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March 25th 2010 Minutes

Johnstone Community Council

Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Johnstone Community Council held on Thursday 25th March 2010 at 6.30pm in Johnstone Town Hall.

Present

Robert Campbell, Stewart Clark, Elizabeth Cosgrove, Chris Gilmour, David Higginson, George Kennedy, Dennis Lavery, Valerie Reilly and Isabella Wishart.

Also in attendance:-

Councillors (Ward 7) – John Caldwell, John Hood, Iain McMillan.

Tracie McGee joined the meeting at 7.30pm on the conclusion of her surgery.

(Ward 8) – Bruce McFee.

Six members of the public also present.

  1. Apologies

Wilma Dean, Ewan Finlay, Rosalyn Gilmour, Pamela Higginson, Gladys Marchbank, and Ian McNaught.

Neil Bibby.

2. Minutes

It was noted that under AOCB it should read that “Mr Yellowlees of Scotrail proposed a memorial...”. The minutes of the previous meeting were then approved.

Proposed by

Seconded by

  1. Matters Arising

3.1 Sub Group Reports

Roads. GK confirmed that the Chief Executive David Martin, the Director of Planning and Transport Bob Darracott and the Head of Roads Scott Allan will attend our April meeting and consequently there was not much to report to this meeting. GK stated that he would gather as much information as possible and submit it to the Council in advance of the meeting so that they can consider it. Margaret Lavery submitted a copy of her Tenant’s Assoc. Letter to the Roads department.

Playparks

GK – reported that he had submitted an application for funding to B.A.A. for the Shanks Park project. This is part of an ongoing effort to raise money for what will be a 3 phase project totalling some £60,000 – but any funding would be gratefully accepted to set things going.

Cl. McF suggested setting up a separate group specifically to work on the playparks which would allow an application to Awards for All (JCC having already had a grant for the youth projects cannot apply again in the same year).

Spateston Playparks Group seems to be well down the road to accessing funds and JCC will support their efforts.

A planning application exists to remove the Corseford playpark at Spey Place. If granted RC hopes to relocate the equipment and it is hoped that Environmental Services will part-fund the relocation.

Band stand and Regeneration Project.

GK stated that final tenders are currently being considered and that contracts will be awarded by the end of March 2010 in order that the money can be legally committed by March 31st to comply with the Scottish Governments special permission to carry this money over.

An initial part contract has been issued and some works carried out including putting new metal inserts into benches and trying out paint finishes. The work should go ahead from April to June.

3.2 JohnstoneTown Centre Youth Projects.

The Centre Youth Club.

CG reported that the best attendance figures to date were 70 and 71 on consecutive Fridays. He noted that this was felt to be money well-spent. He further pointed out that due to JCC’s fund-raising success money previously earmarked from the LAC was able to be ‘returned’.

GK added that we now need to start thinking about future funding which hopefully will be longer-term, allowing for stability. GK recorded thanks to Elizabeth and Jamie Spiers and the Weans’ World Group.

Mobile football and Youth Bus.

GK noted that he had written to the Chief Executive about provision for town centre kids, and had a reply which led him to suggest a continuing watch is necessary.

Currently the only town centre provision of a mobile pitch in the rain is a very

limited resource and makes no contribution for girls or inclement weather.

3.3 Swimming pool proposals.

GK reported that the only written contact on this subject, between JCC and Fraser Carlin, Head of Planning, that he could confirm is that made to-day (25 03 10).

It had been discovered that previous Emails sent on our behalf were wrongly addressed to Fraser Carling.

GK had written to Fraser to-day and he has confirmed that RC will attempt to find previous plans or drawings if they still exist (they will date to Johnstone Burgh times and may have been lost). GK emphasised that this was JCC’s mistake and that it was not a delaying tactic on the part of RC.

It was reiterated that JCC’s position is one of opposition to the closure of Johnstone Pool and that IMcN who is currently out of the country will take this up again on his return.

Cl McF confirmed that the new pool proposals were currently out at tender, but not yet returned.

  1. Planning report.

DL reported that the new shed to be built at WRC will not just be for storage. It will also house machines that will compress the plastics into denser bales which will be easier to market

DL noted that he had attended a training day in Dumbarton which was held by “Planning Aid Scotland” a charity which enabled professional planners to give their time to train non-planners such as Community Council members. This had been a useful networking exercise which hopefully would lead to better cooperation with RC in the planning process.

Cl McF noted that, when the Local Plan next came up for review, by statute JCC would have to be consulted.

DL suggested that we should make a voluntary donation (£30was agreed on) that would allow us to access the Planning Aid office in Edinburgh for advice when planning matters come up.

GK thanked DL for his efforts over planning matters.

5. Treasurer’s Report

DH reported that the balance in hand was £14,640.85.

Amounts paid out recently included £25 for the January minutes, £139.99 for an X-Box for the youth project and £215 for flower barrels.

A grant of £1500 had been received towards our 2010 programme of Music in the Square.

GK pointed out that we are shortly due to pay out about £10,000 for the 2010-2011 youth project rental etc. So we are not as rich as it might at first glance appear!

6. Secretary’s Report

GK noted that, as previously discussed, the grant offer for the youth projects had been returned with thanks to the L.A.C.

The Music in Houston Square grant of £1500 was noted as a success due to our own efforts at funding this very successful project in 2009. There may be some slight delay to the start of the 2010 programme – dependant on the Bandstand renovation works.

Funding Bid to Renfrewshire Environmental Trust. This was a request for £500 to help with the cost of the project of supplying flowers at Johnstone Station. We have been awarded a 75% grant and will receive £375.

Graffiti issues. The graffiti removal works have been going well but not everything has been removed, although Environmental Services have been trying very hard to resolve the issues. GK asked that he be informed of graffiti issues so that he collate and report them.

Cl McM recorded that good work done by the RC Graffiti Squads.

Cl McF noted that RC had no general permission to clean graffiti from the various utility boxes but that the problem was being tackled.

7. Johnstone Town Centre Vision & Masterplan Framework

A Visioning Workshop had been held on 03 03 10 but there was a general feeling that it had not been at all well publicised.

DL had managed to attend and reported that the format had been a presentation followed by workshops and discussion.

As this was the first of a projected series of events it was hoped that more people would become involved.

GK reported that he had been offered a one-to-one meeting with the consultants, but Cl McM, who had also attended, wondered if it might make more sense for the consultants to come to a JCC meeting.

Cl McF noted that the consultants have already conducted interviews with Johnstone’s business community. It was recognised that the Town Centre area needs commercial investment which might well be forthcoming and that RC involvement is also needed. He also felt that the consultants would be happy to attend a JCC meeting and that the subject might even merit calling an extraordinary meeting.

GK felt it might be better radically to trim the agenda for the May meeting and devote most of the meeting to the subject.

It was pointed out from the floor that such a meeting would need to be better advertised than our normal run of meetings.

GK replied that we currently rely on RC to advertise our meetings, sparking some discussion of other ways of getting the message out.

CG volunteered to put fliers out and to check up whether the RC notices system was operating properly.

8. Review of the Scheme of Community Councils (phase 2)

GK noted that this had been under way for some time and that there were a couple of issues in the current draft that need some consideration. For example achieving a two-thirds attendance to achieve a quorum was probably not practical. Other items we might want to consider could be whether any CC not attending for six months without good reason should be removed or whether we need a system of associate membership.

GK will endeavour to source and send out electronic copies of the Consultation Document. He noted that the closing date for representations was 30th April.

9. AOCB

CL McF noted that the LAC’s ‘Cold Caller Initiative’ was hoping to produce signs and leaflets to make (particularly elderly) people aware of doorstep scams. The Lochwinnoch area already has these and has noted some diminution of the problem. A decision will need to be taken at the May meeting. Various members of the JCC volunteered to take on the task of door-to-door delivery.

Cl McF raised the problem of the last piece of Johnstone burgh carpet which RC wishes to replace. However, the Lord Lyon is wanting to charge £1200 just to give permission for a new piece to be woven. Cl McF will continue to try and track down a manufacturer capable of doing the required work and JCC agreed to try and get permission from the Lord Lyon.

One member of the public raised a query regarding Council plumbers turning up to assess repair jobs and then not returning despite promises. He was given advice that he should direct his query in the first instance to the Housing department and then if still not satisfied taking the problem to the local councillor.

Another query from the public was over the proposed withdrawal of buses to take Johnstone children to St Benedict’s High School in Linwood. This provoked a long discussion over where the line should be drawn – at 2 miles – at 3 miles? – beyond which children would receive bus passes, and whether ‘safe walking routes’ could ever be achieved. An assurance was made that if the route to walk to St Benedict’s could not be assessed as ‘safe’ then the children would continue to be bussed. Furthermore, systems such as privilege passes (to fill capacity) and appeals when parents can’t physically manage to accompany their children will be in place. Also Riverside Bus Co. intends to put on a new circular route round Johnstone and Linwood.

It was noted that Renfrewshire Access Festival 2010 will take place under the brand “Go Renfrewshire” from 22nd May – 6th June. GK has asked for more information and was told that a full programme would be available soon.

DL has agreed to take on a watching brief for licence applications in addition to planning affairs.

The fate of the Old Quarrelton School building was queried. Cl McF stated that it would be offered to other Council departments and if there was no interest it would be sold off. It was suggested that JCC might write to RC regarding the fate of the building.

The question was asked as to whether the new baling machine at WRC would be noisy. This is at present unknown, but it was noted that JCC will keep in touch with this issue and have been invited along by the company to see what the process involves.

CG reminded everyone that Johnstone Festival will take place on the last Saturday in May and that JCC would be welcome to take a stall (or two!)

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.00pm.

The next meeting will be held at Johnstone Town Hall on Thursday 29th April 2010.


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