MINUTES of MEETING of MID ARGYLL KINTYRE & ISLAY AREA
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MINUTES of MEETING of MID ARGYLL KINTYRE & ISLAY AREA COMMITTEE held in the COUNCIL CHAMBERS, KILMORY, LOCHGILPHEAD on WEDNESDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER 2006 Present: Councillor Alastair McKinlay (Chair) Councillor Rory Colville Councillor Robin Currie Councillor John Findlay Councillor Donald Kelly Councillor Donald MacMillan Councillor John McAlpine Councillor Bruce Robertson Attending: Deirdre Forsyth, Area Corporate Services Manager Donnie McLeod, Roads and Amenity Services Manager Richard Kerr, Senior Development Control Officer Felicity Kelly, Community Learning and Regeneration Manager Patrick Mackie, Area Environmental Health Manager Ann Muir, Team Leader, Community Care Audrey Martin, Senior Planning / Development Officer Catherine Dobbie, Area Integration Manager, FUSIONS, MAKI Jenny Carlile, Conservation Design Officer Chief Inspector Harry Millar, Strathclyde Police Inspector David Lavery, Strathclyde Police Superintendant Raymond Park, Strathclyde Police Donald Morrison, Area Service Manager, Scottish Ambulance Service Pat O’Mara, Head of Service, Patient Transport, Scottish Ambulance Service URGENT ITEM The Chairman ruled, and the Committee agreed, in terms of Section 50B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 in terms of Standing Order 3.2.2, that item 18, which was not specified in the Agenda, should be considered as a matter of urgency. 1. APOLOGIES Apologies were received from Councillor Alison Hay. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest. 3. AMBULANCE SERVICE Donald Morrison, the Area Service Manager for Argyll and Bute and Pat O’Hara, the Head of Service, Patient Transport from the Scottish Ambulance Service were introduced to the Committee. There followed a discussion about the ambulance service in the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay area. It was asked why a shortage of ambulance staff in Campbeltown has led to the community receiving cover from the village of Tarbert - 37 miles away. Donald Morrison explained that there has been an increase in the out of hours activity and when staff are required to work the next day, the can book off with fatigue if they were called out the night before, thus requiring ambulance cover from elsewhere. Councillor Kelly asked what cover there is when staff book off with fatigue. It was noted that there are no resources to cover this shortfall, and the ambulance service is currently in discussions with the Health Board and Ambulance Head Quarters for funding. It was then asked if with the Carradale practice moving to NHS 24 might this result in unacceptable delays. It was noted that this is a primary care provision, and is the responsibility of the Health Board to put other resources in place. This is still being pursued with the Health Board as it may impact on 999 cover. It was asked why all crews are not full time and it was explained that historically, the workload was greater in the cities but this has changed. Councillor Kelly stated that a change in the shifts was proposed by Campbeltown staff more than a year ago but nothing has happened. Donald Morrison explained that is because the proposal was to switch on call to through the day but this would not solve the problem, it was just switch it around. The problems are all down to cost. On call will not be eliminated in the short term, but it is hoped this could happen in the longer term. The ambulance service meets with the Health Board quarterly, and these issues are discussed. Councillor MacMillan pointed out that the air ambulance has been landing in the front green in Lochgilphead since the 1970’s but with the new hospital now up and running and asked if there would be a helipad at the new hospital. It was reported that there is no update at the moment. When the hospital was being planned, the ambulance service submitted costings but the issue has never been resolved. Pat O’Mara will take this up with the Air Wing Manager. Councillor Colville asked if part time firemen could be given extra training to aid the ambulance service and he asked if the nurse could call out the air ambulance, and if it could land in Carradale. It was noted that the ambulance service are in discussions with Strathclyde Fire and Rescue about using retained firemen but the fire staff have raised concerns which have not yet been resolved. Councillor Colville then reported incidents when the air ambulance were called out in the case of child birth and no medical staff come with it, requiring mid- wives to travel to Glasgow and then make their own way home; this has resulted in no cover being available in Campbeltown. It was noted that the air ambulance service try to take escorts back, but they may have to go straight to another emergency. He also stated that the air ambulance is always crewed with at least one paramedic and it is a clinical decision whether or not the midwife goes. This is an issue for the Health Board, not the ambulance service. It was then asked what the joint working of ambulances being proposed between Inveraray and Arrochar would mean for Inveraray. How will it work? Was bad weather during the winter with the occasional road blockages between the two areas taken into account? Was there any consultation? Pat O’Mara stated that this is just a trial to try to increase cover and it will be monitored for any adverse impact. It is running from the end of July until the beginning of January so they experience both the summer traffic and the winter conditions and there will be consultation towards the end of the trial. Donald Morrison and Pat O’Mara were thanked for coming along to the meeting and it was agreed to invite Ron Lilly to come to come to a future Area Committee to give a presentation on other aspects of the ambulance service. 4. MINUTES OF MEETING OF 2 AUGUST 2006 The minutes of the meeting of 2 August 2006 were approved. 5. MINUTES OF MEETING BETWEEN COUNCILLOR MACASKILL AND ISLAY AND JURA COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE OF 3 AUGUST 2006 The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting between Councillor Allan Macaskill and Islay and Jura Community Enterprise of 3 August 2006. Decision The Committee agreed to recommend to the Strategic Policy Committee that funding for Islay and Jura Community Enterprise be included in the budget process. The Committee adjourned due to a fire alarm and reconvened when the matter had been resolved. 6. FUSIONS PRESENTATION Catherine Dobbie gave an interesting and informative presentation on the work of FUSIONS. Decision The Committee thanked Catherine for her presentation and noted its contents. 7. PLANNING APPLICATIONS The Committee considered and dealt with the applications for planning permission as detailed below. 05/02536/DET M & K Macleod Ltd. Detailed. Erection of 5 terraced dwellinghouses and formation of a new vehicular access onto the A83. Land north of the walled garden, Achnaba, by Lochgilphead. Decision That planning permission be granted as a ‘minor departure’ to adopted development plan policy, subject to the standard conditions and reasons and the conditions and reasons set out in the report by the Head of Planning dated 16 August 2006. (Reference – Report by Head of Planning dated 16 August 2006, submitted). 06/01237/DET Neill Colliss. Detailed. Formation of beer garden (retrospective), installation of oil tank to rear area, erection of timber fence on north boundary and proposed erection of 1.8m timber gate to side access. Victoria Hotel, Argyll Street, Lochgilphead. Decision That a temporary planning permission be granted for one year to allow monitoring of the development, subject to the conditions and reasons set out in the report by the Head of Planning dated 3 August 2006 and subject to Building Control checking fire risk issues associated with gas canisters in the vicinity. (Reference - Report by the Head of Planning dated 3 August 2006, submitted) 06/01430/OUT Mr. & Mrs. Graham. Outline. Erection of one dwellinghouse and installation of septic tank. Land South of Killmaluig, Barr Glen, Glenbarr by Tarbert. Decision That planning permission be granted subject to the standard outline planning conditions and to the conditions and reasons set out in the report by the Head of Planning dated 4 August 2006. (Reference - Report by the Head of Planning dated 4 August 2006, submitted). 06/01564/DET Mr and Mrs Blackburn. Detailed. Erection of domestic workshop / studio (retrospective). Rockbank, Glenburn Road, Ardrishaig. Decision That retrospective planning permission be granted subject to the condition and reason set out in the report by the Head of Planning dated 8 August 2006. (Reference - Report by the Head of Planning dated 8 August 2006, submitted). 8. DELEGATED DECISIONS The Committee noted the decisions issued by the Head of Planning dated 17 and 21 August 2006. (Reference – Report by Head of Planning dated 17 and 21 August 2006, submitted). 9. POLICE ISSUES Councillor McAlpine stated that he is concerned at the speed which police cars travel through villages at on their way to incidents and believes it is only a matter of time until this causes an accident. Chief Inspector Millar stated that the vehicles travel at speed when required to attend incident as quickly as possible but if Councillor McAlpine is concerned he can make a complaint which will be fully investigated. Councillor McAlpine then asked why Reliance vans travel to Campbeltown every day and it was noted that Reliance do not attend whenever there is a court on in case someone should be remanded. They only attend upon request whenever there is someone is custody who has to be taken to court, has been imprisoned by the court and requires to be transported to prison, they are transporting a prisoner from prison to court for trial, or transferring a prisoner from Campbeltown to other police offices where they are wanted on warrant and have been arrested in Campbeltown.