Thornwood Community Council
Minute of meeting on 06/05/2025
Partick Free Church Hall
2-4 Thornwood Terrace Glasgow G11 7QZ (6.30pm)
Welcome and apologies
Attendees:
TCC Members
Shaun Conroy (Chair)
Jamie MacBrayne (Treasurer)
Colin Price (Secretary)
Allan Smith
David Garfield
Geraldine Ross-Hargreaves
Séamus Gallagher
Stephen Marshall
Ex Officio Members
Councillor Lana Reid-McConnell (Scottish Green Party)
Other attendees
0 members of the public
Apologies Received in Advance
Madeline Jansen (member)
Nicolas Dear (member)
Councillor Eunis Jassemi (Scottish Labour Party)
Gemma Love (Police Scotland)
Not present
Councillor Feargal Dalton (Scottish National Party)
1. Minutes
Minutes for previous meeting (1st April 2025) — approved
Proposed: Jamie
Seconded: Shaun
2. Police Scotland report
There was no report this month.
3. Matters arising
- Thornwood Primary. 125th anniversary.
Shaun spoke about the working group that met on the 30th. The Annexe are going to play a key role in the anniversary celebrations. Shaun identified funds that had been applied for from Let’s Grow Together, the Participatory Fund, and a very generous donation of £500 from an anonymous donor.
There was discussion about the need for the Nursery Play Area to receive significant investment and discussion about the best way for TCC to help bring this about. It was agreed that an initial onsite meeting involving Lana and Eunis would be the most appropriate way forward at this time. - Phone box removal by Health Centre
This was noted. There are remaining call boxes at the foot of Crow Rd and at the junction of Thornwood Gardens and Thornwood Avenue. It is unknown whether they are working or if anyone uses them. The one at the bottom of Crow Road is in a poor state of repair. - OSB boarding/Hoarding at 19 Apsley Street
Murray Macleod, Building Standards Team Manager has responded to Eunis saying that there has been a change of ownership and they will “write to the applicant and architect to advise of the deteriorating condition of the site perimeter hoarding.” (email 29/4/25) - Speed signs on Dumbarton Road
On Monday 7th April Mark wrote, “In relation to… the interactive speed sign on Dumbarton Road, this is currently being investigated and will be rectified.”
As of 6th May it hasn’t been. - Disabled bay: poor quality road signage
Email from parking services, March 7th, said the contractors had been asked to rectify. Email on 2nd May said contractors had been visiting to do work but couldn’t because of parked cars. A number of such bays need fixing across the city. - Dog fouling fines in Ward 12
In the last five years there have been two in Thornwood. One in Crawford Lane and one in Castlebank Street (FOI response 16th April)
With regard to evidence when reporting dog fouling Mark says, ‘that type of dog, particular street and owners description…There is no expectation to film individuals.’ He also advises reporting it through the app or web. (email 4th April)
4. New CC members’ induction session — Allan
Allan reported that this was a very helpful session. It gave information about the history of Community Councils and the role they play. It was stressed that CCs are the most local tier of democracy. Although, technically, CCs have an elected role, in most CCs people are elected unopposed.
Colin mentioned a document he had come across called ‘Effective Committees & Meetings’.
He agreed to circulate this after the meeting.
https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/Council/The-Deal/Deal-Communities/Effective-Committees.pdf
5. Better Busses Campaign update—Allan
This was reported as a very positive meeting. The SPT consultation is open to 29th May
https://bit.ly/3PPerXr
The campaign was very positive about the strategy. It seems that many lessons have been learned and taken on board from similar strategies in the north of England.
6. Victoria Park Area Partnership update — Séamus
Séamus reported that there was nothing of specific relevance to Thornwood at this meeting. However, the meeting always considers how funds are to be dispersed and reports from the Third Sector are important in highlighting various needs. It was particularly noted that there is not enough for teenagers throughout Ward 12. Lana added that there may be a need to be more strategic thinking.
7. Victoria Park Community Trust update — Colin
Another positive meeting. There will be a ‘Spring into Summer’ event in the Park on Sat 7th June at which CCs can have a stall. We haven’t received any official invitation to this as of yet and given how close it is, and only days after our next meeting, it looks unlikely that we will be involved.
Of particular note was the Trust’s speedy response after Storm Éowyn in January. Their appeal raised a good amount for replacing lost trees and most notably fallen trees were carved, one into a chessboard with two seats. The moral of this is to act quickly if you want to utilise momentum.
8. Thornwood roundabout update
The next working group meeting is planned for later this month (20th/22nd). At this meeting there should be: An updated programme and anticipated consultation dates; Drawings of the latest proposals and a discussion on modelling; The quick wins we’ll take forward this year; High level costs and outline of funding mechanisms to deliver this and potential timeframes.” (email 22nd April)
9. The state of Thornwood : update on various issues.
- Estate agent boards
Colin has enquired why estate agent boards attached to lamposts, etc are not seemingly being dealt with as flyposting despite being reported through the app numerous times. He gave an example of one board that has been reported four times, each occasion leading to an auto-response that it will be removed in 20 days. On two occasions he was told it had been removed when it hadn’t been. As of 7th May it is still there. It was first reported on 25th March.
Colin has written to Mark asking why estate agents are not just contacted and reminded about the law and then fined if they break that law. Mark has responded saying the enquiry, “has been raised with the relevant departments for response.” (email 1st May)
There followed some general discussion about the state of the roads and pavements and the difficulties for carers with buggies, wheelchair users, and the like. It was suggested that when the RPZ map is produced it might include a mapping of all dropped kerbs. - Graffiti on street cabinets
Colin has raised the point that the council has the power to instruct utility companies and others to remove graffiti if it is “detrimental to the amenity of the locality”. Given this, the question is how do we get that to happen.
Mark says the enquiry “has been raised with the relevant departments for response.” (email 1st May) - Proposed monthly walkaround
Lana has agreed to facilitate. David, Allan, and Séamus volunteered for this and their email addresses have been shared with Lana to be passed on to Mark. It was commented that other areas have found monthly walk-arounds very productive.
10. Kennoway Lane
- Letter to GCC concerning relocation of bins in Kennoway Drive
The letter was sent on 6th April . A reply from David McCulloch, Head of Recycling & Waste Management was received on 29th April. This has been circulated to all members. The letter left some questions unaddressed, in particular, Mr McCulloch said he was willing to supply a redacted risk assessment but did not do so. Colin sent a follow-up letter (29th April). This also circulated to members. There has been no further response. - Private Lane Improvement Fund — Colin
Colin reported that a group of residents are in the process of setting up a properly constituted group (the Kennoway Lane Improvement Group) so that the fund can be accessed.
Colin reported that he has also received an email from Martin Kelly, Governance Officer (Information Management), stating that the money from the fund can only be spent on the private half of the lane, not the half owned by GCC. However, Lana reported that she had been assured that this was not so.
Any forward progress on this will require the active collaboration of GCC. - Question whether the deeds for the school lay down any legal obligations for maintenance of the lane.
An FOI response(4th April) failed to answer the question that was asked. An appeal led to the reply that GCC were not required to give the information because “the Title Deeds are available on request and for a fee from Registers of Scotland,” Colin has asked Lana to pursue this with Education. Mark has advised contacting City Property Glasgow. This has been done. As of 6th May there has been not response. - Question whether there was a drainage design/plan when the MUGA was installed.
The video of water flowing freely from the school grounds led to a speedy response (29th April) from Stevie Scott, Head of Property Asset Management,
“The video link provided by the Community Council was passed to a structural engineer for comment. It has been suggested that the drainage lines on the school grounds may be blocked and causing an excessive volume of water to run off the grounds and onto the area of soft ground that slopes towards the retaining wall on the lane.
An officer from Property and Consultancy Services will, therefore, arrange for the school drainage to be inspected for any necessary remedial works. In addition to this, arrangements will be made for the wall to be inspected, with a view to repointing and replacing any missing brickwork.”
An officer from PCS visited the school on the 29 April to speak with the janitor and inspect the areas for any obvious defects.Colin reported that he had been told by a civil engineer with a specialty in water management that it was essential that the drainage issues are sorted before the wall is repaired as the water seepage may be preventing more serious issues.
11. Water seepage from the centre line of Thornwood Drive
Water can clearly be seen seeping from the centre line of Thornwood Drive. Scottish Water have advised that this is a matter for the council. (email 10th April). Mark advised (also 10th) reporting this as an emergency which I did. (ref 23161596) Since then I’ve heard nothing.
12. Ongoing issues
A list of ongoing issues was circulated to members prior to the meeting. It was explained that this list was to serve as something like an aide memoire. It was not necessary to get into detailed discussions as to what was or was not on the list. It was offered as a mechanism to ensure issues that had been raised didn’t get forgotten before they were resolved.
13. Elected Representatives Update
Lana had already contributed to much of the previous discussion, however, she also drew attention to
- Glasgow Climate Week and the event in the City Halls on Monday
https://sustainableglasgow.org.uk/glasgowclimateweek - The rat infestation in Thornwood Park has been reported to Environmental Health. We are still waiting for a response.
14. Adoption of Glasgow Harbour Terraces by GCC — Nic
Deferred until the next meeting.
15. Planning & Licensing – Jamie
https://tellmescotland.gov.uk/tellmescot/pages/notices?mode=postcode&pCode=G117QZ
There have been no relevant applications this month. Questions were asked about the change of use of the Methodist Church on Dumbarton Road and the large extractor attached to a takeaway on Dumbarton Road. There is no information about either of these.
16. Public liability insurance
Jamie confirmed that we now have new public liability insurance arranged with Zurich. Unknown to us GCC normally arranges some kind of liability insurance but have been unable to provide us with the relevant documentation. Money is automatically deducted from our yearly allowance. However, we have been assured that this will not happen next time.
17. Treasurer Report – Jamie
Jamie shared the Treasurer report prior to the meeting. The main things to note was the £300 grant for bulb planning. All the relevant paperwork for the Area Partnership has been completed but there are still some outstanding receipts to be recorded.
In addition we still owe some money for the hire of the hall. This has been set at £35 for some years but will be going up to £40. This was unanimously approved.
18. Questions from the public — none.
19. AOB
David raised two issues
- The state of the roads. Colin reported that many of the worst are in the programme of works for this financial year.
- The lack of a facility for recycling certain plastics. The ensuing discussion showed there was some confusion on the matter and this will need to be addressed.
The next meeting will be on June 3rd 202