Minute / 5 December 2011 / Minute

ANNANDALE AND ESKDALE AREA COMMITTEE Community meeting

Meeting of Monday 5 December2011

at6.30pm in Town Hall, Annan

Present

Members

Ian Lindsay
(Chairman) / - / Annandale East and Eskdale
Michael Dickie
(Vice Chairman) / - / Annandale North
Richard Brodie / - / Annandale South
Ted Brown / - / Annandale North
Ian Carruthers / - / Annandale South
Archie Dryburgh / - / Annandale East and Eskdale
Roger Grant / - / Annandale North
Gail Macgregor / - / Annandale North
Ronald E Ogilvie / - / Annandale South

Apologies

Allan Graham / - / Annandale East and Eskdale
Denis Male / - / Annandale East and Eskdale
Sean Marshall / - / Annandale South

Officials

Julie Douglas / - / Area Committee Administrator
Jamie Ferguson / - / Service Manager Community & Customer Services (Area Framework) Annandale and Eskdale
Douglas Kirkpatrick / - / Team Leader Sustainable Travel
Harry Thomson / - / Head of Integrated Transport and Commissioning
Alistair Speedie / - / Director Planning & Environment
Justin Tracy / - / Director Community & Customer Services

Alex Haswell

Director Chief Executive Service

1.SEDERUNT AND APOLOGIES

9 Members present, 3 apologies

2.DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Ted Brown, Ian Carruthers, Michael Dickie and Roger Grant declared an interest in Item 3 by virtue of their membership of the South West Scotland Transport Partnership but decided that their interest was such that they did not require to leave the meetingvwith the Group did not prevent them taking part in the discussion.

3.LOCAL BUS TENDERS 2012 – Report by Head of Integrated Transport and Commissioning

Decision

3.1NOTED the summary of views from members of the public generated in facilitated groups (Appendix 1);

3.2AGREED the following recommendations to the Full Council for consideration in the formulation of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s response to the consultation by South West Scotland Transport Partnership (SWestrans):-

  • To provide additional routes as follows:-

Kirkpatrick Fleming – Annan

Nethermill – Lockerbie

Rowanburn - Gretna

3.3that information on the rationale and travel needs analysis be included in the report to Full Council on the additional routes;

3.4that timetables of routes to train stations be revised to address connectivity issues with trains, in particular routes to Lockerbie Station including commercial routes;

3.5that discussion on ‘ring and ride’ schemes take place;

NOTED

3.6that there were few changes to routes in Annandale and Eskdale but that there was a need to:-

  • ensure routes maximised opportunities for travel for employment and education and for health appointments;
  • ensure that future consultations were undertaken in sufficient time to enable public input;
  • maximise the use of transport initiatives to cover gaps in service and enter into service level agreements but FURTHER NOTING that there was no provision in the SWestrans budget to fund this but that there was a review underway on the funding of transport initiatives;

3.7that an information and awareness day will be held on 20 January 2012 for transport initiatives, based on the Rural Transport Initiative pilot in Wigtown area;

3.8 confirmation that Route 117 Templand – Lockerbie would continue with no change despite rumours to the contrary; and

3.9that, should Full Council agree the recommended additional routes, additional funding would need to be identified.

45.AREA COMMITTEE COMMUNITY MEETINGS – TOPICS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS - Report by Area Committee Administrator Annandale and Eskdale

Decision

45.1NOTED the additional suggestions for topics for future meetings of the Annandale and Eskdale Area Committee Community meetings from Members and members of the community, those being:-

  • Economic Regeneration (including ‘empty properties’ leisure & sport provision, broadband access);
  • Community Health (including Home Care, Day Centres,proposals for new hospital at Dumfries);
  • Area Committee Funding Arrangements;
  • Transport Issues (including Forestry Transport, Mineral Extraction, Road Safety, Roads Maintenance)
  • Winter Maintenance (including community resilience)
  • Housing Infrastructure (including Housing Strategy and affordable housing)
  • Education Issues

AGREED

45.2the topic for Annandale and Eskdale Community would be the Local Development Plan to be held onFebruary, 6.30pm, Lockerbie Town Hall;

45.3to remit to the Service Manager Community Services (Area Framework) to schedule suitable dates and venuesand topics up until 31 March 2012.

APPENDIX 1

Summary of Views Generated in Facilitated Groups

Question / Summary of Views
Is the level of service indicated by SWestrans to remain within its current budget acceptable / More information needed on usage in the appendix to gauge whether current use warrants the service.
Connectivity needs to be addressed with trains
What impact will this level of service have on the local communities and their need to travel for:-
Employment
Education
Health
Retail
Transport links
Personal activity / Connectivity issues were raised for all areas of need.
Value for money needed
Routing of the Langholm to Annan bus required to be addressed.
The need to ensure that services in rural areas was maintained for medical appointments
Are there any groups within local communities you consider this level of service will particularly affect? / None specifically identified but communities in rural areas need to be considered for all the reasons in Question 2 above
Can you suggest ways in which any gap in services could be provided / Annan Transport Initiative could assist but funding would need to be available and the quality of volunteers assured
Share ideas with others parts of the region
Maximise School buses
Use of taxis in some areas