Annual General Meeting of Merchant City and Trongate Community Council, held in City Chambers on 31 October 2023 from 6.30 pm
These draft minutes will be presented at our 2024 AGM for ratification
Attended by: Tam Coyle (Chair), Carla Arrighi, Gary Atkinson, Alice Waimatha Cowan, David Cowan, Peter Hayman, David Hughes, Niall McColl, Colin McKay, Eileen Mills, Scott Thornton, Ros Wardley-Smith, Ward Councillors Eva Bolander and Angus Millar, TD, DFo, DF, JF, HL, GM, NM, EW
By video: JR, DS
Apologies: GW
Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting held on 25 October 2022
These had been circulated and published on the Community Council Website. Adoption proposed by Tam Coyle, seconded by Niall McColl. Approved.
Chairperson’s Annual Report
Firstly, may I place on record my thanks to my fellow MCTCC Office Bearers without whom this Community Council simply wouldn’t happen.
Secondly I would like to thank our four Ward 10 Councillors who assist us all throughout the year.
Also I would like to thank Rob Wilson and his colleagues from Police Scotland for all their hard work this year.
Finally I would like to thank our three Community Councillors who are standing down this evening and sadly take a moment to remember long serving Community Councillor Robin Jones who died earlier this year.
In looking back over the last twelve months our Community Council Meetings have been dominated by our efforts to transform the Ingram Street Car Park into a Community Park and the magnificent efforts of our sub committee to overturn the decision of Glasgow City Council Planning Committee who, on the 7th February voted to build luxury flats on the site on the casting vote of Councillor Ken Andrew after a 3-3 vote when only 6 of the 13 Councillors bothered to turn up to vote.
On a positive note the MCTCC have had a few successes this year.
- Our relationship with Glasgow Chamber of Commerce has never been better thanks to Community Councillor Ros Wardley-Smith
- Our online presence has never been better thanks to Niall McColl and his sterling work on our website
- Our relationship with local and national media has never been better thanks to our PR guru Scott Thornton
- We had no issues with TRNSMT Festival with better security than ever before.
- Gary and David Cowan attended all meetings of the Area Partnership
- We managed to finally get the gates re-opened to the Ramshorn Graveyard and David Hughes and his team will continue to work on improvements to the Graveyard…watch this space!
- We continue to liaise with developers to ensure the MCTCC is involved in all developments in our Community.
Treasurer’s Submission of Independently Examined Statement of Accounts
Niall reported that accounts for the period from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023 had been drafted. Following verification by an independent examiner these would be submitted to Glasgow City Council within four weeks.
Demit of current office bearers and all other members
The following stood down:
- Chairperson
- Vice-Chairperson
- Secretary
- Minute Secretary
- Treasurer
- Area Partnership – Lead Contact
- Area Partnership – Substitute Contact
- Planning Contact
- Licensing
Election of Community Councillors
As Independent Returning Officer, Mary McPhail on behalf of Glasgow City Council officiated for the call of nominations for the Community Council and the call for nominations for the election of office bearers.
She reported that 11 valid nominations had been received for 11 places on the Community Council and were elected unopposed for a full four year term:
- Gary Atkinson
- Alice Waimatha Cowan
- David Cowan
- Tam Coyle
- Peter Hayman
- David Hughes
- Neill McColl
- Colin McKay
- Gordon Millar
- Scott Thornton
- Ros Wardley-Smith
Nominations for office
- Chairperson – Tam Coyle proposed by Rosalind Wardley-Smith, seconded by David Hughes
- Vice-Chairpersons (Joint) – Gary Atkinson and Scott Thornton proposed by Niall McColl, seconded by Tam Coyle
- Secretary – Scott Thornton proposed by Niall McColl, seconded by Tam Coyle
- Minute Secretary – Role currently combined with that of Secretary
- Treasurer – Gordon Millar proposed by Scott Thornton, seconded by Niall McColl
- Planning Contact – Peter Hayman proposed by Tam Coyle, seconded by Niall McColl
- Licensing Contact – Gary Atkinson proposed by Tam Coyle, seconded by Scott Thornton
- Area Partnership Lead – David Hughes proposed by Peter Hayman, seconded by Rosalind Wardley-Smith
- Area Partnership Substitute Contact – Gary Atkinson. Proposed by Tam Coyle, seconded by Niall McColl