Action notes (with updates 20.02.08) of Ward Forum held on 13 December 2007 at 6.00 pm in Culbokie Primary School, Culbokie
Present: Councillors David Alston (Chair), Isobel McCallum, Billy Barclay, and Craig Fraser, Norman MacIver, Avoch and Killen Community Council, Hamish MacCulloch, Ferintosh Community Council, John MacIntosh and Anne Mackay, Killearnan Community Council, Elizabeth Brown and Gwyn Philips, Fortrose and Rosemarkie Community Council, Anne Short and Vivienne Griffiths Cromarty Community Council, Kurtis Toy, Youth Representative, Inspector Pamela Ross (Northern Constabulary), Sue Scott Dickens, Team Leader NHS
Officials and invited guests in attendance: Jim Tolmie, Area Roads and Community Works Manager, Ian Hay, Community Works Manager and Jim Yuill, Principlal Engineer, (HC/Tec Services) , Diane Agnew, Ward Manager (HC/Chief Executive’s) and Edwin Stewart, Transerv Area Manager
Apologies: Donna Haldane, Resolis Community Council, Hamish Gatt and Elaine Jones, Knockbain Community Council, Joy Winnick, Ferintosh Community Council
For Action:
Item 2
Action Notes from previous Ward Forum
Updated action notes which included actions to date were circulated.
Dial a Bus – Community Councils to feedback to Ward Manager their views on:
(a) acceptable deviation from scheduled route e.g. (1 mile?)
(b) no of days for scheduled service vs Dial a Bus
Action to Date: All Community Councils to feedback to Ward Manager – beginning of January 2008. Ward Manager to feedback views to Local Members and Community Councils to David Summers.
Action to Date: David Summers has provided statistics covering useage of Dial a bus on the Black Isle.
Services for Older Adults
Action: Community Council Chair/Secretary to advise Ward Manager of any further nominations to be part of Working Group before the middle of January 2008.
Ward Manager and Cllr David Alston to agree suitable date, time and venue for Working Group to meet and agree way forward (initial scoping meeting).
Action to Date: Provisional date suggested as 30 January 2008 at 2.30 pm in Black Isle Leisure Centre – now confirmed. Working Group: Cllr David Alston, Margaret Leggatt, Kurtis Toy, Joy Winnick, Janet Sayer, Anne Short, Hamish Gatt, Donna Haldane, Susan Russell, Sue Scott Dickens, Larry Wilmot, Di Agnew.
A very well attended meeting has taken place and action notes will be available through link on Ward Web site. Next meeting to take place on 5 March 2008 (afternoon) at Black Isle Leisure Centre – ACTION: Ward Manager
Item 5
Community Safety
Inspector Pamela Ross gave a community safety update on the Ward crime statistics. There were 258 incidents/contacts from the public, 57 crimes or offences, highest % were in Fortrose. Particularly highlighted were the number of road traffic incidents/accidents on the dual carriage way. Northern Constabulary staff on the Black Isle were now up to full strength. Inspector Ross indicated that it was reassuruing to see low levels of crime and and stated that the Black Isle was one of the safetst areas to live in.
Item 4
Main Topic: Roads and Community Works – including Winter Maintenance
Jim Tolmie, Area Roads and Community Works Manager for Ross, Skye and Lochaber outlined the Highland Council’s policy for winter maintenance. Edwin Stewart, Transerv Area Manager gave brief background to the Transerv contract. Documents were ciruculated giving extract of pages 49 – 65 of the Winter Maintenance Routes East of Garve (Area 3)
and selection of maps were displayed.
Action: Ward Manager to arrange for relevant web links on Ward Web site.
Action to Date: Links are now in place.
Cllrs Isobel McCallum questioned why the Mounteagle Road was only a Priority 3 on the map.
Action: Jim Tolmie agreed to undertake a traffic count prior to next year’s winter plan being put in place.
Action to Date: Traffic count currently being undertaken.
Hamish MacCulloch, Ferintosh Community Council enquired about snow clearing on specific link road and whether it was possible for the driver to put the blade down when driving to main route.
Action: Ian Hay, Community Works Officer to look into this and contact Mr MacCulloch. (Ian Hay highlighted that the Council must be careful not to grit small bits of roads as this could give drivers impression that “all” road was gritted).
Action to Date: Ian Hay met with Mr MacCulloch following the meeting
Jim Tolmie / Ian Hay advised that updated leaflet on Roads and Communit Works was at printers and would be available shortly.
Action: Jim Tolmie/Ian Hay to supply leaflets to Ward Manager who will in turn distribute to all Community Councils and Forum Members and place copy on Ward Web Site for all.
Norman MacIver, Avoch and Killen Community Council highlighted problems with overgrown roadside trees and enquired why these were not dealt with and asked what was the Council’s policy on this. There followed a discussion on how landowners such as Forestry Commission could be approached in order to improve situation. Jim Yuill highlighted that in past notices were placed in newspapers asking that landowners cut back overgrowing branches – these were ignored. When a complaint is received it is dealt with.
Action: Community Councillors were asked to help identify landowners (where there is a problem with overhanging branches) and notify Tec Services, Local Members or Ward Manager.
Gwyn Philips, Fortrose and Rosemarkie Community Council requested note of local Community Works Officers contact details.
Action to Date: Jim Tolmie has highlighted that the first point of contact for day to day issues should be the Community Works Officers on 01349 868440 during normal office hours. All are based in the Area Office, Council Offices, High Street, Dingwall, IV15 9QN.
Sam Lowe, Community Works Officer (Grounds Maintenance) 01349 868440
Sandy Marshall, Community Works Officer (Roads) 01349 868440
Katriona Taylor, Community Works Officer (Refuse and Waste) 01349 868440
Ian Hay, Community Works Manager 01349 868440
The Council’s Service Centre telephone number is 01349 886600
The Council’s out of hours telephone number is 0845 700 2005
The Ward Manager’s telephone number is 01349 868477
Action: Jim Tolmie to provide Ward Manager with up to date (day time) contact list for distribution Community Councils before end of January 2008.
Following a lively discussion on National Policy and junctions such as Artifalie, 20 mile an hour limits Jim Tolmie suggested that for a future Ward Forum it may be an idea to invite along Trnsport Scotland (Gordon Sinclair and Bob Mitchell).
Action: Ward Manager and Local Members to arrange.
Action: Cllr Isobel McCallum in contact with Gordon Sinclair, Transport Scotland.
Action to Date: Ward Members meeting with Transport Scotland on 3 March 2008
Mrs Ann Mackay, Killearnan Community Council highlighted that a priority for Roads in Black Isle was the Tore Roundabout and pedestrian safety. Local Members agreed and felt that ways of making the road safer had to be looked at.
Action: Cllr Isobel McCallum, Ward Manager and Edwin Stewart, Transerv to contact Transport Scotland. Ward Manager to send copies of background correspondence to be sent to Edwin Stewart, Transerv.
Action to Date: Paper posted out.
Signs Project – Tore to Inverness
Questions were raised about the spelling of Glakmore / Glaikmore at the Artafalie junction (with or without the “i”).
Action: Edwin Stewart to look into this prior to signeage being put up.
Action to Date: Following research it has been agreed that the “i” should be be used.
Ward Budget
Action: A paper on the Black Isle Ward Discretionary Budget Expenditure was circulated. Ward Manager to place on the Ward web site
Cllr David Alston emphasised that priority would be given to applications for discretionary funding which show that their is match funding in place and the monies are enabling draw down or release of other funds.
Topics and arrangements for future Ward Forum
Action: All to e mail suggestions for the topics for future Ward Forums to the Ward Manager diane.agnew@highland.gov.uk
The next Ward Forum:
Date: Thursday 21 February 2007 @ 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm Venue: Culbokie Primary School
Topic: Services for Young People