Whalsay Community Council

Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday 5th November.

Meeting held in School meeting room from 7pm – 9.20pm

Present: CCllr Jackie Leslie (JL) CCllr John Dally (JD) Apologies: CCllr Pete Gaines (PG) CCllr William Polson (WP) CCllr Anne Huntley (AH) CCllr Margaret Hughson (MH) Attending: Michael Duncan – CC Liason Officer SIC Cllr Alec Priest (AP) Roselyn Fraser Minute Taker: SIC Cllr Duncan Simpson (DS) Ellie Simpson - Clerk

Welcome

Chair CCllr JL opened the meeting and welcomed all attendees. Apologies were noted.

Declaration of Interest

None declared.

Approval of Previous Minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held 1st October were approved by CCllr PG and seconded by CCllr JD.

Matters Arising

Road/Pedestrian Safety concerns

Further discussions took place re the possibility of a cycle path from to the school if funding could be secured through the Active Travel Project. It was discussed that the Council told the CC that 3.1m was the minimum width needed for a cycle path. All discussed pictures CCllr WP had previously provided showing cycle lanes in Denmark which are 3ft wide. Concerns continue to be raised also around Heatherlea Junction/Sandwick Junction. There has been no further communication from Robina Barton. An email from Bo Hickey, Information Officer, Sustrans was received 3rd June asking for more information from WCC about our priorities for routes. Clerk forwarded letter written by WP. Awaiting reply.

Policing Concerns

Clerk to email Angela Manson asking if another officer has been confirmed to attend 4th night with her.

AP discussed that SIC Community support wardens attended Yelloween, in Yell this year. AP to find who to contact for this.

Community Ferry Hires

Discussed using last hire for this year on 4th night. Clerk to contact members of Isbister Hall Committee to see if they would like the late hire.

CC would like to remind anyone requesting a community ferry hire to make sure they advertise it in plenty of time to reach as many people as possible and make it worthwhile.

Surface Dressing, Re-Surfacing and Reconstruction Road Programme 2019

Clerk contacted Neil Hutcheson regarding tarring of road down north breakwater. Work to begin week starting 11th Nov – weather permitting.

Questions raised about what is happening with the installation of the small crane on the Pelagic Pier at Symbister. Email from Greg Maitland stating that installation of crane is dependent on the area having CCTV coverage. Clerk to email for update.

Street Lighting at Harlesdale

There is still no action forthcoming re the Harlesdale light problem beside the sheltered housing. SIC replacing all street lights with LEDs. Harlesdale not planned for this year but they will try to get to it if they have time. Clerk to email about this again.

Project

Funding of £1,000 has now been granted for the ‘Welcome to Whalsay’ sign and tourist leaflet. The sign is planned to be placed on grass area below public toilets, just in front of ferry terminal. Clerk to set meeting with Gary Spence and Gail Rainey (Art teacher) to discuss getting school bairns to come up with designs for the sign. Clerk awaiting response from Art Machine with amended example drawing.

Repair - Old Dock/North Voe Erosion

No feedback has yet been received. WP asked at previous meeting if the coastal erosion fund could be used to tackle this issue. SIC Cllr AP said that this might be possible and to contact SIC on that heading. Clerk awaiting response from Amenity Trust. Clerk to email about this again.

Continued concern of the coastal erosion at North Voe. Email received from Neil Hutcheson stating that the council doesn’t own this area of land and that they will undertake the necessary coastal protection works should the beach deteriorate to the point where the use of the road could be affected. The SIC will monitor this area over the winter to see if there is any further erosion.

Harbison Park Mast

CCllr JD advised that the mast is still only operational on O2 networks. No further information received from other network providers. Digital Forum not due to meet again until April 2020.

FOISA Requests

WCC sent in request on 25th September. Response received on 1st November.

CCllrs discussed response received to freedom of information request. WCC unhappy with the response we have received so will be submitting a formal appeal. WCC has 40 days to send in our appeal.

Ferries

1. Hot drinks machine on Linga – SIC Ferries beginning procurement of a hot drinks machine and will keep us infomed of progress. 2. Laxo Terminal- Consultants have confirmed that the crack in the concrete is known about and they consider this to be ‘inactive.’ They have recommended a dive survey and ongoing regular monitoring to identify any deterioration going forward. Hoping to progress with dive survey in next couple of weeks and keep WCC updated. 3. No Show Data- Following contact from clerk SIC Ferries are having crews collect data on ‘no show’. Clerk has received data recorded by ferry crews. This data was only collected over 4 days so clerk to email asking for crews to record for a further month.

Community Skip Hires 2019/20

No further skips planned for this year. Clerk posted on facebook thanking all who used/helped to fill the skip.

Whalsay Heritage Centre meeting re. roofs

Building control up to look at the bit of roofing they are responsible for. They think this isn’t in too bad of a condition. Heritage Centre think they have enough money to cover the part of roof they own with tarpaulin. This should save their part of the roof from further deterioration over winter. They then think they will be able to start to renovate bits of the buildings that they own.

Heritage Centre to meet with Paul Harrington and Roselyn Fraser in October to discuss this further. Nothing further.

Road Mirror at Sandwick

AH raised concern about safety outside of her house at Sandwick, Whalsay. Clerk to contact roads department regarding a safety mirror to be placed at this corner. No reply so far.

Transport Poll

Clerk to find previous quote and forward this to Jan Riise.

Clerk to forward email written by CCllr WP to Beatrice Wishart and Alistair Carmichael.

Area Transport Forum

It was discussed that the service bus has occasionally left Laxo before elderly people can make their way up to the waiting room. Clerk to email regarding this.

CCllrs JL received a letter written by a member of public regarding concerns over lack of public transport available to residents of Whalsay. Clerk to forward a copy of this letter to all CCllrs and Michael Craigie.

SIC Cllr AP to attend a meeting about Public Transport on 6th November. Clerk to forward a copy of the letter for AP to discuss at this meeting.

SIITS Report

Report sent. Awaiting response.

Dog Fouling

Environmental Health supplied WCC with a dog poo bag dispenser and placed this at the Houll Loch. Clerk to contact EH to ask for another metal sign to place around the loch.

Response to latest Peter Brett Report

Clerk sent copy of report to all SIC Cllrs and to the media.

ASCC Agenda Items

Dates for upcoming meetings:

-10th March 2020 -9th June 2020 -8th September 2020

Boundary Commission review - maps Clerk posted a link onto facebook. This closes on 2nd December.

Street lights at back of North Voe Beach

WCCllrs discussed the lack of street lights at the back of the beach. Concerns about this following recent accident. Clerk awaiting response from relevant department regarding request for path and lighting.

Documentary on Whalsay

Clerk contacted Katrina to discuss possibility of meeting with WCC to discuss documentary. Awaiting response re date.

Wild Garden

CCllr AH discussed possibility of a path around the Wild Garden at the top of the Crudens. Clerk received email stating that the footpath around/through the wild garden has been added to a list of schemes to be considered through the participatory budgeting process. The first draft of this strategy is due to begin in March 2020. Clerk to email if any further queries are raised regarding this.

Main Agenda

Participatory Budgeting Event

Clerk to update all documents from last years event. Event planned to take place on 12th February 2020 in Primary School Dining Room. It was decided to begin the count of votes earlier this year so that results can be shared on the night. Clerk to advertise on facebook and in all relevant public areas.

Clerk to contact Gary Spence to request use of school, Ivan Reid to take photos of event, and Caroline Arthur to ask if she could count votes again this year.

SCBF Feedback

CCllr JD gave feedback from recent meeting. Contract for difference failed.

Unadopted Road Gravel Requests

Clerk to advertise on facebook and in local shops. 7 loads of gravel available until 31st January.

AOCB

Fence at Clate, Dump

WCC have been informed that wires that held the fence together at the old dump have perished. Clerk to contact Amenity Trust/ Council to see who is responsible for repairs.