DRAFT MINUTE OF THE INAUGURAL MEETING HELD AT KILCHOAN COMMUNITY CENTRE

WEST ARDNAMURCHAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL (WACC)

DRAFT MINUTE OF THE INAUGURAL MEETING HELD AT KILCHOAN COMMUNITY CENTRE

ON TUESDAY 29 JANUARY 2020 AT 7PM

Introduction:

This meeting started with the formal convening of the new session of WACC, following the usual 4-yearly disbandment and re-election of CC members. 

In response to Highland Council’s call in December 2019 for nominations to represent WACC, there were more names put forward (9) than the permitted maximum membership (8), leading to an election by public ballot.  This resulted in the following members being duly elected to represent WACC:

Jessie Colquhoun (JC) – returning member; Gill Calver (GC) – returning member; Rosie Curtis (RC) – new member; Mairi Hunter (MH) – new member; Sarah Houston (SH) – new member; Davie Ferguson (DF) – new member; Bert Cameron (BC) – new member; Jim Frame (JF) – new member.

Minute of meeting:

1.      Attendees – Cllr Ian Ramon (inaugural Chair); JC; GC; RC; MH; SH; JF and 5 members of the public;

2.       Apologies – DF; BC

3.       Appointment of office bearers:  Acting on behalf of Highland Council, Councillor Ian Ramon (IR) opened the meeting by welcoming everyone present and congratulating the newly elected members.  He called upon WACC members to nominate office bearers and the following positions were assigned:

CHAIR – Rosie Curtis - nominated JC, seconded MH;

SECRETARY – Jim Frame - nominated RC, seconded JC;

TREASURER – Mairi Hunter – nominated SH, seconded RC

IR then called upon RC to assume the Chair and continue the rest of the meeting;

4.     Adoption of the Constitution and Standing Orders:  RC took the Chair and thanked Cllr Ramon for opening the meeting.  She also thanked him for the continued support and encouragement he gives to WACC and its members.  RC confirmed on behalf of WACC that its members have adopted the current Constitution and Standing Orders laid out for Community Councils, and that all are committed to abiding by those for the duration of their terms of office.  RC also thanked the retiring members of the previous session of WACC for the commitment and work they had undertaken on behalf of the community and thanked the newly elected members for volunteering to join the Council;

 

5.       Associate Membership – this item is deferred to the next meeting;

 

6.     Dates of future meetings – as per the previous session, these would be held on the 2^nd Monday of each month at 7pm.  The next meeting is scheduled for Monday 10^th February 2020, at Kilchoan Community Centre.  Future dates and alternating venue will also be set at that meeting;

 

7.       Matters arising:

7.1            Emergency Responders (ER) – JC confirmed that no applications had been received in response to the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) 2^nd advert.  RC to liaise further with Alan Knox of SAS on this.  One member of the public suggested that the ER model currently used could make use of appropriately experienced individuals within the community but on a non-full time rota basis;  (ACTION – RC)

7.2            Defibrillators – full list of locations for public-use defibrillators needs to be confirmed.  JF will liaise with local ERs on this; (ACTION – JF)

7.3            NHS video consultation facility, UHI Learning centre – some concerns expressed about the loss of this facility without prior consultation – RC will liaise with SAS to discuss further; (ACTION – RC)

7.4            Dalmhor Trust – GC intimated that a proposal for development at the Dalmhor site was under consideration and further consultation could be expected

7.5            Financial update – Pat McPhail (retiring Treasurer) gave a verbal update on current position - £837 in current a/c – and noted that the HC grant for the coming year is £445.33.  Pat will liaise with MH to arranger handover and a more detailed report will be available at next meeting.  RC thanked Pat for her much appreciated and valued contributions to WACC in previous years

7.6            Road repairs – RC encouraged all attendees to take photographs of potholes and other roads defects in the area, and to forward them to WACC.  These would help our case for improved roads’ maintenance in future engagement with HC Roads department

7.7             Seaweed residues on B8007 in Kilchoan – following recent storms a significant amount of seaweed debris has been scattered along the roadside in front of Ben Hiant and Meall Mo Chridhe.  IR will pursue the HC Roads Department to have this removed 

7.8            A member of the public urged WACC to continue to seek a speed-limit reduction from 40mph to 30mph through Kilchoan

7.9            New noticeboard at Sanna – IR to confirm ownership status of noticeboards at Sanna and Kilmory.  JF confirmed that in future WACC meeting Agenda and subsequent Minutes would be posted on local noticeboards.  Locations and conditions of noticeboards to be confirmed (ACTION – JF)

7.10         List of future meeting dates to be provided to Police Scotland Strontian, Highland Council, De Tha Dol (also Agenda and Minutes for the latter two) (ACTION – JF)

7.11         Kilchoan Pier – RC confirmed that improvement works now complete

7.12         Correspondence – GC advised that 3 places are available for local Community Council members on the Corran Ferry consultation group.  This will be revisited at the next meeting

 

8.       Any other business (AOB):

 

8.1            RC asked all present to note and pass the word that matters for consideration as AOB could be raised with WACC at each meeting and did not require prior notification

 

9.       Date of next meeting: Monday 10^th February, 7pm at Kilchoan Community Centre

 

 

RC concluded the meeting at 7:50pm by thanking all for their attendance and looking forward to the next meeting.