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MULL COMMUNITY COUNCIL - MINUTES OF MEETING, 11th
MAY 2010
1.00 Present:
Steve Willis (Vice-Chairman), Susan Campbell, David Greenhalgh,
Ronnie Campbell, Bert Leitch, David Graham, Cllr. Gordon Chalmers,
Jim Corbett, Jenny Reddaway (Secretary).
Apologies: James Heggie (Chairman), Rory
Forrester, Fiona Brown, James Hilder
Action
2.00 Police Matters
– No report.
3.00 Minutes of 13th
April Meeting
3.01
Corrections/Approval.
These
were approved and signed as a correct record.
3.02
Action Points.
Aros Park. Jenny Reddaway advised that the
action point regarding Stuart Maidment
was a
reminder to invite Mr Maidment to attend the October meeting.
Calmac. Ronnie Campbell reported that
there had been a meeting the previous
evening at which Mr Fox had been present and questioned on a number
of issues.
There
would be a further meeting in June. Jim Corbett advised that Ronnie
Campbell
had
been re-elected as Chairman. David Greenhalgh noted that Calmac was
now
totally owned by the Scottish Government.
4.00 Election of
Treasurer
The
Vice-Chairman advised that, Tony Proud having officially resigned as
Treasurer,
David
Graham had been looking after the finances. David Graham was asked
if he
would
be willing to take the post of Treasurer on and he agreed to do so.
This was
proposed by Ronnie Campbell and seconded by Bert Leitch. It was
noted that another
signatory would be required for signing cheques. The Secretary
advised that a card DG
wishing Tony well had been sent on behalf of the Community Council.
5.00 Mull Rally
Stewart MacDougall reported that fund-raising was ongoing and a
considerable sum
had
been raised so far. Steve Davies’ team was complete and everything
was
progressing in the right direction.
6.00 Mail and Newspaper
Deliveries
The
Vice-Chairman, having noted that these were issues Tony Proud had
been
dealing with, asked if someone else would volunteer to take over the
task since Tony
could
be away for several weeks. It was noted that whoever did this would
need to
obtain Tony’s correspondence and records. Jim Corbett recalled that
a Royal Mail
representative had come to speak to the Community Council in
December 2007 and
the
Secretary was asked to locate the Minutes of that
meeting. SEC
Cllr
Chalmers advised that there had been a couple of public meetings
including one
with
Terry Allan and the then Chair of PostComm at which it was stated
that
PostComm could not direct Royal Mail to alter their service and
Royal Mail could
not
justify fulfilling islanders’ request for most mail to come on first
ferry and the
remainder the next day as this would be a breach of their Universal
Service
Agreement.
Jim
Corbett pointed out that Royal Mail breached the Agreement on
Friday’s and
during the month of December. Cllr Chalmers explained that Oban
gets three
deliveries of mail at 3am, 4am and 7am. The latter was too late to
be sorted for the
first
ferry so the operational decision was to send all mail via the 10 am
ferry. This
ensures that all mail is delivered in one day, albeit two hours
later than previously.
After
some discussion, it was agreed that Cllr Chalmers would look through
his Cllr
material and provide the Community Council with a written report
next month. A GC
decision could then be made whether to pursue the matter further.
With
regard to newspapers Stewart MacDougall advised that this was under
a
private contract with John Menzies. Royal Mail could undercut any
private
courier service.
7.00 Housing &
Development (including Planning Applications)
Councillors were agreed that there were no issues with the
applications received,
other
than the issue of adequate water supply. The Vice Chairman reported
that
Iain
MacDonald, Secretary of the Association of Argyll & Bute Community
Councils had written to Scottish Water in support of us. Cllr
Chalmers advised
of a
strategic meeting on 7th June and suggested that actual,
historical information
from
across the island be sent by the Community Council to Adrian
Jackson’s
team. The Vice Chairman suggested that an article be placed in
Round&About and
Am
Muileach asking residents to email information to their nearest
Community Vice
Councillor; these can then be forwarded to him to compile a master
list. In view of Chair
the
timescale, it was suggested that each Councillor should provide 5/6
issues from ALL
their
area to the Vice Chairman as soon as possible. It was noted that
John Clare
had
spotted a tanker in Pennyghael recently and Susan Campbell advised
that two
local
residents were frequently without water; she also reported 10
private houses
in
the Lochdon area in addition to the Housing Association ones.
The
Vice Chairman reported Fiona Brown had written about the proposal
for 21
houses near Tobermory’s old Cemetery; notification has been received
that the
proposal was passed. The application for a house in front of Lussa
Cottage had
been
withdrawn.
The
Vice Chairman drew the meeting’s attention to a public meeting under
the
Water
Watch Scotland scheme on 17th May at 11.00am. Cllr
Chalmers felt it would
be
worthwhile attending but he had other commitments, as had Community
Councillors present. It was agreed to ask Iain MacDonald if there
was someone who Vice
could
attend and report
back.
Chair
Bert
Leitch, referring to the updating of the Local Plan, asked if the
rural
opportunities scheme would be scrapped. Cllr Chalmers did not
foresee this but
Adrian Jackson’s team could be
asked.
Sec
8.00 Calmac
Ronnie Campbell had nothing further to report (see 3.02 above)
9.00 MICT Report
- by email
Building Work
Starts in Craignure -
After a long wait, work is due to begin on the
new
Community Business Resource Centre at Craignure this month. TSL
secured the
contract after a full tendering excercise was carried out over the
winter.
Island
Castaways Craignure - Business As Usual - But no Parking!
- the MESS
shop
will be open for business as usual but with limited space. For the
next year, we
would
ask customers NOT to donate furniture in person, but to phone the
shop and the
van
will collect direct from your home. We will then host a
monthly bumper
FURNITURE SALE once a month in the Craignure area. We also regret
that we can
no
longer take deliveries of donated electrical items at Craignure as
we have no space, although items in good working codition can still
be dropped off at Island Castaways
in
Bunessan which holds a good range of electrical products for
resale. We no longer
take
records or videos, but will take CD's, as well as all the other
usual household
items. Remember all clothing and other textiles can be put in a bin
bag and dropped
into
any of the blue textile banks around the island - you dont have to
go the the shop
to
recycle. Thanks for all your support.
Abi Wylde -
Countryside Ranger for South Mull, Iona and Staffa
- Abi has now
moved
to Bunessan, and taken up this one year post, in partnership with
the National
Trust
for Scotland and the Community Trust.
Local Development
Worker for Ross of Mull & Iona
- The Trust has been asked by
HIE to host a meeting on the Ross of Mull for all those interested
in being on the
Steering Group to oversee the workplan of a two year, full
time Development Officer
to
help identify community needs on the Ross of Mull and Iona, and then
to help
community groups with major projects. We are particularly interested
in projects for
each
of the four villages - Pennyghael, Bunessan, Fionnphort (& harbour)
and Iona.
Anyone interested should get in touch with James Hilder at the
Community Trust or
email
enquiries@mict.co.uk
Powerdown Worker
- Tim Capper, in partnership with Alienergy has recently been
surveying households in Lochdon, Craignure and Salen. There has been
a great
response and we remain concerned about how many homes do not have
adequate
insulation, and also a number of households who are spending so much
of their
income on heating bills, they are classed as in "fuel poverty" and
qualify for special
assistance from the government. We would urge anyone who gets a
leaflet through
their
door from the Powerdown Project offering to assess your home -
takes up the
service - it is free and confidential
- what do you have to lose?
Mull Eagle Watch - The
Eagle Hide at Loch Frisa
is fully open now with good views
of
the two resident White Tailed Eagles, which look great with our
brand new high
powered digital camera scope, funded by the BBC Wildlife Fund.
There is still lots to
see
including a live buzzard-cam. Remember all money collected at the
hide goes back
to
the Trust to fund communtiy groups directly or on environmental
projects.
The
Vice-Chairman advised that MICT Chairman, Sandy Brunton, had
repeated the
invitation for the Community Council to take a seat of the Community
Trust Board. The
Vice
Chairman offered to look into it.
10.00 Roads and Transport
The
Vice-Chairman advised that he, Rory Forrester and Jim Corbett would
be meeting
with
Sandy MacTaggart the Friday following the meeting. Jim Corbett
advised that
Rory
Forrester had been compiling a list of essentials and he summarized
thethe four
main
areas of concern. Firstly, money had been set aside for a structural
survey of Mull’s
roads
and the current state of this. Secondly, and most concerning, was a
review of the
weight limits. Thirdly, the condition of the roads was appalling and
causing financial loss
to
island residents through damage to their vehicles and visitors’
reluctance to drive on
such
roads. Finally, in 1964, when the Craignure Pier opened and there
were no direct
sailings to Tobermory, it was agreed that the Craignure to Tobermory
road should be
upgraded. Although the Craignure Salen section has been completed
but, despite
several reviews of plans, the section between Salen and the Gualan
Dubh is not.
David Greenhalgh reported that the road to Iona was appalling
especially around
Pennyghael. It was also noted that the Gribun road was in a poor
state, as was the road
to
Croggan, around Ardtun and Ulva Ferry, plus Knockvologan.
Councillors were asked
to
get any specifics they may have through to Jim Corbett or Rory
Forrester.
Cllr
Chalmers advised that he had asked Kaz Bailey for details of where
the available
capital expenditure was being spent and read out the list. Cllr
Chalmers further advised
the
Cllr Devon was asking for some of the extra funding that has been
made available
to
come to Mull and that the Council was continuing to improve the
pothole situation.
Bert
Leitch expressed concern that ditching was also required and
enquired whether the
road
workers had the right equipment. Cllr Chalmers advised that the
island would be
getting a jet patcher ; there was some concern with this because of
the need for dry
weather. Cllr Chalmers that a patcher that can operate in wet and
dry conditions has
been
hired by Argyll & Bute Council to attack the worst patches but Mull
is not the
only
area with problems.
11.00 Correspondence
Received.
The
Vice Chairman reported that he had received a letter from Mr Boston;
it would
appear that this lengthy correspondence has now been resolved.
Regarding the FOLI questionnaire, the Vice Chairman had received a
letter and it
would
appear that we will be getting £500. We will finish off the
questionnaire at
a
later date. The Vice Chairman thanked everyone who had assisted
with their views.
The
Vice Chairman had received two letters from Argyll & Bute Council:
one an
acknowledgement from Sandy MacTaggart regarding our letter about the
hot tar plant;
the
second from Stewart Clark advising that the consultation and
tendering process for
a
coating plant on Mull would be submitted to the Council Executive
Committee
meeting next month.
12.00 Councillors’ Report
Cllr
Chalmers advised that, because of the work preparatory to and over
the General
Election, normal Council work had slowed down and he had primarily
been doing case
work
for the last month.
13.00 Treasurer’s Report.
David
Graham advised that he was a bit behind and some payments had to be
made but
funds
stood at approximately £2000.00. He had 2 marquee tent bookings and
one for the
floor. Jim Corbett advised that the floor only had been booked for
24th July.
14.00 Any Other Business
(inc. Area Reports)
Susan
Campbell reported having received a complaint about the derelict
vehicles and
potential hazard from the fuel storage pumps at Bayview Garage.
There had already
been
correspondence between the complainants and Argyll & Bute Council
but nothing
had
happened. After some discussion, it was suggested that the
complainants should
contact the owner directly asking him to clean up the area and/or
given permission
for
the area to be cleaned up with the owner being sent the bill and
Cllr Chalmers SC/
agreed to look at the legal
route.
Cllr
GC
David
Greenhalgh reported some confusion as to the status of Keep Mull
Moving.
Jim
Corbett advised that KMM had always been a sub-committee of Mull
Community
Council and following the resignation of the previous Chairperson,
Rory Forrester
had
been elected.
David
Greenhalgh also raised the issue of people whose children now have
to walk to
school on unsafe roads. Cllr Chalmers advised that it needs to be
established that it is
not
safe for an adult and child to walk along the route, it being a
parental duty to take
your
child to school. If the route is dangerous for an adult and child,
then there is the
right
to appeal and if upheld, free transport is given.
Ronnie Campbell raised the issue of Millbrae septic tank. It has
been dug up and a
retaining wall put in and a new tank is required.
Jim
Corbett had been approached by a Lochbuie resident who applied for
broadband
to be
told that the BT exchange is full. It was suggested the individual
might explore
satellite options or Sky. Jim Corbett to propose this and
advise. JC
Stewart MacDougall reported that the road crossing near the
portacabin at Bunessan
was
filled with stone. It was suggested that he contact Kaz Bailey about
this. SMcD
Stewart MacDougall reported that the PTA organised beach cleaning
each year and
to
date Argyll & Bute Council have paid for a skip; they have been
advised this will
not
happen this year. Cllr Chalmers asked Mr MacDougall to ask the PTA
to email
him
about this.
SMcD
Date of Next Meeting:
Tuesday 8th June, 2010 at 8.00pm
Apologies given by Jim Corbett, Susan Campbell and David Greenhalgh.
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