Minutes – 18 May 2011
North Kelvin Community Council Minutes
Wednesday 18 May 2011 at 6:30pm
St. Charles School
Present: Dave Beavan (DB) (Chair); Ken Andrew (KA) (Vice-Chair) Gordon Barnes (GB) (Website); Peter Blackshaw (PB) (Secretary); Councillor Jim MacKechnie (JMacK); Jane Morgan (JM) (Planning Officer); Kate Wooding (KW) (Treasurer)
In attendance: Mairi Millar (MM) – Clerk to the Glasgow City Licensing Board
Apologies: Janet Andrews (JA); Kirsty Davidson (KD) (Minute Secretary); Douglas Peacock (DP); Susie Hallas (SH); Councillor Kieran Wild; Kevin & Liz Edgar.
1. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising
The minutes of the April meeting were approved, subject to a minor amendment, by JMacK and seconded by KW.
2. Police Report
No police officers were in attendance.
3. Councillor’s Report
JMacK updated the meeting on the traffic management proposals for the roads around St Charles School. Of the questionnaires circulated in the area they have had a response rate of 33%. The returns from the questionnaire show more than 2:1 are against the proposed scheme.
A formal process will now be launched which will allow for formal objections to the scheme.
JM asked if there has been any further analysis of the problem. JM stated that the problem is confined to about 40 minutes during term time.
The formal launch of the scheme will probably be in June.
JM mentioned that she is a little concerned about the speed traffic will travel at through the one-way system. JMacK suggested that traffic calming measures would normally accompany such a scheme.
DB suggested that the NKCC could try to come-up with an alternative constructive proposal.
JMacK reported that there has been a cleansing issue in Braeside Street with one resident looking for the Council to replace the metal cans with the green plastic wheelie bins. This would require the residents to move the bins to the roadside on the appropriate day.
4. Clerk to the Licensing Committee
KW spoke to this issue and set out the chain of events, which led to the Community Council’s unhappiness at the treatment of our members when they appeared at the court to make a formal objection.
MM circulated some documents that have been developed to help CCs and individuals understand the licence application process and how they can object.
On a query about the statutory notices that should be displayed MM did state that their spot checks carried out to ensure they have been appropriately posted.
JMacK asked about the dates that objections need to be lodged by and the almost impossible time frame set by the Licensing Court for CCs to appropriately research and frame their objection. MM stated that EU legislation has pushed local authorities to make this process quicker. JMacK suggested that we could write to our local MSP to raise this issue.
KW mentioned the difficulty of searching the list of licensed premises in the locality and the lack of electronic versions. KW also thought that the figures provided by the police on the numbers of licensed premises was inaccurate and tried to raise this at the licensing court but was overruled.
PB asked about when an objector would be informed of a decision; MM said this information would be in the guidance note that’s being prepared.
MM has said that she intends to work with the CC training body to allow CCs to better engage with the licensing process.
5. Community Council Business by e-mail
DB suggested that it would be impossible to make a decision about this issue. KW suggested that one 2 hour meeting per month was not enough to fulfil our obligations as a CC.
DB has suggested that we move the agenda for the meetings forward to allow any papers to be submitted earlier and any issues absorbed.
GB suggested that there are several areas where we do not exactly follow the constitution.
KA asked whether we could change our constitution; it was suggested that this should be taken to the Community Council Resource Centre.
It was agreed that the agenda would be circulated 7 days prior to the meeting and notice of any germane correspondence prior to the meeting.
KW asked if it would be possible to have the police report in advance; JMacK felt that the police are often reluctant to commit a report to paper.
PB asked if there are any items that should statutorily be on our agenda.
6. Planning Aid
JM has asked Alan Russell about training from Planning Aid. They are hoping the City Council will support this however if this is not supported the CC should pay for this out of our own resources.
7. Planning Officer’s Report
No current applications have been lodged.
8. Correspondence
There has been a letter from Lee Handlin asking about the NKCC meetings.
There is a meeting planned to ask opinions about how we vision Glasgow in 2061.
There is an application for an HMO licence for 40 Clouston St.
There has been a further refusal of a licence for a new pharmacy in Hillhead.
9. AOCB
There is still the outstanding issue of the Oban Lane clean-up. It was agreed that this would be co-ordinated by e-mail.
It was agreed that KA would approach Friends of the River Kelvin [FORK] to enquire about the CC taking a stall.
Next meeting: 15th June 2011 @ 6.30pm, St. Charles School
Very much against a 1-way system proposed in Kelvinside gardens. Fergus Drive is already like a race track with all the traffic from the new flats in Oban Drive and the top of Fergus Drive over to Maryhill road having to come down Fergus Dr. Presumably this will get worse with yet more flats being built in Oban Drive. Re-opening Agnes Street or creating access to and from Maryhill Road would help enormously – why was this removed in the first place?