|
MINUTES OF THE MULL COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING
Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday
11th March 2008 at 7.30pm
Present Linda Cameron
(Chair), Fiona Brown (Pennyghael/Tiroran), Ronnie Campbell (Bunessan),
Paul Forster (Salen), Graham Brown (Tobermory), Andrea MacPhail
(Tobermory), Bert Leitch (Ulva Ferry), Tony Proud (Dervaig), Cllr.
Mary Jean Devon, Cllr. Gordon Chalmers, James Hilder (MICT), Cllr.
Duncan Macintyre, two member of the public.
The Chair apologised for the late
start to the meeting (7.50pm) due to confusion over who was
collecting the hall key.
The Chair thanked Fiona Capper
(Assistant Secretary) for standing in for John Clare, who was unable
to attend.
Jim Corbett (Lochbuie)
No representative present.
Following corrections were identified:
3.0 Police Matter Should read
Cllr. Devon not Andrea MacPhail.
5.01 Lochdon Action
should read Adrian Fitness not Tony Proud
14.06 School Parking Action should
read only Graham Brown
The revised minutes were proposed
by Tony Proud and seconded by Fiona Brown.
Safety report was sent by Argyll &
Bute Council to the David Kenyan, Strathclyde Fire and Safety
department, who raised some issues. There is a meeting on Monday 17th
March with representatives from Cal-Mac, Argyll & Bute Council,
Planning Control and the Designers. A positive outcome is expected.
Action:
Cllr. Devon to attend and report back.
The mail delivery which is
affecting residential and businesses on Mull and Iona is also
affecting larger corporations.
Letters supporting an appeal have
been sent to Postwatch, but no acknowledgements or responses have
been received.
Action:
Tony Proud is monitoring the progress
7
Mull
Rally
The meeting on 22nd
February with the Mull Rally organisers was attended by Linda
Cameron, Cllr. Chalmers, Cllr. Devon and Adrian Fitness.
The Rally will go ahead for 2008 and four areas will
be given closer attention:
·
Closure of roads
outside the scheduled times
·
Changes of the
approved routes
·
Pre-rally practice
to have stricter controls
·
Cleanup after the
rally to be improved
Full report not submitted due to
time constraints.
Andrea MacPhail reported she has
received correspondence from MICT
There is insufficient space for
this facility at Java.
Renewable Energies Forum has been
disbanded and is now the Mull Renewables. There is some REF funding
which is available for transfer to the new group. It was reported
that the number of attendees at the second meeting were well down to
those at the first meeting. The group needs to create an action
plan and once defined to apply for funding for a specific
initiative.
Linda Cameron was unable to attend. Nothing to
report.
11
Tobermory
Harbour Association (THA)
THA is in the process of setting up a meeting with
the Minister of Transport regarding taking over the operation of the
pier. If the THA need support from the MCC, a letter should be
written to the MCC.
Closing Balance: £2,135.73p.
There is and outstanding bill (about £116) for the
transport costs related to the repair of the marquee. The repair
costs for the marquee was £101.34p.
It was agreed that the Mull road
are the worst in Argyll and Bute and that we need to raise the
profile so that something will be done.
Cllr. Duncan Macintyre gave a
report on the state of the budget allocation there is £6.8M
allocated for road maintenance, of which Argyll and Bute have been
allocated £1.5M which is insufficient.
Cllr Devon shared the 2 year plan,
of which Mull has been allocated £680,000 out of the £1.5M budget.
The £15M funding allocated to the
upgrade the Salen to Tobermory road was approved but due to change
in Government that allocation no longer applies. It was recommended
that the Mull residents write, before the 4th April 2008,
to Cllr. Duncan Macintyre to try and secure funding for the two key
areas already identified in the Local Transport Strategy. These
are: 1) Salen to Tobermory upgrade 2) Removal of weight restriction
(Keep Mull Moving)
On Thursday 27th March
2008 there is a Community Engagement meeting in Corran Halls, Oban.
The MCC was offered 15 minutes at this meeting to present the road
situation on Mull. A suggestion was made to change the date to
Friday 28th March, since there is a late boat on a Friday
night.
Action:
Cllr Devon to confirm date change.
It was agreed that the committee
would ask James Hilder if he was available to do the presentation,
on behalf of the MCC. A meeting is needed to prepare the
presentation.
Action:
Graham Brown to check with James Hilder if he is available, and to
notify Linda Cameron of a meeting date and time.
Several questions were raised and
discussed including:
·
Land acquisition for
the Salen to Tobermory road – appraisal ongoing but further
information expected by April/May 2008
·
RAGS – to be given
an opportunity to put forward their proposal before the final
decision is made.
·
The quality of the
pothole repairs. Action is needed and should be directed to Neil
Brown (Argyll & Bute Council).
·
MCC did not receive
any information regarding the Transport Committee of Central
Government meeting held at Corran Hall, Oban.
·
Procurement tender
process is to be upgraded to include clauses which will provide
benefits to local community businesses.
·
Argyll & Bute
parking meter income – where does this go? Surplus is used only for
transport issues across Argyll & Bute. Last year £10,000 went to
Shopmobility and £12,500 for road repairs in Tobermory
The Chair thanked Cllr. Macintyre for coming and for
answering questions.
Proposed Licensing Law seminars
did not go ahead due to time constraints, there had been one seminar
in Oban for licensees to attend. It was reported that the paperwork
was overbearing and that assistance was needed in the
implementation. Anyone who requires help should contact Cllr.
Chalmers.
A question was raised about the
cost to the Village Halls. Premises licence and licence holders are
not affected. Cllr. Chalmers was prepared to visit and speak to
Village Hall Committees if required.
Ronnie Campbell reported that the
ground is still slipping behind the hall. MSP and MP need to be
notified in writing about the situation from the Bunessan Community
Association Committee. The AGM will be held on Friday 28th
March 2008. The hall is currently still closed and no booking are
being taken until the future of the hall is known
Andy Knight (TSL contractor)
confirmed they are starting work on Monday 17th March
2008 to drain the development site behind the hall.
MCC stated that this is an
excellent facility and a benefit to the Mull & Iona Community. It
was disappointing to hear about the low local turnout to the
official opening.
Cllr. Devon reported that there
will be a Community Engagement meeting on Thursday 27th
March 2008, in the Corran Hall, Oban. The Council will present a
quaich, to Duncan Swithinbanks for his 28 years involvement with the
swimming pool.
Formal invitation will be sent out
shortly.
Cllr. Devon reported that a
Welcome sign would be erected at Craignure and one at Calgary if
budget permits.
There is congestion outside Tobermory High School
predominately at collection time. Sgt. Erskine is to speak with the
school about a way forward and will request the School Bus Company
to arrive at the school at 3.30pm rather than 3.20pm as they are
currently doing.
Action:
Cllr. Devon and Neil Brown to follow up.
Concern about the fenced off area
has being resolved and the fencing will be removed. There is a
meeting planned for the 16th April 2008 with Andy Law,
Neil Brown and Friends of Calgary (sub committee of MICT).
A 16 page report has been
produced, by MICT, documenting the Calgary issues and their current
status.
On 9th April 2008 a
paper prepared by the Area Committee will be available for review.
The paper will define responsibilities and clarify the grey areas
around Calgary Bay issues.
The Salen Recycling Area is half
run by MICT. It was agreed that the current site is an issue. Two
alternative sites are being investigated, Bentalla Crescent and a
site just out of the village where the mobile speed warning sign
stands. The preferred site is Bentalla Crescent.
Action:
Paul Forster, MICT, Council
Linda Cameron reported that the
Oban meeting on the 8th February 2008 was cancelled, no
reason given. Their next meeting will be PPC AGM to be held on
Thursday 27th March 2008, 7.30pm in Craignure Village
Hall.
There was a meeting about Health
Care issues on Mull meeting but no notification of this meeting was
received by the MCC.
Paul Forster reported by the
missing sign has been resolved.
It was brought to the attention of
the Chair that two locked gates are proposed, on the old Millbrae
road, as part of the cycle path construction. This is a right of
way. No plans are available or have been seen. Action:
Cllr. Chalmers to take up with Neil
Brown
·
Association
Community Council regarding the Data Protection Act 1998 – Guide for
registration
·
Scottish Island
Federation Seminar, 31st March 2008. This is open to all
constitutional groups.
·
SEPA Thermal
Treatment Centre, 1st April 2008 in Perth. No
attendance, briefing paper to be sent.
·
RET – Cllr Devon is
awaiting a reply from the First Minister. There is concern that RET
would be more expensive, especially on the smaller ferries i.e.
Lochaline and Iona. Cllr Devon has requested compensation for those
not in the pilot scheme. It was suggested that the pilot scheme
should be reduce to 12 months.
·
Planning – Local
couple building at Uisken, two objection have been lodged regarding
access, one objection recently withdrawn
·
The Chair has
received a complaint about the procurement of available building
land around the Ross of Mull, by property developers. There is
great concern over the local service infrastructure, which is
already stretched, to support this additional housing. In order to
highlight this situation to the local Planning Authority Department,
residents are requested to put their concerns in writing direct to
Argyll & Bute Planning Authority Department, Oban Area Office, Lorn
House, Albany Street, Oban, PA34 4AR.
·
Vehicle Emission
Testing – On returning to Mull, the Chair was stopped for a spot
check on her car emission. This is part of Argyll & Bute scheme to
improve air quality. A £60 fine is imposed if non compliant (Yes,
she passed!!)
-
A letter,
received from MCC secretary was duly read out to the committee
members only, under Confidential.
-
Graham Brown
(Tobermory): Tobermory Harbour
Association is having their 21st Anniversary this
year and this will be celebrated along with the Seaplane launch
on Thursday 3rd July 2008. The pontoons for the
seaplane will arrive 17th March 2008.
The Fun Fare which comes for 12
days and sets up in the main Car Park is causing concern. An
alternative location would be preferable but none has been
identified, to date.
A discharge pipe floating in the
harbour is causing a hazard to shipping and needs to be resolved.
Ace Brae has no
road surface.
Action:
Graham Brown to send information to Cllr. Devon.
·
Fiona
Brown (Pennyghael/Tiroran):
Yards field to the west of the Pennyghael Hotel
has a pending planning application for 8 large houses and 6 housing
association houses. So many local objections have been raised that
a Plan 41 hearing has been called for Tuesday 31st March
2008, 2pm, Pennyghael Community Centre. Action:
Ronnie Campbell will represent the MCC
and delivery a written statement prepared by Fiona Brown and
approved by the MCC.
Linda Cameron to review letter of
complaint from a local family.
-
Ronnie
Campbell (Bunessan): A complaint
was received about deer eating fresh flowers in Suidhe
Cemetery. Fencing needs to be replaced urgently.
Bus
shelter scheduled for February 2008 has not been erected. This is
in Hi-Trans budget and is expected by 5th April 2008.
Action:
Cllr. Devon to follow up
·
Paul Forster
(Salen): Nothing
to report.
·
Bert Leitch (Ulva
Ferry): Nothing
to report.
·
Tony Proud
(Dervaig):
Nothing to report.
The meeting ended at 11.20pm. The
next meeting will be held at 8.00pm, Wednesday 9th April
2008 at the Craignure Hall. (Please note change of time.)
|
