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Grapevine Error and KCC

Grapevine error


Hello all

You may have heard or seen in the news about some Community Councils in Dumfries and Galloway being disbanded because of administrative problems caused by Dumfries and Galloway Council.  Kirkmahoe is one of them.  This means that there is presently no community council representing Kirkmahoe.

Some members of the disbanded Community Council briefly considered setting up a group to work for the community outside of the statutory structure, to get rid of the red tape.  Unfortunately if we do that we will not have access to the Council administration grant and insurance for events, nor the substantial benefits to the community from Harestanes Wind Farm.

We have therefore started the process of setting up a new Community Council.  Nominations have to be received by 27th May and the election (if needed) will be on 7th July.  There will be more information from D&G Council in due course.

For the new Community Council to work effectively, we need seven people in total.  Currently four people have expressed and interest, so we need three more.  It would be especially good to have volunteers from the north of the parish (Dalswinton/Newlands).

If anyone is interested and would like to know more about what is involved in being a Community Councillor, please contact any of us to discuss.  It does not take up too much time and can be very rewarding.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from dumgal.gov.uk/communitycouncils.  Hugh has some printed already.

Hugh Johnstone, Alice Howdle and Jean Muir

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Help with tracing ancestors from Quarrelwood

My Great- grandfather was David William Doyle and his wife Martha (Burnie) Doyle and they had sons John James Doyle and William Burnie Doyle (My grandfather) they all lived in Quarrelwood from 1901 until 1920 I believe and can find no details.
My grandfather sailed to Australia in 1924 and never talked about his past, so I am trying to find out anything...

If anyone can help in any way I would greatly appreciate it.

email kirkmahoe@gmail.com if you can help

Are you fed up with potholes?

Pothole hotline

If you are as fed up of potholes as we are at Kirkmahoe News you can contact the Dumgal Pothole Hotline using the above link.

The hotlline is frequently out of service, but, persevere until it is working again.
The 2 potholes at Auchencrieff Farm and the one just as you turn right on main road to town are particularly dangerous. The more of you who report this, the more chance we have of getting something done. If you do nothing then you cannot ecxpect them to get repaired.

We should like to know how many of you have had to get new tyres because of hitting a pothole so email us  at kirkmahoe@gmail.com if you and your car have suffered due to unrepaired potholes.

Should we invite Joan to Barrasgate?

Should we invite Joan to Barrasgate?
Click above link for full story

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Rural SWI 11th May 2016

Litter fines set to rise

Councils raised almost £20million from fines for littering as they handed out penalties at the rate of nine every hour.

New figures show councils across the UK issued 477,957 fixed-penalty notices for littering since 2010.

Fines for dropping rubbish soared dramatically as they are used a cash cow for councils hit by dramatic cuts.

A Freedom of Information request found there were 48,000 fines issued across the country in 2010 – compared to 115,000 last year.

Councils more than doubled their annual income from £2.1mililon in 2010 to £4.9million in 2015.

Penalties set by councils for offenders range from £50 to £80 – but the Department for Communities and Local Government is expected to recommend a higher figure of £150

The minimum fine is set to double from £50 to £100.

Between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2015, councils raised £19,806, 949, according to the Sunday Times (must keep).

Figures do not reveal how many notices were unpaid and how many were appealed.

The total number of fines and the sum collected across the UK is likely to be considerably higher.

Of the 434 local authorities approached, only 229 provided comparable data.

The London borough of Enfield earned £1.5m from fines over the period, the most of any council and 150 times the national average of £10,000.

It was among four London boroughs in the top five. Maidstone in Kent had the second highest income from fines.

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Councils claimed the money raised from fines did not cover the cost of cleaning up the streets.

They have said they are not trying to make money, but encourage locals not to drop litter and keep the streets cleaner.

In Enfield the litter enforcement teams were nicknamed ‘the Black Watch’ when they began.

Retired estate agent Nigel King told the newspaper: ‘We would do well to copy Singapore. There, people know they will be treated harshly for dropping litter and it is very clean as a result.’

Daniel Anderson, Enfield council’s cabinet member for environment said: ‘We make no apology for targeting those who drop litter, adopting a zero tolerance approach.' 

Extract from Daily Mail