Sandsting & Aithsting Community Council Chairman: Clerk: Mr John Priest Mrs L Fraser Farmhouse West Burrafirth Reawick Walls Shetland Shetland ZE2 9NJ ZE2 9NT Tel: 01595 860274 Tel: Walls 01595 809203 e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Minutes of a meeting of Sandsting & Aithsting Community Council held in the Rankin Lounge, Aith on Monday 8 April 2019 at 7.30pm. Present: J Priest Mrs S Deyell J D Garrick Ms D Nicolson Mrs J Fraser Ex officio: Cllr T Smith In attendance: Mrs L Fraser, Clerk Mr J Priest presiding APOLOGIES: Apologies for absence were received from Mr M Bennett, Cllrs S Coutts and C Hughson, Mr M Duncan, Community Liaison Officer and Mrs R Fraser, Community Involvement & Development Worker. MINUTES & HEADLINES: The minutes and headlines of the meeting held on 18 March 2019, having been circulated, were taken as read and were approved, moved by Mr J D Garrick, seconded by Mrs S Deyell. BUSINESS ARISING: Planning: Planning lists: Planning lists available on http://pa.shetland.gov.uk. Broadband: The Chairman hopes to attend the next Northern Isles Digital Forum on Thursday 11 April in Lerwick Town Hall (Chamber). Mobile phone coverage: Nothing to report. Road Matters: Road past Garderhouse: Cllr T Smith will check whether this area is still on the SIC list. Speed of traffic coming down the hill towards Sandsound junction: Nothing further. Roads Reports: Weekly reports were received from Mr John Johnson at the Roads Dept and had been circulated to the members. Moving of bus shelter at Tresta: No further info. Speed of traffic passing Bixter: Analysis of this data still not yet received. Grids at Skeld: No further progress reported. Funding: Details of some funding opportunities were again received from Mr M Duncan. Facebook Page: Mrs S Deyell is keeping the page up to date and adding various items. Ms D Nicolson was asked to also add items to the Facebook page and she agreed to do so. The The Cake Fridge Company: Opening still on course for end of May. Finance: Core Funding - An email was received from SIC saying that our allocation has been deposited in our Bank Account. Financial application: A letter was received from Wastview Day Centre requesting finance towards the building of a polycrub at Wastview to replace the polytunnel presently in place. The members agreed that this is a worthy case and is very helpful for all who attend. Consideration deferred. Association meeting: The Chairman had represented this Community Council and gave a full report. An email was received from Mr M Duncan, Community Council Liaison Officer, with an update from the meeting. Future meeting dates are Tuesday 25 June 2019 and Tuesday 17 September 2019. Community Development Fund: CDF Distribution Fund: An email was received from Ms Elsa Manson acknowledging our application. An email was received from Tingwall, Whiteness & Weisdale Community Council suggesting that the three westside Community Councils suggesting that the three westside Community Councils make a joint application for Community Choices funding. At the end of last year it was agreed, in principle, that we may join with Sandness & Walls Community Council in a joint Participatory Budgeting event but those present felt that the area covered by the three Community Councils may be too big and that the westside from the Sandsting & Aithsting boundary at the top of Tresta/Wesidae would work better and that we will not take part this year. However, we may consider it for the next financial year. A reply will be sent to Tingwall, Whiteness & Wesidale Community Council explaining this. CDF Project: A number of suggestions for a project was placed on Facebook and some received by letter and email. Due to the fact that the grant must be used to provide a project which has a clear deliverable end with no ongoing commitment, must be managed by the Community Council and completed within the year, some of the suggestions do not qualify. Two of the suggestions will be considered further before a decision is made. Self Build Loan Fund: This information had been received in digital form and circulated to the members. Planning Dept Update: A further email was received from Mr Iain McDiarmid, Executive Manager – Planning saying they are now operating at marginally over 2 months delay. They have two new staff members starting in Development Management in April. They will be allocated a case load as soon as possible, but with different levels of experience and knowledge, they will need to pick and choose the applications which best help them get up to speed as soon as possible. They still have 1.4 vacancies in the team. In Building Standards they have one new start and one vacancy and in Development Plans and Heritage, they have two empty posts. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARIES: An email was received from Mr Jan Riise, SIC Executive Manager – Governance & Law, attaching the papers and relevant maps showing the intended proposals of the Boundary Commission which will be issed for formal consultation later in the year. At this stage it is only the Council who are being formally consulted by the Boundary Commission because their proposal specifically includes an increase in numbers of Councillors from 22 to 23. The Chairman said that concerns had been expressed at the Association meeting. The suggestion includes only two SIC Councillors for the westside. DA VOAR REDD UP: An email was received from Mr Sandy Middleton, Head of Engagement at Shetland Amenity Trust, saying that this year’s Redd Up will take place on 27 and 28 April. A Redd Up poster was attached. The poster will be placed on the Community Council’s webpage. VIKING VARIATION: An email was received from Ms Nikki Anderson, Head of Consents, Energy Consents Unit at the Scottish Government with a set of draft conditions attached. It had been circulated to the members. DRAFT REVISED GUIDANCE FOR LICENSING BOARD: The Scottish Government is seeking views on draft revised guidance for Licensing Boards. The consultation closes on 11 June and a website address was enclosed. Concern was expressed about the increase in water rates for the halls. USE OF BIXTER HALL: An account was received for the use of the Bixter Hall on 12 November and 10 December 2018. It will be settled. RELATIONSHIPS SCOTLAND: A letter was received from Relationships Scotland enclosing leaflets detailing what their charity offers – including family and community mediation, couple counselling and family support services. CELEBRATE COMMUNITY COUNCILS: Email from Improvement Service saying the Scottish Community Councils website will be showcasing the varied work of Community Councils across Scotland. Community Councils are encouraged to take part and to highlight the positive impact they have in their areas. They want to raise the profile of Community Councils and encourage individuals and other organisations to learn more about them. TRAFFIC OUTSIDE AITH NURSERY: It had been brought to the attention of one of our members that a potentially dangerous situation occurs outside the gates of the Aith Nursery when people are delivering and collecting their children. The road is very narrow and when cars are parked along its side children could run into the road in front of passing traffic. A letter will be sent to the Headmaster asking him to check out the situation and possibly suggest a solution. NEXT MEETING: The next meeting will be held in Skeld Hall on Monday 20 May at 7.30pm. Chairman ……John T Priest…………. Date ………20-05-2019………….. .