LANGBANK COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
WEDNESDAY 13th MARCH 2024
LANGBANK COMMUNITY CENTRE, MIDDLEPENNY ROAD @ 7.30pm
Present: Neil Barrington (chair), Carly Deheer, Caroline Bryce, John O’Brien, Julie Gilmour (treasurer) and Jacqueline Doherty secretary).
Also in attendance: Cllr James MacLaren, Lesley Fairlie, Ania Owsianka, Trixie Brown, David Hallworth, David Hallworth (snr).
Apologies: Iain McDougall, James Hunter, Cllr Colin McCulloch, Gillian Carlin-Kulwicki, Muriel Colqhuon.
Start and welcome:
The chairman welcomed everyone and opened the meeting at 7.30pm.
Police Report:
Police report had been emailed to the chairman prior to the meeting. To be forwarded to attendees.
Acceptance of last meeting minutes:
No concerns raised with these. Approved by John O’Brien and seconded by Julie Gilmour.
Village website and Facebook updates:
Awaiting confirmation of dates for the village calendar of events to be held.
Retrospective Planning Approval App 23/0535PP:
Nothing further from RC, still under review.
Email from RC re Local Space Planning sessions. This was circulated to members prior to meeting and the chairman enquired if anyone was available to attend along with himself. Short discussion around what this meeting would entail.
Correspondence had been received re a “marine licence” has been requested under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 to undertake Retaining Wall Repairs at a location below the level of Mean High Water Springs.
All agreed to objections or further action required by CC.
Double yellow lines at COAST Restaurant on Main Road:
No serious issues. It was noted that despite CC being informed that the land adjacent to the M8 needed to be kept for large road repair vehicles to be stored during roadworks, that a large road repairing machine had been left parked on the double yellow lines for a day.
Clyde Coastal Path Meeting developments:
Noted that this has been quiet for some time.
Langbank Church conversion follow up:
The Kirk Sessions of Langbank & Houston & Killellan met a couple of weeks ago to discuss the Presbytery Plan for both congregations. This was a very constructive meeting, with both Kirk Sessions agreeing that, at this stage, a linkage would best meet the needs of both congregations, with a union being something which could be worked towards in the future. This suggestion now has to be accepted by Presbytery, and by the General Trustees in Edinburgh.
Village Community Centre update:
There had been a trip accident out in the hall car park and this has been reported to RC. There is a dispute over what part of the car park RC is responsible for and what is OneRen responsibility.
Lighting is an issue making the uneven path particularly hazardous in the dark.
Different solutions have been sought to lighting but an ideal solution has yet to be found.
MUGA:
The Get Active Coaching sessions are going very well, which shows the need for activities for children in the village. These sessions will continue until the end of April at which point further grant funding needs to be sought if there is an ongoing demand for these types of activities.
The Pavillion should have been built 5th March, however, was not able to be delivered on time. New date given for 29th March. The chairman will inform the chairman of LBC.
Station Road playing fields new play equipment and outdoor exercise equipment to be installed in the spring.
Street lamp replacements:
No lights in Langbank have yet been replaced. RC hopes to have these replaced before autumn.
Lights at West Ferry were due to be repaired on the 6th March.
Insurance:
Insurance is now due. The premium is £170.58.
Recent flooding:
There was raw sewage near the top of Middlepenny Road. Drain now appears to have been unblocked and the area cleaned up.
There was a discussion around drains and whether the rain water drains and sewage pipes should be separate. Age of housing in Middlepenny road may pre-date rules for separate pipes.
Planning Application 23/0128/PP 30 Glamping Pods, GleddochHotel – latest development and inputs from RC Planning Authority:
Application will not go before the committee this month, with next meeting being either May or August.
This development meets the criteria for screening to assess whether an environmental impact study is required. It is believed that Gleddoch will apply to RC for this screening, therefore can’t go through planning until such times as this happens.
The chairman had written to RC Planning to ask if Alistair Morrison would attend a CC meeting, but unfortunately as this is a live planning application then it isn’t appropriate for an officer of the council to attend at this time. RC have stated that they will explore the issue of sewagecontainment and possible leakage as part of the planning application.
Question was asked if members of the planning board had been invited. The purpose of this would not be for board members to express an opinion or discuss the matter but simply for them to become aware of community views concerning this planning application.
Suggestion that a concise document be sent to board members the week before the meeting when this will be discussed.
Disappointment was expressed at RC reluctance to meet with representatives of a community which has significant concerns about the development. Views could be expressed to the Chief Executive in regards to this.
At the last meeting the possibility of going more public with the views of the community – to local and national media, however if this is the course of action taken then it may be more impactful to wait until closer to the planning meeting.
There followed a discussion around the new proposed development at Westferry – the planning permission for this had been granted a number of years ago and has clearly taken some time to be acted upon.
Awaiting feedback and resulting action plan from Transport Scotland on the A8 Roundabout Survey:
As yet, no feedback from TS, however it will likely be April before we have any feedback.
Cllr MacLaren’s monthly input:
Roads
Abandoned signs A8: - Signs abandoned on the slip road at Westferryhave now been collected by Amey.
Parking Restrictions, Langbank PS: - I have requested that the bus stand and existing school Keep Clear markings be refurbished and additional signs placed upon the fence. These works should be issued shortly.
Station Rd Gullies: - At the top of the road at the triangle there are blocked gullies, plus the road is rutted and directs the rain water away from the gullies. I have reported this and the Roads Inspector will instruct the necessary works .
Village Hall Carpark
I received a complaint about poor lighting and uneven surface. Our Estates Team are checking the ownership but I am advised that the access road and swing park is RC, and the square area in front of hall is responsibility of the hall.
Station Rd Park
I have a site visit planned for Monday to see the entrance to the park and the surface water.
Missed Bins
Once again Mary Park Rd had some of their brown bins missed. Council spends a lot of time returning to empty bins on this road instead of emptying them all in the first place.
Sewage Spill
Gleddoch's sewage contractor was at the site for 2 days and all holding tanks were emptied. Concern has been expressed that there are no grease traps. Our Environmental Health Manager, Business Regulation is due to visit the hotel over the coming week to discuss the repeated problem with a course of action to prevent this recurring.
Untaxed Vehicle on Main Rd
The council only deals with abandoned vehicles. The vehicle in question has been referred to DVLA for enforcement action.
Planning
Application glamping pods: - The Chief Planning Officer advises that given the request to attend a public meeting would relate to a live planning application, it would not be appropriate for him or any other officer to attend to discuss the application. The applicant has confirmed their intention to submit a screening request in terms of the Ecological Impact Assessment.
Luxury Units, Westferry:- Planning application 09/0295/PP was approved in June 2012. The planning consent relates to the siting of 18 holiday chalets with associated access and parking.
Street Lighting
Update: - I haven’t seen any work in this ward yet. The idea, now, will be to get the whole backlog of cut down lamps replaced in the lighter months, ready for the short nights returning in Autumn.
Middlepenny Road: - Lighting columns waiting to be replaced on Middlepenny Road are r1, r4 and r5.
Dark Sign Lights: - Council have repaired the sign lights at the low bridge in Hatton Brae. The only ones that are dark now are due to the Scottish Power fault.
Langbank Bowling Club
The club has a new committee and endeavours to work with the MUGA team.
Qu – Was the sewage spill at Gleddoch as a result of exceptionally high rainfall?
A - No fat blockage
Question asked about new proposed market garden/farm shop on Houston road by Bishopton.
No date known for completion known.
RCC Forum
Met last night for the first time since 2019. Meeting not as constructive as hoped, however did manage to get a management committee. There will be 4 meetings per year.
Roads and flooding at Muirshiel park will be covered at next meeting.
AOB.
Letter to RC Chief Executive and Director of Children’s services re lack of provision for our children and young people. Initial response to say letter has been directed to appropriate departments but no formal response yet – no action expected but at very least an explanation for inequitable service expected. Secretary Jacqueline to chase up for next meeting.
PMHSPC
It was noted that the (Parent Council) PC of Park Mains had recently contacted RC to inform them that they could not support the proposal from Dargavel PC that all related developments – including the Park mains extension – be halted until such times as a decision is reached re the new school at Dargavel.
This is a difficult situation as the PC do want to support each other, however in this instance the Park Mains PC must also consider the impact to those pupils who may be detrimentally impacted should the proposed extension not go ahead as planned, especially as the school is already close to capacity.
Question asked about the village defribrillators after recent post on Facebook asked for code. Clarification that code is only made available should someone need to call 999. Caroline will put a post on the FB page to clarify the situation.
Meeting closed. 9pm.