Agenda and Minutes for 13th June 2019
Johnstone Community Council
7 pm Johnstone Town Hall 13th June 2019
1) Apologies
2) Minutes of Meeting 9th May
3) Matters Arising
4) Police Crime Statistics
5) Chairperson s Report
6) Secretary s Report /Council Boards /Liaison Group
7) Treasurers Report
8) Elected Members Report: Cllr John Hood
9) RCCF: Report Kay Johnston
10) AOCB
11) Date of next meeting 11th July 2019
Johnstone Community Council
Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Johnstone Community Council held on Thursday 13th June 2019 at 7.00pm in Johnstone Town Hall.
Present
Members: Marie Corbett, Wilma Dean, Linda Flint, Chris Gilmour, Daniel Graham, Catherine Johnstone, Daniel McKay, lain McMillan, Geraldine McNea|ey, Valerie Reilly, Arlene Scarff and Thomas Wallace.
Also, in attendance:
Councillors (Ward 8) — Jacqueline Cameron, Alistair Mackay.
(Ward 9) - Derek Bibby, Andy Doig, Emma Rodden.
3 members of the public were also present.
Apologies
Elizabeth Forrest, Dennis Lavery and Councillors Bill Binks, John Hood and
Andy Steel.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were read and agreed.
Proposed by Wilma Dean
Seconded by Linda Flint
3. Matters Arising
lain McMillan pointed out two typos in the minutes. These were corrected.
4. Police Crime Statistics Report
The report covered the period from 9th May to 13th June.
Johnstone Town Centre
A total of 39 crimes were reported including 7 common assaults, 11 thefts and attempted thefts, 1 drug offence, 11 anti-social offences and 4 road traffic offences. 24 of these crimes had been detected.
West Johnstone
A total of 25 crimes were reported including 4 common assaults, 4 thefts and attempted thefts, 1 drug offence, 9 anti-social offences and 1 road traffic offence. 12 of these crimes had been detected.
Spateston and Corseford
A total of 11 crimes were reported including 1 theft, 4 common assaults and 4 anti-social offences. 2 of these crimes had been detected.
Johnstone Castle
A total of 17 crimes were reported including 1 common assault, 2 thefts or attempted thefts, 1 drug offence and 10 anti-social offences. 7 of these crimes had been detected.
The officers reported that extra police personnel had been allocated to Johnstone town centre as part of the town centre initiative.
LF asked for details of the dangerous dog offence wondering if it had occurred on the streets. She was told that it had been a dog out of control when police officers had visited a household.
Cllr Doig asked whether it was the law that dogs should be kept on a lead.
The officers replied no and that the offence was a dog “dangerously out of control”. He added that the town wardens do have a range of powers with regard to dogs.
Cllr McKay asked whether the ‘hit and runs’ were detected and was told that yes they were, particularly in the town centre where roads were covered by CCTV.
The officers were thanked by Thomas Wallace and left the meeting.
5. Chairman’s Report
TW reported that he had spoken to Karen McShane about a meeting on the subject of dementia and this would probably take place in September. Inspector Jim Cass is the new police officer in charge at Johnstone and will probably attend our next meeting.
TW had attended the Local Partnership meeting and was pleased to announce that JCC had been awarded £6,500 towards the Gala Day. The dispersal of money had been done on a local basis — the money has now gone unless any underspends are returned.
Cllr D expressed surprise that Renfrewshire Leisure Limited should be applying to this fund saying that their money should be coming from core budgets. Cllr Bibby commented that he had raised this issue, saying that applications from RLL had been more or less the same from 2012 to 2019. He agreed that RLL shouldn't be applying.
TW noted that he had attended a meeting on 7th June re the A737. There had been a good turnout including representatives from North Ayrshire. It transpired that nothing is scheduled for action on the road as “there had not been enough fatalities”. At times the A737 is now busier than the A9, with a 2% increase every year. New housing developments in Johnstone are only going to make the local problems worse.
Cllr B stated that there was a political decision to be made. Do we want to upgrade our roads to cope with increasing traffic or do we want to invest in a proper public transport system? Cllr D added that there was both a Health and Safety and an Economic case for spending the money.
On 11th June TW had attended the Corseford T&RA meeting. They are seeking a playpark but had received little public support.
The next Gala Day meeting was scheduled for 18th June. Twenty-two stalls have already been booked. The repaired paths in the park were looking good.
TW reported that the suggestions for ‘Investing in Communities’ monies had mainly been things that Councils used to do themselves. However, we had been too close to the application deadline to do anything this year. As a result, a sub-group will be formed, including Dennis Lavery, Marie Corbett and two others, to look at possibilities for next year.
6. Secretary's Report
IMcM reported that the only parade applications of late had been from the Orange Order.
There was no liaison report — it was hoped that one would be prepared very soon.
There had been a meeting with Council officers regarding Shanks Park. They gave ideas for things to go into the park and were advised to speak to Marie Drummond. A meeting will be arranged. This should include four groups - JCC, the Friends of Shanks Park, the Johnstone Community Sports Centre and North Rd T&RA
Items from board reports.
Housing and Communities - This was the 10th year of Street Stuff which seems to be doing well. Funding has been secured for the next year.
There is a schools parking initiative which will look at the problems and possible solutions.
Education - There is a possibility that Thorn School will be replaced as it has
been deemed poor for facilities. Capacity at St David's is to be looked at. St Anthony's is currently getting improvements. Johnstone High School was deemed satisfactory.
Infrastructure. Land and Environment
Johnstone Bowling Club is set to sign a 25 year lease for the ground in Park Road.
Cllr D commented that there had been a big splash about a new Paisley Grammar School - yet it had only a 1% difference in rating from Johnstone High School.
LF asked about plans for Thorn School - would a new school be on the same site and what plans were there for the pupils in the interim.
Cllr Rodden noted that the report had just been on the state of the building - nothing had yet
been discussed.
Cllr B added that it would be dependent on further funding being made available.
Cllr Cameron said she had received queries about the portacabins and advised that in the short term they were to be repainted.
Clarity on the school estates budget is to be sought.
Cllr B reported that the Council has now set a 48-hour limit to reporting missed bin collections. He added that the Council's complaints procedure had been refreshed in April - he advised that to ensure that issues are prioritised the word ‘complaint’ has to be used or communications will be treated as an ‘enquiry’.
Catherine Johnstone commented that her neighbours blue bin had not been uplifted because someone else had added material to it and it had been rejected as contaminated.
TW reported that the ‘Biffa’ bin behind the Quarry Street shops has now been removed.
7. Treasurer’s Report
LF noted that currently all JCC monies are kept in the one ‘pot’. However, she asked that a separate bank account for fund-raising be considered.
All JCC members were asked to vote on the idea — all were in agreement.
LF noted that it was time to order the poppy wreath. It was agreed to order one of the same as 2018.
The balance of the account was reported as £6,848.63.
8. Elected Member’s Report
In his absence Cllr Hood had submitted a written report. He mentioned new Council housing in Johnstone which should be ready for occupation just before Christmas; a Cruden application for 90 homes on Rannoch Road; a Barratt application for development on the site for the former Cochrane Castle and St David’s schools; the change from 7 days to 2 days for reporting missed bin collections; a new voluntary professional dog walkers’ scheme; wardens working hard to investigate who is fly-tipping and congratulations to Thorn Athletic for their recent triumphs.
lMcM added his congratulations to Thorn Athletic mentioning that sometimes the positive effect of sport on a community is underestimated.
9. RCCF Report
CJ reported on the recent Renfrewshire Community Councils meeting. Two reports in particular had been of interest. The Baker Street project is not to receive funding - instead they hope to get funding to put a specialist cinema into the old TA building.
ALISS - this is A Local Information System for Scotland. An online search will bring up local groups and activities.
There was a discussion on the Local Partnership meetings. Anne McNaughton is to draft a letter. A system of self-nomination to Community Councils is set to be introduced in time for the next CC elections. TW commented that he was not in favour of
this change. The meeting agreed that he should write to Anne McNaughton expressing that JCC is not in favour.
10. AOCB
From the floor it was noted that black bins are once more being burned at Miller Street and that rats are also appearing.
LF noted that at the house for the disabled in Miller Street the grass is not being cut and asked whether this could be sorted out.
IMcM added that, in Spateston, there are two potential building areas where grass cutting has ceased. He asked for this to be sorted as it looked awful.
The Banktop Place car parking area needs attention as it has not been touched in 5 years.
Arlene Scarff reported that mail storage boxes on John Lang Street are collapsing. As these are no longer in use could they not be removed?
IMcM agreed to write to Walkinshaw Street.
CJ reported an issue at Thorn Court where gardens are not being maintained adding that they only seem to get done when the residents complain. She asked whether there was a set programme of work.
Cllr C replied that there is a programme but it does not provide frequent work.
Cllr B noted that the Provost Close T&RA had raised the dangers at the
Dimity Street/High Street junction and asked whether JCC had a direct link to all the local T&RAs as there are mutual interests.
IMcM asked for contact details to be provided.
Cllrs McK and D gave their apologies for the July meeting.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.35pm.
The next meeting will be held in the Marriage Suite of Johnstone TownHall on Thursday 11th July 2019 at 7.00pm.