COMMUNITY COUNCIL NEWS: August 2010
The Community Council was pleased to be informed that planning permission for the building of the Area Sports Centre at Standalane has been granted. It is expected that the Centre will be completed in January 2012. The Council has also welcomed the completion of the new car-park in Hamilton Gardens. It is hoped that this will help ease the parking problem in the centre of the town, while providing access to local shops. The date for the commencement of the work to provide an additional car park at Stewarton railway station has not yet been announced.
Historic Scotland has recently published a book of reference that provides information on all the significant buildings and sites within Stewarton. This book is now lodged in the Community Council Resource Centre and may be viewed by members of the public.
During the month of July there were 26 crimes reported in Stewarton, of which 15 have been detected. In this context detected means that a report has been made to the Procurator Fiscal. Since the start of the school holidays there has been a youth alcohol initiative (funded by the EAC) running within the local area. This has resulted in extra police patrols being carried out on a Friday and Saturday night in an attempt to reduce youth drinking and prevent disorder. This has been extremely successful, so far, with large amounts of alcohol being seized from youths. A forthcoming police re-organisation is likely to result in the Community Police Officers only being available, in the Town, during day-time hours. Otherwise, mobile response teams will all be based in Kilmarnock.
The refurbishment of the Town House at No.8 Avenue Square is approaching completion, and it is hoped that the Community Council will be able to resume the use of part of the building sometime during September.
The Community Council has met with representatives of Stuart Milne Homes to receive information about their plans for future housing developments within the Town. An outline of these plans is to be made available to the public during two sessions in the Area Centre on 25th and 26th August. They have yet to be approved by the EAC, and any member of the public with a concern about future housing projects (or any other local matter) is invited to contact the Community Council via the Resource Centre.
Stewarton Community Police are seeking intelligence on anti-social behaviour and drug dealing within the Town. Information can be supplied confidentially by contacting any Community Police Officer, the Police Office (01560 602000) or by calling crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Strathclyde Police is also encouraging victims and witnesses of hate crimes (where race, gender, religion, sexual preference or disability appears to have been a motivating factor) to report them via the Police Web Site. Alternatively, they can be reported through the East Ayrshire North Communities Federation Office at 1, Titchfield Street, Kilmarnock (01563 572712).
The Community Council is presently located at No.5, Avenue Street. It may be contacted through the Community Council Resource Centre in the same location (Tel: 01560 480324), which is open Monday to Friday between 10.00 and 12.00am. As well as providing a contact point for all Community Council business there are facilities for photocopying, and a fax machine. Bookings for the self-drive 16 seat Community Bus can also be made at the Resource Centre.
The next Community Council meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Monday 6th September in No.5, Avenue Street, Stewarton. Space is temporarily rather limited, but all are welcome to attend all Community Council meetings.
