Meeting Minutes, 25 April 2023
Meeting of Merchant City and Trongate Community Council held in Glasgow City Chambers - Tuesday 25 April 2023
Attended by: Tam Coyle (Chair), Mark Dougan, Niall McColl, Colin McKay, Eileen Mills, Scott Thornton, Ros Wardley-Smith; DF, JG, DH, MG; Police - PC Rob Wilson; Ward Councillors Philip Braat and Eva Bolander, by video - David Cowan, Depute Lord Provost Christy Mearns and Councillor Angus Millar.
Apologies: PC Sean McFadden, Peter Hayman
1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING (27 March)
Adoption proposed by Niall, seconded by DH.
2. POLICE REPORT
PC Wilson said a joint further session of action on parking breaches with Parking Enforcement Officers (PEOs) due on 15 April had to be cancelled because the PEOs declined to work extra evening hours. Police had gone out that evening anyway with the same aim.
Three further bike training/marking sessions had been held, two in universities since students were believed more vulnerable to cycle theft
Councillor Braat said marking events were important in deterring thefts.
Scott said evening and after dark gatherings of teenagers were becoming commonplace on the south and east asides of the St Enoch Centre. PC Wilson said. this was on the police’s radar and patrols were being stepped there as well as in St Enoch Square.
Scott said the Buskers’ Code of Conduct was a matter for Glasgow City Council and he realised that currently no licence was required but asked PC Wilson how many times in the past 12 months police had issued warnings to buskers playing more noisily than stated in the Code (music not heard beyond 30 metres away) and how many items of equipment had been confiscated. There was no point in having a Code if it was not enforced. PC Wilson said this would require an application to Police Scotland under the Freedom of Information Act.
Councillor Bolander said the City Centre Task Force would be discussing this in a more general review the following day. Scott said this might require Scottish Government action since a similar legislative situation existed in Edinburgh.
MG said addicts were discarding needles and other drugs paraphernalia outside her home in Parsonage Square. It was pointed out this was not in the MCTCC but Calton CC area. PC Wilson took details and will follow up. Tam will put MG in touch with Lise Fisher of GCC and follow up on Eileen's request for some of the links/publications/results, referred to by the presenters, where other countries had set up a system similar to that about to be trialled in Glasgow.
3. ELECTED MEMBERS’ REPORTS
Councillor Braat said he had raised the buskers’ problem with Police Inspector Waters. Buskers were becoming louder and more brash, and this was having a detrimental effect on tourists, some of whom had asked buskers to turn down the volume. The Code was perhaps 10 years old and it may be time for this to be reviewed.
Councillor Bolander said she had also raised the issue with Inspector Waters and it may be possible to ‘dust off’ a review of the Code carried out pre-Covid.
She outlined the culture and sporting programmes for the Merchant City Festival being incorporated in the World Cycling Championships which would be an even bigger event than the Commonwealth Games. The MCTCC area would be
substantially impacted.
Depute Lord Provost Mearns said motorists were still parking on pavements in Candleriggs.
Residents had complained about the extremely short notice of the Candleriggs road closure because of drainage work for the build-to-rent development. She had contacted the contractor and a greater notice period had been conceded.
The Panopticon had been in touch about anti-social activity in the area. The New/Old Wynd lane was being checked daily and four days of action had taken place. Several thousand pounds worth of drugs had been taken off the streets.
No progress had been achieved in getting various cafes in Candleriggs to abide by formal GCC notices restricting their tables’ incursions on to pavements. Enforcement might be possible through Licensing.
Occasional licences were reportedly being granted for premises communally owned by residents at the Old Sheriff Court. This was being investigated by Licensing.
She was continuing to investigate potential for more zebra crossings on side roads and seeking funding for this.
Councillor Millar said action points had been followed up after his recent walkabout with Councillor Bolander and MCTCC Councillors.
Parking infringements were also bad in Brunswick Street. Some 70 penalty notices had been issued following a recent enforcement drive. More parking attendants were being recruited. There had been a sharp dip in the work force during Covid.
Tam said there should normally be no vehicles on the lower part of Candleriggs after 11 am on any day. Depute Lord Provost Mearns said there was temporary dispensation because of the current building scheme. Eileen asked why Graham the developer was proposing drivers access Candleriggs from Trongate which is no entry access.
As City Transport Convener Councillor Millar had had further discussions with Peter Hayman on the McPhean proposal with a major aim being the improvement of low traffic interventions. He would like to discuss this with local stakeholders, including the Community Council, at a later date take the plan forward.
Eileen asked if there would be a presentation to MCTCC about the World Cycling Championships in August. Tam said this would be discussed at the next Mid Monthly Meeting.
DF thanked Ward Councillors on behalf of GCC for the 24 hour response to his complaint about racist graffiti on the pavement on the Clyde waterfront.
4. DRUGS PARAPHERNALIA
Tam will ask Lise Fisher for an update on the siting of the new container in New Wynd.
5. LITTER PICK
Niall reported on the event on 15 April. Tam thanked Councillors Braat, Bolander and Millar for joining Community Councillors on the clean-up.
Cigarette butts outside licensed premises had been shown to be a major problem. DF said a backpack vacuum cleaner could be bought to sweep these up. Councillor Braat said a stout brush would help.
Scott said many Council litter bins had been open, with contents spilling out into the pavement or street. Cleansing operatives should ensure they were locked shut after being emptied. Councillor Braat said budget may be an issue. He said the number of bins had been reduced and replaced with larger ones to make collection quicker. He had noticed a lack of recycling bins for glass. Councillor Bolander said maltreatment by passers-by could be part of the problem.
To deter seagulls and pigeons commercial premises should not put rubbish on pavements or streets but on their own premises. Notices should be put up around George Square in particular asking people not to feed pigeons, especially since bird flu remains an issue.
DH said in future it would be better to carry out such an exercise on a Sunday. Tam said MCTCC might consider doing it again but no more often than quarterly and perhaps only annually.
Councillor Bolander said GCC’s Commercial Waste team should raise with licensed premises the need for more bins for glass recycling. and ash trays for cigarette butts.
She suggested that in future stickers should be attached to bags stating: “Collected by MCTCC.”
6. PLANNING
MCTCC has objected to the proposal for student accommodation on Osborne St. Scott noted that the Billy Connolly mural next to the development would be destroyed as a result.
Eight MCTCC Councillors attended a briefing on-site at The Briggait. Work on Phase 1 is due to start in May, initially to create more space for indoor markets.
Following intervention from MCTCC the lamppost under a complaining resident’s window had been turned to face outwards.
A resident had reported construction noise starting at Jocelyn Square at 7 am. Councillor Bolander said that although an 8 am start on weekdays was only ‘recommended’ by GCC it had been included in the ‘advisory note’ to construction companies which gave it greater weight. Tam said MCTCC was grateful to Ward Councillors who shared its concern.
Tam said there was a need for adequate notice to be given of licence variations relating to construction, especially late night work.
Merchant City Park - Eileen said it was up to the SG Reporter as to whether she wished to contact any or all of the 143 objectors to the Ingram Street car park application. The Reporter’s target deadline is 23 June 2023. Of the 8 missing documents requested by DPEA seven have been supplied by GCC to date.
Colin asked the purpose of scaffolding on Queen Street/Ingram Street. Eva said she would check.
7. LICENSING
Tam reported on his participation in a recent meeting of GCC’s Licensing Focus Group. He had been surprised that the MCTCC area had not been designated an area of over-provision of alcohol licensing.
He told that meeting MCTCC did not want alcohol licences for serving outdoors to run later than 10 pm and pubs should not be allowed to serve beyond midnight. Councillor Bolander said the issue would go out to further consultation. The status quo might prevail.
MCTCC has objected to the application for the ‘House of Gods’ Hotel on Glassford Street, including because of the rooftop bar and requested 2 am licence for private events.
Hootenanny pub - Between 5 and 8 feet of the lower section of the Billy Connolly mural are already covered. The proposed two storey extension would cover more than half of it. There would be no amplified music outside.
Scott said some of the flagstones in St Enoch Square were broken. Had that damage been caused by stallholders at major events? It should be a condition of the granting of a licence for a stall that it was conditional on restoring the site ‘as new.’ Councillor Bolander said noise from attractions was becoming excessive.
8. TREASURER’S REPORT
Treasurer not present. Tam will contact Carla.
9. GRANT GIVING SCHEME
Approved as presented by Niall. The sub-committee of him, Gary and Scott will take this forward. Details are on the MCTCC Website. Applications will close on 31 July.
10. ANDERSTON, CITY AND YORKHILL PARTNERSHIP
Gary represented MCTCC but not at this meeting to report.
11. FRIENDS OF THE RAMSHORN
First meeting due on 17 May with guest speaker.
12. MEETING OF WARD 10 COMMUNITY COUNCILLORS
David represented MCTCC at the most recent meeting and has since reported to his fellow Community Councillors. Tam and Scott will represent it at the next meeting on Thursday 25 May.
13. FILMING
Scott reported on filming for ITV’s new Shetland series on 4 May in Miller Street (exterior shots outside Canada Court and inside in The Spiritualist until 11 pm) and Trongate/King Street with use of Virginia Street (and Court for equipment access) for vehicle parking. The production company had been asked for a donation to MCTCC’s grant-giving fund.
14. WEBSITE AND OTHER PUBLICITY
Niall and Ros will be reviewing various quotes for enhancing the Website.
Business cards for MCTCC Councillors and office bearers have been provided.
Posters for notice boards are being re-designed. These can also be placed in prominent locations, perhaps including the post office.
DF said MCTCC should consider advertising. Niall said this could be too expensive.
15. ROBIN JONES
Tam said no date had yet been set for the funeral of one of MCTCC’s longest serving Councillors (Later it was advised this will take place in Watford on 16 May. Details of the Webcast are available from MCTCC Secretary).
16. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Eileen reported on her participation on the consultation on the re-development of George Square and said it was clear that many of the decisions had been taken in 2016 and the GCC representative himself indicated that, seven years on, financing will require reconsideration. It was acknowledged, in particular, that the condition of George Square surface and the Walter Scott plinth were poor. All other statues would be removed and assessed for damage before deciding whether or not to return them to the Square, perhaps in a different position.
Scott said the consultation he attended was told a planning application would be submitted in the Summer with work projected to start in 2025 with completion in early 2028.
Scott said he had received a detailed update from Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership about the possibility of a GP surgery for Merchant City. He would study this and report back to MCTCC. Anderston CC is interested in liaising on this.
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday 30 May at 6.30 pm - City Chambers
Community Grants
MCTCC's grant giving scheme, launched at our April meeting, channels donations that we have received from film and TV productions into community environment projects. The scheme is open to charities, not for profit organisations and social enterprises based in our area. Applications for the first round of funding are now open, and will close on 31 July 2023.
More details, including the application form, are available from our Grants page.
Mens 10K 2023
The Men's 10K and Women's 10K take place on Sunday 18th June. There will be many roads closed around the Merchant City and Trongate area - see Road Restrictions: Men’s 10K and Women’s 10K, Sunday 18 June 2023
Race for Life 2023
Visit https://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/ for more information.
There will be road closures throughout the area during the event.
UCI - Cycling World Championships
Keep up to date with the latest on the UCI Cycling World Championships at https://www.getreadyglasgow.com/cycling-worlds
Robin Jones, Community Councillor
All involved with the Community Council were saddened to hear of the recent death of Robin Jones, who served as a Community Councillor for many years. Our thoughts are with his family.
Meeting Minutes, Monday 27 March 2023
Attended by:
Tam Coyle (Chair), Carla Arrighi, Gary Atkinson, Peter Hayman, Niall McColl, Eileen Mills, Scott Thornton, Ros Wardley-Smith; Ward Councillors Eva Bolander, Philip Braat, Baillie Christy Mearns, Angus Millar; Police - PCs Rob Wilson and Sean McFadden; MD, TD, DF, DH, EL, CMcK, TMcK, GM. By video: OG
1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES
Tam welcomed attendees to the meeting, held unusually on a Monday rather than Tuesday.
Apologies were received from Police Inspector Johnny Waters.
2. POLICE REPORT
PC Wilson reported that police had worked with parking enforcement officers in Merchant City last Saturday night and served 84 penalty notices. This exercise would be repeated in a month.
Several joint ‘engagement events’ had been held with cyclists and motorists re bikers’ safety and observance of the Highway Code. Tam noted that the Community Council had led efforts to have Candleriggs made pedestrians-only for all but two hours a day to allow deliveries to businesses.
Tam said he would discuss with police the issue of noisy buskers with police ‘off the table.’
Councillor Braat asked how successful recent bike marking and cyclists’ engagement events had been.
Scott asked if there had been a significant incidence of the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) canisters. PC Wilson said there had been a few seizures from younger people.
EL asked if anything could be done about queuing of sometimes as many as 25 people outside Shawarma King takeaway, often blocking King Street. PC Wilson said it might be possible to talk to the owner but it was more a safety rather than police issue.
DH said graffiti offenders had been allowed to get away with impunity for far too long. There was a high correlation between the incidence of crime and areas hit by graffiti since that indicated no action was being taken against anti-social behaviour.
Councillor Braat said buskers often tried to outdo each other with noise volume, an example being those outside the Bank of Scotland in St Enoch Square.
3. ELECTED MEMBERS’ REPORTS
Baillie Mearns said notices of legal action had been served on businesses in Candleriggs continuing to encroach on pavement space.
Councillor Bolander said a series of events would be held over five days as part of the ‘Go Live!’ programme in conjunction with the World Cycling Championships from 3-13 August. These would include acts previously featured at the Merchant City Festival (MCF) which would return in 2024.
Councillor Millar said representations had been made about the proposal for student accommodation on Trongate/Hutcheson Street and Osborne Street, with a looming deadline for the latter.
Councillor Braat reported anti-social behaviour by young people congregating around the Museum of Modern Art.
Signage had been left by Scottish Water in and around the High Street long after the work had finished, creating a safety hazard, especially for the visually impaired.
Scott asked Councillor Bolander for an update on waterfront developments between Glasgow Green and Central Station. Despite various attractive presentations over the last few years very little progress seemed to have been achieved recently.
Councillor Millar said strengthening of the quay wall had been part of the City Deal funding reached in 2014. This involved a number of projects. The value of the original grant had been eroded in the meantime. Scott asked if the previous plans had been too ambitious and had proved unaffordable. Councillor Millar said an update on overall funding would be available in the next couple of months.
Peter, Tam and Eileen updated the meeting on the proposal (approved by GCC’s Planning Applications Committee on the casting vote of the Chairman) to build 109 apartments on the site of the NCP car park in Ingram Street. This application had been ‘called in’ by the Scottish Government which is to appoint a Reporter to review it. MCTCC has campaigned for four years to have a community park built in the site.
Gary asked about the impact on residents of the introduction of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) which Councillor Millar summarised. Enforcement should not be forced upon residents without adequate notice. In response to a question from Peter about air quality he said buses’ emission standards needed further improvement.
MD queried why motorists had been penalised last Boxing Day, a major shopping day, since GCC had decreed it was not a public holiday and therefore parking fines could be imposed,
Tam noted that community engagements for the next TRNSMT pop festival were scheduled for 19 April and 24 May (Calton Community Centre 5.30-7 pm). MCTCC would be represented.
EL queried the permitted hours for noisy construction work, saying work near her home had begun at 7 am. Following the meeting Councillor Bolander confirmed recommended working hours for noisy works on construction sites are: Monday-Friday 8 am to 7 pm, Saturday - 9 am to 1 pm; Sunday - No noisy works should take place.
Tam said EL’s complaints about lack of privacy due to re-siting of a lamp post would be covered during a forthcoming walkabout by Community and Ward Councillors.
4. PRESENTATION ON SAFE NEEDLE AND OTHER DRUGS PARAPHERNALIA DISPOSAL
Lise Fisher of GCC introduced her colleague John Campbell on the latest aspect of their work of the past few years on cleaning up needle and drug paraphernalia. John manages the Council’s needle exchange programme and chairs the city centre harm reduction action group. He explained that 400-500 people a month inject themselves away from home every month, sometimes in public places. This involves 6,000-7,000 needles a month.
Changes in procedures had helped, including giving out single use packs of needles and using foil as an alternative needles to inhale the drug instead of injecting it.
Lise said a six month pilot programme would involve setting up one large 60 litre capacity container for accepting used needles and other items. This would be situated in New Wynd Lane, an area known for drug abuse, and monitored daily. The concept had worked successfully in other towns and cities. The Council was not condoning drug abuse but trying to lessen its impacts.
In answer to a question from Gary, John said the aperture would be just large enough to accept needles and have a sloping roof so nothing could be placed on top.
EL complained that the drug problem kept getting shifted to that area from other parts of Glasgow. Why could it not be placed in Ingram Street? It would attract more drug users to the area. Lise said the location had been selected because of the high incidence of discarded needles left around New Wynd.
MD said he was heartened by the initiative and added the King Street pharmacy had proved to be a flash point because of the doling out of drugs from it.
TMcK queried whether drug users in other parts of the city would go all the way to this container to discard their needles.
5. PLANNING
Peter had circulated a report on recent applications. These included a proposal for Purpose Built Student Accommodation on Trongate/Hutcheson Street. Deadline for objections is 10 April. Peter showed a picture of the elevations and said it was another example of the new featureless architecture blighting the cityscape. Buildings were being built higher and higher regardless of architectural merit.
Tam reminded the meeting that MCTCC had strong feelings about the need for more student accommodation in the city centre. The meeting confirmed the Community Council’s objection to this proposal and Peter was asked to convey this to GCC. DH said students had no stake in the local community and adding even more accommodation for them ran counter to Glasgow Council’s aim to bring more families into the city centre.
ST noted that statistics provided at a recent consultation on Glasgow’s Housing Strategy included an increase of 40% in student numbers in Glasgow in the past eight years.
He said the representative of another student accommodation development, in Osborne Street, had promised to share a report compiled by Savills on projected student accommodation shortfalls. Tam said he would pursue this with Porter Planning.
EL queried the proposed (and now approved) 7 storey student accommodation in Jocelyn Square.
Councillor Bolander said there was a need for more student accommodation but public transport meant students could easily reach the city centre from accommodation in other parts of the city.
On a general point, Tam said it was wrong that GCC imposed no limit on the height of new buildings.
6. LICENSING
Tam will represent MCTCC on a GCC Focus Group on 21 April.
Proposal for a ‘House of Gods’ hotel in Glassford Street hotel (next to the post office) includes opening until 2 am for private functions (for up to almost 400 people). MCTCC has concerns about this as well as a proposed rooftop bar. Tam will seek clarification from GCC Licensing on where such large groups would gather with a view to objecting on behalf of MCTCC.
7. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
To be amended to include apologies from Gordon Wylie.
Proposed by Scott, seconded by Tam. Approved.
8. TREASURER’S REPORT
Carla reported a current bank balance of £10.508.
9. GRANT GIVING
Niall said a sub-group of himself, Gary and Scott had compiled guidelines, criteria and a scoring matrix for a scheme to use some of the money (mostly donated by film companies) for projects of benefit to the local community. An updated draft will be circulated to Community Councillors for discussion at their next mid-monthly meeting. In principle it will be presented to the April public meeting and, if agreed, launched. Peter and Eileen may apply for funding for legal assistance in connection with Merchant City Park.
10. NEW COMMUNITY COUNCILLORS
Colin McKay and Mark Dougan have accepted invitations to join MCTCC and were welcomed.
11. LITTER PICK
More volunteers are required for the clean-up of the MCTCC area on Saturday 15 April.
12. WEBSITE UPDATE
Niall said he and Ros had received a quote of around £3,000 for refreshing the Website. He will request other tenders and investigate matched funding.