North Kelvin Community Council Minutes
Wednesday 21 November 2007 at 6.30pm
Queens Cross Community Room
Present: Mark Adams (MA) (Chair); Dave Beavan (DB) (Website & Library); Peter Blackshaw (PB) (Secretary); Eddie Devlin (ED); Dorothy Gow (DG); Councillor Jim MacKechnie (JM); Gillian Stevenson (GS) (Vice-Chair); Kirsty Davidson (KD) (Minute Secretary)
In Attendance: PC Paul Anderson (PA); PC John Crawford (JC) from Saracen Police station
Apologies: Michael Abubakur (MA); Janet Andrews (JA); Colin Dobbie (CD); Susie Hallas (SH)
Absent: Kevin Edgar (KE) (Treasurer); Liz Edgar (LE)
Welcome
MA welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the new session and also welcomed PA, our new Community Police Officer.
PA said that he hopes to hand out a flyer with his contact details at the next meeting and that there will hopefully be a second Community Police Officer shortly.
Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising
MA said that there were no minutes from the previous meeting, as it had been the AGM/Election meeting and the community council was not quorum at the time.
Ian Law (IL), Support Officer at the Community Councils Resource Centre (CCRC), has produced notes from this meeting. It was agreed that these should be added to the website.
Action: DB to obtain an electronic copy of the notes from IL.
Police Report
PA said that at future meetings he will bring along a police report including crime figures.
MA raised the ongoing problem with teenage vandalism and drinking on the North Kelvinside football pitches, which has got worse over the summer.
PA said that it would be good to get the pitches cleaned up, so that he has a clean slate to monitor. He will contact Culture and Sport Glasgow to see about getting them cleaned up.
PA said that he will try and arrange a drive by/walk by on a Friday night to introduce himself to the kids and let them know that he is the new Community Police Officer. He will also introduce himself to local store proprietors and tell them to watch who they sell alcohol to.
Councillors Report
North Kelvinside football pitches
JM said that the Executive Committee have agreed a £3.5m investment in North Kelvinside football pitches. They are the first in the city to receive money for pitch improvement.
As a result of the investment there will be a synthetic pitch; four five-a-side pitches; a pavilion with changing rooms, fitness room and meeting space; a multi-purpose games court and a trim track. JM said that there will be a conscious effort to retain the current green space.
Ruchill Park
JM said that the sustainable urban drainage scheme was now complete. As the scheme was not as expensive as thought, there is money available to flood light the flag pole and this should be happening in the next few weeks. Local schools have been asked to design a new flag for the flag pole. There are also plans for a new play area with CCTV and a sculpture.
Wilton Street tenement collapse
JM reported that the Health and Safety Executive have been on site gathering evidence and checking if any breaches have been made. The demolition workers are now back on site to brick and render the gable end. Until the site has been given the all clear the footpath can not be reopened.
JM confirmed that the builder will be allowed to resume work on the site, but his plans will need to change as there is now an additional gap site.
Treasurer’s Report
MA said that he had obtained the previous bank statements; cheque book and change of signatories form.
MA felt that he, along with PB and KE should be the signatories on the bank account.
MA said there were no accurate and up to date accounts, but hopefully this situation would now be rectified as we have a new treasurer.
Planning Report
Oban Drive
GS said that there was no update, as no planning application has been submitted.
Former Shell garage site
GS circulated the plans for the garage site. Everyone agreed with the comments that GS had previously emailed around.
Action: GS agreed to turn her comments into a letter of opposition and send it on behalf of the community council.
Information – website
DB explained that the domain name had entered a redemption period and it would cost an additional £100 to get it out of redemption. As a result there are two options available – wait 30 days until the redemption period ends and hope we can obtain the domain name again, or go with an alternative domain name.
MA said that he was happy to wait the 30 days and in the meantime DB could build up the website, so that it was ready to upload when the domain names issues have been resolved. MA said that he was happy for DB to make the decision on the new domain name if we were unsuccessful in getting back the original domain name.
MA said that it would be good to have Secretary@ and Treasurer@ Email addresses.
Communications and correspondence
There were no communications or correspondence to report.
Current issues
Botanic Gardens proposed development
DG proposed and ED seconded that North Kelvinside Community Council oppose the proposed development in the Botanic Gardens. MA said that all members can state this at future public meetings and we can offer our support if asked in the future.
JM said that he was also opposed to the proposed development and had voted against it.
Other business and open forum
DG asked JM for advice about whether her back lane was private or council owned. JM said that the vast majority of back lanes are privately owned.
PB told JM that he was grateful for the street light that was installed on Oban Passage, but asked whether the surface could be upgraded. JM said that it needs to be established if Oban Passage is owned by the Council.
Action: JM agreed to look into the ownership of Oban Passage.
Next meeting – Wednesday 19 December @ 6.30pm, Crosslands Pub
