June 2011
MINUTES OF MEETING ON TUESDAY 7TH JUNE 2011
EDDERTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Edderton Village Hall
Present: Councillors Robin Ashby, Donald Clarke (Chair), Michael Brown, Albert Fraser, George Ross, Graham Ross, Ewen Simpson, Campbell Smith, Alister Sutherland: Jim McGillivray (Highland Councillor), 7 residents
Apologies: Sharyn Griffin, Cameron Warren
1. Welcome: the Chairman welcomed everybody.
2. Visitors:
a) PC Gollan had little to report but warned that thieves in the region were targeting fuel tanks, in vehicles and static, and advised vigilance. There was a discussion about speeding past the school and PC Golan promised to arrange patrols.
b) Jane Dixon and Cara Cameron of Lairg Learning Centre presented their application for Community Benefit funding (item 7b). The Centre wishes to develop its services including outreach workshops in Edderton. To do this they need a manager in post from the beginning of August with an annual salary of £18,000. The Centre asked for a contribution of £3,000.
3. The minutes of the meeting on 3rd May 2011 were approved (proposed by George Ross, seconded by Graham Ross).
4. Matters arising from the minutes
a) Infrastructure:
i. Roads: Concerns were raised about the Rhanich and Leachonich roads as well as the state of the Aultnamain road above the school where the Distillery pipe crosses. The Secretary is to request a site meeting with John Paul McKay.
ii. Footpath network: The work on the Admiral’s Farm to Rhanich road section cannot start until Matt Dent returns from Nepal. Michael Brown is to contact Tillhill and Fountain Forestry about the maintenance of the Admiral’s to Bailecharn section. £700 from the Beinn Tharsuinn Community Benefit Fund has been paid to cover the first two cuts on the Balblair section.
b) Ball screen: the Council had received copies of the quotes obtained by Albert Fraser to study. It was decided (proposed by Albert Fraser, seconded by Alister Sutherland) to accept Highland Council’s offer to erect the fencing during the winter. In the meantime the Secretary is to liaise with John Paul McKay about the specifications of the quote from Highland Industrial Supplies before the materiel is purchased. Jim McGillivray is to investigate whether the purchase could be made through Highland Council to avoid paying VAT. The Secretary is to apply for planning permission once details of the construction have been finalised. The construction is to be funded by monies in the savings account and from this year’s Community Benefit from Beinn na Oighrean windfarm payable in August.
Following complaints of balls going into gardens, it was suggested that whole play area could be enclosed with similar fencing. It was agreed though not to proceed at present as it was expected that the youngsters would use the new fencing as a goal thus minimising the odds that balls would enter back gardens. The need for a suitable place for ball-play was emphasised and should be part of any discussions with Jonathan Wotherspoon (item 7f).
c) Trees behind War Memorial: Nothing to report.
d) Railing in front of Heather Hut: Repair work was expected soon
e) Dounie Hill access: The extension of the parking space has been completed. The Secretary is to remind Forestry Commission Scotland of their promise to cut back the vegetation to get better sightlines and enquire about the erection of a fingerpost.
f) Broadband Speed survey: Cameron Warren reported through the Secretary that the number of responses had been higher than in the first survey and that he was confident there would be enough responses to put firm arguments for improvement before the bodies responsible for a good broadband service.
g) Community website – update: Bryon Gibson has received a suitable site map from Robin Ashby and Cameron Warren but no discussions have been held yet.
h) Notice-board: The Secretary reported that the work had been delivered. Bryan Hall is to fit it out and erect.
i) Highland Council – Development Plan scheme: Michael Brown reported on the supplementary guidance Onshore Wind Energy. In his opinion it made good sense and covered all aspects fairly and moderately. The Council adopted his summary as their response to the consultation.
j) Waste-water treatment plant: Scottish Water admitted there had been a few minor issues with odour but believed they had resolved them.
The Council deemed the interest for an open day to be low and decided not to request one.
Scottish Water was under the impression that it had made clear to the Council it was the planners who had demanded trees as screening but that they were more than happy to supply shrubs instead: they believed it had been agreed that the Council would specify shrubs rather than trees in their response to the planning application, which the Council had subsequently not done. None of the councillors remembered this agreement. It was agreed to invite Joanna Peebles of Scottish Water to the September meeting to discuss maintenance of the site.
k) Community Council Review: the Secretary reported that a number of local community councils were unwilling to adopt the new documents required and had requested a meeting with Alastair Dodds. Edderton Community Council had asked to be part of that meeting.
The Ward Manager had stated that community councils that did not adopt the model documents according to the new scheme would no longer be regarded as community councils.
l) Pre-application consultation (PAC) – Coire Na Cloiche Windfarm: Ardross and Ardgay Community Councils wished to postpone discussions about possible community benefits. The Council agreed that the discussions should wait until after planning permission had been granted. The Secretary is to inform the other community councils of the Council’s wishes.
A meeting about Community Benefits was scheduled for 9 June in Brora.
5. Financial reports
Edderton Community Council – current situation: the Treasurer was not present. The Secretary reported that the balance of the current account which had seen few transactions since the last meeting. Payment of the Highland Council annual grant and the Council’s claim to LEADER for Dounie footpath was expected soon.
6. Highland Council Member’s Report
May 9th : Joint ward business meeting with Easter Ross wards about School Estate review.
9th : Edderton Primary
10th : Head teacher interviews
10th : Golspie parents to discuss the proposed janitorial system
12th : Full Highland Council – raised burial charges, appointment of arms-length directors
13th : Royal Dornoch Golf Club – Common Good issues
16th : Sutherland Partnership – future of the Geopark etc.
18th : Head teacher interviews
18th : North Highland College
18th : Dornoch community council
19th : Education, Culture and Sport Committee – janitors’ function
20th : Royal Dornoch Golf Club again
22nd : Dornoch beach clean-up
23rd : Ward business meeting
25th : Discussions about capital spending with CEO and others – Dornoch sport hall only major capital investment in the ward.
26th : TECS – zero waste policy, cutting of one senior manager, procurement of lorries.
30th : emergency ward business meeting – classroom assistants and school buses based on Golspie.
June 2nd: Independent members group – underspend of £7.5m could be used for classroom assistants and roads.
6th : North Highland Forest Trust
6th: AGM of The Dornoch Area Community Interest Company
7th: Planning Committee in Tain – the Coul Croft campsite planning application was deferred until after a site visit on June 28th.
Albert Fraser wished to know his opinion of HC Members being MSPs concurrently. Jim said that he did not think it appropriate: however a mitigating circumstance was the Members had only 8 months to serve and a bi-election costs £10k.
Albert Fraser then remarked on Highland Council’s plans to build new offices and the extra cost that would entail.
7. New items
a) Planning Application adverts: In response to an enquiry from the Planning Department about which local paper should include notifications of planning applications, the Council decided the Northern Times would be more appropriate.
b) Community Benefit application – Lairg Learning Centre: There was general support from the aims of the project as outlined in 3b above. However it was felt that more sources of funding should be approached and that Edderton was being asked to contribute disproportionally. The Council decided to approve a grant of £1,000 as part of the proposed manager’s salary for a period of six months from the day she begins her post. The Council encouraged the applicant to re-apply at the beginning of 2012 referring to the outcomes achieved by the project in the meantime.
c) Ward Forum 14 June Golspie: Main topic – delivery of community care
d) Sutherland Partnership Development Officer: The new officer had written offering to visit local community councils. It was agreed to invite the officer in the autumn at her convenience.
e) Highland Wide Local Development Plan: Highland Council has submitted the unresolved issues in the proposed plan to Scottish Ministers. The Council is not required to take any further action unless specifically asked to by the Reporter.
f) Caledonian Forestry – plans: With the Stoneyfield development not proceeding, Caledonian Forestry is looking to revisit their plans for housing along the Aultnamain road west of the school and wish to know the Council’s opinion. Concerns about drainage problems, the density of the sites and ribbon development were raised. It was agreed to invite Jonathan Wotherspoon to the September meeting.
8. Correspondence
Health and Safety
1. NHS Highland – Highlights issue 2 2011
2. NHS Highland – removal from database
3. NHS Highland & Highland Council – Highland Community Care Partnership Plan
4. NHS Highland – poster about clinic appointments
Planning
5. Highland Council – copy of adopted Sutherland Local Plan
6. Glenmorie Wind Farm – feedback after local exhibitions 17 – 19 May
Environment
Other
ELECTRONIC: Copies of the latest electronic correspondence can be ordered from the Secretary.
9. Any Other Business
a) Village clean-up: Last Thursday in August – 25th. Jim McGillivray to order skip.
b) Review of School Estates: Jim McGillivray commented that the recent proposal by Scottish Government for a moratorium on the closure of rural schools may affect the review.
10. Next Scheduled Meeting
Business meeting in Village Hall on 6 September 2011 at 7.30 pm.
Further meetings may be required in the meantime to discuss any planning applications – windfarm and others – or to adopt the documents required by the new community council scheme.
15 June 2011
Robin Ashby