Welcome to Port William

Minutes of the Meeting held Wednesday 26th July 2023
7:30 p.m. Maxwell Hall, Port William
PRESENT:- Community Councillors – Mr R Sheppard (Chair), Mr D Ballantyne (Treasurer), Mr L Gray
(Secretary), Mr B Mellor, Mr R McElrea, Mrs L McNaught, Dr J Crowther,
Elected members – None
Members of the Public – Mr T Cottam, Mr S Mellor
Apologies – Mr R Davison, Mr J McMaster, Mr P Corrigan
1. Declarations of Interest: Mr D Ballantyne and Mrs B Mellor as members of bridge club
2. Police Report – Report received – 0 incidents for month of July 2023
3. Minutes of the last meeting – Final draft has not been finalised due to amendment required, to
be redistributed and seconded via email.
a. Proposer – Mrs B Mellor
b. Seconded – Dr J Crowther
4. Matters Arising from previous meeting:
a. Enquiry for paid garden service from DGC – no longer available following COVID
lockdowns
b. Garnets Walk – DGC confirmed a contractor has been tendered to maintain the core
path, this is to be completed by 1st August 2023.
c. Hosting talks – anyone wishing to make a talk/presentation should notify the secretary
via email prior to meeting. All members of the public are welcome to meetings and can
raise questions or issues at AOCB.
d. New Benches – 6 new benches and 1 picnic bench have been placed in Port William
and Mochrum. Members of public have commented on the nice new benches to Mrs L
McNaught
e. Meet your Community Councillors – Tea/coffee meeting to be discussed at the next
meeting.
f. Federation funds – TBC by Mr A K Sutherland, Chair of Federation
5. Treasurer’s Report – Total in bank: £3,212.85.This is made up of the
following:Admin.Fund–£1,033.01, Village Improvements-£1,534.57, Carscreugh Wind
Farm-£453.27, Kilgallioch Fund-£200.00 and Place to Be–Debit of £8.00.
Port William Primary School has cashed a cheque for £300.00.We have received the first part
of our D&G Council Grant for Port William–£543.60. Mochrum–£300 still to be received.The
wishing well has paid us £40.50 and thank you to Jock McMaster for doing speedy repairs.Only
payment this month was to Maxwell Hall –£20.00 for the use of the supper room.
Expression of interest forms were submitted to D&G Council, towards payment of a special
discretionary Grant.The D&G Grant is paid annually for payment towards the purchase of Xmas
trees and lights in Port William , Elrig and Mochrum .MADAG make their own claim for
Monreith. Approval required to pay the total grant ie £843.60 ,when received ,to Port William
Community Association as they purchase and erect the Xmas trees and and village light
decorations.This of course is subject to receipt of paid invoices and requesting the Association
for any publicity material thanking the council for the funds. A report will be returned to the
Council showing fund use in January 2024.

Approval granted for £843.60 to be issued to Port William Community Association
6. Correspondence –
a. Mochrum Noticeboard – received complaint the noticeboard is falling off hinges. A new
NB to be costed up and be considered for next WF funding round.
b. Wishing Well – J McMaster has repaired the wishing well for now, the handle and bar for
the bucket. The well is in need of some TLC, a fresh lick of paint and potentially a new
roof. Discussions on adding a design to the bottom of the well either via the school or
local artist. Dr J Crowther to look into.
c. Christmas Brochure received address to Mr J Gray – no action required.
7. Kilgallioch and Carscreugh updates – R McElrea, money is received through microgrant and
going forward we do not need to apply for next year’s funds. Going forward we are unlikely to
receive regular correspondence. This is good news and removed a lot of paperwork, however
we will still be required to report on how the money is spent from the previous years.
a. Due to a new picnic bench being placed by DGC, the funds saved have now been freed
up. £453.27 – Carscruegh Wind Farm.
b. Bridge Club – The bridge club has requested funds to buy new tables as the current
ones are dated. Each table costs £150, the Chair proposed we allocate £300 for the
cost of two new tables for the club. No objections were received, proposed by Dr J
Crowther, seconded by Mr R McElrea. The bridge club has been granted £300.
Treasurer to issue funds. £153.27 remains in the Carscreugh fund.
8. Planning Applications – None
a. Do Community Councils receive short let notifications from DGC – Mr L Gray has not
seen any correspondence for short lets and they do not appear on the planning
notifications.
9. Place Planning – Dr J Crowther provided an update on Place Planning for this month.
a. Chris Churns has been a great help and JC is appreciative of this. The audit has now
been completed from Maxwell Hall to Kings Green. Audit carried out by J Crowther, R
Davison, J Edgar, and M Auld.
b. CC has created a spreadsheet to document all the findings and JC has typed a
description document to go alongside. This information will appear on the Place Plan
and include a map of the area being considered.
c. Secretary to receive email for public consultation funds – a meeting is to be arranged for
middle of September for public consultation. To look at availability to host meeting at
Maxwell Hall.
d. There is a pot of money we can apply for in organising community interest and getting
togethers. When the Place Plan is written up, we won’t have a pot of money so will have
to apply for funding as a Community.
e. Third Sector DGC can help within finding funds and grants, but as a Community
Council, we are limited in applying for funding. It requires either a charity, SCIO or trust
set up for the Place Plan – to be discussed at a public consultation meeting. Potentially a
Place Plan committee or steering group. Port William Development Trust was formerly
set up but is not active currently.
f. For anything to be considered for development, it needs to be documented in the Place
Plan.
g. Social media response and access to Place Plan included in a QR code which can be
put on a website, FB page, and advertised on Noticeboard and local newsletters.
h. Councillors have agreed that Dr J Crowther has authorisation to apply for Local Place
Plan funding on behalf of the Community Council.
i. I would like to takethis opportunity to thank Dr J Crowther for coordinating the work for
the Place Plan.

11. A.O.C.B. –
a. Harbour Car Park – There is a hole in the car park, Harbourmaster has checked this,
DGC have said it’s not their responsibility. Hole getting bigger needs to be escalated and
fixed.
b. A recycled plastic bench at the car park is starting to peel – JC has emailed the company
who made the bench, awaiting their response.
c. Monreith Arms – compliments to new owners, the building is looking great with the
refurbishment works and rendering.
d. D Ballantyne – compliments to the Secretary for the new document templates for the
Community Council
e. Old Mill – To be raised with Emma Harper, who takes interest in derelict buildings in
D&G.
f. T Cottam – the playpark in Bowling Green road has received upgrades however no
consideration for toddler age kids – L Gray to raise with DGC.
g. L Gray sent apologies for the next meeting being held on 27th September 2023. A
couple of other councillors apologised, L Gray proposed we move the next meeting to
4th October 2023. This was agreed, no objections. T Cottam has booked this for PWCC.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8:55pm – There is no meeting in August.
Date and Time of the Next Meeting – Wednesday 4th October 2023.