,L SALSBURGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL - 9'h MAY 2013 Minutes of the meeting of Salsburgh Community Council held in the Community Hall on Thursday gthMay 201 3 PRESENT H. Cox [Chair] C. Cox, 0. M'Avoy, N. McCann, M. M'taughlin, L. Pharo, J. Wilson, B. McLaughlin. .-- APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE M. Hinds ALSO PRESENT Matt Costello - Local Regeneration Manager - North MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING I. Minutes of the meeting of Thursday 1-ltb! April BUSfNESS FROM THE MINUTES MINUTE ALTERATION 2. Members were informed that under other issues [vandalism/concerns] listed the item relating to 'attempts by persons to gain access to back gardens at the sheltered housing complex' should read; 'Persons forced the gates at two rear gardens resulting in damage to the latch & hinge mechanisms' At this point the chair decided to vary the order of business. Members were informed that a meeting had occurred between the cornmun$ council and the NL - regeneration manager on the t8'h April 2013 where a number of issues were highlighted. Matt Costello the local regeneration manager from North Lanarkshire Council was then introduced to the meeting and the local development programme for Salsburgh among other matters was highlighted and discussed including; Members were informed that the environmental improvements authorised by lrlorth Lanarkshire Council under the local development programme for the Salsburgh Community Centre car park are due to start by the end of May 2013. The improvements authorised by the local development programme relate only to environmental issues around the community centre and do not include issues regarding the community centre building, interior or faci!ities. Communitr centre car Park area. Shrubbery is to be planted along the frontage of the Main Street and alongside the fencing adjacent to the local coach depot at the east of the car park. A kicker rail is to be iristalted along the frontage to the Main Street where trees & shrubbery is already planted. Ground alongside the western side of the community hall is to be is to be tidied up and resurfaced with shaielgravel. The eastern side of the car park from the doctor's surgery to the Main Street is to be re-sloped. Matters were highlighted that the coach depot west of the community centre car park was obligated [under its planning authorisation] to plant various treeslshrubbery alongside its steel fencing to help lesson the impact of the industrial development that detracts from the visual amenity of the community centre located in a prominent position on the village Main Street. 1 SALSBURGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL - 9fi MAY 2013 Jubilee garden. The facing brick rotunda in the jubilee garden [Constructed around ten years ago] is collapsing and due to the cost for replacement the rotunda is to be demolishedkemoved and replaced by a smaller raised hard surface area to support the annual Christmas tree decoration. It was suggested that the very poor [cheap ?] facing brick used in the construction of the rotunda has suffered from weathering and due to its considerable fracturing and collapse the facing brick cannot be rendered, Members noted that the community council has recently been involved in discussions with various bodies regarding the upkeep and maintenance of the jubilee garden and has now confirmed that North Lanarkshire Council, along with the other bodies, are to be responsible for general maintenance of the garden such as grass cutting, fence repainting, tree repiacement and flower/shrubbery planting Mr Costello will contact Mr Gordon Douglas of the NL land management team regarding the rotunda. St Catherine’s well fKate’s Well1 The damage done at the bollards alongside the well lay-by by heavy goods vehicles parking at that location and knocking [several] of the bollards over will cost over €1 000 to replacehepair and due to current safety regulations the bollards would have to be placed further back from the lay-by and the roadside, accordingly there is no money available to undertake repairs to the knocked over bollards at this present time. Maintenance in the form of weed killer is to be sprayed along the full length of the footpath leading from St Catherine’s Well to the Kirk o’shotts including the directional viewpoints picnic site above the well [adjacent to the church car park] that the community council had constructed. Sheltered housing picnic area The community council are seeking to ascertain ownership of an area of ground on the Springfield Road near the sheltered housing complex with a view to amenity improvement of the area and possibly match funding to speed the process. Further informationlmatters are to be pursued. Doctor’s surgery entrance and disabled access Members were informed that the same type of facing brick used in the construction of the rotunda in the jubilee garden was also used in the construction of the raised entrance and disabled access area to the doctor’s surgery at the eastern end of the community centre and during a similar time [around ten years] period. Similar fracturing and collapse of the facing brick and the hand rail supports to the surgery are now occurring and various concerns were highlighted regarding the situation and possible dangers to patients accessing the surgery. Members were informed that it is the GP Practice who are responsible for the maintenance - upkeep and repair for the doctors facilities attached to the community centre and not the Lanarkshire Health Board nor North Lanarkshire Council. Members were reminded of the considerable time and effort [note various community council minutes & meetings spanning a previous three year time period] the community council had incurred with various bodies to ensure that Salsburgh retained a GP Practice at Salsburgh and the local community did not have to travel several miles to access a doctors surgery. Concerns were voiced that due to the dilapidation of the present surgery entrance various issues could arise that may impact on patients. Kinn Georsle V Field A number of recurring issues and dangers were highlighted regarding the children’s play area at the KG Field. Mr Costello will contact Mr Gordon Douglas of the NL land management team regarding the KG Field. 2 SALSBURGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL - gth MAY 2013 Bonfoot Road The road condition and potholes on the Bogfoot Road were highlighted. Communitv centre A number of issues were highlighted regarding the lack of facilities in the community centre and the possible future use [Note previous minutes-14/3/13] of the centre as a community hub. Matters were also suggested that the over-painting on the centre facing brick should be removed and a more appealing entrance to the centre, including a replacement centre sign, be obtained. Ms Lorna Milligan is responsible for the facilities [community centre] management. Matt Costello was thanked for his attendance & input to the meeting. He then left the meeting. CORRESPONDENCE North Lanarkshire Council GENERAL BUSINESS PENSIONERS CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION 3. Members were informed that the community council had applied for [annual event] funding from the [3] elected councillors Ward allocation budgets towards the Salsburgh pensioners Christmas Celebration event and have received f680.00 towards the event. The CC sub group can now proceed to arrange this years [Xmas 20131 event. CULTURE NL 4. Members were informed that North Lanarkshire Council have transferred the operations of its Cultural and Leisure Facilities to a new arms length [charity] organisation called Culttlre NL. The services transferred include responsibility of school facilities and operational management of community centres. WIND FARM 5. Members noted the proposals of application notice for the proposed West Benhar wind farm. WIND FARM CONSTRAINT PAYMENTS 6. Members noted [Newspaper & renewable energy foundation] reports regarding recent monthly constraint payments [f3.6million] to wind farm operators - the highest monthly total since September 201 1 and on Monday 2gthApril alone - f1.1 million to wind farm compan ies. Members noted that wind farm operators receive around f50.00 per MGh for producing electricity [paid for by consumers] for the national grid, while the wind farm companies charge [paid for by consumers] the national grid around f90 to f150 for each MGh of electricity they generate but do not supply [low demand etc] to the national grid. It was suggested that the considerable increase in the number of operational wind farms across Scotland and around the local area will increase considerably the constraint payments paid to wind farm operators when the winds do not blow or consumer demand is low. A number of issues were highlighted regarding the cost to consumers regarding the generous payments made under contracts signed with seeming indifference to the cost consumers are held liable for. 3 , SALSBURGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL - 9* MAY 2013 COMMUNITY COUNCIL FUNDING 7. Members were informed of community council funding and the recent NLC report [circulated] relative to community council funding [administrative grant] for all community councils in North Lanarkshire. A number of issues contained in the report were highlighted and discussed. COMMUNITY HEALTH 8. Following on from previous community council minutes relative to the health of the local community and various matters highlighted in NHS Lanarkshire reports, members noted newspaper reports wherein Craigneuk community council highlighted their concerns in the press regarding the health and life expectancy of their local community. A number of issues were highlighted relative to the Salsburgh community and what action is being taken by the authorities [NHS, NLC, third sector etc] to address perceived inequalities - deprivation, health, life expectancy and a number of other matters around Salsburgh. SALSBURGH PHARMACY 9. Following matters asked of the community council relative to the planning application for a pharmacy to be located at Salsburgh members noted the following; An application by Salwan Pharmacy Ltd for inclusion on the pharmaceutical list of the Lanarkshire Health Board for a pharmacy at Salsburgh was deposited on 30thMarch 2011.