283 April 2018 - Gryffe Advertizer

kilbarchan, howwood, lochwinnoch & elderslie
44
kilbarchan - howwood - lochwinnoch - elderslie
Let's hear from our Councillors
Cllrs Andy Doig
I have recently contacted the Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, as the
Convener of the all party A737 Partnership Group, on which Lochwinnoch
CC, Howwood CC, and Kilbarchan CC’s are represented, seeking a meeting to
discuss their view on the upgrade of the A737. The A737 is a key economic
artery for West Renfrewshire and I am lobbying the Chamber to add their weight
and infl uence to our campaign.
At the last Planning Board I moved against the planning application by
Williamsburgh Housing Association to build houses on Milliken Road. There
were 120 objectors to this application and Kilbarchan CC formally objected too.
I am not against social housing but it must be in the right place, and I am not
convinced that the access and traffi c problems can be surmounted. However,
the Board voted by 7 votes to 6 to approve the application.
Since I was fi rst elected six years ago I have consistently lobbied the Council for
more money for the villages, so following discussions with the administration I
supported their budget on 2nd March to deliver a new Villages Investment Fund
of £370k and also a new Community Empowerment Fund to help remediate
disused buildings such as the Pavilions in Kilbarchan and Howwood, and the
Annexe in Lochwinnoch.
Councillor Derek Bibby
The decision by Renfrewshire Councils planning board to approve the proposed housing
development in Milliken Road Kilbarchan will both anger, and confuse local residents who
fought against it.
The planning board voted against the same development in March of last year, and it
seems perverse that given the developers have failed to reassure residents on the issues
previously raised, and despite the opposition of all ward councillors this has now gone
through. I absolutely support the provision and expansion of social housing, but am
equally committed to the protection of the green belt. There are many local Brownfi eld
site options that could, and should, have been explored. This decision means that the
protection of the green belt is now no longer sacrosanct, and those other communities
which have similar green belt planning applications, will now be more uneasy at the
prospect of similar decisions in the future.
At the most recent meeting of the Education Board, I moved that the Council should write
to the Scottish Government, to seek a guarantee that they will fully fund the £33 million
capital and revenue expenditure needed to pay for the expansion of early learning and
child care to 1140 hours a year. Unfortunately the request was refused, and the fact
that the Council has only received single year funding, now puts a major question mark
over whether the additional hours will be provided, and if so at what cost to other council
services and council tax payers.
Ironically, at the same Board meeting a grant application by Kilbarchan Community
Nursery for an after school dance class was turned down, only one of two to be rejected
from an extensive list. This was an astonishing decision by the administration, given the
Scottish Government claims that child care and early learning is supposedly a fl agship
policy. Families who use the nursery will rightly be sceptical.
There has been a longstanding problem with dog fouling in the grounds of Howwood
Primary School. I have urged the council to increase warden attendance, and specifi cally
target the school to deal with the problem.
As I write the severe winter weather has returned. One of the implications has been
the disruption to bin collections, with in particular grey bins overfl owing and uncollected
in many areas for 4 weeks. This has highlighted the folly of the proposed reduction to
3 weekly grey bin collections from the Autumn, and while I am supportive of recycling,
common sense should prevail, and grey bin waste collections should remain at 2 weeks.
There has been consternation amongst bus passengers at the recent announcement of
withdrawal of some services, and reduced frequency on others. Services affected are
withdrawal of the 8 the 19 Services, and changes to the 38 from Kilbarchan to Johnstone
and beyond. Together with other councillors, I recently met the management of McGill’s
to urge them to reconsider these proposals. The general travelling public particularly
in Kilbarchan, Howwood, and Lochwinnoch have had enough of de-regulation, and
signifi cantly for the fi rst time, all 43 Renfrewshire Councillors combined at the council
meeting on 2nd March, to call on the Scottish Government to re regulate bus services. - I
hope that the government will listen.
Councillor Bill Binks
the advertizer
Renfrewshire Council are proposing changing community level governance
arrangements (currently these are known as Local Area Committees). At
the moment there are fi ve areas based on ward boundaries. This is to
change to seven based on community council boundaries. So for Ward 9
- Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch and Howwood will be linked up with Houston,
Bridge of Weir and Brookfi eld. Johnstone will join up with Linwood
and Elderslie. The clear purpose of these changes is to achieve social
connections, networks and partnerships across a local area. If you would
like to participate in the current survey that is being carried out and voice
your concerns or otherwise, then you can complete the survey online
at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/communitylevelgovernance or
communityplanning@renfrewshire.gov.uk
It is of some concern to me that the interests and opinions submitted
to Planning Boards by the four Community Councils within my ward, can
be completely ignored or overturned by elected members voting against
those submissions who do not live, in or represent, those wards. A case
in point is the application to construct 18 residential units in Milliken
Road at 8 Nether Johnstone. There were 120 letters of complaint
including a submission from Kilbarchan Community Council against
the proposal. The vote was carried by a majority of 7 to 6 to allow this
development. The three ward 9 councillors myself, Councillor Doig and
Councillor Rodden, that sit on this board voted to reject this application,
subsequently the overwhelming wishes of the community of Kilbarchan
have not been fulfi lled. There needs to be a fundamental change in
the way votes are allocated with more power given to the Community
Councils that speak for the residents in those wards.
The Team Up to Clean Up campaign is fl ourishing with communities and
schools getting involved. If you are organising a clean up in your village
or community and could do with a hand then sign up to the Campaign.
There is a web page that gives you all the information where you can get
clean up packs, posters and leafl ets. I joined our team for a clean up
day in Howwood on the 17th March and though it was bitterly cold we all
enjoyed ourselves and The Boarding House kindly offered us hot soup
and a sandwich for which we thank them.
A new approach to dog fouling is being trialled. Initially dog fouling will be
counted then highlighted using a temporary chalk spray to demonstrate
the extent of the issue and encourage local dialogue. The spray and dog
fouling will be removed within a maximum of 48 hours in partnership
with Street Stuff and by Streetscene. Signage will be introduced along
with temporary art work and Wardens will ensure the area is monitored.
It would be remiss of me if I did not mention the wonderful achievement
of St. Anthony’s Primary School in Johnstone in being chosen as The UK
Literacy School of the Year. Many of the villages, as well as Johnstone,
children go to this school. Jacqui McBurnie (Head Teacher) and all her
staff deserve a big thank you from the community and above all the
parents for doing such a dedicated and wonderful job.
Your Ward 9 Councillors ... for Kilbarchan, Howwood, Lochwinnoch & Elderlsie
My surgeries are as follows:-
Steeple Hall, Kilbarchan - 1st Tues, 6pm
Village Hall, Howwood - 2nd Tues, 6pm
Town Hall, Johnstone - 3rd Wed, 6pm
McKillop Institute, Lochwinnoch - 4th Wed, 6pm
deadline date for our may issue - Friday 13th April - You don’t want to miss it!!