General Meeting 2nd June 2025

GOVAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL

MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETING

MONDAY 2 JUNE 2025

Held in the Pearce Institute at 7 p.m.

Present: Esme Clark, Danny O’Neill, John Foster, Reinhild Gorniack, Willie Jones, Robert Preston, Georgina Preston, Annie Morgan, Ruby Kelly (Maslows), Andre Videla, Theresa Johnstone, Cllr R. Bell, Cllr D Hutchison

Apologies: Marie Davidson, Betty Ross, Gordon Mackay, Cllr Alam, Cllr. Dornan, Humza Yousaf MSP, Dr Ahmed MP

Minute taker: John Foster

1. MINUTES OF THE MAY MEETING These were moved as correct by Esme Clark and Robert Preston.

2. MATTERS ARISING

a) Asda Trolleys Our Secretary reported some reduction in abandoned trolleys and indications that the manager was responding to calls and organising trolley collections.

b) Walk around Govan with Jim Ellis Letters had been written all three HAs requesting that an officer join Community Council members and Jim Ellis to identify faults, hazards and required repairs, esp. to pavements and roads. Jim had been conveyed the 2 pm on 11 June and this had been conveyed to the HAs. There had been no response so far to our letters and officers would seek to make contact by phone. It was also agreed that we try to involve the planners leading the Active Travel project.

c) Liaison between local housing associations on housing issues It was hoped to have the opportunity to discuss informally on 11 June and to set up a meeting subsequently to consider mutual issues such as cooperation in finding appropriate housing in terms of household size and also disabilities, esp. as tenants get older, and that this might be done initially through a common application form as well as a joint process for response to subsequent household changes.

d) Shortage of social housing Cllr Bell clarified the point at issue in our May meeting whereby construction firms would revise plans post-planning agreement to reduce or eliminate agreed quotas of social housing – with the Council having little or no legal recourse. This was not, he said, the case. Quotas could be reduced but only by agreement with the City Council and with valid reason.

e) Rent levels being charged for ‘mid-market’ rent properties It had not been possible for a delegate from the tenants to attend – although a detailed account of actions by tenants to oppose the rent increases had now been published in the Govan Letter. There was a commitment from representatives to attend a subsequent meeting.

f) Active Travel, Road Safety and the current condition of roads Cllr Hutchison reported that steps were being taken to re-engage with local communities and undertake new consultations – beginning with community councils. Sustrans had advanced proposals for a £30,000 interim improvement with dropped pavements, bollards and safer public spaces. There was full discussion of possible options that would combine greater access and safety for cyclists and pedestrians and still meet the needs of car owners locally and full and effective access for the increasing number of people coming from elsewhere to view Govan’s historic past. A range of possible solutions were put forward. These ranged from Central Govan Action Plan’s call for a £20m refurbishment of streetscapes and river frontage to the marketisation of parking spaces on public thoroughfares and the comprehensive use of technology to enable speedier and more intelligent responses by traffic light systems. It was reported by our Secretary that traffic lights at the south end of Craigton Road at Edmiston Drive were broken (no longer flashed green for pedestrians). Our Chair noted the flooding of pedestrian crossings both north and south of the Underground station. Councillors explained that normal drain cleaning had failed to dislodge the blockages and it was planned to insert cameras to identify the obstruction.

g) Police Actions at Govan Subway last Summer Lizzie Eldridge was unable to attend (she hoped to report to the July meeting). Our Chair reported that, while some of the court cases had been initiated, he had not heard of any outcomes so far.

h) Naming of the Bridge: Petition to City Council This had still not been scheduled for Committee. Cllr Hutchison said he would make representations to relevant officers.

i) Rights of pre-1989 Scottish special tenants The Minute Secretary reported that he had read the current text of the Housing Bill now before the Scottish Parliament but, despite claims made at the Scottish Parliament petitions committee, found no reference to the rent appeal rights of pre-1989 tenants of housing associations. It appeared the situation remained as set down in the 1984 Act. He had therefore written to Mike Dailly at Govan Law Centre for further legal clarification.

k) Community Cohesion in face of rise in racist and anti-immigrant sentiment It was agreed to prepare materials for scrutiny by the Community Council at a future meeting.

3. REMOVAL OF GRANT FROM URBAN ROOTS & MOOGETY: COMMUNITY ACCESS

Annie Morgan reported that the paid gardener post previously supporting Moogety had now been withdrawn and that facilities for volunteers remained problematic. Some progress had been made to schedule dates for the cleaning of the pond and it was hoped that this would be finished by the Elder Park Festival on 15 August (which had now received a Lottery grant). Cllr Hutchison reported that interviews were in process for the appointment of staff for the Sunday opening of the Library and it was hoped that all would be in place by the Autumn.

4. BUS TRANSPORT SERVICES

a) Strategies for Franchising or Public Ownership Our Chair underlined the five-six year delay in producing the subsidiary legislation on regulations to operate franchising. There remained an unfulfilled promise to complete this legislation within the year. There was subsequent discussion as to how far sufficient funds for the direct buy-out of the bus companies might be secured by Glasgow and other Strathclyde local authorities through a grant sought through the second round of the City/Region Deal programme now being discussed. This might make it possible to replicate the success of the Manchester regional scheme. However, it appeared that the powers of City Regions in Scotland in no way matched those of Manchester or Liverpool and most relevant powers were retained by the Scottish Parliament.

5. ORGANISATION

a) Govan Letter This had now been printed. Royal Mail distribution had begun. The meeting agreed payment of the £470 printing bill for 3,500 copies. Theresa Johnstone suggested a cheaper (and probably more complete) distribution service. It was agreed to investigate. It was also agreed that a large part of the next issue be devoted to the Community Council’s achievements over the 50 years of its existence. This should be ready for distribution in August.

b) 2025 AGM and elections for the next five year term The likely schedule (which the Minute Secretary would confirm with the City Council) would most likely require notices notifying the elections to go out in early in August and application forms to be submitted at the end of August and the election held on Monday 6 October. Confirmation to be sought.

6. OFFICERS’ REPORTS

Chair: We needed to confirm if a letter had been written to our MP expressing our concerns at the serious implications for Govan of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill before the Westminster parliament. We should invite our MP to attend a meeting of the Council at some point when parliament was in recess.

Secretary: Invitation to City Chambers reception to mark the 50th anniversary of Glasgow’s Community Councils. This was in September. All members invited. Names should go to the Secretary.

Glasgow’s image for visitors: Our Secretary stressed the need for greater attention to detail and thoughtfulness. She instanced the use of automated English-accent announcements on buses which rendered Scottish place names unidentifiable.

Treasurer: Our treasurer made arrangements for the payment of outstanding bills.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

7th of July 2025 at 7pm in The Pearce Institute.