Cromarty Firth Ward Forum
Action Note of Meeting 25th October 2007

Attending

Cllr Mike Finlayson,
Cllr Martin Rattray
Cllr Maxine Smith
Cllr Carolyn Wilson (Chair)
John Edmondson, Ardross Community Council
Fiona Dendy, Kiltearn Community Council
Leslie Logan, Kiltearn Community Council
Jaki Gardner, Invergordon Community Council
Margaret MacPherson, Invergordon Community Council
Helen Williamson, Saltburn & Westwood Community Council
Norma Young, Saltburn & Westwood Community Council
Inspector John Chisholm, Northern Constabulary
Ian Hargrave, Corporate Manager, Caithness Sutherland & Easter Ross
Graham Nichols, Education, Culture & Sport Manager – CSER
Bill Couston, Senior Education Officer - CSER
Nigel Brett Young, Area Youth Development Officer
Audrey Anthoney, Senior Youth Development Officer (Participation)
Peter Hoffman, Senior Community Learning & Leisure Officer - CSER
Gillain Slider, Youth Convenor
Robert Dineen, Youth Development Worker
Janette Douglas, Youth Development Worker
Helen Ross, Ward Manager (Cromarty Firth)

0 Members of the Public

Action Note

1. Introduction - Cllr C Wilson opened the meeting and welcomed everybody to the second meeting of the Cromarty Firth Ward Forum.

2. Apologies – None

3. Education & Young People - Grahm Nichols, Education, Culture & Sport Manager for Caithness Sutherland & Easter Ross area (CSER) gave a verbal presentation. This provided an overview of the Education, Culture and Sport Service, outlining key information about the service within the area, including staff and financial resources available, the service structure, etc. Gillian Slider the new Youth Convenor for Highland Council was introduced. Mr Nichols introduced key members of the service and the following also gave a summary of the areas of work that they cover with specific reference to the Ward area:
• Bill Couston, Senior Education Officer – CSER
• Nigel Brett Young, Area Youth Development Officer
• Audrey Anthoney, Senior Youth Development Officer (Participation)
• Peter Hoffman, Senior Community Learning & Leisure Officer - CSER

During discussion with the Forum the following points were noted:
Community Councils and links with young people - It was noted that it can be hard for Community Councils to successfully sustain links with young people. In some cases Youth Forums are happy to provide a link person. Working with the local Youth Development Workers can also develop links.  It was also noted that young people may be happy to work with residents groups, perhaps by dealing with issues relevant to young people first. Pupil Councils may also provide a potential link with Community Councils.
Alcohol misuse and road safety - Work is done to ensure young people get information about issues such as alcohol and road safety – e.g. in November there will be PSE sessions in Alness using police material looking at road safety. In December some staff including local Youth Workers, will be attending a conference around alcohol misuse and will afterwards focus some work on that with young people. There are also close links with NHS Highland and community Nurses come into schools.
Small rural primary schools – It was noted that the current policy is that there is a presumption against the closure of small rural primary schools, and the Scottish Government has recently confirmed this stance.

The following Action points were also agreed:
Transport issues relating to young people - Mr Nichols agreed to look into the planning of the Ardross dial a bus to see if the needs of young people could perhaps be better addressed by joining up service planning better.
Service information - A service bulletin for Education Culture & Sport will be developed for the CSER area which will be issued to the Ward Manager who can forward it as appropriate to Members and Community Councils
Evening classes – It was agreed information about evening classes would be pulled together and provided to Ward Forum Members. Information should include details of classes by all providers as one programme. There was a request to provision of classes in the villages with no secondary schools be given consideration.

4. Feedback from Previous Ward Forum held on 30th August 2007 – written feedback is contained in appendix 1 and had been previously circulated to forum members. 2 questions arose:
• can TECs be asked to confirm if that service will empty the dog bins in Saltburn, including the recently agreed new bins?
• How will the work with Lycksele be carried out? – it was noted that the meeting arranged with community councils on 22nd November will look at the draft partnership agreement and also at areas of work that would be of interest, it was noted that much of the contact with Lycksele representatives is done by video conferencing, using equipment that is available, e.g. at local schools

5. Community Safety – Inspector John Chisholm gave some details of activity on the ward over recent weeks. He noted that there have been no house break ins or road casualties since the last Forum on 30th August. However vandalism continues to be an issue with school the focus for this. It was noted that community safety is a wide issues, involving all sections of the community. During discussion the following actions were agreed:
• If Northern Constabulary are not able to attend a community council meeting a report will be provided.
• If fireworks are being set off the police should be advised
• Northern Constabulary will request further use of the mobile CCTV van at the Natal Gardens in Invergordon

6. Discretionary Budget – details of spend approved to date were circulated and noted.

7. AOCB:

i. The next Ward Forum is due to be held on 6th December at 7.30 in the Diamond Jubilee Hall in Evanton, with tea & coffee being available from 7pm. The topic will be TECs & Winter Maintenance
ii. It was agreed Housing Allocations should be the Ward Forum topic on 21st February 2008.
iii. The Core Path plan is currently out for consultation – copies and comment forms available at Service Points. Deadline for comments is 5th November 2007.
iv. For future Ward Forums tea/coffer will be available from 7pm to allow people to network prior to the Forum starting at 7.30pm