Annual Report and Accounts for 2004/05

Chair's Report

It's been another worrying year for the Ochils. It's hard to understand how a range of hills so visible to so many people can find itself at such risk from industrial intrusion, but at risk it is. The northern and eastern sides of the Ochils remain threatened by wind turbines, while the western edge is the proposed home for miles of massive electricity pylons. Things are becoming critical on both fronts. On 29 November a council meeting in Perth will discuss five windfarm applications: Lochelbank, Tillyrie, Mellock, Snowgate Glen and Green Knowes. And if any of these is passed by the council, then the construction workers with their hard hats, JCBs and cranes will be ushered on to the hill slopes. And a fortnight later, 12 December sees the end of the consultation period for the Scottish and Southern Energy pylon proposal, with a meeting to follow on 15 December, at which the future of Sheriffmuir will be up for grabs. Always regarded Sheriffmuir as a tranquil place, a happy escape from the stress of life down below? Well it won't be for much longer if the pylon people get their way.

Windfarms and the pylons are inter-related: without the sudden spate of the former, often in remote and previously unspoilt areas much further north than the Ochils, there would be no need for the latter. And what's depressing about all this is the short-termism of it all. Almost no one doubts the pressing need to do something about energy production, but the planning needs to be long-term, more considered, not just a quick off-the-shelf fix. Just to take one example, offshore energy production from wave power looks to be a more sustainable option, but the current crop of politicians - just as politicians always have - demand speedy answers to panicky questions to save their own careers, and so the onshore windfarm is the preferred option, not because it's the best one, but because the technology to install it quickly already exists.

The level of public apathy about all this is also disheartening. FotO is one of several local-Ochil groups working to stop industrialisation of the hills, but the membership of such groups - and even more so the active membership of such groups - is tiny compared to the overall Ochils catchment area, people for whom the hills feature in some part of their life, even if only at the level of a pleasant view seen from an office window in an otherwise dull job. Should the turbines and the pylons get built, then a considerable number of previously silent Ochil-lovers will sudden come to the fore in 'why didn't you stop it?' mode. Such belated arrivals to the cause will of course be welcome, but how much better would it be - indeed how vital could it be - for them to become involved while there is still a chance of stopping all this stuff from getting built?

It’s vital that awareness of the gravity of the situation is imparted more widely than at present. One way this can happen is for FotO members to persuade friends and relatives to join - it's not exactly going to bankrupt people, after all. But the more important way is simply for knowledge of the threats to the Ochils to be made known among the wider population, regardless of whether people join this or any other organisation. Far better that they make their feelings known to councils, to energy companies, to the local and national press. Because if they don't, and if the people opposed to industrial development of these hills can be casually dismissed as a cranky minority of campaigners, then by this time next year it will be too late, and the Ochils as we know and love them will have been radically changed for the worse by those who couldn't care two hoots for Tarmangie, who couldn't give a damn about Dumyat.

Finance and Membership Report

2004/05 saw a return to a small surplus in the accounts after a deliberate deficit in 2003/04.  Income from subscriptions fell because 2003/04 had included two life memberships.  We defined a new category of expenditure – landscape campaigning – which reflects the very much increased level of threats to the Ochils to which we are having to respond.  We are fortunate that our reserves enable us to act (and spend) as needed, without having to think first of whether we can afford it or not.

Membership grew for the second year in a row.  Almost all new members join using the membership form in the leaflet, demonstrating its value.  My thanks go to those Committee members who have ensured that leaflets are available in a variety of locations.  There is a good stock of leaflets available if any member can place some where they might attract interest.  An A3 poster is also available.  While the leaflet increases our public visibility, increasing membership also, undoubtedly, reflects increased awareness of the imminent threats that seem to be striking at all parts of the Ochils.

Dealing with matters relating to charity regulation also comes within my remit.  Changes in charity law and regulation are going to have an impact upon all charities and we have responded to a number of consultations, supporting proper and comprehensive regulation while also seeking to ensure that it is proportional to a charity's size and resources (financial and human).  National thinking is along the same lines, so it is likely that the potential impact of increased regulation upon small charities such as ourselves will be modest.  We are already meeting many, I hope most, of the likely requirements in our regular practice.

Committee for 2004/05

President Rennie McOwan	7 Williamfield Avenue, Stirling, FK7 9AH	01786 461316
Chair Dave Hewitt	3 Ferry Orchard, Cambuskenneth, Stirling, FK9 5ND	01786 450047 Dave.Hewitt@dial.pipex.com
Vice-Chair Nicki Baker	Parkhead, Logie, Stirling, FK9 4LS	01786 833399 nicki.baker@btinternet.com
Treasurer & Membership David Gordon	38 Anchorscross, Dunblane, FK15 9JW	01786 823745 david.kathryn@btinternet.com
Ian Buchanan	67 Cleuch Drive, Alva, Clacks, FK12 5NY	01259 760482
Robin Kelsall	Kirklea, Blairlogie, Stirling, FK9 5PX	01259 761303 rakelsall@kirkleacot.fsnet.co.uk
Felicity Martin	Belvue, Thimble Row, Dunning, Perthshire, PH2 0RT	01764 684454 felicitymartin@sol.co.uk
Dave Prentice	The Smiddy, Tibbermore, Perth, Perthshire, PH1 1QJ	01738 583345 dave_prentice@btinternet.com
Andrew Thompson	Belvue, Thimble Row, Dunning, Perthshire, PH2 0RT	01764 684454
Bruce Sewell	5 Elm Court, Doune, Perthshire, FK16 6JG

Membership at 31 August

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Honorary Life	-	-	-	1	1	1
Life	15	13	12	13	14	14
Family	28	27	27	25	30	32
Individual	44	46	44	44	50	57
Concession	39	41	39	38	40	39
(Total personal)*	(154)	(154)	(149)	(145)	(164)	(175)
Community	6	6	6	6	7	5
Corporate	1	1	1	-	-	-

FRIENDS OF THE OCHILS

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Tommy Downs Room, Alloa Town Hall

7.00 pm, Tuesday 15 November 2005