Kirkcowan Community Council Meeting held on 18th August in Village Hall at 7.30pm
1. Council Members present – J Drysdale (Chair), M Harkness (Secretary), A Gladstone (Treasurer), R Drysdale, M Mackenzie, J Rae, K Googe (Minute Secretary)
Public present – Suzette Lonsdale, Kevin Dean, Alan McCornick, Andy Gaw, David Edwards, Elizabeth McMillan, Nick Tom, Bill Harkness
Apologies for absence – Hazel Matthews, Cllr Richard Marsh
2. Minutes of Last Meeting – Minutes of meeting 16th June – approved. MH proposed and RD seconded.
Matters arising –
– Timetables for the 500 bus service have arrived and are being displayed at the bus stops.
– Following the consultation day in June, Kirkcowan Hall Board of Trustees have applied to D&G Council for a Community Asset Transfer and purchase of the Village Hall.
3. Police Matters/Report – MH has attended 2 Zoom meetings with Police Scotland and 3 other Community Councils, and found them very useful. She can take general enquiries received from residents to the zoom meeting and requests that details of the enquiry are given to her. The next Zoom meeting is on 26th August.
4. Notified Public Concerns – None received
5. Approval of the KCC Accounts for 2024-2025 –
These have now arrived from the accountants, and have been circulated and approved, and will now be submitted to D&GC.
6. Reports and Updates –
Treasurer’s Report (AG)
No 1 Account: £ 321.14 No 2 Account: £ 12,909.27
Outgoings:
Mary Mackenzie (bedding plants for village planters) £ 25.90
BoS – monthly bank charges – June and July £ 8.50
Village Hall – hire fees for CC meetings (20), Knitting (30) £ 50.00
Montpelier Accountants – accounting fees £ 192.00
NFU Mutual – generator insurance £ 224.00
Income:
KCDT – grant funding for Resilience Group printing £ 270.00
KCDT report – Arrangements are being made for the Official Opening of the New Park at 1pm 30th August during the Gala Committee’s Fun in the Park afternoon.
Planning –
a) 3 Lochs Holiday Park have applied for an extension to their bar and restaurant area.
b) Frugaldom have received approval to offer an aire for up to 5 motorhomes (must be self-contained)
7. Elected Members Report – No Councillor present and no report received.
8. Kilgallioch Extension Community Benefit – MH attended meeting with SPR, Cree Valley, New Luce & Barrhill Communities to discuss the Community Benefit package. Agreement made that Kirkcowan as host to the turbines, has largest share, at 28% (circa £51,960 in Year 1 & £71,820 from Year 2), the remainder to receive 24%.
9. Balmurrie Fell and Airies Benefit Funds – These funds have not been accessed since 2019 and currently sit with D&G Council. KCC has made an arrangement with KCDT to administer the funds on behalf of the community as described in the Community Action Plan. To begin the draw down, KCDT has requested a grant of £11,900 to fund the survey required to complete the new 2025-2030 CAP.
KCC approved the request and will forward the paperwork to D&GC. The grant awarded will be paid directly to KCDT. This sets up a procedure that allows further draw down of these funds.
10. CREPL Grant 2024-25 – it was proposed that microgrants be made from the CREPL fund for community events or to support informal groups. To be discussed further at next meeting.
11. KCDT Grant – a grant of £5,000 has been made to KCC to cover necessary costs when needed for the CC to function quickly. This saves the time required to apply to KCDT in advance of such expenditure, and also the administration time of multiple and repeat applications. This amount will come from the Balmurrie Fell & Airies funds.
12. Village Planters – Discussions postponed until September meeting.
13. Correspondence – Remembrance Day Wreath – AG to contact Hazel McWhirter for information on where to obtain poppy wreath and purchase on behalf of KCC.
14. Shennanton Windfarm Application – KCC has a statutory right to be consulted and to comment on the application and has an extension to the closing date to allow discussion at a CC meeting as application submitted during summer recess. KCC has received multiple written requests from residents for objection, with no positive comments. It was agreed that KCC will submit a strong objection to this application to ECU Edinburgh. This is in keeping with KCC’s stand on other windfarms in the area.
15. Any Other Competent Business –
- Sam’s bird (topiary) has been trimmed.
- The village Christmas Tree in need of trimming due to its height. A cherry picker is required for this and again when the lights are to be put up and taken down. JD proposed that it be cut down, a base and socket inserted in its place and a cut tree be purchased every year. This was agreed. AG to contact local contractor to arrange removal of the tree.
- MH requested reimbursement of printer ink and paper £45.81. Agreed.
- D&G Summer Road Show for children on 9th August in the Park – some children attended. It was noted that the posters for the event were not produced before school term ended.
- Horsetail weeds still growing strongly in the Corner Garden. MH to remind D&G to spray the horsetail and that it still belongs to the council.
- A black Volvo car is parking overnight in the disabled bay on the corner at the village hall – a potential hazard. Owner not known.
- Flag Flying on 8th September – Accession
Meeting closed 20.35
Next Meeting 15th September 2025 at 7.30pm.