Apologies:- Mairead Mackechnie, Peter Maclellan, Roberta Macneill
Minute of the Meeting of Islay Community Council (ICC) held on Monday 7th June 2010 in The Service Point, Bowmore.
Present:- Hamish Campbell (interim chair), Catherine Gilchrist, Fergus Muir, Neil Woodrow, John McGillivray, Islay MacEachern.
Apologies:- Mairead Mackechnie, Peter MacLellan, Roberta MacNeill.
Also attending was Darren Laing from BBC Alba.
1. Welcome and Apologies
The interim chair welcomed Darren Laing from BBC Alba. He also noted the resignation of Ken Wyllie from the Community Council due to ill health. The Council acknowledged Ken’s valuable contribution as the first chair of the new Council and wished him a speedy recovery.
2. Declarations of interest
Fergus Muir indicated that he considered it appropriate that all members of the Council should submit a list of their involvement with other bodies to the Secretary who would then circulate a comprehensive list of interests to all members. This was agreed unanimously.
Action – in submitting list – all members.
Action – in compiling & circulating register – Hamish Campbell.
3. Minute of previous meeting
The minute of the previous meeting, having been taking by Kenny Wyllie, has not been submitted to the Secretary due to Kenny’s illness. It was agreed to carry this over to a future meeting.
4. Matters Arising
There being no approved minute there were no matters arising.
5. Correspondence
- received additional dates for MAKI Development & Management meetings
- received letter from Catriona Bell asking for assistance in relation to closure of Ballygrant Post Office.
- received details of LACPG meeting to be held in Tarbert on 19th June.
- received details of new air service by Hebridean Air Services who will be flying from Islay via Colonsay to Oban and vice versa twice a week.
5. Financial Statement
The Treasurer apologised that due to his involvement as Mòd Secretary he had been unable to obtain an update on ICC finances but undertook to do so for next meeting.
6. Election of new Chairperson
Due to the resignation of Kenny Wyllie it was necessary to elect a new Chairperson. Neil Woodrow was proposed by Catherine Gilchrist and seconded by Islay MacEachern. Fergus Muir was proposed by Neil Woodrow and seconded by John McGillivray. However, as Fergus Muir declared that he would prefer to decline nomination Neil Woodrow was declared the new Chairperson.
8. Responsibility for LACPG
As Kenny Wyllie had also been responsible for dealing with matters relating to the Local Authority Community Planning Group (LACPG) it was necessary to elect a new representative. Hamish Campbell offered to undertake this role as he already undertook the same role in his capacity as Chair of Islay and Jura Council of Voluntary Service. However, it was felt that it would be preferable to have two representatives, rather than one, and Fergus Muir agreed to undertake this role.
9. Updates (if any) on priority matters - Roads, Ferries, Shoreline Project.
There were no updates.
10. Licensing updates
There were no updates.
11a. Planning updates
John McGillivray advised that he had been scrutinizing relevant planning applications but that there were none he thought necessary to comment upon.
11b. Ballygrant Post Office Update
John McGillivray advised that he had attended a meeting with Jim Mather MSP and Catriona Bell in relation to the closure of the sub Post Office in Ballygrant with the service being reduced to opening in the village hall for merely 2 hours for each of 2 days a week. Although Mr Mather was generally supportive he did not take up the point of longer opening hours which were considered to be important to the local community. The Council decided that as consultation closed on the following day (8th June) there was little that could be done but that Jim Mather should be emailed regarding such additional hours.
Action - Hamish Campbell to email Jim Mather accordingly
12. Update on IET
Hamish Campbell advised that he had attended the Islay Energy Trust (IET) meetings. He reported that IET’s main current objective is to obtain funding for phase 2 of the socio-economic impact assessment on the possible social and economic consequences of the proposed wind farm off Islay. It was confirmed that ICC was in complete agreement with this as it was felt that the more information available in the public domain the better. He further reported:-
a. that IET had also met with Jim Mather MSP, who is also Minister for Energy, and who was generally supportive of their aims but who was unfortunately not able to finance the cost of the report. Mr Mather did advise that Scottish and Southern Energy Renewables (SSER), who are the proposed developers, will have to resolve social investment issues before getting consents. However he had no control over any financial amount involved.
b. that Philip Maxwell from IET has asked for ICC’s support that IET should get funding for the detailed socio-economic assessment. This was agreed.
Action - Hamish Campbell to contact IET accordingly.
c. that Philip Maxwell from IET wishes to make a presentation to the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Isles Councillors. He wishes the support of ICC in achieving this. This was agreed.
Action - Hamish Campbell to contact Councillor Currie accordingly.
d. that Andy MacDonald wishes to make a presentation to ICC in respect of his work on the Sound of Islay Tidal Project. This was agreed to be an excellent idea as it will give be most informative for ICC. Andy will accordingly be invited to give his presentation at the end of the business part of the next ICC meeting.
Action - Hamish Campbell to invite Andy.
Additionally, it was noticed that SSER were having an open day as advertised in the Ileach. It was agreed that this should be publicised as much as possible.
Action - Hamish Campbell to contact IET suggesting this.
13. Issues raised by members of the public
a. John McGillivray had a query as to why the planting of trees etc was not completed at Port Askaig Pier.
Action - Hamish Campbell will write to the Council
b. Catherine Gilchrist had a query as to what was happening to the ACHA former garage site at Willow bank in Bowmore.
Action - Hamish Campbell will contact ACHA.
c. Hamish Campbell has been contacted by members of the public regarding excess consumption of alcohol on the village green in Port Ellen.
Action - Hamish Campbell will liaise with police and alcohol suppliers.
d. Catherine Gilchrist had a query in respect of the beach in front of The Inns in Bowmore in relation to the town centre regeneration project. Originally, at the first meeting with the project consultants, it had been decided that this part of the beach would be cleared and new sand laid down. She raised this matter at the second meeting with the project consultants and was assured by Councillor Currie that this work had in fact been carried out. It has not been.
Action - Hamish Campbell to contact Councillor Currie for report.
e. Catherine Gilchrist had received various comments regarding the works at Morrison Court. She felt that it would be useful for ICC to see a breakdown of the costs of the various individual parts of the project.
Action - Hamish Campbell to contact Councillor Currie for report.
14. Any other business
It was agreed that we should attempt to obtain more publicity for ICC and while it was agreed that it would be too labour intensive to have our own web site it would be useful to have minutes of ICC meetings available on the web.
Action - Hamish Campbell to contact the Council and Argyll Communities in order to ascertain if they could be displayed on their sites.
15. Date and time of the next meeting
Monday 5th July 2010 at 7.00 p.m. in the Servicepoint.