Draft Minutes of Bute Community Council Meeting – 19 February 2020

Bute Community Council (BCC)

DRAFT MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT THE MUSEUM IN ON 19 FEBRUARY2020

ATTENDEES – COMMUNITY COUNCIL Marlene Hill (Chairman), John McCallum (Vice Chairman), Robert MacIntyre (Transport Rep), Ronnie McAlister, Iain Gillespie, John McKay, James MacMillan temporary replacement for Ronnie Falconer.

ARGYLL & BUTE COUNCIL Jim Findlay, Jean Moffat.

1. APOLOGIES Iain Morrison, Duncan Ferguson, Jan Cochran, Councillor Scoular, Police. The invited speaker from last month Fiona Robertson re Rothesay Active Travel Route did not attend.

2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST None.

3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING Minutes adopted, proposed by Iain Gillespie, seconded by Robert MacIntyre.

4. POLICE REPORT No police officer in attendance and no report.

5. GUEST SPEAKER – This was dealt with after No 6 Councillors’ Reports As the expected speaker did not attend, Sandra MacMillan from Beachwatch Bute, together with David Herriot, give a talk about their latest project: the Beachwatch Bute Litter Storage Bench. This bench will have storage in the seat for litter pickers, gloves, bags, i.e. equipment for cleaning beaches to be used by the public, the benches will be regularly checked for supplies as well as lifting the bags with litter. Beachwatch Bute has road tested the system with two benches (plastic ones, commercially available) at Kames Bay and at Ascog. They have had a positive reaction from Keep Beautiful and from users. Mount Stuart, although positive to the idea, said no to plastic benches, so the plan came to a stop. After various alternatives Solway Recycling from Dumfries have come up with a bespoke bench of recycled plastic with a wood profile, even the logo of Beachwatch Bute can be imprinted, and with an estimated life of 40 years. The aim is to have six benches, i.e. replacing the existing storage ones and at for instance , Scalpsie, and Kerrycroy. Mount Stuart will agree if the BCC also agrees to the plans. The BCC was unanimous in accepting the scheme as was the public when asked.

1 Draft Minutes of Bute Community Council Meeting – 19 February 2020

6. COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS Councillor Scoular sent in his report. Councillor Finlay and Councillor Moffat did not file reports. Councillor Finlay answered a question about the Pavilion, that it is on track to be handed over in April so it can be fitted out with an opening in late autumn/early winter.

The cut in the ABC funding allocation was discussed, 1.4% compared to the Scottish average of 1%. This is due to the decrease in population as the funding is proportionate to the number of inhabitants. There is an increase though in monies for ferry services.

Robert McIntyre remarked about the costs of the Pavilion, and about the lack of visible progress on the building.

7. COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN REPORT – James MacMillan Ronnie Falconer has left all arrangements in very organised and detailed files about the organisation of the emergency plan.

Next week there will be a meeting in the Shinty Hall with Council, with Ronnie Falconer in attendance, about the Lade.

On 11 March 2020 there will be a meeting of the Wild Fire Response Plan at 10.00 hours at Mount Stuart, James asked if someone could come with him to this meeting and in fact, if he was away at the time, if someone else could replace him.

8. PLANNING REPORT A list with all the planning applications on the for the last month has been sent to all councillors. No comments.

9. LICENCING REPORT – J Cochrane No report handed in.

10. TRANSPORT REPORT – R MacIntyre In the 17 days to 16 February 2020 there have been at least ten days with rerouted and/or cancelled ferries on the /Rothesay service. Last weekend there were serious problems on the /Colintraive route with the ferry under repair and eventually replaced by a much smaller ferry. Long waiting times were experienced by passengers, Alison from Calmac apologized for the problems.

The Linkspan repairs has been given the go ahead, the works to be carried out between 1 September and 30 October of this year. A company has been appointed to do the works (no tenders); these repairs will be the quickest way to get the linkspan back into use, even though it is not the cheapest option. Mr Herriot said that a master plan for the whole of the Gourock area is being worked out, and this could include a completely new linkspan, it all

2 Draft Minutes of Bute Community Council Meeting – 19 February 2020 depends on Transport Scotland. He also said that the works carried out recently on Coll were on time and on budget.

The trial berthing runs from the MV Bute and MV Argyle to were cancelled, an alternative port for bad weather. The linkspan in Dunoon can carry les weight than the one, when in service.

A remark was made that people and businesses on Bute have suffered by the problems with the ferries.

11. HOLIDAY, LEISURE & TOURISM REPORT – M Hill Marlene Hill mentioned the application for a drinks licence for the Isle of Bute Gin Distillery, which was on last month’s Licencing Report together with the planning application on this month’s list. There are concerns about noise, additional traffic and disturbance.

Buckingham Terrace, Port Bannatyne – ABC has checked the building and it is considered to be safe. A member of the public asked if it was inspected internally or externally, Councillor Moffat was asked if she could find out how and when the inspection was done. Marlene Hill explained that the BCC has done all it can do, even ABC can only do so much, they are not dismissing the case it is just that an owner of a property cannot be forced to do anything to their building if it is not unsafe. Advice has been given to write to the owners re the state of the building.

12. TREASURER’S REPORT – R McAlister Total funds to date are £7174.56, divided into Lights Fund £1903.09 after paying the electrician £240. The General Fund stands at £5271.47. Ronnie McAlister said that the electrician would pass on his fee to a charity.

At this point a member of the public asked if the next meeting could be held in Port Bannatyne, but as there was no quorum present no decision has been taken.

13. HEALTH REPORT – J McCallum John McCallum said there had been no meetings, so no report. He did mention that an amputee has problems getting patient transport to the physio department in Glasgow. The Scottish Ambulance Service stops at 16.00 hours, which means catching the 14.00 hours ferry from Wemyss Bay, which is not always a suited to the needs of the users. James MacMillan mentioned that in previous years the BCC could give input to the local health services. John agreed to write to NHS Highland to enquire about the lack of meetings when there are issues to be resolved...

14. CORRESPONDENCE & MATTERS ARISING The Chairman read out the letter received in reply to her letter Fergus Ewing re fish farms. John Bewley, Marine Scotland, Scottish Government replied on behalf of Mr Ewing. The main message was that the fish farm industry was adequately regulated by the existing legislation. See https://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00516406.pdf. It was explained by

3 Draft Minutes of Bute Community Council Meeting – 19 February 2020

Councillor Moffat that an application for a fish farm costs only a few hundred pounds, but the work to be carried out could be as onerous as for a wind farm, which has a fee of many thousands of pounds.

The 2019/20 Community Council Annual Survey has been received, and will be returned duly filled in a.s.a.p.

15. AOB A question was asked why a few months ago three different dates were given for the meeting, which was caused by moving the meeting from the Tuesday to the Wednesday. An older version of Word had been used to prepare the minutes.

The date of the next meeting is 18 March 2020 at the Museum, Rothesay at 7 pm.

4