Whalsay Community Council

Minute of Meeting of the Council on Tuesday 1st October, 2019 School – Meeting Room

Present: Apologies Received CCllr John Dally (JD) Michael Duncan – C.C. Liaison Officer CCllr William Polson (WP) Roselyn Fraser CCllr Pete Gaines (PG) CCllr Jackie Leslie (JL) CCllr Margaret Hughson (MH) CCllr Anne Huntley (AH) Minute Taker Attending: Elinor Simpson (ES) Police – Angela Manson

The meeting started at: 7.00 pm

Agenda Item Narrative

Welcome Deputy Chair JD opened the meeting and welcomed all attendees. Apologies were noted.

Declaration of CCllr AH – Road safety mirror Interest

Minutes of meeting held 03.09.2019 were approved by CCllr AH and Approval of previous minutes seconded by CCllr MH.

Matters Arising Road/Pedestrian Safety concerns Further discussions took place re the possibility of a cycle path from Huxter to the school if funding could be secured through the Active Travel Project. 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

to forward email written by CCllr WP.

Policing Concerns Police in attendance at meeting. Police awaiting confirmation of another officer for 4th night. Police have had 4 genuine calls over the past month. Police contacted regarding graffiti damage to primary school bin. Police to attempt to be in the isle more. Angela Manson discussed the use of cocaine swabs on ferries and pubs with CC.

Community Ferry Hires th Discussed using last hire for this year on 4 night. 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 WCC Cllr WP said he had heard that the complete road to the north breakwater was to be tarred but that only part has been done so far as the equipment was needed at a different location not on Whalsay. Clerk to contact Greg Maitland to raise that small digger has been in the isle for use at the bottom of the Crudens, to complete drainage improvements. Road improvements completed between The Burns and Challister. Clerk to circulate road reports to all CCllrs. 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. WCC Cllr WP wondered if a card system would work better. There was also an idea of a Webcam being easier to install than CCTV. Clerk forwarded these ideas to Greg Maitland.

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.

Meeting Duration Continue to monitor.

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 contact Gary Spence to discuss getting school bairns to come up with designs for the sign. Clerk and CCllr WP met with Jonny Polson of Art Machine to discuss positioning and sizing of sign. CCllrs all agreed that sign should be longer and shorter, and further down the grass. Clerk to contact Art Machine about changes.

Repair - Old Dock No feedback has yet been received. WP asked 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. 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 Cllr JD advised that the mast has been operational from 6th June and is only available on O2 networks at present. No other operators have joined.

FOISA Requests

Letter sent. Should get a response by 24th October.

Hot Drinks on Ferries Clerk awaiting response from SIC Ferries.

Ferry Booking System Following contact from clerk SIC Ferries are having crews collect data on ‘no show’. There was discussion on some possible reasons, one being catching an earlier ferry and being unable to cancel later booked ferry. The suggestion was made that in that case ferry crew, as they collect fares, could be asked to contact Booking Office by phone/radio to alert them of this. This can only work during office hours. Clerk to contact SIC Ferries Service to ask can crews do this. No reply.

Dates for Community Skip Hires 2019/20 Another successful community skip on 27th September. WCC would like to thank everybody that helped to fill the skip.

Report from Community Benefit Fund (SCBF) WCC Cllr JD, as nominated representative for Whalsay gave feedback of the most recent SCBF Management Committee meeting.

Laxo Ferry Terminal Concern

WCC Cllr PG reported that ferrymen are expressing concern about a gap opening up in part of the concrete structure of the Laxo Ferry Terminal. They are concerned that if no action is taken the structure might fail putting the terminal out of use. Clerk to contact SIC Ferries Service to ask if they are aware and if so, what action is planned. No reply.

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.

Unadopted Road Gravel Request Clerk to advertise on Facebook and in shops that anyone can apply for gravel to use on an unadopted road.

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 to send to Jan Riise so that he can give accurate information to SIC councillors and try to have this undertaken by SIC who would have full access to electoral roll.

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. Dial a ride exists in Shetland.

SIITS Report Report sent. Awaiting response.

Dog Fouling Clerk to contact Environmental Health to come up with a dog poo dispenser and some signs. Main Agenda

Response to latest Peter Brett Report

Send 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

Items to include:

- Boundary Commission - Honesty Clause Boundary Commission review - maps Clerk to post link on Facebook. CCllrs viewed maps of proposed new boundaries.

Transport Scotland Clerk to post to Facebook.

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 to contact relevant department to request path and lighting.

Documentary on Whalsay Clerk to invite documentary maker to a community council meeting.

AOCB

Wild Garden CCllr AH discussed possibility of a path around the Wild Garden at the top of the Crudens. Clerk to contact roads department regarding this.

Letter by WP Cllr WP wrote a detailed letter about the lack of paths in areas around the isle.