Tarbat Community Council
Minutes of A.G.M. held on Friday 9th October, 2009
Present: Hamish Mackenzie (Chairman), Kate Collard, Alan Ross, Donald Urquhart, Helen Fleming, Wilma Dawson, Sheena Oman, Janet Wilson (Vice-Chairman)
Ex officio: Moira Aitken (Secretary), Ellie Kuiff (Treasurer), Cllr. Alan Torrance and Rob Gibson MSP
Apologies: Cllr. Alasdair Rhind, Cllr Richard Durham, Carol Elliot (Ward Manager),
Denise Carroll, James Gordon
In attendance: Anne Pattman, Steve Carroll, Neil Ross, John Munro, Kenny Aitken, Bill Beardmore, Caroline Shepherd-Baron
Chairman's Opening Remarks
Hamish Mackenzie thanked everyone for attending with a particular welcome to our guest speaker Rob Gibson MSP and Councillor Alan Torrance, whom he was happy to welcome back after his illness and major operation.
Minutes of AGM 9th October 2008
Approval of minutes proposed by Kate Collard, seconded by Janet Wilson, adopted unanimously.
Matters Arising. There were no matters arising.
Chairman’s Report
This was Hamish’s last report as Chairman as he would be stepping down after being Chairman for three years, although would still be an active member of the Community Council.
Hamish then introduced his Report, a full copy of which is appended to these Minutes and on the Tarbat Community Council Website. He drew attention to how our area punched above its weight, due particularly to the voluntary commitment and hard work done by a number of organisations in the community, not least the Gala Committee, the Hall Group and the Tarbat Crack. He then highlighted some issues covered by the Community Council: the affordable housing in the village and the problems faced by rural locations in allocation; the uphill task of dealing with TEC Services on road repairs, drainage problems and minor works; the public vote and subsequent resiting of the recycling bins; and the installation of the stone planters as the first phase of Operation Facelift, with the signage seating and notice board to be installed before the end of the year. The area should also benefit from improvements at the Castle Street playground and gorse clearance and other works at Tarbat Ness if promised budgets are forthcoming. Hamish concluded by thanking Carol Elliot, Ward Manager and our three Highland Councillors, the Vice Chairman, Janet Wilson and other TCC councillors. He paid particular tribute to Moira Aitken, who had give endless hours of Rolls Royce service as Secretary and would be a hard act to follow, and to Ellie Kuiff, who had kept our finances in order and been in charge of planting up the flowers, both of whom were retiring after a number of years service to the Council.
Hamish moved for the adoption of his Report, Kate Collard seconded the proposal and it was accepted unanimously.
Vote of Thanks
Bill Beardmore proposed a vote of thanks for the work Hamish had done as Chairman and received full support from all present.
Treasurer's Report
Ellie Kuiff presented the Income and Expenditure Account for the year to 31st March, 2009 and gave a full updated Treasurer's Report to September 2009. The Main Account balance was £6,512.23 and the Project Account Balance was £1,345.89, which included a temporary loan from the Tarbat Community Hall Group of £2,400 which allowed TCC to alleviate cash flow problems whilst waiting for retrospective grant funding. A further £5,000 was transferred from the main account to the Project Account after the preparation of this statement.
The Treasurer requested that this account, which had been circulated fully, be adopted, Ellie also thanked the Community Council for the support she has received as Treasurer and wished her successor well . She would give them every assistance in settling in to the office.
Adoption of the accounts to 31st March, 2009 was proposed by Hamish Mackenzie, seconded by Kate Collard, and accepted unanimously.
Guest Speaker
Rob Gibson MSP welcomed the opportunity to speak to the meeting. As an ex community council Chairman he was au fait with the somewhat onerous tasks of representing the wishes of communities. Points covered in his talk and subsequent discussion included: housing allocation in rural communities and the need to build in greater emphasis on local need and alteration of the points system; the need to keep decision making local - “a bottom up approach”; the Nigg Yard and the need to move on securing its development for sustainable work in the area; green energy requirements; and the Highland v Central Belt emphasis in Holyrood, and the financial implications of decision making.
The Chairman thanked Rob for his contribution and was sure that some of the topics would stimulate further discussion as refreshments were served.
Close of Meeting
The Chairman, after making presentations of flowers to the retiring Secretary and Treasurer, officially closed the AGM, thanking all those who had attended and hoping they would avail themselves of the refreshments provided and perhaps stay for the normal Community council meeting.
Members of the Council would adjourn to elect new Office Bearers.
Date of Next AGM – Friday 8th October, 2010 at 7.30pm in the Carnegie Hall