News
Views are being sought as part of Police Scotland's and the Scottish Police Authority's Consultation on their refreshed Joint Strategy - 'Policing for a safe, protected and resilient Scotland', which aims to set the future direction for policing in Scotland.
The strategy takes an outcome-based approach. The five strategic outcomes laid out provide a sharp focus on the key strategic challenges and opportunities facing policing and the wider public sector. Through ongoing conversations with the public, partners and their people, they have taken account of feedback provided so far, shaping the design and delivery of policing now and in the future, and considering the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Key areas of focus include:
Their purpose to keep people safe in both the physical and digital world with further development of the policing response to cyber threats and cyber enabled crime;
Prioritising the wellbeing, safety and protection of our people;
A renewed emphasis on partnership and pro-active prevention, including a focus on joint service design to tackle complex public safety and wellbeing challenges;
Embedding a policing service that is delivered locally, drawing on the assistance of national assests; and
Emphasising the action to address environmental and climate change issues.
A period of public and stakeholder engagement is currently underway and will run until 2 March 2020. They will be collecting feedback via the Citizen Space survey platform which can be accessed here:
https://consult.scotland.police.uk/consultation/policingforscotland/
Rubber Chicken Theatre staged hit musical The Wedding Singer from scratch in a remarkable 11 hours and 59 minutes! The turnaround and performance at Stirling’s MacRoberts Art Centre on Sunday has been recognised by Guinness World Records. A cast and crew of nearly 200 people aged eight to 70 took part in the challenge.
Creative director Pamela Mackie said: “From the moment we opened the mystery box of scripts at 7.30am to find out what show we would be putting on, until curtain up at 7.30pm it was all hands-on deck. We had just 12 hours to pull together the entire show, from learning lines, songs and choreography, to organising costumes, lighting, sound, set and props. We’ve done a show in a week before, but nothing can prepare you for a once in a lifetime challenge like this. There might have been a few ruffled feathers, but our chickens kept their heads about them to pull the challenge off.”
Rubber Chicken Theatre was announced as the new world title holder by adjudicator Sofia Greenacre. The company shaved two and a half hours off the previous world record set by an American production last year.
Ms Mackie said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved as a theatre family today. It was a huge team effort and we’re feeling on top of the world.”
The COUNCIL made The Stirling Council (20 mph Speed Limit) (Consolidation and Amendment No 44) Order 2019 under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended) on 14-2-20.
This Order proposes to introduce new 20-mph Limits on Argyle Grove, Glen Road and St Margarets Drive, Dunblane,
All restrictions are being introduced in the interests of public safety.
A COPY of the Order, may be examined at the Council's Offices, Endrick House, Kerse Road, Stirling, by quoting Ref No TM/6 – SRO/2019(263)
Anyone wishing to question the validity of this Order, should write to the Court of Session with six weeks of 14-2-20."
DUNBLANE has plugged into Scotland’s longest electric vehicle ready rout with the installation of charging bays.
Text from Stirling News
Stirling Council installed the four rapid and another four slower charging bays at Springfield Terrace as part of an eco-friendly drive.
These chargers will now form a part of the wider Electric A9 project, which seeks to help drivers in rural and urban areas access the benefits of driving electric vehicles (EVs).
Plans are for the route to stretch from Falkirk Stadium in the south all the way to Scrabster Harbour in the north, some 270 miles.
Councillor Jim Thomson, convener of the Environment and Housing Committee at Stirling Council, said: “Electric vehicles are the future and we will deliver a range of initiatives over the next couple of years that will demonstrate to Stirling residents, commuters and visitors our commitment to preparing for the inevitable move to a green energy transport system.
“Dunblane becoming part of the Electric A9 project further strengthens the national network of chargepoints that are vital in supporting the growing number of EV drivers in Stirling and across Scotland.”
Tom Casey, director of Discover Dunblane, added: “The installation of the EV chargers is another significant step for Dunblane in improving accessibility to the town centre area in a way that is supportive of environmental sustainability.
“We would also like to thank Stirling Council for their support in securing funding and overseeing installation.”
The Allan Water Improvement Project works with landowners to engage sustainable land management in the Allan Water catchment with an aim of using nature to benefit rivers. Working with land managers to improve land use activities will have multiple benefits for the river, its wildlife and the communities which are located along the Allan Water supporting a range of activities such as farming the land more sustainably, improved resilience to flooding through NFM benefits and recreational opportunities such as angling, walking and more.
The Project seeks to work with land managers to provide support and advice to deliver Natural Flood Management benefits, improvements to the river to meet Water Framework Directive requirements and seek opportunities for multiple ecosystem benefits to the environment of the Allan Water catchment.
The project has completed multiple improvements to the Allan Water with the support of local land managers
Below you will find links to the proposed plans from the Carman Foundation for a water garden on the meadow behind the Braeport Centre. This will require planning consent.
Any questions regarding this plan should be addressed directly to Bill Carman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
It would also be helpful, however, to get a sense of how people feel about this project - if you could email a brief for or against response back to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. it would be much appreciated
Friends of Holmehill
CFSLA is the local payroll lottery for local authority staff in Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling
They support charities, community groups and staff fundraising activity by providing grants of upto £500.
With the closure of this Dunblane 'institution', we send Graham and Elizabeth all our best wishes.
More...
Local charity, the Carman Family Foundation, have been the owners of Holmehill since mid 2018. Bill & Celia Carman live in Dunblane - see their webpage.
They have decided to make grants available to projects in Dunblane which improve public areas for wildlife. At this stage, they are seeking expressions of interest.
The Charity's press release says:-
The Carman Family Foundation has the main aim of improving the environment in public areas. Our first (and ongoing) project is Holmehill. While the Holmehill project develops we would like to support projects that further our overarching aim. In particular, we would like to give some focus to improving those areas so wildlife (insects, birds, amphibians, mammals) will follow.
There are areas of Dunblane that could become more “wild” and improve their value to wildlife. It would also reduce the maintenance required. Apparently small changes can make a difference. For example:
- Grassy areas can be turned into “meadows”, so improving them immeasurably (in our view) and reducing maintenance (they only need a strim once a year).
- A few trees here and there can make a big difference to the environmental value of a patch of land.
- There aren’t enough ponds in Dunblane.
We realise ownership of land can be an issue, but even Council-owned areas are often available for improvement if the Council is not required to support the improvement financially. There are verges along roads, small pockets of woodland – in fact many areas can be improved if one thinks broadly enough. Applications can be made by charities, community groups and others. Any grant applications need to show how the work will provide public benefit.
We prefer the work is done by volunteers, so reducing the cost overall. All other justified costs, including hire of machinery, would be covered.
However, we are unsure about the level of interest in such a scheme and we also need to work out how to manage the scheme from a legal perspective. Hence this is an initial request for expressions of interest. If you think your project fulfills these aims, please send us a paragraph outlining what you want to do, where it is, what the benefits would be and how much you think it might cost – by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
During the Your Stirling: You Decide process, the proposals below were successfully voted for by local people. You can also see updates on these and other proposals on the council website.
Outdoor Gym in Dunblane (DBA19)
To create an outdoor gym, preferably in a central location e.g. Laighhills, Drying Green or Braemar Park.
The Delivery Group can now reveal the final Outdoor Gym. The outdoor gym will consist of 12 pieces of hydraulic and resistance exercise equipment (see below) some of which is accessible and user friendly for people with disabilities. Laighills was selected as the park for installing the equipment as Braemar is not Council owned and Newton could not be used due to fl ooding. The successful proposal is now being actioned and will be fully installed by the end of June 2020
Create a Safe Walking Route in Dunblane (DBA2)
Resurface footpaths in Dunblane so that they can be used by people with impaired mobility.
A number of paths were suggested by the community and the Delivery Group can now reveal the path upgrades that are going ahead are The Haining, Perth Road / Beech Road path and the Perth Road / Four Ways Roundabout path. The successful proposal is now being actioned and will be fully installed by the end of June 2020.
Accessible Toilets (DBA1)
Initial meeting - 12 September 2019
Discussions took place with delivery group on types of accessible toilets and the possible locations including issues relating to them such as loss of existing toilets.
Meeting - 26 September 2019
More discussion took place on the public understanding of accessible toilets and the group had further discussions on locations.
Meeting - 31 October 2019
Discussions took place on the three locations being considered. Architects have been commissioned to carry out site surveys and report back on feasibility and accessibility. Feedback will be available late January when a meeting will be organised.
The walk was organised in response to plans by Glassingall Estates Limited to build a 135-unit chalet park on the estate. The Stirling Observer first reported on the proposals by Ann Gloag to develop a 135-chalet park and residential activity centre on 28 August 2019: ‘Tycoon is behind outward bound bid’.
Jo Bicheno, who inspired the idea of the walk, said, ‘We wanted to do something positive as a community. We kept bumping into people that were upset about the proposed development. They were concerned that the community would lose a valuable place where they come for peace and relaxation. We wanted locals to see the wonderful things we see every day before they are gone.’
Glassingall Estate is one of only a few areas in the Allan Water catchment that has Ancient Woodland. Many protected species have made the estate their home including bats, red squirrels and water voles. There are also nesting birds on the RSPB ‘red list’ including barn owls and song thrushes.
Noted historian Dr. Alastair Mann said, ‘The appeal of Glassingall is broader than the natural heritage as impressive as this is. The history of the estate dates back almost 2,000 years, as the World’s oldest Roman frontier road lies within Glassingall. This connected Rome to the Roman Fortress at Inchtuthill, Perthshire. It is a testament to Roman engineering that the road remained in use for the next 1,700 years and it is truly incredible to imagine in whose footsteps you are walking - Agricola, Macbeth, Robert the Bruce, William Wallace and Rob Roy to name but a few.
Alastair went on to say, ‘We have uncovered an 18th century map that shows that the Jacobite Army marched along this road on the eve of the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715. It was in Glassingall Estate that they camped, on either side of the road, before the battle. Historic Environment Scotland’s map shows that the Jacobite army mustered at Glassingall on the morning of the battle and it is here where the left flank fled, following the battle. Glassingall, with its open views on to Sheriffmuir, is crucial to our understanding of the Battle of Sheriffmuir.’
With a history of such provenance, one thing we can be certain of is that Glassingall Estate has undiscovered archaeology and preservation of the area is a matter of both national and international importance.
Glassingall is the third large-scale development being pursued by Ann Gloag in the Dunblane area. Both previous proposals were met with widespread opposition and going by the number of people that turned up on a cold and windy January morning, it looks as if the tycoon’s latest venture will be no less controversial.
Read the Stirling Observer Article following the New Year Walk
After nearly 20 years registering Births, Marriages & Deaths in Dunblane and running Stirling Council’s local office, Rosina Hamilton has decided to retire.
To show their appreciation of her dedicated service to the people of Dunblane, the three representative community bodies in Dunblane presented Rosina with a bouquet of flowers from a local florist and a beautiful cushion from a local jeweller’s shop.
Our photo shows left to right - Barbara Allan (Dunblane Development Trust), Rosina Hamilton, Tim Hughes (Burgh Chambers Group), Tom Casey (Discover Dunblane) and David Prescott (Dunblane Community Council).
