The Kintyre Forum

I've read this forum now for over a year without having anything to say. There was a thing in the Courier this week about a proposed playpark for Hillside being knocked back. Thats a shame as it would be great to have something like that here in Calton for the kids.
I was angry that other councillors who are not from the town can ruin things happening here because it doesnt suit them and was talking about it last night. Someone said that actually 2 councillors who arent from the town voted for it and the Courier said the vote was 5 -3 who voted for what because if thats the case then whats going on?

Hi Still Game - welcome to the forum and good post. More information on this subject and the meeting in general can be found at

http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/moderngov ... 3&MId=3496

10. PROVISION OF NEW PLAY AREA AT HILLSIDE ROAD, CAMPBELTOWN

Report by Head of Roads and Amenity Services

Minutes:

A report providing clarification for Members on the application of the 2004 Policy on the provision of equipped play areas and seeking a decision on the allocation of the commuted sum from ACHA for play area provision in Campbeltown was considered.

Motion

To approve that the commuted sum from ACHA be allocated to Hillside as per paragraph 3.6 of the report and support the allocation of capital funds to this project as detailed at paragraph 3.8 of the report.

Moved by Councillor Donald Kelly, seconded by Councillor John McAlpine

Amendment

To continue this report in order that community consultation can occur.

Moved by Councillor Alison Hay, seconded by Councillor Rory Colville

The requisite number of Members required the vote to be taken by calling the roll, and Members voted as follows-

Motion
Councillor Donald Kelly
Councillor John McAlpine
Councillor Dougie Philand

Amendment
Councillor Rory Colville
Councillor Robin Currie
Councillor Alison Hay
Councillor Donald MacMillan
Councillor John Semple

Decision

The Amendment was carried by 5 votes to 3 and the Committee resolved accordingly.

(Report by Head of Roads and Amenity Services dated April 2009, submitted)

Having previously declared an interest on the grant application received in respect of the Columba Centre, Islay, Councillor Robin Currie, left the room and took no part in discussion of this grant application referred to in part 1 of the Decision of the following item.

I may be stupid, but can can I ask what is a "community consultation"?

howlsatthemoon wrote:I may be stupid, but can can I ask what is a "community consultation"?

Would imagine they will seek to ask what the community thinks about it - if should be at Calton or if additional money should be spent on Kinloch playpark (opposite Tescos).

The play park has not been knocked back, but further work to identify demand is required, should the significant demand be for a play park in Hillside then I will have no problem in supporting it. The council no longer works on the basis of who shouts loudest, but on what actions can be justified by identified need, which is just as well for us given the amount of investment identified for Campbeltown this year.

If only they had public consultation with regards the play park at the Meadows the Sporting community could have highlighted the fact that where they put the play park on Meadows meant the loss of a sporting field on the Meadows. Very odd indeed when there is a whole area of land 20 meters next to it totally unused!

Out of interest who will conduct the consultation and when?

£3.73 wrote:I'm not going to say too much here, because local politics isn't my thing. I don't want to make anyone look good or look bad.
But come on guys ... this isn't about Oban or Dunoon or Helensburgh or Lochgilphead. This is about Campbeltown

This is exactly the point - make a decision to spend public funds without evidence, logical explanation or reasoning , and you leave yourself wide open to political advantage being taken. If the "shout loudest" rules had been used for the waterfront funding - we would have been stuffed good and proper by Oban, Dunoon etc. I will go down the logic route every time with no apology. I have no doubt the end result will be the same BUT it will be justifiable

John S wrote:

£3.73 wrote:I'm not going to say too much here, because local politics isn't my thing. I don't want to make anyone look good or look bad.
But come on guys ... this isn't about Oban or Dunoon or Helensburgh or Lochgilphead. This is about Campbeltown

This is exactly the point - make a decision to spend public funds without evidence, logical explanation or reasoning , and you leave yourself wide open to political advantage being taken. If the "shout loudest" rules had been used for the waterfront funding - we would have been stuffed good and proper by Oban, Dunoon etc. I will go down the logic route every time with no apology. I have no doubt the end result will be the same BUT it will be justifiable

Very well put John S. Regardless of the political stance we should be more than happy with the amount of investment seen in the town since the local elections and although it pains me to say it with an SNP led country Kintyre has fared very well.

I think the problem with these kind of situations is the question of how much it will cost for such a report to identify the need?

Will be done within council resources KL using council staff

I am a parent from Hillside and after overhearing a conversation in Tescos about this thread i thought i should comment as this is a disgrace!!! Two councilors from outwith the area backing up Councilor Kelly and two from Campbeltown voting against him for A consultation, Why is a consultation required as its quite simple that there are alot of families in this area with younger kids who have no facility like the meadows play park, Drumlemble and Stewarton play parks the closest we have to us is the play park at Tesco which is usually full of litter and broken glass and too be honest nothing but a drain on resources due to constant vandalism why should we not have the opportunity to have something good done for our area.Is it not the position of Local Councilors to work for the community united as far as i can see if John Semple and Rory Coville had backed the proposition the children of this area would very soon have had somewhere to play i find it quite strange that they did not but two from out with did why do non Local councilors see this as viable but local ones don't, does John and Rory have information those councilors didn't? I personally asked every candidate that canvassed my door if this type of play park would be a possibility and i know for a fact many other parents asked the same question. I also asked Donald Kelly about 6 months ago what the position was with the play park and he assured me he was doing everything he could to secure funding and get one put in place now 6 months down the line i find out that one could have been underway as ACHA had set the money aside for play parks only !!!!!!!!! So it seems to me everything was set in place and knocked back at the last minute.

" I have no doubt the end result will be the same BUT it will be justifiable[/quote]

If you have no doubt about the end result why not vote in favor makes no sense what you waiting for?

The questions i have heard in the school playground are:-

1. Who is going to carry out the consultation?

2.How long will this take?

Also John regarding the "shout loudest rules" maybe its the case that there are alot of folk shouting for this your just not listening to the right people or not listening at all if you come round a few doors in this neck of the woods you would see there is quite a demand for this why should our kids go without?

This thread was started about Hillside be nice if we didn't go off topic!!!!!

well said toonfla! I too am a Hillside parent, and I can't say much more than you already have! I am all in favour for a playpark on Hillside, it would benefit my kids and I greatly, as having two under the age of two it's hard to get out and about. At least this way I wouldn't have to trail down to Tescos just to push my kids on the swings (and run around trying to stop my daughter from falling into broken bottles). I also cannot understand why two local councillors voted against the consultation?? I'm not politically minded, so I'm going to sound very simple, but I would have thought local councillors were supposed to work on what the local people want?? Believe me, come to this area, I doubt you'll find one of the MANY (and believe me there are many) families with young children will be against their children having better resources.

Simply not the case. What I voted for was for a consultation to take place - Only in this way can the demand, as is being expressed here, be recorded. In that way we will all know that a play park will see lots of kids over many years play on it and that it will be in a location where the most people will have access to it. That will be public money well spent and justified.