2007 Breakdown of Events

A breakdown of the year's events along with a table of related documents for this year.

2007

January

• FCS fails to submit PID to the FES management board. Rena states that she was "giving Jeremy the chance to get his head round the CV project. CVDG are unhappy at the delays but Rena states the "FCS consider the proposals for improved access at CV to be achievable" and that "the programme for 07 is green & multi-user trail, with a length of red. All to be approved by mid Feb."
• CVDG plan an open day to launch the second phase of bike trails

February

• Rock and Road Cycles in partnership with Orange Bikes hold a demo day at Carron Valley - event was well attended with a number of purchases being made on the day.
• The project manager attends the first CVP meeting. Two sets of minutes are recorded. Version 1 and Version 2.
• Jeremy Thompson has a PID for Carron Valley, but fails to submit PID to the FES management board.
• CVDG write to Patricia Ferguson asking for backing at a strategic level. No response was received.
• Jeremy Thompson begins discussions with two business people from Stirling area regarding catering at Carron Valley.

March

• Jeremy Thompson attends CVDG committee meeting.
• Relationship develops with project manager however FCS fail to submit PID to the FES management board again. CVDG requests sight of PID however Jeremy states its is in "draft format at the moment." This will become crucial later on.
• Cathie Craigie supports the group in seeking further funding.
• Dennis Canavan supports the group in seeking further funding.
• Mark Ruskell supports the group in seeking further funding.
• Michael Matheson MSP supports the group in seeking further funding.
• CVDG, FCS and CSFT agree to form a construction sub group with CSFT project managing all construction. CVDG's resident engineer's experience "will be very welcome"

April

• Kilsyth Community Council expresses support the CV project.
• CVP meet in April. Jeremy Thompson confirms the "Tomtain" trail is a red route
• CVDG release the first full year figures for the trail counters.
• CVDG committee meeting minutes
• CVDG receive the draft PID under FOI legislation. It seeks to "improve the quality of the visitor experience to the Carron Valley" and "in so doing it will contribute towards a number of SFS Key Themes".
• However, it refers to the Tomtain red route as a "blue with optional red features to challenge the proficient off road mountain biker" which contradicts Jeremy Thompson's comments at the April CVP meeting.
• CSFT submit £500,000 funding bid to the Environmental Justice Fund (EJF) for Phase 2 based on agreed project plans. FCS send out an email on the 27th April containing a letter dated 25th April which refers to a meeting on the 18th April. This meeting was in fact on the 17th April and it would appear that FCS are trying to post-date a letter to make it look like they had not sanctioned the submission of the EJF bid. Stirling Council registers their protest at FCS behaviour.
• CVDG tried to meet with Karl Bartlett to resolve the now apparent red-trail issue. Karl declined to turn up. However, Karl Bartlett begins to throw stones from afar regarding "discriminatory signage". Jeremy Thompson wants "the right solution for Carron Valley"
• CVDG tries to clarify matters as the situation becomes increasingly confusing. CVDG states its position again and Jeremy Thompson agrees the "process has to be transparent.".
• FCS fail to submit PID to the FES management board, stating that "more information was required". FCS "Head office had given a clear steer that the new cycle trails should be as accessible as possible" but CVDG defend the logic in the design.

May

• Cathie Craigie speaks to Calum MacDonald about the issues at CV. Calum MacDonald discusses "'guerrilla' trails" but offers little support.
• CVP (with the exception of FCS) discuss the best way to resolve the issue of a project champion who is doing everything possible to not champion the project.
• CVP celebrate the completion of the enlarged trail network with the Carron Valley BikeFest - an event attended by over 500 visitors. CVDG and CSFT jointly issued a press release. CVDG comment made mention of a total project cost of £1.5m. CSFT kept this in their version but FCS stepped in and removed the £1.5m tagline, and changed a quote without authorisation. The FCS press officer claim that the changed quote claims "this isn't really a press office issue to handle."
• CVDG register a storm of protest at the way FCS has unilaterally changed the PID behind the CVP's back. Instead of addressing the issue Jeremy Thompson states "One of the main advantages of the partnership as I see it is to ensure that we all working to common aims and objectives which we can all sign up to and thereby improve joined up thinking which in turn creates synergy that will make a real difference to getting things achieved on the ground" and confirms "we are not going to change the direction of the project as described in the PID."
• FCS minutes of the April CVP meeting disputed by other partners.
• FCS submits PID to FES management board, but due to "pressure of business" it is not discussed until board meeting of June. At this point CVDG actually asked for the PID not to be submitted because we couldn't understand what was actually in it despite our efforts to get Jeremy to explain
• FCS refuse to share PID with CVP - project sponsor states that he will not provide this as it is an "internal document".
• CVDG request and receive copy of PID under FOI legislation - it is immediately apparent that the agreed CVP project plan has been fundamentally altered by FCS without consultation with CVP.
• Project sponsor and champion asked to attend monthly CVP meeting to explain FCS position by a number of partners. They refused.
• CVDG attend a crunch meeting of the CVP - Supporting Document.

June

• CVDG attend another difficult CVP meeting. Again there are differences in the minutes - FCS version and CVDG's version
• PID was not presented to the board by the project champion Alan Stevenson, but discussed at length by FES management board. The minutes were not published until much later (August) and the "decision" was withheld from the CVP.
• The FES management board also make their first reference to an "agreed strategic framework" - the apparent birth of the new project and the death of the FCS National Strategy.
• CVDG approach Michael Matheson to try and bring the Environment Minister on board to stop FCS games - Additional Doc 1; Additional Doc 2.
• Despite all of the games ongoing with the PID, FCS creates a brief for a café feasibility study

July

• CVDG obtain two further versions of PID via FOI. Only version three, which is radically different from earlier versions, is provided to the FES board.
  CVDG press for answers on what the boards decision was regarding the PID. Kenny Murray, Parliamentary & Cultural Programmes Manager, refers the group to the website to get the result. CVDG feel this is "frankly as far removed from so called "partner working" as it is possible".
• CVDG attend another crunch meeting of the CVP.
• The Environment Minister responds via Michael Matheson and the response does nothing to move the project forward. CVDG respond appropriately
• The Scottish Lowlands Forest District Strategic Plan is published.

August

• FES releases minutes of board meeting on its website. CVDG struggle to understand what the board are saying because it is "waffle". Requests for clarification of the board's decision are rebuffed by FCS. Jeremy Thompson helpfully states "The FES position is as stated in the FES papers already made available."
• ClanRanald Trust for Scotland resign from CVP
• CVDG attend Scottish Cycling facilities audit workshop and provide a written submission.
• CVDG requests information on a focussed range of issues from FCS relating to the PID submission to inform CVP position.
• FCS threatens to issue a formal refusal notice. CVDG respond accordingly
• CVDG refused to attend the partnership meeting - Jeremy Thompson and Rena Tarwinska attended - no other CVP members did.
• CVDG forced to rescind £15,000 of Leader+ funding. Robert Hunter of Stirling Council is "appalled at the position".
• Geoff Brown of Scottish Water registers his protest at the behaviour of FCS

September

• CVDG hold their AGM
• FCS issues refusal notice to the CVDG chairman denying access to all information requested. CVDG appeal and state the reasons why the information is required. None of the questions are answered.
• Sunday Herald publishes article heavily criticising FCS for it's treatment of CVDG/CVP.
• FCS state "The present arrangement is not fulfilling a useful purpose, and the terms of the concordat stipulate that with the resignation of Clanranald it is now effectively finished." and "the best way forward is to have bilateral meetings with partners."
  CVDG rebuff this strategy.
• FCS do not attend partnership meeting of 23rd September.
• CVDG attend a meeting with Hugh Insley, Alan Stevenson, Nicky Whittaker and the other partners to discuss the way forward. The day before the meeting Hugh Insley delivers a document by email which "provides an assessment of how development at Carron Valley fits with Forestry Commission Scotland's policy on capital investment in forest recreation." In a strange twist the document is penned by the new FDM for Scottish Lowlands, Brent Meakin.
  CVDG are not happy "Mr Meakins document appears to be written with the express purpose of finding a range of reasons not to develop Carron Valley "
  Cathie Craigie agrees to chair the meeting.
• Hugh Insley hopes the meeting will lead to a "more disciplined and productive relationship".
• CVDG try to rebuild links with FCS

October

• Brent Meakin is appointed Forest District Manager to Scottish Lowlands following "relocation" of previous incumbent.
• CVDG facilitate FCS's application for Leader+ money to ensure it is not lost to the area.
• CVDG release updated counter figures.
• FCS hold an internal review of Niall Thomson's FOI - it finds in FCS favour

November

• CVP meet for the first time since August - North Lanarkshire Council highlight that a further £18,000 of funding was in immediate jeopardy due to ongoing delays. CVDG seek to ensure the funding is put to use building the lochside trail.
• Glasgow Ivy bike club hold a round of the Scottish Cyclo-Cross series at Carron Valley - utilising Eas Dubh for a rather fast and bumpy CX race.
• FCS takes ownership of c.3000 acres of land at Campsie Glen as part of "long term strategy to maximize benefits for those living and working in urban populations." Campsie Glen is a few hundred meters from Carron Valley Forest at its closest point.
• CVDG meet a delegation of MSPs at the Scottish Parliament in a briefing session - organized by Cathie Craigie MSP. The MSPs are supportive of the efforts CVDG and CVP and highly critical of FCS behaviour.
• CSFT try to step back from project management of any future trails at Carron Valley. When CVDG point out the obvious flaw in the argument - CSFT were brought in less than a year before with the specific remit project managing trail construction - they agree to remain on board.

December

• CVDG find out about a national conference on the strategic future of mountain biking in Scotland almost by accident. Very few community groups are made aware of the conference, despite one of the aims of the conference being "to give the widest possible range of interests the chance to input on the development of the framework". CVDG inform a number of community groups and the leading mountain biking websites that the conference is happening.
• FCS bids for Leader+ money that CVDG were forced to turn down.
• CVDG see final plans for car park and environs improvements. Requests that CVDG are consulted when the plans were being drawn up were ignored
• CSFT create a brief for a technical consultant to design and manage construction of the lochside trail.
• CVDG complained to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) in August regarding a data protection breach by Hugh Insley. The complaint was upheld