Councillor Andy Steel (Renfrewshire Council); Councillors Innes Nelson and David Wilson (both Inverclyde Council); Ross Anderson (Scottish Rural Property & Business Association); Kerry MacKendrick (Lochwinnoch Community Council); Graeme Randall (Sport Scotland); Douglas Blair (Largs Community Council); Sybil Simpson and Nigel Willis (both Save Your Regional Park) and Roger Hissett (Scottish Wildlife Trust - Ayrshire Branch).

Councillor Innes, Chair, presided.

D Gatherer, Interim Regional Park Manager; and Elaine Currie, Senior Committee Services Officer and K O’Neill, Assistant Democratic Services Officer (both Renfrewshire Council).

Members were advised that both Fairlie Community Council and Save the Gretas had intimated that they wished to be become members of the Consultative Forum.

The Chair proposed that both organisations become members of the Consultative Forum and this was agreed.

DECIDED: That both Fairlie Community Council and Save the Gretas become members of the Consultative Forum.

The Interim Regional Park Manager advised that he had forwarded the draft document relative to the development of off-road cycling within the Regional Park to Forestry Commission Scotland for comment.

DECIDED: That the matter be noted.

Councillor Todd Ferguson (North Ayrshire Council); Donald Cochrane (Scottish National Farmers Union); Gerry McAuley (RSPB Scotland) and Patricia Perman (Largs Community Council).

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Consultative Forum held on 1 September 2017.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

There were no matters arising.

DECIDED: That it be noted that there were no matters arising.

Under reference to item 5 of the Minute of the meeting of this Consultative Forum held on 1 September 2017 Douglas Blair, Largs Community Council advised the Forum of the up-to-date position of the Environmental Impact Assessment in relation to the forestry application for Halkshill and Blairpark.

He intimated that representatives of Forestry Commission Scotland and the applicant would meet with Largs Community Council on 13 December 2017.  It was proposed that details of the meeting be issued to members of the Consultative Forum should they wish to attend.  This was agreed.

It was further proposed that the update provided be noted; that a further update be provided at the next meeting of the Consultative Forum to be held on 16 February 2018; and that the Interim Regional Park Manager contact the John Muir Trust to make them aware of the meeting being held in Largs on 13 December 2017.  This was also agreed.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the update provided by Largs Community Council be noted and that a further update be provided at the next meeting of the Consultative Forum to be held on 16 February 2018;

(b) That details of the meeting be issued to members of the Consultative Forum should they wish to attend; and

(c) That the Interim Regional Park Manager contact the John Muir Trust to make them aware of the meeting being held in Largs on 13 December 2017.

Under reference to item 7 of the Minute of the meeting of this Consultative Forum held on 1 September 2017 it was noted that no responses had been received from planning officers in the three member councils and that a report on this matter would be submitted to a future meeting of the Joint Committee.

 

 

It was proposed that the Head of Planning and Housing Services, Renfrewshire Council be requested to submit a report relative to this matter to the next meeting of the Joint Committee to be held on 16 February 2018 and that it be noted that the Chair would raise this matter with planning officers from Inverclyde Council.  This was agreed.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that no responses had been received from planning officers in the three member councils and that a report on this matter would be submitted to a future meeting of the Joint Committee;

(b) That the Head of Planning and Housing Services, Renfrewshire Council be requested to submit a report relative to this matter to the next meeting of the Joint Committee to be held on 16 February 2018; and

(c) That it be noted that the Chair would raise this matter with planning officers from Inverclyde Council.

Under reference to item 9 of the Minute of the meeting of this Consultative Forum held on 1 September 2017 it was noted that the review of the Minute of Agreement was ongoing and that the Head of Planning and Housing Services, Renfrewshire Council would submit a report to a future meeting of the Joint Committee. 

It was proposed that as this matter had been ongoing for some time, the Head of Planning and Housing Services, Renfrewshire Council be requested to submit a report to the next meeting of the Consultative Forum to be held on 16 February 2018 on the current position of the review of the Minute of Agreement. This was agreed.

DECIDED: 

(a) That it be noted that the review of the Minute of Agreement was ongoing and that the Head of Planning and Housing Services, Renfrewshire Council would submit a report to a future meeting of the Joint Committee; and

(b) That as this matter had been ongoing for some time, the Head of Planning and Housing Services, Renfrewshire Council be requested to submit a report to the next meeting of the Consultative Forum to be held on 16 February 2018 on the current position of the review of the Minute of Agreement.

Under reference to item 10 of the Minute of the meeting of this Consultative Forum held on 1 September 2017 the Interim Regional Park Manager advised that he had been in discussion with the Tourism Officers at both North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire Councils.  He had still to discuss this matter with the Tourism Officer at Inverclyde Council.

He further advised that there was currently no budgets available for park signage at North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire Councils and that he would now look at other funding streams for the provision of park signage.

It was proposed that the Interim Regional Park Manager investigate the possibility of establishing a ‘Friends of the Regional Park Group’ who would not only raise funds for projects such as park signage but also raise the profile of the Regional Park and report back his findings to a future meeting of the Consultative Forum.  This was agreed.

DECIDED:

(a) That the update provided by the Interim Regional Park Manager be noted; and

(b) That the Interim Regional Park Manager be requested to investigate the possibility of establishing a ‘Friends of the Regional Park Group’ who would not only raise funds for projects such as park signage but also raise the profile of the Regional Park and report back his findings to a future meeting of the Consultative Forum.

Under reference to item 6 of the Minute of the meeting of this Consultative Forum held on 1 September 2017 the Interim Regional Park Manager advised that additional accommodation would be required in order to facilitate the introduction of cross country skiing at Castle Semple.  He would continue to investigate all options and report back to the Consultative Forum if the situation changed.

DECIDED: That the update provided by the Interim Regional Park Manager be noted.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the Consultative Forum would be held at 10.00 am on 16 February 2018 in Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley.