Cromarty Firth Ward Forum
Action Note of Meeting 21st February 2008

Agenda

Attending

Cllr Mike Finlayson,
Cllr Martin Rattray
Cllr Maxine Smith
Mary MacDonald, Alness Community Council
Ken MacDonald, Alness Community Council
John Edmondson, Ardross Community Council
Margaret MacPherson, Invergordon Community Council
Jaki Gardner, Invergordon Community Council
Leslie Logan, Kiltearn Community Council
Helen Williamson, Saltburn & Westwood Community Council
Chief Inspector Paul Eddington Northern Constabulary
Acting Inspector Simon Fraser, Northern Constabulary
Ian Hargrave, Corporate Manager, Caithness Sutherland & Easter Ross
Tina Luxton, Area Housing & Property Manager for Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Helen Ross, Ward Manager Cromarty Firth Ward

4 members of the public

Action Note:

1. Introduction – Cllr M Smith opened the meeting and welcomed everybody.

2. Apologies - Cllr C Wilson
Fiona Dendy, Kiltearn Community Council
Norma Young, Saltburn & Westwood Community Council
Catherine Richmond, Invergordon Community Council

3. Feedback from the Ward Forum held on 6th December 2007 – following discussion the following actions were agreed relating to the feedback circulated from the previous Ward Forum:

• Feedback Item 5 – Saltburn & Westwood CC representative advised that there are remaining drainage issues in Saltburn that need to be addressed. Agreed to request TECs staff to contact Community Council to arrange site visit to investigate.
• Feedback Item 6 – agreed when ward ‘Smiley Face’ traffic sign is received there will be consultation over where it is used
• Feedback Item 10 – it was agreed a request for Joss St, Invergordon  to be included in traffic survey work be made to TECs

4. Housing & Allocations – Tina Luxton, Area Housing & Property Manager circulated information about housing demand and planned development of affordable homes in the Ward (see Appendix 1 (PDF) and Appendix 2 (PDF)) and also gave a brief talk. Key topics covered were:

• The main factors influencing how houses are allocated by the Council
• The planned introduction of the Common Housing Register (CHR)  from April 2008 – application forms for the new CHR can be obtained from both Council and Housing Association offices
• Changes in homelessness policy
• Information about the new ‘LIFT’ scheme being piloted by Albyn Housing Society Ltd.  LIFT is a new low cost home ownership scheme which aims to allow people to buy a home in partnership with a registered social landlord. An owner generally pays between 60 and 80 per cent of the price of a home – with the remainder held by a registered social landlord using a Government grant. More information about the scheme can be obtained at www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk

A questions and answer session followed in which the following key points were raised/actions agreed:

• it was agreed that more information would be provided about the levels of homelessness by household type across Easter Ross It was noted that there can be tensions where young people are accommodated in areas of housing traditionally suitable and occupied by elderly people, and there may be lifestyle differences. TL confirmed that when allocating a property,  if it is suitable for elderly people or others with a ground floor need, then they must be given first consideration – but also noted that particularly where properties have  1 bedroom only older people may not wish to down size to that degree so these small properties may then have to be allocated for general needs
• Where antisocial behaviour occurs it is important to report it
• Community warden schemes can be re focused where there is an evidenced need for this – e.g. it was reported that in Alness the good work done by Community Wardens appears to have caused some displacement of anti social behaviour to streets neighbouring the current warden patch.  TL to consider information provided and potential need to re focus the patches covered.

5. Community Safety – Chief inspector Paul Eddington gave a short talk which covered the following key points:

• Community safety is a very wide topic and is by no means a police issue alone, but one for all agencies and for the community as well.
• Representatives from the fire service and from the coast guards could be invited to a future meeting
• Northern Constabulary is reorganising its area structures from 1st April 2008 into 3 Divisions. The Cromarty Firth Ward will come within the Central Division which covers the Western Isles, Lochaber and Ross-shire up to and including Milton.
• John Darcy will the Divisional Commander, with PE as Area Commander.
• There will still be 2 inspectors covering the Ross & Cromarty area (excluding Tain), but instead of a geographical split the work has now been split by function so that 1 Inspector (Inspector Pamela Ross) will focus on area of work such as vulnerable adults, Child Protection, domestic abuse etc while the other Inspector (Inspector Matthew Reiss) will be based in Alness and will focus on other duties.
• PE was hopeful that the changes would allow for improved shift patterns.
• Work re young people and alcohol is ongoing – e.g. use of the bottle marking scheme and a programme of visits by PC Carrie Shanks  to local schools
• Northern Constabulary are supportive of the introduction of alternative activities for youngster - e.g. in Strathpeffer the first Highland ‘Blue Light Disco’ based on the Fife model is due to be held.
• Performance in preceding 2 years in this area has shown a decrease the levels of serious violent crime (down 30%), road casualties overall have decreased although there have been a number of serious and fatal accidents
• Drink driving is at an unacceptable levels and is happening across all ages and both genders
• There have been some instances of drug driving, but officers are now trained on impairment testing
• Police call handling – is centralised to make most effective use of police officer time
• PE issued an open invitation to the Forum to request a visit to the call centre to see how calls are managed and the technology which staff have to help them manage calls effectively – e.g. the map they can call up
• PE committed to using the mobile CCTV van in the Invergordon area again soon
• PE recognised need for a traffic warden response in the Ross–shire areas – although noted this may be a roving service in future rather than a dedicated resource all of the time.  It’s anticipated that a new warden will be recruited and be in place in the summer
• It was noted that an extended traffic order is needed outside the Alness co-op by the service point to prevent parking there. This has been requested but in the meantime  SF noted he would ensure there was enforcement action carried out on the current order in place

6. Discretionary budget – information was circulated showing spend to date on the discretionary budget – see Appendix 3 (PDF).  It was noted that there are a number of projects currently coming forward for approval and a full spend is anticipated.

7. AOB

a) Boundary Commission proposals – information about the Boundary Commission’s proposals for the review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries was circulated and all present were encouraged to respond to the commission with any views on the proposals.

b) Invergordon Community Council noted that a meeting is being held on 5th June 2008 at 7.30 pm at the Arts centre at which a RAF squadron leader will be giving a 40 minute presentation followed by questions. Any one who wished to attend to find out more is welcome

c) Next Ward Forum meeting – it was noted the next meeting is due on Thursday April 24th at the Ardross Community Hall, Ardross. The meeting will be held at 7.30 pm with tea/coffee available form 7pm. Views on topics for the next meeting were requested. Topics proposed previously and at the meeting were:

• Bus services
• Transport
• Health
• Sepa
• Fire service
• Coast Guard Service
• Scottish Water
• Women’s Aid