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Action Notes - Ward Forum - West Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh (Ward 10)
Meeting held on 26 November 2007 in Poolewe Village Hall
Agenda
Present: Cllr Biz Campbell; Cllr Richard Greene; Cllr Audrey Sinclair; Cllr Jean Urquhart; Alison Macleod (Applecross CC); Mairi Chisholm (Aultbea CC); Ann Macleod (Coigach CC); Ali Macleod (Coigach CC); Gordon MacLean (Contin CC); W. Cameron (Gairloch CC); K. Morrison (Lochbroom CC); K. MacPherson (Lochbroom CC); K. MacKenzie (Lochcarron CC); H. Murchison (Lochcarron CC); Lynn Frost (Shieldaig CC); Liz Pritchard (Shieldaig CC); Tom Forrest (Torridon & Kinlochewe CC); Amy MacDonald (Wester Lochewe CC); Catherine Urquhart-Taylor (Wester Lochewe CC); Duncan Donald (Wester Lochewe CC).
And 12 Members of the Public
Officials in attendance: Robbie Bain (Ward Manager); Bob Cameron (Corporate Manager); Brian Porter (Finance Manager)
Apologies: Gordon McLean, Contin CC; Murdo Finlayson, Applecross CC; Charlie Macrae, Plockton CC; Maria Chesters-Bouma, Marybank CC.
Introduction
Richard Greene welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Discussion on Venue for future meetings
Robbie Bain introduced a short discussion on preferences for the venue for Ward Forum meetings. It was suggested that Achnasheen might be a suitable central venue.
Action Point: R. Bain agreed to circulate a short questionnaire to determine CC views.
Training for Community Councils
Jean Urquhart led a short discussion on the need for training for CC members. It was suggested that a training session could be combined with a future Ward Forum meeting.
Council Finances
Brian Porter, Finance Manager with Highland Council, gave an outline of the income and expenditure of the Council and answered questions from the Forum.
Ambulance Service
Calum Campbell and Andy Fuller from the Scottish Ambulance Service took questions from the Forum on service provision in the Ward. Issues raised by the Forum included: Single Manning of ambulances; Hospital Car Service; Air ambulance; auxilliary services; ambulance cleaning.
There was agreement that the Ward would benefit from joint working between the Amulance Services and the Fire Service including co-location of ambulances into fire station provision.
There was agreement that there was a need for the hospital car scheme to pay realistic mileage rates.
Other Business
Out of Hours Group Liz Pritchard reported on the progress made by the Wester Ross Out of Hours Group. The group is to host a meeting with Nicola Sturgeon, cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing on 12th May. And currently working on the schedule.
The Group requests £1,000 from the Ward Discetionary Budget to continue its work.
Mileage Allowances. Helen Murchison raised the question of the tax implications for people receiving mileage allowances.
Plastics recycling. Tom Forrest noted that Wester Ross was currently running a plastics recycling scheme on a voluntary basis and asked when Council plastics recycling would be rolled out to the area. He further requested Council assistance for delivering plastics collected in Kinlochewe to Kishorn
Joint Committee on Community Care. Liz Pritchard noted that the Joint Committee on Community Care had met only once since the new Council had convened and asked if it will continue to meet.