Cathcart, Merrylee and Muirend Community Council
This report provides an update on progress on those of our priority areas which have developed since our last meeting in February, and on other relevant areas.
Priority 2 – A New Pitch at Merrylee Primary
Cllr Ferguson is pursuing the possibility of ENV2 (developer contributions) funding from Glasgow Life to contribute towards a new pitch, alongside National Infrastructure Fund money. Merrylee’s Parent Council is leading on this issue with our support.
Priority 3 Upgrading the Couper Institute (interior and exterior)
We are seeking to hold a number of events in the Couper in order to help keep it open, and I would like to canvass views on holding our AGM there in October. We have also requested Neighborhood Infrastructure Improvement Fund (NIIF) to upgrade the area outside the Couper. However, we have made little progress on the wider matter of seeking significant investment in the building. On 10 March we were approached by Sylvia Smith, Senior Libraries and Communities Manager at Glasgow Life, seeking a conversation about our aims, but this has not progressed despite our attempts. We have a commitment from all four local Councillors to support our work, and I would like to discuss next steps at the meeting.
Priority 4 Improving Holmlea Park
Louisa Maddison will lead a discussion on biodiversity in the park at the meeting. We have also requested Neighborhood Infrastructure Improvement Fund (NIIF) for the park.
Priority 6 -Improving Merrylee Park
We are seeking Neighborhood Infrastructure Improvement Fund (NIIF) for the park.
Linn Park
We continue to receive queries about when the Snuff Mill entrance to Linn Park will reopen, and will seek an update from councillors at this meeting.
Mural at Cathcart Station
I am delighted to confirm that final permissions for the mural have all now been received: weather depending, it will be installed in either w/b 12 or 19 May. A launch event is provisionally scheduled for Saturday 24 May: details TBC. I hope to tie this in with a Glasgow 850 project to document the activities of community councils, which would mean a photographer would attend. My thanks to the children of Fun Lodge, who helped design the mural, and to Scotrail for generous funding.
Insurance
Glasgow City Council procures an insurance policy on behalf of all community councils, and deducts a sum from our annual grant to pay for this. However, we are finding it difficult to establish whether we are covered for our events: for each separate event, we spend weeks in correspondence with the community council team at the Council, and have been told we may not view a copy of the full policy document. I would like to seek views on any other ways forward on this.
Name change
As agreed at our last meeting and in accordance with community feedback, we have now changed our name to Cathcart, Merrylee and Muirend Community Council. Please bear with us while we gradually change our materials and contact details to reflect the new name. We have a new email address, CMMCommCouncil@gmail.com, but emails to the previous address will still reach us.
Carolyn Lochhead, Chair, May 25 CMMCommCouncil@gmail.com
