Community Council Meeting Minutes 2004


HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 13TH JANUARY 2004

PRESENT
Robert Scarsbrook, Christine Scarsbrook, Betty McArthur, David McKie, Ken Macdonald, Norma David, Craig Crawford, Rosee Macdonald, Gordon Weir, Grace Weir, Bill David, Linda Smith, Andrew Wilson, Miller Leon, Amish Amin, David Bottomley

IN ATTENDANCE
Jeanette Fraser, Norma Walker, PC Tracey Knox-McLean, PC Graham Barclay, Andrena Stamper, Anne Ross, Alistair Campbell, John Findlater, Andy Fraser, Michael Walker, Sheena Baillie, Flora Cunning, Iain Cunning

APOLOGIES
Nick Walker

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the 09.12.2003 meeting were adopted – Proposed, Rosee Macdonald and Seconded, Norma David.
There were no matters arising.

POLICE REPORT
q Crime figures for December 2003
· 2 crimes reported with 1 detection
· 1 Vandalism and 1 dangerous dogs act (detected)
The question was raised as to who should be contacted regarding problems relating to dangerous dogs and the response was that these issues should be reported to the dog warden and not the police.

WATER
Andrena Stamper, Business and Community Liaison Manager for Scottish Water and Anne Ross, also from Scottish Water attended this meeting and gave a presentation on the Role and Aims of Scottish Water. Time was also set-aside at the end of the presentation for discussion and to answer questions from those in attendance.
q Presentation summary
· Scottish Water has been in existence now for 18 months
· Not a Privatised Company
· Highly regulated on Finance and charges, drinking water quality, consultation panels and environment protection
· The main aim is to become more efficient as a single body by cost reduction, improved customer service and aquatic improvements
· The main challenges ahead are seen to be to work more effectively, efficiently and economically in the face of competition, destabilised demand and increasing customer expectations
· The main focus of future communications will be on Community Councils, Councillors, Trade Associations and other Community groups/Fora
q Discussion period
· It was intimated that, where the Community have specific/technical issues, it would be possible to have appropriate technical experts meet with the Community Council.
· Why are business charges lower in N. E. England? – No legislation to make all areas the same; may be trying to encourage certain business segments; may not be comparing like for like; The water authorities in England have been longer established and will have made greater efficiencies; In Scotland, the aim is to make all charges fair and transparent
· Harmonisation between East and West resulted in small business charges being raised considerably. Why? – Harmonisation was a regulatory requirement; charges to be more equitable between domestic and business; inequality as a result of some businesses being metered and others not; Last year was a difficult period for charges but it is hoped that any further increases will be on a reduced scale
· It is unlikely there will be any reduction in water charges but the rate of increase should not be so steep in the future
· The Regulators do not want Monopolies to develop but it is not yet clear how this could work and various options are presently being considered


WATER (cont.)
· Could unused land and assets be sold off to offset increases in charges? – Some properties no longer used have already been sold; These sales are not factored into Financial Plans but the funds raised go into Revenue to provide short term customer benefits
· SLA to repair leaks etc.? – 2 week turnaround from date of report; Problem will be prioritised and repaired in order of priority; A service request number will be allocated to each problem and this can be requested and used to follow up on progress

ROADS
There has still been no response from the Roads Department regarding attendance at a meeting of HCC.
q Bowfield Road Pavement
· This is soon to be cleared of rubbish and vegetation
q Former Beith Road @ Elliston Grill (Private road sign)
· Now removed
q Home made decking sign
· Now removed
q A737 junction
· Response received stating that information on the trunk road network is continually collated with areas for further investigation being highlighted
· Further investigation into this issue will be carried out by Amey
q Midton Road - Speeding
· Road Policing Department attend regularly to carry out checks and controls
· The Department have declined to meet with HCC as requested
· Any issues should be directed to the Community Police Officers
q Pavement - Midton to Hospice
· Pavement in bad repair and requires maintenance
· David McKie to pursue with Renfrewshire Council
q West Corseford Farm
· Water leak and resultant state of repair at the corner is an accident hazard
· David McKie to pursue with Renfrewshire Council
q Bowfield Road
· Bowfield Country Club have again contacted Renfrewshire Council regarding future plans for a new access to Bowfield Road from Main Street
· General maintenance of the road has also been queried.
· No response received to date.

ENVIRONMENT
q Outdoor Access Forum
· Draft Strategy Document available from Andrew Wilson
· A copy of the Executive Summary will be distributed for information and comment
· Any comments to Andrew Wilson no later than 28th January 2004

WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION
q Village Notice Board
· This has now been received and approved by HCC
· Renfrewshire Council to install on wall outside main entrance of Village Hall
· The content and custodianship of this notice board has been deferred until the February 2004 HCC meeting although it was generally agreed that the secretary of HCC should have custodianship.
q Community web site
· No major issues to report

WORKING GROUPS
q Community of the Year Awards
· Our participation appears to have been unsuccessful
q Planning
· No applications of relevance received to date.


WORKING GROUPS (cont.)
q Scottish evening
· Confirmed as Saturday 28th February 2004
· A band has now been booked
· Helpers required on the night. Names to Bill David please.
· Tickets and programmes to be printed 16/17th January 2004 and a notice will appear in the local paper
· Raffle prizes are requested. All donations to Linda Smith at the Post Office or bring along if helping on the night
q Village Design Plan
· A questionnaire has now been prepared and will be distributed within the next two to three weeks
· Public consultation dates have been arranged for the evening of 4th February 2004 in the Village Hall at 7.30pm and the afternoon of 9th February 2004 in the Howwood Inn Restaurant at 2.30pm

MEMBERSHIP
· No nominations received to date
· Nominations will be left open until further notice

COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
· No report

CORRESPONDENCE
As per the list included with the agenda.

A.O.C.B.
q Correspondence
· It was suggested that HCC should request electronic copies of any documentation from major organisations such as Council, Outdoor Access Forum etc.
· These could then be placed on the Howwood.com web site for distribution if required.
q Broadband Internet Access
· Issues have been raised regarding inability to download from file sharing networks (Music etc.) and lack of security.
· Recommendation to try to reach the required target for BT Broadband instead
· A final strategy should be decided and, as a first step, BT should be invited to attend a meeting of HCC as soon as possible.
· A summary of the pros and cons of both systems will be provided at the next meeting in February 2004
q Advice Works
· Brian Gormlie will attend the February 2004 meeting to discuss debt management
· A notice to this effect will be placed in the local paper.
q Finance
· HCC have received an administrative grant from Renfrewshire Council
· A cheque has been raised in payment for the new Village Information Board
q Village Fete
· Volunteers required to form a working group. Names required for Next meeting in February 2004
· There is general agreement within HCC that the emphasis this year should be on one specific fete day instead of arranging events throughout the week.
· Fete issues to be on agenda for discussion at the February 2004 meeting
q Village Clean up
· It is planned to have another village clean up campaign during April 2004
· Andrew Wilson to contact Renfrewshire Council regarding timescales for the supply of skips etc.
· The Guides have again kindly agreed to help with this campaign. HCC expressed their thanks for this offer of help.

A.O.C.B. (cont.)
q Guides
· This year marks the 40th year of the Howwood Guides
· There will be a ‘Thinking Day’ parade on 22nd February 2004 at Howwood Parish Church. All are welcome to attend.
· There will also be an Ecumenical service at the Christ the King on 29th February 2004. Again all are welcome to attend
· Further details regarding these events will appear in the local paper and on the Howwood.com web site.
· It is also intimated that the Guides, Brownies and Rainbows will not be able to use the Howwood Parish Church Hall as usual for their meetings between April and June 2004.
· Arrangements have been made to hold meetings during that time in the Christ the King Hall
· All meetings will be at the usual times.
· Further details will be provided in due course.


NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 10TH February 2004

Thereafter, the following Tuesdays: 9th March 2004, 13th April 2004, 11th May 2004, 8thJune 2004.

HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 2004

PRESENT
Robert Scarsbrook, Christine Scarsbrook, Norma David, Craig Crawford, Rosee Macdonald, Gordon Weir, Bill David, Andrew Wilson, Miller Leon, Amish Amin, David Bottomley, Nick Walker, Brian Young

IN ATTENDANCE
Jeanette Fraser, Norma Walker, PC Tracey Knox-McLean, PC Graham Barclay, Councillor Nimmo, Brian Gormlie, John Findlater, Kurt Keifer, Marge Stewart, G. Pollock, Louise McClements

APOLOGIES
Betty McArthur, David McKie, Ken Macdonald, Grace Weir, Linda Smith, Danny McAlister

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the 09.12.2003 meeting were adopted – Proposed, Amish Amin and Seconded, Norma David.
There were no matters arising.

POLICE REPORT
q Crime figures for January 2004
· 6 crimes reported with 5 detections
· 1 breach of the peace, 1 offensive weapons, 1 assault, 1 road traffic offence, 1 drinking in a public place and 1 theft by house breaking (undetected)
Leaflets regarding new legislation on dog fouling were handed to HCC for copy and distribution around the village.

ADVICE WORKS
Brian Gormlie attended this meeting and gave a presentation on the Role and Aims of the organisation ‘Advice Works’. Time was also set-aside at the end of the presentation for discussion and to answer questions from those in attendance.
q Presentation summary
· The services offered are free and confidential
· Advice Works is a part of the Social Work Department
· Its aim is to improve the quality of life for vulnerable groups and communities in Renfrewshire by maximising income and managing debt
· Assistance is available on Benefits checks, managing multiple debt, Tribunal representation with regard to Benefits and Allowances, appropriate training to Social Work staff and also communities and the voluntary sector, the understanding and management of changes in legislation.
· The main challenge ahead is seen to be to improve the service offered through better user consultation, location and access design of premises and better use of information technology
· Further information regarding this presentation will shortly appear on the Howwood.com web site

ROADS
The Roads Department have now arranged to have Gordon Wyllie and/or Eddy Syme attend the March meeting of HCC and a list of issues will be provided to them prior to the meeting.
q Midton Road – Traffic calming
· Footpath on the Cottage side of the road is to be widened and extended to Bowfield Road
· Signage and 20mph road ‘hatchings’ will also be supplied
· Work is to commence within the next 2 to 3 weeks and is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2004
· More detail will be provided by Renfrewshire Council in due course
q Pavement - Midton to Hospice
· No further report
q West Corseford Farm
· No further report

ENVIRONMENT
q Village Cleanup Campaign
· Cleanup to be carried out 3rd and 4th April 2004
· Renfrewshire Council have again agreed to supply Skips etc. as appropriate
· It was agreed that this Campaign should become an annual event from this time forward
q Recycle Bins
· Councillor Nimmo confirmed that we should know by the March 2004 HCC meeting whether or not funding would be available to extend the recycling initiative to the rest of the village.

WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION
q Village Notice Board
· Installation has been deferred until HCC can ascertain how soon the forthcoming refurbishment of the Village Hall exterior will be carried out
· Andrew Wilson has agreed to take on the custodianship of the notice board.
q BT Broadband
Kurt Keifer from Kilbarchan gave a short presentation on the issues of Broadband suppliers.
· The local telephone exchange requires to be upgraded by BT before it will accept broadband
· Broadband is always ‘switched on’ when the PC is up and running therefore there is no requirement to dial up for internet access
· There is a fixed transparent cost
· There is however a physical limit of 6 kilometres in distance from the nearest exchange and Howwood is right at this limit
· Because of this distance limit, the highest speed available to Howwood would be approx. 9 times the present dial up speed
· Once a broadband line is available, a user can elect to use any internet broadband supplier and are not limited to just BT
· NTL is presently the only Cable Company to supply Broadband
· Registration for broadband is not a commitment to take up the service from BT
· Discussion is still required on the future strategy of HCC with regard to the broadband issue
· The web site will be amended meantime to include registration links for BT broadband as well as Satellite and appropriate notices will be put in the local paper

WORKING GROUPS
q Planning
· No applications of relevance received to date.
· It was noted again that the appropriate HCC representatives are not receiving the planning details
q Scottish Evening
· The working group has arrangements well in hand
· More raffle prizes would be greatly appreciated
q Village Design Plan
· There has been an excellent response to the questionnaire so far
· The Public consultation meetings were very well attended with approx. 75 people attending over the two dates
· There have been some excellent ideas coming forward, and the working group will endeavour to incorporate as many as possible into the Design Plan
· Some of the more sizable ideas will require further investigation as to feasibility
· Once the results of the questionnaire and meetings have been collated, a further meeting will be held to provide feedback advise details of the Draft Plan

FETE 2004
· A show of hands was carried out to determine whether HCC would concentrate its efforts on one single specific Fete day in place of a Fete week.
· The vote in favour of one day only was carried by a majority of 9 votes to 1
· It was agreed that HCC as a whole would form the Fete working group although a specific Fete chairperson would be appointed
· Thoughts and ideas on venue, content, theme, etc. for the March 2004 meeting please


COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
A list of HCC issues has been submitted to the Roads Department for prioritisation and this will be available at the March 2004 meeting
q Main Street Site Adjacent to Railway Inn
· The bidder’s legal department still have issues to be resolved.
· The bidder has now been given two weeks to complete or the sale will not go ahead
q Hill Road Access
· Discussions still ongoing with owner
· There may however be some disadvantages to this course of action such as issues around the Carsewood development.

MEMBERSHIP
· An application for membership has been received from Louise McClements and, having received no further interest to date, it was agreed that the notice period for nominations be closed with immediate effect.
· The application from Louise was proposed by Brian Young and seconded by Amish Amin
· HCC welcomed Louise and look forward to her involvement in Community affairs
· There is one vacancy on HCC which still remains to be filled

CORRESPONDENCE
As per the list included with the agenda.
q Playground Project
· HCC to make a donation of £500 to this project
· HCC to further underwrite an additional £500 to assist in their finally reaching their targeted amount
· The above were proposed by Bill David and seconded by Robert Scarsbrook and agreed by the HCC members
q You Can Do It Awards
· Bill David to look at requirements and complete application as appropriate

A.O.C.B.
q Guides
· The ‘Thinking Day’ Ecumenical service scheduled for 29th February 2004 has, unfortunately, had to be cancelled
q Community Policing
· HCC were asked to complete Community Policing Evaluation forms for return by Wednesday 11th February 2004
· The forms were duly completed at this meeting and will be returned as requested.

NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 9TH March 2004

Thereafter, the following Tuesdays: 13th April 2004, 11th May 2004, 8thJune 2004.



HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 9 MARCH 2004

PRESENT
Bill David, Grace Weir, Gordon Weir, Louise McClements, Betty McArthur, Nick Walker, Craig Crawford, David McKie, Ken Macdonald, Rosee Macdonald, Andrew Wilson.

IN ATTENDANCE
John Everett (RC Roads), Eddie Syme (RC Roads), PC Tracy Knox-McLean, PC Graham Barclay, Cllr Alastair Nimmo, Jeannette Fraser, Norma Walker, Edith McGlynn and two other residents.

APOLOGIES
Robert Scarsbrook, Christine Scarsbrook, Millar Leon, Danny McAlister, Amish Amin, Linda Smith, Norma David, David Bottomley.

1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:
The Minutes of the 10.02.2004 meeting were accepted (prop. Craig Crawford, sec. Gordon Weir). There were no matters arising.

2. POLICE REPORT:
Crime figures for February: 2 vandalism, 1 housebreaking, 1 road traffic offence. One detection.

New dog fouling notices have been posted around Howwood, and on 17.03.2004, the Dog Warden will be in the village with the Police. Persons will have an opportunity to pick up the pooh before being charged.

3. ROADS DEPARTMENT:
Eddie Syme, Assistant Principal Officer (Roads), Renfrewshire Council, gave an outline of his duties stating that he frequently visited the local communities inspecting the roads and and pavements, keeping safety to the fore. the level of complaints can influence Council road-working priorities. His main concerns at present in Howwood are:
a. Midton Road surface, especially near the Hospice;
b. Pavements along Midton Road from Kilnknowe Cottages, but costs prohibit work being carried out in 2004-5;
c. Junction of Midton and Bowfield Roads;
d. Main Street / Beith Road from Railway Inn to A737 bypass junction is to be resurfaced in 2004-5;
e. Elliston Road / Place will be resurfaced in 2004-5 also.

John Everett, Traffic Engineering Supervisor, stated he was responsible for signs and lines on the road, again with safety as the primary focus. For Midton Road by Kilnknowe Cottages, the Council proposal is to install a “gateway barrier” which gives the impression of narrowing and makes traffic slow down. The high part of Bowfield Road, towards Greenacres, will be repainted and restudded during 2004-5. The 20 mph advisory signs for Schools’ Travel Plan will be extended. John wants feedback on giveway signs and new signs for safety within the Community. Roads in and around the village are inspected on a regular basis.

Discussion followed on the speed through the village on all routes and visibility at the junction of Hill and Bowfield Roads.

The A737 junction is a Scottish Executive responsibility managed by Amey Highways, and the CC was advised to pursue both Amey and the Executive about this.

4. ENVIRONMENT:
Garden waste recycling bins may not now be provided for Howwood. It will depend on further funding being available to Renfrewshire Council.

The Howwood Spring Clean takes place on Saturday 3 (10.30 am and 2.00 pm) and Sunday 4 (2.00 pm only) April 2004. There will be a prize for the best litter collectors (under and over 18). Fliers will be distributed throughout Howwood and the cleanup will ne advertised in the local paper.

5. WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION:
David McKie had again removed graffiti from the web site. Broadband registrations have increased to 261. The village flier will again encourage registration. The new Notice Board will be erected during March.


6. WORKING GROUPS:
6a. Scottish Evening
Bill David thanked all who helped. Fifty-five people attended and there have been three letters of thanks. One person has requested the food be served a little earlier in future.

6b. Planning
The Main Street site has now been sold, subject to development, and a planning application is expected soon. There are no current applications for CC consideration.

6c. Village Design Plan
The next meeting will be Wednesday 07.04.2004 at 7.00 pm to develop the key items in the plan for Howwood.

7. COUNCILLOR’S REPORT:
Village Hall
Dry rot has been found in the hall and will be treated before the hall is repainted.

8. MEMBERSHIP:
Bill David welcomed Louise McClements on to the Community Council and advised that there is still one vacancy.

9. CORRESPONDENCE:
Howwood Playground Project has written to thank the CC for last month’s donation.

10. FETE:
The Village Fête and Dance will take place on Saturday 19 June 2004. It was agreed the dance should have a live ceilidh band, and a joint bar with another village group should be considered to reduce the workload for the CC.

Three working groups were established to feedback to the next CC meeting:
Venue - Nick Walker and Craig Crawford;
Attractions and Activities - Bill David, Louise McClements, Grace Weir, Andrew Wilson, David Bottomley and Robert Scarsbrook;
Raffle Prizes - Brian Young and Andrew Wilson.

Further working groups may be established to sort out food and drink, and the dance itself.

11. OTHER BUSINESS:
Bill David stood down as Chairman and passed on the role to Vice Chair Nick Walker. On behalf of the whole CC, Craig Crawford thanked Bill for his long and hard work. Nominations are required for a replacement vice chair.

12. NEXT MEETING:
Tuesday 13 April 2004 at 7.30 pm in Howwood Village Hall.

Thereafter the following Tuesdays: 11 May and 8 June 2004.


HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 13 APRIL 2004

PRESENT
Nick Walker, Grace Weir, Gordon Weir, Louise McClements, Craig Crawford, David McKie, Rosee Macdonald, Andrew Wilson, Linda Smith, Brian Young, Millar Leon, Danny McAlister, Robert Scarsbrook, Norma David

IN ATTENDANCE
PC Tracey Knox-McLean, Alistair Campbell

APOLOGIES
PC Graham Barclay, Cllr Alastair Nimmo, Christine Scarsbrook, Bill David, Betty McArthur, Ken Macdonald

1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:
The Minutes of the 09.03.2004 meeting were accepted (prop. Rosee Macdonald, sec. Gordon Weir). There were no matters arising.

2. POLICE REPORT:
Crime figures for March: 1 theft and 1 theft of motor vehicle. No detections.

The Police and the Dog Warden patrolled the village in late March and no dog fouling offences were detected. Alistair Campbell raised concern about fly-tipping in the Bowfield Road - Hartfield Moss area. PC Tracey Knox-McLean took details to look into the matter, and the CC was reminded to report tipping to the Dumb Dumpers number (08452 30 40 90) and the Police (01505 404 000).

3. ROADS:
Two road signs on Station Road (near the Station entrance and at Garthland Bridge) are lying down. Bollards with reflectors have been installed at Garthland Bridge, but they occupy the verge where pedestrians stand to avoid traffic and the CC is unhappy with this situation, which was not discussed when the Roads Dept representatives attended the March CC meeting. The CC believes that these should be removed and that the bridge should be made single track with priority to outbound traffic and a hatched area for pedestrians; also the 30 mph limit could begin beyond the bridge at the lay-by. CC to write to Renfrewshire Council on all these issues.

Bowfield Road congestion continues to be an issue. The Village Design Plan will address roads and traffic, and CC will await the draft plan on this and other roads issues.

Concern was raised about pot holes appearing on Beith Road towards Spateston. David McKie will notify RC.

Craig Crawford suggested the CC establish a more sophisticated system for recording and reporting road defects perhaps using OS maps and grid references to ensure accurate locations are reported. The dates reported and report reference numbers could also be recorded. Craig and David McKie agreed to look at possibilities but the CC acknowledged the complexities of such a system.

The “Private Road” sign has again been erected at Elliston Grill. The road end is not private but the CC acknowledges that the sign apparently reduces loitering and associated problems (such as littering) in the area.

Cllr Nimmo sought the CC’s opinion on locations in Howwood for “Twenty’s Plenty” signs. The CC is unconvinced of the impact of this initiative given its non-statutory nature. Bowfield Road already has a “Twenty’s Plenty” zone and Midton Road at Kilnknowe Cottages may benefit too. The CC would identify further areas if enforceable 20 mph limits were established.

4. ENVIRONMENT:
Nick Walker thanked all who helped with the Howwood Spring Clean. Despite heavy rain all weekend, 20 people helped and two skips were almost full. Turnout from CC members could have been better. There was some debate about the value of continuing the Spring Clean each year, but it was agreed to do so. The prize for best collectors (over 18) went to Bryce and Hazel Lamont who helped at all three sessions and also drove around to collect black bags. A special thank you to them. There were no under-18 collectors.


Utilities workers often leave debris (such as signs, cable reels and litter) after they complete their work. This has been more evident recently due to extensive works carried out in the village. Details of the contractor and the rubbish should be reported as any other form of fly-tipping to the Police and the Dumb Dumpers line (see #2, above), and to the Contractor, Utility provider or Council as appropriate.

5. WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION:
Broadband registrations have increased from 261 to 305 since the last CC meeting. Rosee Macdonald was asked to contact the reporters for Kilbarchan and Spateston news to see if they could put an article in their columns in the Gazette. Kurt Keifer plans to have an information and registration stall at the Howwood Fête to increase numbers further. There is still concern however that the distance from the exchange in Kilbarchan may mean that broadband is not available to all of Howwood despite an exchange upgrade.

The Notice Board has been erected at the Village Hall. Concern was raised about condensation. CC to contact manufacturers to rectify.

6. WORKING GROUPS:
6a. Planning
The Consultation on “Right to Appeal” indicates that limited rights of appeal on planning decisions may be given to objectors, where currently appeal is available only to applicants whose application is rejected. Andrew Wilson will respond to the consultation on the CC’s behalf.

Neighbours have been notified about plans for the Tollhouse and Weir’s shop in Main Street but their applications are not valid and so cannot yet be considered by RC. They will come to the CC when valid applications are lodged.

Main Street vacant lot adjacent to Railway Inn. An application is in for a grade 1 shop (ie not requiring a special licence as would hot food, for example), and above, two 2-bedroom flats. The shop plan includes provision for a cash machine (ATM). The general appearance seems to fit in with surrounding buildings. The Village Design Plan responses indicate a widespread desire in Howwood for more shops and an ATM. The CC sees no reason to object to the application.

Land at Mayfield Crescent. Cllr Nimmo requested the CC’s views on what should be done with the vacant lot, which apparently belongs to Tombay Ltd. RC acknowledges some breaches of planning consent but seems disinclined to pursue the developers because of legal complications (Tombay Ltd is registered in Jersey and may be in receivership), cost and uncertainty of a successful outcome. Further housing has been suggested for the site but the CC believes the area is already built to a sufficient density. The CC is in favour of a green space and would participate in its management; perhaps RC could purchase the land for this purpose (with a compulsory purchase order if possible and necessary). CC to write to RC and Cllr Nimmo.

6b. Village Design Plan
The second phase consultation meeting on 07.04.2004 attracted over 50 people. Four main project areas were developed in workshops: footpaths; gap sites and open space; community facilities; roads and traffic. These details will form a draft plan followed by a final Howwood consultation and negotiation with RC and other agencies. The CC commended Andrew Wilson on his work and thanked him for the time and effort he has spent on this project.

7. COUNCILLOR’S REPORT:
Cllr Nimmo was keen to hear the CC’s views on improved street lighting in Main Street. The CC is pleased with the upgrade and hopes that improved lighting will have an impact on vandalism, etc.

8. MEMBERSHIP:
One nomination was received for Vice Chair and Robert Scarsbrook was declared elected (prop. Grace Weir, sec. Rosee Macdonald). The Minute Secretary post is now vacant and nominations are sought for the May CC meeting. Robert advised that if no one was willing to take the position Christine Scarsbrook would consider the post.

The CC has one vacancy. Margie Stewart and Edith McGlynn have expressed an interest but wish to attend further meetings before committing themselves.


9. CORRESPONDENCE:
ASCC and Planning Aid have their AGMs in Stirling on Saturday 12.06.2004. CC representation is needed; please consider for the May CC meeting.

The 2004 Community of the Year awards applications are due by 16.06.2004. The CC would like the Howwood Playground Project, the Howwood web site and the Village Design Plan to form applications in the appropriate categories. Andrew Wilson will coordinate the application.


10. OTHER BUSINESS:
Local Biodiversity Action Plan. Andrew Wilson attended the launch of the plan and has a CD-ROM which people may borrow if interested.

CC Forum. Nick Walker attended the Forum. Of interest, RC is stopping paper mailings of committee papers (agenda, reports, minutes) but they will be available on line which means items of interest will be more easily accessible to all CC members and the public. RC also has a computer system to identify potential grant funding bodies for community projects, accessed through Alex Hewetson (RC’s CC Liaison Officer). RC is consulting on whether there is a need to review the CC Scheme which sets the rules by which CC’s operate. Howwood CC has previously been concerned about maximum membership but after discussion the view was that the scheme as it stands is satisfactory.

11. NEXT MEETING:
Tuesday 11 May 2004 at 7.30 pm in Howwood Village Hall
Thereafter the following Tuesdays: 8 June, 13 July, 10 August, 14 September, 12 October 2004.


HOWWOOD FETE CC GRAND COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 13 APRIL 2004
A. VENUE
Craig Crawford and Nick Walker reported that the school now has a larger paved area and that it remains the preferable venue for the Fête. Bill David has requested its use and Andrew Wilson will organise the details with RC. The Fête will run from 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm.

B. ADVERTISING / FLIER
The Fête week programme will include a tear-off slip to enter a prize draw. The slip will be entered into the draw at the Fête itself. The prize could be cash, with a proportion to the winner and a proportion to a charity nominated by the winner. The prize value has still to be agreed.

C. RAFFLE
There was a debate over printed tickets versus “cloakroom” tickets and Rosee Macdonald reminded the Committee that the Lottery Licence has specific regulations associated with it. Nick Walker, Andrew Wilson and Rosee agreed to check the rules and make a decision on tickets thereafter. Prizes are being pursued.

D. ACTIVITIES/ATTRACTIONS
This Working Group (Bill David, Louise McClements, Grace Weir, Andrew Wilson, Brian Young, David Bottomley and Robert Scarsbrook) is seeking sponsorship, advertising and raffle prizes using the 2003 contact list as a starting point. The Committee agreed live music at the Fête would be preferable to a disco. Robert Scarsbrook will look into possibilities.

E. DANCE
The Hall may not be available for the Dance. Andrew Wilson has received conflicting messages from Johnstone Town Hall booking office, but this is being investigated by the departmental senior. Midton Bowling Club, the Hall at Christ the King or Bowfield Country Club would be possible alternative venues. Andrew will continue to organise. A ceilidh band has been booked for the Dance, and the bar will be a joint effort between the CC and the Howwood Playground Project.

F. NEXT MEETING
Activities/Attractions WG 09.05.2004


HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 11TH MAY 2004

PRESENT
Robert Scarsbrook, Christine Scarsbrook, Norma David, Craig Crawford, Rosee Macdonald, Ken Macdonald, Gordon Weir, Miller Leon, Nick Walker, Brian Young, Louise McClements, Betty McArthur

IN ATTENDANCE
Jeanette Fraser, Norma Walker, PC Tracey Knox-McLean, PC Graham Barclay, PC Wilson, Gale Pollock, Noreen Pollock, Edith McGlynn

APOLOGIES
Amish Amin, David McKie, Grace Weir, Bill David, David Bottomley, Andrew Wilson

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the 13.04.2004 meeting were adopted – Proposed, Brian Young and Seconded, Robert Scarsbrook
There were no matters arising.

POLICE REPORT
q Crime figures for April 2004
· 3 crimes reported with 1 detection
· 1 theft from a motor vehicle, 1 drunk and incapable (detected), 1 breach of the peace
HCC were advised of an incidence of graffiti at the primary school and were also advised that the community should be encouraged to report any instances of ‘fly tipping’ or speeding within the village.

It was also reported by residents of Midton Road that there have been several instances of cars mounting the pavement at speed at the narrower end of the road in order to pass each other as a result of parked cars. This will be raised with the community police officers at the next meeting.

ROADS
q Road signs and Garthland bridge
· HCC wrote to Renfrewshire Council after the April meeting regarding this and other issues
· The reply was rather confused and HCC to write again for further clarification
· The issues around Garthland Bridge will be directed to the South Renfrewshire Access Network Initiative
q 20’s plenty signs
· Nothing further heard with regard to Midton Road
· HCC to chase up with Renfrewshire Council
q Earlshill Drive / Linister
· There have been complaints regarding speeding in this area and also the dangers of on pavement parking
· It was agreed that something would be posted on the Howwood.com web site to try and address this issue
· Other suggestions for consideration by the complainee were, 20’s plenty signs, address through the formation of a Residents Association, leaflet drop around the appropriate area and, if perpetrators are known, report instances to the police.
· HCC will raise this issue with the community police officers at the next meeting
q Midton road junction with Bowfield road
· It is reported that the crash barrier at this section of the road is causing problems and danger to pedestrians
· HCC to approach Renfrewshire Council for possible solutions and will also seek to include the issue within the Village Design Plan

ENVIRONMENT
q Village Cleanup Campaign
· Apologies received from the Guides for not taking part this year. This was due to the unavoidable lack of available senior guiders for supervision.
q Rubbish bins and dog bins
· It was mentioned that there appears to be a lack of rubbish bins around the village resulting in another build up of rubbish in the streets and that one of the dog bins at the play park has been the subject of vandalism.
· HCC to check whether more bins are required and the procedure required to purchase more and have them maintained.

ENVIRONMENT (Cont.)
q Village Street Cleaner
· A proposal was tabled that HCC write to Renfrewshire Council commending the diligent work of the present Village Cleaner and that he be commended for a job well done.
· Proposed by Gordon Weir and seconded by Robert Scarsbrook.
· An appropriate letter, also asking for more information on additional bins will be sent

WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION
q Village Notice Board
· The manufacturers have advised a possible means of combating the condensation problems encountered since having the board erected outside the Village Hall
· The situation will be monitored to ensure the problems have now been resolved
· Incidences of vandalism have not so far been apparent and the notice board is being well utilized
q BT Broadband
· The Kilbarchan exchange has now been earmarked for upgrade by June 2005 and so the ‘trigger point’ previously advised has now been cancelled.
· The broadband technology is continually being upgraded and it may be that distance from the exchange may not be an issue by that date
q Web site
· It was noted that Howwood Community Councillor details as posted on the web site now requires to be updated
· Action on David McKie

PLANNING
q Mayfield Drive and Lot at the Railway Inn
· Renfrewshire Council have been contacted regarding the above issues
· No reply received to date
q Decking at Bowfield Rise
· This decking has not yet been fully removed
· HCC have been advised that some form of the decking may be re-erected
· This can be done without planning permission as long as the decking is kept within statutory limits
q Planning Applications
· Tollhouse - No HCC objections to this application
· Weir’s shop - No HCC objections to this application

COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
· No report

MEMBERSHIP
· One nomination was received for Minute Secretary. Christine Scarsbrook was declared elected (proposed, Robert Scarsbrook and seconded, Norma David)
· HCC still has one vacancy to be filled. Margie Stewart and Edith McGlynn are still interested but wish to attend further meetings before committing themselves for nomination
· It was noted that a member of HCC has failed to attend several meetings and, in line with the HCC Constitution, it was suggested that the Chairman should seek to confirm whether or not this was due to any particular problem

CORRESPONDENCE
q As per the Agenda
· RCVS road show dates advised
· NHS Argyll & Clyde reorganisation leaflets received – copies available from the secretary
q ASSC and Planning Aid
· Ken Mcdonald has agreed to attend on behalf of HCC
q 2004 Community of the Year awards
· Andrew Wilson coordinating this application
· No further details available to date


VILLAGE DESIGN PLAN
· An outline draft has now been written highlighting the output from the last public forum
· This will now be presented to the architects for their perusal and support
· There may be further potential costs circa £6k and further grants to assist in developing the Design Plan may have to be considered
· If these additional costs are justified then a contribution from HCC of approx. £500 to £1k may be requested
· It was agreed that HCC would provide this support if required

A.O.C.B.
· There was no other business

NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 8TH June 2004

Thereafter, the following Tuesdays: 13th July 2004, 10th August 2004, 14thSeptember 2004, 12th October
2004


HOWWOOD FETE CC GRAND COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 11TH MAY 2004

RAFFLE
· 500 books of 10 tickets per book being printed. Cost is 50 pence per ticket or £5 per book
· Tickets can be bought from any member of HCC from 17th May 2004
· There have been many generous raffle prize donations. Amongst these donations are prizes such as Dinner for two, Driving lessons, Horse riding lessons, and various drink related prizes
· HCC expressed thanks to all contributors

ADVERTISING / FLIER
· Advertising space has already been sold at £25 per advert and again the HCC expressed thanks to all contributors
· Fliers still to be printed but will be available for a leaflet drop around the 7th of June – Help from all HCC members will be required for this distribution
· It has been agreed that the fliers should contain a reference to the fact that, due to restrictions on parking, people should not try to bring their cars on the Fete day

ACTIVITIES / ATTRACTIONS
· The working group will try and have approx. 3 attractions sourced from one supplier such as Bouncy Castle, Bungee Run etc.
· Agreement was given for £150 to £200 to be allocated on more than one activity this year (proposed, Norma David and seconded, Christine Scarsbrook)
· A Falconry display has been arranged at a cost of £120. The funding of which was proposed by Robert Scarsbrook and seconded by Nick Walker
· The Police, Fire Brigade (with an appliance) and the St John’s Ambulance will also take part in this year’s Fete
· To date there have been approx. 14 requests for stalls at the Fete and these will be provided at a charge of £5 per stall (businesses requesting stalls will be charged £10)
· Forms of receipt for the stalls will be available from the secretary by 17th May 2004
· Again this year we will have the services of Alistair Aitken and his ‘Dirty Dog’ disco during the day. The Disco will also supply a PA function. Brian Young to contact Alistair and confirm availability
· Entrance to the Fete will be 50 pence per person but it is still to be decided exactly what form this entrance fee will take. A final decision will be made at the next Activities / Attractions meeting on 17th May 2004

INSURANCE
· ASCC was contacted regarding insurance but no reply has yet been received and therefore the cost cannot be ascertained
· Grace Weir has also agreed to investigate other insurance providers

DANCE
· The Village Hall has been booked and the band (The Jiggers) has been confirmed
· Tickets, at £5 per person, can be obtained from any member of HCC and will also be available at Fred’s shop and the Post Office
· Posters will be printed advertising the dance and will be distributed throughout the village
· Louise McClements and Grace Weir will dress the Hall for the dance and £50 of HCC funds were allocated to cover the costs (proposed, Robert Scarsbrook and seconded, Christine Scarsbrook)
· The time of the dance will be advertised as 7:30pm until Midnight.

FOOD AND DRINK
· There will be no food available at the dance except for crisps, nuts etc.
· The bar for the dance will be manned by members of the Playground Project with the supply of drinks etc. being organised by HCC. All profits from the bar will be shared equally between these two groups
· During the Fete day, the bar facility will be run by HCC
· The required License for the sale of alcohol at both the Dance and the Fete will be applied for at one and the same time by HCC.

OTHER BUSINESS
· It was agreed that another large gazebo would be purchased to better define the licensed area at the Fete and that this could then be hired out at a minimal charge to other groups and organisations in the village as and when required
· In order to ease power requirements at the Fete, it was decided that an appropriate power generator would be hired on this occasion
· If the generator proves to be successful, HCC may purchase one at a later date and, once again, this could be hired out at minimal cost to other organisations as and when required
· The football competition will be played at the school this year but goal posts will require to be hired, as these are no longer available at the school. It has also been made clear that no changing facilities are available and that the school should not be used for this purpose
· It is estimated that approx. 30 or 40 tables will be required this year and therefore enquiries will be made with the Parish Church, Christ the King and the village hall to source our requirement
· Whilst there was a suggestion that a car boot sale could be run on the same day as the Fete, possibly attracting further attendance at the Fete, it was decided that HCC should approach the organiser and request that if a car boot sale is still required it should be carried out on some other day (possibly the Sunday after the Fete?)
· Whilst the Guides are still considering options, the Brownies have agreed to organise a ‘guess the birthday’ draw

NEXT MEETING

Activities / Attractions – Monday 17th May 2004 at 9 pm
Fete Grand Committee – Tuesday 8th June 2004 at 9 pm (after June CC meeting)


HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 8TH JUNE 2004

PRESENT
Robert Scarsbrook, Christine Scarsbrook, Norma David, Craig Crawford, Rosee Macdonald, Ken Macdonald, Gordon Weir, Nick Walker, Brian Young, Amish Amin, David McKie, Grace Weir, Bill David, David Bottomley, Linda Smith

IN ATTENDANCE
Jeanette Fraser, Norma Walker, John Findlater

APOLOGIES
Andrew Wilson, Miller Leon, Louise McClements, Betty McArthur

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the 11.05.2004 meeting were adopted – Proposed, Brian Young and Seconded, Gordon Weir
q Matters arising
· It was noted that apologies submitted by Linda Smith were not included in the last minutes and HCC apologised for this omission
· It was stated in the previous minutes that the issues around Garthland Bridge would be directed to the South Renfrewshire Access Network Initiative but it was indicated that this does not now come under their remit

POLICE REPORT
· No report

ROADS
q Road signs and Garthland bridge
· HCC wrote to Renfrewshire Council after the April meeting regarding this and other issues
· The reply was rather confused and HCC to wrote again for further clarification
· No response received to date
q 20’s plenty signs
· Some signs are now beginning to appear within the village
· It has been suggested that Midton Road does not fit in with the Renfrewshire Council criteria for the placement of such signs and HCC will pursue this matter further
q HCC Road Faults initiative
· David McKie and Craig Crawford are working on this initiative
· There was nothing to report at this stage
q Midton road junction with Bowfield road
· No response to date

ENVIRONMENT
q Overgrown Hedging
· It was noted that the Hedging along Midton Road has become overgrown and is now obscuring sign posts
· Although this hedging has recently been cut, HCC will pursue with Renfrewshire Council along with other areas noted such as Bowfield Road and the stairs at George Street
q Rubbish bins and dog bins
· No response to date
· It has been noted however that the vandalised dog bin has now been repaired or replaced
q Garden waste recycling
· Having been told that composting bins were available for those households who felt they could use them, we were subsequently advised that there were none left for distribution
· HCC to write to Renfrewshire Council regarding this and the wider distribution of ‘brown bins’, stating that we would like to be seen to be contributing to the recycling agenda

WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION
q Village Notice Board
· The problems regarding ‘misting’ on the inside of the notice board appears now to have been resolved
· Incidences of vandalism have still not so far been apparent and the notice board is still being well utilized

WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION (Cont.)
q Broadband
· A wireless system may still be available for use by village residents
· The person supplying the wireless system will be invited to give a short presentation at the next meeting of HCC
· A representative from BT broadband will also be invited to attend a future meeting of HCC to discuss their plans for the upgrade of rural exchanges.
q Web site
· The Howwood.com web site has now been moved onto a new server and anyone with an @howwood.com internet address who may be experiencing problems should contact David McKie
· The Fete page has now been updated and a list of raffle prizes will be posted on this page by Friday 11th June 2004
· There have been some good entries posted to the Guest Book and this page is worth a read
· We have been contacted by a resident of New Zealand who can supply a list of residents of Howwood in 1931and this list will soon be posted on the web site.

PLANNING
q Mayfield Drive and Lot at the Railway Inn
· Renfrewshire Council have been contacted regarding the above issues
· Still no reply received to date
q Pamandus
· It has been noticed that tiles are being removed from the roof
· Is this the start of demolition or the start of vandalism
· HCC to write to the Planning Department for clarification
q Planning Applications
· Nothing requiring a response has been received

COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
Councillor Nimmo was not present to give a report due to other commitments in relation to the Rural Regeneration Scheme.
· HCC do not know the exact remit of this scheme but Andrew Wilson will meet with Councillor Nimmo as required

MEMBERSHIP
· HCC still has one vacancy to be filled. There are now three interested parties but no firm nominations have yet been put forward.
· It was noted at the previous meeting that a member of HCC had failed to attend several meetings and, in line with the HCC Constitution, the Chairman spoke to the member to confirm whether or not this was due to a particular problem. We were advised that the member has mixed feelings about remaining a Community Councillor and that a final decision will be advised by the next HCC meeting

FINANCIAL POSITION
· Just under £4300 in the Bank although this is slightly down on the previous two years
· £3000 will be allocated for specific projects over the coming year
· Committed expenses in relation to this years fete amounts to approx. £900

CORRESPONDENCE
q As per the Agenda
· RCVS AGM Monday 14th June 2004 at 7pm – Nobody is available to attend
· Scotways – Leaflets and guides list and brochure - copies available from the secretary
· Scottish Executive – Antisocial behaviour leaflet - copies available from the secretary
q NHS Argyll & Clyde reorganisation
· Strategy booklet – copies available from the secretary
q 2004 Community of the Year awards
· Andrew Wilson coordinating this application
· Submission required by next week
q Renfrewshire Access Forum
· This forum is now being officially started and participation from HCC has been requested
· Andrew Wilson will attend

CORRESPONDENCE (Cont.)
q Glasgow Airport – Terminal 2
· The Right Honourable Alistair Darling is opening the new Terminal 2 on Monday 14th June 2004
· HCC has been invited to send a representative to this opening
· Amish Amin will attend

A.O.C.B.
q Elliston Grill
· Residents have thanked HCC for our support regarding their signage
· It was also confirmed that there would be no right of access issue in this area
q Response to issues by Renfrewshire Council
· It was noted that the lack of responses from Renfrewshire Council on various issues was disgraceful
· The Roads department were considered to be the worst offenders although it was noted that this department does inevitably receive the most correspondence from HCC
· A reminder letter will be sent, possibly with copies to Councillor Nimmo and Alex Hewitson

NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 13TH July 2004

Thereafter, the following Tuesdays: 10th August 2004, 14thSeptember 2004, 12th October
2004, 9th November 2004


HOWWOOD FETE CC GRAND COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 8TH JUNE 2004

RAFFLE
· Tickets have now been distributed and more are available from Andrew Wilson or Nick Walker
· A list of prizes will be put on the web site by Friday 11th June 2004
· Copies of the prize list can be obtained from Andrew Wilson
· The Raffle Draw will be carried out at the next meeting of HCC on 13th July 2004

ADVERTISING / FLIER
· Every household should now have received a copy of the flier
· Fred’s advert was not worded correctly and apologies have been given

ACTIVITIES / ATTRACTIONS
· Activities and attractions will include Bouncy castle, Crystal maze, Falconry, Q96, Disco, Highland dancers and various others.
· Generators will not be required as agreement has been received to run power from the new classroom building
· There are now 19 stalls and no further applications will be accepted due to lack of available space and tables
· Bill David will collect all donations for stalls on the day. It was noted that one stall displaying greetings cards (Jean Carlin) has already paid.
· All other preparations regarding activities/attractions have been completed

INSURANCE
· ASCC was contacted regarding insurance and this is in the post to us.
· Once received the insurance will be reviewed for correctness before being confirmed
· As long as we have liability insurance in place, we can use the vacant area at Carsewood House for parking. Bill David/Nick Walker will arrange appropriate signage

DANCE
· Unsold dance tickets to Andrew and any tartan rugs for ‘dressing’ the hall to Grace Weir by next week
· Posters still to be printed advertising the dance and will be distributed throughout the village. David McKie will organise the posters ASAP
· All other issues now completed

FOOD AND DRINK
· Food has been organised and nothing is outstanding
· Drink is in the process of being arranged and Miller Leon has agreed to return any drink to Fred’s on the Sunday

OTHER BUSINESS
· Cash Float arranged with Linda Smith. Re-imbursement will be on the Monday by Cheque
· The truck will be available on the Friday evening and can be loaded in advance with such things as tables, marquees etc.

WORK SCHEDULE
· All hands on deck from 8/8:30 on the Saturday morning. A sheet has been circulated detailing availability throughout the day
· The football starts at 12 noon and therefore the gate will require to be manned from 11 am


NEXT MEETING

Activities / Attractions – Monday 14th June 2004 at 9 pm


HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 13TH JULY 2004

PRESENT
Robert Scarsbrook, Christine Scarsbrook, Norma David, Craig Crawford, Gordon Weir, Nick Walker, Brian Young, Amish Amin, Grace Weir, Bill David, David Bottomley, Louise McClements, Andrew Wilson

APOLOGIES
Betty McArthur, David McKie, Linda Smith

HCC SUMMER RAFFLE
· The Summer raffle raised the sum of £700
· The Draw was carried out at this HCC meeting and the various prize winners will be notified over the next few days
· A list of prize winners and their prizes will also be posted on the Howwood.com web site and the Village notice board

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the 08.06.2004 meeting were adopted – Proposed, Robert Scarsbrook and Seconded, Grace Weir
q Matters arising
· Minutes of the 08.06.2004 meeting were not distributed by Renfrewshire Council
· HCC will pursue this with Alex Hewetson

POLICE REPORT
· No report

FETE 2004
q Thoughts/feedback
· Well supported by HCC members with a good turnout by the community during the day. The evening entertainment was excellently attended with a lot of favourable feedback on the night
· There was more assistance given by members of the community this year and HCC would like to express their thanks to all who assisted and, in particular, to Sandy Johnstone, Gavin Hunter, Jim Smith the school janitor and members of the Playground Project. Letters of thanks will be sent shortly
· Proceeds from the evening bar were shared equally between HCC and the Playground Project
· Many stalls, such as the coconut shy, did far better than expected – congratulations to Craig Crawford on his efforts in this regard
· Having the football competition on site this year obviously helped in maintaining a good attendance during the day and this format should be continued in future years
· There were few negatives to be addressed and the working group for the next year will take these on board
· The treasurer’s report was not available at this time and final figures will be confirmed at the next meeting
· All in all it was considered that the 1-day format was a successful format and should be continued in future years.
q Fete 2005
· Preparations for the 2005 Fete will commence with effect from August this year
· The proposed date is 18th June 2005
· The 2005 working group will be Robert Scarsbrook, Louise McClements, Grace Weir, David Bottomley, Brian Young and will be chaired by Bill David. Others may be co-opted to the group where required

ROADS
q Garthland bridge
· A Road Safety representative will contact HCC with a view to a possible meeting
q Elliston Road
· Concerns were raised on the condition of the pavements as a result of the ongoing work by Transco
· The situation will be monitored until completion of the works to ensure the pavements are satisfactorily repaired.

ROADS (Cont.)
q HCC Road Faults initiative
· David McKie and Craig Crawford are working on this initiative
· There was nothing to report at this stage
q Midton road junction with Bowfield road
· No response to date

ENVIRONMENT
q Overgrown Hedging
· No response from Renfrewshire Council
· HCC to chase for a response on this issue
q Rubbish bins
· Still no response to date
q Garden waste recycling
· Funding is coming available for waste recycling bins and it is hoped that extended deployment of Brown Bins will begin in time for the next collection period starting March 2005
q Community Group Land Purchase
· It was noted that there have been changes to legislation that may assist groups such as HCC in the purchase of vacant spaces for community use.
· Further information on this will be sought from Renfrewshire Council
q Renfrewshire Access Forum
· Attended by Andrew Wilson
· The forum was of interest although there were no issues specifically pertaining to Howwood
· Andrew Wilson and David Bottomley will continue to represent HCC at future meetings
q S.R.A.N.I.
· Craig Crawford advised that this group is looking to introduce evening meetings to supplement the meetings already held during the day.
· Evening meetings are more suitable to Craig and he will continue to represent HCC on this basis

WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION
q Village Notice Board
· The problems regarding ‘misting’ on the inside of the notice board appears to be recurring
· This will be monitored and if problems continue, the manufacturers will again be advised
q Broadband
· A wireless system has been proposed for use by village residents and may be available by October 2004
· The person supplying the wireless system, Malcolm J Clark (Malgus Broadband Limited) was not available to talk on this system
· HCC have received a paper from Malcolm Clark regarding this wireless system and details will be posted to the Howwood.com web site along with indicative pricing
· Any questions on the system can be brought to the next HCC meeting and we will contact the company to answer any questions which cannot be immediately answered at the meeting

PLANNING
q Mayfield Drive
· Renfrewshire Council are still pursuing the builders regarding cleaning up the waste at this site
· HCC will still approach Renfrewshire Council on the basis that the rubbish here could be construed as ‘fly tipping’ and is certainly an eyesore and health hazard to local residents
· Pictures of the area will be taken and sent to the Council as appropriate
q Pamandus
· Now demolished
q Planning Applications
· Nothing to report
q Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnership
· HCC may be invited to attend a local forum

COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
· No report

VILLAGE DESIGN PLAN
· A request for additional funding was not successful but it was suggested that a different approach to the Plan could be adopted
· Effectively, it would be better to target single items on the Plan, such as the smaller ‘quick win’ items, rather than implementing the Plan as a whole
· Issues to be tackled initially will be: footpaths/access, open areas/gap sites and the route to the cycle track
· Alistair Campbell of Bowfield Hotel and Country Club has agreed to speak to various landowners on access issues
· Open areas/gap sites – The village triangle will be targeted for improvement and Bill David has offered the services of his company in drawing up plans for various improvements
· Councillor Nimmo will be asked to arrange a meeting of relevant parties with regard to what would be involved in maintaining an appropriate route to the cycle track

MEMBERSHIP
· It was noted at the previous meeting that a member of HCC (Danny McAlister) had failed to attend several meetings and, in line with the HCC Constitution, the Chairman spoke to him to confirm whether or not this was due to a particular problem. We were advised that he has mixed feelings about remaining a Community Councillor and that a final decision would be advised by this HCC meeting
· No decision has been intimated to date. At the next HCC meeting it will be assumed, unless advised to the contrary, that Danny wishes to resign his HCC membership

CORRESPONDENCE
q As per the Agenda
· Campaign to defend Council Housing – letter received seeking support – copies available from the secretary and the letters can also be distributed as required – Councillor Nimmo will be contacted and a public meeting may be convened if appropriate
· RCVS newsletter – Betty McArthur named as Champion Volunteer – HCC would like to add their own congratulations to Betty on this achievement
· ACHB Consultation and Health Council newsletter – Copies available from the secretary – Community representatives have been invited to attend a consultation and Bill David will attend on 26/07/2004 with Grace Weir attending on 17/08/2004. Dates and venues for these consultations are noted at the end of these minutes and, anyone wishing to attend should contact Andrew Wilson, secretary, with appropriate details
· Postwatch newsletter – copies available from the secretary
· RC report on Children’s Nursery services – copies available from the secretary
· RC Education and Leisure service plan – copies available from the secretary
· Police Board Minutes – copies available from the secretary
· Resident’s complaint re fencing at the park – the complaint relates to the state of repair of the fence but we are not clear as to which fence the complainant refers – HCC will seek to clarify as fencing repairs will be carried out as part of the ongoing work of the Playground Project

A.O.C.B.
q ASCC and Planning Aid AGMs
· No update has been received at this time
q Community Council Forum
· The forum was attended by Nick Walker
· Although the meeting was interesting there were no issues of note regarding Howwood
q Playground Project
· It has been intimated that the official opening of the new playground may be on Saturday 24th July 2004
· Further details will be provided shortly and notification of this date will also be in the local newspaper
· HCC have agreed to donate their marquees to the Playground Group for this occasion
q HCC meeting dates
· The secretary is only able to attend Tuesday meetings by arriving late on into the meeting
· Different dates and times have been discussed and also different public venues
· A consensus of individual preferences will be sought and meeting dates may be changed as appropriate
· Until a final decision has been made, the meetings will continue to be on a Tuesday meantime


A.O.C.B. (Cont.)
q HCC AGM
· Discussions are ongoing as to whether or not we should hold the AGM on a different date to the normal monthly business meeting and to also include some form of public meeting, such as an update on the Village Design Plan or a talk on the history of Howwood
· A final decision has still to be made
q St Andrews Night Dance
· It was agreed that HCC would host a dance for St Andrews Night (27/11/2004) and look for shared participation with another community organisation such as the Sports and Hobbies Group
· A working group has been convened to organise this event and the group consists of Louise McClements, Christine Scarsbrook, Norma David, Amish Amin, Andrew Wilson and will be led by Grace Weir
· Further details will be provided in due course


NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 10TH August 2004 - 7.30 pm, Howwood Village Hall

Thereafter, the following Tuesdays: 14thSeptember 2004, 12th October 2004, 9th November 2004


NOTE

ACHB Consultation venues :

DATE TIME VENUE
26/07/04 9.30 – 13.00 Johnston Town Hall, Johnston
29/07/04 9.30 – 13.00 St John’s School, Barrhead
03/08/04 9.30 – 13.00 Renfrew Town Hall, Renfrew
06/08/04 9.30 – 13.00 Erskine Community Centre, Erskine
09/08/04 9.30 – 13.00 Tannahill Centre, Paisley
17/08/04 18.30 – 22.00 Town Hall, Paisley




HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 10TH AUGUST 2004

PRESENT
Robert Scarsbrook, Christine Scarsbrook, Norma David, Craig Crawford, Gordon Weir, Nick Walker, Miller Leon, Amish Amin, Grace Weir, Bill David, Louise McClements, Andrew Wilson, Rosee Macdonald, Betty McArthur, David McKie, Linda Smith

IN ATTENDANCE
Gayle Pollock (1st Howwood Guides), Noreen Pollock, Derek Brammer (Chairman, Children’s Panel), Linda Flint (Children’s Panel), PC Graham Barclay

APOLOGIES
Ken Macdonald, David Bottomley

CHANGE OF VENUE
Due to the unavailability of the Community Centre, the HCC meeting was held in the Parish Church Hall instead.
HCC have asked Craig Crawford to pass on their thanks for the use of the Parish Church Hall at such short notice.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the 13.07.2004 meeting were adopted – Proposed, Grace Weir and Seconded, Norma David
q Matters arising
· Rosee Macdonald apologised for failing to submit apologies for herself and Ken Macdonald at the last meeting

POLICE REPORT
q Crime figures for June 2004
· 5 crimes with 2 detections
· 1 theft by shop lifting, 1 theft of a motor vehicle, 1 opening of a lock fast place, 1 breach of the peace (detected), 1 road traffic offence (detected)
q Crime figures for July 2004
· 4 crimes with 3 detections
· 3 road traffic offences (all detected), 1 act of vandalism (Elliston Place)
q Other matters arising
· Fete 2004 – Although there was a police presence at the Fete it was intimated that it would have been preferred if the police could attend for a longer period. It was acknowledged that they were called away to other incidents that day and the Fete 2005 working group will try to better coordinate future attendance with the police
· Traveller’s camp on the outskirts of Howwood – This is a Renfrewshire Council matter as the Travellers are on Council land. There is to be a meeting on 11th August 2004 between the Police, Renfrewshire Council, Scottish Executive and Travellers representatives to discuss the situation

CHILDREN’S PANEL
Derek Brammer and Linda Flint of the Children’s Panel gave a short presentation to raise the awareness of the work and aims of the Children’s Panel in light of recent changes to Legislation.
· More detail on this presentation will be posted to the Howwood.com web site in due course
· During the question and answer session at the end of the presentation, questions were asked on Anti-social behaviours/Parenting orders and Supervision orders
· There is no specific qualification required to become a member of the Children’s Panel although there would be a considerable time commitment needed. There will be recruitment of new Panel members during October 2004 and anyone interested should watch the newspapers for further details
· HCC expressed their thanks for the Presentation and requested that further detail be provided to the Secretary by E-mail

ROADS
q Elliston Road
· Tarmac has now been laid, but not very satisfactorily and several areas have still not been completed
· The situation will be further monitored until completion of the works and HCC will contact Renfrewshire Council regarding the state of repair

ROADS (Cont.)
q HCC Road Faults initiative
· Suggestion is for a map to be available on the web site (with ‘x marks the spot’) and a key as to what the problem is, where the problem is and when the problem was reported
· There would also be further information such as a fault number, if one is available, and date of resolution with an update as to how resolved.
· Further work on this initiative is still required and further updates will be provided periodically
q Hill Road junction with Bowfield Road
· A suggestion was made that a mirror could be placed on the opposite side of this junction to give a better view of traffic passing up and down Bowfield Road thus making the exit from Hill Road safer
· This suggestion will be passed to the Roads Department for their consideration
q Bowfield Road to Country Club
· The pavement on this road and encroaching vegetation still has not been rectified
· Reminder to Renfrewshire Council at the same time as E-mail regarding the hedging at the corner of Midton Road and Bowfield Road

ENVIRONMENT
q Dunalister Path
· It has now been confirmed that this path, from the Parish Church to the Christ the King, is definitely a Right of Way
· HCC will advise Renfrewshire Council of the ownership and request that they ensure access is in no way restricted
q Overgrown Hedging at Midton Road/Bowfield Road
· No response from Renfrewshire Council
· HCC to chase for a response on this issue again stressing the importance of the issue due to Health and Safety, especially in regard to the schools recommencing soon
· The Chairman reminded everyone to report all such issues to the Council contact at E-mail address scott.allan@renfrewshire.gov.co.uk
q Rubbish bins
· Three new rubbish bins will be supplied within the next 4 to 6 weeks
· 2 will be placed near the station and 1 will be placed at the top of the path from Mayfield to Main Street
· These bins will be maintained by Renfrewshire Council
q Play park
· Fence in disrepair – It has now been clarified that this is the white fence by Midton Road that is in a bad state of repair. HCC will ask Renfrewshire Council the cost of repair and seek their recommendations
· Stair handrail – Despite this having been repaired, the handrail is again unsafe and poses a danger to children, especially now that the new play park is being used more frequently
· Rubbish bin – This bin is the responsibility of the Parks Department. The bin has not been emptied in some time and Andrew Wilson will contact the Parks Department accordingly. The Playground Project are also pursuing this matter
· General state of ground works – After work on the play park was completed the grounds have been left in some disorder and should have been reseeded with grass. The Playground Project are already in discussions with Renfrewshire Council regarding this matter
q Field next to Drygait/Torbracken
· A letter has been received from the landowner regarding the walking of dogs in this field and also the damage to the main gate into this field.
· This field is cut for silage and having dogs roaming throughout the field is contaminating the crop
· The land owner has asked our help in finding ways to maintain access to the field without damaging the viability of the crop
· HCC will reply to the land owner sympathising with his concerns and stating that we are in the process of raising awareness of the new dog fouling regulations and will publicise his concerns by newsletter and via the web site

WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION
q Broadband
· A wireless system has been proposed for use by village residents and may be available by October 2004

WEB SITE & VILLAGE INFORMATION (Cont.)
· Residents in the ‘Hillview’ area have received notification that a mast is to be erected nearby in the Lochwinnoch area
· The person supplying the wireless system, Malcolm J Clark (Malgus Broadband Limited) will be invited to an HCC meeting to give a talk on the system
· Details have still to be posted to the Howwood.com web site along with indicative pricing
· BT have stated that the Kilbarchan exchange will be upgraded by 16th March 2005 but there are still complex constraints associated with the distance from the exchange and speed of the system available
q Howwood.com web site
· There were 3681 visits to the web site during July and this is a record for one month
· The web site has now been successfully moved to another server and no problems associated with this have been advised
· There have been some inappropriate notices and SPAM on the bulletin board recently. This will be monitored and, if necessary, alternative means of access to this web page will be considered
· The list of raffle prize winners has still to be put on web site and there will also be a notice in the local paper to this effect

PLANNING
q Mayfield Drive/Main Street Path
· The pictures, which were taken of this area to highlight the need for maintenance, have still to be sent to the Council showing the condition of this area after building works were completed.
q Planning Applications
· Nothing of relevance to report

COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR AWARDS
· HCC has been short listed for an award in the category ‘Community Enhancement thru the Internet’. Congratulations to David McKie for his efforts with the web site.
· The final stage of these awards will take place in Edinburgh on Friday 26th November 2004 and David along with two or three other HCC members will attend

VILLAGE DESIGN PLAN
· Access issues - Alistair Campbell of Bowfield Hotel and Country Club had agreed to speak to various landowners on access issues but there has been no further news at this time
· Open areas/gap sites – Bill David has supplied plans for the existing triangle along with blank plans for completion with relevant requirements. Andrew Wilson will update the blank plans as appropriate. Plans for the open area opposite the Post Office have still to be drafted.
· Cycle track - Councillor Nimmo will arrange a meeting of relevant parties with regard to what would be involved in maintaining an appropriate route to the cycle track and how the previous issues can also be progressed
· Search of the Land Registry – Costs in relation to this search (£16) are to be reimbursed to Andrew Wilson.

COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
· No report

MEMBERSHIP
· A letter has been received from Danny McAlister confirming that he has retired from HCC
· HCC thank Danny for his dedication and contribution over very many years and an appropriate letter to this effect will be sent to him by the Chairman
· There are now two vacancies available to be filled

CORRESPONDENCE
q As per the Agenda
· Late hours policy review for hot food etc. outlets – Howwood not affected therefore no response will be given by HCC
· No smoking policy for all Council venues – Will be introduced 1st January 2005 and will include no smoking anywhere in the Village Hall. Due to the many venues held at the Hall, advance notification will be posted on the Howwood.com web site
· Rural Property & Business Assoc. – This is in connection with the field adjoining Drygait/Torbracken and has been dealt with under Environment

CORRESPONDENCE (Cont.)
· Consultation on housing and surveying issues – Andrew Wilson will respond on behalf of HCC
· Health Council newsletter – Copies available from the Secretary
· Clyde Muirshiel Park Strategy Consultation – Copies available from the Secretary
· Scottish Water Consultations on water services – Copies available from the Secretary

A.O.C.B.
q ASCC and Planning Aid AGMs
· Nothing specific has come out of the Planning Aid AGM
· ASCC AGM appeared to be a little disorganised but it appears that Howwood has better Council backing than some other Community Councils. There was nothing further which affected Howwood
q 1st Howwood Guides
· A letter was received requesting a donation to their fund raising in aid of the purchase of additional camping equipment. HCC will donate £200 (Proposed, Bill David and Seconded, Robert Scarsbrook)
· The Guides recommence on 1st September 2004 and will be giving 2 concerts, one at Christ the King and one at the Parish Church. Further details will be provided in due course
· There will be self defence classes on offer as well as new Faith Awareness classes
· It is proposed that there will be an autograph auction on 8th December 2004 to raise funds toward the purchase of additional camping equipment. If anyone is able to donate autographs for this event, please contact Gayle Pollock as soon as possible.
q Fete Finance
· Ken Macdonald will give an update at the next meeting of HCC
q Fete 2005
· Nothing to report at this time
· A meeting of the working group will be arranged in advance of the next meeting of HCC
q HCC AGM
· Will be on the evening of Wednesday 20th October 2004 in the Village Hall
· The AGM will be followed by a talk from John Gray on the history of Howwood
· Many thanks to John for agreeing to give this talk
q St Andrews Night Dance
· The Village Hall has now been booked for the evening of Saturday 20th November 2004
· The time of the dance will be 8pm to midnight
· The band has now been booked at a cost of £275
· Details of date and time will be advertised in the local newspaper, Village Notice Board and on the Howwood.com web site
· Further meetings of the working group have still to be arranged
q ACHB Consultation meetings
· Andrew Wilson gave an update on the meeting which he attended
· The only thing of interest to Howwood may be any proposed change of status to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley
· Grace Weir is still to attend one of the other meetings and further detail may be available at that time


NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 14TH September 2004 - 7.30 pm, Howwood Village Hall

Then: Tuesday 12th October 2004
AGM Wednesday 20th October 2004
Thereafter probable dates: Tuesdays 9th November 2004 and 14th December 2004

HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2004

PRESENT
Robert Scarsbrook, Christine Scarsbrook, Norma David, Gordon Weir, Nick Walker, Grace Weir, Bill David, Andrew Wilson, Rosee Macdonald, Betty McArthur, David McKie, Linda Smith, Ken Macdonald, David Bottomley

IN ATTENDANCE
Gayle Pollock (1st Howwood Guides), Noreen Pollock, PC Graham Barclay (K168), Alistair Campbell, Frank Mullen

APOLOGIES
Brian Young, Amish Amin, Craig Crawford, Louise McClements

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the 13.07.2004 meeting were adopted – Proposed, Norma David and Seconded, Rosee Macdonald
q Matters / Actions arising
· ACHB – Grace Weir attended consultation in the Town Hall. There was a low attendance at this meeting (circa 20) and there was nothing new to report since the last meeting. The only issues of interest being the lack of public transport to the RAH and the lack of suitable parking. HCC will raise concerns regarding the pressures on RAH waiting times, public transport and parking issues.
· Financial report – Ken Macdonald provided a draft Financial Report in advance of the AGM. Available funds are approx. £350 down on last year. It should be noted that HCC have provided an increased level of subscriptions and general donations this year. A full Financial report will be supplied at the AGM in October.
· Smoking Consultation Document – Nick Walker will respond on behalf of HCC

POLICE REPORT
q Crime figures for August 2004
· 11 crimes with 6 detections
· 1 theft by house breaking (Greenacres), 1 attempted theft by house breaking, 3 assaults (2 detected), 1 theft, 1 theft of a motor vehicle, 4 road traffic offences (all detected)
q Other matters arising
· Bogus workman incident – HCC advised of an incident at Midton Road and asked that the elderly take adequate care when answering their door to such callers. HCC will include an appropriate warning in their next newsletter and an article highlighting this danger will appear in the Gazette.
· Youth drinking packs – The number of youths drinking in gangs is resulting in the build up of litter including cans and broken bottles. Specific incidences have been highlighted around the play park and at a lay-by towards Lochwinnoch at the Gartland Bridge. The Community Police will investigate and keep a watch at these places in particular.
· Youth Club – Frank Mullen has highlighted incidences where it would appear that youths from outside Howwood along with some local youths have become rather unruly around the area of the Village Hall on nights that the Sports and Hobbies Group meets. The Community Police will call into the Group and advise them of this problem and will monitor the area for trouble. If it becomes required, HCC will also contact the Sports and Hobbies Group regarding these concerns.
· Alistair Campbell – Alistair wished to record his thanks to the Community Police for their help and support regarding the issue of Fly tipping. Renfrewshire Council have now put up signs and carried out a clean up of the area affected. Any further instances of Fly tipping should still be reported to the police.

ROADS
q Elliston Road
· Renfrewshire Council confirm that the resurfacing work has now been completed
· All that remains to be repaired are the manhole covers and gully frames.


ROADS (Cont.)
q HCC Road Faults initiative
· Suggestion was for a map to be available on the web site (with ‘x marks the spot’) and a key as to what the problem is, where the problem is and when the problem was reported
· This is now