Action note from Caithness Joint Wards Forum (Thurso, Wick and Landward Caithness) held on Tuesday 22nd November 2011

Agenda

Present

Councillor David Flear (Chair) – Landward Ward Member
Councillor The Lady Thurso – Thurso Ward Member
Councillor Donnie Mackay – Thurso Ward Member
Councillor Robert Coghill – Landward Ward Member
Councillor Gail Ross – Wick Ward Member
Councillor Bill Fernie – Wick Ward Member
Bert Macleod – Thurso Community Council representative
Jean Lipa – Thurso Community Council representative
Colin Mackintosh – Sinclairs Bay Community Council representative
Neil Buchanan – Berriedale and Dunbeath Community Council representative
James Macdonald – Watten Community Council representative
Anne Alexander – Watten Community Council representative
John Green – Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council representative
Koreen MacDougall – Caithness Partnership
Catherine Patterson – Tannach and District Community Council representative

In attendance

Chief Inspector Matthew Reiss – Northern Constabulary
Detective Sergeant Diane Rogers – Northern Constabulary, Public Protection Unit.
Campbell Stewart – Area Roads and Community Works Manager, Highland Council
David Sutherland – Caithness Wards Manager, Highland Council

Robbie Mackintosh – Caithness Wards Manager’s Team, Highland Council
Alex Macmanus – Caithness Wards Manager’s Team, Highland Council

Press reporter along with 11 Members of the general public.

1. Apologies

Donald Henderson – Tannach and District Community Council
Elizabeth Henderson – Tannach and District Community Council
Pauline Craw – N.H.S.
Cathel MacAskill – Scotland Transerve
Elizabeth Geddes – Castletown Community Council
Chris Hobson – Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council
Councillor Willie Mackay, Landward Ward
Councillor John Rosie, Thurso Ward

2. Community Safety – C.I. Matthew Reiss

Road Safety - This is still the number one concern highlighted by surveys with the general public. Area has experienced a recent bad run of bad accidents. All police are road traffic officers but are also all Child Protection officers. Police do have specialist officers for certain issues.

Not all work is on enforcement. The local Community Safety Officer has given presentations and talks to Vulcan and North Highland College apprentices as well as the Driving Ambitions being rolled out to all the Secondary Schools in the North. Very favourable feedback received from the students who have actually requested more graphic communication.

Anti social driving has increased over the last few weeks with police action being taken including the seizing of a vehicle.

More drink drivers are also being caught as more reports are now being made by mobile phones. Police already have a great deal of intelligence on habitual drink drivers and officers are being tasked to get these people caught and charged if necessary.

Police do carry out a lot of roadside safety checks on vehicles which could well uncover a drink driver. In general the public are positive to these actions.

Positive responses also being received to the Camera Partnership van being used in villages in the county.

Drug busts continue as normal by executing warrants. Police now have a great amount of intelligence concerning the drug scene. Reported vandalism is actually down 15%/20% on last years figures and why this is is difficult to say.

Incidents of theft have however increased with the opportunist theft being to the fore. Police have been dealing with Scrap Dealers who are not licensed as thefts of metal have increased as the price for metal has risen. The police have charged 4 groups of people with scrap metal offences.

Autumn has been mild and we are still to experience any wintry weather. Advice on travelling during the winter weather can differ greatly dependant on location. Eg urban as opposed to rural. Those who live in a rural setting have a need to use their cars as opposed to those in urban settings.

Even in Caithness the weather conditions can be very different over a short distance so any advice from police has to be on the cautious side. Encourage people to use common sense as the Ord fatalities of the 70’s are still in memory. Anecdotal evidence does say that snow tyres do work.

Questions were raised over lorries travelling south in snow carrying on regardless of the weather until they get stuck at Dunbeath and motorists not making use of their lights during dawn and dusk periods.

3. Child Protection – Detective Sergeant Diane Rogers

DS Rogers gave a very passionate presentation on Child Protection and her work with the Public Protection Unit. Child Protection has a very high priority with the police as children are some of the most vulnerable people in the community.

DS Roger can receive up to 6 referral forms per day from concerned parties and that it is all our responsibility to report any concerns and suspicions we may have when children are involved.

Diane can be contacted at Thurso Police Station on 01847 893222

Presentation document - Caithness Joint Ward Forum - 2011-11-22

4. Winter Maintenance – Campbell Stewart, ARCWM, Highland Council

The Highland Council is prepared to deal with the very worst of the winter conditions in the County. Last years winter was one of the worst the council has had to deal with in recent memory with the prolonged spell of subzero temperatures in November and December. Although we have had mild temperatures so far this winter snow is expected later in the year and the Council is ready for this.

Council used 63,000 tonnes of Irish imported salt last year and we were very close to running out of supplies by Christmas due to the severe weather. By January this year the Council became very worried about supplies and started to mix sand with the salt for spreading on the roads.

Conditions influenced the amount of spread which lay between 10 and 50 grams per square meter however this is only effective if the temperatures stay above minus seven as below that the mix becomes ineffective.

Roads in the County have been split into 4 different groups with the main A9 and A99 given top priority in an attempt to ensure that they stay open at all times. Smaller and side roads will be dealt with once first priority roads are deemed safe. Tenders also go out to 10 local farmers to help clear smaller routes.

The clearing of roads will be a major priority this winter and the Council will do as much as its budget will allow. The Council use weather information received from Weather Services International which gives them precise details e.g. minimum temperatures, wind speeds and ice times.

With this weather information the Council will err on the side of caution if the temperatures drip below zero and the gritters will be out on morning and evening patrols to prevent ice or snow accidents. Under normal circumstances Council would get around all the routes but this was not possible last winter.

Councillor Flear praised the Councils efforts to keep the roads open during last winter and he hopes that motorists will show common sense when the snow returns this winter and drive accordingly. A lot of drivers go to fast in the snow and ice and it is a case of education them to be alert to the conditions.

Q. Why is it taking so long to get newly tarred roads white lined?

A. Initially RoadTec won the contract to carry out this work. However they gave up the contract on the distances involved and Markon, who were 2nd in the five bids, were asked to take on the work.

Markon now have promised a few times to do the work but have failed to get this done. Last time they were in the County they decided to do work for Dounreay and Transport Scotland.

This is not a satisfactory position to be in and the Chair will be taking up this matter with the TECS committee very shortly.

Q. What can be done to ensure that when roads and pavements get cleared of snow that a wall of snow is not formed where they meet?

A. Lack of manpower may not prevent this happening again this year which is off course dependant on the level of fallen snow. It is a job that perhaps the Criminal Justice work squads could carry out and this will be borne in mind.

Q. Can the site lines on the A9 and A99 be improved to allow safe overtaking at appropriate stretches?

A. TranServ has started this work on the A9 at Loth by cutting back gorse, broom and trees. Trunk Roads are their responsibility.

Q. When roadmen are laying sand in the Springpark area of Thurso they have to return to their depot at Janetstown refill their trailers. Can a supply of sand not be stored closer to hand?

A. This already happens.

5. Discretionary Budgets/Youth Budgets

Each Ward is allocated £49,659 which is a reduction of £10,000 from last years figure.

Thurso Ward and Landward Ward budgets are virtually all used up with £3,600 and £929 left respectively. Wick Ward has a little way to go with £15,743 left to be allocated. Ward Manager is however confident that these sums will be used prior to the end of March 2012.

The funds allocated to the various projects has levered in funding of £330,000 with budget allowance set at £150,000 (3 wards x £50k). The local paper carries periodic reports of what funding has been agreed by the members from these budgets

Each Ward is also allocated £5,000 for youth diversionary projects and this is being allocated to various groups through out the County. E.g. Driving Ambitions, Safe Highlander, Thurso Youth FC and Rock Challenge.