HELMSDALE

A ND D ISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL

nd Minutes of the mee;ng held on Thursday 2 J une 2011 PRESENT: Evelyn Mackenzie (Chairman), Edward MacKay (Vice C hairman), Elizabeth Fraser( Vice C hairman), Penny K ane, (Secretary), Garry Macmillan (Treasurer), Stan Amey, P ete C arson, Margaret C airns, Annie C owie, Rosemary Findlay , Roz Shorrock, L orna Smith, APOLOGIES Ann H oughton, C hrisHne Sutherland 1. Phil Tomalin report: P hil had been asked several quesHons about the new consHtuHon. The Local Government (Scotland) Act of 1973 gave power to start the C ommunity C ouncils. Sutherland D istrict C ouncil evolved into the H ighland C ouncil. The H ighland C ouncil is now looking to standardise the various C ommunity C ouncils by changing the consHtuHon so that one set of rules ts all. I t is not an easy task to suit all areas. The C ommunity C ouncils will conHnue to have responsibility re licensing and planning An example of a nancial template was supplied and copies to be given to Treasurer. All C ouncils are bound by the equal opportunity laws. Everyone must be treated equally. The quesHon related to locals or people with local connecHons being given priority for aordable housing. The Aordable H ousing Scheme does however have its own criteria and thus locals will be prioriHsed. ElecHons will be called every 4 years. H ighland C ouncil will organise and pay for them The C ommunity C ouncil will have 8 full members, the quorum is 4 members and there will be a need to ll vacancies (could co-opt). I f this occurs with 6 months of an elecHon then the situaHon would probably be allowed to conHnue. I t is also allowed to have non-voHng associate members. The C hair maintains their current casHng vote Ballot costs: P rint/post probably around 400.00. Not sure who funds this, probably Highland C ouncil, unlikely to be C ommunity C ouncil. The H ighland C ouncil will noHfy the results. Dra` minutes to go within 2 weeks of meeHngs to W ard Manager and C ouncillors Grants: situaHon not nalised so pro tem will sHck with current system. C urrently the 6 Community C ouncils get the same size grant, this is likely to change to size of populaHon LiabiliHes: Some C ommunity C ouncils have assets, some do not Boundaries: remain unchanged Agendas remain exible. (For further informaHon the Secretary has available copies of the C onsHtuHon AND appendices which answer most of the quesHons) The C ouncil voted to accept the new consHtuHon. P rop Stan Amey, seconded Garry Macmillan, and no dissent. 2. Police report: The police reported a very quiet month. Roz brought to the adenHon of the police the number of logging lorries using the Strath. At other Hmes this has been a circular route but not now. There are 45 tonnes of logs to be removed and this will take many years. A quesHon was raised over whether the many small bridges on the lorry route would last. th th 3. Approval of Minutes: Minutes of meeHng on May 5 and 19 approved. Add Rosemarys name to list of adendees 4. Councillors Report: The Bank is open 09.15 -12.30 and 13.30-16.30 Tuesdays and Fridays. The only Hmes the

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bank is not open at these Hmes is Bank H olidays, Hmes of electric failure and in extreme cases of sta shortage due to sickness The conHnued absence of the C hip and P in machine at the service point is being invesHgated by the C hief ExecuHve of the H ighland C ouncil. 25% of Service P oints aected. I t is possible to pay by cheque and in an emergency by cash, however people are being asked to get cash from the other cash points which is far from ideal. CompeHHve tenders are not required for under 10k. Above 10k require 3 tenders Contractors need to get themselves on the approved list at the H ighland C ouncil, however it appears there is a long queue to get this done and there is an on-cost to the contractor. Edward will discuss these issues with D eirdre C ampbell Stewart to try and get an answer to the issues raised The missing swing has been replaced College courses not happening at present. Tutor will resume computer classes. The I LA funding which was in place to help defray the costs for people on a low income has been axed. D eirdre has wriden to Scohsh Government about this. Evelyn thinks there may be wind farm money for this. Rubbish: passed to J ohn Mackay. There is actually no rubbish around Golf Road car park. Some repair work has started on Strath Road Kinbrace path: D eirdre has met with the headmistress, but the lack of path presents a danger for all pedestrians especially with the increase in logging trac DisHllery Site/ Fish P onds: Stan and Edward are currently working with C olin Anderson. Maders arising: Margaret has asked for goal posts as the fence cannot be raised to stop the balls going in with the sheep. No leder received back from Mr C ouds (NHS) Sec to chase The minibus will pick people up for the W ind Farm meeHng in Brora at 6.30 pm on Thursday th 9 J une in the Bridge car park Treasurers report: C urrent account: 459.26. C hristmas L ights acc 801.52. Fund raising events organised. Elizabeth thanked Garry for his clear reports. The shed for storage is on its way money in place for it. Wind Farm Benet P anel: Agreed on C ouncillor plus 2 non councillors NominaHons: Andy Sutherland, H arbour Group and H ighland Games, P ete C arson D evt Group, Roz Sharrock, WI, Evelyn Mackenzie< C ommunity C ouncil, L orna Smith, Gardening Group. A`er a ballot, Andy, P ete and Evelyn were elected. P ete to noHfy W ind Farm group, P enny to inform Andy. Development Group Report: P ete agrees that we have had some failures but we have also had some successes which we must not forget. a). Aordable housing: Bid had to be in by 3.5.11, feedback has been posiHve and a credit to the team. The hurdle has been moving the play park A statement by Stan Amey: I conrm I have been asked if I would be prepared to release an area of Badery P ark to be made available for the relocaHon of the childrens play park area at Rockview P lace to facilitate access to the area of land zoned for aordable housing. No funds were available for land purchase; I was, in eect, being asked to donate land to the community. I can also conrm that I am, in principle, prepared to give serious consideraHon to this request, subject to reaching agreement with all appropriate authoriHes concerning funding the relocaHon of playground equipment; the area of land required; the legal transfer of

ownership; health and safety consideraHons and all necessary insurances. D iscussions have not yet commenced regarding these issues b). C oppicing course starts on Monday. I t is on Open C ollege website and H elmsdale website c). W ind farm: H elmsdale H arbour is on list for oshore development. Tony Usher to adend discussion meeHng. They may use the harbour for service depot for their boat nd d). Allotments: 15 year lease agreement drawn up 2 J une 2011 with P hoebe Ross A new lawyer is handling the H elmsdale Estate of the late D r L olly P ete has wriden to them re land in H elmsdale. e). The council agreed that the prime requirement for wind farm money to support funding for P etes job. 10. Any Other Business: th a). D ate of next Forum meeHng 14 J une 2011 b). NHS has invited C ommunity to vote for members of sta they have found helpful or excepHonal in any way. P enny has the forms if anyone interested c). P enny read out a leder from Arlene asking for money towards plants for the tubs around the C learance Statue. The council was unclear exactly which tubs were meant. The tubs around the car park at the cafe on the bridge were purchased by the previous owner to increase kerb appeal there are no other tubs and therefore these are not the responsibility of the C ommunity C ouncil. ( Sec to write to Arlene) d).Roz enquired why the Gorse had been dug up behind the cafe, thought to be probably Health and Safety consideraHons (hygiene and re risk, also accessibility to rear of cafe) e). Margaret requested that the police do cycle prociency training with the local children. Deirdre will nd out if police have any input into this f). L orna asked for an increase in disabled parking in the village g). Minibus secHon 19 and 22 applied for which means the bus can then be used to pick up passengers The Hcket machine is no longer free as our applicaHon was outside the Hme limit and they cost 1.00 a day to hire. h). Elizabeth suggested that one of our athletes carried the Olympic torch on its route south from Orkney, however it is going down the west coast. Suggested Sandy and /or Ann Macauley. Evelyn to look on internet i). ApplicaHons for licensing are now much more complicated and full of gobbledegook j). Garry wondered when the ags to be put up by the clearance statue. They are being mended at present, Elizabeth has spare set. C ould go up at any convenient Hme k). Evelyn reported on the fact that the express train will not stop at K inbrace so commuters have to go to Forsinard and then get another train back, which does not help people with jobs gehng to and from work. Garry will make enquiries th l). There will be trac delays at the K essock Bridge as it undergoes repairs from 19 J une for 10 days The meeHng closed at 21.25 th Date and Hme of next meeHng: Thursday 7 J uly 2011 at 7.30 pm in the C ommunity C entre