August 4th 2011 Minutes
Johnstone Community Council
Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Johnstone Community Council held on Thursday 4th August 2011 at 7.00pm in Johnstone Town Hall.
Present
Robert Bowater, Robert Campbell, Elizabeth Cosgrove, Wilma Dean, Linda Flint, Elizabeth Forest, David Higginson, Pamela Higginson, Malcolm Hill, George Kennedy, Margaret Lavery, Margery Parker, Valerie Reilly and Isabella Wishart.
Also in attendance:-
Councillors (Ward 7) – Iain McMillan.
(Ward 8) –
And three members of the public.
1. Apologies
Dennis Lavery, Ian McNaught and Cllrs John Caldwell and John Hood.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved.
Proposed by David Higginson
Seconded by Robert Campbell
3. Matters Arising
A question was raised as to whether under the new arrangements, a hard copy of the minutes was being provided to Johnstone Library. George Kennedy agreed to check whether this was the case.
4. Planning Report
Valerie Reilly provided a report on the Zero Waste Plan event she had attended in Edinburgh.
Other planning matters included a copy of a development proposal re. a residential development at Barskiven Road, The Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan, the 10thRenfrewshire Annual Planning Conference and a recommendation that JCC should continue to subscribe to Planning Aid Scotland.
Cllr McMillan reported that one of only three charette planning projects sponsored by the Scottish Government was to take place in the Spateston, Howwood Road and Cochrane Castle area.
5. Treasurer’s Report
DH reported that JCC had £13,147.21 currently in the bank, but that most of it was already spoken for.
6. Secretary’s Report
GK reported that MSPs have now been added to the circulation list for JCC minutes.
Re. the bandstand: performances have been provided by McCallum School of Music, Pamela Higginson with the Cochrane Castle Primary School Choir and the Johnstone Baptist Church. Other performances are scheduled through the summer. A programme for Christmas will be set up once the date for the Christmas lights switch-on date is known.
GK reported that he had written to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill and Renfrewshire Chief Executive David Martin querying why there appears to be no increase in Payback Offenders working in Johnstone. Replies to both letters have been received advising that further discussions have to take place before the system can be put into full operation.
Gk has written to David Martin pointing out that while Renfrewshire Council has a statutory duty to consult their communities about local priorities, neither Community Councils nor Tenants and Residents Associations are included on their list for consultation.
GK noted that he had applied for, and received confirmation of meeting dates for JCC at the Town Hall up to 7th June 2012.
JCC has registered for membership of Engage Renfrewshire – our contact point for the External Funding Partnership Team.
The Association of Scottish Community Councils has ceased to exist due to a lack of funding. However, Renfrewshire Community Council Forum will continue to meet and represent the 22 active CCs in Renfrewshire. They will hold their next meeting on 29th August.
7. Sub-Group Reports
Roads
Linda Flint reported that on 3rd June she had met with Scott Allen and Jim Wright to highlight problems in the town centre. An email at the end of July from Jim Wright noted that all issues were now being looked into
After discussion she will in future collate photographic evidence to send to Fiona Docherty.
Margaret Lavery reported that roads and pavements in north Road are now being attended to after 18 years of trying to get action.
GK noted that Scott Allen has agreed to come to one of our autumn meetings to report progress.
Environment
RC reported that the bin problem at 15 McDowall St now seems to have been solved, however, there now seems to be a similar problem developing at no. 5. A bin is also being left in the High Street, but this belongs to an elderly person and it should be being moved for them. A communal bin at the back of Quarry St is reported not to have been emptied for a year.
A problem with overhanging trees at Linn Brae is the subject of a dispute over ownership of the land between the pavement and the burn.
No flies have been reported at WRC this summer – this would appear to be the result of the spraying.
ML agreed that the flies are not as bad, but the parking is still seen as a problem. People using the surgery car park have been blocked in. Cllr McGhee has said that she is trying to ascertain whether lorries in Floors Street are being fined as well as the private cars.
Play Park & Youth Issues
Wilma Dean reported that it was proving difficult to find funding for Shanks Park. An application for a grant from Co-op Community Funding has been unsuccessful. JCC had a commendable project but it was deemed to fall outwith their criteria.
Two more applications have been completed with the assistance of the External Funding Partnership Team. The Local Area Committee has asked for a JCC member to be present at their meeting on 31st August – GK has agreed to attend.
GK reported on a meeting held at Weans World to discuss our use of the Cashback for Communities funding for our youth groups. It had been a worthwhile meeting giving hope for the future.
Civic Hub
Dennis Lavery has been dealing with this matter. In his absence GK noted that he has only just managed to contact Fraser Carlin. An invite has been issued to JCC to send representatives on a fact finding mission to visit similar facilities.
Cllr McM expressed concern over how few people seem to be being consulted – no-one outside the town centre and they seemingly hadn’t thought of the T&RAs, community groups, Morrisons, the schools, the outlying villages and the churches. This matter concerns the future of the town for the next 50 years and we need to get this right.
GK noted that as yet nothing has been decided and that JCC is being consulted on this occasion.
8. AOCB
Cllr McM reported that several sports clubs have combined to take the lease of the McMaster Sports Centre and are applying for grants to do it up. There may be capacity for room availability when it is up and running.
Elizabeth Cosgrove added that the Centre is hoping to provide space for dance classes
ML passed on complaints raised at Quarrelton T&RA about the bottle bank in Shanks Park. It is not being emptied often enough and its proximity to the play park makes it an unsuitable site.
EC noted that work on the new pool at Johnstone High had started even before the school finished and there had been issues over lorry access.
Gk asked if the Roads group could look at the issue of whether there should be a separate entrance created as there had been when building the new Fordbank
LF raised a question on behalf of the new owner of the Papa Max cafe as to whether he would be able to apply for a grant to make his toilet facilities available to the public as part of the ‘comfort scheme’.
GK pointed out the problems that had occurred with the scheme, but that if he did want to apply he should contact Shona McDougal.
Margery Parker asked if it was possible to get a bus shelter placed on the Paisley bound route at Graham Street.
GK replied that the appropriate contact was Scott Allen.
On a similar note it was pointed out that bus timetables displayed at stops were often out of date or not available at all.
GK said that this was also a matter for Scott Allen.
There was also a complaint about the lack of buses since McGill’s bought out the smaller companies.
GK replied that all we can do is ask for a review of the bus services in Johnstone.
A member of the public reported on problems with bins and pigeons around Houston Square.
GK stated that JCC could add this to our list of problems – LF and RC were asked to investigate.
RC asked why the bandstand music programme runs in the afternoons when the town centre is fairly quiet.
GK replied that the current timing is the result of discussion and that the groups tend to pick their own performance times.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.40pm.
The next meeting will be held at Johnstone Town Hall on Thursday 6th October 2011 at 7.00pm, and will include the AGM.