Ward 8 –Tain and Easter Ross Ward Forum
Meeting held on Thursday 23 August 2007
in the Seaboard Memorial Hall, Balintore

Agenda

Present: Cllr Richard Durham (Chair)
Cllr Alasdair Rhind
Cllr Alan Torrance
Hamish Mackenzie, Chairperson – Tarbat Community Council
George Dobbie, Chairperson – Kilmuir & Logie Easter Community Council 
William MacKenzie, Chairperson – Inver Community Council
Richard Cross, Chairperson – Nigg & Shandwick Community Council
Roddy Robertson, Chairperson – Tain Community Council
Angus Scobbie, Chairperson - Balintore & Hilton Community Council
Alan Cockell, Chairperson – Fearn Community Council
Fiona Robertson, Tain Initiative Group
Will Aitken, Seaboard Initiative
Liz Whiteford, Fearn Peninsula Partnership
Hazel Bailey, KALE
Superintendent John Darcy, Northern Constabulary
Inspector John Chisholm, Northern Constabulary
Ian Hargrave, Corporate Manager – Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Caroline MacAskill, Ward Manager Tain & Easter Ross
Campbell Stewart, Roads and Community Works Manager – Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Hector MacKenzie, Ross-shire Journal
16 members of the Public

Apologies None

1. Action Points from Meeting

• Cllr Durham asked for clarification as to what resources are available to TEC Services for Roads and Ground Maintenance given the new structure i.e., the transfer of resources from the West Area to the North Area.
  
• Cllr Durham requested that TEC Services provide a programme of works, when agreed, to a future Ward Forum.There was a request that once all the information has been gathered, in relation to works required to roads and verges in the Tain and Easter Ross Ward and following the transferral of the labour force – TEC Services may be in a better position to respond to urgent issues.  Feedback will be provided to future forums.
  
• John Darcy advised that the comments from the Ward Forum, in relation to call handling at Police HQ will be raised with Superintendent Cowie, the responsible officer.  If there are any complaints in relation to call handling or response times these should be addressed to Superintendent Darcy who will have them investigated.
  
• Superintendent Darcy confirmed that the Northern Constabulary do not adopt Crime Screening and will attend all calls, a practice not adopted by other forces, although response times may be affected be affected by operational pressures or attendance at other incidents.
  
• Following the fatal accident at the Delny Level Crossing a meeting was attended by Cllr Durham which was to result in a report detailing proposed safety issues.  There has been no further information following the meeting and the report is still outstanding.  Campbell Stewart, Roads and Community Works Manager agreed to pursue and provide the Ward Manager with an update at a future Ward Forum.
  
• A request had been raised with Scotrail that there was a need for increased warnings/more flashing lights at the Delny Level Crossing as there can be poor visibility at certain times of the year.  Cllr Rhind will raise this issue at the next Highland Rail Partnership Meeting which will be held on 4 September 2007.  Cllr Rhind will feedback information to the Ward Forum.
  
• Northern Constabulary are in the process of implementing the use of Fixed Penalty Notices from September.  Fixed Penalty Notices are on the spot fines and can be used for 10 offences including breach of the peace; urinating or defecating in circumstances of annoyance to others; being drunk and incapable in a public place; persisting to he annoyance of others in playing musical instruments, singing, playing radios etc. on being required to stop; and vandalism.
  
• Concerns were expressed in relation to vandalism inside Council Properties.  There is a policy for recharging where damage has been because of wilful damage or negligence.  The Ward Manger undertook to contact the Housing and Property Services Manager to ask whether invoices are issued to tenants who cause damage to their current or previous properties.
  
• Suggested dates, venues and topics for future Forums are:
  
  Dates:  4 October 2007, 22 November 2007, 31 January 2008,
  13 March 2008, 24 April 2008 and 29 May 2008.
  
  Venues:  Carnegie Hall - Portmahomack, Nigg Hall - Nigg, Inver Hall - Inver, Fearn Hall – Fearn, Community Wing Milton Primary School - Milton,   Secondary School or Duthac Centre – Tain
  
  Topics:  Tourism, Transport, Housing, Nigg Yard, Planning and Development including Wind Farms, NHS Highland, Fire and Rescue Services, MSP’s for Tain and Easter Ross.
  
• A report was presented to Resources Committee on 22 August 2007 concerning the Post Office closure Programme – the report advised that Post Office Ltd have confirmed that the Area Plan for Highland will begin to be developed in October and will be developed over a 12 week period.  Following the 12 week development of the Area Plan, a six week public consultation will be held.  No decision on the implementation of the Area Plan will be taken prior to the public consultation.
  
• A question was raised concerning the Craighill Development, in particular concerns in relation to Surface Water Drainage.  Campbell Stewart confirmed that engineers are looking into this issue and that the developers will have to demonstrate that they have considered all repercussions.
  
• In relation to the Craighill Development Cllr Rhind confirmed that a Public Meeting with the Developers has been arranged in Tain Royal Academy on 6 September 2007 at 7.30pm.
  
• It was suggested that specific items relating to local concerns need to be on the agenda of Ward Forums so that the Forum can react to local issues.
• Can questions, submitted from the public two weeks before the meeting, be included on the agenda for future Ward Forum Meetings?  This allows the question to be included on the agenda and also for officers to investigate so that questions can be answered rather than being carried forward to the next meeting.  However, questions can still be submitted up to the meeting and during the meeting if preferred.

11. Date of Next Meeting

The next Meeting of the Tain and Easter Ross Ward Forum will be held on Thursday 4 October 2007 in the Assembly Hall, Tain Royal Academy, Tain at 7.30pm.