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Registered Charity Number SC041048 Company Number SC285953 Minute of Meeting of the Board of Directors of Point and Sandwick Trust held in the PST Office on Tuesday 3 May 2016 at 6.00pm. PRESENT: Angus McCormack (Chairperson) Duncan Mackay (Vice-Chairperson) Donald Taylor Matt Bruce Eddie MacGregor Kenny D Macdonald Donald John MacSween Calum Macdonald Alison Carty Sonja Macleod Viv Halcrow APOLOGIES: Andrew Mackenzie Agnes Munro Jenny Pain Liz Chaplin 1 WELCOME The Chairperson welcomed all those present, including Dan Morrison from Tighean Innse Gall who was attending to give a short presentation on the LED Energy Community project. 2 DECLARATION OF INTEREST The Chairman asked if anyone wished to declare an interest, or alternatively, an interest could be declared at any time during the meeting. Sonja Macleod declared an interest at Item 13 of the General Manager’s Report, Lewis and Harris Services Alzheimers Scotland. 3 MINUTES (a) The Minute of Meeting of 22 March 2016 was approved. (b) The Draft Note of Meeting of Point and Sandwick Power Board of Directors of 3 May 2016 was circulated for information and noted. 4 MATTERS ARISING There were no matters arising. 1 5 PRESENTATION BY TIGHEAN INNSE GALL: LED ENERGY COMMUNITY Dan Morrison, Tighean Innse Gall, gave a presentation to Board members on the LED Energy Community Project. He indicated that the project had received funding from the Climate Challenge Fund of £71,900 with PST also contributing £12,000 towards LED light bulbs in the first year and further funding the project for the following four years to the value of £363,000. He outlined the two main elements to the project, ie the distribution and installation of LED light bulbs and the installation of energy efficiency measures into 50 properties each year with advice being provided to residents on how to save money on their fuel bills. He explained that the project aimed to raise awareness through open days, presentations to community groups and press releases and that over the course of five years, a database of all the homes visited would be populated ensuring that PST would have an in-depth data of the homes within the Trust area which could be used for future funding as well as being a vital resource. The Chairman thanked Dan Morrison for his presentation and he then left the meeting. 6 PROGRESS REPORT BY VIV HALCROW, WOODLAND PROJECT OFFICER Viv Halcrow updated the Board on progress thus far with the Croft Woodland Project and circulated newly printed leaflets incorporating PST’s logo on it along with other contributors to the project. Whilst it was accepted that the leaflet include the PST logo, it was generally felt that it was disappointing in that it did not reflect in any way the fact that PST was the biggest funding contributor to the project and it was agreed that the Board contact the Woodland Trust to express these concerns. This was agreed. The Chairperson thanked Viv Halcrow for her update on the project and she then left the meeting. ACTION: Donald John MacSween 5 BEINN GHRIDEAG PROGRESS REPORT (a) Output and Income Update Calum Macdonald reported that the output figure for April was 35% which was lower than the expected figure of 41%. He further reported that the first ROC payment had now been received and that the cumulative total gross income since June 2015 was now £1.1 million. This was noted. (b) Conclusion of First 6 Month Calculation/Distribution Period on 30th April Calum Macdonald indicated that Santander Bank would set out the position as to the dividend figure in the next week or so and confirmed that there was currently enough money to cover operational costs. 2 It was recommended that a special meeting of PST Board be held to have a further look at the budget and determine the best way forward. This was agreed. ACTION: Donald John MacSween (c) North Street and Stornoway Trust Calum Macdonald referred to the letter which had gone to Sandwick North Street Shareholders setting out the position to date and indicated that he proposed to send a further letter to all Shareholders setting out the procedure and timetable for the payment of rent. This was noted. ACTION: Calum Macdonald (d) SSE Outages Update Calum Macdonald reported that there was a scheduled SSE outage taking place this week with another one due in June but that no further outages were planned for the rest of the year. This was noted. 7 GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT 1) FINANCE The General Manager updated members on the current financial position of the Trust and confirmed that the sum of £60,000 had been paid into the Trust account from the PSP capital account towards PST revenue costs until the first dividend payment. He further indicated that following confirmation of the dividend payment a revised draft budget and grant payment schedule for 2016/17 would be tabled for discussion and approval during end May/beginning June. This was agreed. ACTION: Donald John MacSween 2) HIGH TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION PROPOSAL The General Manager referred to the presentation given to the previous Board meeting by Dr Chris Macleod when he circulated indicative costings for the project. It was recommended that a decision on this project be considered in detail at the next Board meeting in June when the draft budgets for 2016/17 would be discussed. This was agreed. 3 3 TIG ENERGY COMMUNITY PROPOSAL The General Manager referred to the presentation given by Dan Morrison, Tighean Innse Gall, and indicated that progress reports would be provided to the Board on a regular basis. This was noted. 3) BUSINESS GATEWAY LOCAL LOAN DEVELOPMENT The General Manager reported that progress on this project was slow and that Community Energy Scotland were still in discussion with Business Gateway. He indicated that a further report for approval or amendment on the proposed scheme would be presented to the Board when a draft proposal had been received. This was noted. 4) PAPERLESS BOARD MEETINGS The General Manager reported that the financial position of the Board had improved and that it might be possible to give further consideration to this item when the draft budgets for the next year were being discussed. He indicated that progress on this might be possible in June and, if so, revised costings would be presented to the Board for a decision. This was noted. 6) DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS The General Manager reported that some initial activity and scoping had taken place with the Development Consultants and that a progress report would be tabled at the June Board meeting. This was noted. 7) CROFT WOODLANDS PROJECT The General Manager reported that he had received an invoice from the Woodland Trust for payment in advance of expenditure which it was proposed to postpone until after the 2016/17 budgets were discussed and approved. This was noted. 8) SOCIAL MEDIA The General Manager indicated that the Twitter and Facebooks were continually updated and generated a lot of interest. This was noted. 9) URRAS EAGLAIS NA H-AOIDHE The General Manager reported that Urras Eaglais na H-Aoidhe were applying for major funding to carry out Phase Two of its consolidation and conservation work on Eaglais na h-Aoidhe and they were looking for letters of support from as wide a range 4 of local groups as possible. He indicated that it was planned to do the following work: Western Chapel – to make it weatherproof (with a roof, windows and a door), with the grave slabs properly displayed; to provide a sheltered space for community use for small events, meetings, school groups, cruise ships groups etc and to provide more creative, in-depth bilingual interpretation of the church. Main Church – this will remain roofless, but be made useable as an outdoor space for large events, weddings etc, by reconfiguring the grave stones and providing a temporary, removable floor and temporary shelter. Graveyard – to repair the mausoleums and stabilise gravestones as necessary, to provide a stone path to enable better access to people of all abilities; to do further archaeological research on the gravestones and to improve the drainage. Interpretation Centre – a low impact, circular bilding, in a place yet to be determined, to provide more in-depth bilingual interpretation of the graveyard and surrounding Braighe area (including the recent archaeological research when the water pipes were being laid in the hollows, the archaeological research on the voids in the sea wall as well as the Aignish Raiders and crofting); a space for other nationally important grave slabs and artefacts to be displayted; a facility with good access for people of all abilities; educational facilities such as a timeline; a photographic record of the work of the Urras and storage facilities. The latter is for the temporary floor and cover for the main church as well as for books, leaflets, special school information and merchandise. The Urras believe that this greatly improved facility will attract more visitors to the area and will continue to signpost visitors to other facilities on Point to the mutual advantage of all tourist facilities on Point as well as Buth an Rubha and Café Roo. The General Manager indicated that the Urras were seeking a letter of support from Point and Sandwick Trust to strengthen their funding applications for the above- mentioned restoration works. After discussion, some concern was expressed regarding the proposed restoration works in relation to the community consultation exercises which had been carried out previously and it was felt that the Board would welcome the opportunity to discuss these works with Urras Eaglais na-h-Aoidhe. It was agreed that prior to agreeing to a letter of support, Urras Eaglais na h- Aoidhe be invited to a meeting to discuss the restoration proposals with Point and Sandwick Trust.

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