Minutes 13 October 2010 « Ardgay & District Community Council

Minutes 13 October 2010

ARDGAY & DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting—Wednesday 13 October 2010—Ardgay Hall

Present: David Hannah (Chair), Doreen Gibbs (Secretary), Alan Lawrence (Treasurer), Derek Matheson, Phil Olson, Marion Turner, David Laver, Peter Armstrong.

1. Welcome. The chair opened the meeting with a welcome to those present.

2. Apologies. David Ross, Liz Cormack.

3. Resignations. Jamie Burgess has resigned from the council owing to family relocation to Lockerbie. Brigitte Geddes has resigned from the council but has asked to be kept informed about local issues. Tony Gibbs has resigned from the council: as a result he is also withdrawing from his roles as a director of Voluntary Groups East Sutherland (VG-ES), Citizens Advice Scotland, Youth Highland and Kyle of Sutherland Youth Development Group and as a Director of Beinn Tharsuinn Windfarm Community Ltd. The Chair invited members to volunteer for these roles. It was agreed that Phil Olson would assume the position of Director of Beinn Tharsuinn Windfarm Community Ltd as the representative of Ardgay Community Council, with Alan Lawrence taking the responsibility of Assistant Director, and that David Hannah would take on the roles with VG-ES and Citizens Advice. The secretary would investigate the requirements for the two youth group roles, and would write to thank Jamie, Brigitte and Tony in appreciation for all their work as members of the community council.

The Chair pointed out that the resignations created three vacancies on the community council. He proposed that these vacancies should be filled by appointing the three co-opted members—David Laver, David Ross and Liz Cormack—as full members. He also proposed that Peter Armstrong, currently minute secretary, should become a co-opted member. These proposals were accepted unanimously.

4. Minutes of the meeting held on 1 Sep 2010 were approved as presented with amendments.

5. Matters arising from the minutes

School transport The Chair had received a reply to his letter to the Director of Education regarding the options for local parents of secondary school children. The Director had stated that no change to current arrangements was planned at present.

Ardgay Hill-Oakwood footpath The secretary had been made aware of the availability of small grants through the Paths for All scheme. It was agreed to submit details of this to Matt Dent of Highland Council along with our application to have the above path upgraded for community use.

Invercharron Games Marion Turner and Phil Olson gave feedback on the event, where they had provided a local information service on behalf of the community council. The gazebo/tent and table purchased for use at the event will be available for hire to any community groups through the secretary.

Core Path Network

Replacement bridge at Badvoon – our application for a restored crossing over Miller’s Burn is to go before the next Highland Council Planning meeting.

The Tuiteam footbridge had now been officially closed by Highland Council. It remains unclear whether Highland Council will accept responsibility for any repairs required. Phil Olson will correspond with Historic Scotland, who may be able to support the case for repairs to be undertaken by the Council. PO to contact Historic Scotland

6. Secretary’s Report

Highland Wide Local Development Plan A copy of the Council’s plan had been received and read by David Hannah and David Laver. It was not felt that any comment from the community council would be useful at present.

Gledfield School Notification of a Road Traffic Order had appeared in the local press with respect to speed restriction measures near the school. This will consist of a flashing amber light and 20mph speed limit at appropriate times of day.

A First aid training course was to be run in Brora on Details would be posted on community noticeboard.

The secretary asked whether the Christmas Fair at Ardgay Hall on 27 November might be a good opportunity to use the tent and table recently purchased to provide local information and promote voluntary activity..

New Migdale Hospital A letter had been received from NHS Highland asking if the community council could send a representative to a meeting at 2.30pm on 1 November to discuss fundraising activities for the new hospital. Members agreed that this invitation should be referred to the Friends of Migdale group as the appropriate local organisation. Chair to respond

An additional community notice board has been delivered and should be erected in the near future.

7. Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer’s Account £2362.08 (no outstanding liabilities)

Project Account £4662.08 A cheque for £500 sent to the Kyle of Sutherland Heritage Society in early September for the ‘Lest We Forget Project’ had been acknowledged with thanks, but remained to be presented.

The amount of £1875.00 had been received from the Highland Council on 9^th September.

Receipts from the Christmas Lights Whist drive were £90.42 with a profit of £60.20 paid to the account.

8. Proposal to change the day of community council meetings from the first Wednesday of every month to the second Monday of each month from Feb 2011. The proposal was unanimously approved.

9. Development Post The Kyle of Sutherland Initiative (KOSI) as originally constituted was dissolved at a public meeting on 29 Sep 2010, with assets held divided equally between the three participating community councils of Lairg, Creich and Ardgay. Lairg CC had indicated their wish to withdraw from KOSI as they were now pursuing their own community development strategy through the Lairg and District Initiative, which employs its own Project Officer. It was proposed at the meeting on 29 Sep that Ardgay and Creich Community Councils seek to revive the KOSI process using funding from LEADER and Beinn Tharsuinn Windfarm fund to appoint a Development Officer on a two year contract to take forward local initiatives. A steering group including three members of each community council had been nominated and was now meeting to draw up a legal structure for the new KOSI and a job description for the Development Officer post, with advice from Brian Weaver of Hisez and David Knight of Highland Opportunity (Business Gateway). Lairg and Ardgay community councils were now being asked to commit £6000 each over two years through applications to the Beinn Tharsuinn fund. The grant application to the Beinn Tharsuinn Community Windfarm Ltd for joint funding towards the proposed post of Development Officer was approved. It is hoped that the appointment of a Development Officer can be made before the end of the year at the latest.

Sec to write to Creich CC confirming approval

10. Proposal to confirm KOSI as the group responsible for managing the new development service contract. The proposal was unanimously approved.

11. Community Needs Assessment—no update available.

12. Christmas Lights Whist Drive—Funds raised as in Treasurer’s Report (above). The lights were currently in the keeping of the Gala committee.

13. Ardgay War Memorial and Service of Remembrance There will be a brief service at Ardgay War Memorial at

1045am on 14 Nov, immediately prior to this year’s Remembrance Service in Bonar Bridge. A rose bowl will be presented to Ardgay CC David Hannah by the British Legion as first prize in their annual “Best-kept Memorial without Gardens” competition.

14. Windfarms The secretary agreed to represent the community council at the next meeting of the Rosehall Wind Farm Community Liaison Group. The meeting will be at 1030am on the 26 Oct at the Achness Hotel, Rosehall.

15. Any other competent business Alan Lawrence would like to forego the Treasurer’s honorarium agreed in his absence at the last meeting. He proposed that the secretary’s honorarium should be rounded up to £300 instead. The proposal was unanimously approved. He pointed out that with Tony Gibbs’ resignation, another signatory was now needed for the bank accounts. Doreen Gibbs agreed to become the second signatory.