259 April 2016 - Gryffe Advertizer

42 the advertizer t: 01505 613340 e: info@advertizer.co.uk
kilmacolm
& quarriers
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Le Twinning: Spring Update!
It’s full-steam ahead for the Kilmacolm-Mérignies
Twinning! Over the weekend of 14th May we have
the visit of members of Mérignies Golf Club who will
participate in a challenge match against Kilmacolm. This marks the first official
event of the reciprocal agreement signed last November between the two clubs.
Among the Mérignies golfers will be representatives of the local village council.
To mark the 2nd anniversary of the Twinning, we have decided to gift 4 slates to
Mérignies from the “Our Village” heritage project which was done last year by the
Kilmacolm Civic Trust in conjunction with pupils from the local primary schools
in the village. These were drawings done by the children of buildings and other
landmarks in Kilmacolm. They were then put onto beautiful slates by the Newark
social enterprise in Port Glasgow. We have commissioned Newark to produce
4 slates for us. The slates will be presented to the Mérignies delegation either
in May at the Agricultural Show or in June to correspond with the visit of the
Mérignies school pupils exchange with St Columba’s.
The Village Art Class, Kilmacolm
We’ve come to the end of another year of The Village Art Class. Another very
successful year. All 18 members have enjoyed twenty-two Friday mornings
throughout the winter months when we have greatly benefitted from the short
talks/lessons by our talented tutor.
In October’15 some fellow local enthusiasts joined us for a Demonstration by
celebrated Paisley artist, Robert Kelsey. Encouraged by him, plans were laid to
hold our first public Exhibition towards the end of 2016. (More of that later.)
Class meets for 2 hours on Friday mornings
in the Village Centre (Cargill centre),
September to March, breaking for a month
over the festive season. Space allows only
18 members and places are at a premium,
but a waiting-list is held, and places do
occur occasionally, from year to year. The
atmosphere is a very pleasant one, especially
around the 11am coffee break.
The coming Sept/Dec’16 session will see another well known artist visiting us,
followed by our first EXHIBITION, in the Cargill Centre on 2nd December. Make
a note in your diary, might be nice to pick up a painting for Christmas. Prices
will be modest, but quality will be good! Do come and browse while enjoying
a refreshment. A reminder will come later in the year. Contact: Ruth Lamont,
Secretary. Tel. 01505 872368
Kilmacolm
Spiritualist
Church
Kilmacolm Community Centre,
Lochwinnoch Road, Kilmacolm.
Help every Tuesday @ 7.30pm
(doors open 6.45pm)
BUDGET: Last month the cross party budget working group
agreed the annual council budget. The budget for 2016/17
was set and a provisional budget for the following 2017/18
year was also agreed. The revenue budget for 2016/17 is
£190 million of which £70m will be spent on education
and £49m on health and social care. As part of the Scottish
Government’s £250 million of grants for health and social
care to Scotland’s councils, Inverclyde is receiving over £4
million. The council also approved the capital budget for
the coming financial year of £29m and in 2017/18 this will
rise to £48m. Last month the Scottish Government granted
funding to Inverclyde Council for a share of the refurbishment
of Kilmacolm Primary School and I have found out since then that this funding
amounted to £2.1 million.
REPAIRS: At a council committee meeting last month it was reported that the
repairs to sort the drainage on the Birkmyre rugby pitch will commence soon.
It was also announced that St Columba’s School are generously contributing
towards the drainage work. Thank goodness the council will start the work soon
as it has been a long time coming.
ROADWORKS: Just at a time when Scottish Water complete very lengthy works
throughout Kilmacolm, for the second time, and many repairs and resurfacing
work has been completed and are still ongoing by the council roads services,
last month Ward 1 councillors were contacted by Scottish Gas Networks to let us
know that in April for an approximate six month period they will be undertaking
gas mains replacement in areas throughout the village. Their project involves
replacing 2.7km of old cast iron gas mains with new polyethylene pipe and
approximately 120 gas services supplying domestic customers will need to be
replaced. There is no denying this work is likely needing to be carried out but
surely to goodness if there had been better communication rather than digging
a lot of areas up yet again this could have perhaps been linked in together with
council and Scottish Water works. In the past when I have raised this issue I have
been informed by council officials that they contact utility companies in advance
of any works starting to see if they want to link in and so preventing roads and/or
pavements having to be dug up several times. When I learned about this I thought
“oh no, not again”.
GARDEN WASTE: I would remind Kilmacolm and Quarrier’s Village householders
that the council’s fortnightly garden waste has started as of the end of March. So
please remember to put your brown bin out for collection with your blue one.
My next surgeries will be advertised in the local newspaper, on the Inverclyde
Council website and my surgery posters. Anyone wanting to contact me can do so
by phoning me through my office on 01475 712727 or my mobile number 07747
765 839 or by emailing me at jim.macleod@inverclyde.gov.uk or writing to me at
Inverclyde Council, Municipal Buildings, Greenock, PA15 1LY.
Do you suffer from COPD?
COPD is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. I am a sufferer, and I was
amazed to find out that there are over 50 people in Kilmacolm and surrounding
districts who also suffer from COPD.
Outwith Kilmacolm, most areas have Support Groups, and since I would very
much like to be in such a group I decided to post this notice in The Advertizer
to find out if there are sufficient numbers of us here in Kilmacolm willing to get
together and start up a COPD Support Group. If you are interested please contact
me, Bob McDonald on 01505 872978.
Kilmacolm Heritage Centre – Board
Appointments
Acceptances for Board appointments have now been received. These include
Professor Frank Walker, Graham Roxburgh, Lesley AM Patrick (Quarriers), Mike
Jefferis – (Chairman Community Council), David Wilson (Inverclyde Council), Edwin
Fisher, Jim Wood. The inaugural Board meeting took place on 30th March.