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Minutes of Mull
Community Council Meeting
Minutes of the
Mull Community Council (MCC) Meeting held on Wednesday 10th
September 2008
1.0
Present:
Linda Cameron (Chairperson), Fiona Brown (Pennyghael/Tiroran),
Ronnie Campbell (Bunessan), Adrian Fitness (Craignure), Andrea
MacPhail (Tobermory), Tony Proud (Dervaig, Treasurer), Cllr. Gordon
Chalmers, Cllr. Mary-Jean Devon, Sgt. Angie McDonald (Strathclyde
Police), John Clare (Minute/Correspondence Secretary).
Also in attendance:
James Hilder (MICT) and Brendan Welsh
(Glenforsa Hotel).
Apologies:
Graham Brown (Tobermory), Jim Corbett (Lochbuie), Paul Forster
(Salen, Vice-Chair) and Bert Leitch (Ulva Ferry).
Chair opened the meeting by stating it would last for
2 hours and that anything of importance not raised or discussed
during the meeting should be corresponded to the secretary or
herself.
Cllr. Devon stated that she would not be able to
attend the whole meeting and would have to leave early.
Chair asked, in the interest of safety, who is
responsible for care of children when they leave the grounds of
Tobermory High School to board the school buses. Cllr. Devon
reported that it was the school’s responsibility and that the
janitor accompanied children.
Action
2.0
Police Matters:
2.01
Sgt. Angie McDonald was introduced to the meeting and confirmed that
a
quarterly team meeting had been introduced, at which
all local and community
policing issues were discussed. A new shift system
for policing on Friday and
Saturday nights is now in operation.
3.0
Minutes of the meeting held 9th July 2008:
The minutes were proposed by Ronnie Campbell and
seconded by Adrian Fitness.
4.0 Glenforsa
Airstrip:
Adrian
Fitness introduced Brendan Welsh,
saying that he
had been invited to the
meeting
to air concerns about the management of the
airstrip.
(Cllr.
Chalmers stated an interest in the matter and left the room for the
duration
of the
discussions regarding this item.)
Mr Welsh
reported that he has been flying into Glenforsa since 1980. During
that time air
movements had peaked at c.600 in 2005, but had since declined
by around
60%. The many benefits of the airstrip were also highlighted, and
it was noted
that nine pilots currently live on Mull.
Complaints
about management of the airstrip were discussed, including the fact
that planes
were no longer allowed to stand in front of the hotel so that the
webcam now
appears to show an empty airfield (this is due to a safety issue)
and the
increase in fees from £10 to £75 in the last year.
One main
concern is that the owners, Argyll & Bute Council, may cite lack of
use of the
airstrip as a reason for closure and selling off.
Formal
complaints to Argyll & Bute Council about these matters have not
received a
satisfactory response.
It was felt
that the Mull community could have more say in the running
of the
airstrip and Cllr Devon agreed to raise the matter at the next
Argyll
& Bute
Council meeting to establish how the airstrip is
managed. Cllr.
Devon
Chair thanked
Brendan Welsh for making MCC aware of the problem and
suggested
that representation from the island’s aviation interests should
be made at
the next Plan for Mull meeting.
5.0 Cal-Mac:
5.01
Cllr. Devon confirmed that the e-petition in support of the 40% fare
reduction has only received c.900 signatures to date
(5,500 minimum required).
5.02
The remedial work to Iona slipway should be complete by the end of
September.
5.03
Cllr. Devon confirmed that
the refusal of a Cal-Mac skipper to tie up
at the No.1 Linkspan is because of an internal safety
issue.
5.04
Ronnie Campbell reported that,
following the recent Mull Ferry Committee
meeting, it was confirmed that there would be two
additional late sailings on
Tuesday and Sunday, but that the 1.00pm sailing on
Tuesday would cease.
Requests have been submitted to Argyll & Bute Council
for an extension of the
30mph zone to the Isle of Mull Hotel turning and a
‘Queuing Cars’ sign. It was
agreed that a letter in support of these measures
would be sent from MCC.
Chair/Sec
Adrian Fitness stated that a petition from the Java
residents would also be
prepared.
Adrian Fitness
6.0
Mail Deliveries:
Tony Proud gave a brief report of the Postcom meeting
where the issues were
reasonably well discussed. Chair has been copied in
on correspondence.
7.0
MICT Report:
7.01
Salen recycling bins
– Paul Forster is to contact local residents to establish
whether placing of notices on the bins has reduced
the noise. Relocation is still
required.
Paul Forster/MICT
7.02
Wildlife Tour Operators
– A letter was written
to all operators reminding
them of the code of conduct with
particular reference to illegal and dangerous
parking.
7.03
At the end of the sea eagle
viewing season, £5,000 has been raised and
is available for community groups
(£500 usual max.).
8.0 Mull
Renewables:
Ronnie Campbell reported that an all-day event has
been arranged to promote
renewable energy heating systems.
9.0
Roads & Transport:
9.01
Road Weight Restrictions – Chair displayed the proposals map
from Argyll
& Bute Council and highlighted a number of problems
where weight restrictions
will prevent fuel deliveries and movements of other
heavy vehicles for forestry,
quarrying, etc. Concern was raised that minimal
improvements were being
gained for the large sums of money being spent, and
that proposed alternative
routes were inadequate. Cllr. Chalmers stated that
attempts were being made
to gain exemptions for fuel and feed deliveries,
etc. Cllr. Devon added that
applications for exemptions should be encouraged.
Chair requested that Cllr.
Chalmers should send her copies of correspondence
received to date. Cllr. Chalmers
It was confirmed that comments on the proposals must
be submitted to Argyll
& Bute Council by 19th September 2008,
with public consultation at a later stage.
Tony Proud stated that he thought a petition should
be set up in support of
better maintenance of, and improvements to, Mull
roads.
Sgt. McDonald confirmed that the policing of the Mull
road weight restrictions
had to conform to that elsewhere in Strathclyde, but
that there was an
appreciation of local issues and difficulties.
9.02
Tarmac Provision
– A letter in support of the Tarmac Plant for Mull project
has been sent to Argyll & Bute Council by MCC. Cllr.
Chalmers confirmed that it
is impossible for any Officer of Argyll & Bute
Council to give a solid commitment
on future funding, but Cllr. Devon stated that it is
likely that some sort of
commitment could be given following the October
meeting.
9.03
Keep Mull Moving – A request for financial assistance had
been submitted
by Chair to Cllr. MacIntyre as requested. No reply
had been received to date –
Cllr. Devon to
investigate.
Cllr. Devon
10.0
Finance Report:
Closing Balance of £ 2,764-77.
11.0
Any Other Business
(including Area Reports from
Community Councillors):
11.01
Data Protection Act – It is likely that notification to
Argyll & Bute Council
is required (£35-00 fee). Investigation is ongoing.
Other Community Councils are
requesting a block payment from Argyll & Bute
Council.
11.02
Tobermory
– Half of the Main Street railings have been painted by volunteers,
the remaining half will be painted later in the
year. Cllr. Devon confirmed that the
Main Street toilets will not be sold off, but put
into community ownership.
Signposting of the toilets in the new THA building is
still to be investigated. Graham
Brown
11.03
Sewage collection/treatment tankers – A letter requesting the
provision
of a smaller tanker and
pre-notification of visits has been sent to Scottish
Water.
11.04
A more effective Community Council
– Chair
confirmed that the preparation
of a proposal for a more effective
Community Council is ongoing, although no
response had been received from
Councillors.
Andrea MacPhail stated that she is
definitely not in support of the ideas, particularly
the proposal for the appointment
of a paid Programme Support Officer. Tony Proud
stated that he would also prefer
for things to stay as they were, but Adrian Fitness
and Ronnie Campbell both thought
that MCC should be more pro-active and use
the full extent of their powers.
11.05
Plan for Mull
– Cllr. Devon confirmed that the second meeting would be
held at 7.30pm on 19th
September 2008 at the Salen Hotel. James Hilder has
prepared a proposed Forward Plan
(20 years) for discussion/comment. Chair
asked that this Plan be circulated
to Mull Community Councillors, and James
Hilder
recommended that all Councillor’s
should attend the meeting.
All
11.06
Licensing Act - Cllr Chalmers reiterated that anyone seeking
advice
should contact him.
11.07
Community Council Association
- Geoffrey Page confirmed that the next
meeting (AGM) is to be held at
10am on 4th October 2008 at Lochgilpead.
Two members of each Community
Council are allowed to attend (Tony Proud
confirmed his proposed
attendance).
11.08
Area Reports:
Fiona Brown
(Pennyghael): Residents have requested that the recycling point be
moved because of problems of
broken glass, bags of rubbish, etc. at the current location.
Chair thanked Fiona for her report
on the Public Partnership meeting.
Fiona Brown stated that the PPC
money is set aside by the Health Board provided
no other funding body pulls out
and that the next meeting is later in the month.
Ronnie Campbell
(Bunessan): A letter complaining of the delay in construction of
the
bus shelter is to be written to
Argyll & Bute Council.
Chair/Sec
Ronnie Campbell requested that MCC
write to Argyll & Bute Council regarding
overdue repairs of bridges.
Chair/Sec
Adrian Fitness
(Craignure): A letter had been received confirming that the
swimming pool will be open from
7.30 – 9.00pm Mon-Fri to members (over 16)
and hotel guests only.
Clarification of the age limit for unattended swimming
is to be
sought.
Adrian Fitness
An inaccuracy on the Tour of Mull
Rally website to be corrected. Adrian
Fitness
Chair stated that a verbal
complaint had been received regarding lack of
allocation of places for Mull
drivers.
Andrea MacPhail
(Tobermory): Problems with the main sewer had been reported
to Argyll & Bute Environmental
Health who apparently knew nothing about it.
SEEPA confirmed that tests on both
this problem and the smell from the recent
sewage lagoons are imminent.
A request for an extension of the
30mph limit past Riverside Court has been
submitted to Argyll & Bute
Council.
Tony Proud
(Dervaig): Argyll & Bute Council have confirmed that they will
accept
a solicitors e-mail to enable them
to go ahead with relocation of the recycling facilities
12.00
Time/date of next meeting: 7:30pm Wednesday 8th October
2008 at Craignure Hall.
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