Helensburgh Community Council Annual Report June 2023-June 2024

Goodbye to Norman

It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of our long-time convenor Norman Muir last October. He was our dedicated leader for more than seven years and is greatly missed by the Community Council and the whole Helensburgh community. He was a true champion of the Community, and he continues to influence much of our current work.

Waterfront

Much of our time this year has been devoted to discussions and plans for the development of Helensburgh Waterfront. A dedicated committee of community councilors and other community experts worked together to submit a bid to Avison Young, with proposals for the community use of the area. The desire for community use reflected the views of residents gathered through both our Vision for Helensburgh Project and a more recent digital survey.

We were disappointed not to be selected as one of the preferred bidders. We continue to have serious concerns about the transparency of the process and lack of real engagement with the community. We still have no information as to what is intended on this piece of premium public land fronting directly on the Clyde.

We have recently written to the Chief Executive of Argyll and Bute, all Argyll and Bute Councilors, our local MP and MSP’s expressing our concerns, and will continue to raise the issue at every opportunity to ensure the voice of the community is heard.

We are pleased to see the return of the skate park to the waterfront, where we believe it belongs, and congratulate Jackie Hood and the Helensburgh Skatepark Project on this achievement. Whilst only temporary it provides a welcome facility for our young people and families of all ages. It has brought life and excitement to our waterfront and is being well used.

We will continue to monitor future developments and keep the community informed. We thank the Helensburgh Advertiser for their regular attendance at our meetings and the coverage of our Waterfront project and other Community Council issues in their paper and digital newspaper.

Parliamentary Petition

On HCC’s behalf Stewart Noble drafted and submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament.  This concerned democracy in local planning. It called for local councils to “Prioritize local Participation in Planning Decisions”. This has now been taken forward for further consideration and is very relevant to our concerns about the Waterfront.

Pier Regeneration Group

The pier regeneration group supported by the Helensburgh Community Council is holding meetings with interested parties to move this project forward. They are working on a four-point plan to bring the pier back into use. We know this is something supported by the Helensburgh Community. Argyll and Bute Council have indicated that they would be willing to discuss an asset transfer. We are grateful to Bill Purdon for chairing the group, and to all the other volunteers who are working their hardest to make this happen.

Business Group

This group was set up last year by local businesses and HCC. It has held two further meetings and has 104 members on a separate Facebook page. It organized a successful Christmas window competition together with the Winter Festival.  A speaker from the CARS project gave information on grants for restoring historic shopfronts. There have been lively discussions around current issues such as the leasing of buildings and empty properties. Currently the group is working with Councilor Fiona Howard and the HCC to prevent the closure of RBS Bank, or at the very least to preserve some services. A petition has been launched. The idea of a Banking Hub is being investigated.

JLB Innovation Hub

This HCC initiative has now been officially launched in the Helensburgh library and is being administered by LiveArgyll. It provides office space and other facilities for those wishing to work locally.

Remembrance Parade at the War Memorial Hermitage Park:

Norman Muir always took great pride in organizing this annual event. HCC continued the tradition this year, working alongside the newly founded Helensburgh Branch of the British Legion. HCC members helped with the planning and publicity and acted as stewards on the day. Norman was fondly remembered at the beginning of the service on a cold but sunny November day.

Town Centre Issues

We continue to work with Argyll and Bute Council and raise issues highlighted to us by residents. This year these have included drains, streetlights, rubbish bins, road closures and parking. Please continue to use the “report it” function on the Argyll and Bute website to get issues resolved.

Beach Cleans

Regular sessions have been organized together with Plastic Free Helensburgh at both The Pier and the East Bay. The provision of a grant for skips from the Argyll and Bute Supporting Communities Fund has helped greatly with this. We are indebted to local farmer David Howie who regularly supports our cleans with his tractor. We would also like to take the opportunity to thank the large numbers of volunteers who regularly turn out for these events and the individual litter pickers who can often be seen on the beaches and streets around the town. Thanks are also due to the gardening volunteers who help weed and tidy the shrub beds in Colquhoun Square.

Planning

Our active planning group regularly assesses all local applications, sharing thoughts, opinions and offering advice and support to residents.

Music in the Square

The initiative is funding a local composition project on the fiftieth anniversary of the sinking of the “Sugar Boat”. A second Helensburgh’s Got Talent Show is underway at the Hermitage Academy. There is now a form for local groups to use to apply for grants from this Scotland loves local fund, and we encourage those involved with festivals, events, and music groups to apply.

Engagement

We joined in the “Big Conversation” an initiative funded by the newly created Argyll and Bute Climate Action Network and organized by Plastic Free Helensburgh. More than forty representatives of local Helensburgh groups involved in environmental activities took part. The discussions were lively and wide ranging, and it is hoped this will lead to community groups working together and sharing resources and expertise on environmental issues.

We receive monthly written police reports and thank Inspector Bart Simonis for being our current contact. We have raised a variety of local issues. We welcome the recent addition of two Community Police Officers to the Helensburgh area.

We are currently organizing a meeting of local Helensburgh and Lomond community councils to explore ways we can work together on common issues and shared concerns.

HCC members have also regularly attended meetings of the Helensburgh and Lomond Committee and the Helensburgh and Lomond Community Planning Partnership to discuss and raise issues brought to them by the community. These have included warm spaces, parking issues, the waterfront, the skateboard park, community engagement, the pier, and the allocation of levelling up money.

We continue to be frustrated by the lack of progress with the Helensburgh to Dumbarton Cycle path and raise our concerns at every opportunity. We have been working with the Cardross Cycle Action Group on this.

We would like to thank those Argyll and Bute councillors who regularly attend our meetings, engage with us, and find out more about community views. We look forward to working with the new chair and vice chair of the Helensburgh and Lomond committee following the change of leadership at Argyll and Bute Council.

We would also like to extend our condolences regarding the recent death of Councilor Robin Currie who was for so long a councilor and leader of Argyll and Bute Council

We have had a variety of speakers and presentations including:

  • Live Argyll re the new Leisure Centre
  • The Save the Tower Campaign
  • The Hill House engagement officer
  • Colin Young (A and B council) re the cycle path and the Helensburgh in Motion Active Travel Survey.

Reflections

It has been a busy year, and members of the Community council have made a great contribution to our work and activities. They are all volunteers and come from diverse groups. They give their time and knowledge freely to support the community and make sure its voice is heard. It is our desire and purpose to make Helensburgh a better place to live, work, study, play or run a business.

It has been particularly pleasing to see the increase in members of the public attending and participating in our monthly meetings throughout the year.

The year ended with an election to fill two spaces: one being Norman Muir’s and the other following the resignation of Jonathan Meuli, who is now spending more time abroad. Both made valuable contributions and we thank them.

We were the only Community Council in the whole of Argyll and Bute which needed an election. We believe this reflects the interest of the community in our activities and a willingness to join us and get involved.  Louise McCormack-Fisher and Simon Vella were elected, and we are now back to our full complement of twenty.  Thanks to Bill Purdon who, whilst not successful, will be continuing his valuable work on the Pier Regeneration Committee.

Tonight, we will elect a new convenor to replace Norman. He will always be remembered for his outstanding contribution to the Helensburgh community and his legacy will live on in our activities.

We can always be contacted in person or via our website or Facebook page. Please follow our activities in the local newspaper, or even better join us at our monthly meetings held on the last Thursday of every month 7:00pm here in the Civic Centre. You will be made very welcome.

Stand for Election to Helensburgh Community Council

Would you like to become a member of Helensburgh Community Council? Elections are being held this year. For more information, get in touch with Sarah Davies, Helensburgh Community Council secretary, for further information, an informal chat and application forms. Applications close on 21st March.

Community PhD Research

Meeting at the Crossroads: The intersection of local communities with Faslane and Coulport nuclear submarine bases.

Would you like to take part in a PhD research project?

Over the next 24 months, Kenneth Grant Glenaan, a PhD student at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, will be studying the relationship between the local communities and the nuclear submarine bases at Faslane and Coulport as part of an ethnographic film PhD study.

He is particularly interested in families who have several generations of contact with the bases, both civilian and military. Families and individuals who have migrated to the area for work are most welcome too!

If you have a family history or are directly or indirectly involved, Kenneth would love to hear from you. Social history, employment, culture, family, and memory are of particular interest.

The study is officially registered, funded and monitored through Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. Confidentiality is guaranteed, and all personal information will be treated in accordance with the terms of the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Kenneth cannot pay you for taking part in the study, but any expenses incurred will be covered – along with lots of tea and coffee!

If you are interested, please contact Kenneth and he’ll get back to you asap:

Email: 22009106@qmu.ac.uk Or on 07968001162

HELENSBURGH’S GOT TALENT

Last Friday, 23 June, Hermitage Academy and Helensburgh Community Council hosted the Helensburgh’s Got Talent competition. It was one of those magical evenings that happen only rarely. Nine Competitors sang, danced and played for over two hours cheered on by an enraptured audience of parents and friends. The evening started with the Academy’s “Poetry Group Hermitage” and ended with a rousing version of the Animals “House of the Rising Sun”. In between we were enchanted by a Celtic Harp, sang along to cover versions from Elvis and Dove Cameron, were amazed at a Sailor’s Hornpipe by a 7 year-old and sat back and enjoyed a wide range of musical entertainment.

Helensburgh’s Got Talent was a competition and there were 3 popular winners. The £100 first prize went to Eilidh Gammons with her virtuoso Highland Dancing which ended with a high leap followed by the full splits. There was a complete hush from the audience amazed at what they had just witnessed. The £75 second prize went to Kezia Conran with her exquisite, blues-themed performance on the Clarsach. And, third prize of £50 went to the 6 member “Poetry Group Hermitage” who, for the first time, were performing as an ensemble.

For Community Council Councillors Tariq Durrani and Nigel Millar “What really enthralled everyone there was every performer, bar one, is still at school. They grasped the opportunity Helensburgh’s Got Talent gave them with both hands and did themselves proud with the excellence of their performances. The town is lucky to have them. But, there are many more young musicians, dancers and other performers artists waiting in the wings eager to showcase their talents before a wider audience. Helensburgh Community Council is committed to giving them the chance to do so. They are worth it and have our continuing support.”

Convener’s Annual Report 2022-2023

 Acknowledgement

A great number of members of the community support the town in a variety of ways, none more so than Stewart Noble the Community Council Treasurer. Under the rules of the game he has to demit office having completed slightly more than eight years in post. In addition to his function as treasurer he has been a stalwart member of the Heritage Trust for many years and is a notable historian in his own right. He continues to lead tourist parties around the area and remains on the planning committee for the John Logie Baird centenary event which takes place in 2025/2026. He continues as a community councillor, but his financial management and expertise over the period was greatly appreciated and is formally recognised.

General

An annual review of the work of the HCC reveals the wide scope of our interests in support of the community. Much has happened in the intervening period from our last AGM in June last year to the present. In many instances it represents a continuation of action yet to be resolved, but it is perseverance that prevails in local government, not dynamic energy.

We are also extremely fortunate in having a full complement of 20 members serving on the HCC since our local elections in October 2022. We are a fine mix of professional and experienced individuals who bring considerable expertise and knowledge to bear in benefiting the town. We maintain close links with the various support agencies and voluntary groups who support the social fabric of the town and lend assistance when required. Because of their diverse and broad-ranging interests, in addition to the work of the HCC, our community councillors have an embracing knowledge of the underlying aims and ambitions of the community.

There are limits of course. Lack of funding and resources bedevil both Argyll & Bute Council and ourselves in maintaining the infrastructure of the town to a reasonable standard. There are also aspects outside our control which the public could improve with self-education on such as, disposal of litter and dog refuse. Nevertheless, we need to persevere in maintaining standards in the town if we wish to capitalise on attracting visitors and tourists to enjoy our amenities. 

Major Projections

There are  two major items foreseen in the future  which will impact the town. The first is the outcome of discussions on the Waterfront development currently underway. The HCC ran an engagement programme with the community from 2019, culminating in a two-day public exhibition in March 2022, called Visions for Helensburgh, in which the community expressed their wishes. The details and data are on our website. Argyll & Bute Council have also recently commissioned a commercial consultation along similar lines. As the situation develops it is worthwhile emphasising that any development in the centre of Helensburgh has got to be the best solution that will enhance  the town for the future, particularly for our young families and our youth. We should not have to bear the consequences of any overbearing agenda on financial gain which we will have to live with for many years. Luckily, Peter Brown  our Vice Convener and Norman McNally have a wealth of experience and knowledge to make sure that the interests of the town are paramount.

The second project is the Taylor Wimpey golf course housing development of circa 300 homes. This is obviously a major undertaking and we wish it well. There are evident problems of the potential disturbance of peatlands during construction, but equally, thought has to be given to the impact of a considerable influx of inhabitants who will require the service support of schools, medical services and access to convenient shopping. It is hoped that due consideration is given to these matters as the project  proceeds.

Community Clubs and Societies Event

In March, in conjunction with the Rotary Club, we held a day-long exhibition for the local sports clubs and societies to advertise the varied talent and expertise they offer to the community. The event was organised by Elizabeth Lambert in the Hermitage Academy with the kind permission of the Headmaster and was very well received by the strong public attendance at the exhibition.

Environment

We have formed a strong alliance with a voluntary environment group called Plastic Free Helensburgh. Several of our community councillors are members and we seek common cause in trying to reduce the amount of plastic and marine detritus that pollutes our coastline. It is a thankless task but authorities are beginning to sit up and take notice, so hope springs eternal.

Beach Cleans

The HCC has been organising routine beach cleans for a number of years and  the evidence of our effectiveness is apparent. It presents the town in a favourable light to our visitors. We are deeply indebted to our community volunteers who regularly support us and without the support of our local farmer Davie Howie and his tractor to do the heavy lifting, we would be disadvantaged.

Shrub Beds in the Square

The HCC continues to maintain the shrub beds in Colquhoun Square and we rely again on our marvellous volunteers to help us. It is a work in progress because much of the original planting did not work in the beds. But we are getting to a more colourful and settled horticultural arrangement. Our collective appreciation goes to Roger Clarke for his efforts.

Much of our work goes unheralded and unsung but as a flavour here are the more prominent initiatives.

McColl Shop at Churchill closure

The shop operated under the stewardship  of Morrisons and its closure for commercial reasons left the local community without a convenience store in the area. Despite our best efforts under the direction of Polly Jones and driven by our young co-opted member, Taylor Cameron, – running a petition, organising a public awareness event at the main Morrisons store in town and direct correspondence with the head office of  Morrisons management, we were unsuccessful in overturning the decision. Further developments on the future of the shop are awaited.

The Pier

The completion of the leisure centre threw into stark contrast a multi-million infrastructure build adjacent to  a rundown historic pier in need of care and attention. At our Visions for Helensburgh exhibition in March 2022 there was unanimous support for remedial action to be undertaken to make the pier a functioning entity for marine traffic and the possible economic benefits that could result. We are now carefully examining the situation. It is a work in progress and there is no good reason not to re-vitalise this potential asset for the town.

Litter Bins

In July/August 2021 in conjunction with Plastic Free Helensburgh we conducted a survey of the disposition and functionality of litter bins in the town. The disposal of litter especially during the summer months is a continuing problem as is the poor design and mechanical breakdown of the ‘designer’ stainless steel bins deployed in the CHORD project. Hopefully, we see an end to the problem with high capacity replacement bins procured by Argyll & Bute Council and the removal of all broken down steel bins. We are grateful for the Council’s support in this matter.

Retail Support

We have a number of retailers serving on the Community Council and it seemed sensible to employ their expertise in getting to know the retail scene in the town and support their aims and ambitions. We held our first meeting in March this year and it was warmly received to the extent that the retailers suggested holding another. This will take place in June the day before our AGM.

Cycleway

We maintain a close interest in the project which procedurally has taken and will take many years to complete. The project officer gave the HCC an update on progress which remains slow. Cardross Community Council are particularly keen on injecting some impetus to proceedings and we shall be engaging with them shortly to examine how best to support the continuation of the project.

Cruise Ship Interest

A recent event which may augur well for the future was the berthing of a small cruise ship at the Marina. Cameron Foy fronted up HCC interest in this potential development which may point to a further avenue of tourist interest.

Possible Twinning Arrangement

Tariq Durrani and Nigel Millar fronted up a visit by a delegation from the French town of Le Taillan-Medoc in response to an approach for possible twinning by them. The delegation were looked after very hospitably and enjoyed their  visit. A letter of appreciation has been received from Le Tallian for the hospitality and friendliness extended to them and the formal examination of the twinning process will continue.  

Music in the Square

It has long been our aim to bring some form of music onto the square and beyond in the town for the enjoyment of the public in good weather. Helensburgh has a wealth of music talent especially within the school community and it would be great for young musicians to gain public recognition. Nigel and Tariq have also fronted this development. In conjunction with the organisational skills of Elizabeth Lambert they have brought a ‘Helensburgh’s Got Talent’ event at Hermitage Academy to continue this aim. Post-script – the event was well attended and received by both performers and audience. 

Summary

It has been a delight to welcome a full complement of volunteers to the HCC and to acknowledge the range and diversity of skills they bring in support. Each one has links to other interests, e.g. our secretary Sarah Davies is a member of Friends of Hermitage Park, among others. It serves to illustrate that collectively we have a connection to the community that allows us to represent with confidence the views of the community we serve.

We have a new website courtesy of Jonathan Meuli, Stewart Steel and Cameron Foy and we find that more individuals are making contact through this medium for help and advice. We shall continue to utilise this facility for the passage of information.

We are more than fortunate to have a steady stream of community volunteers helping with litter, beach cleans and  the shrub beds in the square and it is this sense of engagement that we would encourage within the community to take an interest in town business and come forward with suggestions and advice on how to make the town better. We should be in charge of our own destiny and not rely on anyone else to decide our future.

We have broken new ground in other areas. The forum for discussion on the vitally important aspect of ensuring that our retail scene remains alive and vibrant is an indication of how these issues can become raised to public awareness and examined in detail. This was also evident in the Visions for Helensburgh exhibition that enabled the public to become informed and as a result become full participants in the process. Much more can be done on similar issues of concern in the town.

I shall finish this report by thanking most sincerely all members of the Helensburgh Community Council for their support and commitment to the town which continues to be our collective priority. 

Norman Muir

Convener Helensburgh Community Council     26 June 2023

Helensburgh’s got talent!

HERMITAGE ACADEMY

Friday 23 June 2023

Helensburgh enjoys such a rich vein of performance talent : amateur musicians, dancers and other artists. To showcase their skills and acts, Helensburgh Community Council (HCC), under its ‘Music in the Square’ initiative, is organising a Competition

‘Helensburgh’s Got Talent’

HERMITAGE ACADEMY – FRIDAY 23 JUNE

The Competition  will be judged by a distinguished panel of local independent assessors. They will award a Prize to the top 3 entries. All other performers will receive a certificate of recognition for taking part.

To enter the Competition HCC is inviting interested parties to submit demos, videos using the QR code below, which will be loaded onto Google Drive, or by visiting: HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/BDFZD64A.

Submissions from entrants should be made no later than 5th June.

Based on the submissions, candidates will be invited to perform them on Stage before a live audience at the Academy from 18.00 onwards.

The Competition is open for the public to enjoy for a £3 entrance payable on the day. Doors are open from 17.30. Refreshments will be available.

The event is overseen by two members of the Helensburgh Community Council- Tariq Durrani and Nigel Millar, who may be contacted for further information via e-mail ( tsdurrani@gmail.com , or millarnc@btinternet.com).

HCC wishes to thank Hermitage Academy for making available its superb premises for us all to enjoy :

“Helensburgh’s Got Talent”

A Visit from Le Taillan, Bordeaux

Visit to Helensburgh by a Delegation from Le Taillan, Bordeaux, France

The Le Taillan Delegation with their Helensburgh hosts, and dancers from the Margaret Rose School of Dance

AN ASTOUNDING SUCCESS!

A delegation of seven from Le Taillan-Medoc (pop 10,000) , in the heart of France’s Bordeaux classic red wine growing region visited Helensburgh from 15 -22April 2023 staying at the Riva Boutique Hotel on West Clyde Street. Very comfortable and its Scottish Breakfast was rated as Formidable.

Since 2020 Helensburgh Community Council (HCC) has been in discussion with Mayor’s office in Le Taillan on building a strong relationship between our two towns with its genesis given below, under “ Ties with Le Taillan, Bordeaux” France. The visit of the delegation was most timely. As well as showcasing all Helensburgh has to offer we were able to explore opportunities for exchanges of young people, sports teams, language initiatives, business ties, joint projects and more. The recent opening of direct Easyjet flights between Glasgow and Bordeaux, from July to September, 2023 (advance fares from £39 one way) is an added bonus.

This is how the visit unfolded:

SATURDAY The visit started with a Ceilidh at the Civic Centre that evening. The Delegation fully participated in the dancing, and even playing the French equivalent of a bag pipe accompanied by group dancing similar to Scottish reels. All to a standing ovation.

SUNDAY began with a walk through the ‘Blossom trees’ in Helensburgh guided by Stewart Noble, Helensburgh’s Historian. The tour ending with a well -earned ice cream sundae at Dinos. The subsequent walk round the Hill House inside its iconic box literally took their breath away They were most impressed by the efforts being made to restore this world class domestic dwelling to its original condition.

MONDAY: the Delegation paid a visit to Hermitage Academy, where they were royally treated to a Guard of Honour by the pupils from Classes 3 and 4, studying French. They were shown round the School by the Head of French, Mr Urquhart, who gave a running commentary in immaculate French. Later they had discussion with Mr Douglas Morgan the Head Teacher on topics such as school exchanges, and more.
In the afternoon the Delegation were guests of honour at HCC’s Civic Reception in the striking Helensburgh & Lomond Civic Centre. They learned a lot about Helensburgh and we learned a lot about Le Taillan. But, the highlight of the Reception was the entrancing display of Highland Dancing from the Margaret Rose School of Dance. The young dancers literally took everyone’s breath away.

TUESDAY : the Delegation visited Lomond School where the Head of international links Mr Neil Mackay hosted the visit. He showed them round the School, the Boarding house and the Sports facilities. The visitors were impressed by all they saw, especially by the strikingly modern Sports Pavilion. .

WEDNESDAY. A tasting tour of the Clydeside Distillery : for some the highlight of the trip. This was followed by visits to the Transport and Kelvingrove Museums ending at Glasgow’s (in)famous Necropolis.

THURSDAY : a “Wash-Up” session with our French friends at Helensburgh’s impressive new Leisure Centre. In their feedback the Delegation rated every engagement as excellent. For them, their visit was an outstanding success with the hospitality and warmth they received throughout, second to none. Agreement reached on Next Steps centred on an invitation for a reciprocal visit by a Delegation from Helensburgh to Le Taillan to explore school exchanges, tourism opportunities and learning from the Bordeaux region on tackling Climate Change, Entrepreneurship, and more. To build on our new relationship planning would begin on a Helensburgh Arts, Music and Dance Festival in Le Taillan- Medoc sometime in 2024.

The day, and the delegation visit, ended with a Farewell Reception at Helensburgh’s own Parisian inspired wine bar – La Jupe. Hosted by Provost Maurice Corry there were toasts to the Auld Alliance with an exchange of gifts, entertainment, and canapes.

Tariq S Durrani
Nigel Millar

Helensburgh Community Councillors
April 2023

Ties with Le Taillan, Bordeaux,. France.

In January 2020, COSLA on behalf of the Scottish Government sent out a ‘Town Twinning Request Scotland’ listing a number of towns and cities in France and Germany.

The document was discussed at the 27 February 2020 HCC Meeting, and following a study of the listing of towns and cities, it was agreed that Le Taillan-Medoc , with a population of 10,000 offered a good match with Helensburgh. Other places represented much larger towns and cities, such as Potsdam, or small villages with a population of 5000 or less.

A key consideration was to discuss the prospects of twining with the Helensburgh Twinning Association that has promoted ties with Thoars in France for some 40 years. The President of Helensburgh District Twinning Association (Margaret McInnes) wrote a supporting letter on 2 May 2019, indicating their interest in promoting school ties, and even offering to take a delegation of the Margaret School of Dancing to Le Taillan, though indicating their focus at the time was to host a delegation from Thoars. It is worth noting that Helensburgh is not an exclusive twin town of Thoars.

Matters were in abeyance due COVID, nevertheless there were ZOOM exchanges between HCC officials and those from the Mayor of Le Taillan’s office, to learn more about the two towns and to explore the prospect offered by twinning. There were slide presentations in French and English at these ZOOM calls.

In the New Year 2021 the Mayor of Le Taillan wrote to HCC Convenor with an invitation to formalise the links.
Matters were then overtaken by rampant effects of COVID, though e-mail exchanges took place including exchange of greetings, till the recent visit by the le Taillan delegation in April 2023.

Tariq Durrani
31 January 2023.