2024 Agendas & Minutes

Alexandria Community Council

Meeting

Wednesday 17^th January 2024

Alexandria Community Centre

Minutes

Present:

Ian Miller (chair), Harry McCormack (minutes), Angela Caldwell, Jan Taylor, Brian Kemsley, Tilda McCrimmon, Stephen Burns (WDC Communities Team), Shirley McAlpine (Vale of Leven Trust), Callum McConnachie (WDC Regeneration – 1^st Item only)

Apologies:

Barbara Barnes, Sian Wilkie

Previous Minutes 15.11.23:

• Agreed as accurate. Proposed by Angela Caldwell. Seconded by Brian Kemsley.

Guest speaker – Callum McConnachie, WDC Regeneration

• Callum’s remit is projects within the Alexandria area.
• Focus on supporting Green Heritage Project at Alexander Street and linking up with the walking and cycling network and Alexandria Town Centre.
• Current partnership working and discussions with Vale of Leven Trust and Central Alexandria TRA.
• Consultation period from mid to late February.
• Looking to complete future designs in June/July.
• Callum to provide updates as things progress.
• Ian thanked Callum for his time and highlighted the positive discussion around the table and looking forward.

Election of office bearer 2023/24:

Vice Chairperson – Tilda McCrimmon – proposed by Angela Caldwell and second by Brian Kemsley.

Correspondence:

• WDC Local Development Plan: Stephen provided an update. Looking to consult on public views on existing and any new priorities for the area. For the benefit of the LDP’s development, the area covered will be Leven Ward only and not the full Alexandria CC area (which includes part of Lomond Ward). Updates will be provided as things progress which Alexandria CC are happy with.
• Better Buses for Strathclyde: Public campaign to restore bus services to public owned and looking to take the opportunity to speak to Strathclyde Public Transport with new powers within the Transport Act 2019 and use this power to create a similar setup to Great Manchester. Campaign plans for 2024 provided.
• Alexandria Christmas Lights: Correspondence with Councillor Martin Rooney, Leader of WDC on the budget savings effect on the lights in the town. In conclusion, future events would be an option for the Community Council and Alexandria Traders Association to take on – with WDC support. Future discussions will cover the full extent of this.
• Vale of Leven Windfarm Proposal: Balloch and Haldane CC have invited all CCs to a meeting on Thursday 25^th January 7pm at the Balloch House Hotel. Developers will be in attendance this meeting. A further public meeting has also been planned for Monday 19^th February at St Kessog’s Church Hall, Balloch. A survey is also ongoing and deadline is Friday 1^st Tilda and Angela have agreed to attend January meeting.
• Auchencarroch Landfill Site: Update from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) provided report of Barr combating the unpleasant smell of landfill gas over the Christmas period. WDC will no longer be using this site from 19^th Update shared by Bonhill & Dalmonach CC.
• Roadwork Issues in Alexandria: Alexandria CC to monitor traffic and road closure management in future works following complaints regarding Tullichewan Roundabout area – A811 up to A82.
• Strathclyde Passenger Transport Regional Bus Strategy: Consultation on review of bus services in the area. Tilda to research more details on this.
• Resilience Funding for Community Councils: £500 available for CCs planning on resilience planning against the impact of bad weather including flooding and heavy snowfall. Deadline Wednesday 31^st
• WDC Place Based Investment Fund: Community Grants available for community groups for funding capital projects. Spit into up to £5,000 and £50,000 or more. Tilda to look into possibility of an opportunity to improve public notice boards in the area. Shirley says Vale of Leven Trust happy to assist if needed. Deadline on Tuesday 23^rd

Finance:

• £20,000 for BID grant for Alexandria Traders Association now included in account.
• Excluding this figure, the current balance is £1,077.93p as of 17^th January 2024. This includes £30 expenditure to Tullichewan TRA for administration costs.

Alexandria traders association:

• Current discussions on preparing funding application for new outdoor market in Alexandria.
• Looking to include family events etc. to help make the market more of an attraction for the town.
• Surveys ongoing online and paper copies for both traders and the general public.
• Alexandria CC are more than happy to support these plans.

Christie park toilets:

• Angela to action on WDC Greenspace’s formal response on this as no clear answer has yet been provided.

 Smollett Fountain:

• Works progressing with most of the scaffolding now down with a completion date for February.

Parking:

• WDC are exploring an application to Transport Scotland to take over the enforcement of parking restrictions in the local authority. This would be done through Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) via the Road Traffic Act 1991. This would allow WDC to take over responsibility from Police Scotland for enforcement on all parking restrictions and identify a dedicated resource for this activity. Full plans included in update from Liam Greene, WDC Roads and Transportation Manager. Harry to notify WDC of Alexandria CC’s support.

Alexandria ton website:

• Website is progressing well with more local businesses being added to the directory.
• Alexandria Traders Association are happy to support this by notifying of businesses not yet included.

 West Dunbartonshire Community Council forum:

• Meeting took place on Wednesday 6^th December 2023.
• Issues discussed included communication issues with WDC Chief Officers, WD Community Transport, Sex Education in schools and the upcoming 50^th anniversary of community councils in Scotland.
• Next meeting is Wednesday 13^th March 7pm with venue announced nearer the time.

Forward Planning:

• Link-up with Schools: will be discussed next meeting.
• Link-up with Youth Councils and Groups: lengthy discussion on how to bring youth people into CCs. The outdoor market planning is one possible avenue.

Meeting Schedule:

• Following meeting dates agreed to continue 6.30pm at Alexandria Community Centre, Area One.
• 28/2/24, 3/4,24, 15/5/24, 26/6/24. Future meetings to be discussed at June meeting.
• Harry to contact WD Leisure to book.

 Social Media:

• Alexandria Community Council’s public page on Facebook currently with 211 likes and 344 followers.
• Alexandria CC Notice Board Facebook group membership of 1,888 members.

  AOCB:

• Balloch and Haldane Community Council: Ongoing campaign against WDC’s proposal to move Balloch Library into Balloch Primary complex.

Next meeting:

Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 28 February 6.30pm, Alexandria Community Centre.

Alexandria Community Council 

Meeting

Wednesday 3 April 2024

Alexandria Community Centre

Minutes

Present:

Ian Miller (chair), Harry McCormack (minutes), Brian Kemsley, Barbara Barnes, Angela Caldwell, Tilda McCrimmon, Helen Alston (resident), Pamela Alston (resident), Colin Smith (WDC Communities Team)

Apologies:

Jan Taylor, Stephen Burns

Previous Minutes: 28.2.24:

• Agreed as accurate. Proposed by Brian Kemsley. Seconded by Ian Miller.

Correspondence:

• Dawn Conner: WDC Housing Development Officer who wants to speak with us regarding proposal of 22 new units at Gray Street Sheltered Complex. Confirmed as guest speaker for CC meeting on Wednesday 15^th May 2024.
• WD Licensing Board: Next meeting on Tuesday 7^th May 2024. Applications for Morrisons Levenvale and Aldi. No objections from Alexandria CC.
• Bonhill & Dalmonach CC: Confirmation of WDC’s rejection of a windfarm on Broomhill Wood near Bonhill. This is separate from Vale of Leven Windfarm proposal.
• UK Government: Free portrait of HM The King under a voluntary scheme which was open for Community Councils. Deadline was Thursday 28^th March 2024.
• WDC Planning and Development: Aldi – amendment to warrant – symphonic drainage outlet, man safe system, increased structural opening, size of fire exit doors to ensure minimum clear opening width.
• WDC Planning and Development: Provision of care for 4 children/young people at Woodlands House, Heather Avenue. Provided by Benesse Care Ltd.
• Planning Aid Scotland: In person discussion with Community Councils about Local Planning Participation focussing on barriers to involvement as well as ideas to improve with local development plans with WDC. Tilda attended event.

Local Development Plan (Leven Ward)

• Tilda’s report of the Planning Aid Scotland event linked with this topic.
• Colin explained that a discussion and survey was processed with the local community in the Leven Ward (in Alexandria this excludes Tullichewan and Levenvale which are in Lomond).
• Feedback from the community for locality plans – roads, street lighting, dog fouling etc.
• Locality plans discussion now forwarded to Alexandria CC.
• Alexandria CC interested in future community use of vacant land in Mitchell Way and the former St Andrew’s Church site.
• Locality plan to be concluded for March 2025.
• Alexandria CC agreed to discuss in depth at next meeting.

 Finance:

• Alexandria Traders Association monies of £20,000 was moved to a new account for the Traders but had to be returned due to the rules of the Scottish Government’s rules on the BID Fund application. A further grant from Scottish Government of £8,500 also added to the account with £990 spent on ATA activity.
• Excluding ATA’s monies the current balance is £981.41p as of Thursday 28^th March 2024. This includes £18.26p paid to WD Leisure for booking for 28^th February meeting.
• Currently awaiting £4,500 from WDC for successful Notice Board proposal. Project explained later in the meeting.

WDC Budget 2024/25:

• WDC announcement of budget savings decided at the Council meeting on Wednesday 6^th March 2024.
• Apart from the Garden Waste/Brown Bin charge (which is discussed next item) – the savings included: reduction of school patroller locations in line with national guidance, breakfast clubs to be replaced by early start clubs with charge for pupils not entitled to a school meal and the removal of £14,000 grant funding for the now cancelled Loch Lomond Highland Games.
• WDC are providing funding grants from “existing funding” including provision of £500,000 matched capital funding for proposed Community Sports Facility at Millburn Park. Plus, Cost of Living revenue funding of £12,000 to the Time for Tully group based in Tullichewan. Other funds being made available to community groups in dependence with their planning.
• Alexandria CC expressed disappointment in the budget savings once again curtailing local services and jobs which are impacting the community including the vulnerable.
• Leader of the Council, Councillor Martin Rooney explained that the decisions made are due to “…a result of rapidly reducing funding from the Scottish Government” and the “most difficult budget of my career to date” and that “there is no magic money tree.”

WDC Garden Waste Charge:

• As part of the budget savings, there will be a new £60 annual charge for garden waste brown bin collection – this applies to each bin emptied.
• The charge begins in summer 2024 and will not be the full £60 due to late start in the year. A permit will be required for the bins to continue to be collected.
• Brown bins in West Dunbartonshire also take food waste but this won’t be included in the charge and collected free. However, contamination of both will see the bin not lifted due to this reason. This includes garden waste being placed in the refuse bin.
• Harry to draft up a letter to WDC with a few enquiries and concerns – including fly tipping.

PBIP Community Grant

• Alexandria Community Council were successful in securing Community Grant of £4,500 to commission two community notice boards to be erected in areas with regular footfall in Alexandria town centre.
• Tilda made application on behalf of Alexandria CC with support from Shirley McAlpine of the Vale of Leven Trust – many thanks to both.
• Notice boards to be handcrafted in durable wood. They would be designed to be accessible to wheelchair users with duplicate notices at 1000-1100mm and 150-1700mm. They would be place in locations which provide adequate turning space for wheelchairs. The design features of the notice board would hopefully become small focal areas in the town centre. Potential areas include Main Street and Mitchell Way with work to be done by local tradesman John Woodcock.

Alexandria Traders Association:

• Farmer’s Market returns on Saturday 4^th May 2024 with preparations for event underway.

Vale of Leven Trust

• Continue to hold regular events including walks and cycling.

Smollett Fountain

• Vincent McIntyre, WDC Regeneration has confirmed that the works are almost completed, and picture of the new heron provided.
• He also provided information of the old gargoyles which have been replaced by new ones. Are the Community Council interested in helping to find them a new home in the local community. CC agree but would like to discuss in detail next meeting on what the best way forward is. Harry to find out the time limit to collect them at current location.
• Alexandria CC also invited to a site visit for a demonstration of the lighting displays. Agreed and will email Vincent to make arrangements for this.

Parking:

• Harry to contact Liam Greene, WDC Roads for update.

Christie Park Toilets:

• Harry to contact Ian Bain, WDC Greenspace to clarify opening times which has been asked for since last summer.

Alexandria Town Website:

• No update.

West Dunbartonshire Community Council Forum:

• A 50^th Year Anniversary of Community Councils event with Provost Douglas McAllister to take place in September.
• Community Councillors to receive training on “dispute resolutions” due to recent problems at a Community Council in the area.
• Speaker from the Community Energy Trust will be invited to a future meeting.

 Forward Planning:

• Link-up with Schools: Alexandria CC agree with Ian’s proposal to invite school captain from Vale of Leven Academy to attend a future CC meeting to give a young person’s view on the town. Also, future plans to do with the same (or similar) with Our Lady and St Patrick’s.

Social Media

• Alexandria Community Council’s public page on Facebook currently with 237 likes and 387 followers.
• Alexandria CC Notice Board Facebook group membership of 2,623 members.

AOCB:

• WDC Communities Team: Alexandria CC invited to a “Progress Visit” by the Scottish Government which will set up as focus group event. Tuesday 16^th April 2024, venue to be confirmed. Angela to attend.

(WITH NO OTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING WAS CLOSED)

Next meeting:

Wednesday 15^th May 6.30pm, Alexandria Community Centre.