LANGBANK COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY 9th JUNE 2021 7.30pm by the ZOOM medium Present: Neil Barrington (NB) - chair, Carly Deheer (CD), Cllr James MacLaren (Cllr JM), John O’Brien (JO), Gloria Dunn (GD) – treasurer, Julie Gilmour (JG), James Hunter (JH), Maggie Hancock (MH), Nick Sharp (NS) and Jacqueline Doherty (JD) – secretary. Apologies: Caroline Bryce (CB), Mercedes Harms (MH) and Julie Arbon (JA). Other Attendees: Frieda Mitchell. Start and welcome: Due to some technical issues meeting started at 7.40pm. Police Report: No status update from police despite NB requesting this; once information becomes available this will be shared. Cllr JM has raised matter of police attendance and was informed that police can only attend virtual meetings on Teams platform and not Zoom. Acceptance of last meeting minutes: Proposed Gloria Dunn and seconded by Maggie Hancock. Village website updates: The LCC Agenda had been placed in the website diary and minutes will be added. Accident activity at A8 Roundabout: No new activity to report. Attempts to purchase land opposite Coast Restaurant for parking: This has currently stalled with no further progress on Transport Scotland’s position as per last meeting. Still no response from Scotrail. The option of exploring double yellow lines was discussed – this will be discussed with Alan Cawley (owner of Coast Restaurant) prior to the LCC lodging request for these. Suggestion that the issue of safety should be pursued with potential of contacting emergency services for their input. Safety issues include narrowing of road when cars are parked on both sides, leading to a blind exit from Coast and the parking along towards roundabout. There would have been a building warrant issued prior to the extension to Coast and suggestion that we check to see if there is any recourse with RC who approved the extension. There was a considerable number of extra covers included with this extension with no increase to parking spaces available within Coast carpark. NB to action this suggestion and Cllr JM will help. Village Defibrillator: As requested, a letter has been sent to landlords of Langbank Doctor’s Surgery making it an official request to site defib there. In absence of a headed letter this was signed by Caroline Bryce and Jacqueline Doherty in capacity as secretary of LCC. Annual “clean-up day” Result: Great response with the LCC almost running out of litter pickers and bags. The chairman thanked everyone involved and thanks have been passed on to Langbank Primary for their help with this. Certificates to be given to children who participated. Question asked as to why RC do not cut back verge along pavement on northside of Main Road as this is unsightly and is encroaching on pavement and covering the planters. The secretary to email Renfrewshire Council to request and the chairman will try phoning them. Status on Langbank Tennis Court funding: We have successfully been awarded full funding from RC. Meeting held with Langbank Bowling Club to discuss these plans. Unfortunately, we have had a setback caused by the global increase in steel prices – this meant work was going to be considerably more expensive. Solutions have now been found and the order can now be placed. “Awards for All” have come back asking for further information, which has now been provided. If successful, this funding would cover the cost of floodlighting. The LCC public liability insurance policy would cover MUGA use, if inspected annually to ensure safety standards continue to be met. Local Partnership Meeting: Next meeting will be an allocation of funds – Thursday 17th June 18.00 – 20.00 - via M/S Teams. Langbank has 2 requests. The chairman and Jacqueline Doherty are members of this group and will attend this meeting – they will have to declare their interest in the Langbank requests. Cllr MacLaren monthly report: Police Presence at Community Councils The police will only attend meetings that are on Microsoft Teams and not Zoom. Planning Applications The Council has just installed an upgraded system which is meant to generate a reply to all that made representations following the planning decision being inserted into the system. This part of the system is not operating as it should and those making representation have not been notified of the outcome. Outdoor Access & Play Area Improvements At the recent Council’s ILE Board there was an item confirming an investment to support improvements in outdoor access and play areas. Over the next two years, council will invest £1,250,000 on enhancing and improving play areas across Renfrewshire. A full programme showing what investment where, will be brought back to a future ILE Board later this year. There will also be £150,000 to support a programme of tree works and path clearance. Council hopes to get local input as part of the investment programme. Refuse Collection Once again Marypark Road has had several missed collections. For one of the return journeys the recycling was put into the same lorry as the general waste. Station Road Park I had a meeting with council officials on site to view the path that is being eroded by the burn and discuss solutions to the problem. This has been referred to Roads for further assessment. While there we took the time to look at the vegetation and overhanging branches. These will get cut back and vegetation cleared. I am hoping to meet with a resident to discuss the condition of the play equipment. I have requested that the rusty set of goal posts be removed and the mangled set be uplifted. I will chase this up. Roads Turning Circle on Marypark Rd: - The existing turning circle is not fit for purpose. I had a meeting on site with Amey and various measurements and photos were taken for a new turning circle. Footpath Main Road to Marypark Rd: - I have requested that this be swept and branches cut back. Potholes at Westferry Car Park: - I have requested that a number of holes in the carpark be filled. Flooding on Footpath cycle path along A8: - Scottish Water are now convinced that the problem is not from their water main. There is a blocked drain/culvert in the vicinity that needs attending to and we will include excavation at the point of rising water beside the footpath in the works instruction. If we find a burst water main, we will contact Scottish Water again. If we find something other than a burst water main, hopefully we will be able to carry out the necessary repair. I will update you further on receipt of a start date from our contractor. It was noted that the last time this area was flooded it had been caused by a burst water mains. Roll out of Broadband I doubt if City Fibre have begun planning for Langbank but it would help if residents registering their interest in receiving high-speed broadband via the postcode checker on the website (www.cityfibre.com) as that will capture interest and help shape plans for Langbank. Government roll-out of broadband. Villagers can go to www.cityfibre.com to register interest in superfast broadband – info to be placed on Facebook page. Feedback from Meeting Coast Restaurant: - The parking issues on Main Road are of concern. I will check with the RC Planning Dept on what conditions were applied when the restaurant was granted its extension. City Fibre: - I will contact City Fibre and ask that they include Langbank in the roll out of high-speed broadband. Station Road Park: - I will chase up removal of the collapsed set of goal posts. AOB: Purchase of goalposts for playing fields: Cost of this is more than initially anticipated, however having spoken with Renfrewshire Leisure and RC it is apparent that for our purpose goals should be self-weighted, relatively easy to move and robust. As the land is council owned, they should be aware and have some conditions which we should comply with, however, to help with costs these goals can be ordered via RC which means we will not have to pay VAT. This involves using a RC approved supplier and it is estimated that cost will be approximately £2000. Jacqueline Doherty to action. Situation of Soft Facilities Management Re-model in Renfrewshire schools: This has led to areas of staffing shortages which have resulted in several new members of staff (some agencies) being employed and allowed to work in schools without the appropriate disclosures being completed. This was raised at Park Mains Parent Council meeting and reassurances were provided that no members of staff without disclosures will be in the building whilst pupils are there. Staff members without disclosures will only be in outwith teaching hours and will be appropriately supervised. It is hoped staff shortage issues will be resolved before August as it is having an impact on food facilities and cleanliness – but this is being monitored closely by the school. The situation within other RC schools is unknown. Smartwater: The chairman has had an email from Police Scotland enquiring about interest in Smartwater and he was able to inform them that the village already had received grants for these and implemented them. Advertizer: Julie Gilmour had contacted Advertizer asking when we may have paper copies of this magazine for delivery in Langbank again. They require their advertising revenue to increase before they can distribute in Langbank, but hope to do so in the coming months, in the meantime Julie will pick up some extra copies for distribution within the village. Jacqueline to provide an article for inclusion in the next edition. Meeting closed: No meeting next month, so next meeting will be 11th August. NB thanked everyone for their attendance and closed meeting at 8.35pm.