - KCDT report:
The Trust had been asked if it was possible to site pine marten boxes in Jenna Morra wood, this was refused as there is a 5 year plan in progress to develop the wood. - Park update:
Although 10 requests for tenders have been requested, only 2 have been received which vary considerably. Waiting for a third quote. - Post Office:
The following correspondence from Carol Lochrie of Machars Action was read out:-
Statement:- “ The Post Office will remain open on a temporary basis. The KCDT in conjunction with the KCC have taken legal advice, consulted with Kilgallioch Community Benefit Company and spoken to the Post Office owners. The KCDT has agreed to support the continued operation of the Post Office and shop as it is an essential service to the Kirkcowan community and is within the legal agreement associated with community benefit funds. The KCC and the KCDT will be investigating long term measures for the future of a village Post Office and shop.”
Concerns that the Trust didn’t tell the community council or residents of its decision, the only notice was in the Post Office window. Public consultation was requested as to how the wind farm money is distributed and a need for a joint meeting with the trust. Hazel will ask the trust to send a representative to our next meeting. - Footpaths:
Andrew knows the contractors have not finished and has chased them up. The upside is that they have not been paid for any of the work already completed. - Fishing competition:
The fishing group have asked to use Balgreen on 27th August; this is okay as the grass has now been cut. - A.O.B.
a) The community was asked for someone to keep ‘Sam’s Bird’ trimmed as it will only be cut once more.
b) The resilience plan is being written.
c) The flag was flown for the Princess Royal’s birthday.
Meeting closed 9:30pm. Next meeting 19th Sept 2022. [Since updated to 20th]