Minutes of meetings held on Mondays, 10th & 17th August 2020 on Zoom at 7.00pm
Minutes approved 14/09/2020
Present: Betty Wright, Chair (BW), Silvia Muras, Vice Chair (SM), Marion Turner, Secretary (MT), John Denniston, Treasurer (JD), Andy Wright (AW), Bill Knott (BK), Buster Crabb (BC)
Apologies: Rob Pope (RP)
Minutes Secretary: Mary Goulder
Items 1 & 2. Welcome & apologies (as above). Both these meetings were scheduled as forty-minute free Zoom meetings. Chair Betty Wright hosted the meetings which covered the agenda drawn up for 10th August.
Item 3. Approval of previous Minutes. The Minutes of the March and July meetings were adopted as a true and accurate record, proposed by Marion Turner, seconded by Bill Knot.
Item 4. Matters arising. (1) Forestry Land Scotland response re tree planting on Jubilee Hill. Much discussion highlighted the lack of consultation by FLS, irrelevant procedures, and failure by landowner to communicate with community. BW will put together a draft proposal about the next step for CCs to comment. BW Action. (2) Bonar straight update. Cllr Currie had been asked to follow up with THC Roads Department. Secretary will contact MP, MSPs, local Highland Councillors. MT Action.
Item 5. Chairperson’s report. (BW) Little to report; moved to next item due to meeting time limit.
Item 6. Secretary’s report. (MT) (1) Dog fouling. Perennial problem. Some local dog waste bins have disappeared/been removed. Use of spray painting to highlight the incidents could be tried again also new warning posters with details of fines for the offence. Secretary will write to the most recent complainers. (2) Street lighting and speed restriction signs at Gledfield. Speeding remains a constant problem. It was suggested that the 20mph restricted stretch should be extended into a ‘20’s plenty’ area. Present lighting arrangement causes dangerous glare hindering clear sight at night. Secretary to express concerns and suggestions to the Police. MT Action.
Item 7. Treasurer’s report. Windfarms. Coire na Cloiche community benefit. Discussion as to how to make best use of this fund to benefit the community. Several options put forward for consideration including involving Foundation Scotland to administer the funds for larger applications, create a resilience fund administered by FS, and setting up allocations to local organisations with physical assets to maintain. This discussion was halted by the cut-off time of the Zoom meeting at 7.50pm.
Item 11. Beinn Tharsuinn/Beinn nan Oighrean fund applications. It was agreed to commence the second meeting by discussing current applications due to time limiting. Application to Beinn Tharsuinn by Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust for funding towards its Kyle -All Lives Matter (KALM) project was approved with an award of £2,000. Application to Beinn nan Oighrean by Ardgay Public Hall for funding for the continuation of Broadband provision was approved with an award at this time of £225 to cover six months when the funding will be extended if necessary. Details of method of payment will be explained to the applicants. MG/MT/JD Action.
Item 7 contd. Discussion resumed with various opinions as how the Coire na Cloiche income should be handled. Nothing finalised. Ideas put forward included talks with Creich CC, consultation with the community, consideration of annual grant payments to various organisations, seek to ensure equitable distribution of the fund. Once again the meeting was timed out.
Meeting closed at 7.40pm.
