If you’re not getting any water, then don’t worry. A water main has burst on Bridge Street and people in G5, G41, G42, G43, and G45 may have lost their water supply. To find out more, see Scottish Water’s Service Updates webpage.

Update: We have our water back this morning. Hopefully everyone else does, too. Thanks to all the people who spent the night fixing things, whoever you are.

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The Bungo Birl are delighted to announce that the evening’s food will be provided by the fantastic Babu Bombay Street Kitchen! You will have seen their stall at the Farmer’s Market in Queen’s Park and now they have a fab little cafe in town. They’re based in Strathbungo, so it’s great to keep it local and we’re all looking forward to tasty street food. Only 10 adult tickets left people…..Nom nom nom!

Have you ever gotten annoyed by all the litter in Queen’s Park? It’s a gorgeous park that was designed by a famous Victorian landscape architect: Sir Joseph Paxton, who also designed the Crystal Palace in London. It’s a shame that so many people think it’s okay to treat this beautiful, historic park like a dump. Well, now we have a way to help out with the problem.

The Friends of Queen’s Park have organised a cleanup for Saturday, 23rd November at 10:00 am. The group will meet at the main gates at Victoria Road. It will work much like Brighter Bungo, with the City Council providing equipment and support. If you can make it, the Friends of Queen’s Park would love for you to opt in on their Facebook page. However, if you find that you just want to show up on the day, that’s fine, too.

Following earlier post on breakins the police have confirmed there has been a spate of break-ins over the pat few weeks in the Strathbungo area. These break ins have been to houses and more recently to garden sheds. There have been a number of bikes stolen from communal areas. There is no specific time pattern to when the thefts occur and no specific method of entry into the premises. Police are advising that if you live in a ground floor house that you keep the window closed and if possible fit locks to the windows. A number of garden sheds have been broken into and police have provided an advice note about security in gardens which I have pasted below:

Garden Security

As the summer comes to an end and expensive gardening tools, cycles, motorbikes & other items are put away for the winter, it’s an ideal time to think about your garden security. Here are a few steps for you to consider now & all year round.

Secure storage:
Put away all tools and equipment in a locked garden shed, garage or outside store.
If you do not have a shed etc, store items inside, DO NOT leave them lying about.

Doors – Fit a good quality hasp and padlock to the door. The hasp and the door hinges should be fixed with dome headed bolts or non-returnable screws, to prevent tampering.

Windows – Fit window grills internally or use heavy wire mesh. Reinforced glass is a good alternative. Fit a net curtain or sticky opaque film on the windows to stop persons seeing what is inside the shed. If the window opens, a window lock should be fitted.

Security
In addition to a lock, you may wish to consider fitting an alarm on your shed. There are three types of alarm system that can be used and can be purchased from most DIY stores and ironmongers:
• An infra-red detector in the shed that picks up on movement and body heat.
• A door contact system.
• An alarm within the padlock itself, which sounds if the lock is forced open or tampered with.
If you have a burglar alarm, why not extend it to cover the shed, garage and other outbuildings.
Install outside security lighting that comes on automatically.
Keep walls and fences surrounding your garden in a good state of repair. Hedges and shrubs in the front garden should be kept to a height of no more than 3 feet in order to avoid giving a thief something to hide behind.

Garden Furniture
Ensure that garden furniture is put away; remember furniture can be used by a thief as a climbing aid to gain entry to your home. If possible try to secure or chain your wheelie bins so these cannot be used to get access to window hoppers.

Gardening Tools
Never leave gardening tools lying about the garden, put them in a locked shed at the end of the day. Remember they could be used by a thief to break into your house. Linking garden tools within the shed with a chain can also help reduce the chance of them being stolen or used to break in. Remember garden tools such as forks, spades, rakes etc are all valuable.

Property marking
Security postcode your garden furniture and ornaments. This can be done by marking the items with paint, engraving the item, or where appropriate security mark with an ultraviolet pen.
Note a detailed description of garden furniture and tools etc including a note of the make, model, serial numbers, colours & value of items such as lawnmowers, strimmers, and hedge cutters, and if possible take a photograph.

Landscaping
However, there are other ways to protect your home and garden. Gravel paths and drives are a fantastic way of cheaply and unobtrusively discouraging a thief from entering your garden. Gravel makes a loud noise when stepped on which carries well at night and may wake the home owners, neighbours or a dog. This is instantly off-putting to a thief.
Another way to protect your home is to plant prickly hedging around the perimeter of your garden. Pyracantha and several types of Berberis all provide spiky hedging and good cover in your garden. Your local garden centre will give appropriate advice.

For more info & advice visit… www.scotland.police.uk

As a registered Charity, the Strathbungo Society has three constitutionally elected office bearer, who on election become Trustees of the Society. The following role descriptions are provided for anyone who may wish to consider themselves for any of the positions at the AGM to be held at 7.30pm in the Bungo-lo, Nithsdale Road, Strathbungo.

Chair:

• Is a member of the Management Committee of the Society and with the support of this Committee and residents of Strathbungo furthers the Objects of the Society
• Is a Trustee of the Society and fulfils the functions of a Trustee
• Is a signatory on the Society’s accounts
• Chairs all meetings of the Society
• Has a casting vote at all meetings of the Society
• Receives and disseminates all information pertinent to the Society’s work
• Ensures the availability of the resources of the Society for use of the community
• Ensures the records of the Society are in place and accessible as required

TIME INVOLVED: Depends on the business to be dealt with, but in general, around 3 – 6 hours per month.

Treasurer:

• Is a member of the Management Committee of the Society and with the support of this Committee and residents of Strathbungo furthers the Objects of the Society
• Is a Trustee of the Society and fulfils the functions of a Trustee
• Is a signatory on the Society’s accounts
• Records the financial transactions of the Society
• Reports the balance of the Society’s account at every meeting or arranges for this if unable to attend
• Receives the bank statements of the Society
• Issues counter-signed cheques for payment of all invoices received by the Society
• Completes grant applications on behalf of the Society
• Completes annual accounts to 30th April and arranges for them to be independently audited for presentation and adoption at an AGM and also lodged with OSCR
• Ensures that the financial records of the Society are in place and accessible as required

NB: Accounting formats and record keeping structures are already in place and the treasurer is supported by members of the Committee with many of the above tasks and anyone who takes on this role will be supported in taking on its functions.

TIME INVOLVED: Depends on the business to be dealt with, but in general, around 1 – 2 hours per month.

Secretary:

• Is a member of the Management Committee of the Society and with the support of this Committee and residents of Strathbungo furthers the Objects of the Society
• Is a Trustee of the Society and fulfils the functions of a Trustee
• Is a signatory on the Society’s accounts
• Publishes the agenda, with any associated documents, in advance of every meeting by e-mail contacts and also on the Bungo Blog
• Takes the minute of every meeting of the Society
• Posts on the Bungo Blog all information agreed by the Committee pertinent to the work of the Society
• Writes letters/e-mails on behalf of the Society as required
• Passes on all correspondence received, in whatever format, to the Committee
• Ensures that the administrative records are in place and accessible as required

NB: Administrative formats and record keeping structures are already in place and the Secretary is supported by members of the Committee with many of the above tasks and anyone who takes on this role will be supported to take on its functions.

TIME INVOLVED: Depends on the business to be dealt with, but in general, around 1 – 2 hours per month.

Vice Chair:

• Stands in for the Chair at all meetings that the Chair cannot attend
• Takes on the full functions of the role of Chair if the Chair stands down between AGM’s or is unable to fulfil the functions of the role

The Vice Chair role is not a constitutional requirement of the Society, but it is essential for ensuring that the work of the Society can continue in the absence of the Chair for any reason and it has been the custom at AGM’s to elect a Vice Chair.

TIME INVOLVED: Depends on the business to be dealt with, but in general, around 1 – 2 hours per month.

Should you wish to know more about any of these posts or wish to nominate yourself or anyone else to be considered for the posts please advise.

The planning and delivery of public sector services in Glasgow is now being coordinated through the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership, which is in turn split into three sectors with one covering the southside of the city. Below this Area Partnerships have been created at ward level to replace what were previously known as Area Committees and neighbourhood forums. For more information on the background – http://www.glasgowcpp.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10290

The Strathbungo Society are represented on the Pollokshields Area Partnership by Kevin Kane with myself as substitute representative. The Committee papers are all public – http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/councillorsandcommittees/allBodyMeetings.asp?bodyid=1780&bodytitle=Pollokshields+Area+Partnership&MeetingYear=2013

I attended the August and October meeting and it would appear the Partnership is very much at the formative stage, with a whole range of presentations from the impact of the cuts in welfare benefits on the city to tackling litter in East Pollokshields. The most important role being given to Partnerships is to assist in the local implementation of the four community planning priorities for the city which are about vulnerable people, youth unemployment, tackling alcohol abuse and creating thriving places. A lot of useful information on this is contained in the draft Glasgow Community Plan –
http://www.glasgowcpp.org.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=15989&p=0

At the August meeting it was suggested that officers of the public bodies on the area partnership (Council, NHS, Police) should come back to the next meeting with proposals how these priorities might be implemented in the local area. The Community representatives questioned this top down approach and suggested that other organisations on the Partnership could be asked for ideas and priorities. To give the Officers credit they jumped at this idea and a meeting between Council officers and community representatives was held in early October.

So, we are now looking for ideas about the Council, NHS, police etc should be doing to improve delivery of local services do let us know. While everything needs to be linked into the four community planning priorities, thriving places covers just about anything……………….and the other priority areas all have local angles, whether its local businesses creating jobs (tackling youth unemployment) or the impact of local pubs (yes its great to have so many places to go but what are negative impacts and what could be done to reduce these?).

Kevin and I will try and use the blog for further updates and to canvass for views and also consult the Committee at the monthly meetings.

Nick Kempe
nickkempe@tinyworld.co.uk