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December 2, 2013February 28, 2026

Ardentinny Community Council – Inaugural Meeting

Of the 54 recently elected community councils in Argyll and Bute, it was the turn of Ardentinny to hold its inuagural meeting on Thursday 28 November. Chaired by Shirley MacLeod, Argyll and Bute Council’s Area Governance Manager and Depute Returning Officer, the meeting began with the nomination of office bearers.

Nominations.
Val Kennedy was nominated as Convener, Marian Norris as Vice Convener, Malcolm Bartley as Treasurer and Roy Harrison as Secretary. The Chair asked if any of the nominees had held these positions continuously for eight years, i.e., two terms, as it was not permitted to hold them for a third consecutive term. Val Kennedy was unsure, Marian Norris and Roy Harrison advised that they had not served two terms continuously. Malcolm Bartley confirmed that he had served more than two consecutive terms. The committee was asked to check on the situation regarding Val and, if two thirds of the committee were in agreement that Val and Malcolm should continue in office, they should write to the Council requesting its consent.

Model Constitution.
The Chair then asked if the committee would adopt the Model Constitution which they had all received and that the Convener and two other members sign it, prior to her recording that it had been adopted. She then asked if there were any questions regarding the Standing Orders, which are the rules by which Community Council meetings should be run. There were none and it was agreed and recorded that these had also been adopted.

The following points on governance were then made by the Chair:

Meeting Agendas.
Meeting agendas should be displayed to Argyll and Bute Council; all Community Councillors; and the public 7 days prior to meetings.

Draft Minutes.
Draft minutes should be similarly displayed within 14 days of meetings being held.

By-elections.
Argyll and Bute Council will hold annual by-elections in the autumn of each year.

Annual General Meeting.
The AGM must be held between the 1 April and 30 June

Meetings.
There should be a minimum of 6 community council meetings per annum plus the AGM.

All meetings should be held in public.

Half the members of the community council must be present and never less than three, in order to have a quorum.

Accounts.
Annual accounts should be independently audited, signed off and then agreed by the Community Council before applying for the admin grant.

Fundraising.
Community councils can raise funds to support local groups but the administration grant cannot be used for that purpose.

Co-opting Members.
Community Councils can only co-opt members at the AGM and only for a six month period until the next scheduled by-election. Co-opted members have full voting rights but after a six-month period, they need to either stand for election at the next by-election or cease to be a co-opted member. They can also only be co-opted once during a Community Council’s 4-year term. It is still permissible to invite people with specific skills to work with the Community Council on a particular project but they do not have voting rights.

Declarations of Interest.
Declarations of interest should be on the agenda, requested at meetings, declared and minuted. Those who have declared an interest cannot participate in the discussion and, if the interest is financial, they should leave the room.

Voting.
Voting must always take place at a public meeting. The Convener has a casting vote.
There are no secret ballots in a community council.

Complaints Policy.
Community Councils should have a clear, adopted policy on handling complaints regarding how the Community Council has dealt with an issue or about the behaviour of a particular community councillor. It is recommended that complaints are discussed in public at the next available community council meeting.

Data Protection.
Community Councils are not compelled to but are strongly recommended to register with the ICO under The Data Protection Act.

Training.
The Council will consult all community councils in the first quarter of 2014 regarding their perceived training needs and it will then deliver the top four priorities later in the year.

Getting the message out.
Argyll & Bute Council has a web page on community councils on which they would like feedback. If community councils have a website, the Council can link to it. As Ardentinny community council does not currently have a website a community councillor asked if the council would consider linking to www.ardentinny.org. Shirley MacLeod said that would be possible and was something for the community council to discuss and decide.

Community Emergency Plan.
When asked about the community emergency plan Ardentinny community council said that they had decided not to prepare one as the residents tended to look after each other automatically. The Chair urged them to prepare one, stressing that it was about a two-way flow of information between communities and the Council and how it enabled them to know who needed generators, hot food, etc. in emergencies and involved little more than making sure they knew who to contact to get access to the hall, who was vulnerable etc. There are still some emergency kit bags available one of which the village may receive when its plan is submitted.

The next community council meeting will be held on Tuesday 4 December at 7.30. p.m. in the village hall. All are welcome to attend.

Useful links:
Community Council’s Inaugural Meeting report November, 2009.

November 22, 2013February 28, 2026

Planning Ardentinny’s Future

As part of its remit to produce a Local Development Plan which will update its current Local Plan 2010-2015, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Planning Team hosted a village consultation event in Ardentinny. Residents were invited to discuss local needs and wants with Planning staff and to note them on village maps on tables around the Hall.

Approximately 25 residents attended and comments and suggestions were several and varied. A common theme was that there was no need for more housing due to lack of accessibility and amenities. However there was a suggestion that there was a need for Sheltered Housing and more self-catering provision for which there were arguments both for and against. Other suggestions were road improvements; upgrading the shore path; better signage for walkers; the need for a shop; enforcement of no camping at the beach area; moving the settlement boundary; and replacing the telephone box with a traditional red one. One other idea, which is being actively researched by a member of the Community Council, is the provision of a centrally-located cardiac defibrillator.

November 13, 2013February 28, 2026

More plaudits for Ardentinny!

On Saturday 9 November, unbeknown to Ardentinny Community Trust, Glenfinart Walled Garden won Gold in the Community Partnership’s Initiative of the Year Award ‘for the work of volunteers in transforming a walled garden that had been more or less abandoned in the 1920’s into something the local community can treasure’

The Community Partnership is a charitable membership organisation run by its members for the benefit of communities within the National Park. It runs a programme of events, including its Annual Gathering, at which its annual awards were presented last Saturday.

Another Ardentinny resident was also an award recipient. Eileen Connell received silver in the over 25 Volunteer category ‘for her work on the Ardentinny memorial Wood (Coronation Wood)’ which is the wooded area opposite Ardentinny car park which belongs to Gauld Estates Ltd. Mr. Gauld apparently granted permission to a group of enthusiastic volunteers to clear and restore the area for the benefit of the community.

And there’s more. The Walled Garden has been shortlisted for the 2013 UK National Park Volunteer Awards in the Projects category. This will be judged at the end of the month. So, fingers crossed, Glenfinart Walled Garden will do it again!

October 17, 2013February 28, 2026

Squirrel selfies and squashed apples

P1100389-1-2 — My best side? Red squirrel admirer goes for the close-up.

Ardentinny Community Trust held a Harvest Fair at Glenfinart Walled Garden on Saturday 12 October. Now a regular item on the Cowalfest programme, this year the garden could offer so much more and it did!

In addition to the recently completed Sensory Garden, inspired and recorded by the BBC’s Beechgrove Community Garden’s programme, there was a host of other attractions. There was apple juice pressing by young and old alike with John Hancox from The Commonwealth Orchard.

Argyll chef, Alison Sycora, provided harvest cooking demonstrations which produced delicious vegetarian dishes such as oat groat risotto. Artist and ceramicist, Bill Williamson attracted crowds all keen to learn how to throw a pot or two and the Walking Theatre Company’s time traveller, Scot Ansgeulaiche, had visitors entranced by ‘stories that have been hidden in the stones of the walls and plants in the grounds of Glenfinart Walled Garden’.

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Volunteers provided bird-box-making lessons and Cowal Red Squirrel Group were on hand with information, advice and a very special friend – a giant red squirrel who, with the garden’s resident fairy, ensured that the kids were entertained.

Of course, there was also an abundance of the now renowned Ardentinny home baking to take away or wash down in the spacious tea tent and for a glimpse at the far and nearer past, there was an audio/visual record of the garden’s progress to date.

Among the visitors was MSP Mike Russell who had this to say about the day:

“The walled garden has become a tremendous asset for the community and the amazing progress made since I was last there is a huge testament to the hard work of so many. The open day was tremendous fun and very informative and it was good to see so many people from outside the area there and keen to participate. All those involved deserve a great deal of praise for what they have done, not least for creating such a peaceful and positive space which touches many lives.”

The garden will have its last regular opening to the public this Saturday from 11am until 3pm. and will reopen at Easter 2014. However, during the winter months, Glenfinart Walled Garden will be open to volunteers and groups and individual visitors are welcome to come along by appointment. Those interested in visiting the garden during the winter should call 01369 810275 or email info@GlenfinartGarden.org.