BRIDGEND GANNOCHY AND KINNOULL COMMUNITY COUNCIL PERTH
Minutes of meeting held on Thursday 15th November 2012 in Gannochy Community Hall at 7.30pm
Present: Graham Fleming (Chairman), Dave Beattie (Vice Chairman), Colin Styles (Treasurer), Rob Burke, Councillor Archie MacLellan, Councillor Heather Stewart and four members of the public.
Apologies: Deirdre Beaton (Secretary) and Anne Paterson.
- Welcome: Graham Fleming, Chairman, welcomed everyone to the meeting.
- Minutes of Meeting and Matters Arising: Adoption of theMinutes of the Meeting of 21st June was proposed by Dave Beattie and seconded by Colin Styles.
The post at Bellwood Park has not yet been replaced. (Councillor Coburn).
Constable MacLaren reported that the cycling proficiency scheme was now the responsibility of the primary school.
Cllr. Stewart reported that she is convening another meeting with the jet skiers to try to reach a compromise.
It was agreed that the phasing of the traffic lights at Bridgend now seemed to be back to normal.
In view of previous flooding, the impact of new development such as the Murray Royal Hospital and the potential insurance impact on local businesses, Cllrs. MacLellan and Stewart will ask PKC Roads Dept.:
a) to confirm that the drains and gulleys system are currently clear;
b) to provide a report on the capacity of the drainage system to cope with adverse conditions.
A member of the public (Mr. Salvin) will check whether housing in Gannochy Road is still subject to water seeping from the Murray Royal Hospital site.
Manse Road: Cllrs Stewart and MacLellan were asked to address overhanging trees and hedging, some of which is obscuring street lighting.
- Constable’s Report: Constable MacLaren reported 47 crime reports since 20 September 2012, 22 of which related to the break-in at Bridgend Court and rape at Potterhill. The suspect has no known connection with Perth and has been sighted in London. 9 incidents were not police concerns and 11 incidents were successfully detected. In general, excluding the rape incident, the number of incidents is low with no house break-ins, perhaps a result of the high level of police presence. Constable MacLaren was concerned that there were 8 assaults, 4 of which were reported by Murray Royal Hospital staff. Personal alarms are available for £2 each from the public enquiry office at the police station.
- Millennium Park: 14 members of the public have joined the Friends of Millennium Park initiative and £80 in subscriptions has been received. Terry Myers will convene an initial meeting. Rob Burke has provided an excellent electronic map of the park.
- Community Development Trust: Dave Beattie reported that 2 Directors had resigned at the AGM and 3 new Directors were appointed. Activities have been prioritised and agreed. These will focus on:
- working with architectural students to develop a vision for Bridgend
- working with PKC and local businesses regarding Bridgend Regeneration
- producing a walks leaflet
- developing potential community uses for new and surplus Murray Royal Hospital assets.
Work on obtaining funding will also continue.
- Murray Royal Hospital:
a)Construction
Phase 2 demolition of the vacated wards and further landscaping will continue from this autumn through to Spring 2013. The new layout at the Pitcullen House entrance is almost complete and Morgan Sindall will repair the verge at Millennium Park which has been damaged by heavy vehicles.
b) Surplus Land & Buildings
NHS Tayside report that independent property advisor will now start in February 2013, with a target of drafting a master plan for the disposal of the surplus assets by April 2013. The plan will include an assessment of the request made by carers associations to include a strip of land along the Muirhall Road boundary as part of the hospital site rather than surplus.
In response to requests NHS Tayside has agreed to reinstate garden maintenance in the curtilage of the Main Building as well as the grounds of Pitcullen House.
c)NHS Travel Plan
NHS Tayside has been promoting car-sharing for its staff and a move to 12 hour shift working (roughly 8 till 8), though not all shift staff have agreed to this. As part of a Perth-wide initiative, NHS Tayside is planning to introduce a reduction in car parking permits for its staff. Car park entry will be restricted by barriers, though one barrier has been installed wrongly and needs to be moved. Proposed parking restrictions around the hospital site will be reviewed in January 2013 and Cllrs. Stewart and MacLellan will also request SLOW signs to be re-instated.
Monitoring of the car parking at the site has shown that the new car park is close to full but there are 40 - 50 cars per day still parking in the old grounds and at the Walled Garden and there are plans to recruit a further 50 staff. Despite the failure to reduce staff car usage, Perth & Kinross Council is praising NHS efforts.
- Planning:
a) Shore Road. Dave Beattie reported on the Shore Road incinerator planning appeal made by Grundon. In the last week of November and first week of December there will also be hearings at the Station Hotel on air quality, odour and noise and on planning conditions that need to be set should the Reporter approve the proposed application. The public may attend the hearings but are not allowed to speak.
b) Monastery. Members of the public have expressed their disapproval of how the Development Management Committee approved the planning application for 19 houses, seemingly ignoring most of the planning objections identified in the professional planner's report. The Community Council's perspective is that the Local Development Plan for Perth will never be successfully implemented if Councillors persistently overturn the recommendations they have already approved in the Plan. Cllrs. Stewart and MacLellan were asked to provide statistics for the number of planning department recommendations which have been overturned at Development Management / Control Committee meetings.
- Councillors' Reports: The Councillors reported that Scottish Government funding could be available for a new school (nursery, primary and secondary) for the north side of Perth, possibly for an extended Scone catchment.
- Treasurer's Report: Colin Styles reported the following:
Balance Brought Forward / £5570.00
Expense:
Return of Walnut Tree funds
Server hosting
Gratuity to GO@L
Perth Civic Trust subscription
Total / £500.00
£23.99
14.00
£15.00
£552.99 / Income:
F.O.M.P. subscriptions
Total / £80.00
£80.00
Balance Carried Forward / £5097.01
Consisting of:
Millennium Park
F.O.M.P.
BGKCC / £3,198.26
£80.00
£1818.75
- AOCB: The meeting was advised of the death of David Penman, a previous secretary of the Community Council who had given 15 years service. David instigated the Tree Warden scheme and it is planned that there will be a commemorative inscription by the new walnut tree in Norie-Miller park.
- Date of next meeting: Thursday 17thJanuary 2013 in Gannochy Hall at 7.30pm
Further meetings will be held on:
Thursday 21st March 2013
Thursday 16th May 2013
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