November 2013 Community Council Minutes

Draft Minutes Meeting Fossoway and District Community Council
Wednesday 6th November 2013, Moubray Hall, Powmill

Attending: Sandy Morrison, Kevin Borthwick, Alastair Lavery, Rod Paterson, Cllr M Barnacle, and 10 Members of the Public (MoP).

Apologies: Sheila Anderson, Trudy Duffy-Wigman, Angus Cheape and Cllrs D Cuthbert, J Giacopazzi and W Robertson.

CC Membership: Sheila Anderson has resigned from the CC – The CC thanks Sheila for all her work, and hopes she will continue to be involved in Blairingone issues. Graham Pye has been co-opted to the CC in Sheila’s place.

Declarations of interest: None.

Community Policing: PC Victoria Riches has now left South Section and the CC wishes her well. PC Euan Mitchell was present. Recent crimes in the area: Several quad bikes stolen from farms, two thefts from vehicle, two thefts from houses. All are under investigation, and some suspects have been identified. Since several quad bikes have been stolen, the CC observed that it would be useful to have more evening patrols. PC Mitchell says that is now happening. There was also an incident raised by a MoP, where a 4X4 had been targeted, and the house broken into to obtain the car keys, despite two dogs being in the house. Advice was requested regarding the storing of car keys, the response was not to leave them in any obvious places. Eg, key racks, kitchen dressers etc. Is there a Crime Prevention Officer? Yes, contact PC Sadie Allan who is the local Community Liaison Officer.
People are also encouraged to sign-up for Farm and/or Rural Watch – the latter is available to all householders. MoP points out that red diesel thefts are frequent in this area (she’s had three incidents) could the Police make more checks on vehicles to discover if they are using red diesel. MoP comments on tonight’s TV news about sheep theft and asks if trailers could be stopped at night to potentially address this.
Consultation has concluded on proposed changes to Police provision at local stations – public counters at these stations are not used as much as before, and hence opening hours will be reviewed, with some closing, including the ones at Kinross and Auchterarder. Dunfermline will continue to be open 24 hours. Contact will instead be principally by using the 101 non-emergency number or 999 as appropriate. There will be no reduction in the number of officers covering the area. Full details are available on the Police Scotland web site, where comments can also be made. Cllr Barnacle comments that Local Cllrs have discussed the proposed cuts with Senior Police Officers, and made it very clear that it’s important that personal contact with Police Officers is maintained in some way.
Rod observed people cold calling on all the houses in his road that appeared not to be occupied. Is there an equivalent to the Cold Calling Ban areas that’s available in England? No, and this isn’t illegal, however MoP should report any suspicious activity, together with car registrations if possible, to the Police. Reputable companies often report their plans to the Police in advance.
Ryder Cup – Potential road closures affecting this area would include restricting the section of the A823 from Yetts of Muckhart to Gleneagles to local residents only. Passes will be available to those who have a genuine need to pass through this area. State schools will be closed on the Friday of the competition.

Minutes of the previous meeting: There were no amendments so the minutes were signed off.

Matters arising:
• Glendevon / Rumbling Bridge Hydro Scheme: Kevin reports that the SEPA water extraction licence has been granted and SSE have offered an initial grid connection, but at an exorbitant price, so the output cable will now be run upstream in the pipeline channel, to make a connection at a place that will be more reasonably priced, which has the added benefit of reducing impact on local residents. Glendevon Energy had been in touch with a local farmer regarding his concerns about the impact on his business. Hugh apologises for not being able to be present at this meeting.
• Blairingone War Memorial: No progress yet, however with the approach of 2014 Cllr Barnacle will ask what the developer’s plans are.
• Crook of Devon Church Car Park: No news yet from the church.
• Signposting Core Paths and Rights of Way: George Harley has still not had the meeting with D Stubbs.
• Travellers’ Site at Crook Moss, Crook of Devon: Planning permission has now been granted, with conditions. Cllr Barnacle had addressed the DMC and stressed all the issues raised by the community. In addition Lochleven catchment area has a new memorandum of understanding which replaces the section 75 agreements, which was not correctly applied in this case. Peter Marshall said that it can’t be used with retrospective applications, which Cllr Barnacle points out means that the new memorandum cannot be implemented.
Further discussion will take place about this issue with local CCs of the two policies being incompatible, and how this can be rectified. This application will be included in discussions with local councillors regarding badly handled applications. Alastair notes that the applicant’s representative said that the statement of need for travellers contained in the report was not relevant to this application, which was supported by the convenor on the grounds that the existing policy appeared to enable travellers to choose to stay wherever they identified an area which was suitable for them.
The CC had written objecting to this application in the strongest terms to the Convenor of the DMC, members of the Committee and local MPs – Reply from Roseanna Cunningham said that there was nothing she could do, since the application had received consent. A supportive reply was received from Gordon Banks MP.
It’s important that we continue to report to PKC Planning any contraventions of the planning conditions at this site, especially any signs of expanding outside the approved area, with the hope that they might be enforced. Extensive discussion followed this announcement.
Alastair will report at the next meeting on the conditions imposed.
• Glenquey Quarry: The application will be considered at the DMC meeting on 13th November. Four presentations are already being made, so it won’t be possible for this CC to present. Our most important issue is the number of HGVs using Rumbling Bridge and the road, which have been deemed to be adequate for the increased traffic by PKC. The CC will remind local Cllrs of our concerns.
• Glendevon Pollution Incident: No progress to report.
• Dunning Glen: Kevin had a report from PC Victoria Riches that patrols had been carried out during the summer, but no offences had been detected. A positive relationship with the campers was developed by the Officers, resulting in less litter being left than previously.

CC Business:

Community Workshops: Following a meeting attended by Sandy, Alastair, and Kevin the dates for these workshops have been set for Blairingone and Powmill. Once availability of rooms has been checked, more details will be published.

Community Speed Watch: No update from Trudy. Cllr Barnacle reports that Cllr Robertson has written to, and had meetings with, senior Police officers and it has been agreed that the trial scheme was successful so the idea will not be forgotten.

Fracking: This issue will be discussed at the Kinross-shire Community Council Network on the 20th Nov and once the position has been clarified a meeting between the CC and Friends of the Earth will be organised.

Bus Investment Fund: Has progressed to the next stage.

Walkmill Play Park: Kevin has distributed the Council survey to various interested parties, asking them to copy their comments to this CC as well as the Council. There is still time to comment on this issue and the public were invited to do so.

Meetings Attended: Angus attended a meeting of the Church Office.

PKC Councillors’ reports:

Cllr M Barnacle:
Cllr Barnacle has written to Nick Brian concerning the direct inclusion of text from the developer’s application into the planner’s report on Bankhead Turbines, which were granted under delegated powers. Nick Brian replied that cumulative impact is always considered.
The reporter’s finding on the Local Development Plan has been published: Land at Blairingone for additional 30 houses has been allocated; Housing plans at Powmill have been reduced to 30, excluding existing permissions, and all development was to be on the north side of the A977. A977 will receive traffic mitigation measures; Protection of former railway lines and core paths; Naemoor road development is removed from the plan; Land north of Schiehallion in Crook of Devon had been included in the village envelope. Alastair pointed out that policy 48 which had been removed from the proposed LDP by PKC, had been reinstated by a similar condition by the reporter. The plan and report will come before the Council on 18th December, when full details will become clear.
Rod asks about reduction of Ground Maintenance of areas not actually owned by the Council, for example St serfs Road, Crook of Devon – Cllr Barnacle says that this is happening as a result of budget cuts, but he’s objecting to it when it applies to footpaths.

Planning:

13/01803/FLL. Erection of two wind turbines, associated plant and access track.
Craiglaw Farm, Rumbling Bridge, Kinross KY13 0QQ
Note there is also another application, just outside this CC’s area, but close to this one: 13/01900/FLL. Erection of two wind turbines. Hilton of Aldie, Aldie, Kinross KY130QJ

The Fossoway area has approved turbines at six sites (nine turbines, 20m to 47m), with two sites (three turbines, 45m to 47m) pending, plus the above application. At least one other site has been proposed but the application withdrawn at present. The land use and environmental impact of these proposed and pending developments is minor, the major impact being visual and cumulative. The only PKC guidance available is Policy ER1A of the proposed Local Development Plan, which is brief and very general, simply saying that cumulative effects should be considered. A small to medium scale turbine policy is being developed, but no timetable for it has yet been announced. It is impossible for the Community Council to form an opinion on the cumulative visual effect of the many proposals that are coming to us.
It was therefore decided that the Community Council will object to ALL proposals for turbines until PKC have a policy in place.

13/01816/FLL. Modification of existing consent (10/01644/FLL) change of house type. Land 30 Metres Northwest of the Meadows, Vicar's Bridge Road, Blairingone
No Community Council comment

13/01817/FLL. Modification of existing consent (10/01193/FLL) change of house type. Site 70 Metres Northwest of the Meadows, Vicar's Bridge Road, Blairingone
No Community Council comment

13/01818/FLL. Modification of existing consent (10/01142/FLL) change of house type. Site 70 Metres Northwest of the Meadows, Vicar's Bridge Road, Blairingone
No Community Council comment

Rod reports that Fife has granted permission for a wood processing plant at Bowhill, in Fife. This site is an example of a professionally planned and operated site, which may be a good reference for further discussions about the Lambhill site with PKC.

The overhead power line between Kincardine and Blairingone is due to be upgraded by replacing the insulators with ones that will allow the line to carry 400kV instead of 275kV; the towers will not be changed. There was some discussion on this item and MoP’s felt pressure should be applied to have the lines put underground.

Correspondence: Kevin went through the correspondence which was all available for viewing:
Kinross-shire Winter Festival has events throughout November and December, volunteers needed. The Kinross-shire Music Festival takes place between 15th November and 3rd December, including workshops for £3. For further details of both events, please see http://kinrossmusicfestival.co.uk/

Kinross-shire Community & Learning Group Better Place to Live Fair is planned for March 2014 – volunteers to help organise this please attend meeting at LLCC on 13th November at 10am.

AOCB:
Proposed change to school hours in Kinross High School to have longer days each day and finish at lunch time on Friday. More details to follow.
Acting head teacher at Fossoway Primary School has become permanent.

Draft Agenda for Next CC Meeting
• Welcome and Apologies
• Declarations of Interest
• Community Policing
• Minutes of last meeting
• Matters arising: Rumbling Bridge Hydro Scheme, Blairingone War Memorial, Crook of Devon Church Car Park, Signposting core paths and rights of way, Travellers’ Site Crook Moss, Glenquey Quarry, Glendevon Pollution Incident, Dunning Glen.
• Community Councillors - Meetings Attended
• PKC Councillors’ Reports
• Planning Applications
• Correspondence
• AOCB

Next Meeting: Tuesday 3rd December, 7:30 pm
Fossoway Primary School, Crook of Devon
All welcome!