North Kelvin Community Council Minutes
 
Wednesday 15 June 2011 at 6:30pm
St. Charles School

Present: 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); Kirsty Davidson (KD) (Minute Secretary)

In attendance: PC Karen Quick (KQ); PC Iain Wilson (IW)

Apologies: Janet Andrews (JA); Dave Beavan (DB) (Chair); Susie Hallas (SH); Douglas Peacock (DP)

1.     Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

KA welcomed everyone to the meeting and said he would be acting as chair, as DB had submitted apologies.

JM requested a minor change to the draft minutes. JM said in relation to the traffic management discussion, she had said the problem was confined to ‘about 40 minutes during’ term time.

Action: KD to amend the minutes accordingly.

The minutes of the May meeting were approved, subject to the change, by GB and seconded by JM.

KW raised the issue of conducting Community Council (CC) business by email, as this has not been resolved. GB said he would contact the Community Council Resource Centre (CCRC) to see whether there was a need to amend the constitution.

Action: GB to contact the CCRC regarding the constitution.

JM, KW and KA agreed to prepare a one-page draft document outlining how the CC could conduct business by email.

Action: JM, KW and KA to prepare document about conducting business by email.

JM said she had not heard anything back from Alan Russell (AR) about the training offered by Planning Aid and whether Glasgow City Council (GCC) would pay.

Action: JM to following up with AR regarding Planning Aid training.

KA apologised, as he had not contacted Friends of the River Kelvin (FORK) about the CC taking a stall.

2.     Police Report

IW provided crime figures for the last month. There were – 70 thefts, attempted thefts, house break-ins and attempted house break-ins (this figure also includes vehicle thefts); 16 cases of vandalism; 11 common assaults; 4 road traffic offences and 2 robberies.

KW asked whether it would be possible to get the Police Report in advance of the meeting if we set-up a template to be completed. IW thought this would be possible but would check with his Sergeant. KW explained that having the figures recorded on the template each month would allow us to track trends.

KW asked what crime headings should be included on the template. KQ and IW provided the following list – street drinking; breach of the peace; robberies; road traffic offences; youth disorder; shoplifting; house break-ins; attempted house break-ins; vandalism; assaults; thefts and attempted thefts.

Action: KW to prepare the template. IW to check with his Sergeant and then contact KA with the decision.

PB informed the Police that a number of local residents had told him about people hanging around outside the Nisa shop. The group were noisy and used abusive language and local residents had to walk into the road to avoid them. IW said instances like this need to be reported directly to the Police, so it can be logged in the system. The more reports about the same incident the better, as it will go higher up in the system. IW said they would try and carry out a license premise visit next time they are in the area on foot.

3.     Councillor’s Report

JMacK reported local residents in Braeside Street had been polled about changing from metal bins to green wheelie bins. Land Services are currently collating the information.

JMacK said the lamp standard replacement in Clouston Street and Sanda Street has been timetabled for the end of the year.

JMacK reported there had been a review of GCC’s Sports Pitch Strategy. JMacK confirmed that the original plan for the refurbishment of the North Kelvinside pitches was still going ahead, subject to a money contribution from the sale of the North Kelvin Meadow site.

JMacK said the AGM for the 60 Steps Trust is taking place on Monday 20 June. JMacK reported that the trust has managed to accumulate a fair sum of money to date, which is enough to appoint a structural engineer to carry out some preservation work. JMacK said he had organised for Land Services to tidy up the 60 Steps, as there will be a talk tomorrow night as part of the West End Festival.

PB raised the issue of five trees having been cut down on the former school site on Oban Drive. JMacK said an environmental survey will have been carried out and if it was not highlighted on this that they must be kept then they can be destroyed.

Action: JMacK to check the environmental survey.

KW asked about clarity in relation to where the money will go from the sale of the North Kelvin Meadow site. JMacK said it was as he has previously reported.

Action: KW to follow-up with AR.

4.     Planning Officer’s Report

JM said there was nothing of note on the planning lists, just minor alterations to housing.

JM confirmed that the North Kelvin Meadow development was still on the pre-application list.

5.     Information – website

GB reported that he had been in discussion with JM about having more planning detail on our website. Specifically details about our comments/responses to planning applications.

KW suggested adding a link on our website to the GCC planning applications that are relevant to the North Kelvin area. GB said he would look at the GCC website to see whether this is possible to do.

Action: GB to investigate putting an area specific planning application link on our website.

JMacK said GCC is planning to make their planning application system public, so everyone will have online access to the full planning applications.

Action: JMacK to find out when this is likely to happen.

6.     Treasurer’s Report

KW reported the account balance, as of 18 May, is £1,213.14. This has decreased from the previous month by £56.24, which is for hiring the hall for the extra meeting in February.

KW said our bank account has changed to a ‘Treasurer’s Account’, which no longer gives us interest. KW said she would review the paperwork, but does not think it will have much affect.

Action: KW to check there is no annual fee for this account.

7.     Correspondence

PB reported there had been two applications for HMO’s. One is a renewal, the other is a new application in Clouston Street. KA agreed to write on behalf of the CC objecting to this application.

Action: KA to write objection letter. JMacK to check whether there is planning consent.

PB said Alex Hewetson (AH) had written about the reduction in the membership of CC’s, which will be dependent on the size of the area. PB confirmed as of October 2011, the new membership for our CC would be 13 instead of 15.

PB confirmed that AH’s letter also said the proposed boundary change will become effective from October. As a result, GB will no longer be eligible to be a member of this CC. KA acknowledged the CC’s disappointment at this change and the effect on the CC.

8.     AOCB

GB reminded everyone about the Doodle poll to select a date for the Oban Lane clean up. JMacK asked to be notified of the date. It was agreed to conduct the organisation of the clean up by email, as there is no CC meeting in July.

KW said she would make bookings in St. Charles School for August, September and October. It was noted a bigger room was needed in October for the AGM.

Action: KW to make bookings for the next three CC meetings.

 

Next meeting: 17 August 2011 @ 6.30pm, St. Charles School

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

North Kelvin Community Council Minutes

Wednesday 20 April 2011 at 6:30pm
St. Charles School

 

Present: Dave Beavan (DB) (Chair); Janet Andrews (JA); Gordon Barnes (GB) (Website); Peter Blackshaw (PB) (Secretary); Councillor Jim MacKechnie (JMacK); Jane Morgan (JM) (Planning Officer); Douglas Peacock (DP); Kate Wooding (KW) (Treasurer); Kirsty Davidson (KD) (Minute Secretary)

In attendance: PC Tracey Heaney (TH); PC Derek Niven (DN); Rosie O’Reilly, Aspire (RO’R); Alan Russell, Glasgow City Council (AR)

Apologies: Ken Andrew (KA) (Vice-Chair)

1.     Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

DB welcomed everyone and thanked KA for chairing the last meeting.

KW requested a minor change to the draft minutes. KW said it had actually been agreed that she would finalise the letter to the licensing board for discussion at the next meeting.

Action: JM to amend the draft minutes accordingly.

The minutes of the March meeting were approved, subject to the minor amendment, by PB and seconded by KW.

2.     Police Report

PC Derek Niven (DN) explained the Canal Community Policing Team from Saracen now cover the North Kelvin area.

DN provided the crime figures for the period 20 March-20 April 2011. There were – 8 house break-ins; 5 bicycle thefts; 7 motor vehicle thefts; 6 cases of shoplifting; anti-social behaviour – 2 possessions of drugs; 5 cases of vandalism; 1 case of dog fouling; 2 cases of breach of the peace; 7 cases of common assault, mostly as a result of alcohol; serious – 1 attempted murder; 2 street robberies (both detected) and 1 sexual assault.

DN requested that the Community Council feedback on what information we are looking for from the meetings e.g. detections, trends, serious crimes. DN suggested coming up with three top priorities prior to each meeting.

Action: Community Council to let DN know what information we want from the Police at each meeting and what our top three priorities are for May’s meeting.

DN confirmed that Aspire and the Police have a useful relationship and work closely together.

3.     Report from Aspire

Rosie O’Reilly (RO’R) said that she had nothing specific to report, she was just following on from Pauline Regan’s visit in January and representing Aspire. RO’R said a representative from Aspire would come every second meeting, DB suggested quarterly attendance might be better.

PB said he had not heard of any problems with Aspire residents from the local community or the shopkeepers on Queen Margaret Drive.

DB thanked RO’R for attending.

4.     Councillor’s Report

JMacK reported some slippage to the completion of flats by Queens Cross Housing Association (QCHA) at Murano Street. The block of 32 flats facing onto Murano Street is finished and they aim to have the first block on Murano Crescent completed for occupation in June, with the rest completed by the end of the year.

JMacK said the development of 35 supported accommodation flats for the elderly at Hopehill Street aim to have the first occupiers in by July.

JMacK confirmed the final costs for solving the drainage problem at the old school site on Oban Drive were £911,000 and funding has been agreed. Scottish Water (SW) will pay £218,000 and Glasgow City Council (GCC) will pay £693,000. JMacK said there will be 48 properties for sale by the builder, McTaggart and if they make a profit, QCHA will get a cut. JMacK reported a site start date of no later than 2 May and confirmed the builders will be accessing the site from beside the fire station.

JMacK reported an ongoing flooding problem at Kelvin Beauty Rooms. Work will been done to raise the lowered curbs, but there is no simple solution to the problem. JMacK said he has arranged for the gullies to be emptied on a monthly basis. SW has investigated the sewer and it has a big enough capacity. JMacK said SW and GCC engineers plan to head to the site at the next downpour to see what happens.

JMacK said the plaque unveiling commemorating Lieutenant Jock Young had been a marvellous day with many people attending including the Lord Provost, a WWII veteran, the military attaché from the Indian Embassy and a representative from the Hillhead Former Soldiers Club. JMacK confirmed the inscription had now been picked out in black ink, but this will not last and will need to be redone occasionally. JMacK said it was hoped the plaque would become part of the City’s Heritage Trail.

PB reported that not all the gullies had been done on Oban Drive, when GCC came around recently. JMacK asked PB to email him a list and he would investigate.

Action: PB to email JMacK a list of addresses of where the gullies had not been cleaned.

5.     Discussion in relation to the Meadow site and planning issues more generally

DB welcomed Alan Russell (AR) from GCC and thanked him for attending.

JM said there was two reasons why the Community Council had requested a representative from Development & Regeneration Services attend a meeting. Firstly, to better understand GCC’s objectives in selling the Clouston Street site and secondly, information and discussion on planning procedures in general.

AR said he would begin by going through the history of the Clouston Street site. The site was used as playing fields for two schools until it became surplus to requirements in 1993 and the Strathclyde Region tried to sell the site. In 1996 the site passed to GCC as surplus land. In 1999 a feasibility study was carried out for mixed-use. In 2002 there were plans for sports facilities and flats on the site (Compendium Park). In 2006 full planning application was withdrawn over issues surrounding noise levels.

AR said the present situation regarding the Clouston Street site was that New City Vision (NCV) had been chosen by GCC as the preferred developer. NCV’s pre-application report has been approved and GCC is currently awaiting a planning application, which is due soon, as missives have been concluded.

AR confirmed there is no common good on the Clouston Street site.

AR said GCC wants to increase the provision of football pitches across the city (2007 Pitches Strategy). North Kelvinside football pitches were identified as the site to compensate for the loss of the Clouston Street site.

AR reported that £1 million from the sale of the Clouston Street site would go towards the development of the North Kelvinside football pitches and the rest of the capital (£2.6 million) will come from GCC. JMacK confirmed this capital still exists.

AR said NCV’s development has 25/30% open space and they have tried to address the community e.g. providing raised beds. The development is low density for this part of Glasgow.

DP said there had been no planning consultation on the change of use between Compendium Park (mixed-use) and NCV (housing). AR said there was no Council obligation on the sale of land. AR stated that the City Plan was about planning applications not the sale of land and was an interpretation of various policies.

AR said Sport Scotland considers the land to be football pitches and the site sits within a wider designated area covered by the Residential Development Policy Principle.

GB said the site had been defined as Greenfield. AR said this was not a specific terminology used by GCC. KW said this was used in the Housing Land Audit, AR said this was not policy.

DP said he had received an email from an ex-board member of the Compendium Trust, who says they did not agree to the sale of the mixed-use site, JA disagrees. JMacK said there were approximately 10 members of the Compendium Trust and duties were delegated to a few members, who attended meetings over a six-year period. JMacK said it was with reluctance that the decision was taken to agree to the sale of the mixed-use site.

AR noted that during 2007 it would have been City Plan 1 that was being used rather than City Plan 2.

The discussion turned to planning applications in general and AR suggested asking Planning Aid for Scotland to attend a future meeting to advise us.

AR said when responding to planning applications deal with things that are appropriate to planning, as other legislations cover other issues e.g. noise.

AR explained that material considerations are things like – surrounding area, privacy, sun lighting/day lighting, planning history of site, amount of open space, design/appearance (guidance in City Plan), trees, environmental impact assessment and traffic impact assessment. AR explained that non-material considerations are things like – building standards (this is a building warrant concern, not planning), loss of value, view and competition.

AR said there are a series of tests regarding planning conditions. Is the proposal –

relevant, necessary, enforceable, precise and reasonable. AR explained the conditions are the fallback position, GCC prefers to consent to planning applications fully and outright rather than impose conditions. AR said that land management could be a condition, though they would expect a factoring agreement.

AR stated the rest of the proceeds from the sale of the Clouston Street site would go towards the Sports Pitch Strategy. JMacK said the Head of Finance had confirmed that £1.1 million would go towards the development of the North Kelvinside football pitches and the rest would go into the general capital fund. AR reported that on 28 April an update to the Sports Pitch Strategy would be presented and noted there was scope within the bid award for changes.

DB thanked AR for attending the meeting.

It was agreed to discuss the Clouston Street planning application at the relevant Community Council meeting and for it to be the only item on the agenda. It was also agreed that if the planning application were submitted outside the normal meeting schedule then a special meeting would be held to discuss the planning application.

6.     AOCB

It was agreed that KW should go ahead and send her letter to the Licensing Board on behalf of the Community Council.

Action: KW to send letter to the Licensing Board.

It was agreed to discuss how to conduct Community Council business between meetings at the next meeting.

Action: PB to add ‘Discussion on how to conduct Community Council business between meetings’ to May’s agenda.

JA said she had received an email from GCC in response to her letter about bus lanes and they said they would pass her concerns to First Bus.

Action: JA to circulate the email from GCC to all Community Council members.

Next meeting: 18 May 2011 @ 6.30pm, St. Charles School