Kirkcowan Community Council Meeting on 19th June 2023 in Kirkcowan Village Hall
1. Council Members present – Mary Harkness (Chair), Hazel McWhirter (Treasurer), John Drysdale, Robert Drysdale, Kevin Dean, Andrew Gladstone.
Public present – Cllr Katie Hagmann, PC Osborne V311, PC Broadfoot V436 (police), Liz McMillan, Dave Edwards, Jon Kent, Jim Rae, Linda Greenhill, Kath Googe (Minute Secretary).
Apologies for absence – Hazel Matthews, Mary Mackenzie, Cllr McCamon, Patricia Veevers.
2. Minutes of May meeting
These had been circulated previously. Correction – Graham Parkes had attended.
With correction – Hazel McWhirter proposed, seconded by John Drysdale and approved by committee. No matters arising.
3. Police Report
PC Osborne introduced PC Broadfoot. No incidents had been reported in the Kirkcowan area since the last report. Police Service are campaigning on prevention of cloning credit/debit cards, car theft & a recruitment drive.
4. Notified Public Concerns
None received.
5. Reports and Updates –
Treasurers Report
No 1 Account £11.30 No 2 Account £16,088.69
Expenditure:
Hall Fees £ 95.00
H Johnston – Fun in the Park £1,702.93
Keegan and Pennykid insurance (operating) £87.49
WC in the Fields – loos for Fun in the Park £438.00
H McWhirter – plants for village planters £329.00
FJ Halkett – erection of footpath signs £300.00
James Smith – Footpath signs £1,053.18
Total £4,005.60
Income:
KCDT Grant for path strimming £390.00
KCDT Grant for Fun in the Park £1,930.00
Total £2,320.00
KCDT Report
A meeting has been held with 2 contractors who will quote for equipment to be supplied for the Playpark.
Footpaths Update
– Community Payback have started strimming paths as agreed but Teapot Lane not yet done.
– Footpath signs, most have been put up but a couple still not received.
– Paths have been mowed on the silage field paths and the railway path. There will be 2 further cuts, late summer and again in autumn.
– Still waiting for invoice from AD Plant Hire for work on Teapot Lane.
– Some gravel has been spread on the access to the railway line path.
– Oldland path – J Black has not completed work as agreed, invoice not paid until it is done.
6. Elected Members Report – Cllr Katie Hagmann
Full Council meeting at end of June to finalise budget – £11.3m needing to be saved in D&G. Items under discussion – Second Homes/Empty homes – ending of rate relief, transient Visitor/Tourist levy for D&G.
Motions being put forward include:
– restriction/possible banning of disposable vapes – in line with national campaigns
– to use unspent funds to clear school meal debt – currently £17k – non payment of school meals leading to letters home, debt collections etc. (Currently 26% of children in DumGal are defined as being in poverty, up from 21% last year.)
– to back the Pride month campaign against hate crimes – an increase of 75% in hate crimes.
– Cllr Hagmann advised that due to the prolonged dry spell, water shortages are expected. There is help available for those living with a private water supply should they run dry – 20 litres per person per day – contact through SEPA/DumGal.
– New headmaster at Douglas Ewart – Stephen Foster – formerly Deputy Head at Dalbeattie – effective 5th June 23.
7. Correspondence
None discussed.
8. CREPL
Waiting for a quote from the contractor for work to be done in the Corner Garden.
9. KCBC vacancy
Patricia Veevers had resigned from KCBC (and also from the KCC) . Her vacancy has to be filled by a current member of the KCC. Mary Harkness is willing to be nominated as area director from KCC to KCBC. This was agreed by the committee.
10. Container contents insurance
Quotes for container and contents insurance discussed. Committee agreed to pay £497.80 for full container and contents to be insured. This needs to be paid by 28th June. They will apply to KCDT for this sum and the Hall fees.
11. Any Other Competent Business –
- Horses in park – allowed – no laws or bylaws prohibiting – provided Scottish Access Code followed. Pick up any droppings!!
- Digital speed sign on Newton Stewart Road not working – reported – fault acknowledged – repair is on list of future programme of works.
- Fallen tree in graveyard – reported – tree inspected and found to be safe at present – will be remedied when resources available.
- Complaint from Lesley Parker to Andrew Gladstone. People are putting dog poo bags in her grey wheelie bin at the junction of Wigtown Road past The Glebe.
- N.B. Dumfries and Galloway Rules allow people to put them in any grey wheelie bin. Discussion whether to have one of the existing litter bins re-sited to Wigtown Road.
Meeting closed at 20.10. Date of next meeting Monday 21/8/2023
KCDT Grant Applications:
Autumn Club – £787 – outing and transport to Glenwhan / H&S emergency light fittings
KCC – £390 – grass cutting on footpaths
KCC – £9723.60 – creation of new footpath Thomas’s Dam to Barnearnie.
Union Flag Flying Days:
17 Jul – Queen Camilla birthday
22 Jul – Prince George birthday
15 Aug – Princess Royal birthday