Action note of Wick Ward held on 3 March 2009
Forum Members in attendance.
Councillor Katrina MacNab (KM) - Chairperson
Councillor Bill Fernie (BF)
Alister Trail (AT) – Rector, Wick High School
Grant Ramsay (GR) – Chairperson, Pulteneytown Peoples Project
Coreen Campbell (CC) – Chairperson, The Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council
Catherine Patterson (CP) – Tannach & District Community Council
David Sutherland (DS) – Caithness Wards Manager, Highland Council
Alex Macmanus (AM) – Ward Manager’s Team, Highland Council
1. Apologies
Robbie Mackintosh – Ward Manager’s Team, Highland Council.
2. Previous Forum Action Notes of 18th November 2008.
Agreed by Forum with no up dates required.
3. ‘Help for those feeling the Credit Crunch’
Pat Sproul – Highland Council, Senior Money Advice Officer
The numbers of people in the Highlands who are seeking help from the Council with regards to money problems is increasing as the credit crunch bites. Pat advised that she had never seen it so busy with some quite complex cases being handled.
Her team, which is based in Inverness, had dealt with over £5million worth of debt in the last financial year with the Highland wide figure including those from Citizens Advice Bureau reaching £15 million. The average debt per client was around about £14,000.
Money Advice Service offered same-day interviews and although they had been used to dealing with smaller debts they are now looking at amounts of over £100,000. Pat advised that it is heartbreaking to hare what clients have gone through before seeking help. Some clients have been on the verge of suicide.
Although the Council’s income maximisation team is able to look for ways to crystallise debt, as well as helping with reclaiming bank charges and payment solutions there are still some creditors who do not play ball and continue to phone clients threatening court action.
Pat advised that existing clients like the one-payment policy which, unlike some debt consolidation companies, is a free serviced offered by the service. A Forum member stated that if more people realised that this Council service was free they could save themselves a lot of money. Pat agreed with this and was hoping to push the service more and that she was particularly keen on approaching schools.
Bankruptcy was a big step which her service did not advise lightly. This record would stay with people for a long period of time and could result in an unfavourable track record with credit reference agencies and will influence ability to obtain credit in the future. Pat pointed out that on a certain level of income a person could declare themselves bankrupt if they owed £1,500.
Pat advised that debt can have a profound affect on people which could see them go on a downward spiral resulting in ill health and depression and also family breakdown and loss of home. Pat sited the case of a gentleman who ended up living in his car after been made bankrupt by a creditor.
Her team also can make checks of benefits available to clients. In one case by carrying out a benefits check on a woman the team managed to increase her weekly income by £163.
Pat referred to the closure of Woolworths and how the majority of its staff would have no previous experience of being on benefits. She pointed out that the local shops were suffering with customers sometimes being unable to pay for purchase goods as well as businesses not been paid for work carried out. Pat said that whether we are dealing with benefits or debt lack of income impacts on the local community.
Problems with money can also have the effect that people will take risks they would not normally do. She cited the police reports of 12 uninsured drivers being recently apprehended during a recent crackdown.
Free Guides to benefits and money advice are available at the Council service points or at
/livinghere/benefitsgrantsandallowances/
Or telephone 0845 6004 222 and select option 2
Jill Smith – Manager, Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
Citizens Advice Bureau offers a free, confidential and impartial service to people requiring help.
CAB in Caithness has 16 highly-trained volunteer advisors who can provide assistance in a wide range of areas. Almost one third of their workload relates to benefit queries.
Request for money advice has risen in the last quarter by 40%, whilst mortgage arrears have more than doubled during the same quarter. Consumer related issues have also showed an increase with employment concerns expected to rise in the near future. Jill advised that as the credit crunch was increasing their customer contacts which required providing an enhanced service the Highland Council had increased its funding to CAB.
The Caithness CAB is looking at arranging late night opening and Saturday morning opening to increase their exposure and to help prospective customers. Currently their hours of opening in Wick are Tuesday to Thursday – 10.00am to 2.00pm.
4. Community Safety
Police have now taken possession of two Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems (ANPR) which are installed in an unmarked car and a squad car. Local members have seen system in operation and are very impressed by the speed of the units’ response. Members had funded 100% of one of the systems which levered the police force into financing the second system. A press release is due to be issued during week of 9th March.
Mounthooley House – telephone contact has at last been established with the security holders. They are to instruct their solicitors to visit property and to make the property secure. Ward Manger’s Team will monitor this.
5. Ward Discretionary Budget and Youth Work Fund
£56,911 committed to date with £141,741 being attracted from outside sources. £2700 left in Budget which is due to finish on 31st March for the current fiscal year.
Discretionary Budget has helped to part or fully fund –
Easter Study classes at High School with 75 pupils signed up to 12 subjects.
New Minibus for High School
Timebank scheme for Voluntary Group. Due to be launched on 26th March at 2.00pm in Youth Club.
HarbourFest 2009
Second wet room at Laurandy Centre
Various small works around town e.g. Fence and flagged area beside Old Tourist Board in Whitechapel.
6. Dates of future meetings
Tuesday 16th June 2009 – Joint Forum with Landward & Thurso. Topic to be decided.
Tuesday 8th September 2009. Topic to be decided but may be Community Care Forum.
7. A.O.B.
Caithness Members are arranging a meeting with Bord na Gaidhlig (BNG) which is designed to share views on the actions required to implement requirements of the Gaelic Language Plan. Also the meeting will discuss how the Council and BNG can work together most effectively.
8. Question and Answer session
Q1 – I note with interest the press release (27/01/09) detailing the development of accommodation at Nairn Academy amounting to £1.8m. What progress has been made in finding funding for Wick High School?
A1 – Commitments are £1.0m improvements to dining facilities/toilets with a feasibility study for conversion of swimming pool to dance/fitness area. £60k on upgrade to two Science Labs, thereby completing the entire upgrade of Science Labs. in the school. These works are anticipated to commence this summer. An option appraisal is underway regarding the future of the school site.
Q2 - What projects have local councillors identified for inclusion in the Major Fabric Improvement Allocation? (ECS 15/01/09. para.3.7)
A2 – Discussions on priorities will take place with Elected Members in advance of the May ECS Committee meeting.
Q3 – What outcomes do councillors wish to achieve from their meeting with Bord na Gaidhlig?
A3 – See AOB for answer.
Q4 – What is yearly cost of PPP1 and PPP2 to the Education Budget and what support is given to these costs from the Scottish Executive?
A4 – Current annual net cost of the PPP projects are
PPP1 = £3.354m
PPP2 = £7.243m
Current annual grant support from the Scottish Government is
PPP1 = £1.500m
PPP2 = £6.146m
Q5 – Where did the £1.8m for development of Nairn Academy come from as there was no mention of this in Capital Plan?
A5 – Members have no knowledge of where these monies were coming from but committed to finding out and to advise Forum.
Q6 – What effect did attending the last Wick Ward Forum have on the Director of Education?
A6 – The Director appointed a consultant to look at the High School.
Q7 – What options have been agreed on how to spend the £1m allocated previously to the High School?
A7 – Upgrade work will include an extension to the dining hall, improvements to the toilets and gym changing rooms. No decision has been made yet on the swimming pool verses dance studio as no costs have been received to allow any informed decision to be made. Also no consultation had been carried out on pros and cons of both facilities. Councillor Fernie agreed to push for costs to be provided to the Rector.
Q8 – When can we expect to see work commence on the improvements?
A8 – Scheduled Phase 1 to start after Easter with main project being carried out in the summer.
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