JACKTON & THORNTONHALL
COMMUNITY COUNCIL [COMCIL]
Community Council Meeting.
MINUTES OF MEETING, WEDNESDAY 16 MAY 2001, 7.30 PM
Malcolm Reid (Acting Chair & Sec'ty)
Michael West (Treasurer, Minutes)
Fiona McCrae
Ronnie Niven
Attending : John Thomson
Archie Galbraith
Margaret & George Gibson
Norrie Suckle
Geana McKinnon
Harry Davis
Veronica Graham
John Whyte
Apologies : R Iain Gardner
Cllr. Michael McCann
Doreen Sweeney
Ron McIntosh
Margaret Pollock
Malcolm Phillips
Malcolm Reid, in the chair, welcomed all present and opened the meeting at 7:35pm.
1.
SEDERUNT
As above
2.
APOLOGIES
As above.
3.
CHAIRPERSON'S BUSINESS
3.1 Membership of COMCIL
The Chairman repeated the appeal for new members from the community. There was a need to fill vacancies arising from resignations of members under pressure from other commitments. Failure to make a quorum at a meeting would reduce its status and authority to pass resolutions.
Veronica Graham kindly agreed to serve and was warmly welcomed onto the committee. The Chairman said that the invitation for other to join remained open.
3.2 EK Local Area Plan and Greenbelt Campaign
Malcolm Reid reported meeting Cllr Scott of SLC Planning Committee, and enquiring regarding SLC response to objections raised to the Local Plan proposals for Jackton & Thorntonhall. Cllr Scott had said that he would be in touch, and that unresolved issues would be raised at a Public Enquiry in October or November 2001.
3.3 Approach from CALA Homes
Malcolm Reid read out two letters from CALA Homes dated 26 April and 1 1 May 2001. These letters suggested a meeting between CALA Homes and COMCIL to discuss CALA's plans for the village (Thorntonhall) on land which "has now been allocated for residential purposes" sic). Copies had been sent by COMCIL to John Smith, who had suggested a response in the affirmative. A COMCIL member reported talking to staff of a firm taking soil samples from pits on this land for CALA, earlier in the week. The samples were for informing house foundation design, according to the member of staff spoken to.
The meeting discussed the letters and there was unanimous agreement that there was no reason to meet CALA Homes, as their letters were based on an incorrect assumption that the allocation of the land had been finalised. In fact, very strong objections to such allocation and re-designation of greenbelt land have been lodged with SLC in accordance with planning procedures. Pending resolution of these objections by discussions between SLC and COMCIL and village residents, any meetings with other parties regarding possible residential development would be premature: they would imply a readiness to compromise on the fundamental issue of re-designation, which is the primary point of the objections.
The meeting approved a reply to CALA Homes in these terms, which Malcolm Reid had prepared and read out to the meeting (sent 17/5/01).
4. MINUTES OF MEETING OF WEDNESDAY 18th APRIL 2001
Copies were available and were approved, subject to two minor corrections which were:
-Section 3. 1, first line of second paragraph: for "of the community" read "from the community".
-Section 5.3, second line: for "published" read "approved by SLC".
5. MATTERS ARISING
5.1 Consultant's Fees
Michael West confirmed that the fees of the Planning Consultants, RPS Chapman Warren for services up to and including the presentation of COMCIL's objection to EKLAP - £2,937.49 - had been paid from the Campaign Fund.
5.2 Aide-Memoire
Regarding Section 3.2. paragraph 3, the Aide-Memoire responding to SLC letters justifying the proposals to allocate Thorntonhall Greenbelt land for housing still being finalised by COMCIL's core Campaign committee. The details were not discussed at the meeting, and a decision as to its circulation would be made after the General Election next month.
6. SECRETARY'S REPORT
6.1 Correspondence
Malcolm Reid reported on correspondence received regarding the activities of other local organisations and Local Government departments. All correspondence received was made available for those present to examine.
6.2 Planning Applications
Two planning applications had been notified by SLC to COMCIL. Neither directly affected the residents of COMCIL's area, although one proposal for a business unit development in the Redwood Drive area may be of concern to residents there. (Archie Galbraith took the planning application proposal forms to confer.)
7. TREASURER'S REPORT
See Matters Arising, Section 5.1 above.
8. COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
Cllr. McCann was present for his surgery prior to the COMCIL meeting, but had sent his apologies for absence from the latter. He had informed Malcolm Reid that:
8.1 Cllr. McCann would seek to confirm ownership of the site for a memorial to Marjorie Dowie and was able to confirm that planning permission would not be required. More details will be included in the next Peel News.
8.2 Clir. McCann reported that the structure of the Railway Bridge had been found to be in satisfactory condition. Railtrack is to check the ownership of the verges and fences on the road approaches to the bridge and review whether they are adequate to prevent out-of-control vehicles falling onto the track.
9. AOB
9.1 Peel News
Malcolm Reid confirmed that Peel News is produced as news, events and special circumstances - such as EKLAP - warrant. It is published quarterly as a matter of course supplemented by occasional issues as circumstances warrant. It is produced by individuals and currently at no cost to COMCIL.
9.2 Marjorie Dowie Memorial Fund
See also para 8.1 : to be followed up in next Peel News.
9.3 Letter from Eric Smith
Malcolm Reid read out a letter from Eric Smith of Peel Road, reiterating his complaints first made last year. These concern the noise and litter caused by the influx of youths with mountain bikes to the cyclo-cross track in the woods on the corner opposite his house. He has had no support from the owner of the land. The Police and SLC Environmental Health Dept. had been unable to resolve his problem. He fears that the bikers will affect not only his own environment but also that of the village as a whole.
Eric had been invited to attend the meeting but was unable to do so. Discussion raised the following points:
-the site is already on a website, and may attract more cyclists, such that overcrowding, collisions and parking problems may arise.
-a COMCIL member visited the site after Eric's first complaint and found broken glass swept off the tracks accumulating around the roots of adjacent trees. Glass under one tree filled a shopping bag. This is a threat to health and safety in the event of falling onto these shards, since cyclists may suffer serious injury. The landowner should be made aware of this by the Police and SLC, as he could become liable for damages to injured parties.
The solution to this problem may be to approach the owner/Police/SLC emphasising the health & safety risk. COMCIL will inform Eric Smith accordingly and agree the next step.
9.4 COMCIL Website
Archie Galbraith suggested putting the Web Site and e-mail address on COMCIL correspondence and minutes.
9.5 Traffic calming through Thorntonhall
Various methods were discussed. A Police check had revealed that many of the drivers found speeding were local residents. George Gibson agreed to check on legislation covering possible methods of regulating the speed of vehicles.
10. DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS
10.1 Scheduled meetings for the remainder of 2001
June 20th;July 18th;September;19th October;17th November;21st December 19th
10.2 Campaign committee
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.25pm with thanks to all attending.
Signed ...................................................... Date .............. 2001
Malcolm Reid (Acting Chairman)
LEGEND
COMCIL Jackton & Thorntonhall Community Council
SLC South Lanarkshire Council
EKDCPP East Kilbride & District Crime Prevention Panel
EKDACC East Kilbride & District Association of Community Councils
GSO Glasgow South Orbital (Eaglesham By-Pass)
EKLAP EK Local Area Plan