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MINUTES OF THE MULL COMMUNITY
COUNCIL MEETING
Minutes of the Mull Community Council (MCC) meeting held on
Wednesday 16 January 2008
Present:
Linda Cameron (Chair), Graham Brown (Tobermory), Ronnie Campbell (Bunessan),
Jim Corbett (Lochbuie), Adrian Fitness (Craignure), Paul Forster
(Salen), Andrea MacPhail (Tobermory), Tony Proud (Dervaig), Cllr.
Mary-Jean Devon, PC Finlay Christine (Strathclyde Police), John
Clare (Minute/ Correspondence Secretary), Linda Dawson (departing
Minute/Correspondence Secretary).
Also in attendance:
David Walker (Oban Times), James Hilder (MICT) and Fiona Capper
(Secretary of
the Bunessan Hall Community
Centre).
Action
1.0
Apologies:
Fiona Brown (Pennyghael/Tiroran), Bert Leitch (Ulva
Ferry), Cllr. Gordon Chalmers
and Sgt. Iain Erskine (Strathclyde Police).
2.0 Chair
welcomed and introduced John Clare, the new minutes/correspondence
secretary
for the Community Council (tel:
01681 700022; e-mail: jnc.greenwood@virgin.net).
David Walker, reporter from the Oban Times, was also
welcomed to the meeting.
Linda Cameron said that the whole Island had been
saddened at the death of Lady Mary MacLean of Duart, and passed on
sympathy to Sir Lachlan MacLean and his family.
3.0 All
MCC meeting dates were confirmed and had been booked at Craignure
Village Hall.
4.0 Minutes
of the meeting held 12 December 2007:
Item 10. Cllr. Chalmers name should be omitted. All
other items were recorded as
correct and proposed by Paul
Forster and seconded by Adrian Fitness.
5.0 Police
Matters:
PC Finlay Christine reported a quiet Christmas and
New Year period, and confirmed that preparations are in hand for
Operation Easter (eagle nest watch) in March/April.
6.0 Mull
Rally:
Repeated attempts to organise a meeting with the rally organiser to
discuss a range of complaints and issues arising from the October
2007 rally have so far failed. Council members agreed that the lack
of response was not appropriate. A meeting must be organised
quickly in an to attempt to eliminate similar problems with the 2008
rally. The NFU should also be
involved.
Cllr. Devon
Sgt. Erskine
7.0 Roads
and Transport - Keep Mull Moving:
Pressure to keep the maintenance and improvement of
the roads of Mull is to
be maintained. Tony Proud reported 185 potholes in a
1.5km stretch of road.
A meeting is to be arranged in the near future to
discuss.
8.0 Road
Action Group Salen (RAGS):
RAGS are seeking a letter of support from MCC. It
was agreed that this will be
sent, but only with regard to the Salen
issue.
LC/JC
9.0
Cal-Mac:
Concerns were expressed regarding the problems being
experienced by foot
passengers gaining access to and from the ferries,
because of the inadequacy of
design of the facilities. A van is now being
provided by Cal-Mac to take shopping
trolleys, push chairs, etc. but is only a temporary
solution with the situation certain
to get much worse as visitor numbers increase,
particularly if the building work
to the Oban terminus is not completed before the
start of the main tourist season.
Cal-Mac have been asked to increase the volume of the
safety announcements
on their ferry and add information regarding the uses
of passing places on Mull
roads.
RC
10.0 Dervaig
Waste Water Treatment:
A meeting was held to discuss the
sewage outfall from the additional 20 dwellings
to be built, including possible
relocation further downstream. The existing scheme
is not deemed appropriate due to
potential contamination and a revised proposal
has been prepared and would result
in a new application. Scottish Environmental
Protection Agency (SEPA) could
reject the existing application or conditionally
approve. A letter is to be
written to Scottish Water
Solutions.
Cllr. Devon
/TP
11.0 Community
Council:
Graham Brown, Tony Proud and Bert Leitch attended a
meeting/presentation
with Argyll & Bute Councillors on 13th
December 2007 with topics including the
Gaelic Plan, Road Safety Plan and Highland Rail. A
question was raised relating
to the budget for Mull road repairs but no answer was
given. Duncan MacIntyre
is to be invited to a future MCC meeting to comment.
No comment could be given LC/JC
to questions regarding Oban airport because of the
current legal situation. The
three members were thanked for representing Mull.
12.0 Renewable
Energy Forum:
A meeting/discussion has been arranged for 7.30pm on
29th January 2008 at the
Isle of Mull Hotel Craignure at which a new committee
will be elected. The forum
wishes to remain under the umbrella of MCC. Linda
Cameron and John Clare are
to
attend.
LC/JC
13.0 Tobermory
Harbour Association:
The date of the next meeting has been changed to 5th
February 2008 in the Aros
Hall at 7.30pm. The Harbour Empowerment Act is to be
discussed. Graham Brown
is to be the MCC representative to the Association.
14.0
Youth Club, Tobermory:
The drop in centre has set up its own constitution
and can now run under its own umbrella.
15.0 Bunessan
Hall Community Centre:
The hall has been virtually closed since October when
the landslide associated with
development to the rear occurred. Photographs of the
ground cracks were circulated.
No recommendations as to the safety of the site have
currently been made and
safety measures carried out by TSL are inadequate at
present. A report is being
prepared by Fairhurst (engineers) for the West
Highland Housing Association. Chair
was approached to look into the matter. The Bunessan
Hall Committee is currently LC
dealing with correspondence regarding the situation.,
and would be handed any further information.
16.0 Mail
Deliveries:
A number of letters have been sent to Terry Allen
(Commercial Manager, Royal Mail)
and a petition was in preparation regarding the later
delivery of mail from the
mainland. A temporary arrangement is currently in
operation where mail is sent on
the 8.00am Friday ferry from Oban. This means,
however, that only 75% of mail
will get on this early ferry. Terry Allen was sent a
copy of the minutes of the
December meeting (which he attended, and from which
he was clear of the attitude
of MCC and Mull in general) and subsequent phone
calls to him were made by
Linda Cameron. A response is
awaited.
LC/
Cllr. Devon
17.0 Mull
& Iona Community Trust (MICT):
17.01 The current MCC director has stood down.
Four director positions
are also vacant. The link between
MICT and MCC is to be temporarily
maintained by the attendance of
James Hilder (MICT Development
Manager) to MCC meetings. The
quarterly newsletter will also be starting
again shortly.
17.02 The store selling wholesale animal feed has
been relocated from Torosay
into four shipping containers at
Cranniach Farm. The shipping containers
were obtained by MICT, and their
rental is included in the feed charges.
17.03 The MESS charity shops have been closed over
the Christmas period.
Community groups can make
applications for funding from MESS and
Sea Eagle Fund money is still
available.
17.04 James Hilder confirmed that MICT will not be
organising the 2008 Food
Festival.
18.0 Holiday
Mull:
A meeting is to be arranged to discuss future
proposals.
Cllr. Devon
19.0 Pennyghael
Hall:
Cllr. Devon confirmed that the reason why the
Pennyghael community had to pay
the market price for the hall was that the building
had been a school and funds
from the sale had to be returned to the Education
budget (as opposed to the
Bowmore Hall, Islay, which had always been a
community centre).
20.0 Other
Correspondence received:
20.1 John Wilson (SSMEI Chair) telephoned: Paul
Forster agreed to be the alternative
MCC rep. if Adrian Fitness is
unable to attend meetings (Cllr. Devon is Vice-Chair).
20.2 National Grid sent a letter confirming that
they intend to add to the transmitter
station mast at Torosay. The
proposals do not appear to make a significant
impact – no comments.
20.3 Scottish Environmental Link (an
environmental lobby group) have written
seeking views on the designation
of Nationally Important Marine Areas (NIMAS)
prior to the finalisation of the
Scottish Marine Bill. They are proposing the
Sound of Mull and the Mull
Peninsula as a NIMAS. (contact: www.scotlink.org)
20.4 A copy of a letter to Argyll and Bute
Council and their response was received
from Mr James Knight regarding
concerns relating to the dangers experienced
by cyclists using single track
roads on Mull and requesting additional cycle track
provision. Various issues were
discussed including a study carried out by the
Forestry Commission on use of
their land.
20.5 A planning application for Mill Brae housing
development, is causing local concern.
21.0 Housing:
21.01 Adrian Fitness reported that Loch Don
residents are unhappy about the intended
development of 14 additional
houses. A general discussion was held about the
desirability of the provision of
affordable house for Mull people, especially to
encourage young people to stay on
the island. Cllr. Devon confirmed that all new
houses can be filled by Mull
people requiring properties. Concerns were also
expressed about the total number
of new houses (115) to be built on Mull with
particular regard to the impact on
infrastructure, especially sewerage, telephone
and water. The lack of medical
provision was also mentioned.
21.02 The sewage system in Bunessan was blocked for
10 days in April 2007.
Action was eventually taken by
Scottish Water but the promise of a new
sewage tank has not been kept and
great concern was expressed about the
addition of 30 houses into the
existing system. Letters are to be written
to the Argyll & Bute Planning
Department and service providers to express
the concerns of the committee
regarding the perceived inability of the
infrastructure to meet
demand.
RC
22.0 Licensing
Legislation:
A consultation period on stringent
requirements for licensed premises begins
in February. Substantial
financial and other resources will be required to enable
Mull businesses to meet the
requirements and some are concerned that they
cannot survive this additional
bureaucracy. In addition, no training courses are
available to help in meeting the
requirements. The committee were concerned
regarding the businesses on the
island and will contact the Chamber of Commerce
for their
comments.
LC/JC
23.0
Finance Report:
Closing balance: £ 2,569-75.
24.0
Area Reports from Community
Councillors:
Graham Brown (Tobermory):
Continuing to seek solution to lack of transport
provision for children attending Gaelic medium
classes.
GB
Ronnie Campbell (Bunessan):
Bus shelter has not been erected (Cllr. Devon
reported that it is due to be installed by
mid-February 2008).
Jim Corbett (Lochbuie):
Reinforced concerns regarding the state of Mull roads.
Adrian Fitness (Craignure):
The problem regarding transport to Salen surgery
is to be
monitored.
AF
Andrea MacPhail (Tobermory):
The Christmas lights project was a great success
with all events being very well supported – the
“Stars in their eyes” event raised
c. £1500. The lights will be extended to other areas
of Tobermory in 2008.
Tony Proud (Dervaig):
Enquirer for hiring marquee for April has backed out.
Cllr. Devon:
An incident occurred where two outpatients on the ferry on the way
to
Oban, who were due to be picked up and taken to
Glasgow by ambulance, had to
be told by Cal-Mac not to get off the boat because no
ambulances were available.
Linda Dawson
was thanked for her 4+ years service, help and great support as
minutes/correspondence secretary over this period.
25.0
Time and date of next meeting:
7:30pm Wednesday February 2008
at the Craignure Hall.
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