TORRANCE COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
AGM MEETING 17 FEBRUARY 2022
7.30PM, CALDWELL HALL

Present  Attendees
Julie Wilson (chairperson)  Kenny Skimins
Irene McGill (vice-chairperson)  Chris Slowman
Douglas Slowman (treasurer)  Neil Wilson 
Janice Rosie (secretary)  John Main  
Mhorag Murphy (minutes’ secretary)  Alan Brown
 George Kerr
 Denis Bell
 Davie Harris

1. Welcome
Chairperson welcomed everyone to TCI’s 2022 AGM meeting and introduced the Management Committee.

2. Apologies
None.

3. Minutes of AGM 19 April 2021
Proposed by Mhorag Murphy and seconded by Douglas Slowman.

4. Matters Arising (not addressed on agenda)
Installation of young children’s swings was an ongoing matter. Douglas Slowman was considering potential companies that could install them.

Action point – D Slowman to pursue

5. Accounts (treasurer-tabled)
The year to 31 May 2021 returned a profit of £875, but after adjusting for the £1,850 East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) grant that had still to be spent at the year-end, the actual position was a loss of £975. The pandemic had prevented fundraising during the accounting period, plus resurfacing of the road into the park, for which a £10k Lottery grant was received, had cost £10,680.
                                     
The current eight months to date were much healthier, showing profit of £2,320 due to a £1,200 grant from the Flight Path Fund towards new paths and donations totalling £1,960. Main ones were: 

•  Tree planting £225
•  Giving Machine £80
•  Playgroup £165
•  JustGiving fundraising campaign £1,340
•  Baker’s collection box £70

Current expenditure had been on maintenance - covered by football rental income - and path improvements of £842. This meant that £2,208 had still to be spent of the £3,050 grants received in the last 20 months. 

Denis Bell commended the year-end outcome, given various restrictions over the past two years. Donations from villagers were extremely generous and reflected the park’s local identity and its value to the people of Torrance.

6. Appointment of auditor
Jim Horne agreed to continue with this role.

7. Annual report
Chairperson reported that despite covid19 hanging around, it hadn’t prevented the committee from taking forward park improvements. 

TCI did extremely well in securing grants from EDC and the Flight Path Fund. Fundraising activities had been strong, despite the Campsie Show being cancelled for a third successive year. The JustGiving campaign, run by Mhorag Murphy, was a great result from the kind villagers of Torrance. Another unexpected fundraiser was the sponsorship planting of 50 native trees. It was good to see the interest from villagers in this environmental initiative and thanks were conveyed to all helpers. 

Davie Harris was thanked for his ongoing work of emptying the bins, removing litter and for his fantastic creations in the fairy trail. 

Two young volunteers also came on board last year, David and Hamish. They helped with general tasks as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Awards. 

One of the main improvements in the past year was the new path leading into the car park from the road area. Thanks were intimated to Jim Murphy and his son, Neilly, for their input and hard work. A lot of residents had since commented that the path had greatly reduced the mud on their feet while around the park!

Other improvements were: 
•  a basketball hoop installed 
•  new planter made by Allan Kidston 
•  other planters, ornaments and benches repainted 
•  new bins installed for rubbish and dog poo 
•  bug bothy installed by Mhorag Murphy and friends, to encourage mini-beasts

Neil Wilson was thanked for his substantial work on several park improvements.
 
The Easter Egg Hunt and Halloween Party were cancelled due to the pandemic, but decorations were put up for children to enjoy, including some wonderful spider webs with giant spiders! The Christmas tree was growing well and was decorated as usual during the festive period.

Going forward, improved drainage around the football pitch would be a key consideration, as would landscaping the area - to be vacated by the old green portacabin - with a bench, rubbish bin and shrubs. Litter collection days would be held, as normal.

8. Election to the committee
Chairperson intimated that people would be most welcome to join the existing management committee. Ad-hoc volunteers during park work days were also greatly appreciated. 

9. AOCB
Torrance Football Club update
Kenny Skimins reported that all the portacabins were due to be moved to their new position in the park within the next 4-6 weeks. A company that presently sponsored one of the Torrance football teams would undertake the work. The previous company withdrew their offer once delays emerged in the EDC planning process. Chairperson welcomed this information and intimated TCI’s willingness to contribute financially, given their cabin was also being moved.

The football club remained in a healthy position, now with seven teams and 50 boys involved, mainly from the village. Extra coaches were being pursued, although delays in the PVG process were causing issues. Volunteers were helping meantime.

Fundraising had slowed considerably during the pandemic and this was expected to be addressed going forward.

Kenny requested that any future TCI litter collection or work days be on held Sundays to enable the football team to get involved.

Improving drainage on the paths around the football pitch
Discussion focussed on a realistic cost to undertake the work, current drainage pipes (reference was made to an existing plan of the park) and the materials required to ensure resilience. Kenny Skimins offered to check the situation and report back to TCI, given his building trade knowledge and experience. TCI suggested that Torrance Football Club could apply to the Flight Path Fund for financial assistance in their own right. Applications were required to be submitted three weeks prior to the next meeting on 1 April 2022. https://www.glasgowairport.com/about-us/flightpath-fund/

Denis Bell referred to a previous suggestion by Jackie Gillespie that she could arrange for the paths to be widened. Denis saw broader potential in this idea to enable more fitness activities within the park, eg, jogging; cycling.  Discussion followed on a range of possible new initiatives linked to health and fitness:
•  Outside gymnasium
•  Running track
•  Cycling jamboree event
•  Professor Balance sessions for young children learning to ride bikes
•  Orienteering course
•  Children’s mountain bike trail in wooded area 
•  Outdoor music concert
•  Barn dance

Greater activities could help generate more public ownership of the park and ‘additional ‘eyes’ to help with security. The ideas had merit, although public appetite would require to be explored in addition to insurance liabilities/costs and grant options. In this respect, it was considered that some – or all – of the suggestions could be used as leverage in a funding application for widening the paths and improving drainage. 

A working group of interested persons would be necessary to scope the ideas for viability and funds, reporting to TCI. Advice on grants could be sought from EDC or the Scottish Government. Mugdock Park rangers were an additional source of information, as were other existing models. 

George Kerr offered to take away the plans and arrange a survey of the existing drainage. 

TCI agreed to consider a longer-term vision linked to improving the paths, although were mindful of their own resource constraints and the risk of attempting to be ‘all things to all people’, with the unintended consequences that could follow.

Action point – TCI to consider 
Action point – George Kerr to arrange a survey of the football pitch drainage system

Campsie Show
TCI intended to return to the Campsie Show as a fundraising initiative, provided it was going ahead this year. Update – Janice Rosie confirmed that it would be held on Saturday 4 June.

Bollard at entrance to football pitch
Chairperson confirmed that this would be reinstated in due course, mindful that the grass cutter needed room to manoeuvre. A quad bike was seen around the park recently and this could be a potential risk to the football pitch surface.