Agenda and Minutes 14th December 2017
JOHNSTONE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Agenda for the ordinary meeting in Johnstone Town Hall Marriage Suite Thursday 14th December 2017 at 7.00 p.m.
1. Apologies
2. Minutes
3. Matters Arising
4. Police Crime Statistics
5. Chairman's Report
6. Secretary s Report
7. Treasurers Report
8. Joint Sub Group with Renfrewshire Council
9. Event and Funding Sub Group
10. AOCB
Date of next Meeting 11th January 2018
Johnstone Community Council
Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Johnstone Community Council held on Thursday 14th December 2017 at 7.00pm in Johnstone Town Hall.
Present
Members: Wilma Dean, Linda Flint, Elizabeth Forrest, Daniel Graham, Malcolm Hill, Catherine Johnstone, Dennis Lavery, Daniel McKay, Iain McMillan, Valerie Reilly, and Thomas Wallace.
Also in attendance:
Councillors (Ward 8) – Jacqueline Cameron, Alistair Mackay.
(Ward 9) – Derek Bibby.
3 members of the public were also present.
Apologies
Carol Ewing, Ron Ewing and Councillors Bill Binks, Andy Doig, John Hood, Emma Rodden and Andy Steel.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and agreed.
Proposed by Linda Flint
Seconded by Dennis Lavery
3. Matters Arising
Dennis Lavery pointed out that Sheila King was wrongly listed as being present at the November meeting. Valerie Reilly agreed to amend the minutes.
It was noted that the car in the Collier Street car park has now been removed.
4. Police Crime Statistics Report
Johnstone Town Centre
A total of 52 crimes were reported including 4 common assaults, 18 thefts and attempted thefts, 13 anti-social offences, 8 drug offences and 4 road traffic offences. 24 of these crimes had been detected.
Crime trends showed a notable rise in shoplifting, which was now being targeted.
West Johnstone
A total of 13 crimes were reported including 3 common assaults, 2 thefts or attempted thefts and 4 anti-social offences. 7 of these crimes had been detected.
Due to a pattern of anti-social behaviours centred on Shanks Park, extra patrols had been put in place.
Johnstone Castle
A total of 18 crimes were reported including 3 common assaults, 1 theft, 8 anti-social offences, 1 drug offence and 1 road traffic offence. 6 of these crimes had been detected.
Spateston and Corseford
A total of 14 crimes were reported including 5 thefts or attempted thefts, 6 anti-social offences and 1 road traffic offence. 4 of these crimes had been detected.
Thomas Wallace asked if there was any information about the recent fire in the town centre and was told that it was an ongoing enquiry in the hands of CID – part of a small spate of crimes over the weekend.
LF asked about the break-in at the Miller Street Centre and was told that it was still undetected. LF further enquired whether there was any CCTV footage of the event. The officers replied that they were unaware of any.
On hearing this LF reminded JCC that we had previously been offered a visit to the Paisley CCTV control centre. Iain McMillan agreed to write and ask for a visit to be arranged.
5. Chairman’s Report
TW reported that he had a sad announcement to make. He had been contacted by Christina Leon who has had to stand down from JCC due to a change in personal circumstances. He thanked her for her stalwart work in the past.
TW stated that at the last meeting there had been a bit of a spat between Councillors which had turned somewhat political. Those concerned had now apologised.
The public meeting held on December 3rd had achieved a good turn out, and overall had gone well. Cllr McEwan had attended and had heard the views of the Johnstone public. This meeting had focused on parking – issues related to bins will be addressed at a later date. Cllr Cameron commented that there had been no meeting of the relevant Council board, but our views will be fed back.
Cllr MacKay noted that the consultation on parking and bin services was a cross-party issue and not the project of any individual councillor. IMcM pointed out that he was just detailing recent correspondence received.
Cllr Bibby commented on who were the ‘stakeholders’ for the consultation – apart from the Business Consortium, consideration should also be given to the residents of Johnstone and the villages. He suggested it might be useful for JCC to write and ask for clarity on this matter. IMcM Understood that the ‘stakeholders’ were to be JCC and the Business Consortium, but undertook to ask about it. Cllr C agreed to speak to Cllr McEwan to get more detail.
Cllr B said he felt that the focus of the impact assessment was too narrow and needed to be broadened.
DL commented that it was odd that only JCC and JBC were stakeholders and he felt that the town’s users were being excluded. This was not a proper consultation. LF asked if there would be any advantage in starting a petition. IMcM replied that JBC were already running one and it was better not to dilute their efforts.
The discussion was rounded off by saying that on the night there were certain points we didn’t get answers to such as what exactly constitutes the ‘Town Centre’ – and how were the schemes to be administered through the local wardens or via a private company?
TW reported on the news that Families First were to lose funding and added that a representative may come along to a future JCC meeting to speak to us.
Cllr B said that Johnstone seems to be getting hit disproportionately by Council funding decisions. Families First is a project funded for the last 3 years in 5 locations, providing practical support for the most vulnerable of families. A report shows that the project has benefitted the families by thousands of pounds. However, funding for 3 of the 5 locations is to end in March.
Cllr B said he was prepared to write to the Council leaders, on behalf of all Johnstone’s councillors, to put forward the view that this project should continue.
Wilma Dean added that on 8th December some of the families who use FF came to the Youth Club – they have started a petition.
Cllr C said she supported the project, but that the budgets were not yet finalised.
DL asked why the Council could invest millions of pounds in certain projects yet cut the funding that supports families? They should get their priorities right.
From the floor Margaret Lavery asked why of the 5 locations only 3 were being cut. Why were they not being treated on the same basis?
IMcM commented FF was a good project he put his faith in Cllr C to put our views forward. He asked that FF be strongly considered for support.
Cllr B said that the families will be decimated if the project ends. Johnstone needs a fair deal.
Clr C said the amendment had come as a surprise to her.
TW reported on WD and Daniel Graham’s query about progress on disciplinary procedures in the CC. He said that nothing had been passed on to him, but he has made enquiries. Apparently, there is a code of conduct but there are no procedures to enforce it. Any disciplinary procedure will need to be graded according to the seriousness of the offence and will need to be taken up by Anne McNaughton.
DL commented that any procedures will need to work across all the CCs. Kay Johnston said the subject has been brought up at a CC Forum where it emerged that there has never been a procedure and the matter has always been left to individual Chairs.
DL mused that perhaps there was no disciplinary procedure so as not to put people off joining the CCs.
6. Secretary’s Report
IMcM reported on a series of correspondences from Cllr Doig about the review of the LACs. A consultation will be held in January.
Cllr D has been tackling the issue of Johnstone Town Hall staff taking up all the parking spaces in the town centre. They have been told not to do this but it was difficult to enforce. No Council vans had been seen in the disabled bays since this issue had been reported to JCC. The situation will continue to be monitored.
A Scotland Towns Partnership meeting in Edinburgh had been notified to JCC – but at too late a date to arrange attendance.
Anne McNaughton had contacted JCC to ask for the dates for our 2018 meetings. IMcM will confirm.
IMcM had contacted Karen Anderson about the bin service, but she was not yet in a position to explain the proposals to the public. It is hoped a representative will be able to attend a JCC in the next couple of months.
An issue regarding parking at Houston Court was being looked at by Cllr Bibby who was awaiting a reply. It was noted that Houston Court is to be jet washed to remove pigeon droppings.
LF asked if all parties were together on the consultation, could they please get the Johnstone bin collections moved from Sunday so every area gets a turn of this anti-social event.
Cllr MacK said that the logistics of doing this were very difficult.
Cllr B added that there is no panned consultation on the changes to the bin services and perhaps JCC should write and ask for one
IMcM asked would JCC members want him to write to the Leader of the Council expressing our concerns about Families First? It was agreed that he should.
7. Treasurer’s Report
LF reported that she had only received the audited accounts the previous week from the former Treasurer and therefore has not yet been able to do anything despite the fact that we have had bills to pay and have taken money in. She had consulted Anne McNaughton who had suggested opening a new account. Consequently, LF has applied to the Bank of Scotland and we have been accepted – the agreement of the JCC members was required and was received.
JCC had received final notices for our hire of the TH meeting room. LF had paid this from her own money and IMcM had paid from his own money for the hire of the Hall for the public meeting. Both amounts will be reimbursed as soon as the new account is up and running. Additionally the cheque for our annual administrative grant from RC has not yet been paid in anywhere.
The balance of the account will amount to £5,704.
Cllr MacK asked why had all this happened. LF replied that she had been told that the audited accounts had not been passed on as they were “not ready” on account of the Accountant auditing it had been “busy”.
TW commented that we have no idea how this had come about.
DL commented that in the past JCC had never had proper information presented at the AGM in order that any change in the JCC administration could be seamless.
LF reported that there was one further hire of hall bill of £48 to be paid.
8. Report on Sub Group with Renfrewshire Council
A meeting had been held to sort out a new single point of contact for issues to be raised with the Council.
There had been a short notice informal meeting with Chris Dalrymple (Dorothy Kerr can also be contacted). IMcM said that meetings would be on an ad hoc basis, but should take place at least once a month.
If JCC members have any items needing attention around the town they are asked to contact IMcM so that he can pass them on.
So far issues to be addressed included:
Thorn Court issues
Gullies – all have been cleared where accessible
Roads and pavements to be inspected
Lack of quality street lights on Linn Brae
Flooding
Speed bumps
Former school sites
Money for Shanks Park
The traffic Lights sequence at Morrisons
Overgrowing bushes at Deafhillock Roundabout
LF mentioned the seagull problem at her end of town and mentioned that WH Malcolm’s had managed to get rid of the birds for one season by flying a hawk kite on their roof. IMcM said this would be a real opportunity for JCC to work together with Malcolms and the Council.
From the floor Margaret Lavery asked what were the issues we could raise in this way. IMcM replied that we could highlight anything with the exception of social work or education.
DL mentioned the pigeons in the square and that people were feeding them.
A member of the public mentioned that Campbell Street was in a bad condition with pigeon droppings. IMcM commented that while the bridges in Paisley were cleaned regularly, the Campbell Street bridge was not and this was unsafe. Cllr B said he would take up this issue. He added that on the other issues JCC might want to invite a Council officer to do a tour of the town to work out our priorities. IMcM said it makes a big difference for officers to see the problems first hand.
9. Event and Funding Sub-Group Report
TW noted that this group had been formed in January to organise the 2017 Gala Day – it had had five members – CJ, Christina Leon, Carol Ewing and LF along with WD as an advisor.
The gala had gone well through their efforts. JCC now has to make a decision about 2018; the sub-group have indicated that they would like to take it on again under the JCC banner. This is good publicity for the CC.
TW asked whether JCC would back this move and was given approval.
TW went on to comment that the Gala gives the CC the chance to build up links with other organisations, as well as emphasising the usefulness of the Park in the life of the community.
Any income made from running the Gala could be used to run other events such as music in the bandstand. He added that JCC would never recruit new members unless we were seen to be doing good things.
WD asked how many people would be involved in the sub-group. IMcM answered that names put forward so far were TW; CJ; LF Cllr B; Cllr Binks and Chris Gilmour.
IMcM stated that there was a case for writing to other organisations saying that we are starting work early in the New Year.
WD cautioned that the LAC may not put money in to the Gala in 2018.
IMcM replied that many of the events will be self-funding and we have money in the bank that we can use.
Cllr B added that the money situation will be the same in 2018 regardless of what happens to the LACs in the future.
10. AOCB
Various closing comments were made:
Cllr B noted that he had asked the Council to look at the possibilities of a bus stop outside Lidl.
It was requested that the drain at the Cartside Mill should be looked at.
It was reported that any further work at the Deafhillock Roundabout will be deferred until May to give motorists in the area a respite.
It was noted that planning applications for Brookfield and Bridge of Weir have all been refused.
WD passed over a letter requesting a summary report for the LAC.
DL offered to look at some of the Board reports in order to report back to JCC.
TW offered everyone the Seasons Greeting and hoped to see everyone in the New year.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.00pm.
The next meeting will be held in the Marriage Suite of Johnstone Town Hall on Thursday 11th January 2018 at 7.00pm.