Agenda item

Fun First

 

Sarah Davies provided a short update on the ongoing work of the Fun First charity, which included information on their scheduled sessions and activities; the forthcoming fundraising activities and the charities success in being awarded a grant from Comic Relief.  Sarah spoke of the need to recruit new trainers and leaders to the group and urged Partners to direct any young families who would benefit from meeting other families, to the group’s Facebook page. 

Having previously advised of their nomination for Military Charity of the Year at the Celebrating Forces Families Awards 2022, Sarah advised of their success in winning the award, which has helped raise the profile of Fun First both locally and nationally.   On behalf of the group, the Chair congratulated Sarah and her team on their success and for continuing to deliver a valuable service across the Helensburgh and Lomond area. 

 

Garelochhead Station Trust

Morevain Martin provided a short update on the ongoing work of Garelochhead Station Trust.  She advised of the many activities that are planned in the near future including a special Hawaiian Brunch Club and regular monthly bus trips with planned visits to the Royal Yacht, Britannia and the Burrell Collection.  Morevain advised of the upcoming office move to the Garelochhead Station Building, and advised Partners that she could be contacted by email (morevain@garelochheadstationtrust.co.uk) and telephone (07541 777559).

 

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) 

Susan MacRae advised of the current workloads of the Skills Development Scotland team with Creative Advisors back in schools supporting senior phase pupils in making future plans and in working with Partners to ascertain the destinations of those just left.  She advised of the deadlines involved in this workload and advised that she was hopeful that she would be bringing a report back to this meeting in February 2023 highlighting the outcomes.  Susan provided an update on the refreshed partnership working between the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and SDS and confirmed that SDS were working in the Helensburgh Job Centre on an adhoc basis. 

 

Jean’s Bothy

An update was provided by Katrina Sayer on the workstreams of Jean’s Bothy, which included the work of focus groups to look at the lockdown impact on mental health; the annual fundraising cycle around the island of Millport in support of ENABLE Scotland and the development of the play “Included” which is due to go on tour in October with the launch taking place in Greenock and then travelling around Argyll and Bute with scheduled performances in Helensburgh, Dunoon, Oban and Campbeltown. 

MOD Police

Having noted that this was his first time in attendance at the meeting, Constable Andrew (Drew) Omand took the opportunity to introduce himself to the group and outlined his role within the community working with Police Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council and the Base Warrant Officer from HMNB Clyde.  Drew advised his of his contact details which are as follows:

Andrew (Drew) Omand

Constable | Defence Community Police Officer (DCPO)

Churchill Community Police Office, Churchill Square, Helensburgh, G84 9HL, UK

Phone: 01436 678 046

Mobile: 07773 973088

Email: andrew.omand100@mod.gov.uk

 

Plastic Free Helensburgh

Angela Anderson spoke to the terms of the written update that had been circulated by email to the group prior to the meeting: 

This Saturday 27^th August and Saturday 24^th September HCC Beach Clean at the pier.

On Saturday 17^th September East Bay Clean as part of the Great British Beach Clean

On Saturday 2^nd October PFH is running a sustainability Event in the Parish Hall Colquhoun Square as part of the Climate Fringe Week

We have continued holding monthly steering group meetings and are keen to recruit some new members to the core team.

We continue to support HCC with their last Saturday in the Month Pier Beach clean and organise regular cleans at the East Bay.

We undertook a large scale clean at Craigendoran Pier with Scottish Water, a visiting church group and a number of our regular enthusiast.

There is still a high volume of Sewage related plastics and wipes on the beaches. We think these are coming from elsewhere but ask everyone to remember the three pees. Pee, Poo and Paper. Anything else puts a burden on the system.

We continue to survey local take a ways on the single use plastic ban and distribute leaflets from the GRAB Trust.

Together with HCC we re-surveyed the litter bins along the front and Colquhoun Square and sent the results and pictorial evidence to A&B. We subsequently meet with the amenities manager and expect some improvement in the capacity of public bins soon.

We were invited by KSB (Keep Scotland Beautiful) to speak at a seminar in Dumbarton and gain at the Glasgow Science Centre. This has linked us up with groups from other LAs who are part of the Upstream Clyde Battle.

We have attended various meeting etc with SAS (Surfers Against Sewage) and continue on the journey as an accredited plastic free town and are working in unison with Plastic Free Fife on a number of issues and consultations.We were invited by SEPA to walk the beaches and point out where debris collects and continue to pass on information.

We had a follow up meeting with SEPA, Scottish Water and Marine Scotland again arranged by Jackie Ballie and have a good understanding of how the sewer system works here and up and down the Clyde. Work has been undertaken to remediate the problem areas we identified and there is a working agreement to continue to monitor the outflows etc.

We gave a talk to Rhu Primary P1,2 and 3 and also to P4, 5, 6 & 7.

Our social media is busy with requests for school uniforms.

 

Time for Change, Argyll and Bute

Angela Anderson spoke to the terms of the written update that had been circulated by email to the group prior to the meeting: 

As part of Climate Fringe Week

Sunday 2^nd October 2022 1600 – 1800 at Lochgilphead High School.

A conversation on the use and care of Argyll’s Land and Sea

Climate Action Hub

Appointment of Marie Stonehouse

Argyll & Bute Regional Network Engagement Coordinator

Time for Change are encouraging participation in Community Councils and Elections

We have a meeting with Jenni Minto MSP for the rest of Argyll.

This is Stop Jackdaw week of action.

Jackdaw is the largest gas field to be approved by the UK government since the IEA said we can't have any more new fossil fuel projects if we want to stay within safe climate limits.

It would be on Stream until 2026 and will produce for some 40 years. 

 

Community Learning Service

Rhona Grant provided an update in relation to Adult Learning and confirmed the recent recruitment of an Adult Learning Worker.  She also introduced the Lead Youth Worker for Live Argyll, Thomas Guy-Conroy to the group.  Thomas provided a short update on the work he has been undertaking in relation to tackling anti-social behaviour in youths, which included running a Friday night football session for 12 -16 year olds with input from the National Football Unit on hate crime and anti-social behaviour within communities.  Thomas advised that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had purchased the equipment needed to enable this session, and took the opportunity to thank them publically for their help and support.  Thomas further advised of the Youth Action Group which was now up and running in the Helensburgh area. 

 

Visiting Friends

Jayne Burnett provided a short verbal update on the ongoing work of the Visiting Friends group.  She advised of the dip in volunteer numbers and outlined ways in which the group were focussing on retaining their current volunteers.  Jayne spoke of a number of events including the joint event which took place in July with the Pavilion Café in Hermitage Park and the upcoming joint event with Garelochhead Station Trust to the Burrell Collection.  Further information was provided in relation to the Visiting Friends Coffee morning in the Helensburgh Community Hub which was due to take place on Saturday 3 September and encouraged everyone to participate.  

 

Community Development, Argyll and Bute Council

Kirsty Moyes provided a short update in relation to the Risk Management training that is due to take place on 24 and 25 August 2022 in partnership with Argyll TSI and Live Argyll.  She thanked everyone who had taken the time to complete the training needs analysis questionnaire and advised that she would take away an action to consider the difficulties in recruiting and retaining volunteers. 

 

Community Council Elections

Shona Barton provided a short update on the process of the Community Council elections.  She advised that there were 56 Community Councils across Argyll and Bute and that nominations were now open.  She advised that the closing date was 8 October 2022 and provided the following link to nomination packs:- 

https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/community-council-elections-20-october-2022

 

Helensburgh Gaelic Club

In the absence of Alasdair McCuish, the Committee Manager provided the following update:-

The Helensburgh Gaelic Group will re-start on Tuesday 20 September at 2:00pm in Helensburgh Parish Church An additional evening session may be available is there is sufficient interest

Christie Moore is calling a meeting in Helensburgh to develop a Gaelic Hub.

 

The Chair, David Moore advised that the following updates had been circulated by email prior to the meeting:- 

Rhu and Shandon Community Council

Rhu and Shandon Community Council (RSCC) has, as usual, spent the vast majority of its time reacting to various issues affecting the community. These include:

·         The Empowering Educators ‘consultation’ which has proved a contentious issue throughout Argyll and Bute and the CC is grateful for the input from Rhu Primary School Parent Council.

·         Investigating and recording road safety issues in the villages.

·         Assessing and responding to several planning issues.

·         Request to Argyll and Bute Council to tidy up some areas of the village which we are advised this is in hand.

·         Request to Argyll and Bute Council to provide two defibrillator signs to alert the public to the presence of a defibrillator at Rhu Football Club. This is proving rather difficult to achieve and is ongoing.

 

Forestry matters including the imminent commencement of in-forest road building for the new plantations at Letrault and Stuckenduff and the resumption of harvesting of Highlandman’s and Torr forests.  RSCC have objected to the use of Pier and Station Roads for timber haulage since 2017 and continue dialogue with Scottish Woodlands and Scottish Forestry to secure the construction of a new forest road that would remove 44 ton timber lorries using the roads through the village which are steep and too narrow for vehicle pass-through, with blind summits, a 90° turn and no pavements in places.

At Torr Farm approximately one hundred native woodland  trees, in excess of the permitted felling allowance for native woodland, were felled early in 2021.  Scottish Forestry first indicated enforcement action would be taken but have subsequently supported the landowner with developing a draft management plan for the felling of 685 trees or 26%  of the woodland.  The CC assessed the draft management plan, canvassed local opinion and submitted a response.  A revised management plan will be circulated for consultation in due course. 

Rhu War Memorial

The Royal British Legion Scotland Helensburgh and District Branch have undertaken a great deal of work in cleaning and tidying up Rhu War Memorial.  They have been assisted by HMNB Clyde and new bedding plants in the Legion’s blue and gold colours were provided by Argyll and Bute Council.  We are grateful to the Legion, the Navy and Mark the gardener from A&B C for their efforts.  The memorial has been cleaned and the benches refurbished and a lot of gardening has been done.   The Memorial won first place as the Best Kept War Memorial in the new entries section and is now in the running against all memorials in Scotland for RBLS’s best kept war memorial. 

Aldonaig Farm

Aldonaig Farm continues to be a source of problems in Rhu.  The landowner asked the current tenants to leave several months ago and the former tenant is now squatting on the land.  400 sheep were removed by the SSPCA after we contacted various authorities including DEFRA in July following high numbers of dead animals on the site.  The issues are ongoing with more concerns of animal welfare, environmental pollution, quad and scramble bike noise and damage, and a great deal of local upset at the flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban flag) being flown at the site.  The CC continue to engage with various authorities to try and resolve the situation.

 

Destination Helensburgh

Destination Helensburgh have undertaken various promotional activities over the summer and have noted a distinct increase in visitor numbers at the visitor information centre in Helensburgh.  We are currently undertaking statistical analyses of the first year of operations which we hope will be useful in building a baseline picture of visitor demographics over a year.

 

In 2022 we have hosted social media influencers Scotland with the Wee White Dug and Watch Me See. The social media reach for the influencers was 254k with 38.5k engagements.  We also supported the BBC TV series Escape to the Country on their recent visit to the area, and worked with the Green Action Trust (John Muir Way) on a social media campaign promoting their new cycling route through Glen Fruin.

 

Print advertising has been placed in two issues of The Scots magazine, Holiday West Highland, and the Sunday Mail.  A digital billboard campaign showcasing outdoor adventure in H&L ran at Queen St rail station over 2 weeks, reaching footfall of approximately 861k.

 

Four promotional videos (HELLO Winter, HELLO Adventure, HELLO Spring and HELLO Holidays) have been filmed, and these will be embedded on our website and promoted on social media at the appropriate times of the year. These will be a major promotional tool going forwards. We have also commissioned professional photography to build up our image bank of the area.

 

We completed a contract for Argyll and Bute Council to provide the content for a new app Discover Helensburgh.  The app features eight walking trails with information on marked points of interest and includes an eye spy game featuring little details around the town such as the stone cat on the Municipal Buildings. Discover Helensburgh can be downloaded free from the App Store and Google Play and we will shortly be supporting the Council with a launch campaign.

 

We continue to promote and support local businesses and community organisations through advertising services and events on our website and online events calendar, social media and through flyers and posters at the visitor information centre.

 

Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust

Most of our Directors time and focus has been on maintaining our Three Villages Community Hall in operation with events and activities to encourage local groups and visiting hires to return, to use our facility which has not seen a return to previous booking levels as zoom / MS Team meetings are now the new normal, rather than gathering for face to face meetings in Arrochar as had been very popular pre-pandemic.

A double edged sword with a number of NHS bookings for Covid Vaccination Clinics and public meetings being held for planning consultations on SSEN Power line upgrades, Fish Farm developments, Forestry Harvesting Operations and private development at the Former Torpedo Range site.

Community Council and Trust members have been involved in a Steering Group that is conducting a Community  wide Survey that will inform an updated Community Action Plan or as it is currently called a Local Place Plan.

There has been further consultation and involvement with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park on improved Visitor Infrastructure and services on West Loch Lomond following intervention and temporary seasonal arrangements that have been necessary in the last two years, since the large scale emergence from lockdown and resulting Staycation experience.  This prompted production of a strategic document for submission and consideration by Visit Scotland for Rural Tourism Infrastructure Funding to realise necessary improvements.

Meantime the A&T Development Trust with collaborative partners the Friends of Loch Lomond & the Trossachs secured funding to continue to operate our Two Lochs Villages Visitor Services project.  This funding has come from: Nature Scot’s Better Places Green Recovery Fund Round 3; Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park Authority; Argyll & Bute Council and a number of Lochside Businesses, who now sponsor Litter Bins in the A82 Lochside Laybys and a twice weekly uplift service.

A pedestrian bridge restoration over the Tarbet Burn was funded for the local community by the Hannah Stirling Loch Lomond Fund and co-ordinated by the Trust and Friends of Loch Lomond in time for the Queen’s Jubilee celebration.

As outlined to ACPG members previously we installed temporary toilets at both Car Parks at the Head of Loch Long, along with a 7 day per week Visitor Warden Service, operating around Arrochar and Succoth, and at the request of LL&T NP to visit the Tarbet Pier Car Park and Picnic Area which was experiencing high volumes of activity and littering, including its use as base for touring Motorhomes and Campervans.  The wardens then assisted visitors to understand the National Park Authority's change of rules for the Tarbet Pier Car Parking area that no longer could accommodate motorhomes and campervans parking overnight.  Dispersal arrangements were introduced to other locations around the Arrochar & Tarbet area, including Commercial sites, F&LS sites at Tarbet Isle, Ardgartan and Honeymoon Bridge which has been working quite well to date.

This operation has contributed to a pilot proposal for overnight Aires parking in the area, which is now published for consultation and has been adopted in other parts of Scotland experiencing similar pressures.  A copy of the pilot is attached to this Minute.

The efforts of the Wardens, now up to full strength with 4 local village residents employed on a part-time rota, provide a community-wide service, looking after the temp toilets, litter picking around the 2 Lochs area, attending to overgrown bushes and shrubs, blocked drainage and minor repairs on local paths and pavements.  They also provide information and advice to visitors unfamiliar with walks and outdoor activities in our area.  We’ve continued again this season a small scale the cutting back of overgrown vegetation and self-seeded trees on the West Loch Lomond Cycleway, to open up viewing “Windows on the Loch” and surrounding hills for cyclists, walkers and vehicles travelling along the A82, to enable them to actually see the “Bonnie Banks”.  We are currently working at a section south of Culag Farm towards the Luss Camping Ground – have a look the next time you are passing to see the difference it makes.

Our Wardens have undertaken training and development on Loch Lomond and Camping By-laws to better assist the public. They regularly meet and discuss issues with A&B Council Car Park Wardens along with the Council’s Seasonal Staycation Officer for the area. They also work alongside LL&T NP environmental officers and Park Rangers to counter the never-ending amounts of litter and fly-tipping that they have to deal with. They also integrate with the Community Service Team who are also actively picking up litter around the Lochside areas, behind the scenes in undergrowth and along stretches of the shorelines.  The combined efforts are making a difference beside roads, paths and open land areas used for picnics and camping, which then leaves the Lochs and marine litter which the GRAB Trust and local efforts try to clean the waterborne litter that arrives on our shoreline.

The VS Wardens will continue to undertake the work as detailed above and target a few more community benefit activities, as visitor numbers tail off with the onset of Autumn and early Winter weather and the project draws to a close at the end of October.

Apologies if I’ve missed anything else of common interest in this brief summary and wish all the other communities around Helensburgh & Lomond all the best in their ongoing projects and activities.

On a positive note, amid all the fears and concerns for the coming winter, costs of energy and general living, the small Arrochar Community Hydro Scheme has donated significant funds to the communities in Arrochar and Luss from good levels of generation this year, for the benefit of residents and those living and working in the villages.  Residents in Arrochar are looking to organise more daytime activities in a fully heated 3 Villages Hall that could help offset individual heating issues at home, during this difficult time. This being an unfortunate example of a circular economy.

Tarbet Burn Bridge following restoration in 2022