RESOLIS COMMUNITY COUNCIL (RCC)
Minutes of Meeting on 5th March 2013
Venue and time :The meeting was held at Resolis Memorial Hall at 7.30 p.m. / ACTION
Present :
Councillors – Iain Thorne (IT), Alister Matheson (AM), Marion Campbell (MC), Alastair Morton (AMo), Liz Earl (LE)
Northern Constabulary – PC 561 Calum Macrae
1. / Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved; proposed by MC and seconded by AM.
2. / Matters Arising
2.1 / Resignation of Chairman
As he had foretold at the previous meeting IT stood down as Chairman but kindly agreed to chair the meeting. No other councillor was willing to be elected and so for the time being there is no official Chairperson and each meeting will be chaired on an ad hoc basis by one of the councillors. IT undertook to advise Di Agnew of the situation. / IT
2.2 / Jemimaville Bus Shelter
AMo confirmed that he had put up laminated copies of the latest timetables in both the crossroads and Jemimaville bus shelters. He will replace as necessary / AMo
2.3 / Resolis Road Signs
AMo confirmed that he had obtained advice from Ian Chalmers regarding what maintenance schedule will be appropriate for the Mount High sign in the future. / AMo
2.4 / Nutwood Core Path
AMo confirmed that he had contact Di Agnew to discuss possible funding from the Ward Discretionary Fund (BIWDF). She had encouraged the Council to make an application but AMo has not yet had time to do so. AMo had also followed up on the 2 suggestions made by PW which turned out to be web sites listing various funding sources. Having worked through these AMo had concluded that Awards for All was the most promising possibility but again he had not yet had time to work on an application. SNH are an outside possibility. AMo to work on these applications as and when time available. / AMo
2.5 / Speeding
There was a very useful discussion with PC Calum Macrae about the speeding issue. He was keen to find out at what times of day the problem was at its worst. As a result he undertook to speak to colleagues and set up some irregularly timed speed enforcement activities over the course of the next 3-4 months, concentrating on the ‘rush hour’ periods. AM suggested to him that the entrance to his access track might make a good place towards the middle of the Cullicudden straight to pull motorists into rather than relying on the Kinbeachie Wood layby at one end.
2.6 / Road repairs
AMo confirmed that he had investigated the planning application aspect of the Forestry Commission’s access track at Mount High. Planning consent had been successfully applied for.
2.7 / Udale Wood footpath
AMo reported that he had exchanged e-mails with Phil Waite (PW) regarding a date for a meeting between the landowners and the local Access Group to discuss possible solutions for public access. PW had reported that there had been no response to his letter from the landowners, so no progress.
2.8 / Friendship Group’s new projector & screen
MC confirmed that the equipment is in place and available for use by other groups on application to Ian Philips (IPh). It is stored and locked in the Friendship Club’s cupboard. AMo to formalise arrangements for access with IPh.
2.9 / Proposed Online Community Forum
AMo reported that he had not yet had time to produce a final version of a leaflet introducing the RCC e-mail address and the online forum. He will aim to do so for approval at the next meeting. Once approved distribution to households throughout the parish can begin. / AMo (C/Fwd)
2.10 / Additional Noticeboards
AMo confirmed that he had investigated with Andrew Dowsett (AD) the provision of the Kirkmichael noticeboard. AD had confirmed that he had made the sign but said that he was not able to repeat the work for RCC. AMo also confirmed that he had discussed funding potential from BIWDF with Di Agnew who had encouraged the Council to make an application. AMo to approach Mr Finlayson, joiner at Duncanston for an estimate. / AMo
2.11 / Clach Liath Wind Farm
IT had circulated two e-mails concerning the joint letter of objection proposed by Ferintosh CC. It had been pointed out that regardless of the number of signatories it would only be counted as one objection. In discussion it was agreed that, in view of the lack of unanimity amongst the councillors and the fact that there was no evidence regarding the views of the community at large, it would be inappropriate for the council to write its own letter of objection.
2.12 / Composting at Balblair
AM reported that, following on from the discussion at the previous meeting, David Alston (DA) had e-mailed Norma Holm suggesting an on-site meeting with Andy Hume the THC Waste Management Officer.
3. / Treasurer’s Report
AMo reported that the bank account balance remains at £1,544.26.
4. / Highland Councillor’s Report
In DA’s absence there was no report.
5. / Correspondence
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4 / AM had received a copy of Dave Thompson MSP’s February newsletter.
AM had received a letter from Inverness Leisure regarding a vacancy on their Board of Trustees.
AM had received a letter from Fields in Trust Scotland (National Playing Fields Association) inviting the Council to nominate a local, recreational green space for protection under the Queen Elizabeth Fields Challenge. The Council would need to write to THC urging them to nominate the chosen site as a Queen Elizabeth Field and write to our THC Councillors urging them to support our actions. This should be discussed at the next meeting.
IT had received Scottish and Southern Energy’s second consultation document on the future of their electricity distribution networks. AMo to deal with this. / AMo
6. / Any Other Business
6.1 / PC Macrae reported on general policing matters in the parish, confirming that it is a low crime area and generally very quiet. Speeding traffic is the biggest problem (see 2.5 above). The new national force comes into being on the 1st April and the change is making a lot of work. Calum is anticipating the closure of more police stations in order to save money but there is no official confirmation on this. He speculates that Fortrose station will be closed and that the Black Isle will become policed from Dingwall in due course. He will try to attend the next meeting.
7. / Planning
AM reported that there was just one planning application to consider:-
13/00606/FUL| Erection of house | Garden Ground Of Pinewood Mounthigh Balblair Dingwall
Agreed that no objection was appropriate. This is a follow up to an outline permission granted in 2009.
8. / Date of Next Meeting
The next council meeting will take place at the Resolis Memorial Hall at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 2nd April 2013.
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