Agenda and Minutes for 11th April 2019
Agenda Johnstone Community Council
11th April 7pm Johnstone Town Hall
1) Apologies
2) Minutes of Meeting 14th March 2019
3) Matters Arising
4) Police Crime Statistics
5) Presentation... Attain Mentoring Service
6) Chairperson s Report
7) Secretary s Report/Liaison group /Board Reports
8) Treasurers Report
9) Elected Members Report ...Cllr Andy Doig
10) Events
11) AOCB
12) Date of Next Meeting 9th May 2019
Johnstone Community Council
Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Johnstone Community Council held
on Thursday 11th April 2019 at 7.00pm in Johnstone Town Hall.
Present
Members: Marie Corbett, Linda Flint, Elizabeth Forrest, Chris Gilmour, Daniel
Graham, Catherine Johnstone, Dennis Lavery, lain McMillan, Valerie Reilly
and Thomas Wallace.
Also in attendance:
Councillors (Ward 8) — Jacqueline Cameron.
(Ward 9) - Derek Bibby, Bill Binks, Andy Doig, Emma Rodden.
PC A. Taylor of Police Scotland.
4 members of the public were also present.
1. Apologies
Wilma Dean, Geraldine McNealey, Arlene Scarff, Councillors John Hood,
Alistair Mackay and Andy Steel.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and agreed.
Proposed by Elizabeth Forrest
Seconded by Marie Corbett
3. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
4. Police Crime Statistics Report
The report was presented by PC Taylor and covered the period from 14"‘
March to 11th April.
Johnstone Town Centre
A total of 34 crimes were reported including 2 serious assaults and 4 common
assaults, 11 thefts and attempted thefts, 1 drug offence, 9 anti-social offences
and 5 road traffic offences. 14 of these crimes had been detected.
West Johnstone
A total of 15 crimes were reported including 1 serious assault and 1 common
assault, 2 drug offences, 5 anti-social offences and 3 road traffic offences. 3
of these crimes had been detected.
Spateston and Corseford
A total of 9 crimes were reported including 4 thefts, 2 common assaults and 3
anti-social offences. 2 of these crimes had been detected.
Johnstone Castle
A total of 11 crimes were reported including 2 common assaults, 3 thefts or
attempted thefts, 2 drug offences and 2 anti-social offences. 7 of these crimes
had been detected.
Dennis Lavery reported that, at the Thorn Inn, motorists were parking right up
to the traffic lights, at the point at which the road narrows to one lane, which
was causing difficulties.
PC T commented that there were many things prohibited by the Highway
Code which were not actually enforceable offences.
lMcM said that he would write to the Director of Roads. Linda Flint added that
if we were writing we should include all the other places in the town where this
happens. Councillor Doig asked about the new law prohibiting parking on
pavements. PC T said this was only enforceable if someone was actually
obstructed and complained.
LF asked if there had been any reports of missing wheelie bins in the Miller
Street area as there seemed to be many lying about along the cycle path.
PC T said that several youths have been charged and the community
payback team have been clearing up.
Before leaving the meeting at 7.15pm PC T reported back on housebreaking
concerns raised at the March meeting. He said a few offenders had been
locked up and there had been no reports this month.
5. Elected Member's Report
The report had been prepared and circulated by Councillor Doig. It was taken
ahead of its slot on the agenda as Cllr D had to leave early to attend another
meeting.
He raised the concerns about the Johnstone Phoenix Theatre Group being
refused funding. Their application had been reconsidered but had been
rejected a second time. He felt that this was a situation JCC needed to keep
an eye on.
Councillor Cameron commented that it was disappointing that they didn’t get
the grant; but that they might get something from the next tranche and that
meantime they were receiving guidance on tailoring their application to best fit
the criteria.
Cllr D noted that the top issues in the area covered by JCC were potholes and
bins. He noted that some roads seem to be repeatedly ignored and he was
urging the Council to investigate the possibilities of plastic infill.
Cllr Bibby remarked that many councillors have raised the roads issues ~ £40
million has been allocated for road repairs but that seems insufficient. He also
questioned the fairness of the allocation, as Erskine seems to be getting three
times more resurfacing than Johnstone.
LF commented that John Lang Street is in desperate need of repair,
especially as it is the route used by the recycling lorries. Cllr C said that she
would put a request in. She added that some roads are on a reserve list and
may receive attention if there is year-end money available.
EF reported that there was a huge ‘crater’ at the top of North lvenon Street.
DL questioned the quality of modern repairs saying that older road surfaces
have lasted much better than more modern ones. He added that it was a
pointless exercise doing ‘temporary’ repairs.
Cllr D felt that one problem was a lack of inspectors to check up on the work.
He said he would take on board the points about John Lang and North lverton
Streets.
Cllr D reported that he has been asking for money to refurbish the bandstand
to modern standards and has received indications that some money will be
forthcoming.
At the conclusion of his report Cllr D excused himself and left the meeting at
7.30pm.
6. Presentation - Attain Mentoring Service
The report was presented by Lorna Fraser.
This is a new service, funded by Renfrewshire Council, which hopes to
support 90 young people aged between 8 and 18 - and that they are looking
for volunteers to assist.
The aim is to assist “looked after" children in their education as such children
have poorer outcomes for educational attainment - only 44% achieve 1 or
more qualification at level 5. There are around 450 “looked after" children in
Renfrewshire only 10% of which are in children's homes, the rest are fostered
or cared for with the extended family.
The new service will put together a bespoke mentoring programme
encouraging each child to value education and have high aspirations.
Volunteers would be asked to act as mentor for 2 hours/week - but it needs to
be consistent and would last for one year.
The role of the mentor is to build a positive relationship; meet regularly and
encourage the children to be more interested in their local communities.
Mentors would get high quality mentoring training; out of pocket expenses;
ongoing supervision and to attend recognition events.
The outcomes for the children would hopefully be improved school attendance
and improved confidence and self-esteem.
Evaluation of the project will be undertaken by the Stirling University Centre
for Child Wellbeing and Protection.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the project by emailing
volunteering@aberlour.org.uk or phoning 0141 260 9180.
Councillor Bibby commented that the problems are age-old but that the
experience would be very rewarding for the adult volunteers. However, he
cautioned that this scheme should not be allowed to replace Council services
‘on the cheap’.
Cllr C stated that she was the Chair of the Children's Champions Board and
asked whether the service would be working with them. Lorna F replied that
they would.
lMcM stated that this work was crucial but was worried that seeking 120
volunteers was a huge ask. Lorna F replied that she had been given to
understand that any Council employees who volunteered would be given time
off work to do their mentoring.
In thanking Lorna F, Thomas Wallace said that he was struck by the numbers
involved and offered to post information on the project on JCC social media.
7. Chairman’s Report
TW reported that he had attended the information session on the Barbush
farm development. It was very strange in that the current footbridge over the
A737 was to be turned into a two-lane road which would form the only access
to the Johnstone side of the development. Residents would have no direct
access to the town centre. There would be severe concerns about emergency
access should that road be blocked.
LF asked whether there were going to be traffic lights for the cycle path.
Elizabeth Forrest reported that she had asked which school the development
would be zoned to and had been told Kilbarchan!
VR suggested that we should write to Kilbarchan CC to inform them of this
plan.
Cllr Bibby pointed out that this was only a proposal for an application and that
it might never come to anything.
Chris Gilmour commented on the steady erosion of the green belt, although
there is already a proposal for the brown field site at the old ID Hospital. He
added that there was a huge argument for a change to the transport
management around Morrisons — the roads are already at saturation point.
And we should at least press for a footbridge over the River Cart so that the
residents can get to the town centre for shopping. Otherwise there would be
no benefit to Johnstone's retail businesses.
TW introduced George MacDonald of the Corseford T&RA where a proposal
for house building at Fordbank was causing concern about access for
construction traffic.
lMcM added that there was no planning permission for this and but that it was
hard to see where access could be other than Corseford Avenue. This
scheme would merit a watching brief for now.
TW reported on the Local Partnership where four organisations were up for
election but Corseford T&RA had been told that a place was being held open
for a ‘youth organisation’.
DL commented that it was surely wrong to hold back a place for something
that might not exist.
Councillor Rodden noted that she sat on two Local Partnerships and in her
thirties was the youngest person in the room. But she felt it was important that
the views of younger people should be represented.
Margaret Lavery commented that the problem may be getting young people to
come along to such meetings.
TW noted that the next Local Partnership meeting would be in July.
It was reported that the Revised Scheme for CCs has been removed and that
the Council wants to change the way people get on to a CC by getting rid of
the need for two nominators.
TW gave a Gala update confirming that it would go ahead in Shanks Park
after assurances that the work on the pathways would be done before 25th August.
It was noted that TW and lMcM were to meet Richard Weeks on 25th April re a
pop-up cinema in the Town Hall.
8. Secretary’s Report
lMcM noted that he had circulated the positive results from the last meeting of
the Liaison Group and that he was attempting to arrange the next meeting for
early May.
He further reported that the Review of Polling Stations paper had only elicited
a couple of comments. LF asked why the Town Hall was not used as a polling
station in the same way as the old building had been in the past. She further
suggested that portacabins could be placed in car parks.
George MacDonald agreed that schools should not be used but locals in his
area had been asked about changing away from Fordbank PS and they had
wanted it to continue to be used.
lMcM agreed to write in with our views.
lMcM reported that there were very few licence applications that affected
Johnstone other than an Orange March from St Paul's to the Town Centre on
May 5th.
He noted that the new Cab Company for Dimity Street had not yet received a
licence — even though it was already being advertised. There could be
objections on the grounds that taxis sitting in Dimity Street could cause
problems. It was suggested from the floor that Johnstone already had plenty
of taxi provision and another company would cause rivalries to emerge.
Cllr Bibby commented that the hazards in Dimity Street have been raised and
that they will be a consideration.
DL remarked that the taxis would probably use the Provost's Close parking
area and thereby reduce the available parking for shopping.
Daniel Graham suggested we might also challenge them on environmental
grounds as more taxis on the road would cause an increase in air pollution in
High Street.
lMcM said he would raise our concerns.
lMcM reported that the contract for the construction of the new Spateston
Nursery has now been awarded.
9. Treasurer's Report
LF reported that the current balance was £6,735.64.
No cheques had been cashed in March.
Expenditure had been on insurance, hall lets, and the Gala Day let.
In respect of the Scouts Gala Day 2018 payment situation, the Gala
Committee had agreed to refund their £50.
10. Events
It was noted that there is to be a campaign to make Johnstone a
dementia-friendly town. Cllr Bibby remarked that this initiative is very
important and that we should all support it.
11. AOCB
LF asked the councillors whether those developers involved in housebuilding
around the town could be asked to support the Thomas Shanks Park by
providing it with new facilities.
Catherine Johnstone asked if there was any news on the housing part of the
development at Paton’s Mill. Cllr R replied that that had always been
envisaged as a second part to the development.
DL asked why the road passing in front of the Town Hall's marriage suite was
now bollard-free, when we had originally been told that it would only be
opened for wedding traffic.
lMcM said he would write about this.
DL also enquired as to the whereabouts of the Piper Carlisle memorial. CG
replied that is currently held by Environmental Services pending
reinstatement.
Cllr Bibby reported that Johnstone Station is in line for work to improve
disabled access and advised that, in light of previous disruptions, JCC should
ask for details of what work will entail and when it is scheduled.
TW thanked all those present for their attendance.
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 9th May 2019 at 7.00pm.