18-02-14 EKCC Meetings
Minutes of Windfarm Trust AGM and Community Council meeting.
WIND FARM TRUST AGM
Meeting held in Carradale Village Hall
30 January 2014
APPROVED MINUTES
Present:
Stuart Irvine, Elizabeth McMillan, Ronnie Brownie, Lindsey Mercer, Robert Strang, Hilary Oman, Eleanor Sloan, Morag Adams, Dominic Ryan, Alasdair Bennett, Kenneth Semple
1. Welcome and apologies
Meeting opened at 7pm. No apologies. 3 members of the public were present.
2. 15 minute questions from the floor
Question - when was the new Windfarm committee appointed?
response at the last EKCCWFT meeting 13 Nov 2013.
3. AGM
i. Accounts 2013/14 (including projections until April 2014) were discussed.
Proposed balance at 31st March 2014 is - £57800
The accounts were approved by Ronnie Brownie and seconded by Elizabeth McMillan
ii. Review of all grants all the grants approved in 2013/14 were looked over. £600 paid to Wellpark in May 2013 was questioned and as the actual paperwork was not present, Stuart promised to forward the details of the grant to all committee members.
iii. New Chairperson Stuart Irvine stepped down as Chair, and Robert Strang nominated Lindsey Mercer, Dominic Ryan seconded Lindsey accepted.
4. AOCB
Alistair suggested a ref number for each grant and a column to be added to the database for this, also columns added for negative and positive criteria scoring (see page 11 of the Argyll and Bute Windfarm and Renewable Trust Induction leaflet)
It was agreed that all grants should be circulated to all members, prior to the meetings.
It was suggested that our agenda should have standing items e.g. good governance discussion - covering subjects like conflict of interest.
A score system was discussed (using the range of criteria as a guide-line) it was generally thought that the on-going system was effective.
All trustees felt that the trustees induction leaflet was well thought out and a useful source of information.
ES asked if it was worth considering, one year - using all the funds for one project from the community e.g. a community minibus it was discussed and felt that if a project like this came up it may be worth considering.
ES asked if it would be possible to set up a scholarship fund for local folk to access further education. The WFT monies are not available for individual gain but for the community.
AB stressed that the community should not consider the WFT to be the only source of funding and that local fundraising should always be ongoing as well.
5. Stuart thanked everyone for attending and the meeting closed at 7.57pm
East Kintyre Community Council
Meeting held in Carradale Village Hall 9th January 2014
APPROVED Minutes
Present:
Stuart Irvine (Convenor), Lindsey Mercer, Robert Strang, Ronnie Brownie, Eleanor Sloan (Secretary).
2 Councillors John McAlpine and Anne Horn
18 Members of the public
1. Welcome and apologies:
At 7pm - Stuart Irvine welcomed attendees and started the meeting.
Apologies from Elisabeth McMillan, Hilary Oman and Dominic Ryan
2. Minutes
Approved - unanimous
3. Roads discussion & marine update
We had Stewart Clark and Martin Gorringe from Argyll & Bute Council to address the meeting Road - points that were raised were -
B842 - ABC are going to do a joint survey of the road with SSE re patching, drainage etc on road.
In Spring 2014 the A83 becomes a trunk road.
Scrub cutting landlords will be chased up and asked to keep the edges of their property scrub free.
Action - ABC to do this
The incorrect positioning of the white line near The Network centre has been corrected.
Bollards have been put in at end of village hall path.
The absence of give way lines at Toshs park was reported and will be dealt with.
We asked about changing the speed limits within the village it was suggested that the village be 30mph from halfway up Dippen Hill and continue the whole way down to Port Righ. A lower speed limit on the Shore Road was suggested and 20 mph in the main part of the village. A SLOW sign by the War memorial was also suggested.
It was pointed out by a member of the public that it was a Scottish Government requirement 2006 that all areas speed limits are reviewed by roads authority before 2011 has this happened? ABC agreed to find out.
Action - ABC will look into the possibilities of speed limit change, and what it requires.
Dominic Ryan (via email) has offered to carry out a survey of Carradale residents to assess needs and desires for road safety provisions, Alasdair Bennett offered to help him.
Action DR & AB to carry out survey
It was asked if the bit of land that is used as a short cut at Tormhor, could be tarmaced to be used as a proper road.
Various things were reported to ABC at the meeting, and were noted by ABC
Scottish water sewage lid was open at turning area at harbour.
Big puddle at Abbeyfield
Rough road surface at S bend sound of Escart Farm
Lighting at Toshs Park (this will be passed on to appropriate person)
Marine
Martin began by stating that there is still a problem with a person in relation to aspects at the pier. Martin said that ABC is tagging illegal rubbish that is left in public spaces.
Network Carradale has been working with the marine department re - the Harbour Improvement scheme this scheme has been awarded Flag Funding. The project will start with the Slip, the ABC estate section, will be dealing with the lease, the Members of the Area Community have been very supportive in this project. The harbour and the fish market in Campbeltown are being upgraded. The harbour attendant in Carradale has retired and the Pier Operative in Campbeltown, Greg Scally, will be visiting Carradale regularly.
4. Treasurers report opening balance
As of 13/12/13 -
The balance of the EKCC bank account stands at £2382.83
5. Emergency Plan
ES updated the meeting and said that the plan was being finalised at the weekend and all councillors would receive a copy of the plan and when agreed will be emailed to ABC
Then a sub-group will be created to beef out the plan and finalise all the fine points.
Anne Horn told us the she has been assured that Peninver will also be given a survival bag.
ACTION ES and Shelagh Cameron to complete initial plan and email to ABC. ES to convene subgroup
6. Playpark/Wellpark
It was proposed to have a small sub-committee of the EKCC with 2 members of the EKCC, the Cricket Club and the Football Club called eg Wellpark Activities Council this would undertake to manage all Wellpark issues on behalf of the EKCC. The last committee had not changed any of the bank account details so they will remain as before. Tom told us that there is funding available for projects like this the new committee will undertake to find extra funding. Robert offered to take the fallen sign (Playpark) indoors, until it is needed again. A member of the public asked about the WFT grant to the previous Playpark committee Stuart Irvine explained that an amount of £800 was granted but it transpired that this came from 2 separate applications and when checked over (after the meeting) one of the applications for £300, did not have the necessary information required, so it was put aside waiting for further information and £500 was awarded, the information was never gathered because the previous (resigning) committee left before it was relevant.
It was asked if ACHA would contribute to the costs of the playpark upkeep, John McAlpine told us that very few playparks are financially supported by ACHA.
When asked, Stuart told us that 282 projects/groups have been supported by the EKWFT grants.
The EKWFT currently have approx £60,000 in an account for when the annual funds run out to be used instead by the community.
ACTION EKCC (Stuart Irvine) to convene new committee.
ACTION Robert to take in sign.
7. SSE
We had Andrew Malcolm and Pat Hearne from SSE to join us to give us some updates
Points raised were -
SSE are sweeping and cleaning the roads twice a day
They offered to attend EKCC meetings and update us again on plans, they are keen for there to be ongoing communication between the SSE and the Community. The SSE website has an area which will provide updates on the Crossaig site. A member of the public commented that there has been a lack of information so far and we were assured that this will be improved.
Over the next 2 months there will road improvements ongoing on the B842.
We were assured that all traffic coming from the South will be approaching the site via the cross Kintyre road and will not be coming through the village.
John McAlpine asked if SSE would consider, as a gesture of goodwill, putting an overlay on the road when the works were all finished. The SSE representative said they would talk to the ABC road dept regarding this proposal.
SSE also said they would be gritting the B842 over the winter months while they are in the area.
There was a request for a public meeting to be held so that a full report would be given and detailed information of such items as height of pylons, passing places extended, etc. Stuart has been in touch with Neil Anderson, a senior employee of SSE in regard to the possibility of this meeting being arranged.
8. Tinkers Track
All done, including the bridge at Crow Wood.
9. Bollards/signs/ownership of path
Tom said would it be possible to have both bollards put on the road side of the path, as it is not necessary to have one at the west entrance to the path as it comes out at the village hall there. Johnny Durnan kindly offered to move it.
Stuart is preparing the document for Colin Burgess to sign re ownership of the path etc.
Eleanor asked about the upkeep of the path, and the fact that it getting overgrown. EKCC are responsible for it. Johnny Durnan offered to put down weedkiller.
The drains that feed on to the path off the road were mentioned, they have been a problem in the past but seem to have got clogged up and do not seem to be affecting the path anymore.
ACTION Stuart to do document
ACTION Johnny to move bollard and weedkiller the path
10. Antler
Dom says (via email) that no-one had come forward to take over the Antler and he has offered to produce an Easter issue and has asked for submissions for it. We discussed making it a quarterly issue and gathering a group of regular contributors who could support Dom. Tom offered to arrange some publicity to this end.
ACTION Tom to arrange group
11. Inaugural Minutes
It seems Eleanor was the only one who received an email copy of these minutes she will email to all EKCC and will discuss at next meeting
ACTION ES to email minutes to all members
12. AOCB
Hilary Oman (via email) asked Stuart if the EKCC would write a letter to SSE re the Lussa Power Station Road which has nearly washed away and there are homes along this road. A written request was also received from Andrew Ronald a local farmer. It appears that the Courier has also taken up the case, All agreed
ACTION Stuart to write to SSE
We were asked why the EKWFT gives money to organisations like the cinema (that are not part of East Kintyre) it was explained that as residents of East Kintyre use the cinema it was decided to do this. This led to a discussion on the processes of the WFT and Lindsey asked if it would be possible to have a WFT information evening to acquaint members (new and old) with the workings of the WFT. Johnny suggested asking WKWFT what their constitution says.
ACTION Stuart to arrange a meeting.
John McAlpine assured the group that there are no concerns within ABC over the EKWFT management of funds.
Ronnie told us that Una Semple has asked about the management of the trees that are very near the electricity lines on Dippen Hill, Alistair Bennett asked the same thing is it Forestry Commission or SSE.
Eleanor asked if we would be prepared to write a letter of support to BT, for the residents of Ugadale and Saddell, who have no broadband. We agreed to do this and to write a letter to the Courier asking if anyone else in the area has this problem.
ACTION Stuart to write to Courier and BT.
Tom told us about funding that is available to commemorate WW1, the war monument needs work and a builder has promised to do it free of charge. Tom offered to put together a group to arrange a community event to celebrate the centenary.
ACTION Tom to gather troops.
Robert said that he asked Robin Currie, to look into a ramp for a resident at Broomfield that needs one. No response so far.
John McAlpine suggested that we invite ACHA to attend a meeting to answer some of the questions that the community may have. He suggested it would also be worthwhile, working out how many houses are still owned by ACHA in the village.
ACTION Stuart to arrange meeting.
Robert asked for volunteers to help to clear the Port Righ well
ACTION Robert to arrange date.
.
13. Date of next meeting
7pm - 13th February 2014
Meeting closed at 8.57pm.
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