Black Mount Community Council

www.blackmount.org

DRAFT MEETING MINUTES Community Council Meeting – Monday 1st July 2019 7.30pm – Village Hall

1. Present

Committee Sam Cassells (SC) – Elected Member (Vice Chair) Michelle Walters (MW) – Elected Member Treasurer Nicholas Tucker (NT) - Elected Member Secretary Nicola Levy (NL) – Elected Member (Bugle) John Hoskin (JH) – Elected Member (Planning)

Members of Public Richard Bond (RB) Alistair Muirhead (AM) Anne Hutchinson (AH)

Councillors Alex Allison (AA)

2. Apologies

Patrick Pollock (PP) – Co-opted Member (Chair) David Darling (DD) – Associate Member (Website)

3. Minutes of the BMCC meeting dated 25th March 2019

Minutes approved by JH and NL.

4. Matters arising: a. BMCC Chair and Secretary office holder arrangements. Confirmed as fine as they are. Action: None b. What and when will be the next BMCC dedicated meetings: Scottish Water issues in Elsrickle: JH reported that from conversations he’s had with local residents nobody has officially complained about Scottish water problems. However, we are receiving anecdotal reports of compliant. MW therefore volunteered to produce a flyer with an email address on for Elsrickle residents to respond with any issues they’ve had with Scottish Water and get a complaint/issue reference number if possible. JH will then take this information along to a meeting with Scottish Water Action: MW & JH

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Health: Possible a talk on mental health in 2 months’ time. MW to follow-up. NT to pass MW Pat Tucker details for this, as Pat is involved in this area. Action: MW & NT c. BMCC Photos BMCC officers who wish to post their photos up should send these to David Darling. Action: All (if they wish) d. Agree a terms of reference for planning applications. Fine in principle. Action: Nick to provide an example e. Wireless broadband, should BMCC partner with local provider to deliver this. SC has land that may be applicable for a mast and will talk to David Campbell from WATIF. SC has concerns over the height of the mast which has been suggested could be 70 foot tall (21m). Possible separate mobile mast in still being investigated by provider. AA may have land applicable for a mobile mast. It could be that one mast could do both jobs?

It is expected that fibre broadband will be put into the new Black Mount School in Elsrickle and if so then does that mean that the Dunsyre exchange will receive fibre and does this mean that residents close to the school will be able to get fibre? If the school will be fibre enabled then MW to survey local residents on thoughts around banding together to press for fibre to Elsrickle.

Indicative survey results show a clear desire for faster broadband. Survey to run up until 25th July. Action: AA to report back about fibre to the new school. f. Elsrickle Hall as a Community Hub and shop SLC not being very responsive, or helpful on expressing their view on this, although they seem willing to release the asset (Elsrickle Hall). AM need £10K for a feasibility study and is looking for a grant source. SC has been involved in these sorts of things so will discuss with AM. Action: AM to continue to pursue and report back progress to BMCC. SC to speak with AM. g. Should we have community defibrillators within BMCC area. A map of nearby defibrillators and possible locations to install one is needed. Phone boxes are a possibility. For Elsrickle the new school will likely be closed and locked so may not be suitable, however the old Elsrickle phone box could be an alternative location Action: MW to provide mapping of where nearby defibrillators are located and which phone boxes we have managed to purchase. h. Reliability of planning application emails sent by SLC Not all planning applications seem to be appearing on the ‘Planning Weekly List’ from SLC. SLC have apologised for missing emails. Difficult to know if anything is missing unless someone involved highlights.

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Action: All to monitor the email list against local knowledge. i. Poor state of the Elsrickle to Walston footpath at the Walston end. AA has applied for £10K from the Renewables Energy Grant on behalf of the BMCC to repair the footpath at the Walston end. Action: AA to update on progress. j. Deputy Lord Lieutenant to attend both Elsrickle war memorials Both the Upper and Lower memorials would need to be attended. The upper memorial ceremony is on 11th November and the lower one (by the Village Hall) on remembrance Sunday. Action: Nick to contact David Taylor in the house opposite the upper memorial and then contact Deputy Lord Lieutenants office.

5. Social Group

Sports day at Newbigging was well attended. Food and drink was supplied and appreciated. Elsrickle August flower festival 31st August Action: None.

6. Bugle

Action: As above broadband updates

7. Planning

No new planning applications in. Action: None

8. Report by Local Councillor

Scottish Government has a sum of money available for town centres (population greater than 1000) in South . Towns tender for the money who must present ‘transformational’ plan for their town i.e. not just paint and houses. and Biggar are competing for this money.

Newbigging school catchment is Carnwath. Some residents have enquired as to whether they could be included in the new Black mount school in Elsrickle catchment when it opens.

The police station in Biggar needs renovating, but money to achieve this is not forth coming. It is more likely that the police will partner with another community organisation for shared premises.

A new local police officer is now in place. There are changes to local policing approach which may or may not improve things.

Actions: None.

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9. Treasurer’s Report

Account 1 (SLC) balance £0.05p £500.15 credit for grant application awaiting payment

Account 2 (BMC) balance £1109.18 Money in from Bugle advertising

Community grant of £5,000 applied for. At the moment the BMCC thinking is that broadband support, a defibrillator and the community hub are competing for this grant money.

Action: Signatories for accounts to be Treasurer, Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary

10. A.O.B.

None

Next meeting dates: Time Location Monday 5th August 2019 7.30pm to 9.300pm Elsrickle Village Hall Monday 2nd September 2019 7.30 pm to 9.30pm Elsrickle Village Hall Monday 7th October 2019 7.30 pm to 9.30pm Elsrickle Village Hall Monday 4th November 2019 7.30pm to 9.30pm To be confirmed.

NB: new July meeting added. November meeting to be annual general meeting.

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