Rousay Egilsay Wyre and Gairsay Community Council Minutes
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MINUTES of the MEETING of ROUSAY, EGILSAY, WYRE & GAIRSAY COMMUNITY COUNCIL (REWGCC), held in the ROUSAY COMMUNITY SCHOOL on TUESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2011, at 7.30 pm. Present: Mr R Tipper, Mr M Hull, Mr JE Dick, Mr A Firth, Miss I Murray and Mr E Shortland. In attendance: Councillor S Harcus Mrs K Drever, Community Council Liaison Officer Mrs D Compton, Clerk 1. APOLOGIES RESOLVED to note that apologies for absence had been intimated on behalf of Mr EJA Flaws. 2. ADOPTION OF MINUTES – 21 JUNE 2011 The minutes of the meetings held on 21 June 2011 were approved, being proposed by Mr JE Dick and seconded by Miss I Murray. 3. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS a) Closure of Egilsay School (5.2.11, para 5) Following consideration of the Minutes of the Education & Leisure Committee meeting held on 2 February 2011 and the General Meeting of Orkney Islands Council, 1 March 2011, regarding the closure of Egilsay School with effect from 22 August 2011, and that Scottish Ministers were required to endorse the Council’s proposal, Members briefly discussed this matter, and it was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence and await the Scottish Ministers’ decision. b) Heritage & Visitors Centre (5.2.11, para 4 (a)) Following consideration of correspondence received from the Clerk, showing a picture of the updated notice board in the Heritage & Visitors Centre, Members heard representation from Mr A Firth who had viewed the board, and it was:- RESOLVED to note that the information had been updated and this item concluded. 2 c) GP Room, Rousay Community School (21.6.11, para 4 (b)) Following consideration of the map received from Democratic Services which showed a floor plan of the school but which did not highlight the shared, school or community areas, members discussed this item with the Community Council Liaison Officer (CCLO) and explained to her the original reason for the request, and it was:- RESOLVED:- (1) to note the contents of the correspondence and comments; (2) that the CCLO will contact the Education Department on behalf of REWGCC, requesting a plan to go with the Operational Agreement for the Rousay Community School defining the shared, community and school areas and if possible obtaining a copy of the current agreement; and (3) that on receipt of the above, to forward the information to Rousay Community Association requesting that they deal directly with the school regarding this issue, as it is essentially an agreement between those parties or if no updated agreement available, to suggest that they might consider updating the existing agreement in consultation with Orkney Islands Council and the Rousay Community School. d) Role of the Emergency Services in Rousay, Egilsay, Wyre & Gairsay (21.6.11, para 4 (c)) Following consideration of correspondence received from NHS Orkney and Mr L McArthur MSP, members discussed the role of the ‘First Responders’. Concerns were raised as to whom the island residents should contact in cases of an emergency, whether the GP/Nurse would be involved and who would have responsibility for organising evacuation of a patient from the islands, and it was: RESOLVED:- (1) to note the contents of the correspondence; and (2) that the Clerk should contact the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to clarify the contacting instructions in emergency situations i.e. call 999 or contact the Balfour Hospital/GP, if there is a written service agreement between the GP and SAS, what the procedure is for call outs and whether there are any other agreements or salient points following the meeting held on 11 July 2011. e) Rousay Network of Care – Dispensing Medicines Following consideration of correspondence received from NHS Orkney regarding the cessation of dispensing medicines from the island surgery, members discussed this issue and it was suggested that the Scottish Health Council and Convenor S Hagan be copied in on any further correspondence regarding this matter, and it was:- RESOLVED:- (1) to note the contents of the correspondence; 3 (2) that Mr R Tipper, Chairperson would write to NHS Orkney on behalf of REWGCC requesting clarification of the proposed changes and the reason behind stopping the dispensing of medicines from the surgery, details of the procedure for residents of the four islands to obtain emergency medicines and repeat prescriptions especially with the restrictions imposed with island living, ferry timetables and local transport issues; and (3) that the correspondence be copied to the Scottish Health Council and Convenor S Hagan. f) Wyre and Wester Kirkyard Gates (21.6.11, para 11 (a)) Following consideration of correspondence received from Democratic Services requesting a quotation for shot blasting and repainting of the kirkyard gates, it was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence and that Mr B Hicks had provided a quote which has been passed to Orkney Islands Council for consideration. g) Empty Council Houses – Rousay Following consideration of correspondence received from Democratic Services informing members of the situation regarding the empty council houses in Rousay, this item was briefly discussed, and it was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence and that No 6 Pier Houses now had tenants. h) Verge Cutting Information Following consideration of correspondence received from Democratic Services on behalf of Development & Environment Services entitled ‘Budget Savings - Rural Verge Grass Cutting’ suggesting times when grass cutting could occur and the reasons for this, members briefly discussed this item, including the vast amount of young dead birds on the roads due to the high grass verges, and it was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence and that the Clerk would request Democratic Services to notify Development & Environmental Services that they had failed to meet their objectives on all issues within the island group. 4. CORRESPONDENCE a) Orkney Ferries Ltd – Statistical Reports for June and July 2011, South Isles, Shapinsay and Rousay Vehicle and Passenger Service Fares from 27 June 2011 Following consideration of correspondence received from Orkney Ferries Ltd, copies of which had been previously circulated. It was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence. 4 b) Public Partnership Forum – Orkney Health & Care Public Meeting 3 August 2011, Letter and Questionnaire Following consideration of the correspondence received from Orkney Heath & Care regarding the Public Partnership Forum Meeting, 3 August 2011, and a follow up letter dated 7 September 2011 highlighting the fact that no island communities participated in the meeting, copies of which had been previously circulated, members heard representation from the Clerk, that she had asked if NHS Orkney would allow the surgery’s video conferencing facilities to be used and no response was received. Following discussion, it was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence and that the Clerk would contact the Forum website outlining the problems experienced. c) Reform Scotland – Community Council Survey (Cut off date 3 October 2011) Following consideration of correspondence received from Reform Scotland, who is looking at the role of Community Councils across Scotland prior to the May 2012 council elections, copies of which had been previously circulated, members heard representation from Mr M Hull who had completed the survey, and it was: RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence and that members would contact Reform Scotland if they had any comments. d) Orkney Community Planning Partnership – Letter from Councillor Hagan Following consideration of the letter received from Councillor Hagan informing members that following feedback, the forming of the Community Council Liaison Group would not be progressing at this time, copies of which had been previously circulated, it was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence. e) RBS Community Force Funding Opportunity (Cut off date 4 September 2011) Following consideration of correspondence received from RBS Community Force informing communities of funding opportunities from RBS, copies of which had been previously circulated, Members heard representation from the Clerk that she had forwarded details to the Rousay, Egilsay & Wyre Development Trust (REWDT) and Mrs Z Flaws, Rousay School Parent Council, as requested by the members, and it was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence. f) Orkney Ferries Winter Timetable from 26 September 2011 – 5 May 2012 Following consideration of correspondence received from Orkney Ferries giving details of the winter ferry sailings from Rousay, Egilsay & Wyre, copies of which had been previously circulated, it was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence. 5 g) Royal Horticultural Society – RHS Britain in Bloom Following consideration of correspondence received from the Royal Horticultural Society regarding the ‘Britain in Bloom’ campaign, copies of which had been previously circulated. It was:- RESOLVED to note the contents of the correspondence and that the Clerk would forward the details to the Allotment Association (REWDT) and the Rousay, Egilsay & Wyre Community Associations. h) Consumer Focus Scotland – Looking for volunteers from the area to help identify local consumer issues Following consideration of correspondence received from Consumer Focus Scotland looking for volunteers interested in consumer issues such as, education, the environment, health food, housing, post and public services, copies of which had been previously