February 2023
Re
KILMUN COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Facebook - @shoresweepersandKCC Website - www.kilmuncc.co.uk
MINUTES OF MEETING
14 th February 2023 @ 7.30PM.
Blairmore Hall Blairmore
Meeting Start -7.30pm
PRESENT; Lindsay McKenna (Vice Convenor), Janet Holm (Secretary), Peter Hunter Douglas,
Mandy Grout, Lachie Macquarie, and Kerris Bone,
Also Present: Councillor William Sinclair (Argyll and Bute Council), Councillor Gordon Blair (Argyll
and Bute Council), Fraser Macdonald (Forestry Land Scotland), Malcolm Bird, Bruce Marshall,
Andrew Rodgers, Ann Rodgers and Kathy Harper.
APOLOGIES Diane Nicholson (Convenor), Graham Revill, Russell Humphreys (Treasurer),
Councillor Y McNeilly (Argyll and Bute Council), Eddie McGunnigal (Cowal Police), Becky Hothersall
Strone Primary Parent Council) and Gordon Holm.
This session was recorded for the minutes
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST:
None
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING:
The 10 th January 2023 minutes were:
Proposed: Many Grout
Seconded: Peter Hunter Douglas Carried
4. MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA
None
5. TREASURER’S REPORT
Carried forward £3009.53
Income
Expenditure
Website fee 29.95
Blairmore Hall rental 16.00
Funds In
Totals.
General fund £ 1590.93
Gardening and Shore Sweepers £54.44
Festive Lunch £154.47
SSE grant £1090.92
Directory donations £7.00
Grant from ABC (For new road sign) £56.00
Overall total £2974.53
6. POLICE REPORT
Email report submitted from Eddie McGunnigal (Cowal Police),
Between 23/01/23 and 09/02/23 there have been 4 incidents actioned to police in the Kilmun
Council area, these include.
1 in relation to a damaged vehicle.
1 in relation to a school pupil absconding.
1 in relation to a concern for person.
2
1 in relation to an insecure property.
Breakdown of Crime Reports ( i.e. 1 x Assault)
Theft of Speed indicator sign
Speed Guns
JH had emailed the police contact re setting up Community Speed watch volunteer scheme. He had also been in touch with MG to help the process of collating volunteers who are willing to undertake The training to do this work in our community.
The form will be attached to these minutes. (It can be found on the HOME page in the Police section)
7 CORRESPONDENCE
Copy of Agnes Harvey’s reply to Malcolm Bird which Malcolm Bird said he has also
responded to.
Email from Dinah McDonald re distribution of ECHO Magazine. Further email from Dinah to
say that she has now organised distribution.
8. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
2022/0346/DET - Installation of 67 solar panels to roof of - The Riverbank Surgery -Kilmun- Dunoon -
neighbour notification
9. COMMUNITY MATTERS
The Shore Sweepers
We have not heard back from ACHA as yet re - work needing done at Graham’s Point.
JH contacted ACHA but unfortunately, as The Shore Sweepers and Kilmun Community Council are
not charities we cannot apply for funding. We expect to be in touch with ACHA in relation to the work
that needs to be done at Graham’s Point.
HELP have done a wonderful job on rethreading the willow tunnel. Over the last few years because
of the pandemic the strands had not been thoroughly weaved. This has now been done and the
tunnel is now strong and robust. KCC has thanked HELP for their work
Highgate Hall
The Highgate Hall have submitted their minutes from 12 th December 2022. These will be attached to
these minutes and will be put onto Kilmun Community Council website.
Tyneshandon
Councillor William Sinclair said that the planning dept of ABC is under real pressure at the moment
and not having time to enable enforcement. Councillor is still pursuing this matter. BM asked if the
owner was paying council tax. Councillor Blair will check with treasury whether this is happening for
our next meeting.
JH said that there is a note on the Highgate Hall minutes about the 2 footpaths at Tyneshandon and
Highgate Hall about the footpaths that go past these properties.
From a question from BM, Councillor Blair said that ABC are reluctant to enforce the regulatory
obligations as far as derelict building are concerned whereas other local authorities will do this.
10. DISCUSSIONS A&BC LOCAL COUNCILLOR AND NATIONAL PARK
REPRESENTATIVE,
Strone Primary School
NTR
Strone Primary Parent Council
“Last minute as ever but just to say that no-one from the Parent Council will be able to attend
tonight, and unfortunately of course Julie Fish is off for the foreseeable future.
3
The only update I have from the Parent Council is that we're making progress with our Inspiring
Scotland grant - following the Burns Supper we're in the process of organising some further events
in other local halls and spaces. We welcome suggestions if anyone has anything, they’d like to see
happen. With Julie being off we've had to re-jig things a bit and are looking at a couple of small-
scale community growing projects (again, happy to share info/team up with anyone else interested).
Finally, we're hopefully getting a couple of noticeboards put up in Strone, one at the school and one
at a venue TBC, to facilitate sharing of local info”.
Argyll & Bute Council
Councillor Sinclair said that he had contacted Crown estates about the issue that had been raised
last month re the barge and the sunk boat at the end of the Holy Loch. Crown estates had
transferred him to Bidwell’s who are he agent for crown estates and they know who the owner of the
barge and the tugboat is. The barge should be moved. Unfortunately, there has been no progress
the sunken boat which is not under the crown estate.
Regarding defibrillators, Councillor Sinclair said that he knows there are course at Live Argyll. He
plans to speak to them next week and will find out more and get back to us. More information about
this included in defibrillation section below.
Councillor Sinclair said that the passenger ferry tickets now have an end date. KCC agreed to
support objection to this policy from Cal Mac. Western Ferry tickets have no end date.
The right of way at Westfield – This has been raised again. L. McK said that one of her neighbours
from Westfield has fallen down this hole trying to navigate it. JH asked if we know who the owner is?
Councillor Blair said that they are trying to find out who it is.
Councillor Blair mentioned about putting 30mph signs on bins and said that the police are going to
be supplying a these and signs that were used last year about dogs worrying sheep. He will get a
supply of these and get them to us.
Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Representative
Councillor Sinclair said that there are new byelaws. A representative of KCC is going to attend a
webinar which will give more information on this.
Forestry and Land Scotland – Fraser MacDonald
Current Felling:
There are a number of SPHN sites being worked or in process of starting within Kilmun Community
area
• Beinn Ruadh (above Coylet Inn) – There is a small section of Larch still to be felled adjacent to
SSE Overhead Power line still to be completed when a shutdown can be organised. No confirmed
date as yet however.
• Beinn Ruadh( above Coylet Inn) – Harvesting site currently on stop. There have been a number of
issues on this site that have to be resolved and a contract review meeting was held at Glenbranter
this morning. An SSE OHPL shut down will be required to complete works and as yet this is not
planned.
• Corrach (Scottish Water Treatment Plant) Harvesting site – site is currently inactive but hoping
contractors will return to site soon. Likely to resume early 2023. This site is likely to commence
works in next two weeks with timber haulage starting early March.
• West Loch Eck (opposite Coylet Inn) – site is currently active including timber haulage.
• Pucks Glen –. Pucks Pylons currently inactive but will resume early 2023
• Kilmun Hill – Timber felling operations are complete with exception of some chainsaw remedial
works only timber extraction and timber Haulage ongoing. Site not complete as yet timber haulage
ongoing.
• There will be ongoing civil engineering maintenance works associated with harvesting sites as
listed above.
• Benmore Botanic Garden (Burmah Road) – Chainsaw felling and extraction of larger timber above
BBG Courtyard there is no timescale for this as yet due to complex nature of operations. Will update
when plan in place.
• Fell to waste of young Larch within KCC area – Fell to waste operations have been carried out in
Inverchapel/Pucks Glen area with further areas close to Gairletter Sand quarry to be carried out at a
later date. Some individual trees still to be removed that have been missed. Now able to deal with
these as no environmental timing restrictions. This work is ongoing.
4
There are new harvesting sites planned to be sold and worked throughout 2023 as per map
provided that may impact on KCC area, I will update you well in advance of any of these sites
starting. Due to timing restrictions for SSE shut down which take at least 90 days to be authorised
no coupes have been agreed as yet.
There is the potential for a harvesting coupe to commence early in 2023 in Ardentinny that timber
haulage may use A880, I will confirm when this is to commence.
Wildlife Management:
Night shooting is ongoing until 31 st March 2023
Public Access:
We have recently carried out some maintenance and tidying up around Benmore and Puck’s Glen in
terms of vegetation management and way marker/bridge cleaning more of this work is expected to
take place after Christmas.
We will be getting the path works and railings fixed on the Big Tree Trail as soon as we can get the
contract awarded.
Ongoing Engagement:
No further SPHN’s have been received, we have currently got 73 active SPHN’s with in Central
Region of which 16 of these are non-compliant due to complexity of sites, terrain, location, lack of
infrastructure. Since June 2014 we have cleared over 100 SPHN’s in Central Region with the
majority being in Cowal.
We have received 7 new SPHN in the Priority Action Zone and 37 in the Risk Reduction Zone so far
this this year and are waiting on further helicopter and ground trothing surveys to be completed.
PAZ is an area that has a short timeframe to fell infected Larch (6 months) and this area takes in
Arrochar, Glen Croe and Cruach Tairbeirt.
The RRZ has a longer timeframe to deal with infected Larch and we have had confirmed infections
in KKC area and new sites in Glendaruel and Strathlachlan indicating a wider spread of the
pathogen.
KCC forested areas now falls into the new Phytophthora pluvialis ( a fungus like pathogen)
demarcated zone, this is another tree disease that impacts on Western Hemlock, Douglas Fir and
Pine.
Visitor Services – Going forward the VS team will be contributing an article for each edition of the
new East Cowal Echo Newsletter a copy of which can be provided.
New signage and furniture is in the process of being installed on the Black Gates Trail (now
waymarked with Black bands rather than Orange) and around Pucks Glen.
Civil Engineering – CE team are hauling stone from Kilmun Quarry to Ardentinny over the next few
weeks.
Road maintenance and upgrade works are also planned on forest road at Kilmun Hill which may
impact on recreational activities for a short time.
Out of the above report Fraser said that the most significant are as the harvesting at the side of Loch
Eck and that the lorries will be coming out past Benmore. The civil engineering work happening up
at Kilmun Quarry, with stone being taken round to Ardentinny and other work being done on access
roads which can have an impact on walking routes
MB asked who was responsible to the quarry. Fraser said that it is FLS. Malcolm considers that
there has been extra activity recently and more (dirty) water is coming down. Fraser said he would
mention this to the civil engineering dept.
JH said that a concern is about the speeding of some of the tractors, lorries taking out the stone to
Ardentinny and Benmore. P HD also said that there were terms of reference of when the lorries
were permitted to use the Midge Lane exit road. This has changed over the years because of the
amount of timber and hard core now being extracted. Fraser said that he would go back to the civil
engineering department and check the terms of reference that was agreed with the community for
the use of the Midge Lane timber exit road.
Fraser has said that if there are any issues to let him know.
BM asked how much of the larch trees are going to come down. Fraser confirmed that unfortunately
Cowal is now so badly affected that all will be removed.
5
Younger Hall
Flea market on 25 th February
Blairmore Hall
NTR
Historic Kilmun
NTR
11 CURRENT ISSUES
Clachaig Water
NTR
SSE power lines Dunoon 132kV Overhead Line rebuild Project
NTR
13. Any other competent business
Defibrillators
In the next few weeks, the defibrillator at Kilmun Hall will be serviced and the defibrillator going up to
Strone Inn will also be service
KCC are going to check about what the co-ordination about the defibrillator, what records are being
kept on the defibrillators
Councillor Sinclair sent out an email link with online def training which is free.
P HD said that a couple of residents had said that they only wanted to know how to work the
defibrillator, but He said that he has been trained by the Recusation Council of GB and they would
want people not only to know how to use the defibrillators, but to also to have recusation training
because the defib is an augmentation of resuscitation training. He would like the community to be
aware of that aspect of training.
KCC are going to find out more about the information kept by others about the defibrillators, about
how the defibrillators are accessed and the options for training and what we can facilitate. Councillor
Blair and Sinclair have offered to help us with this.
L McK mentioned about the planning applications for fish farming. There was discussion around the
issues of fish farming in Scotland, the planning and new methods that could be introduced.
Meeting closed at 8.50pm
Next Meeting
Next meeting – Tuesday 14 th March 2023 @ Younger Hall, Kilmun @ 7.30pm
Meetings held Second Tuesday each month alternating between Younger & Blairmore Halls.
Kilmun Hall – January, March, May, July (Recess) September, November
Blairmore Hall – February, April, June, August, October, December
Attachments
Highgate Hall minutes December 2022
Cowal Community Speedwatch forms
place this with your text
