Bonnybridge Community Council

Minutes of Meeting –26th November 2019 Community Centre Welcome and Apologies

Committee Councillors Ian McGregor Cllr. D. Grant Lee Gillies Cllr. N. Coleman (N.a) Fiona Russell Cllr. W. Buchanan (W.a) Derick Ramsay Cllr. P. Garner (W.a) Brian Hastings Cllr. F. Collie (N.a) Paul Cortopassi Cllr. J. Blackwood (N.a) Catherine Spicer Cllr. N. Harris (N.a) Lynn Love Police PC Lauren Gavin

Absent, with apologies (W.a) Absent, no apologies (N.a)

Residents Attending: 4

Community Council (CC) Council (FC)

Police and Community Safety Team Reports

Police Report: PC Lauren Gavin apologised for not being able to attend the Christmas Lights Switch On. There were a total of 130 calls since our meeting last month. A car parked in the council owned garage site off Dunure Street has been targeted by vandals again. Residents discussed the incident where it had been reported that a person was in the Canal after dark. The police had been called and the person was unharmed. There was a spate of attempted break-ins to houses and a house in Foxdale Drive had been broken into and a purse stolen.

Christopher Stewart is the newly appointed Chief Inspector.

The full police report is attached for reference. If you have any information for the police you can email: Lauren.Gavin@.pnn.police.uk or Tel: 01324 574965

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Community Safety Team: Team not available, but report is attached for reference. If you have any information for the Community Safety Team you can email: [email protected] or Tel: 0808 100 3161.

Matters Arising

Convenor Ian McGregor thanked CC Paul Cortopassi for the notice regarding the Community Council business he wrote for the . Ian also gave thanks to CC’s Catherine Spicer and Fiona Russell for laying the poppy wreath on behalf of Bonnybridge residents on Remembrance Sunday.

Christmas Lights: CC’s Derick Ramsay and Brian Hastings have organised this event. Derick advised on the agenda for the Switch On, which will take place in the Memorial Gardens on the 1st December. Provost Buchannan will be the official host, with Cllr Grant also in attendance.

We agreed to aim to raise enough money to buy an additional 5 column lights. Lightways generously said that if we manage to raise enough money to purchase an additional 3 column lights, they will gift the 2 additional lights as an early Christmas present to Bonnybridge. Derick approached local businesses for donations. Businesses and residents have been very generous in donating to this project. We managed to raise enough for the column lights and in addition purchased fairly lights to light up the large tree in the Memorial Gardens.

CC’s will also be out with collection buckets during the event, as there is a yearly cost for putting the lights up and taking them down.

Soul Sisters Craft shop have kindly offered to open up their shop where Roots will provide hot soup, sandwiches and cakes. Their toilets will also be open for public use.

Auto Doctor will tow the Santa Sleigh with some of the Gala retinue on board. The Gala Committee will also be collecting money for next year’s Gala Day.

Gardens: Convenor Ian McGregor will apply to the Lottery Funding for £9,000 towards designing and planting up the Memorial and Sunken Gardens.

CC Fiona Russell met with Andy Smith, the supervisor for the Community Payback Team (CPT). He discussed that as there were no public toilet facilities, this could cause a problem for the CPT, as they should have access to toilets and washing facilities. However, Fiona approached WH Tyres Ltd who agreed to let the CPT use their toilets. The work to start removing old plants, weeding, digging and rotavating the soil will start next week, weather permitting. Andy also agreed to take the old plants to Bo’ness Tip. Ian and Fiona will empty the flower boxes and plant up with winter Pansies.

Road Enquiries: Convenor Ian McGregor has been emailing Falkirk Council regarding the rusty and broken signs and supports around the village. It has also been noted by the community council that the handrail leading down from Dominoes Pizza is in a state of disrepair. Falkirk Council’s Ewan Hogg, final responded to emails and has agreed to inspect and replace signs and supports if needed. Falkirk Council will not repair or replace the handrail.

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Laurel Grove: The situation at the railway sidings is ongoing. CC Catherine Spicer wants to arrange another meeting with MSP Michael Matheson. The Community Land Team will help with evaluation of the land.

Reinstate Bonnybridge Railway Station: On the 10th October, the Falkirk Council Executive Committee voted with the officer’s recommendation to fund the first 2 stages of the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) report, after a train station was identified as being beneficial to the area. It is expected that there will be a full council meeting in early December where the long-awaited STAG report will be presented. At a previous executive, councillors had agreed to fund the STAG report dependant of the outcome of the pre-appraisal, at a cost of around £50,000.

Correspondence/Planning/Finance

Correspondence: Community Asset Transfer: Under Part 5 of the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015, Suitable local and community led organisations have the right to make application for a Community Asset Transfer (CAT). This can lead to that applicant group gaining rights to, a lease for or even full ownership of property or land (in this case) currently owned by Falkirk Council.

The Asset Transfer Team want to find out if the Community Groups of Falkirk Council Area have a desire to engage with Community Asset Transfers, and if so what property or land those groups might be interested in. We have therefore sent out this email with a link to our Falkirk Council Website CAT information pages, and invite you to have a look through these. You will find our Di- rectory of properties, Guidance notes and a full explanation of the Community Asset Transfer pro- cess, as well as various useful links. For more information see https://www.falkirk.gov.uk/ser- vices/people-communities/community-asset-transfer/ or emailing [email protected].

Forth Valley Sensory Centre: Kirsty Banks is the Project Manager at the Forth, who runs a project funded by the Cimate challenge Fund, which helps bring free information to people with sensory loss (hearing, sight or both) regarding saving energy and money in their home. Part of the project is to talk to community groups, provide home visits and assist in claiming for government funded grants through Home Energy Scotland to help upgrade boilers, heating systems and generally help people to reduce their fuel bills. She is interested in finding out if there are any groups in your community that would benefit from this project. The groups don't need to consist of people who all have a sensory loss.

Planning: Social Club Land: The land has now been cleared, but no approved planning permission has been given yet. For further information contact Abbotsford House 01324 504950.

Finance: Bonnybridge Community Council have audited books up till the 31st March 2017 at which point Falkirk Council stated, due to budget cuts, they were no longer going to pay for community councils to get their books audited. Treasurer Lee Gillies contacted Dickson and Middleton Chartered Accountants and has arranged a meeting on the 29th Nov to discuss the best way forward, as it is not a requirement for low income community groups to get an audit performed by a chartered account each year. However, it is advisable to have accounts verified by an 3 of 4

independent party.

As of the 15th November our bank balance is £4996.10

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Bins: Residents had questions regarding the number of bins now lined up outside of flats and overflowing bins. Residents also discussed recycling and questioned where the plastic waste was recycled. CC Fiona Russell will invite Cllr Paul Garner to the next meeting to answer questions relating to waste/management.

Santa Tour: The Gala Committee and Auto Doctor have organised this year’s Santa Tour around the village. It will take place from the 8th to the 13th December.

Nature Reserve – New Pond: Residents raised concerns about the potential for children and animals falling into the newly created, unfenced, deep pond. This will be especially dangerous in the summertime when the grass grows and makes the pond less visible.

We look forward to seeing you in the Community Centre on Tuesday 28th January 2020 at 7.30pm

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Police Service of Scotland Community Council meeting

Name of Community Council: Bonnybridge Community Council

Date of meeting: Tuesday 26th November 2019

Force Production Register No:

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Police Service of Scotland Community Council meeting

Foreword: Between 29th October 2019 and 26TH November 2019 130 calls were made to Police in relation to the Bonnybridge area. This is a slight decline from the previous month.

Calls of note:

02/11/19 – Car tyres damaged to vehicle, Road.

04/11/19 – Heavy machinery stolen, Roughmute Recycling Centre.

07/11/19 – Car tyre damaged, Bonnymuir Crescent.

22/01/19 – Male found within garage.

25/11/19 – Female found swimming in canal.

26/11/19 – 0100-0300 hrs, males trying house doors, housebreaking, Foxdale Drive, Foxdale Place and Moffat Place, Bonnyside Road.

Crimes recorded: 30 Detected: 15 Undetected/enquiries still on-going: 15

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Police Service of Scotland Community Council meeting

Bonnybridge – Ward Priorities

Antisocial behaviour

Several locations in Bonnybridge have been identified as regularly experiencing antisocial behaviour and have been added/sill remain on the community Policing Team’s weekend tasking plan which is there to tackle antisocial behaviour during Friday and Saturday back shifts.

Duncan Stewart Park remains on the weekend policing plan and is patrolled regularly.

Manfield Avenue/Roman Road areas given extra attention in relation to youths fighting.

Road Safety

Patrols of local Primary schools carried out re parking. Patrols of this nature will continually be carried out over the course of the school terms.

Several hours of hand held radar conducted in Falkirk Road, Larbert Road, Bonnybridge Road/High Street. Warnings issued to several drivers.

Letter drop conducted in Seabeggs Road in relation to vehicles parking on the chevrons there at the junction with Greenhill Road advising residents to refrain from doing so. No further complaints since.

Drug Dealing

1x Drugs warrant executed – 1 male arrested and charged.

Targeted patrols and interaction with the public is ongoing and we look to develop intelligence at every opportunity, and encourage the public to come forward with any specific information relating to drug dealing.

Where there is sufficient intelligence warrants have been granted, and searches carried out at target addresses.

High visibility patrols conducted at Anderson Park car park re concerns regarding possible drug misuse.

Community Engagement and Reassurance

Fire safety and road safety talks carried out at local primary schools.

NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PC 885 Lauren Gavin can be contacted by email at Page 3 of 5 [email protected] Bonnybridge

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Police Scotland is launching a new process for public consultation. The aim is to widen the existing consultation process by making the consultation survey available online and accessible all year round.

The survey can be found via the website; www.scotland.police.uk/yourviewcounts

Feedback from meeting:

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Bonnybridge Community Council Meeting 26th November 2019 COMMUNITY SAFETY TEAM

ASB Reports Please note, figures relate to the previous full calendar month. Period: 01/10/19 – 31/10/19 Total ASB Reports Breakdown of 3 geographical areas Falkirk Council Area EAST-, WEST-Denny, , CENTRAL-Falkirk 148 Bo’ness, Braes Bonnybridge, , North and South 57 45 46

Hotspot Patrols Area Issues Actions N/A N/A We identify hotspot areas through a multi-agency tasking group involving Police Scotland, Falkirk Housing, SACRO and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. These are areas experiencing high levels of antisocial behaviour.

Investigations: Period 01/10/19 – 31/10/19 ASB Concern No of reports Dog Fouling & Control of Dogs 11 Litter & Fly Tipping 31 Youth related disorder 2 Other 1

Current CST activities in the area We continue to monitor the area due to an increase in fly tipping and will issue Fixed Penalties (£200) where necessary.

We are monitoring and patrolling a number of streets and parks in the Bonnybridge area in relation to dog fouling, littering and fly tipping. If you have any information relating to those responsible, then please do not hesitate to get in touch via the details below. All calls are confidential.

Contact Us Phone 01324 506070 Email [email protected] Online Falkirk Council Website www.falkirk.gov.uk/do-it-today