Ward 8 –Tain and Easter Ross Ward Forum
Meeting held on Thursday 6 March 2008
in Fearn Hall, Fearn

Present: 


Cllr Alasdair Rhind (Chair)
Cllr Alan Torrance 
Cllr Richard Durham
George Dobbie, Kilmuir and Logie Easter Community Council
Angus Scobbie, Balintore and Hilton Community Council
Anne MacKay - Tarbat Community Council
Richard Cross, Chairperson – Nigg & Shandwick Community Council
John Scott, Chairperson – Fearn Community Council
Liz Whiteford - Fearn Peninsula Partnership
Sergeant Keith Robb - Northern Constabulary
Inspector Neil MacKinnon – Northern Constabulary
Caroline MacAskill - Ward Manager Tain & Easter Ross
17 Members of the Public

 

Apologies :


Ian Hargrave, Corporate Manager – Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Tina Luxton, Housing and Property Services Manager – Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
KALE Action Group
Hamish Mackenzie - Tarbat Community Council
Billy MacKenzie, Inver Community Council
Fiona Robertson, Tain initiative Group

 

1. Cllr Rhind welcomed the Forum and Members of the Public to the Tain and Easter Ross Ward Forum.  Cllr Rhind introduced the Forum to the Members of the Public.

 

2. Feedback on Action Points from Forums held on 23 August, 4 October and 22 November 2007 and 31 January 2008

 

Feedback from Council Services on Action Points raised at previous Ward Forums is contained in Appendix 1.

 

3. Housing Development and Housing Allocations – Talk by Caroline MacAskill, Ward Manager – Tain and Easter Ross
 

Cllr Rhind passed on apologies from Tina Luxton, Housing and Property Services Manager who was unable to attend the Ward Forum meeting.

 

As information had been provided by the Housing and Property Services Manager to the Ward Manager details of the information that had been received was distributed to the Forum.  The information included:

• Demand for Easter Ross Lettings area by area
• Total stock available in each of the villages/towns in Tain and Easter Ross.
  This information was provided on the total stock which was then broken
  down into the size of properties available.
• The development that is currently being completed including details of who
  owns the land, the Developer/Partner and the Planning status.
• A location plan for the properties being built in Fearn and details of the
  properties that are to be built
• The phases for the developments at Scotsburn, Tain

 

Caroline went on to explain that the Highland Housing Register would be introduced on 1 April 2008 – this is a common allocations policy, a common application form, a common medical assessment process and a shared computer system.  This will provide a single register of Housing Need across the Highlands.  The partners of the Highland Housing Register include the Highland Council, Albyn Housing Society, Cairn Housing Association, Lochaber Housing Association, Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association and Pentland Housing Association.   All applicants who are currently on the Councils Waiting List need to complete a new application to be included on the Highland Housing Register.

 

Caroline explained that the points allocated to an application determine housing need and the higher the number of points the higher the housing need.

 

In addition Caroline advised that the Highland Council’s Programme for the Administration will ensure that 2,000 affordable houses for rent and low cost home ownership will be built over the next 4 years.  The Scottish Government have also highlighted that housing will be one of their priorities during their term of office.

 

Discussion followed the talk with the following being  raised:

• Demand for Housing – great strides have been made to redress the situation
• The Highland Council is working hard to address the lack of affordable
  housing
• Albyn Housing to be asked to provide more information in relation to
  Community Lettings Initiative
• Separate statistics for demand for housing in Portmahomack and Fearn are to
  be requested
• Houses can lie empty for 5,6 or 7 months and the Council does not know
  that they are empty
• The points system and how the number of points to be allocated was arrived
  at needs to be explained.
• It appears that there is more emphasis on homeless than local people
• Options other then social rented housing are available to people who require
  affordable housing

 

4. Community Safety

 

Inspector Neil MacKinnon and Sergeant Keith Robb attended the forum to discuss Community Safety and in particular vandalism.

 

Sergeant Robb provided some statistics and information in relation to vandalism :

 

• 40% of vandalism is against vehicles the majority of which are parked outside
  the owners house
• The majority of vandalism is committed by people under 21 and the reasons
  given include alcohol, jealousy and looking for revenge
• In 2007 there were 64 incidents in Tain and 36 outside of Tain – compared
  to Aviemore which had 119 incidents and Invergordon which had 165
  incidents
• Vandalism is hard to detect without assistance and 33-34% of cases
  nationwide result in prosecution
• Preventative measures include – additional police patrols, involvement of the
  public, reporting offenders, Anti Social Behaviour Orders, Acceptable
  Behaviour Contracts, CCTV, additional lighting and neighbourhood watch.
• Diversion schemes include – Youth Clubs, Centres and Youth Cafés

 

Vandalism is a difficult problem for communities and the police need help and support – identifying the perpetrators of the crime is not enough as evidence will be required if the matter progresses to Court/Children’s Panel.  Very often communities will know before the police who committed the crime but there can be fear within the community of repercussion for reporting incidents.

 

Inspector Neil MacKinnon assured the Forum that the number of officers based in Tain (there are 12 Officers who provide 24 hour policing) will not reduce in any way following the recent restructure which has Tain and Easter Ross now within the command based in Dornoch.  The restructure is to improve policing and the overall aim is that Northern Constabulary will increase by 750 officers by 2010.

 

5. Ward Discretionary Budget

 

Information relating to the Ward Discretionary Budget is provided in Appendix 2 (PDF).  The Highland Council agreed at the meeting on 14 February 2008 to increase the Ward Discretionary Budget allocation by 5% for 2008/2009.  The new budget will be allocated from 1 April 2008 (total budget allocation £1.313m across 22 Wards).  Applications to be submitted from communities should be for projects which would benefit the community.
 

6. Members Leaflet

 

Amendments have been made to the Members leaflet in light of the comments made at the last Ward Forum. 

 

The Ward Forum adopted the leaflet following the changes.  The leaflet will now be produced in an improved format and distributed to Community Councils and Service Points.

 

7. Themes and Topics for Inclusion on Future Ward Forum Agendas

 

Members of the Ward Forum were advised that they could ask for any themes or topics of mutual interest to be included on future agendas. 

 

A request was made that the Elected Members feedback on discussion and decisions that take place at the Highland Council Headquarters Strategic Committees and Council Meetings.

 

This request will be discussed at the Weekly Business Meeting when the Elected Members and Ward Manager meet.

 

A request was made that updates or discussion relating to Nigg Fabrication Yard is fedback through the Forum.

 

8. Date, Location and Topic of Next Ward Forum

 

The next Ward Forum will be on Thursday 24 April 2008 at 7.30pm at Inver Hall, Inver.  Tina Luxton, Housing and Property Services Manager will be asked to come to the next Ward Forum.  Albyn Housing Society will also be invited to attend.

 

The following Ward Forum will be on Thursday 29 May 2008 which Squadron Leader John Gilbert will attend to give a presentation on the need for low flying training by the RAF. 

 

10. AOCB

 

A Policy and Information Briefing Note was available at the forum.  The Briefing Note provides details by Ward of House Building in 2007.

 

A review of Ward Forums is to be completed in the coming months and a questionnaire will be sent to all Members of the Ward Forum.  The information from the review will tie in with the Review, to be carried out by back bench Members that has been agreed by the Highland Council’s Administration.  Details of the Proposed Review and Suggested Terms of Reference for the Review were distributed to the Forum.

 

9. Questions and Action Points

 

There were no questions submitted in advance of the Ward Forum Meeting.

 

Questions and information from the members of the Public who attended the meeting included:

 

• Is there a clause included in the Title Deeds when land or property is sold as
  affordable housing to ensure that it remains affordable?

• A meeting is to be held at Portmahomack Harbour with the Highland Council
  Harbours Manager, Portmahomack Harbours Action Group, and Cllr Torrance
  on Friday 14 March 2008 to discuss the proposed reclassification.
• Residents in Fearn were advised 2 years ago that front fencing would be
  provide for Council owned properties – when will the front fencing be
  installed?

 

Action Points

 

• Information was requested on the demand for housing in Fearn and
  Portmahomack

• Albyn Housing Society to be invited to attend next Tain and Easter Ross
  Ward Forum

• Housing and Property Services to be contacted for clarification relating to
  clauses included in Title Deeds which relate to affordable housing

• Housing and Property Services to be contacted in relation to the installation
  of front fencing for Council properties at Fearn.