DRAFT Minutes of Community Council Meeting held 8th August 2019 (7:30pm), Village Hall,

1. Welcome and Apologies The Chair welcomed everyone. Apologies L Wilson, PC A Campbell Attending: D Anderson (Chair), C Hunter (Vice Chair), J. Hilder (Treasurer) T Coldwell, J Jones (secretary) and one member of the public

2. Minutes of meeting held 9th May 2019: Proposed C Hunter, seconded D Anderson Amendments: None

3. Matters arising from the previous minutes

Police Matters: Report submitted by email: DRINK DRIVING - The summer Drink Drive campaign in is on going and a number of drivers have been caught and reported. The Police wish to emphasise the importance of the message that drink driving is completely unacceptable. The Police are grateful for any calls received regarding drink drivers and try to act on the information received. Morning after drinking driving is also on the rise, so the Police say if you have been out and had a bit to drink do not make any plans to drive the next day as you will be over the limit. SPEEDING - People may have seen PC Campbell’s post on Facebook regarding the speeding operations that have been carried out so far. She is extremely grateful to Road Policing for their assistance with plans to carry out more checks. It is disappointing that a number of persons have been charged with speeding and other road traffic offences during the recent day of action. As the schools go back next week the Police plan to continue with speed checks and wish to remind people that the speed limit on School Road is 20 mph. THEFTS - There have been a number of thefts around the peninsula of both historic value and monetary value. Locally there have again been issues with the Drimnatorran eggs and honesty box - a quantity of eggs was taken without payment or the money was somehow removed from the box. The Police have positive lines of enquiry for these thefts and enquiries are continuing. NOISE COMPLAINTS - A lot of Facebook posts in recent weeks about noise complaints. Police wish to clarify: if it is excessive music from an out of control party at 2 in the morning by all means contact the Police. However, if someone is outside their own property and is making noise with power tools, etc and they deem it to be an inappropriate time (0700hrs) then contact the Council as they have processes in place which allows them, further down the line, to issue Anti-Social Behaviour Contracts (ABCs or ASBO'S) and they can also offer mediation.

Heritage: Free Church Anchor – A meeting, which included four members of the public, was held prior to the Community Council meeting. A number of aspects were discussed. It was agreed that to raise the anchor and preserve it a small group of interested people would be needed to take things forward. The suggestion that the various heritage/ history aspects were interlinked and perhaps a history group might be something more people locally might wish to contribute or join, for example this might include the mines, history of the Free Church in Strontian, the jetty, the anchor in Ardnastang bay, and elements of the George Fox archive, with the consent of the family. If such a group was formed they might produce a leaflet on local heritage as an early option. A suggestion made was that raising the anchor might also link with the Group and a public meeting for the Loch Group is proposed for October/ November. Action: John MacMillan will speak with the

1 DRAFT conservators in York: D Anderson will contact Ian Thornber; C Hunter will contact Jim Kirby and secretary will contact the Loch Group.

Monument Park Drinking Water Supply: On going, there has been no response from Mr Wright.

Dail Mhor House: The Community Council was informed that from the end of the month Dail Mhor House will be using prepared frozen meals. One member of the Community Council asked who is the supplier and if it is a private organisation are they are making a profit from the NHS, which should be deplored. Also, who are the suppliers of the ingredients, what standards are applied, etc? The question was asked as to whether the lunch club would be having the frozen food as they pay £4 per person, so where does their money go, as they would prefer freshly make soup and sandwiches as now. This is apparently NHS Highland policy and the same applies to other homes and the Belford Hospital. However, J Hilder will ask Lara Van de Peer, the Dail Mhor Communities project officer to speak with the NHS manager. A Community Café in the Village Hall is being planned, this will be run on a Friday lunchtime. Also there are new benches and planters located outside the front of Dail Mhor, these funded to date by the Sunart Community Council, Highland Council Ward Discretionary Fund and the Community Council.

Longrigg Woodland: The Longrigg Woodland Group requested a meeting Ardnastang Common Grazings Committee to discuss possible options to access the woodland. The Grazings Committee met on the 26th June and decided to “refuse permission”, the Clerk requested to attend a Community Company Board to explain the decision. The Company are in the process of meeting with the Highland Council’s Roads Engineer to discuss alternative options.

Visitor Information Centre: The Oakwood Tourism and Craft Centre is proving a success. A number of visitors have made enquiries at the Visitor Information Centre about the mines e.g. can you visit them, are there conducted tours, etc. There is still a need for a few more volunteers to work on a rota basis, on days to suit them. People wishing to assist for a few hours per week will be given full training. Please contact Izzy Baker or call in to the Oakwood shop.

SCC Website: Is available at: www.sunartcommunitycouncil.co.uk

Correspondence: • War Memorial – On going. J Hilder and J Jones have made direct enquiries with two people however no one has applied for the work. • Resilience Plan – A Full Resilience Planning Meeting to take place on 12th September with the Emergency Services and all those who have given their names as Emergency Coordinators for the Village. Action: Secretary to write to the various contacts and invite them to attend the meeting. • The request that the Community Council seek to re-instate the benches near the river, by the bridge. JJ has asked the Men’s Shed for a quote of the cost. On going • The need for a Dog Poo Bin at the entrance to the Community Woodland near the greenhouse. A bin has been provided and is being emptied regularly be the Highland Council. • Horsley Cottage – Emails received and noted under correspondence

4. Planning Matters - a. 19/03117/PNO Erection of agricultural building, 25 Anaheilt - Supported. 2 DRAFT b. 19/03173/FUL Erection of extension to house and siting of two holiday letting units- secretary apologies for the incorrect reference shown in the agenda. The correct reference is shown here

5. Correspondence a. Receipt for Benches at Dail Mhor – Noted b. Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards - Noted c. Strontian Primary School – Noted, the card is much appreciated d. Community Council Grants 2019-20 - Noted e. Dualling A9 - Noted f. Pedestrian Corridor – Horsley Cottage - Noted g. Scottish Government Resilient Communities Small Grants Scheme - Noted h. Enhanced Early Learning and Childcare provision – Noted, LW has dealt with this i. Community Fund Payment – £2,017.65 received from Innogy Renewables UK Ltd j. RIIO _ T2 Stakeholder Consultation Event - Noted k. Community Council Review – Phase 2 final consultation -Noted l. FW2040 – Save the Date – Fort William 2040 Annual Workshop – 25th September 2019 - Noted m. Resilient Communities Conference 11th September 2019 - Noted n. Land Reform – Factsheet for Community Councils – Noted, LW to post on website o. GP Advert additional information sheet prepared and produced by J Matheson – This an excellent document and should be shared on Facebook and a link posted on the website – Action: LW

6. Treasurer’s Report Deposit Account is £10,555.07 Current Account is £6,799.66, which includes the grant and monies received from the hydro schemes.

7. Any other Business (AoB) – • Drimnatorran Farm: The comment was made that the notice on the gate saying “Beware of Animals” is putting of people from using the access to the burial ground. After a discussion it was agreed the secretary should email the Access Officer to query the wording. Action: secretary • Car park at : The gate at the car park in Polloch is locked which is restricting use of the road, and one Community Councillor asked why this was when some maps show it as an access road. It was pointed out that the road is not open access to vehicles as it is a forestry road and the gate is locked because of logging activity and due to complaints received from lorry drivers and estate workers about private vehicles using the road, which may be being made worse because SatNavs are sending people along the route. The suggestion is to ask for a change of the wording on the notice to make it less “aggressive”. Also the point was made that the sign, and the locked gate, is restricting access to walkers and cyclists, who should be allowed access, people wishing to access the pontoons on at Polloch. An alternative would be to re-site the gate beyond the pontoons and create some parking so anglers / walkers / kayakers / Loch Shiel Boat passengers could make better use of the pontoons Action: Secretary to contact Kenneth Knott • Loch Shiel Jetties Trust: There was a meeting, which J Hilder attended, where the current members of the Board of Trustees are asking for new members as the current Board are wishing to “retire”. If there are no new members then the Trust will be wound up and the assets i.e. the jetties and the pontoons on Loch Shiel at Polloch would be sold and the communities could lose their access and use. Because of the pontoons at Polloch, the Sunart Community Council have a place on the Board of Trustees, which was previously 3 DRAFT filled by Jim Kirby who no longer attends. Therefore, Sunart Community Council is asking if any person would be willing to be the Sunart representative on the Board. The extent on the commitment would be to attend 2-3 meetings per year. Anyone interested should contact the secretary or a Community Councillor. • Highland Council Core Paths Plan: the Highland Council have begun our formal consultation on the HIGHLAND COUNCIL AMENDED CORE PATHS PLAN (WEST HIGHLAND AND ISLANDS) and the paths in our are:

Path Ref. Map Ref. Path name Length (kms) LO24.09C LO24 Ardery forest walks 1.1 LO24.10C LO24 Loch Doilet 3.5 LO24.11C LO24 Loch Doilet to Scotstown 6.3 LO10.09C LO10 to Polloch 20.2 LO16.16C LO16b Laudale to Glencripesdale 23.2 If anyone wishes to see the proposals or to comment again on any of them they can do so via the Highland Council’s consultation portal at http://consult.highland.gov.uk. Highland Council asks that any comments be made by Friday 18th October 2019. The existing Highland Council Core Paths Plan is available at www.highland.gov.uk/corepathplans (click on Paths in the Highlands). There is also an interactive map. If a person wishes to see paper copies of the relevant section of the plan then please contact the Access Officer by email at [email protected] or at Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX. Action: LW to post link on the Website • Church of , Strontian: It was explained that the church is in dire need of repair and currently the funds available are insufficient. People should be made aware that unless additional funds can be obtained, there might not be a church in the village in the years to come. • Overhanging trees: there are overhanging trees on road to the bridge by the church and lorries have refused to use down to the road. Action: secretary to contact the Highland Council • A reminder for people and businesses travelling to Mull from – “As you may be aware, due to essential works at the Lochaline Ferry Terminal, the Fishnish Ferry Service will be restricted to passengers only between 21st October and 1st December 2019. Mull and Iona Ferry Committee is in discussion with Calmac to mitigate the adverse effect this will have by modifying the existing winter timetable between Craignure and Oban during this period.” •

Date of next meeting: Thursday 12th September 2019, 7:30pm in the Village Hall, Strontian.

Email: [email protected] Address: Sunart Community Council, C/o Creag Ard, 5 Longrigg Road, Strontian PH36 4HY

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