North Kelvin Community Council Minutes

Wednesday 17 September 2008 at 6.30pm

St. Charles School

Present: Mark Adams (MA) (Chair); Janet Andrews (JA); Dave Beavan (DB) (Website & Library); Peter Blackshaw (PB) (Secretary); Eddie Devlin (ED); Kevin Edgar (KE) (Treasurer); Liz Edgar (LE); Councillor Jim MacKechnie (JM); Kirsty Davidson (KD) (Minute Secretary)

In Attendance: PC Martin McInnes (MMcI) from Saracen Police station

Apologies: Dorothy Gow (DG); Susie Hallas (SH)

Welcome

MA welcomed everyone to the first meeting at St. Charles’s school.

Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved by KE and seconded by LE.

Police Report

MMcI provided the crime figures for the month. There were a total of 38 crimes, of these 18 were detected – 11 thefts (1 detected), 9 public disorder and breach of the peace (7 detected), 3 drug offences (all detected), 4 assaults (1 detected), 2 robberies (CID are making ongoing enquiries), 5 road traffic offences (all detected) and 4 cases of vandalism (1 detected).

MMcI said that most of the thefts had been bicycles from common closes. The police are currently conducting a leaflet campaign about the issue.

Councillors’ Report

JM reported that he had been investigating the economic crisis and the effect of this on developments in the local area.

Construction work on the Leny Street and Panmure Street developments seems to have stopped. However, Queen’s Cross Housing Association says that the Oban Drive development is proceeding and they have chosen a developer, McTaggart/Laurel Homes. They are currently working to obtain a building warrant, with work on site due to start in March 2009.

Clouston Street

JM reported that New City Vision is on target to purchase the site, Glasgow City Council (GCC) is currently drawing up the necessary documents. JM reminded everyone that the development of the North Kelvinside football pitches is dependent on this sale.

MA reported that some containers have appeared near the site recently.

Action: JM to investigate who owns the containers.

North Kelvinside Football Pitches

JM informed everyone that site investigations were completed over the summer and a detailed design brief has been completed. The next step is planning consent. JM said that there is still ongoing discussion about vehicular access, whether this is by the fire station or north of the Strathmore Bar. Land Services are going to give their opinion on which is the best option. JM reported that work on the site could start in April 2009 and be completed in January 2010.

KE asked JM if the community council should have received a letter in response to our objection letter to the Oban Drive development. JM said that this should have happened.

Action: JM to check if response letters have been sent out.

MA asked JM if he knew anything about the Tesco development on Maryhill Road, as local residents are asking him.

Action: JM agreed to look into the progress of the development.

Treasurer’s Report

KE reported that the bank is still not acknowledging him as Treasurer, so he is not getting any bank statements. Recent cheques have cleared; there is currently £970 in the account. KE said that he is still waiting on invoices from Queen’s Cross Housing Association and St. Charles’s school.

MA suggested that the community council change banks. KE said that there is nothing preventing this. MA reported that he had spoken to a few people and that Abbey seems to be the best bank for small groups.

MA proposed closing the current bank account and moving to Abbey, this was seconded by JA.

Action: KE to investigate moving the bank account to Abbey.

Information – website

DB reported that the visitor numbers to the website have been dropping. There were 737 page views in June, 602 in July and 497 in August. DB said that the previous minutes are still the most looked at section.

There was a discussion about marketing/promotion of the community council and it was agreed to wait until the community council has something big to promote.

Action: MA agreed to find out if the Extra newspaper is still running, as a possible place for advertising.

Action: DB agreed to investigate GCC’s community council portal.

Communications and correspondence

PB reported that the community council had received a reply to our letter on traffic movements on Maryhill Road, saying that they are looking into the matter.

PB said that the community council needs to apply for next year’s area budget. He will pass the information to KE.

Action: JA asked JM to see if GCC has plans to reissue up to date information about recycling and refuse collection dates.

AOCB

MA said that not having a Planning Officer was the biggest issue at the moment. Nobody present was interested in the vacancy.

MA also raised the issue of the vice-chair vacancy and proposed DB, this was seconded by ED.

DB reported that all the street bins on Oban Drive have gone.

Action: JM agreed to look into the missing bins.

MA noted that the next meeting is due to take place on 15 October, but this is during half-term and St Charles’s school will probably be closed.

Action: MA agreed to check with St Charles’s school to see if the next meeting can be held on 15 October. If not, it was agreed to book a room for 22 October. MA to confirm the date of the next meeting.

Next meeting – 15 or 22 October @ 6.30pm, St. Charles School (tbc)