The Community Council is a statutory body, we work to represent the views of the community to the Local Authority. The Community Council is made up of local residents, elected from within the community, who volunteer to act on behalf of their area. We are the most local tier of elected representation. As a Community Council we have a direct link to Stirling Council and therefore play an important role in local democracy.
Background legislation
The general purpose of Community Councils is defined in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994.
Constitutional issues
A model constitution and code of conduct for Community Councils can be found on the community councils’ page on the Stirling Council website.
Gargunnock Community Council is made up of local people who are passionate about their community and want to make it a better place for all to live.
As well as representing the community to the local authority, we engage in a wide range of activities which promote the well-being of our community.
Recent examples of our work would include the renovation of the village fountain and the Christmas lighting displays, and the planned upgrade to the A811 / Station Road junction. A subgroup of the Community Council also drove the purchase and reopening of the village shop, returning a vital service to the village.
We bring local people together to help make things happen, and we strive to protect and promote the identity of our community. We advise, petition, influence and advocate numerous causes and cases of concern on behalf of our local community. The Local Place Plan is an ongoing project which reflects our work.
Community Councils have a statutory right to be consulted on planning applications. Licensing matters and any other matters may also be jointly agreed between Community Councils, the Council and other public sector and private agencies.
Community Council membership is a great way to be involved with your local area. We aim to develop a good understand of the workings of local government and work to influence what is going on locally and nationally. All local authorities in Scotland encourage citizens to become a member of their Community Council.
The Community Council meets 6 times a year in the Community Centre, usually on a Monday at 19:00. You will find our Facebook Page useful for keeping up to date with general news.
Dates for the next meeting can be viewed below. A Stirling Councillor usually attends our meetings, (for 2026, as per this link – we are in Ward 2) and this offers a very useful avenue to highlight any issues we have in the community. All village residents are welcome and encouraged to attend meetings of the Community Council which are open to the public.
The Community Council, with funds from the Wind Farm Panel, had the historic Gargunnock Water Fountain cleaned and repointed in 2025.
The fountain is listed and sits in The Square in the central point of the village. It now looks closer to how it would have looked when it was built, however, we were restricted in how detailed the cleaning could be because the fountain is listed as a historic monument. The village Christmas tree goes in the small garden in front of the fountain, surrounded by Christmas lighting. It is also where the New Year celebrations start each new year and where the Remembrance Day wreath is laid.
The fountain was installed in 1909 to celebrate piped mains water being brought into the village. Before the piped water system, residents relied on wells and the local burn. It is hard to believe that the village only gained access to piped water just over 115 years ago! The water supply was funded by local minister, the Rev Robert Stevenson, with the fountain being added in memory of his mother Jeannie Millar and was erected by her nephews. The inscription on the fountain, which is now a little faded, reads ‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of light'”.
The fountain had a tap with a stone basin underneath. Unfortunately, the basin has been damaged over time, and the tap is no longer operational. There are ongoing discussions about whether this is something which we should look to restore to operational order, as well as improving the small garden in front.
Prior to this, the village had a Christmas tree and a simple lights display at the Square. Last year we installed more lights on Station Road and Manse Brae, as well as more lighting around The Square and into the small public garden behind the fountain.
In December 2025, a small switch on ceremony took place and this was attended by a good number of adults and children from Gargunnock and beyond. The Christmas lighting display has proven to be very popular, brightening up the dark winter evenings. The lights and installation were funded by a lottery grant, the Wind farm Panel and a pub quiz.
Funding sources for 2025 are currently being explored, with plans for a modest extension to the existing lighting for this year. Some lamp posts are unsuitable to have lights added to them, and we rely on Stirling Council to install a suitable electricity supply to each post. The cost of the electrical installation and the running costs are funded under the auspices of the Community Council.
There are three main roads which lead into the village directly off the main A811 road from Stirling towards Loch Lomond.
This is a very busy “A” road and none of the junctions from this road into Gargunnock are particularly good. The ‘middle’ junction which joins Station Road is particularly hazardous, especially to exit. This junction is situated on a section of the A811, as it opens up onto a straight, after a bend. Added to this, there is an old wall and hedging which severely restricts the sight lines for vehicles leaving the village or coming towards the junction from the east or the west. There have been serious accidents at, or in proximity to each of the three village junctions over many decades.
The Community Council has been campaigning to have improvements made to each of the junctions, but especially to Station Road junction for many years. Stirling Council agreed last year that the Station Road / A811 junction will be redesigned and repurposed. Work is now planned to move the hedging to the east and to move the wall next to the farm at the west of the junction. This should significantly improve the sight lines and make the junction safer.
We have also asked Stirling Council to add double white lines to prevent overtaking on the A811, close to each of the junctions. The roads department has responded to advise that the existing markings comply with the regulations and that double white lines are not required.
The new Gargunnock website.
Through funding secured by the Council, a new website serving the village, wider community and visitors has been created in collaboration with the Windfarm Fund, and Trust.
The reopening of the Gargunnock Community Shop marks the success of a remarkable community effort.
Following the closure of the previous store, local residents raised £65,415 through a community share offer, supported by additional grant funding to total over £600,000.
The project was led by Gargunnock Community Shop Limited, a local community group of individuals keen to see a pivotal village amenity reinstated.
Several years ago, the road layout onto The Square was reconfigured.
Previously, there was a ‘Give Way’ sign and appropriate lines at the end of Manse Brae as it joined The Square. The main issue this change has caused is that vehicles entering The Square from Manse Brae, have the right of way and can cut across the junction at The Square. The Community Council has raised this as a concern with Stirling Council, but currently they do not see a need to revert to the previous road layout.
The Community Council was active in bringing the 20 mph limits into the village, to improve safety, and also with the 40 mph limits on the approach roads.
The area covered by the Community Council is the village of Gargunnock itself and surrounding farms and houses in the parish. Gargunnock Community Council is entitled to have 9 community councillors. The elections for Councillors is normally held every 4 years, with the most recent round having been 2023. However, as Local Authority elections are taking place in 2027, it then falls to the next available year which is 2028.
The Community Council meets six times a year in the Community Centre, usually on a Monday at 19:00 in the Garden Room.
A Stirling Councillor usually attends our meetings, and this offers a very useful link to highlight any issues we have in the community. All village residents are welcome and encouraged to attend Community Council meetings.
We are keen to encourage young people to join us and would welcome the opportunity to hear their views and opinions about the village. The minimum age to stand for election as a Community Councillor is 16 years. There is also the option to be co-opted onto the Council, perhaps for a short term to help with a specific project or role.
Come along and make a difference.
All meetings are held at 19:00 in the Garden Room of the Community Centre.
Upcoming dates:
Local Place Plans (LPP) are community driven documents that are part of Scottish Planning Legislation meaning local authorities (Stirling City Council) must ensure their broader Local Development Plans take account of local communities’ visions and improvement opportunities. The LPP therefore informs SC planning and in turn contributes directly to Scottish Government planning. Our Local Place Plan sets out our vision and improvement activities for the next 10 years – to make our Gargunnock Community an amazing place to live and visit.
As of May 2026, Stirling Council is preparing the next Local Development Plan (LDP), which will cover the whole Council area except for the part within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
An area off Manse Brae has been identified by them as having the potential for 75 new homes. GCC ran a survey in July to gather views from the community and the survey results are available here, as is our covering letter to Stirling Council.
Once completed and approved, the Local Development Plan will set out where development should and should not take place, identify important places and assets that require protection, and include local planning policies to guide decisions on future planning applications.
Gargunnock Community Council (GCC) set up a Local Place Plan Steering Group that conducted a number of surveys and engagement sessions with the community to gather input on likes, dislikes and improvement for the village that we should prioritise in the LPP. The outcomes were analysed and used to form the draft LPP.
The final draft of the LPP was shared with the community and our neighbouring community councils for comment.
Subsequently, the LPP has been submitted for registration with Stirling council, meeting the deadline for this of 31/10/2025
The LPP is available to view and download here.
Each Community Councillor has a copy you are welcome to borrow, and copies are also located in the pub, shop and Community Centre. The Community Trust and Windfarm Panel have also been provided with copies.
For general enquiries, please reach out to [email protected]
Mike Buckley (MB)
Chair
Social Media/Communications
Contact:
07967 830144
[email protected]
Vacant
Vice-Chair
Christine Phillips (CP)
Secretary
Contact:
07919 917792
[email protected]
Tom Jamieson (TJ)
Treasurer
Windfarm Panel Representative
Contact:
07732696517
[email protected]
Martin Harrick (MH)
Member
Windfarm Panel Representative
Contact:
07500 504808
[email protected]
Julie Cole (JC)
Member
Roads & Transport
Cycle Path Lead
Contact:
07773 391747
[email protected]
Vacant – Youth Rep
We are especially keen to have a “youth representative” on Council – a great opportunity for your CV. So, if you’re over 16 and live in the area, give Mike (or any GCC member a call)
Vacant
If you are over 16, and especially if you have an IT or media interest, we would love to hear from you.
Locally, within Stirling Council, Gargunnock is in the Forth and Endrick Ward. The Local Councillors representing Gargunnock are:
Gerry McGarvey
Labour
[email protected]
Rosemary Frazer
Paul Henke
We are sad to report that Councillor Paul Henke has passed away. Our thoughts are with Paul’s wife, Dorothy and his family at this difficult time.
Gargunnock is in the Mid Scotland and Fife constituency for the Scottish Parliament elections. Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) represent multi-member constituencies.
Residents can contact any of the MSPs listed in their constituency with enquiries. Eight Members of the Scottish Parliament represent the Gargunnock area.
Helen McDade
Reform UK
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region)
[email protected]
Julie McDougall
Reform UK
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region)
[email protected]
Stephen Kerr
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region)
[email protected]
Mark Ruskell
Scottish Green Party
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region)
[email protected]
Alyn Smith
Scottish National Party
MSP for Stirling (Constituency)
[email protected]
Claire Baker
Scottish Labour Party
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region)
[email protected]
Joe Long
Scottish Labour Party
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region)
[email protected]
Murdo Fraser
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife (Region)
[email protected]
For United Kingdom General Elections, Gargunnock is in the Stirling and Strathallan Constituency. One MP represents this area.
