June 6th 2013 Minutes
Johnstone Community Council
Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Johnstone Community Council held on Thursday 6th June 2013 at 7.00pm in Cochrane Castle Community Centre.
Present
Members: Robert Bowater, Stewart Clark, Elizabeth Cosgrove, Wilma Dean, Elizabeth Forrest, George Kennedy, Dennis Lavery, and Valerie Reilly.
Associate members: Brian Cairns and Daniel McKay.
Also in attendance:-
Councillors (Ward 7) –John Hood.
(Ward 8) – Christopher Gilmour.
2 members of the public were also present.
1. Apologies
Robert Campbell, Linda Flint, David Higginson, Pamela Higginson, Malcolm Hill and Evelyn Cairns.
Apologies were also received from Councillors Derek Bibby, Andy Doig, John Caldwell, Stephen McGee and Iain MacMillan.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and agreed.
Proposed by Elizabeth Cosgrove
Seconded by Elizabeth Forrest
3. Matters Arising
Margaret Lavery requested an amendment to the minutes of the previous meeting to reflect the fact that the state of the pavements close to Provost Court and the Dimity Street Church (mentioned under section 8 - Roads) had been reported to Johnstone Community Council, not Renfrewshire Council.
4. WRC Recycling Plant Fire
George Kennedy noted that a number of issues surrounding the incident had been raised with relevant agencies and replies received. A thick file of correspondence was tabled. The current situation seems to be that there are no legislative powers available to make much change to the operation at WRC. MSP Hugh Henry, Cllr Andy Doig, SEPA, Health and Safety, QuarreltonArea Tenants and Residents Association and Johnstone Community Council all continue to monitor the situation.
GK reported that he personally had raised two particular issues with the Fire Service – the storage adjacent to the perimeter fence and the storage of large chemical containers with unknown contents. A local Fire Officer had attended the last Local Area Committee meeting at which issues surrounding the WRC fire and site were discussed.
Brian Cairns stated that he found it difficult to believe that no legislation covers the situation.
GK replied that MSPs are currently looking into it and the situation is likely to change for the future, but that it is unlikely that retro action will be enforced. WRC is currently said to be operating under the limit of weekly tonnage stored or processed at which legislation would apply.
Dennis Lavery noted that there seemed to be no independent observation of the tonnage, and that the agencies seem not to want to take any action.
Elizabeth Forrest questioned whether the closeness of housing caused a problem.
GK replied that the Fire Service says that the responsibility lies with the local authority who have licenced the site.
After further discussion GK offered to pass on the correspondence file to anyone who wanted to comb through it to see if there was any further case that could be put forward.
BC agreed to take up GK’s offer to check the file.
Cllr Chris Gilmour reported that he had contacted Shona McDougal and asked that Environmental services keep an eye on WRC. They have already asked WRC to move some items that were incorrectly stored.
GK reported that more fencing has recently been added, but that the perimeter was, as yet, incomplete.
ML noted that the QAT&RA meeting at St Paul’s Church on 25th June would specifically be looking at the WRC situation and invited JCC members to attend.
5. Planning Report
Valerie Reilly reported on a notification of an application for a provisional licence for the Funktions Room in the High Street. It was questioned whether, since this was a first floor venue, it would be fully compliant with Disabled access legislation.
VR agreed to forward this concern to the Licensing Board.
D&ML noted that they had attended a Scottish Planning event in Glasgow re. the new planning policy.
Cllr G suggested that JCC might want to invite a planning officer along to a meeting later in the year to explain the new regulations.
6. Treasurer’s Report
In David Higginson’s absence, GK reported that the balance as of 6th June stood at £2825.61 of which £890 is allocated to music in the bandstand.
7. Secretary’s Report
GK reported that McCallum’s School of music have been booked for the Bandstand on Saturdays, 29th June, 27th July and 31st August from 11am to 3pm
St David’s Primary musicians would be in the bandstand on Wednesday 12th June from 1-2pm.
GK noted that JCC had received a letter regarding a short closure of Johnstone Post Office for refurbishment. It would re-open with longer opening hours.
GK advised that the next meeting of the Community Council Forum was due to be held in Renfrewshire House at 6pm on Monday 24th June.
Planning was taking place to revive the Johnstone Gala with a provisional date set for 24th August. Wilma Dean had attended the inaugural meeting. There had been a good attendance and useful advice on finance and legal requirements had been received. The organisers have received promises of various free attractions.
Cllr G suggested that the Gala could tie in with the official re-opening of the McMaster Centre – which could also provide a wet weather option.
WD noted that stalls at the Gala will be let for £10 (this compared with £25 at Renfrew Gala and £40 at Lilias Day)
Cllr G noted that the West Johnstone Youth Council seemed to be really enthusiastic about the project and that getting the young people involved was the way forward.
GK noted that McGill’s had taken over the bus routes left vacant by the recent demise of Riverside Transport.
An edition of ‘Flightpath’, the Glasgow Airports Community newsletter, was circulated. It included a number of stories on funding of community projects.
GK commented on the recently received Police statistical report. It contained some dreadful statistics, but we are not given any background information to put the statistics into context.
GK referred to the statistics put together by Calum Kennedy and asked if there was anything JCC wanted to pick out of them.
BC was of the opinion that it was an exercise in the obvious with no sense of what to do about it.
ML noted that drug taking is a huge problem in Johnstone, but that JCC is still awaiting the statistics it asked for in February 2012.
GK stated that education is very important in getting people to make the right choices.
DMcK said that the pushers are the real problem and that their actions affect the schoolchildren.
DL added that people would steal to feed their habit and that therefore addiction leads to criminality.
BC observed that prohibition pushes the whole trade into the hands of organised crime.
Cllr G reported that funding of £639,000 had just been approved towards the funding of a new CCTV control room to cover the whole of Renfrewshire. Funding the cameras themselves will cost extra, but will be of the highest specification possible.
GK noted that the locations for the cameras have not yet been decided, and he was still hopeful that JCC would be consulted.
8. Sub-Group Reports
Roads
Linda Flint had sent a message of thanks for the flowers and card following her recent bereavement.
LF, Danny McKay and Robert Campbell had recently begun a comprehensive survey of the state of Johnstone’s roads. They had begun with Ritchie Park, Millar Street and Loudon Gardens. They had found a lot of damaged drains. They also noted that the drains were clear at the Millar Street park but were blocked nearer to the burn.
GK advised that an interim report had been forwarded to Renfrewshire Council and the intention was that a new area would be surveyed each week.
EC noted a problem with the pavement at the bus stop on the Houston Square side of High Street. Her brother-in-law had fallen there and the damaged area was just at the point where passengers alight from the buses.
Cllr G noted that money had been received from SPT to raise pavement heights at bus stops, and that this might be part of the problem. In general, he suggested inviting Scott Allan to a meeting to talk on the current roads programme.
Environmental
GK reported that turf was now being laid at Ludovic Square, thanks to Cllr G bringing the problems to the attention of the Council.
Cllr G added that the new gardens would need to be of high standard to attract wedding parties to the new Town Hall. The current planting in Ludovic Square is only intended to be temporary.
Repairs to Quarry Street, at the shops have now been carried out after years of trying. JCC now has a good contact in the Housing department with whom to raise issues.
A letter had been received stating that the Shanks Park depot will be relocated during June and only used for work relating to the park itself.
Play Park & Youth Issues.
GK reported that the Children’s Playpark project has been completed at a cost of approximately £50,000. Many thanks are due to JCC’s partners in the project Graham Ternent and Renfrewshire Council; Johnstone and the Villages Local Area Committee; Glasgow Airport Flightpath Fund; The Yorkshire Bank and Hags, the company who were the main contractors. Congratulations were due to all involved and particularly to Wilma Dean’s fundraising efforts.
GK asked how should we publicise this success.
DL suggested that the best reward was just to see it being well-used by lots of young children.
EC said that the park still lacked public toilets and that this would discourage some who might otherwise use the park. There was also a lack of seats for accompanying adults.
Cllr G said that he would see if Environmental Services might have any seats available.
GK noted that he had attended a Parkour seminar in Glasgow organised by Hags. As a follow-up DL and the sub-group had held a meeting with Cllr McMillan, Stuart Richmond from Hags and Graham Ternent to discuss the future provision of facilities for older children and teens in Shanks Park. It was agreed that Hags would submit a plan to JCC which could be published in our local papers, asking for comments and suggestions before we try to fundraise.
It was therefore suggested that the formation of a ‘Friends of Shanks Park’ group would be the way forward to making the park a suitable facility for all of Johnstone to visit.
Cllr Hood noted that there was currently an issue of safety in the Park after nightfall.
ML added that there had been no expressions of interest in an ‘elderly gym’ because it had been proposed for Shanks Park. She suggested that the area of the tennis courts between Park Road and Beith Road should be looked at for such a facility – partly because it was closer to the town centre and partly because it was beside the bowling green – a facility already popular with older sports fans.
Cllr Hood noted that he had asked about this area and agreed with the general opinion that the tennis courts were a disgrace and should either be done up or replaced with something more popular.
EC commented that there doesn’t seem to be much interest in tennis.
It was suggested that these questions be included in a survey to be conducted in Shanks Park on the Gala Day.
A big thanks was declared to the local councillors who supported JCC’s bid for £6,000 to keep the Youth and Children’s Clubs going this financial year. The Big Lottery Fund would not be swayed from their original decision not to fund the clubs, but have stated that they would be pleased to look at any other project that we might put forward. The plans for Shanks Park might be a good candidate.
9. AOCB
ML expressed thanks to JCC for the improvements to Shanks Park, but noted that there was a lot of litter around.
BC asked if the footbridge over the railway to the park would be repaired. Cllr H replied that the Council intended to replace it but that they first needed to get permissions in place from Network Rail.
The question of the path behind Tannahill Crescent was raised.
Cllr H noted that he had reported the issue and will keep a watch to ensure the work is completed
EC complained that the grass at that area was not being cut properly – for the second year running – and that Andy Summer was not responding to complaints – whilst grass at Spatestonused only by dogs is cut regularly.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.30pm.
The next meeting will be held at Cochrane Castle Community Centre on Thursday 1st August 2013 at 7.00pm.