Start and welcome
Present: Jacqueline Doherty, Mark Ellis, Maggie Hancock, Carly Deheer, Donald Linn, Lesley Fairlie, Caroline Bryce, Caroline McLean
Also in Attendance: Cllr James MacLaren, Jim Small, Iain MacKay, Iain McDougall, Willie Purdue, Tommy Mitchell, Phil OBrien
Apologies: Cllr Colin McCulloch, Julie Gilmour, James Hunter
1.Acceptance of last meeting minutes
Proposed Magge Hancock, Seconded Mark Ellis
2. Police Report (if applicable)
Email received from Community Police stating no reported crimes in November.
Crime Trends and Policing Priorities - no apparent crime trends within the village of Langbank.
Community Police Report - Police have continued to carry out high visibility patrols in and around the local Langbank area and this will continue for the foreseeable future.
All churches in area have received warning to be vigilant as parishioners in church in Gourock had items stolen during service
Neighbour watch info was included in Church Newsletter and on FB
3. Village website and Facebook updates
Usual activity, with no major concerns. One post removed due to comments generated.
One user tried to message admin directly rather than use appropriate function on FB. Post providing guidance on how to alert admin to offensive comments placed on page
Admin team are not alerted to comments, inappropriate commengts need to be reported by users.
4. Village Groups Updates
Community Centre - No update
LAP application submitted by JG - £ 5000 , £ 2500 for screen in village hall , £ 2500 to fund Wednesday evening at MUGA
LSR /MUGA Busy tonight despite the weather Crimbo lights look good, thanks to IMcD for fitting
One of the lamp post christmas lights isn’t working – possibly the same one as last year, could we get it repaired. JD will contact and see if we can or if RC can repair.
Church redevelopment next meeting January 2026
Winter Connections Grant - Applications for this have closed.
Duke of Edinburgh volunteers Our young volunteers have almost completed clearing of ivy encroaching onto pavement Station Road. RC did cut back some but this only removed leaves and not protruding roots which still caused a hazard. Any suggestions for further areas of work for our young folks?
Suggestions : Treetops overgrown garden onto pavement, litter picking
Darkness on path at corner of station field highlighted - WP
Update from John O’Brien on recent Community Council Forum meeting.
RC forum Monday 8th Dec
4 presentations
Grant funds available – useful to find out additional grant funding streams to those we currently apply for
Help / process for accessing the grants – presenter / her team for both happy to help
Net ZERO targets - assistance for insulation od homes in area and greening the RC resources – vehicles / buildings , what can LCC do in their area to do greening
ENGAGE suggested help charities - happy to attend meetings re input for village
Once in receipt of presentations suggested we make contact and ask for someone to attend LCC meeting.
Additional members have joined CCs “at risk” 2 CCs have been given extensions to recruit until end February
Bus service issues were discussed; missing services and no running to timetable, agreement that councillors on SPT will be invited to attend March Forum
ADD TO AGENDA FOR JAN / FEB – put together a structured case to put forward the need for a bus service discuss at Jan / Feb meeting
5. Planning Planning applications and issues
LPP JD & CD met with Planning consultant PLACE AT THE TABLE to discuss professional assistance to pull togther the plan and assist with procedural and legislative requirements. PLACE AT THE TABLE had previously delivered the nationwide LPP online training and are currently working with Inchinnan and Erskine so seem like a good fit. We will pull together the feedback and make it useable data, and produce a very rough draft plan, Place at the Table & Imagine If quote available if anyone would like a copy, our initial discussions with RC regarding application for funding have very supportive, next action to reapply for balance of funding timeline info
https://www1.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/8667/Local-Place-Plans
WP - suggested the local landowner is engaging with COAST to extend car parking at the restaurant
Glasgow airport airspace consultation http://www.scottishairspacemodernisation.co.uk
Mark Ellis has prepared information in respect of this matter.
Attached for info
FEEDBACK from LCC , let’s put the link and ME consideration for consultation FB beginning of January
The proposals contained therein are causing concern mainly due to increased noise pollution
6. Transport Concerns
A8 roundabout Speeding 3 car accident last week
Lack of public transport -
Flooding – TM 7 times flodded in past year at TM house – bottom of Houston Road – concern that RC clear the gullies but don’t remove the debris particularly at the area beside COAST, Current flooding at COAST has been there for 48 hours, RC at COAST Clear leaves at top but don’t clean lower than surface.
JMacL reported current COAST issue as he came thru it this evening and will feedback re debris and “surface only” , TM also highlighted concerns that flooding is causing road break up
DL – Network Rail have dumped rotten timber on Station Road – concerns this might end up in gully. JMacL will report. East end of Main Road at COAST seems to be the worst area for Mian road flooding this year as opposed to previously at burn
RAILWAY BRIDGE WORKS Concerns were raised with RC and Network Rail re works to rail bridge in Station Road – RC confirmed that Traffic lights will be in place, at top Station Rd, during works. Email to RC confirming this section of road will be considered priority for gritting during work. Include also Houston Road loop
RC spoke with RC on the phone they confirmed The lights will be manned at peak times, but traffic lights will be working 24 / 7 - JMacL will check this as during site visit (info in his report attached) it was indicated that the disatance between might make this difficult
Pedestrian route will be over rail bridge in Station – no alternative for those with mobility issues. IMacD suugested that this needs be Lit 24 hour and gritting needs to prioritised - won’t be a priorty with Network rail unless informed. JMacL noted that the manned times don’t include school transport hours – 1500
NETWORK RAIL have been working on the rail at EAST END of Main Road / Houston Road this morning. - WP
Other areas LB - Should be noted that the path along the south sides of playing fields has now been cleared by RC. Some resurfacing at top of Middlepenny Road, turning point, has also been completed.
Concerns re lack of follow up on granted planning was raised at last meeting. Email not yet sent to RC inviting officer to attend – this will be done over coming weeks with hope that someone may be able to attend one of our early 2026 meetings. During a meeting in respect of local place plan we discovered that RC do not currently have a Planning Enforcement officer - specifically employed to ensure any development doesn’t breach planning – this subject can be included in our local place plan.
7. Local Cllr updates and monthly reports
Langbank December 2025 CC Report from Councillor James MacLaren BELOW
Cllr C McCulloch. Email offered assistance for any matters that arise
8. AOB
Tree light up in November and Village Soup and Sandwich lunch, today, both went well. Thanks specifically to CMcL Soup and Sandwich lunch
MUGA Christmas lights have also been put up – Thank you to Iain for doing this.
Two large village planters and small one at Station have been planted with spring bulbs – thanks to Phil O’Brien for help with this. Old planters need removed JMacL offered to take debris away
Received an email looking for CC support with Petition re New Powers for Scotland's Community Councils email and draft letter – BELOW add to January Agenda
JS – issue with overgrown vegetation at village entrance / exit to A8 at WEST END main road
LF – mentioned parking at Primary school seems to be getting worse. IMacD identified that the school pick up / drop offs parking is inconsiderate to Dennistoun Road residents. JD will contact the school and ask them to highlight
DEFIB at surgery 31st January cut off date as building will be handed back to landlord. Box currently empty IMcD will remove just now – New site on MUGA unless Network Rail are planning to install one at Langbank Station
Airport consultation initial concerns / comments
Glasgow Airport Airspace Consultation: Effects at Langbank
Diagrams in the Full Options Appraisal document offer numerous indications of significantly increased air traffic over the village of Langbank and the Clyde nearby (e.g., pages 34-35; 38-39; 41-45; 47-49; 96-97; 132). A realistic expectation is that people and wildlife in the vicinity of Langbank would be negatively impacted as a consequence.
Under the flight paths envisaged in the proposed changes:
1. Langbank would be exposed to increased in noise associated with transport.
The community is already exposed to significant levels of noise 24 hours per day from high-speed traffic a few metres from Main Road on the four lanes of the A8 Glasgow to Greenock road, and lesser noise from non-stopping and commuter trains over 19-hour daily periods on the Glasgow to Gourock line that runs through the village.
The negative health impacts of transport noise are well-documented. They include chronic annoyance, stress, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cognitive disruption such as associations between aviation noise and reading delay in children.1
1 D. Welch et al., “Health Effects of Transport Noise,” Transport Reviews, 43 (2023), 1190-1210 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2023.2206168#abstract
See also, European Environment Agency, Heath Impacts of Exposure to Noise from Transport in Europe (Oct. 6, 2025) https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/health-impacts-of-exposure-to-1 ; C. Jephcote et al., “Spatial Assessment of the Attributable Burden of Disease due to Transportation Noise in England,” Environment International, 178 (2023); BBC, March 16, 2025 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crmjdm2m4yjo It is unreasonable to expect Langbank residents to be subjected to further transport noise.
2. There would be additional disturbance to wildlife in a designated Special Protection Area.
The 1800-hectare Inner Clyde estuary Special Protection Area (designated March 2000; NatureScot site code 8514; EU site code UK9003061) extends west from Newshot Island to Ardmore Bay and Newark Castle. It includes the Inner Clyde Wetland, designated as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention. (Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 1971; Ramsar Information Sheet, 2008).
The mud flats of the Inverclyde Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are part of the intertidal zone of the Clyde estuary. The tidal invertebrate habitats at Langbank between Finlaystone and West Ferry are feeding grounds for large, important bird populations, including Redshank, Cormorant, Eider sea-duck, Slavonian Grebe, Goldeneye sea-duck, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Greenshank.
Between June and September annually, the Langbank section of the Finlaystone Timber Ponds is used as feeding stations by Ospreys (sightings of up to 10 birds at one time).
M. Ellis, 3.12.25
Newsletter 2, New Powers for Scotland's Community Councils?
Hello,
It's been a few weeks since I wrote to you about our petition calling for Scotland's community councils to have the same discretionary powers as England's parish councils. Many thanks to the 292 people who have signed so far - https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions/en/the_scottish_parliament_give_scotland_s_community_councils_real_powers_and_budgets_like_england_s_parish_councils/.
As a follow-up action, Balloch and Haldane CC suggested drafting a template letter that fellow campaigners could send to [for example] MSPs and elected members of Scotland's 32 local authorities.
So here it is in Word format - see attached. Feel free to use or modify it as you see fit, or compose your own entirely!
The total powerlessness of Scotland's community councils needs to be on everyone's minds as we approach the May elections. Therefore feel free to suggest how we can build momentum and raise awareness of this issue via our new Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/new.powers.for.community.councils.
YOUR CONCERNS
A couple of CCs have expressed concern that additional powers would become a burden on volunteers who are already overstretched. This is a justifiable fear, given the way that CCs have been treated in the past.
Hopefully, though, if CCs had commensurate budgets to go with any new powers, they would be able to pay for admin support. English parish councils typically employ a paid clerk who handles all the administrative and financial work. The clerk's role is not just secretarial; they are the responsible officer who ensures the council acts lawfully, implements decisions, and manages daily operations, with the size of the role depending on the council's size. Here is an interestng article about the role of a parish clerk - https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/case-studies/my-working-life-parish-clerk/.
Best wishes
Michael Gallagher Disillusioned former community councillor (Just let me know if you don't want to be on the mailing list for future newsletters)
Langbank December CC Report from Councillor James MacLaren
Roads
Temporary Road Closure, Station Road: - From Main Road to 1 Station Road (At railway bridge). Reason for Restriction: Network Rail Repair. This notice will be in force from Monday 19th January 2026 to Friday 03rd April 2026. Temporary traffic lights will operate during peak times over the single-track section at the top of Station Rd and these will be manned (7 to 9.30am and 3.30 to 6pm). I attended a site visit with representatives from Roads, Network Rail, and their contractor. This seems to be the only option.
Flooding, Main Rd: - The inspector was asked to revisit the location at Coast and to make further arrangements to ensure that the gullies are running clear. There is flooding there again this evening and I have reported this.
Gully Waste: - It appears that the waste from the gullies is often not taken away but left to the side. This is likely to find its way back into the gully. This is certainly not good and have reported this.
Middlepenny Road Pavement: - the works seen on site this week are purely some safety defects in the short term. Resurfacing of Middlepenny Road is included in a Call Off due to be issued prior to Christmas. For these works, we will require to close the road and control vehicle and pedestrians through the site.
Missing chevron sign, roundabout: - Amey added the sign in September to the list for manufacturing. Looking for an update.
Dennistoun Rd- Undergrowth: - I have reported undergrowth on the carriageway and this will be inspected.
Streetlighting
Storm Damage: - Some streetlights have become misaligned due to the storms.
Dennistoun Rd: - The light R10 is hidden by tree branches and has been reported to get this cut back.
Road Sweeping
Road sweeping of Station Rd and Dennistoun Rd (and many others) should have been done on 25th of Nov. Main Road was done on 13th Nov.
Overgrown Vegetation, Station Rd
Cutting back of overgrowth including ivy has now been done, with the help of a Duke of Edinburgh volunteer.
Planning
Off-street Parking, 2 Middlepenny Rd: - Planningofficers have been asked to register this enquiry as a potential breach of planning control. Once registered an officer will be appointed to investigate and consider how best to proceed should a breach be identified.
Reporting to The Council
What3Words is helpful in providing an exact location of a defect. Residents can also report a road defect through the following link, that also provides the option on marking on the map where the defect is located: https://myaccount.renfrewshire.gov.uk/service/Report_an_issue_with_roads_or_street_lighting
Future of Langbank GP Practice
NHS GG&C has written to RC to say: - “Constraints in national GMS funding means that new GP practices cannot be established without a sufficient list size. The population of Langbank (900-1000) is not sufficient size to enable a new GP practice to be established as it would be too small to be economically viable.
There is no mechanism to mandate Renfrewshire practices to cover patient’s resident in the
Langbank area. A practice must formally request a boundary variation to include Langbank.” Unfortunately given the pressures other practices are under, I don’t see this request being forthcoming.
Postal Services
There are postal delays across Renfrewshire at the moment due to lack of staff. The situation isn’t expected to get back to normal until mid-January. I have written to the MP to ask her to take steps to solve the problem.
PMHS Figures
The latest Edge Analytics figures indicate reduced demand for the school and this has been put down to a considerable slowdown in house building rates and a consistently falling birth rate year on year.
10/12/25
Feedback From Meeting
Glasgow Flight Path Consultation:- Feedback on the proposals needs to be submitted by the end of January https://www.glasgowairport.com/media-centre/2025/airspace-modernisation-consultation-launched-to-transform-scottish-skies/
Flooding, Main Rd: - Flooding has regularly taken place outside Coast and at the bottom of Houston Rd. Sweeping of the road is required and I will request this. The culvert grids also need to be cleared and debris removed.
Station Rd Bridge: - Recent inspection has left rotten timber at the side of the road. I will request it gets removed before it washes into the gullies.
Station Road Closure: - I will request the single-track section and the diversion route gets gritted during the closure. I will confirm that the traffic lights are to operate 24 hrs and manned during peak times and will request the afternoon peak time starts at 3pm rather than 3.30pm.
Postal Service: - Langbank is not affected by delays due to it coming under Inverclyde postal service.
A8 West Access: - visibility is being obscured by vegetation. I will request this gets cut back.
Please email me with your updates and requests as I cannot guarantee to see your comments on Facebook. Likes are always welcome. You can subscribe to receive a copy of my monthly report, just request this by email.
My Langbank Surgery is held in the church on the first Monday of the month at 6.30pm.
Councillor James W.H. MacLaren, Conservative & Unionist Party, Ward 11, Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Tel. 03003001291 Emailcllr.james.maclaren@renfrewshire.gov.uk
www.facebook.com/councillormaclaren