August 2023
KILMUN COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Facebook - @shoresweepersandKCC Website - www.kilmuncc.co.uk
MINUTES OF MEETING
8 th August 2023 @ 7.30PM.
Blairmore Hall Blairmore
Meeting Start -7.30pm
PRESENT; Diane Nicholson (Convenor), Lindsay McKenna (Vice Convenor), Janet Holm
(Secretary), Graham Revill, Lachie Macquarie, Kerris Bone and Mandy Grout.
Also Present: Cllr. William Sinclair (Rep ABC and LLTNP), Malcom Bird, Bruce Marshall, Catherine
Harper, Catriona Darroch, Anne Rodger, Andy Rodger, Lyndsey Greer, Graham Thompson, Jean
Thompson and Victor Sandall, Pauline and David Brewster and 3 visitors.
APOLOGIES Cllr. Gordon Blair (ABC Councillor), Councillor Shonny Paterson (Rep LLTNP), Fraser
Macdonald (Forestry Land Scotland), Peter Hunter Douglas, Audrey Slevin, Russell Humphreys
(Treasurer), Councillor Y McNeilly (Argyll and Bute Council) and Eddie McGunnigal (Cowal Police)
Gordon Holm and Steve Abbott.
This session was recorded for the minutes.
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST:
None
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING:
The 13 th June 2023 minutes were:
Proposed: Mandy Grout
Seconded: Graham Revill Carried
4. MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA
Audrey Slevin was put forward to be co-opted onto Kilmun Community Council. Proposed Diane
Nicholson, Seconded, Lindsay McKenna -Carried
5. TREASURER’S REPORT
Carried forward £3023.76
Income
Expenditure
Stationery and secretarial £100
Funds In
Totals.
General fund £1540.53
Gardening and Shore Sweepers £38.44
Festive Lunch £154.47
SSE grant £1090.92
Directory donations £7.00
Grant from ABC (For new road sign) £56.00
Overall total 2887.76
6. POLICE REPORT
The following report from Officer Reporting: Sgt Eddie McGunnigal was submitted the day after
the meeting.
No. of Incidents reported (Since last meeting)
2
Between 14/03/23 and 09/08/23 there have been 21 incidents actioned to police in the Kilmun Council area,
these include.
5 Assist member of the public calls.
6 Abandoned/silent 999 calls.
4 Police Information calls.
2 Neighbour disputes.
1 Request for a missing person check.
1 Road Traffic Accident.
1 Disturbance Call.
1 Task Incident.
No. of Crime Reports generated (Since last meeting)
4
Breakdown of Crime Reports (i.e. 1 x Assault)
Section 170 Road Traffic Act 1988 - 33-Year-old male from Glasgow area reported for failing to
disclose details of a driver when required to do so.
Section 3 Road Traffic Act 1988 - 79-Year-old female from Fort William area reported for careless
driving after a road traffic collision.
Section 127 Communications Act 2003 - Crime report raised in relation to Face Book comments.
Comments did not meet the criminal threshold.
Section 38 Criminal Justice & Licensing Scotland Act 2010. - 29-Year-old local male issued with a
Recorded Police Warning following a disturbance.
Current Initiatives
Community Speed Watch. Police are still looking for more volunteers to allow a Community Speed
Watch to be set up. Although several people have come forward, we do not have sufficient numbers
in the area.
7 CORRESPONDENCE
Email from Agnes Harvey re parking issues at Blairmore – This was forwarded to Cowal
community policing on her behalf.
Email from Steve Abbott – with concerns about right of way proposal and that he is trained
as a basic life support Instructor.
Email from Fraser Smith re consultation meeting re Argyll Rally 2024 maps and road
closures. Timetables and maps attached to the minutes.
“At the moment this is just a proposal for what we would like to do next year with some slight
changes from last and previous years to try and keep the route fresh.
This year's event was a social media sensation pulling in well over 300,000 unique views
across our platforms and was once again a huge hit with Competitors, marshals and
spectators even with the wet weather on Friday, we want to build on this to bring the Cowal
Peninsula even more into the spotlight.”
8. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
2023/0246/ DET Erection of dwelling house, Glenconner, Blairmore
9. COMMUNITY MATTERS
Possible right of way
Further to last KCC meeting in June, JH was in touch with Loch Lomond and Trossachs NP as there
had been an unintentional mix up and KCC’s name had been used in the survey which was
confusing as KCC was not directly involved. Advice was given by the representative of the `NP and
it was put to the committee that the following wording would be used in the survey and the survey
reissued.
“KCC is acting as a facilitator in the process to collect evidence on the local Right of Way
survey. The CC’s role in this resident-led initiative is wholly without prejudice, and
assessment of evidence will be undertaken independently by the Access Authority (Loch
Lomond & Trossachs National Park Authority).”
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This was agreed by KCC’s committee. The resident group working on this will adapt the survey and
KCC will help with distribution via email etc.
The Shore Sweepers / Graham’s Point
It was advantageous when we had the very warm weather that the tub at the road sign at the end of
the road was self-watering and only needed filled with water each week.
We have an agreement from Blairmore Hall to be able to store the gardening equipment at the back
of the hall that the Shore Sweepers acquired a few years ago from the Argyll and Bute Sustainability
Fund. We will organise this in the next month or so.
There has been no communication with ACHA re Graham’s Point. Lynsey McKenna said that she
can raise this with ACHA for us at an upcoming meeting. Councillor Sinclair said that he can also
help and to email him with details.
Highgate Hall
Graham Thompson said that Highgate Hall is at present on the market for sale and there has been a
good response. There is a closing date of next Wednesday 16 th August. LMC asked how it was
working with the possible right of way? Graham says that it has been noted that there is a footpath
running alongside the hall and within the publicity material this has been highlighted. Graham says
that most of the potential buyers do not object to this. Graham said that most people who has
spoken to and wanting to retain the features of the hall.
The issue of there not being a charity in Strone to be able to receive any of the money that is
released from the sale was raised. This is a situation that needs to be looked at asap. VS said that a
section of the trust stated that money from the sale in addition to going to the shore villages of
Strone, Blairmore, Kilmun and Ardentinny could go to anywhere the West of Scotland. GT said that
it is the aim of the trust that monies raised will be distributed only to the shore villages. A question
was asked about how the money will be accessed by groups and the use of the word distributed. GT
clarified that charitable groups will have to apply for funds for clearly identified reasons.
Tyneshandon
Councillor William Sinclair said that he has registered Tynshandon 230808- 000495 as an unsafe
building to ABC to member services. He has urgently asked the that the teams for structures to
revisit Tyneshandon and looking at how safe it is. When he visited the property a few weeks ago he
was specifically looking at slates on the roof and taking it forward as an unsafe building. The owner
has been spoken to and the situation at present is not pleasant as it does not look as if the owner is
looking to develop the property or sell it. CD asked if a structural survey had been done by the
owner, but Councillor William Sinclair said it had not been done but now it has been raised that
hopefully the structures team will look at this matter urgently. He also said that if there are problems
with slates on the road for residents to report that to him as soon as possible.
10. DISCUSSIONS A&BC LOCAL COUNCILLOR AND NATIONAL PARK
REPRESENTATIVE,
Argyll & Bute Council
Councillor William Sinclair
See above on Tyneshandon.
The council has been in recess for July and there will be more to report next month.
Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Representative
Councillor William Sinclair said that he is still trying to facilitate the place plan which was reported on
a few meetings ago. How you as an area want to see how things could happen in their area?
Forestry and Land Scotland – Fraser MacDonald
KCC received a long report from Fraser who has highlighted changes from his report last month.
The changes are listed below. He has also included maps and a chart which details haulage which
will be attached to these minutes.
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• 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. This site is in standstill due to
breeding bird and won’t start until late summer. It is expected that this site will not start until
September.
This site now on hold until new merchant identified unlikely to start until October
Pucks Glen –. Pucks Pylons currently inactive but will resume early 2023. This site is likely to
resume late April. This site has recommenced and harvesting should be completed by end of June,
haulage will take an additional month to complete.
Harvesting operations now complete only minor remedial work and timber haulage remaining on
site.
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. Only a small amount of timber to be uplifted. Kilmun Hill operations complete.
Kilmun Triangle and OHPL resilience felling will commence early July this will remove infected
timber and clear trees along the OHPL corridor.
Public access along the forest road will be restricted. This site has recently commenced but a larger
felling area has been taken to deal with SPHN area. Waiting on SSE shut down to fell adjacent to
power lines.
Kilmun Arboretum – Plans are being put into place to be able to fell and extract infected Larch above
Riverside Surgery this will take a bit of planning and consultation and likely not to be worked until
later this year or early 2024. No further work has been done on this as yet, site visit planned for
September to look at harvesting infrastructure requirements and specimen trees that would like to
remain on slope above surgery. No discussion as yet with surgery – on my list of things to do.
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. This work will recommence
September 2023
Recent removal of storm damaged/diseased trees on High Road, Blairmore further tree safety
surveys will be carried out and potential rhododendron clearance later this year.
We will be getting the path works and railings fixed on the Big Tree Trail as soon as we can get the
contract awarded.
Benmore Big Tree Trail is now reopened after repairs.
Glenbranter Waterfall trail is currently diverted due to some damaged bridges.
Works ongoing to improve Glenbranter car park signage, traffic flow and reposition of Trailhead to
Main car park.
Ardentinny has been quieter than previous years. Parking Charges relatively well received with a
decent honesty rate.
Both Seasonal Rangers now operating over weekends
No permissions currently approved for August.
A question was asked about the forestry about Kilmun Hill as they did not think that this was not
finished. DN will check with Fraser if this is the case.
Strone Primary School and Strone Primary Parent Council
NTR, School on holiday
Younger Hall
NTR
Blairmore Hall
5
NTR
Historic Kilmun
NTR
11 CURRENT ISSUES
Clachaig Water
Graham R reported – no change.
SSE power lines Dunoon 132kV Overhead Line rebuild Project.
No Update.
Bruce Marshall said he had spoken to SSE at Ardentinny and local lines are going to be moved
before the main ones are put in and they are planning to start work on this next spring.
Councillor William Sinclair said a small update that the National Park planning department has met
with SSE with a request that the height of the pylons be lowered.
13. Any other competent business
Right of way
JH said that the problem is bigger than first thought and that as there is a water course being
affected by this hole. There was some discussion about whose responsibility is to rectify a problem
with a right of way.
Defibrillators
JH has been in touch with the Strone Inn to see where the defibrillator can be installed and to get
estimates for this work.
Bus timetables
No Update
Kerris will attend the Transport Forum but unfortunately it will be the day after the next community
council meeting in September.
Any other competent business
A resident asked William Sinclair to give him a written response on how to change the status of a
road e.g the High Road in Blairmore.
He also wants the refuse department to move the bins from the High Road to the main Shore Road.
Another resident mentioned about safely on the Shore Road, Kilmun especially at the ACHA
playpark in KIlmun.
Meeting end 9.10pm
Next Meeting
Tuesday 12 th September 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(5)
6
Argyll Rally 2024 Proposed Stage maps
Argyll Rally 2024 Road Closure Times
Argyll Rally 2024 Proposed Time schedules
Forestry and Land Scotland Map Update
Forestry and Land Scotland Haulage update
Proposed right of way Strone survey
