Loch Lomond South Community Development Trust would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!
We have some exciting news … LLSCDT have secured initial start up funding to cover costs for the development of the LLSCDT webpage and other essential purchases that we will need to help elevate the LLSCDT brand and project – you will be notified as soon as the website goes live and will be able to read more about who has funded this in the next month or two.
The LLSCDT Board of Directors have been appointed and we are happy to say that the following people are in the post: –
- Lynne Somerville – Chair
- Adrienne McCaulay – Interim Treasurer
- Drea Middleton – Secretary
- Pamela Scott
- Malcolm Sharp
- Jim Bollan (co opted)
- David Ross
We are still actively looking for Directors from Balloch and Haldane – if you wish to apply to join us, please contact us by reply or via the BHCC inbox: info@ballochhaldanecc.com. Per LLSCDT, Articles of Association and DTAS guidance, we aim to have 12 working Directors appointed to the Board, of which, in addition to current co opted seat, one additional co opted Director will be allowed.
Fund Raising
We are continuing to collect monies to aid the LLSCDT in creating that alternative vision that the people of Balloch, Haldane and those who love to visit Balloch, Loch Lomond. You can still make a donation, no matter how small via this LLSCDT Go Fund Me.
One of our lovely members, Amy from Mavi, has volunteered to help us raise some cash via an online raffle – where we have some amazing prizes including hotel stays, restaurants vouchers and some rare football memorabilia. So do keep an eye out for this and buy as many tickets as you can afford to help us raise much needed funds and be in with a chance of winning some fab prizes!
Member & Volunteers Sign Up
We are still actively signing up members from Balloch and Haldane to join the LLSCDT member base – just a reminder that there is no cost or time commitment required. We want to ensure that as many people from the local area have a say and vote in what we create as an alternative vision to that proposed by Lomond Banks. Our current volunteers are doing a stellar job going door to door. Some members who have not provided postal and email addresses will be receiving a phone call for this information.
We will not sell or misuse this information, we will adhere to GDPR when managing your data, but as a community group and established trust (see companies house via this link) we need to be able to demonstrate to funders, investors and the Scottish Government that at least 10% of the local people are behind our plans or all of our efforts will all have been for nothing.
Please signing up if you have not done so already , you can do so via this link – Loch Lomond South CDT Member Sign Up – you are not restricted to one person per household, all members of a household can sign up.
IMPORTANT: People from outwith the Balloch and Haldane area are welcome to become members but they will not have voting rights at this point in time when it comes to making decisions about what we want to do with the local area. We hope to revisit this in the future.
Youth Engagement & Local Place Plan Activity
LLSCDT will be working with Haldane Youth Services and engaging high school pupils from the local area to create a youth forum. We aim to ensure we are listening to what the younger generation want to see in the Balloch area, as we know there is very little, if anything for that demographic to do in the village and it is integral that we address this issue for current and future generations.
We will also be working with Balloch and Haldane Community Council (BHCC) and other key partners and industry based organisations to develop and produce the Balloch and Haldane Local Place Plan. The Local Place Plan will guide what LLTNP recommend in their Local Development Plan, due to be published later this year. It is a very important piece of work and we will be contacting you in the coming weeks and months to ask that you attend public consultations to ensure your voices are heard on what you wish to see in the Balloch and Haldane area over the coming decade.
Lomond Banks Appeal …
As you may be aware Lomond Banks (Flamingo Land) submitted an appeal.
It will be down to the DPEA to make a decision and although all original objections submitted to Loch Lomond Trossachs National Park will be considered. BHCC drafted a template that you are all welcome to copy and paste and submit. You can do so via DPEA Template objection the deadline for this is 24th January 2025.
Member Engagement
We are aware that there has been a gap since our last newsletter in November but as a team of volunteers, who also have full time jobs, this can be a lot to keep up with as we lay the foundations for the trust to be built upon, we have been very busy with jobs ranging from business planning, critical stakeholder engagement, looking at funding routes and so forth. In that, you will receive email updates but the LLSCDT newsletter will be moved to being a quarterly publication.
Also, please note that moving forward all LLSCDT Board meetings will be closed to allow us to get the work done that we need to. This will ensure all business is discussed in timely manner. You will however still join be able to attend the BHCC meetings where a full update will be offered by a LLSCDT rep. The BHCC meetings take place on the First Tuesday of every month at 18:30 in the Balloch House Hotel.
We pride ourselves on being transparent and accountable to our members so will be publishing the minutes from the monthly LLSCDT meeting for all members to be able to read online when our new website is up and running and are happy to send these to you members who request these directly.
Please get in touch if you have any questions or queries.
All the best,
Lynne and the LLSCDT Board and team of Volunteers!
**Thanks to Lynsey Mitchell for the newsletter image of Loch Lomond with the Ben.