Minute of the Meeting of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee, Held on 10 December 2024
Argyll and Bute Council · 11 March 2025
Back to Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee — 11 March 2025 and its agenda
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE HELENSBURGH & LOMOND AREA COMMITTEE HELD ON A HYBRID BASIS IN THE MARRIAGE SUITE IN THE HELENSBURGH AND LOMOND CIVIC CENTRE AND BY MICROSOFT TEAMS ON TUESDAY, 10 DECEMBER 2024 Present: Councillor Mark Irvine (Chair) Councillor Maurice Corry Councillor Graham Hardie Councillor Fiona Howard Councillor Paul Donald Kennedy Councillor Ian MacQuire Councillor Iain Shonny Paterson Councillor Gemma Penfold Attending: Stuart McLean, Committee Manager Ross McLaughlin, Head of Commercial Services Frank Montgomery, Estates Surveyor Mark Calder, Project Manager Colin Young, Strategic Transportation Delivery Officer Claire Hallybone, CARS Project Officer Charlotte Craig, Business Improvement Manager, Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership Sergeant Sean McNee, Police Scotland 1. APOLOGIES The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Gary Mulvaney and Math Campbell-Sturgess. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillor Maurice Corry declared a non-financial interest in relation to item 11 (Expression of Interest – Lease – Helensburgh Pier Regeneration), advising that he is part of the Helensburgh Pier Regeneration Group. Having reviewed the content of the report, he did not feel that there was any substantive decision being taken and therefore advised that he would remain in the meeting during the consideration of this item of business. 3. MINUTE OF THE MEETING OF THE HELENSBURGH AND LOMOND AREA COMMITTEE, HELD ON 10 SEPTEMBER 2024 The Minute of the meeting of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee, held on 10 September 2024 was approved as a correct record. 4. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME Peter Brown, Helensburgh Community Council Would the Chair agree that the Minutes of the Area Committee of 10th September should be amended to include answers to the Public Question session? As the Minutes stand, they record the questions that were asked, but not the answers which were provided by officers directly to the questioners in the weeks after the meeting. These answers were
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shared to Councillors directly, but have not been made public. The Council’s Q&A webpage contains general information about the development, but the community asked questions in public at the Area Committee and they should expect that these answers are recorded in a public document – I trust the Chair will agree that the Minutes are the correct place for that record. The Committee Manager responded that the Area Committee approved the minutes as an accurate record at item 3 of the agenda and advised that even if this question was considered before approving the minute it would have been his advice not to change the minute to include Public Question Time responses which were circulated following the meeting. Mr McLean added that the minute is a record of the meeting held on 10 September and not what transpired following this meeting, with the decision of the Area Committee, at the meeting on 10 September, being that the points raised during Public Question Time were to be answered following the meeting and that Officers update the information and frequently asked questions page on the Councils Website about the Waterfront, confirming that all actions had been undertaken. Angela Anderson, Plastic Free Helensburgh Will the Committee note and act on the following. 1. The charging system for the pier continues to fault, this was also a discussion item at the recent Bute and Cowal Area Committee meeting. 2. Silver bins, agenda item 9. Plastic Free Helensburgh is pleased to find that the bins will be removed. You note, that three have already been removed and that around 18 of the new black bins are likely to be sited over the footings of the silver bins which may reduce costs of removal unless this has been factored in to the estimate. 3. Most importantly, we ask that the Committee take strong regard in relation to the high likely hood of more frequent and more intense weather events due to climate change and the breach of 1.5C temperature rise and the risk to infrastructure. Particularly will the Committee note and act on our concern at the potential reduction to the roads budget and the impact this may have on gully cleaning etc. Currently many gullies around the town and wider district are blocked or slow draining and flooding of roads, pavements, gardens and around houses has continued throughout the summer and autumn causing problems for residents and businesses and likely hood of incurring high cost for damage and repair of both individual and council assets. The Chair advised that he would raise the issue about the pier charging points with the relevant department and provide Ms Anderson with a response to this question following the meeting. The Chair advised that Ms Andersons other questions would be answered by an Officer at the relevant items on the meeting agenda. Councillor Irvine added that he continues to meet with Roads Officers to discuss the status of all road maintenance programmes, including gulley and drainage works.
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Allan David MacFadyen, Rhu and Shandon Community Council Rhu and Shandon Community Council has asked me to raise the issue of culverts in Rhu and Shandon, specifically at the loch side. The issue is the culverts and drainage with the flow from the hillside which is affecting the main dual carriageway from Rhu exit going towards Faslane. The Chair advised that a number of elected members are pursuing the issues of culverts and drainage across the Helensburgh and Lomond Area and that at the relevant item on the agenda the Area Committee would be asking Officers for clarity on these matters. 5. POLICE SCOTLAND UPDATE Consideration was given to an update which provided information on the ongoing work of the Service and information on serious and organised crime; acquisitive crime; road safety and road crime; violent crime; public protection; the new Area Commander; the continued work on pro-actively engaging with the public in the locality; Operation Moonbeam and winter safety campaigns. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee noted the contents of the report. (Reference: Report by Inspector Bart Simonis, Police Scotland, dated November 2024, submitted) 6. AREA PERFORMANCE REPORT - FQ2 2024/25 The Committee gave consideration to the Area Performance Report for financial quarter 2 of 2024/25 (July to September 2024) which illustrated the agreed performance measures for this period. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee noted the performance and supporting commentary as presented. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services, dated 7 November 2024, submitted) 7. ARGYLL AND BUTE HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE PARTNERSHIP - PERFORMANCE REPORT - FQ1 2024/25 Consideration was given to the Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership Performance Report for financial quarter 1 of 2024/25 (April to June 2024). Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee: 1. acknowledged the performance for FQ1 2024/25 (April - June); 2. acknowledged the performance update on the National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes and Ministerial Steering Group Integration Indicators, as at Appendix 1; and
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3. noted Delayed Discharge Sitrep as of 01 July 2024, as at Appendix 2. (Reference: Report by Senior Performance and Improvement Manager, Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership, dated 21 November 2024, submitted) 8. ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES UPDATE The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided links to the recent activities of Roads and Infrastructure Services. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee noted the contents of the report. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services, dated November 2024, submitted) 9. HELENSBURGH CHORD BINS Consideration was given to a report proposing the removal of the silver bins in Helensburgh following representation received from local Members. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee: 1. allocated funds from the surplus CHORD budget to the removal of the operationally unsuitable silver bins; and 2. noted that the future use for the model of the PS ‘Comet’ and for the ‘Flotilla’ of ‘Comets’ is under ongoing consideration by the Helensburgh Outdoor Museum Design Panel. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services, dated November 2024, submitted) The Chair ruled, and the Area Committee agreed to adjourn the meeting for a comfort break at this point. The meeting reconvened at 11.35am with all those present as per the sederunt. 10. ROSNEATH CYCLEPATH UPDATE Consideration was given to a report updating members on the progress made in relation to the Rosneath to Castle Caravan Park junction cyclepath. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee: 1. welcomed the securing of land agreements and funding to enable construction of section of the route within Rosneath in 24/25; 2. supported the preferred option identified for Phase 2 of the route around Camsail Bay;
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3. instructed Officers, subject to securing external funding, to complete development of designs for Phase 2 through Developed Design and Technical Design stages; and 4. instructed Officers to submit a further paper to members on completion of the Technical Design. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth, dated 11 November 2024, submitted) 11. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - LEASE - HELENSBURGH PIER REGENERATION The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided information in relation to an Expression of Interest which has been received from The Helensburgh Pier Company Ltd (HPC). The HPC having been established with the goal of re-opening Helensburgh’s Pier to marine traffic and to sustainably develop the pier to provide economic and social benefit to the local community. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee noted the detailed work undertaken by The Helensburgh Pier Company Ltd and that Heads of Terms had been agreed with officers to work towards the grant of a new lease of Helensburgh Pier allowing the group to seek funding for its phased redevelopment. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services, dated 3 December 2024, submitted) 12. CHARITABLE TRUSTS, BEQUESTS AND TRUST FUNDS The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided details on proposals relating to the ongoing management and proposed distribution arrangements for Charitable Trusts, Bequests and Trust Funds for which the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee are Trustees. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee: 1. noted the financial position of all the Charitable Trusts, Bequests and Trust Funds as of August 2024; 2. agreed to make available all unrestricted funds from the Helensburgh & Faslane Cemeteries Fund to Roads and Infrastructure and thereafter to place a moratorium on the fund; 3. agreed that the ‘John Logie Baird Prize Fund’ prize be limited to £30; and 4. agreed that the Miss Anne Dickson Bequest is awarded on the basis outlined in paragraph 5.4 and defined within appendix 1.
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(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support, dated November 2024, submitted) 13. DRAFT HELENSBURGH AND LOMOND AREA COMMITTEE WORKPLAN The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee workplan was before members for information. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee noted the contents of the workplan. (Reference: Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee workplan, dated 10 December 2024) The Council resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the press and public for the following item of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 8 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. E 1 14. HELENSBURGH CONSERVATION AREA REGENERATION SCHEME (CARS) RECOMMENDATION OF AWARDS Consideration was given to a report which asked members to agree grant awards as part of the Helensburgh Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) project. Decision The Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee approved the recommended grant awards as detailed in the report. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 17 October 2024, submitted)