DRAFT MCTCC Full Meeting Minutes, 24th February 2026
Attendance
| Community Councillors | Scott Thornton; Gordon Millar; Niall McColl; David Cowan; Alice Cowan; Gary Atkinson; Ros Atkinson; David Hughes; Peter Hayman |
| Residents | PP; JT; RE, TT (via Zoom) |
| Elected Representatives | Cllr Philip Braat |
| Police Scotland | PC Chris Convery |
| CWG 2026 | Andy Robin, Scott MacLean and Gary Grieve |
| Other | GF, Gregor McIntyre from MP John Grady’s office |
1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES
Scott Thornton welcomed everyone.
Apologies: Cllr Millar, Cllr Bolander, Baillie Christy Mearns and Rachel Angus.
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING ON 28th JANUARY
Adoption proposed by Gordon Millar and seconded by Alice Cowan.
The Secretary will notify Glasgow City Council.
3. POLICE REPORT
PC Convery reported from the 28th of January to the 24th February there were 84 crimes of which 33 were detected and 51 undetected. These figures may change as investigations continue. There could be multiple crimes within one crime report. Priority areas for policing were identified, including Virginia Street, Glassford Street, New Wynd, Old Wynd, Trongate, and local car parks.
Police Questions
Scott asked about the new CCTV camera on Clyde Street. PC Convery confirmed it had been fitted and is working. He hopes to provide a map of where GCC CCTV cameras are in our area.
A resident reported a large number of young people, around 50, on George St recently. PC Convery would make enquiries and feed back.
4. COMMONWEALTH GAMES GLASGOW 2026 – PRESENTATION
Andy Robin (Lead Community Engagement Manager), Scott Maclean (Business Readiness Manager) and Gary Grieve (Assistant Community Engagement Manager) gave a presentation. The games take place from Thursday 23rd of July to Sunday 2nd of August. Due to hosting the games previously existing sports venues can be used and there will not be an athletes’ village. They have £150m of private funding and no public funding is involved.
Scott McLean gave details of the business readiness campaign, ‘All In’, for businesses to engage. Gary Grieve discussed community engagement efforts including their collaboration with schools, councils, and sports organisations.
The ‘Games Corridor’ covers 7 CC areas: Scotstoun, Yorkhill, Anderston, Merchant City and Trongate, Govan, Calton and Shettleston. The four venues are Scotstoun Leisure Centre, Tollcross Pool, The Emirates Arena and the SEC. The Corinthian on Ingram St will be the official Team Scotland House. It will serve as central hub for athletes and families.
As part of community engagement there are sport ambassador programmes, and free ‘come and try’ events taking place in communities. They are planning 22 events starting in June to mid-August. Merchant City Festival (MCF) will be integrated under the Games Festival, organised by Glasgow Life. Tickets are sold by Ticketmaster:
https://www.glasgow2026.com/get-involved/tickets
The team expressed openness to ongoing dialogue with businesses and the community to ensure a successful event.
Member Questions
Gary asked about disruption within the city as there are many roadworks underway during the games, would this further disrupt traffic and public transport? Cllr Braat asked about accessibility for public utility vehicles such cleansing, refuse removal and deliveries for businesses.
GCC’s City Activation Team and Logistics Team are working these matters out and we will know more details in April. A travel survey is being carried out in March to identify congestion points. The events will be mainly indoor and transport plans for spectators to navigate to venues from the closest train, bus and cycle routes. Unfortunately, the events will not be ‘free-to-air’ to view on television, however they are exploring this option for community groups.
Ros noted that the back of tickets could be used for advertising or local business promotions. Scott MacLean agreed.
JT asked about the volunteer programme. There were over 15k applications and successful applicants will be informed soon and invited for ‘onboarding’ next month. Those who were not selected they have a wider communication program to link them with associated bodies such as Sport Scotland.
5. ELECTED MEMBER REPORTS
Cllr Philip Braat reported the Licensing Board has approved an extension for the sale of alcohol in public houses, and the like, when showing games in the FIFA World Cup 2026. This will extend for the duration of the tournament, starting on June 11th, for all games. Venues have to apply for an extension and will only be granted if they normally show sports on TV. They will be able to sell alcohol up to 30 minutes after the game has ended.
GCC are in the process of agreeing a new contract for a public toilet cubicle provider. Until this is agreed, the existing Healthmatic contract will be extended. Scott noted that MCTCC replied to a consultation on public toilets back in February 2024 but we have not received any response.
The Stockwell St Avenue project has been awarded to the Hillhouse Group and work will start on the 23rd of March. Scott noted the community engagement was due to start on the 23rd of February.
Maxwell St building site – the Environmental Team have came back to say that the site does not meet the criteria for enforcement under the Environmental Health Protection Act 1990. Cllr Braat has asked for clarification on this. Scott believes it is 18 months since this was first brought to GCC’s attention. They have issued a notice to clean up the site within one month, which expires tomorrow, 25th February 2026.
Cllr Braat attended meetings with the Police regarding the new Dispersal Zones in the city centre. This is to tackle open drug use and other illegal activities. If a person is given a Dispersion Notice they will not be able to enter the zone for 24 hours. It will come into effect on the 20th of March and will cover Central Rail Station, Union St and St Enoch Square. Also included is the area bounded by St Vincent Place, Glassford Street/Stockwell Street, to the far side of the riverbank, and York Street/West Campbell Street.
He has had reports of illegal car parking in the Miller St area.
Questions for Cllr Braat
A resident noted drug abuse near to the River Clyde.
Gary noted that GCC bills property owners when debris falls from their property promptly and at some expense. This is in contrast to the aforementioned Maxwell St site.
Scott read out updates from Cllr Angus Millar: He is looking into an awareness campaign on bird feeding. He has asked for comparative statistics for the amount of needles deposited in other parts of the city and those in the safe needle bin in New Wynd.
Scott said that disappointingly First Bus had not responded to emails asking for a bus service between the MCTCC area and the Royal Infirmary.
Niall noted that on Ingram St, near to Miller St, the road has been marked as a Bus Gate, however there is no signage. This has caused confusion for drivers, who then do U-turns.
6. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Scott read out the Community Engagement report written by Niall:
A draft community engagement strategy has been written, discussed and adopted. This will underpin our community engagement activities for 2026 and beyond. It summarises how MCTCC will deepen the engagement with the community it serves.
A sub-group of community councillors will now work to create a community engagement action plan to deliver effective and participatory events in the area. Given the importance of this topic, it will now be a standing item at each public meeting.
The MCTCC website is regularly updated and is being enhanced to give more information to the community. For example, planning and licensing applications are now updated weekly, with details to allow members of the community to comment on them. Further improvements will allow us to share details of upcoming events in the area.
Part of the engagement strategy will ensure that we use our website, social media, noticeboards and any printed materials consistently, and this is something that will become more visible over the next few months.
7. LOCAL PLACE PLAN
David Hughes reported that MCTCC’s LPP is now complete. He thanked Niall for his work on this and will send this back to GCC for review and validation. It will then be submitted to neighbouring CCs for comments. After this it will be due for formal adoption. Scott asked about the 18th December deadline for the new City Development Plan. David Hughes said key points of the LPP will be incorporated in this.
8. PLANNING
Ross Naismith gave his report on the following:-
- A) Avenues, Generally In MCTCC Area, email to Ward Councillors, 15th January.
After the public meeting in December, he emailed Cllr Millar and Ward Councillors on the 15th of January with his concerns and recommendations for all solutions. RN stated that he believes that he has engaged on discussions with GCC/ Avenues Team as far as he is able and that resolutions to design concerns need to return to the Ward Councillor’s responsibility.
RN has requested that a second opinion be sought from the Glasgow Institute of Architects about the designs. There are 6 Avenue projects in our area, he has not seen any plans for George St or Cochrane St as yet.
- B) Planning timeframes and processes etc, meeting with GCC/ Planning, 6th February.
He had a positive meeting with the Head of GCC Planning Dept. He expressed his concerns how planning applications process through the system and feels the timeframe for the process is too long in Glasgow. He would like to see more transparency in the process. Glasgow Institute of Architects has a design ‘panel’ that can be referred to when cases arise, for second opinion situations.
- C) Area Partnership meeting 12th February – second tier ‘in- ground’ tree planting,
RN understands there are 15 new trees agreed and 3 replacement trees agreed in principle. The three replacement trees are located at the corner of Ingram and High Streets – one on the north side outside Sapporo, an two outside the Merchant Chippie.
He has been working with Rachel to identify possible new locations for planting.
- D) Parnie/ King/ Osborne Area Regeneration, meeting with GCC/ City Centre Strategy and GCC City Property, 19th February.
He and Rachel Angus had a meeting with a representative from the City Centre Strategy Dept. and a director from City Property, plus Cllr Angus Millar to discuss the above topic. They were open to ideas and RA and RN would follow-up in due course with proposals for regeneration for funding by GCC.
- E) King St car park and Custom House Quay, Planning Application update.
He is optimistic that planning applications will be made on these in the near future.
- F) Candleriggs upgrade, GCC/ Sustainable Transport postponement, email to Ward Councillors, 12th February.
He has asked Cllr Millar if he could setup a meeting with Sustainable Transport to discuss concerns on postponement of design proposals.
- G) Ingram St And Queen St Alterations, GCC/ Sustainable Transport proposals, email to Ward Councillors,12th February.
The proposals for Queen St / Ingram St are not subject to planning regulations, but come under an Emergency Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO). RN has objected to the proposals on MCTCC’s behalf on a number of points.
- H) St Enoch Square (east), Howard St, Stockwell Pl, Stockwell St regeneration/ listing as ‘area of interest’.
He would like to see this area listed as ‘An Area of Special Interest’. Meetings with stakeholders are planned.
9. LICENSING
Gary had no report this month.
He has not sure he can see all applications. He is also not able to lodge objections in Licensing Portal.
Scott said an Irish community celebration parade on 14th March had been publicised in the press but MCTCC had not been notified. He is taking this up with GCC.
10. EXTERNAL GROUPS
David Hughes and Rachel Angus attended the Area Partnership (AP) meeting. They discussed graffiti and their concerns about the lack of plans for an alternative to Trongate for football fans’ end of season celebrations.
NRS have said that of the 18 bench locations identified by MCTCC only 6 are suitable. This has been questioned by MCTCC. It has been agreed that a walkabout comprising the AP and NRS to determine the suitability of bench sites is the way forward.
NRS have allocated a further £14K to MCTCC from the £100,000 set aside for trees in Ward 10. NRS had stated that an exploratory tree dig costs £500.00. DH stated that Rachel had sent an email recommending that the NIF budget be allocated to 15 Trees and 14 benches. There was no decision on this.
It should be noted that any unspent funds must be allocated to MCTCC projects by March 2027 or risks being lost.
11. FRIENDS OF RAMSHORN GRAVEYARD
David Hughes reported he has new tour guides including Neil Baxter (Historian), Paul Noble (Doors Open Day) and Alice Lister (Strathclyde University).
12. TREASURERS REPORT
Gordon Millar (Treasurer) reported our bank balance as of today is £9,510.06.
We received the GCC CC Administration Grant of £616.84.
We are due to receive a contribution of £500 from a film company.
13. AOCB
Rachel Angus is organising the MCTCC Litter Pick on the 7th March from 10.30 am, meeting at the front of the Ramshorn Church on Ingram St. Black bags and litter pickers will be provided. David Hughes will attend.
The next meeting will include a presentation about the Business Improvement District and in April from Manish Joshi of the Social Innovation Cluster at Strathclyde University.
- DATE OF NEXT MEETING:
Tuesday 31st March 2026 – 6.30-8.30pm in City Chambers.