Irvine Area Committee 18 February 1998

Irvine, 18 February 1998 - At a Meeting of the Irvine Area Committee of North Council at 4.00 p.m.

Present Joseph McKinney, Thomas Barr, Jack Carson, John Donn, Stewart Dewar, Elliot Gray and David O’Neill.

In Attendance R. Lee, Assistant Principal Officer (Financial Services); D Gilliland, Community Education Worker and G Wall, Arts Services Development Officer (Community and Recreational Services); T Jones, Operations Manager - Cleansing (Commercial Services); M McKeown Administration Officer and A Little, Assistant Administration Officer (Chief Executive). Also In Attendance Inspector M Orr, Strathclyde Police and Mr A Kane, Community Fire Safety Officer, Strathclyde Fire Brigade. Chair Mr. McKinney in the Chair.

1. Minutes Confirmed The minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 7 January 1998, copies of which had been previously circulated, were confirmed.

2. Monitoring Reports Submitted Monitoring Reports on the undernoted matters:-

(a) Collection of Bulky Household Items Submitted report by the Director of Commercial Services on the collection service for bulky household items.

North Ayrshire Council provides a service for the free collection of bulky household items. Collection is from the front of the property, at the curtilage, unless the householder, due to age, disability or other circumstances is unable to put the refuse out in which case collection is from the rear of the property or from the property itself.

Since 1988 the number of collections per week has risen from 443 per week to 709 per week, an increase of 60% over the period. The service is well used and with the restricted opening of civic amenity sites, continued demand for the service is anticipated.

Noted.

(b) Community Development Grants Scheme: Analysis of Grants Paid to 8 January 1998 Submitted report by the Chief Executive on an analysis of grants paid to 8 January 1998.

Page 1 Noted.

3. Community Development Grants Scheme - Requests for Financial Assistance Submitted report by the Director of Community and Recreational Services on requests for financial assistance. a) Irvine Extreme Sports Club The Committee agreed to award Irvine Extreme Sports Club £265. b) Towerlands Mothers and Toddlers The Committee agreed to award Towerlands Mothers and Toddlers £315. c) 1st Guides The Committee agreed to award 1st Girdle Toll Guides £465, subject to them sharing the equipment purchased with other guide groups on request. d) Redburn Young Men’s Association The Committee agreed to award Redburn Young Men’s Association £365. e) 2nd Guide Unit The Committee agreed to award 2nd Bourtreehill Guide Unit £453 subject to them sharing the equipment purchased with other guide groups on request. f) Redburn Youth Club The Committee agreed to award Redburn Youth Club £365.

The Committee also agreed that the Director of Community and Recreational Services report to the next meeting of the Area Committee on the resources currently available from the Directorate’s store at for use by all groups and clubs within .

4. Community Consultation Programme a) Update Submitted report by the Chief Executive on the progress of the programme of community consultation meetings with Community Councils and Community Associations, agreed by the Area Committee in August 1997.

Of the 7 consultation meetings agreed, 3 have taken place with the Community Associations operating in the Castlepark & Eglinton, , and & Bourtreehill, areas. 2 further meetings, with Irvine Community Council and Girdle Toll Community Association will take place before the end of March 1998 and the remaining 2 meetings, with Redburn and Vineburgh Community Association and the Neighbourhood Watch operating in Ward 2, will be arranged in due course.

The consultation meetings have been well attended by members of the Community Associations and their affiliated groups. All issues or concerns raised by individuals present at the meetings, to which verbal answers cannot be provided, will be investigated and responded to in writing, and a

Page 2 report submitted to the next appropriate meeting of the Area Committee.

After discussion the Committee (a) noted the progress of the community consultation programme; (b) agreed that the Chief Executive’s Directorate should follow up on any issues or concerns raised at the meetings and report back to Committee; and (c) agreed that members of the Area Committee should contact the Chair regarding possible future consultations. b) Consultation with Fullarton Community Association Submitted report by the Chief Executive on the outcome of the community consultation meeting with Fullarton Community Association on 10 February 1998.

Noted.

5. Marymass Folk Festival Submitted report by the Director of Community and Recreational Services on a request for financial assistance from the Marymass Folk Festival Organising Committee to meet a deficit in the 1997/98 Festival’s accounts.

The 1997 Festival was awarded £1600 by the Marymass Executive Committee and, through additional fund raising and sponsorship, and negotiation with performers, the Festival Committee were confident income would meet expenditure. A number of unforeseen factors have however contributed to a £1000 deficit in the finances of the Festival of which, despite the efforts of the Organising Committee to secure additional sponsorship, £700 is likely to be outstanding in the Festival’s accounts.

In order to ensure that the Festival Committee are able to conclude their accounts for the current year on a balanced basis it was proposed that the sum of £700 should be provided from the Irvine Common Good fund through the Marymass Executive Committee to settle the outstanding amount. The Festival Committee have indicated their willingness to operate within the reduced amount for 1998 and it has been further agreed that closer co-operation will take place between the Performing Arts Section of the Community and Recreational Services Directorate and the Organising Committee to ensure the best use of resources in the future.

After discussion the Committee agreed to approve the award of £700 to the Marymass Folk Festival Organising Committee on the basis that this will be deducted from the award to be provided in 1998.

6. Public Open Spaces: Playing of Ball Games Submitted report by the Director of Community and Recreational Services on proposed solutions to address the playing of ball games in public open spaces.

Various members of the Council have expressed concern regarding the number of complaints they had received from residents in local communities about the nuisance caused by the playing of ball games in public open spaces. A report on the matter was submitted to the Community and Recreational Services Committee on 3 February 1998 and that Committee agreed to refer the matter to Area Committees for comment.

A number of solutions to control the nuisance were suggested including a) incorporating features in future open space landscaping to reduce or eliminate the possibility of the playing of ball games; b) the local community and local members, in association with the Housing Services Directorate, identifying suitable sites where ball games would be acceptable; and c) the possible introduction of a Bye-Law to control behaviour in public open space.

After discussion the Committee agreed to advise the Director of Community and Recreational

Page 3 Services of their support for the proposed measures.

7. Naming of New Private Housing Development Submitted report by the Director of Planning, Roads and Environment on the proposed name for a new private housing development at Academy Road, Irvine.

The Committee agreed that the development should be named ‘Arranview Court’.

8. Community Safety

(a) Fire Statistics Submitted report by the Chief Executive on Fire Statistics for the Irvine Area.

The problem of malicious calls within the Irvine Area was highlighted. The Fire Brigade have placed an article in the Council’s newspaper which, as well as dealing with fire safety issues, draws attention to the consequences of malicious calls and seeks the co-operation of the public in reporting individuals they suspect of making them.

Noted.

(b) Crime Statistics Submitted report by Strathclyde Police advising of the level of recorded crime within the Irvine Area Committee’s boundaries.

Noted.

9. Urgent Items The Chair agreed to consider the following item as a matter of urgency.

10. Irvine Town Centre - Proposed Traffic Management Scheme The Committee agreed to instruct the Director of Planning, Roads and Environment to report to the next meeting of the Committee on the review of traffic management measures at Irvine High Street, Irvine

Meeting ended at 5.05 p.m.

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