15th November 2023 19:00-21:30, E. Wilkie Hall, Crook of Devon
Present
Chair/Director – Mike Barnacle (MB), Directors – Marion Anness (MA), Secretary – Nicola Marchant (NM)
Trust Members – Nigel Anness, Sarah Bruce-Jones, Angus Cheape, Carol Farquar, Alan Harper, Chris McCaughey, Diane McMillan, Danny Rowley, George Shand, Gordon Dow, John Buick
External Visitors – Drew Smart (Item 5),
Apologies
Trudy Duffy, Janet Harper, Joyce Hope, Eric King, Alistair Lavery, Elaine Melville, Jane Pelly, Jim Pritchard, Ben Thornber, Peter Wood
Introduction – Mike Barnacle
Welcomed members to the rescheduled meeting of the FCDT.
Minutes of the 19th of April 2023 were approved.
Item 1 – Mike Barnacle
Update on Membership, Officers and outstanding subscriptions; Trust Bank Account & Headed Notepaper.
We currently have 46 households/organisations as members of the Trust, with three outstanding subscriptions.
We now have a Bank Account which holds membership fees of £215 a further £20 collected tonight, including a £5 donation. Eric King and Rev E Stenhouse have removed themselves from membership of the Trust. We currently have an additional membership fee that we cannot link to a name, unless a household has paid twice.
Currently we don’t propose to collect an annual membership fee. As we now have a Bank Account, are registered as a Ltd Company and have charitable status we will seek funds from the Kinross-shire Fund to cover start-up costs. Trudy Duffy has quoted for a mailshot to all households in Fossoway District to increase membership.
We have drafted a headed notepaper using MBs address as that is the address of the registered Ltd company and Charity.
At present we don’t have a logo – proposed that we use a combination of Rumbling Bridge and the Dipper bird as locally we have the record number of siting’s of this bird in the UK. Proposed that logo is incorporated into the quote for the Trust’s website.
Propose that we email all members seeking volunteers to act as Vice Chair and Treasurer. Ben Thornber is currently a Director but wants to step down and hence we also require a new Director. MA made a plea for new members.
Item 2 – Nicola Marchant
Website development and data protection
Information Commissioner Office – written to us to say we have to have a data protection officer.
- In principal Jim’s web design business would be able to create a website and logo for the FCDT which would contain lots of photos “pull quotes” to draw the readers in, buttons to highlight specific pages, etc. and be similar to Homepage – LYHR.
- Jim would be able to start this at the end of Jan 2024. This would mean that it would be up and running at the start of the CAP project and could host links to surveys, newsletters and will store all our documents.
- Website design suggestion – purchase an online theme, 1 day of photography to produce quality images of locality, design logo using online design tool – estimated cost £4.5k
- Ongoing costs – dedicated email address through Microsoft which will cost about £3-4 per month, hosting and maintenance (software updates, etc), which would be £35 per month, and domain registration, which is usually less than £20 per year depending on the specific domain chosen.
ACTION
- Propose we add this cost to PKC external funding request for the CAP project. (NM)
- PKC have confirmed that they would fund but require three quotes which are being requested (NM)
- Propose that NM and MB meet with Jim and Matthew to discuss data protection policy. (NM)
Item 3 – Nicola Marchant
Development and Funding of Community Action Plan (CAP)/Local Place Plan
The CAP is produced through engagement with the entire community and details their views of the community now, a vision for the future and what needs to be done to get there.
The outcome of the Big Place Conversations (BPC) has identified the view of the current situation and can be used along with outcome of previous Community survey on future projects as a starting point and will provide a platform to build upon. The CDT and CC expect to receive the BPC report for our district from PKC by end of November.
The CAP process will take 4-5 months and require an active steering group with members from the CDT & CC (currently 12) along with other community organisations and the primary school, who are prepared to volunteer their time. There will be an early burst of activity with fortnightly meetings (total of 8-10 meetings) and a requirement to deliver leaflets and engage with key stakeholders i.e., farmers, developers, local primary school.
The CAP report is a tool for the CDT to do business i.e., raise funds for projects and progress against it should be reviewed annually by the CDT.
CAP Process
- Review and summarise current information – BPC, previous surveys.
- Fossoway district household survey – aim for 40% return.
- Stakeholder conversations – approx. 20
- Obtain community profile from PKC.
- Outcome of survey and stakeholder engagement displayed at a community event.
- Community votes for priority projects
CAP Timeline
- Seek external funding for CAP project from PKC – Nov-Dec 2023
- Engage STAR consultant – Jan 2024
- Confirm Steering Group – Jan 2024
- Run CAP process – March – July 2024
- Consultant analyses survey results and produces draft CAT report (16-18 pages) for sign off by CDT – August 2024
- LPP produced by CC August 2024 and submitted to PKC Sept 2024
ACTION
CDT approved progressing the CAP process and complete PKC External Funding request on 15th Nov meeting (NM)
CDT agree stakeholder group members and list of stakeholder organisations to include on steering group by Jan 2024 (Directors)
Item 4 – Marion Anness
Progress on Blairingone School Business Case and Community Asset Transfer
MB reminded attendees that we did have a vote on taking on the School and there was a clear majority to move forward. MA submitted a CAT request to PKC end of June and met with James from PKC who informed us that we require a Business/Financial Plan. MA set up a committee of seven members from the Blairingone area.
MA and MB now have access to the school to enable a view on costs of refurbishing the School.
The adjacent house is the main asset to fund the running of the Village Hall. It has been proposed by a member of the committee that the house is used for respite care.
We submitted a draft business plan to PKC and have received comments. It has proved challenging to produce a financial plan without knowing costs of repairs and likely initial income.
MA visited Carnbo Village Hall Committee to see their constitution and how they run the Hall.
A formal feasibility study with associated business plan is required to enable the CDT to make an informed decision on the sustainability of the Village Hall as a community asset that will provide sufficient income to cover running costs and bring a health and wellbeing value to the broader community. The business plan should include a list of grants that could be available to modernise the facility and cover initial running costs during the start-up phase. It is projected that a feasibility study will cost around £15k and take 3 months.
In addition, a valuation of the asset is required as well as a cost of leasing. This is ongoing with Lee Haxton, PKC. Lee is concerned that if we progress with a lease then PKC could take a considerable time to make the place usable.
The Community strongly believe that PKC should give the asset to us for a nominal fee. This is unlikely. It is believed that there was an earlier proposal that the School be given to the Community for a nominal fee. Initial work would be to take make good the toilets.
A member asked whether or not it was possible to make School usable, the view from MA is yes but at a considerable cost.
Sarah Bruce -Jones noted that the CAT will be on the Kinross-shire Committee meeting and that PKC Cllrs are supportive of the CAT. Sarah Bruce-Jones confirmed that no decision would be made about the school until CDT have agreed whether or not we should progress.
MB stated that he thinks we should go down the lease option first.
- There are local funds available for the feasibility study – Community Investment Fund (Kinross-shire) is now open – the closing date is 16th Dec. The Kinross-shire Committee also has an investment fund. CDT agreed to become members of DTAS on 15th Nov meeting (Directors).
ACTION
- MB has requested DTAS to contact us on appropriate membership. (MB)
- Obtain membership of DTAS as they have the expertise of this type of project and can advise on which trust would fund a feasibility study. (MB)
- Seek £15k funding for feasibility project as soon as possible, once we have site of the lease and purchase costs -Dec 2023 PKC have agreed to match fund. (MA)
- Aim to start project, led by MA and her working group in Jan 2024 completing in April 2024. (MA)
- Advise PKC – Lee Haxton, of the need for an extension of the note of interest to enable feasibility project to complete. (NM)
- Agreed that MB and MA meet with the elected PKC Cllrs (MB)
Item 5 – Drew Smart
Option to partner with Glenfarg to run a community bus service
Both the local services in Glenfarg and Fossoway were withdrawn in recent years. We now have the 202 and Earnside took on the 55 service which was minimal and did not meet local needs. In 2022 Earnside announced they were retiring and hence Glenfarg was again left with no public transport. Locally they decided to run the service themselves as of 1st April 2023. They did a needs analysis and started an early service to Kinross serving some of the smaller communities – this is known as a flexi route. Weekly they have 400 people using the bus which is a significant increase in use on the Earnside 55 service which was around 100. Service is run with 3 employed drivers and a bank of 15 volunteer drivers who mainly do community trips but can step in to cover normal bus times. Drivers only need a Cat D driving licence. Now intend to extend to Perth as a trial. Glenfarg are now formally in public service partnership with PKC, and they are considering taking on the 202 local service which could operate a similar flexi bus service. Digitally enhanced response service is being progressed which will then inform the bus where people need picking up as people will book their route.
MB asked whether or not Drew saw their service replacing local bus services or supplementary. Drew believes local bus services are not able to deliver local needs. Currently buses are 16 seaters and they have recently obtained a mobility friendly bus with a vision to have 4 or 5 of this style of buses.
Drew would like our community involvement and is open to further discussions with the CDT.
Drew would need us to contribute to funding the expansion of the bus service. Propose we include transport needs in our CAP survey. Suggest we form a transport users’ group, and we identify potential drivers. Drew’s current funders are keen for him to expand into other communities in order for them to get further funding. Drew believes PKC need to resurrect the Transport Forum Group, formerly chaired by MB and this is on the Kinross-shire Committee agenda for tomorrow. CDT thanked Drew and are supportive of extending the Glenfarg bus service into Fossoway. Carol Farquar asked to be included on Transport Forum Group and this was agreed.
ACTION
MB to ask Cllr Cuthbert to re-form Transport Forum Group as soon as possible (MB)
Item 6 – Mike Barnacle
Wind Farms in the Ochils
MB informed the attendees that he had sent an open personal letter to the Fossoway and Cleish CCs which was printed in the Kinross Newsletter. The letter was sent to members of the trust last Oct. MB noted that all our CCs agreed in Jan 2022 that the Ochils should be a regional park.
The Craighead wind farm has been reduced to 8 turbines and will now go through the PKC planning process. MB is calling for a public inquiry into the totality of the proposed wind farm developments in the Ochils with a particular focus on the cumulative effect.
MB noted that the Ochils are given special landscape designation in our current LDP and that in June 2004 a landscape study suggested that only one wind farm should be built in the Ochils.
Since 2012 we have three large wind farms in the Ochils and three current proposals. The height of the new generation of turbines is a concern.
RSPB has responded that they have to take into account the biodiversity impact and MB is checking on migration routes for geese.
John Muir Trust responded that the new NPF4 policy is silent on landscape, but Policy 4 refers to the special landscape designation we already have.
The existence of NPF4 makes it more difficult to oppose wind farms. MB stated that he can support some onshore wind farms but not in designated landscape areas. He also noted that Community benefit is completely separate from planning applications.
The CC has commissioned a survey of all households. MB has made criticism on the survey design, citing lack of background information re-current wind farms, no mention of landscape designations or a Regional Park issue.
NM reported that currently the CC has no position on the wind farms until we have the views from the survey. All results will be made public at a meeting organised by the CC in Jan 2024. MB noted from Sarah Bruce-Jones that initial responses indicated a lack of knowledge of the proposals, so he felt from that perspective it served a useful purpose.
Sarah Bruce-Jones reported that all of the impacted CCs are meeting to look at the impact of wind farms. They have the organisation called 9CCs presenting to them on the possible impact of a number of wind farms on the landscape.
A member also noted that he was against having a number of them creating a wind farm landscape in the Ochils.
ACTION
MB asked if CDT members support him arguing for a public inquiry at the PKC Planning and Placemaking Committee (which would require an objection on planning grounds). Some did, though he suggested emailing the membership for comments on his letter. Nobody expressed opposition to that suggestion.
Item 7 – Mike Barnacle
AOCB, Date of next meeting
Potential lease of Waulkmill Park and lease of Cemetery Car Park.
The Gathering Committee would like the CDT to lease the Park and a car park is required for the Church. Meeting of interested parties is proposed.
Crook of Devon War Memorial – MB is proposing to take PKC Bereavement Services to the War Memorial to ask them to repoint and clean the memorial so that the names are clearer.
Blairingone had two services at their successfully relocated War Memorial.
MA asked for any fundraising ideas for the CDT. Crook of Devon Hall could be used for fund raising. A member said they used to run Ceilidhs in the Hall and raised around £800; MB agreed to look into this. MB is going to ask the Kinross-shire Fund for start-up funds.
MB proposed we had quarterly meetings for CDT members and the next meeting will be in mid Feb 2024. Date to be confirmed.