INVERKIP AND WEMYSS BAY COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Business Meeting held on Thursday 1st of May 2008 at the Inverkip Hotel at 7.30pm


Present: Innes Nelson; Hugh Ritchie; Harold McPherson; Brian McArthur and Lynne Chambers

Apologies: Ron Potter and Liz Roders

In attendance: Cllr Gerry Dorrian; Sgt Allan O’Hare; PC Mark Noon; Miriam McKenna, Strategic Partnership Manager, Inverclyde Council; B. Blacklaw; N. Cupples; Cliff Lyons, Andy Lynch and Jean Anderson all Inverkip Community Enterprise

Innes Nelson welcomed all attending

 Police Matters
Sgt Allan O’Hare introduced himself as the new Community Sergeant. In PCs Perratt and Gray’s absence he reported the following crime statistics for the area:
4 acts of vandalism
1 housebreaking with intent
3 traffic cases – 1 careless driving and 2 dangerous driving
1 drinking in public
1 littering
1 drunk driver
1 Breach of the Peace (domestic)
1 Misuse of Drugs Act
3 minor thefts
1 serious assault – detected
17 crimes, 9 detected - 53% detection rate

Sgt O’Hare said PCs Perratt and Gray were now back from holiday and would be out and about from one end of Inverkip to the other with the speed gun.
Cliff Lyons said there had been acts of vandalism at the Pavilion in Inverkip – balls being kicked at the windows. When he had asked the youths to desist aggressive language had been used towards him. The police are aware of the situation and he would like to thank the police for their efforts. Hugh Ritchie wondered about police patrolling the beach area at Inverkip. Sgt O’Hare said patrols had already started and he would make a point of going to the beach area during the forthcoming weekend to see the situation for himself.
The secretary said she had written to Mr John Muir re online weapons, and the poster showing a website address for supporters of Damian’s Law (mandatory prison sentences for those carrying knives) had been placed on the Community Council’s noticeboard

 Miriam McKenna, Strategic Partnership Manager, Inverclyde Council
Ms McKenna addressed the meeting and gave information about her role with Inverclyde Council. She explained what Community Planning is – a way of working that places the recipient at the heart of enhanced service delivery as the partners work together more effectively and efficiently. The essence of Community Planning is partnership working between public agencies, the voluntary sector, the community and businesses across an area, with a shared vision, which is used to identify priorities to enhance service delivery for the sustained benefit and wellbeing of the community.
She spoke of the Inverclyde Alliance, the Community Planning Partnership for Inverclyde, and of partners coming together to achieve what they couldn’t individually. The Thematic Partnerships are re-launching and will be looking at partnership working across Inverclyde under the themes of Enterprise and Learning, Health and Wellbeing, Regeneration and Safe and Sustainable Communities. One of the roles of the Community Council is to take part in the Thematic Partnerships and it was noted community councillors Hugh Ritchie and Ron Potter were members of the themed groups. There was much lively debate and Ms McKenna said one of the priorities was to identify why Inverclyde isn’t thriving – some of the reasons being de-industrialisation, unemployment, poor health – and to address these issues and attempt to find solutions. Brian McArthur pointed out the devastating implications of big employers such as IBM and National Semiconductors pulling out of Inverclyde. He said there was too much emphasis on the big employers – Inverclyde is 10% above the average of having big employers in the area, and below average in smaller businesses. Harold McPherson said what he was hearing was nothing new, yet nothing had happened. What was different now? Ms McKenna said there was now a better base to take matters forward with dynamic, proactive people. Cllr Dorrian declared himself enthusiastic about the new corporate management team in Inverclyde Council, which has been in existence for 18 months. They were high flyers in the corporate team, he said, and would take Inverclyde forward - including addressing the problems Audit Scotland had identified in Inverclyde Council.
Miriam McKenna was thanked for attending the meeting and passing on this information.

Minutes of Business Meeting held on Thursday 3rd of April 2008 – Matters arising
Local Community Safety Partnership: the secretary had written to Louise McVey of Inverclyde Council’s Safer Communities about the Council’s plan to establish 6 local community safety partnerships. She confirmed Inverkip and Wemyss Bay would be included in Ward 6 and said that at the end of May/beginning of June it is intended to hold a day event for all community representatives across Inverclyde. Cllr Dorrian reported that Larkfield Housing Association has already started on the project and established a template
Inverkip Notice Boards: continued correspondence between the secretary and Stephen Skirving but without the prospect of an immediate outcome
Scottish Water: the secretary had emailed Dawn Mc Dermott, Scottish Water’s Regional Community Manager on the 12th of April requesting her attendance at the business meeting of the 1st of May so that further clarification of her emailed answers may be sought. On the 1st of May the secretary received an email from Ms

McDermott saying she would be unable to attend the meeting but supplied a response to one of the questions – that a Development Impact Assessment is carried out in advance of development and would be sent to Scottish Water. If an impact assessment shows any detrimental effect to the existing network, the work would not take place. The secretary had copied the email to Ms McDermott to David Ashman, Development Management Team Leader, Planning and Transportation at Inverclyde
Council. He outlined requirements dealing with the end result of development and not the construction phase. During construction, he says, containment of flood waters depends upon good site management practice by the developer. With specific reference to the ongoing Hill Farm development, he said, it is his understanding that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) provided guidance and advice to the developer before work started on the site. The secretary was asked to write to Ms McDermott to ask if the Stewart Milne group had lodged a Development Impact Assessment with Scottish Water.
Dangerous tree in Ardgowan Road, Wemyss Bay: Cllr Dorrian was able to confirm the matter is now in hand
Update on Wemyss Bay Leisure Facilities: for clarification it was noted the all- weather pitch referred to hereafter is not the 5-a-side football area referred to in previous Minutes – they are two separate issues
Cllr Dorrian said Inverclyde Council’s schools estate strategy is not yet finalised. He said the Wemyss Bay steering group had produced a very professional document outlining their aspirations. Cllr Dorrian said there was an Education Committee meeting on the 22nd of May that may come up with some sort of answer. It appears to be a very complicated issue involving money earmarked when a builder went into liquidation 15 years ago.
Hugh Ritchie proposed the Minutes as accurate, seconded by Harold McPherson

There followed discussion about the unsatisfactory nature of the Inverclyde Council website for reporting problems. Brian McArthur said he had reported fly tipping in Millhouse Road. He had used the system twice with no feedback. It was agreed there should be acknowledgement of messages sent to the website and an indication of who would take ownership of the problem.

Cllr Dorrian left the meeting at 8.55pm

Secretary’s Report and Correspondence
Letter from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – consultation on proposed changes to Clyde maternity services. Regret was expressed about the changes to maternity provision in Inverclyde, particularly for women living in Inverkip and Wemyss Bay, at the extreme limit of Inverclyde, who have to travel to Paisley for the delivery of their children.
Letters from Inverclyde Licensing Board regarding Wemyss Bay refreshment rooms, Kellybank Holiday Park and the Wemyss Bay Hotel. As no representations had been made to the Community Council regarding these premises no objections would be lodged
Letter from Wilson Dunlop of Inverclyde Community Councils’ Forum advising it was not necessary to hold elections for representation on the Thematic Partnerships

Another email from Tam Nugent re Inverkip Community Enterprise. As matters have moved on, the secretary acknowledged receipt of his message but did not comment further
Letter from Inverclyde Forum of Community Councils enclosing a notice of meeting and Minutes of their February meeting
Letter passed on by Cllr Dorrian re Scottish Calor Village of the Year 2008 competition. The secretary was asked to find out more about the competition Information from Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Structure Plan Joint Committee outlining their consultation process and inviting involvement. The secretary was asked to register the Community Council’s interest
Letter from Inverclyde Council re the proposal by British Telecom to remove a public payphone at Langhouse Road, Inverkip. The letter said BT had advised the Council the phone was little used by consumers. Those attending the meeting noted most residents had not only a landline but also a mobile phone and that another public phone was available comparatively close at hand. The Community Council has no objection to the removal of the payphone
Letter from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – notice of consultation on modernising and improving Mental Health Services across Clyde
From Inverclyde Council’s Regeneration Committee information that the Council has decided to approve the proposal to improve provision of public conveniences across the area. It is now proposed to extend opening hours, allocate maintenance budget funding and refurbish the existing facilities. There are currently 6 Council public conveniences throughout Inverclyde including Inverkip (War Memorial site)
Letter to Inverclyde Council from the Community Council – an objection to the proposed lift tower at Inverkip Station
Email request from Inverkip Community Enterprise for a poster to placed on the Community Council noticeboard – accepted
Leaflets from the Scottish Government’s ‘Safer Scotland’ regarding the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, the transitional phase of which came into being on the 1st of February and will be fully implemented on 1st September 2009
From Inverclyde Council’s Safe, Sustainable Communities Committee details of the proposed Inverclyde Core Paths Plan for formal consultation:
Paths to be added:
Path through Wemyss Bay woodland from Ardgowan Road to and along Cliff Terrace Road, then to and along Wallace Road to Undercliff Road/Wemyss Bay Road (path 14)
Routes through Wemyss Bay Caravan Park (path 2)
Finnock Bog cottage, Inverkip to Kelly Mains at Wemyss Bay Caravan Park (path 3)
Along Finnockbog Road from junction with Spey Road to Finnock Bog Farm (path 4)
Daff Glen to Main Street, Inverkip (path 5E)
Inverkip to coastal route via Bankfoot and Ardgowan Estate (paths 12 and 13)
Bargane Plantation to A770 and into Ardgowan Estate (path 18B)
Paths deleted:
Kelly Glen adjacent to Wemyss Bay Caravan Park
Wemyss Bay Caravan Park to Brueacre junction
Wemyss Bay Station to Inverkip

Within Wemyss Bay: section between Primary School and Ardgowan Road/A78 junction; section between new path entrance into Wemyss Bay woodland on
Ardgowan Road/Castle Road and Undercliff Road; and section along Wemyss Bay Road to junction with A78
Inverkip Station to Hill Farm estate
Jacob’s Ladder – Inverkip to Hill Farm area
Daff Glen, Inverkip to Hill Farm area
From Ladymoor Wind Factory Action Group – notice of AGM
From Inverclyde Council’s Safe, Sustainable Communities Committee – a proposed Traffic Regulation Order – the A78 Trunk Road Greenock Schools (Part Time 20 MPH Speed Limit) Order 2008
Letter of objection from the Community Council to North Ayrshire Council about the proposed Wings Law windfarm

Treasurer’s Report
In the Treasurer’s absence the secretary reported the balance of the Community Council’s account remained the same as reported at April’s business meeting - £214.17

 Planning Matters
Wemyss Bay – The Garage, Shore Road – display of illuminated fascia, free standing and totem signs
Wemyss Bay – Footer House, Cliff Terrace Road – erection of extension to rear of dwelling together with the provision of dormer windows to both front and rear
Inverkip – 4 Swift Avenue - application (in retrospect) for erection of decking – permission granted
Inverkip – Loaf Cottage, Main Street – installation of replacement windows and door. The application was continued for further discussion, followed by the recommendation the application is refused
Inverkip – Block 14, Harbourside – alterations to road layout to incorporate parallel parking bays

Community facilities – Inverkip and Wemyss Bay
Minutes of a meeting – chaired and minuted by Willie Wilson of Inverclyde Council - between Community Council representatives and representatives of Inverkip Community Enterprise were received on the morning of the business meeting. Not all Community Council members were in attendance and as there had not been enough time to peruse the Minutes it was decided to defer discussion. Nothing further was reported on the Wemyss Bay community centre

Date and time of next meeting – Thursday 5th of June 2008

Any other business
None

The meeting closed at 9.25pm




Archived minutes

October 2007 
 November2007
December2007
January2008
Feburary 2008
March 2008
April 2008