Final Minutes Meeting of Monday 1st October 2012. Avoch ...

Final Minutes
Meeting of Monday 1 st October 2012. Avoch Community Centre,
7.30pm.
Present: AKCC Members – Dawn Walker (Chair); Angus McWilliam (Acting
Secretary); Margaret Leggatt (Treasurer); David Skinner, Sarah Dunton, Phil
Baarda. Associates: Jenye Monckton (AAA); Mike Noble.
Black Isle Councillors: Cllr Barclay.
Resident: Dr Dirk Maliepaard.
Minute Secretary: Sarah Atkin
Apologies: Kate Lackie and Mike Armitage.
1.0 Minutes of last meeting: approved with minor amendments. Proposed
Dawn W. Seconded Margaret Leggatt. N.B. Sarah A to ensure Sarah D
has a copy of the approved minutes for the web site.
Action/SA
2. Matters Arising (ref to Sept mins)
1.4 The missing toddler tables have been found.
2.1 Traffic calming/road re-surfacing. Prolonged project. Road users &
residents unhappy at the state of the road. No confirmed completion
date.
C/F to November when/if complete.
2.4 Sea Scouts 'colours'. Chatterbox has donated the surplus funds & the
colours are ordered.
3.5 Software: at Chatterbox meeting of 7.9.12 it was agreed to give £400 to
AKCC towards the cost of a lap top. DW to send 'thank you' letter & to
investigate 'best buys'. Action: Dawn W
6.2 Black Isle CC's joint meeting: C/F. Action: Kate L
4.0 Station Hotel Car Park: there are no planning conditions which prevent
the owner from fencing off this site.
7.0 Railway Path Clearance: Angus McW met with SSE rep, Lee Major.
Discussion followed regarding best use of SSE volunteers. Agreed to
submit 3 jobs for approval - clearing the path along the railway track;
clearing the Braehead steps & clearing ditches.Action: Angus McW.
The construction of steps to access the railway line from the east end of
Braehead was agreed.
11.00 Fundraising: David Lo (proprietor of Chinese Take-Away) has made a
contribution to the Village Officer fund. Ongoing. C/F to Nov for update.
11.2 SNP election poster still visible. Chase Cllr Fraser. Action: Mike A
3.0 AKCC Membership: following Andrew Gill's resignation Dawn W
proposed Angus McW as Secretary. Margaret L seconded. AKCC can coopt
a new member or advertise. Members agreed to approach Derek

Martin (Sea Scouts) first. Angus McW to approach Derek.
Action: Angus McW
4.0 AAA Update
4.1 AGM on Thursday 15 th November 2012 @ 7.30pm.
4.2 Making the pavilion a community 'hub' is now the focus of AAA efforts.
Events planned include: Kids' Halloween Party – 31/10 @ 6pm. Feb 24 th
2013, Bingo Night @ 7pm.
4.3 Public Entertainment license: this is being progressed but isn't required
for current lets/plans. Action: Jenye M
4.4 The deeds of all AAA assets are now sourced & ownership clarified.
4.5 Bowling Green: the bowlers' are meeting to discuss its future as numbers
have decreased. New members are needed + a Green Keeper.
4.6 Old Tennis Court: as yet no action has been take re: its use as an
unofficial car park. Action: Jenye M
5.0 Planning
5.1 Killen: a static caravan has appeared in the field next to the old
Roadman's Cottage site. This was queried. Cllr Barclay clarified that plans
to extend Killen were approved a number of years ago & this strip of land
is part of that. It is now to be developed.
5.2 Wester Templands: query re: static caravan there. Does it have
permission to remain? Cllr Barclay confirmed that it does. Dawn W to
check the status of this application. Action: Dawn W
5.3 Wester Templands: Dawn W welcomed Dr Dirk Maliepaard, (Wester
Templands resident) to the meeting. Discussion of 2 planning
applications – 12/02330/PIP and 12/02331/PIP - that were approved the
previous week, followed. Both impact upon the aspect of Dr
Maliepaard's property and both seem to contravene conditions laid out
in Highland Council's own planning guidelines.
The following views & issues were raised in discussion:
– Dr Maliepaard feels that the planning process lacks transparency & is
not conducted on what he considers to be a basic democratic
principle.
– Those objecting to applications aren't kept informed of progress
and/or dates of meetings relating to applications and no guidance is
offered to them.
– Arguments/reasons for acceptance or rejection of a planning
application are not made transparent.
– Development in Wester Templands was not included in the AKCC area
local plan and yet it is evolving into a 'settlement'. Creeping
development of this kind is an ongoing concern for AKCC members.

AKCC need clarification of where THC considers development
appropriate which is not included in the local plan and what 'clusters'
are in its area.
– Cllr Barclay pointed out that most houses in W.Templands were given
permission directly by the Planner and not the planning committee.
– Cllr Barclay also defended his record of almost exclusively only
supporting Section 75 development, i.e. houses tied to land
management.
– AKCC members respond to any application with reference to their
interpretation of Highland Council policy re: housing development in
the countryside. Concerns expressed that this understanding seems at
odds with the reality. Plans to convene a Black Isle-wide meeting of
Community Councils to discuss and become better informed about
planning felt to be essential.
6.0 Consultations: – feed back from Budget Consultation meeting c/f to
November 2012.
7.0 Correspondence
– Lap top money from Chatterbox (see earlier comment)
– Letter from resident re: food waste on the beach (inc chicken carcasses).
Action: Dawn W
– Skate Park Inverness – new development. Needs a letter of support.
Action: Dawn W
– Fortrose Academy newsletter – to be sent to Angus McW in future.
– Forms re: CC Member's details - to be returned to Di Agnew, Ward Coordinator.
Action: Dawn W
– Avoch PS hedge planting letter expected.
8.0 Communication: advertisers are on the web site.
9.0 Finance Report
9.1 Handwritten copy handed to Sarah A (see Addendum 1)
9.2 Woodland Walk invoice not submitted. Action: Phil B
9.3 Dawn W authorised signature still TBC. Action: Dawn W
10.0 Remembrance Sunday (see Matters Arising re: Sea Scouts 'colours')
10.1 Police presence: Sarah A to send Jenye M a copy of request letter sent in
October 2011. Action: Sarah A
11.0 A.O.B
11.1 Cllr Barclay mentioned press reports that THC will be asking Community
Councils to clear the pavements in their villages after snowfall.
Discussion followed. All felt this was too onerous a task for individual
members but AKCC could help galvanise and co-ordinate the community
into taking this on.

11.2 Xmas lights: David S to take on Xmas tree project but in addition Jenye
M feels the village needs brightening up for Xmas. Various ideas
discussed. To be c/f.
11.3 Kessock Bridge closure/Chatterbox article from AKCC: Dawn W felt this
news would be in the next edition of Chatterbox anyway so wasn't
required.
Meeting concluded at 10.15pm.
Date of next meeting: Monday 5 th November 2012, 7.30pm, Avoch Community
Centre.
Ends.

Addendum 1 – Finance Report £
Total at bank 20 th August 2012 3326.14
Cheques written
5 th Sept. Hannah Gaitens (Village
Officer)
26 th Sept. Sarah Atkin (Secretarial
Services)
64
41.66
Amenity Project 303.13
Woodland Walk (Avoch PS) 420.35
Village Officer (training & equipment) 328.06
Payment for Sec 2012/2013 833.36
Total 1884.9
Total available 1399.58
Unpresented cheques
5 th Sept Hannah Gaitens
28 th Sept Sarah Atkin (taken off payment for
Sec but unpresented)
Payment to Village Officer £488.00
(labour)
P.L.A.Y
Total at bank 31 st March 2012 107.83
Lazy Corner Project
Total at bank 31 st March 2012 689.21