Sauchie Community Group - Minutes December 07 - (50) Present K Turner N Pollock A Airnes S Gruar R Cammack C Wright F Orr M Comrie Anne Irvine Andy Irvine M Freeburn C Weld S McKean S Munro G Cummings M Mitchell F Mackenzie H Mackenzie J Gallacher E Conner S Paterson N Paterson E Davies M Bradie S Allan L Gibson T Reynolds L McLellan N Archibald L Turner G Foxton A Tapsfield E Tapsfield T Mcintosh J Connor J Paterson M Michie E Lindsay M Horne E Rodgers D O'Donnell A Robertson J Cameron W Martin J McKeown A Graham Council G Womersley A Newbigging M Fox M.S.P. Keith Brown Apologies M Lindsay E Fraser G Fraser D Stewart S Gilchrist M Graham H Fleming J Durham E Dick R Kane M Muir M Duffy J Allan Minutes Proposed S Allan Seconded M Bradie Matters Arising # None Guest Speaker Mary Fox gave the following report on the new years Activ8 Programme, This will run till the end of March On a Wednesday night is the Women and Girls Group, during the day there will be an Over Fifties Group which will include tea dances, keep fit, carpet bowls board games etc, There will be involvement from the Health Board for young people to give them advice on how to look after themselves. For teenage boys there will be physical fitness which will run for eight weeks which will include health checks, boxacise, soccasize, martial arts etc. this will be in the first hour and the second hour will be play stations d.j. workshops, Nintendo Wii, photography etc. For young parents and their children there will be a Drop In for advice with baby massaging etc. Their will be a Youth Action Group which will be funded through the Youth Council, The Action Group will be set up by Alan Newbigging. Junior Youth Club for Primary 4-7, Cycling has been put back to February - March. There will be computer classes in the Library twice a week for beginners or advanced. There is a proposed Fun Weekend at Easter similar to the one last year. The Second Guest Speaker was Keith Brown M.S.P. Keith gave the following talk, He highlighted the size of area Ochil Constituency sits including the three council footprints and double health boards etc, He also told us his office was in Mill Street Alloa, You can contact by visiting the office, phone, email etc. He said he was enjoying being an M.S.P. and the range of things he has to do, it is also good to be able to help people either by direct action or putting someone in the right direction for the help they need. He highlighted a new initiative for teenagers where monies seized through drug crime would be reinvested in youth discos and the like, this could amount to one million pounds across Scotland. The debates take place in the Parliament Wednesday afternoons and all day Thursdays. Keith is Convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee Which looks at the conduct of M.S.P.s which has complaints passed on from the Standards Commissioner, It also deals with the procedures in the Parliament, it also appoints people on to public bodies and ensures that these appointments are fair. He is in the constituency on Mondays and Fridays he also has surgeries and has joint working at times with Clackmannanshire Council such as working together to have the new bridge over the Forth named the Clackmannanshire Bridge. The Parliament is working on the abolishment of prescription charges and toll charges on the Forth Bridge, There is also the extra money to Councils to cap the Council Tax as well as letting Councils choose themselves what they spend their monies on. He said he was enjoying his work as an M.S.P. he also said that in a recent survey the public rated Councillors as being the most trustworthy which he said was due to them being more local than M.S.P.s M.P.s or M.E.P.s as well as their hard work and dedication in difficult circumstances. QUESTIONS to Keith - When will the A9 be upgraded to dual carriageway A) unlikely that it would be fully completed in the next four years although parts of it have been done plus there was a division in Parliament with the Government opposing the new tram lines in Edinburgh but the other Parties voted it in, which has a knock on effect on other projects including the A9 Q) How could Scotland survive on Independence, where would the money come from, A) At the moment all tax money goes south, With Independence all tax money raised here stays here as applies to all countries the world over small or large.. Q) Why is it important to name the new bridge Clackmannanshire Bridge, A) Apart from anything else it helps to put Clackmannanshire on the map and encourages people and business to be based here. Q) Will there be a new batch of regeneration money coming for the next three years, A) I will find out if there is, how much and for how long it will run. Keith finished off by offering to give the Group members a tour of the parliament at a suitable time in the near future. Police Report None this month Councillors Report Gary gave the following report. Gary welcomed the new freedom to spend the Council monies on projects that local Councillors feel are important instead of having most of their money ring fenced, this is a view expressed by Councillors from all Parties. Gary informed us that the Scottish Governments Finance Minister John Swinney has ruled out allowing Councils to merge although some services could still be involved in joint working. There are reviews under way and these are for schools, leisure and assets which should come to a head during January. The cost of the new p.p. schools is 64 million but the total cost to the Council will be 200 million, though there are additional cost that are over the above monies for example, whiteboards, lockers etc, the cost of which must come from the existing Council budgets. There have been a number of complaints about mud on Fairfield Road emanating from the new hospital site, this is being monitored. There is money available from Railways Scotland which the Community Group could apply to carry out a Sauchie project. There is a paper coming to the Council in January to discuss the pot of money to be spent in Sauchie on youth projects. And the good news about the land that the Community Group has been trying to secure at the rear of the Resource Centre, This has been passed by the Council and this will allow the Community Group to press on with the planned extension. Q) Is there any plans to route people through from Stirling swimming pool to Alloa Leisure Bowl and could this not have a knock on effect on Alloa users. A) I am not aware of this plan but I know there was plans to promote the Alva swimming pool to a more prominent role as it was the only pool suitable for swim classes and training in Clackmannanshire, I will enquire in to this further. Gary was thanked for having the shrubs removed from the roundabout at the top of Whins Road. Q) Are there plans to close the Alloa Leisure Bowl and move it down the bottom part of Alloa. A) As was said above there are working Groups that are looking at the whole leisure strategy but I will ask about this issue. Q When will a light be placed outside 100 Main Street at the back door and when will a light be place on the lane between Ten Acres and Abby Craig Road, A) A line was issued for the light and I will chase it up I will also now look at the light in the lane issue. (KT) will also send letters. Leisure Report Laura gave the following report, The Christmas dance with vocal duo The Robins is selling fast. The members night on the 22nd December in the Resource Centre is now fully booked. On Monday 31st December is The Hogmanay Dance with Keyboard player and singer Mark Walker. Sold Out. On 22nd February in Sauchie Hall is the vocal duo Second Nature with music and songs from the sixties to present day, 8pm-11.30pm - doors open 7.30pm. On the night there will be a Bar and raffle, Tickets are £5 with kids tickets free. For the rest of the year we plan Frank Curran Big Band in April - To be arranged. Bus trip in July - to be arranged. Alexander Brothers in September - To be arranged. Abba Mania on Friday 17th October in Sauchie Hall - Confirmed. The Christmas Dance - The Robins - 12th December - confirmed. A.O.B # Challenge 2008 is launched to find yet more members also to set up a database for people who attend our social events so we can contact them and let them know what events we are running in order to sell more tickets with greater ease. # There are pot holes in Branshill Road yet again, Also paths in poor condition in Newtonshaw, Lights not working at Hallpark Fairfield Road junction, (KT). # Main Street issues, Still awaiting responses from Julie Hamilton which is now more important due to the relocation of the lollipop person from the top of Sauchie to the traffic lights at the bottom of Main Street, We will pursue a proper crossing at the top of Main Street as a priority. (KT). # Old Sauchie School site, We took a vote to gauge the feelings of those present as to their thoughts on the potential demolition of the old school building, of those present only one favoured demolition, all others wanted the building saved if possible. I will contact Ochilview Housing Association and use this vote to persuade them to come to the January meeting if they want our support. # The old Fairfield School, We would like the Council to carry out a consultation with staff and parents at Sauchie Nursery School to see if a move to the Fairfiled School would be an acceptable and sound idea, We believe that it would safeguard the Nursery's future and save the Fairfield building from demolition, it would also be much safer to drop children off at the school. (KT GW DS SO). A vote was taken to save the building from demolition this was unanimous. # Many thanks to all those who returned the questionnaires. # Still no signs at Mansfield Avenue highlighting No Ball Games (KT DS). Date of next Meeting Thursday 24th January 7pm in the Resource Centre. (KT)