Ward 8 –Tain and Easter Ross Ward Forum
Meeting held on Wednesday 9 December 2009
in the Milton Bowling Club
Present:
Cllr Richard Durham (Chair)
Marion Porteous, Inver Community Council
Catherine Inkson, Kilmuir and Logie Easter Community Council
Richard Cross, Nigg and Shandwick Community Council
Janet Wilson, Tarbat Community Council
James Gordon, Fearn Peninsula Partnership
Rose Hazell, KALE Action Group
Maureen Ross, Seaboard Memorial Hall
Chief Insp. Matthew Reiss, Northern Constabulary
David Goldie, HC Head of Housing
Yvonne Kirk, Albyn Housing Society
Gayle Anderson, Albyn Housing Society
Carol Elliot, HC Ward Manager Tain and Easter Ross
4 members of the public
Apologies:
Cllr Alan Torrance
Cllr Alasdair Rhind
Alice Smith, Balintore and Hilton Community Council
John Scott, Fearn Community Council
George Dobbie, Kilmuir and Logie Easter Community Council
Isabell McLaughlin, Milton Housing Forum
Fiona Robertson, Tain Initiative Group
Insp. Ramsay Aitkin, Northern Constabulary
Ian Hargrave, HC Corporate Manager, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
1. Welcome and Introductions
Cllr Durham welcomed everyone to the Forum.
2. Apologies for Absence
As listed above.
3. Community Safety/Police report – Chief Inspector Matthew Reiss, Northern Constabulary.
In the past 2 years there have been lots of changes within the Police so the force is better prepared for efficiency savings/budget cuts that are coming.
At the moment the Northern Constabulary has 805 police officers. This is the most there has ever been. There will be one more intake of recruits and then there will be a hold on recruiting.
The Caithness, Sutherland and East Ross command area is the largest in the force area and in the UK. It has the smallest number of officers per head of population. Northern Constabulary has the highest detection rate and the lowest crime rate in the UK. There are only 3 senior police officers in the command area.
Half of drunk drivers caught are now caught because of tip offs via mobile phones.
Next year 1/3rd of the force’s officers will have less than five years policing experience. What they lack in experience they make up for in enthusiasm.
The Police expect to see a rise in theft of heating oil in future and advise people to fit locks on tanks and fit sensor lights. Also people going on holiday over the festive season should take precautions.
Opportunist thefts take anything that is easily removable such as rolls of fencing.
The public are encouraged to call the Police or Crimestoppers if anything looks out of place.
Nationally, a drink driving campaign has been launched, but locally the Police are always on the look out for this.
A bi-annual survey done with various partners continues to show speeding cars is the public’s number one concern. This survey also helps identify what the public want the police to deal with.
Unmarked cars are being used to catch serious speeders in the force area. It is hoped to use the mobile camera speed van, which is manned by volunteers, to be deployed near schools for part of their time. Suggestions for locations were invited.
In helping tackle drugs, the Police rely on local intelligence and again encourage the public to report any information to either the Police or Crimestoppers.
Remote houses where the curtains are always drawn may turn out to be a cannabis factory.
The Police will also be setting up static road checks at night in villages soon. This will allow them to speak to as many drivers as possible. They will also be on the look out for drunk drivers.
Q – Do you operate neighbourhood speed watch as in some other areas?
A – No, there is nothing like this in the Northern Constabulary area.
Q – Example given of a lone female being stopped at night by the Police in a dark area. She was frightened so only opened her window a little.
A – An officer would immediately suspect drink driving.
4. Ward Update and feedback from the previous Ward Forum.
The Notes from the previous Ward Forum are attached to the agenda.
The LEADER Local Area Partnership met immediately before this Forum. An application from the North Highland Curling Trust to conduct a feasibility study was considered and approved. There was also a fruitful discussion on how to promote LEADER funding in the area.
The Council is carrying out the following consultations across the Highlands:
- Ending Friday 11th December - consultation on The Highland Council’s local transport strategy.
- First Phase of Community Council Review, focusing on CC boundaries. Closes 23 December.
- The subject of this Ward Forum - Development of Highland's Housing Strategy - closing date 31 December 2009.
- Antisocial Behaviour Policy - closing date 12 February 2010.
- Highland Housing Register Revised Allocations Policy - closing date 12 February 2010.
You can get more information by visiting the HC web site.
5. Housing in the Highlands – the Highland Housing Strategy
David Goldie, Head of Housing for the Highland Council.
Every Local Authority is required to set out a Local Housing Strategy. The Highland Council is currently on its 2nd strategy. The next one will run from 2010 to 2015. This time the strategy has been aligned to the Highland Wide Local Development Plan.
The Local Housing Strategy looks at such things as supply of housing e.g. how many homes there are to rent or buy; what can be done to improve private sector housing conditions and what housing support services should be provided. It also looks at what can be done to reduce fuel poverty and energy efficiency.
How much housing is needed and where is measured by doing a housing need and demand assessment. This was done for each of the 10 defined housing market areas in Highland. These assessments also helps inform the Highland Local Development Plan about how much land is needed to deliver housing needs. It also helps inform the Affordable Housing Policy, showing how many homes are needed for sale or rent.
In the Easter Ross housing market area housing is relatively more affordable but incomes are lower. There is a relatively good supply of houses but there will be more demand over the next 5 years.
In the last 5 years 57 affordable houses have been delivered but in future public sector spending may not be the same. Resources will be targeted where there are the most housing shortages. Also, more homes need to be built for rent. The current suspended ‘right to buy’ in some areas may be extended.
The Highlands is the 5th highest area of Fuel Poverty in Scotland. This has a lot to do with climate, lack of fuel choice and house construction site.
Albyn Housing Society has recently completed 55 units in the Ward. As there has been considerable investment in this ward over the last couple of years there are other areas which are now deemed to be a higher priority for investment.
Q – Has the number of people to be employed at Nigg in the future been taken into consideration?
A – Significant projected changes in housing demand as a result of economic development can be taken into account in annual reviews of the strategy.
Q – Can you put the shortfall of houses in to context?
A – The method of predicting this is complicated. Various factors are taken in to consideration including affordability, turnover, population changes and what proportion of the population want to rent. Over the last 5 years it was assessed the Highland wide shortage of housing was 1000 per annum. But delivery peaked at 500 per annum.
Comment – Portmahomack has been very pleased with the Albyn houses provided in the village.
Q – Do private developers use ratios to their advantage so they don’t have to build more affordable housing?
A – Developers have to apply the policy if they are building over 10 houses. The Council is considering lowering the allocation or having developers pay compensation towards units elsewhere.
Q – Locally, people are interested in forest crafts and using natural resources and materials for living off and for building houses. Can there be a commitment to this concept? Self build houses should be included in the Strategy and the benefits from it.
A – ACTION 1 – David Goldie to speak to contacts given to find out more.
ACTION 2 – Yvonne Kirk to see if a log house can be used at the Scottish Housing Expo at Milton of Leys.
Q – What is the Council doing to address Fuel Poverty?
A – There is a programme of work to improve heating and insulation in the Council’s own housing by 2015. The Scottish Government has priorities for everyone.
The Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centre based in Inverness can also give advise on energy efficiency (Tel 0800 512 012).
Albyn Housing Society is also identifying their homes which are not up to standard and need work done. They are also looking at what they can do to help tenants. Air source heat pumps have been installed in houses built in the Ward recently.
All new builds need to have one renewable energy source in the house.
Comment – It would be interesting to compare same house types using the same fuel but different types of insulation. A recent conference attended reported burning logs has been shown to be the best source of heating (info from Highland Birchwoods). ACTION 3 – Information to be passed to David Goldie.
Q – It is laudable to consider innovative ideas but they don’t help with the current problems. Example given of family in inadequate accommodation. Surely we should focus on the basics?
A – Highland Council has a bid in to the Scottish Government for funding to build 50 new Council houses. We need to look at current and future solutions. Having the housing debt removed would help.
Q – Is affordable housing having any effect on the waiting list?
A – Yes in smaller communities where it has been possible to develop new housing. Overall it is not denting the problem. There are over 10,000 people on the Highland Housing Register in need of a house for various reasons. 2000 people per annum present themselves as homeless. On average 1000 house become available for let each year.
Q – How many are in Bed and Breakfast emergency accommodation?
A – Over 250 people per night.
Q – How is this paid for?
A – People are charged rent for temporary accommodation. A proportion is paid for by housing benefit where clients are eligible.
Q – Does Planning allow for innovative building?
A – They are open to it.
6. Date, location and topic of next Ward Forum
Thursday 25 February 2010 7pm for 7.30pm. Carnegie Hall, Portmahomack. The host Community Council will be Tarbat.
Theme: The Council’s role in Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Harbours. If there are subjects in particular you would like covered please send questions in advance to the Ward Manager.
As always – Can Community Councils and other Ward Forum member groups ensure you gather views from your communities on these items via your own agendas to feed into discussions.
7. Public Question and Answer session.
None.
8. Thanks for attending.
Cllr Durham thanked Kilmuir and Logie Easter CC for organising the refreshments.
We would remind members of the public they can see the notes from this Ward Forum and information about future Ward Forums on the Highland Council’s Web site.