April 2023

Re

KILMUN COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Facebook - @shoresweepersandKCC Website - www.kilmuncc.co.uk

MINUTES OF MEETING
14 th April 2023 @ 7.30PM.
Blairmore Hall Blairmore
Meeting Start -7.30pm

PRESENT; Diane Nicholson (Convenor), Lindsay McKenna (Vice Convenor), Graham Revill, Lachie
Macquarie, Kerris Bone and Peter Hunter Douglas
Also Present: Cllr. Gordon Blair, Cllr. William Sinclair, Malcom Bird, Bruce Marshall, Catherine
Harper Lynn Gilchrist.
APOLOGIES Janet Holm (Secretary), Fraser Macdonald (Forestry Land Scotland),Mandy Grout,
Lachie Macquarie, Russell Humphreys (Treasurer), Councillor Y McNeilly (Argyll and Bute Council),
Eddie McGunnigal (Cowal Police), Caroline Munro and Gordon Holm.
This session was recorded for the minutes.
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST:
None
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING:
The 14 th March 2023 minutes were:
Proposed: Peter Hunter Douglas
Seconded: Diane Nicholson Carried
4. MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA
None
5. TREASURER’S REPORT
Carried forward £3453.33
Income
Expenditure
Website fee 29.95
Blairmore Hall rental 16.00
Funds In
Bank interest 6.60
Totals.
General fund £ 1597.53
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 3465.93
An addition of £6.60 from interest
6. POLICE REPORT
No Update submitted.
7 CORRESPONDENCE

2

There was a response from the Facebook/social media posting regarding the Right of Way between
Westfield and Strone Brae, Strone.
 The original post on The Shore Social a local Facebook page.
“Kilmun Community Council and the residents of Westfield would like the help of our
community to help us solve a mystery. For the last 12+ years there has been a large hole
dug out on the right-of-way from the lane at the top of Westfield down onto the road going
past where the old Strone Primary was. This is a right of way, and for all those years the
residents and the children going to school have had to negotiate past this hole which is
obviously very dangerous. KCC have been working closely with Argyll and Bute Council for
over 3 years, but they can’t help as they don’t know who owns the land. Does anyone know
who owns this land as it would be great to have this situation resolved once and for all?”
A response from Val Borland, a local resident near the hole>
“The hole was dug around 7 years ago as water was flooding into the properties in the
immediate vicinity after heavy rain. The Forestry Commission (I think) cleared the culvert
intermittently, but it often blocked and overflowed. The local residents try to keep this clear
now. One of the problems seems to be that the culvert is too narrow for the volume of water
coming off the hill and now it also seems it may have potentially collapsed under the path
higher up from the hole which is even more of a risk. I remember the Forestry Commission
(as it was at the time) and council looking at it which resulted in the hole being dug but no-
one ever came back to sort it properly, presumably because they could not determine who
owns the land. I think the council were trying to get funding to fix it but it didn't happen.”
An update email was received with specific dates of contact, this will be given to ABC councillor to
follow up.
Further discussion took place regarding the responsibility of the landowner with regard to the open
excavation and the responsibility of the uphill landowner of controlled discharge of water.
 Email from Charles Dickson-Spain, Chair of ColGlen Community Council:
‘Please excuse this group email, but I wanted to touch base with you all and ask when it was
you last had an Argyll and Bute Councillor from the administration attend your CC meetings?
Have you had difficulty in encouraging them to attend over the last few months? Let me know
your experience please! Many thanks in advance!’
In a return email DN identified at present that only two of the ABC Councillors out of the three that
represent the Cowal area are trying to cover all meetings and in most cases an update is submitted
if a councillor cannot attend KCC.
8. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
None
9. COMMUNITY MATTERS
The Shore Sweepers / Graham’s Point
JH said that the tub at the end of the road is flowering nicely. Still waiting to hear from ACHA re
Grahams Point.
BM identified that there is a change of management at ACHA which may be causing the delay of a
response. BM to raise with new director.
Highgate Hall
The Highgate Hall Committee have submitted the minutes from their meeting on 23rd February and
a summary of the Highgate Hall Progress Meeting, a public meeting held on Wednesday evening
15 th March at Younger Hall, Kilmun which presented the results of the recent survey.

3

The Annual Meeting has been altered to the 26 th April 2023 at Younger Hall, Kilmun to start at
2.30pm. LMcK identified that there was concern amongst the community of the meeting time which
restricted many people to attend. It was highlighted that on approach both the Trustees and Solicitor
were unwilling to make alterations to the meeting time.
Note: All meeting minutes in relation to Highgate Hall can be found on the Kilmun Community
Council website.
Tyneshandon
No further progress has been detected. The attending councillors agreed to look at the situation and
to take forward, although GB identified that ABC has difficulty with staffing within planning
enforcement.
10. DISCUSSIONS A&BC LOCAL COUNCILLOR AND NATIONAL PARK
REPRESENTATIVE,
Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Representative
Cllr William Sinclair reported for the National Park.
WS identified that there was new Planning Regulation – NPF4 - Place Plan. This is to do with
community engagement and that each CC ward can make comment and drive the development of
the Place Plan. Essentially WS described Place Plan as what a community, through community
engagement is looking for in each area in particular to the health and wellbeing of the area, the
environment and what should be protected or developed. So, if for example a planning application is
submitted then the LLNP and ABC Planning Officers would refer to the Place Plan (ward area) to
assist in making a judgement. Identified as an important planning tool and how the community wants
to see future progression of the area. It was suggested that KCC to engage with Ardentinny and
Sandbank Community Councils to develop a ward Place Plan, which in acting together would
provide greater weight. LLNP Officers would assist in facilitating to format the Place Plan. This could
be undertaken either by the Community Council or local development trust.
At this stage BM introduced a new topic out with the agenda with a possible link to planning and
LLNP of a proposal for the cleared land adjacent to Dunselma House at Strone Brae, Strone. BM
identified he had approached ACHA to ascertain if there was an unmet need for housing in the
Strone area and if they would be interested in purchasing the land to build housing. This was driven
by the requirement to attract families to the area for the future survival of Strone Primary School. BM
asked if there was support from KCC. As this was a bit of a wild card, only personal opinions were
expressed, that was for a mixed housing community (social, co-ownership and owner occupier) A
good example of this was a small development at Tighnabruich. WS highlighted this could be the
starter of a Place Plan. After a short discussion KCC concluded its support for ACHA to bring
proposal forward and identify need.
Strone Primary School and Strone Primary Parent Council
No update received.
Note: agenda deviation order
Argyll & Bute Council
GB identified that there is a current consultation by the Scottish Government of the marine areas.
The consultation will close on the 17 th April and is very much only the first stages. GB urged
everyone present to make a response as Argyll & Bute represents 37% of Scotland’s marine area.
WS highlighted that there will be a cross party letter submitted by ABC.
I am also waiting on confirmation as to the council tax status of the building next to the Strone Inn
they are very busy with the new council tax year 230410-000031
Forestry and Land Scotland – Fraser MacDonald

4

Email report received from Fraser MacDonald. Very little change to the previous report. However,
there is a longer timeframe to deal with infected Larch and FLS have had confirmed infections in the
KCC 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 are in the process of being installed on the Black Gates Trail (now
waymarked with Black bands rather than Orange) and around Pucks Glen.
Concerned regarding volume of bagged dog waste being left at Pucks Glen and Kilmun Arboretum
and would encourage owners to pick up waste and take home for disposal. Have contacted Argyll &
Bute Council to ask warden to increase visits to these areas.
Civil Engineering – CE team are hauling stone from Kilmun Quarry to Ardentinny over the next few
weeks. This work is complete for time being.
Road maintenance and upgrade works are also planned on forest road at Kilmun Hill which may
impact on recreational activities for a short time. This upgrade work will be completed this week.
Regarding potential flooding from Kilmun quarry silt mitigation is being put in place around the
quarry to minimise silt entering water courses this work also includes sumps and bunds being
created to act as settling ponds which will be monitored and cleaned out regularly. Water bar
installation will be created below quarry to catch surface run off from quarry floor before entering
water courses.
Younger Hall
No Update
Blairmore Hall
No Update
Historic Kilmun
No Update
11 CURRENT ISSUES
Clachaig Water
GR identified that there is no progress regarding main water supply at Clachaig. However, GR
indicated that the hill owner is looking at a community water system as there is larch to be removed
and in years to come additional timber extraction. Removing individual water supplies would not only
assist the hill owner but potentially help the village itself. This is a very early-stage proposal
presentation that will be brought to the June meeting and hoping all the village residents will attend.
There will be issues and discussions especially around up-take, maintenance, and water treatment.
Possibly a tiny bit of progress of water sustainability for Clachaig. This is very much a collaborative
process between the residents and the landowner.
SSE power lines Dunoon 132kV Overhead Line rebuild Project.
Planning Application has already been lodged, closing date for comments has been identified as 17
April 2023. KCC will take forward the community expression highlighted in the March meeting within
a submission.
13. Any other competent business
Defibrillators
From June McDonald

5

I met with Gill Robertson (who had organised the defib. training at the Burgh Hall last Sunday) at the
Blairmore defibrillator this afternoon. Everything is in order there and she has offered to be the
custodian and will check the battery etc. every month to make sure it is always in working order. I
have registered it with The Circuit but Gill says the one at Kilmun Hall hasn’t been registered yet as
it was maybe pre the Circuit being set up. Does anyone know anything about that?
From Russell Humphreys
Since lockdown, Heart Safe do not provide a servicing department, but advise everyone that they
can easily do it themselves.
That means buying and installing a new battery for the one Brian had and possibly new pads for the
one at Kilmun.
Will get that organised.
PHD has arranged defibrillator training for 21 June 2023 at Kilmun Hall. PHD has contacted Kilmun
Hall representative to seek a waiver to the hall fee as it’s for the benefit of the community and open
to community participation. It was identified that this request would have to go before the hall
committee. However, KCC has funds from the defib grant to cover the hall fees and for finalised
arrangements to go ahead. Posters advertising the course will be posted within the Strone Inn, The
Blairmore and the community halls.
GR attended the recent training set up by 1 st responders on 2 April at the Burgh Hall, it was both well
attended and a good course.
Right of way
The hole in the Right of Way between Westfield and Strone Brae, Strone - see item 6
Correspondence.
Bus timetables
JH emailed West Coast Motors on 21st March ‘23 but has had no response apart from an
acknowledgement of receipt so far.
There has been no response from West Coast Motors. The request was for the timetable to be
restored to pre-pandemic levels, especially the early morning as existing is detrimental to both local
employment and catching a ferry to employment further afield as well as attendance to
college/university. There is also a request for the late-night bus to be restored especially
Friday/Saturday evenings so the Shore Villages residents can attend events locally and in Dunoon.
KB attends the Transport Forum (16 th May) and will table this request for timetable restoration and
questions should be submitted by 1 st May.
Both councillors have agreed to take this forward to West Coast Motors. GB identified that
connectivity is required for vibrant communities and economic growth and that smaller EV buses
may be the long-term solution.
Speeding
MB asked about any updates on the speeding. It was identified it was ongoing and GB was our
champion for this subject and taking it forward. WS highlighted that there was speed recording
equipment in Sandbank at present, DN responded that the Shore Villages and Clachaig would
welcome similar when it was available if in the long-term it would address better speed
management.
Meeting for May cancelled
DN identified that due to a number of apologies from committee members that the May meeting is
cancelled.
Next Meeting

6

Next meeting and AGM– Tuesday 13 th June 2023 @ Blairmore Hall, Blairmore @ 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 February 2023 and summary of March meeting

place this with your text