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Convention of Perth & Kinross

Community Councils
Chairman : M. Gallagher
Vice Chairman : vacant
Hon Treasurer : S. Bruce
Hon Secretary : S. Bruce
Please reply to: S Bruce, Rosebank, Balnaguard, Pitlochry, PH9 0PY
 Tel 01796 482489  Email

Minutes of 66th members’ meeting, Wednesday 5 October 2011

  1. Present: Adrian Wake and Janet White (East Strathearn), Angus McDonald (Crieff), Kevin Borthwick (Fossoway), David Dykes (Scone), Stan Bruce (Mid Atholl, Strathtay & Grandtully), Michael Gallagher (Coupar Angus)
  2. Apologies: Malcolm Parkin (Portmoak), Jim Bradley (Blairgowrie and Rattray)
  3. Minutes of 65th Meeting held on 20th July 2011 – Proposed as accurate by A. Wake, seconded by A. McDonald
  4. Matters Arising from 65th Meeting:

a)Proposal re weighting of planning objections from CCs – The Convention has formally submitted a proposal to Nick Brian, Development Quality Manager of Perth and Kinross Council, requesting that where planning officers are minded to approve a planning application, but the local CC objects, the final decision should go to the Development Control Committee.

There was animated discussion about this issue, with a universal feeling that the Council should regard a planning objection from a community council as having more weight than an objection from an individual.

The Planning Users Forum, which met this morning, has postponed making a decision on this. Nick Brian has stated that he will raise the issue at the next Members and Officers Working Group meeting.

b)Survey 2011 – There is a 50-50 split between CCs who feel the Convention is pointless, and those who feel that it could be useful if it had real teeth.

  1. Chairman’s Report

The Chairman reported that since the last member’s meeting in July, Convention officers’ have been concentrating on improving communications with members, ensuring they are kept up to date with election issues and other matters.

  1. Treasurer’s Report

The convention has £2,860.35, including the recent annual grant from the Council of £635.

  1. Business

a)Propositions:

  1. Chairman – that the Convention upgrades its website to allow for extra services such as online surveys, embedded documents and password protected pages. It would cost £17 for 6 months, £30 for one year or £44 for two years. Agreed – Proposed by A. McDonald, seconded by D. Dykes.

After discussion, it was further agreed that the Committee should be free to spend up to £200 per quarter without a vote at members’ meetings.

  1. Coupar Angus, Ardler & Bendochy CC – that the Convention urge Perth and Kinross Council and the other planning authorities within the TAYplan Strategic Development Plan area to:

-Protect communities from the threat of new waste incinerators.

-Follow the examples of Lancashire County Council and San Francisco City & County by rejecting all forms of waste incineration in favour of intensive measures to reduce, reuse and recycle.

-Urge the Scottish Government to end its support for waste incineration, and instead encourage local authorities to adopt alternatives such as Mechanical Biological Treatment (chosen by Lancashire County Council because it is better for the environment and half the price of incineration).

  1. Coupar Angus, Ardler & Bendochy CC – that the Convention urge Community Councils around Scotland to unite to protect communities from the threat of new waste incinerators.

Agreed – The Convention will ask CCs to discuss the issues around incineration, and will provide further background information accordingly.

  1. Spittalfield & District CC – that the Convention urge Perth and Kinross Council to develop and to make clear the consultative and influencing mechanisms by which local charms and individual place natures can be actively sustained and augmented during the planning process

Note: The proposal from Spittalfield was raised as an agenda item at this morning’s meeting of the Planning Users’ Forum at Perth and Kinross council.

b)Liaison Meeting report – This has been distributed by email to all CCs

c)Local planning committees involving Community Councillors

d)Subscriptions – Stan suggested there should be a subscription amnesty next year.

e)Regional Groups – The idea has not been popular so far.

f)CC Elections - ongoing

  1. Election of new Officers – We will wait to raise this with newly convened community councils after the elections in November.
  2. AOCB

There was no other business

  1. Date of the next Meeting – 25 January 2012