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All community councillors, bar one, were in attendance, along with seven others, who listened to the lengthy agenda which included the following:

Police Report
The police reported one crime of fire raising of the public toilets at the beach. Someone has been charged and it has been requested that any community service they might be asked to do, be undertaken in Ardentinny. When asked if there was any more news on the fires at the caravan site or the drugs raid at the same location, it was reported that an investigation into the former is still ongoing and that the latter case has not yet gone to court. Apparently the police now try to visit Ardentinny twice a shift and the public are invited to approach them regarding any concerns they might have.

Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer reported expenditure of £20 for Scottish Rights of Way membership subscription and a bank balance of £2049.54 pence.

Forestry Commission’s report
Jessie Crowe reported that the Forestry Commission plan to replace the destroyed beach toilets when funding is available and in the meantime they will leave the portaloos which are in place.

Fencing of the Nursery Field continues to be delayed until the owner of the caravan site completes the work he intends to do.

The rhododendron cutting programme is ongoing; the hedge cutting programme is still delayed until the contractor’s machine is functioning and the Stronvochlan Road work is still on their programme.

The Water to the bowling club will be left on for October after which it will be turned off to avoid frost damage.

Regarding previous discussion regarding the Carrick-Ardentinny route. The Forestry Commission does not intend to erect a bridge or handrail, as suggested and the risk assessment paperwork is available for Stephen Johnstone to inspect, as requested. Someone from FCS is also willing to walk the route with Stephen, at Stephen’s convenience. Jessie also said that distances on the route are marked on the finger posts but it is not possible to state how long the walk will take as it varies from walker to walker.

Questions arising from the FCS report focused on the responsibility of the control of Japanese knotweed on the shore. Suggestions were given on who to contact for advice and training.

Boats
Concerns from the regional to the very local were discussed. The first being the proposal by the Department of Transport to remove the Clyde coastguard service in order to make a saving of 1.4 million. Should this go forward, any calls for assistance in the Clyde area will be handled by Ireland or Aberdeen and this lack of local knowledge could be potentially life-threatening. Sandra Davidson explained that the lifeboats will remain but those controlling them will not know the area as well as the Clyde coastguard and while sailors can often describe where they are, giving local landmarks, they may be unable to give their map coordinates. The Convener read aloud a standard letter of protest addressed to the Right Honourable Philip Hammond, MP which the Community Council could send, if agreed. However, she also asked those present if they had any further local knowledge which might usefully be added. Sandra Davidson promised to email her a paragraph with the information requested.

The second ‘boat’ issue was that of an abandoned boat on Ardentinny beach. It was reported that this had been donated by the owner to a charity auction and had been won by a resident who plans to remove it.

Buses
Councillor Marshall announced that the Sligrachan Sunday bus service would end on the 23rd of October. The new Sunday timetable is available here.

Fly-tipping
In addition to the concern regarding the abandoned boat on Ardentinny beach, it now seems that the area surrounding it has become a tip and Councillor Bruce Marshall was asked if a Council uplift of the offending tipped material could be organised. He agreed to liaise with Teresa Forsyth and try and organise an uplift, as requested.

Signs
Signs of a various nature were a recurring topic for discussion. The Forestry Commission is considering putting up additional signage at the Ardentinny end of the Carrick- Ardentinny route. The content of new signage on the Larach continued to be debated. Councillor Marshall requested a copy of the previous police input on this matter and promised to take it to the appropriate department for consideration.

The Convener also raised an issue, which had been carried forward from the previous meeting, regarding the level of responsibility the Community Council should take to inform residents, by way of a notice, of any future aerial spraying. After some discussion it was agreed that it was the legal responsibility of the contractor to put up signs warning the public and not that of the community council. After further discussion regarding whether or not the legally required signage had been put in place by the contractor and whether the Community Council was required to further inform the community, the Convener suggested that this would be discussed with other Community Councils to establish their responsibility on the issue. It was also agreed that the Community Council would write to the Helicopter Company asking them for details on the content and the location of the signs they claim to have put up. The Convener said she would draft a letter and circulate to all Community Councillors for their feedback & also try and get feedback from the next Caucus.
Ardentinny Community Council meeting Minutes 4 October, 2011 (pdf).

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Nevertheless, it was an informative meeting. There was no correspondence or Police report for consideration and the Treasurer reported no movement in the CC’s bank account which stood at £2069.54 on 20.7.2011.

New signage for Ardentinny?

Councillor Bruce Marshall reported that he had achieved the agreement of the relevant department to replace the two Ardentinny road signs at either end of the village. He also reported that the Jet Patcher, of which there are only two in Argyll, had been patching the village potholes on the day of the meeting, i.e., 2 August, 2011.

Jessie Crowe of Forestry Commission Scotland gave her report:
The proposed fence at the nursery field has been held up by work being done at the camp site. Once the latter is complete, the fencing will go ahead. There have been problems with the hedge-cutting machine which has also caused delays elsewhere. The riverside path has been cleared and the work on the Stronvochlan road is ongoing.

The addition of two more litter bins at the beach area is judged to have been about 90% successful in encouraging users to properly dispose of their litter. However, there is still a significant problem of damage to trees in the pursuit of firewood.FCS will prosecute the culprits, if caught.

36 police hours have been obtained from Operation Ironworks and so there will be patrols taking place in the area. The blue water pipe supplying water to the bowling club has been buried and, while the water system requires a fourth filter, the supply is on.

Forest Holidays had visited the Nursery Field with a view to using it as one of their sites. However, they have decided against this due to the nature of the approach roads.

Rhododendron cutting and burning near Ardentinny

The rhododendron cutting programme is underway and it has been judged that the bridge on the Carrick route does not need a rail installed. This concluded the FCS report and this, now regular, attendance by a representative of the FCS is very positive in that it provides information to the public which might not otherwise be so readily accessible.

The use of hydro power as an energy source for the village was discussed and the Community Council is looking for someone to take this project forward.

The necessity for signs warning of steep bends and an approach to a main road + the danger of ice over the Larach elicited lively discussion. Ultimately it was agreed that Councillor Marshall would request said signs and that the Convenor would write to the Director of Transport conveying the community’s concern re the matter.

Invited speaker Colin McColl of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue addressed the question of the use of fireworks near animals. He stated clearly that there is no legislation applicable to this situation but what is required is common sense. He went on to say that animals should be kept away from fireworks and fireworks away from animals and that the Royal
Veterinary College recommends notice of fireworks should be at least half a day but there is no law to stipulate this and it is simply common sense. Community Councillor Steven Johnstone asked about the regulations regarding camp fires. Colin McColl responded by saying that the law states that there should be no bonfires, and therefore, camp fires lit between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Another question was raised about the issue of Chinese lanterns. It was cited that it had been the discussion on the BBC’s One Show that evening which had highlighted the problems they could cause, from house fire to injury to livestock. Colin responded that they were a significant risk but that again it was down to common sense.

Other items discussed included the National Park’s withdrawal of the housing allocation for the village in the Local Plan and the question of aerial spraying and whether or not it is the responsibility of the Community Council to inform residents in advance of this taking place. There was disagreement among the committee on this issue and it was tabled for discussion at the next Community Council meeting which will take place on 4 October at 7.30 p.m. in the Village Hall.

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Increased Police Patrols
According to the Police Report, police patrols have trebled in the area compared to this time last year. They are also trying to have Ardentinny included in the ‘Operation Ironworks‘ scheme which currently covers Loch Lomond and Lochgoilhead. The rationale for this is that there is overspill from Loch Lomond to Ardentinny Beach since camping restrictions were introduced in the Loch Lomond area. The Community Council will write to the National Park stating the case for the need for increased security in the area during the summer months.

Forestry Commission activity
The Forestry Commission representative reported that the beach toilets had reopened and that the overground water pipe, which supplies the bowling club, would soon be buried. There are plans to erect a fence between the caravan site and the nursery field; to cut the beech hedge and spray for Japanese knotweed and to carry out a long-term programme of cutting and spraying the rhododendron. Stands for the bins at the beach are expected soon and the field next to Loch Views is about to be leased out for grazing, on a temporary basis. Finally, the local office has a new member of staff, i.e., Rebecca Smith, whose main responsibility will be supervising conservation.

Community Support
Given the problems some residents experienced by being cut off by snow and ice last winter, Community Councillor Jimmy Gordon offered to post a notice on the village board and also to survey the potentially vulnerable to see if they would like their details included in a confidential database whereby they would be contacted and offered assistance, should a similar problem arise in the future.

Conservation Areas in Ardentinny
In the Community Council’s response to the National Park on the proposal to build affordable housing in the field next to Loch Views, they mentioned the possibility of some parts of Ardentinny becoming designated conservation areas. It seems that The Reporter has picked up on this issue and has asked for further information. It was decided that the Community Council should first access a list of what buildings are already listed in the village and then re-visit the discussion on this issue at the next Community Council meeting.

The Treasurer reported a bank balance of £2069.54 as at 30 May 2011 and, as was reported at the previous meeting, there had been no correspondence and therefore there was no secretary’s report. It was stated that the Trust is still looking for someone to fill the post of secretary and that they would advertise on the village notice board.

Other topics covered were the worsening state of the roads- residents were urged to phone the call centre to report potholes; an invitation to respond to the survey on the future of Cowal Hospice; deteriorating village signage; the Carrick Castle walk and the possibility of a village hydro-electric power scheme. All of which will no doubt be covered in detail in the meeting minutes when they are issued.

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 2 August at 7.30. p.m.

Related: Ardentinny Community Council meeting minutes 05/04/11

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Somewhat predictably, there was expressed consternation at the demolition of the Long Hut by Forestry Commission Scotland without prior consultation with or warning to the community. To exacerbate matters, said demolition also crushed a water pipe and consequently cut off the water supply to the bowling green. FCS’ Forest District Manager, Gordon Donaldson explained that the Long Hut was theirs to retain or otherwise as they saw fit and that, once a previous suspicion of a presence of asbestos in the building had been eliminated, instructions were given to demolish it. He counteracted the question as to why it was not sold to interested individuals in the village by saying that this was not possible as it was in the ‘Pink Zone’ and therefore the MOD would not permit its sale to private individuals. On the question of the water supply to the bowling green, he expressed his regret that this had happened and that, in the short term at least, FCS was working with the Bowling Green in an attempt to restore a supply.

The other major concern addressed by Mr. Donaldson was the closure of the public toilets at the beach area. Apparently, during an inspection of the water tanks serving the toilets, the presence of Legionellosis was discovered. As this was considered to be a major health risk, the tanks had to be purged. He said that there is now the possibility of ensuring water safety with the use of chlorine tablets but that the tanks are on their last legs and need to come down. He said the costs of either tank replacement or going on to mains water are prohibitive and, as FCS is not obliged to provide public toilets, it is likely that they will remain closed.

Other items included a decision to invite a representative of the MOD to attend Community Council meetings and the Chair reported that the Fire and Safety Officer would attend in August.

Given the recent police raid in the village, some of those present expressed disappointment that there was no police report or apology from the police for not attending the meeting. There was also no secretary’s report, as apparently there had been no correspondence. The Treasurer’s end of year report concluded that the year’s expenditure came to £547.05, while income was £300.00, leaving a balance of £1,769.54. This makes Ardentinny Community Council relatively well-off, certainly in terms of The Shore Community Councils.

Details of the meeting’s discussion will be available in the Meeting Minutes when they are published.

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Missing Boat & Fireworks
Police Inspector Armstrong introduced PC Donald McKay who is Ardentinny’s new liaison officer and who will in future attend CC meetings and/or submit regular reports. Inspector Armstrong informed the meeting that a boat had been reported missing from Ardentinny slipway. He also reported on an incident involving a firework display at Hogmanay. He said that the fireworks had been let off within the legal timetable for New Year but the issue was that they had landed in a field of grazing horses.  He also said he felt sure that they were not deliberately aimed in that direction but that in the future there needs to be liaison in order to avoid a repetition and that his advice was that fireworks should not be directed in to an area where there are animals This subject was also later covered in greater depth under all other competent business (AOCB).

Secretary Resignation and Treasurer’s Report
It was announced that Elaine Allan had resigned as Secretary and the Treasurer reported a bank balance of £1,869.54

Roads Condition and Sunday Bus Service
Councillor Bruce Marshall reported on the patching of the roads and stated that he thought tenders to repair the sea wall and road have probably just gone out and therefore works would be likely to start mid-February and may cause limited disruption for a short period. He also reported that the Sunday Ardentinny bus service will be halved.
One Community Councillor asked about and stated the need for a snow gate or ‘road closed’ signage over the Larach when gritters could not get further than Sligrachan.

Strone School
It was agreed that Ardentinny Community Council would write a letter of support to the Chair of the Parent Council of Strone School, protesting its potential closure.

Other Topics Discussed
Other topics raised were the question of when Ardentinny Public Toilets would re-open; the mounting of a campaign through the Association of Community Councils to protest the possible privatisation of the Royal Mail; the replacement of the horse sign; the suggestion that the Community Council notes the existence of Argyll First Political Party; and the tarring of the road to the beach path by the Forestry Commission.

AOCB
Elaine Allan and Bill Bincham outlined the fear and panic caused to their horses during the New Year firework display at a nearby hotel. They also described the number of spent rockets and their associated detritus found in their field which could have potentially caused/cause further harm to their and other people’s livestock.  Elaine said that, as someone who knows about horses, she also recognises the fact that there are others who don’t and that she was willing to help in awareness-raising of the dangers regarding this issue.  She also thanked Inspector Armstrong for asking that fireworks be set off responsibly and with consideration of others. She stated that the lack of response to her concerns had led to her resignation as secretary. There was much discussion about the responsible use of fireworks vis a vis animal (and human) welfare and it was agreed that the Community Council would request a visit from a Community Safety officer to address them and the general public on the relevant issues.

Village Notice Board
The Chair requested that those posting notices on the village notice board should also post their name and an expiry date for each notice.

Emergency Community Help
It was requested that, given the recent bad weather, the issue of emergency community assistance for the more vulnerable in the village should be added to the agenda for discussion at the next Community Council meeting which will take place on Tuesday 5th April, 2011.

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