Action notes of Ward Forum held on 21 February 2008 at 6.00 pm in Culbokie Primary School, Culbokie
Present: Councillors Isobel McCallum (Chair), David Alston, Billy Barclay and Craig Fraser, Hugh MacLennan, Resolis Community Council, Hamish MacCulloch, David Scarr, Joy Winnick, Ferintosh Community Council, Martin Gill, Avoch and Killen Community Council, Owen Smith and Hamish Gatt, Knockbain Community Council, John Mackintosh and Anne C Mackay, Killearnan Community Council, Jennifer Barclay (Fortrose and Rosemarkie Community Council and representing Fortrose Youth Café), Elizabeth Brown, James Cornwall, Fortrose and Rosemarkie Community Council, Anne Short, Cromarty and District Community Council, Donna Haldane, Resolis Community Council, Sue Scott Dickins, Black Isle Team Leader (NHS Highland), Kurtis Toy, Youth Representative, Wanda Mackay, representing the Voluntary Youth Sector, Cromary Action for Young People, Inspector Pamela Ross and Community Safety Officer, Carrie Shanks Northern Constabulary.
Invited Guests and Officials in attendance: Gillian Sinclair, Highland Youth Convenor, Simon Jeffrey, Area Youth Development Officer, Ross, Skye and Lochaber and Douglas Simpson, Head Teacher, Fortrose Academy, (HC, Education, Culture and Sport Service) and Diane Agnew, Ward Manager
Apologies: Susan Russell (NHS)
For Action:
Item 2
Action Notes from previous Ward Forum
Updated action notes which included actions to date were circulated and approved.
Action: Ward Manager to draft response to David Summers on the views of Ward Members and Community Councillors on Dial a Bus as to acceptable deviation from scheduled route (approx one mile) and preferred days for scheduled bus service vs Dial a bus (extract e mail attached).
“….. following information on the 3 months useage analysis and consultation with Community Councils and the matter being discussed and taken forward in Action Points at the Ward Forums the feeling of the Black Isle Weekly Business Meeting (made up of the 4 Black Isle Local Members) is that
MONDAYS: Scheduled (but allowing for minor deviation)
TUESDAYS: Flexible
WEDNESDAY: Flexible
THURSDAY: Flexible
FRIDAY: Scheduled (but still allowing for minor deviation)
As you said in your presentation the service must be clearly defined and properly advertised - we look forward to hearing from you once you have completed negotiations with Stagecoach and would like to offer our assistance with the distribution of the publicity and links onto the ward web site”
Item 3
Main Topic: Services for Young People
Action: All to note. Simon Jeffrey thanked the many people from the Black Isle who are volunteers who work with young people and recognised that without the time and commitment and very hard work put in by those people much of the youth development work would not be happening or sustainable. A paper entitled Black Isle Secondary Youth Audit (29kb) was circulated.
Action: Ward Manager and Simon Jeffrey to arrange for all documents and useful links to be put on the Ward Web Site.
Action to Date: Links now in place.
Action: All to note. Chair reported that at ECS Committee it was agreed there will be an input at Ward level to any review on youth service provision.
Action: Simon Jeffrey and Black Isle Youth Officer for Black Isle to further progress the Youth Audit for the Black Isle and incorporate findings of Ward Forum into Black Isle Youth Development Plan.
Members of the Forum were asked for suggested priorities for youth services in the Black Isle. Suggestions which were put forward were:
• Fortrose Community Arts Venue – increased use for theatre and cinema
• Transport – connecting villages and Inverness
• Subsidised travel throughout Black Isle (mini buses)
• Whole Day and Week End Activities
• Black Isle Swimming Pool
• Trips – such as Rollerball
• More Youth Clubs / Youth Cafes
• Equipment for Youth Cafes
• Fortrose Academy – Climbing Wall
• More publicity of activities already available in the Black Isle
• Access to School Mini Buses
• Assistance from HC with Mini Bus Training and Tests for voluntary sector
• Visits by Youth Workers to various communities throughout Black Isle (Avoch, North Kessock, Munlochy, Culbokie, Tore etc.)
• Recruitment of volunteers and Sessional Youth Workers
Action: Youth Development Worker and Youth Development Team. To continue to work in partnership with the school and to undertake pilot for one term – school mini bus to be available for 2 nights a week (Block Booking of Mini Bus by Youth Development Team)
Action: Youth Development Team and newly appointed Community Facilities Manager for the Black Isle Leisure Centre and Head Teacher to increase useage of the Black Isle Community Arts Venue for young people.
Action: Community Facilities Manager and Youth Development Officer to establish a Youth Night (frequency about once a month) – Friday evening suggested.
Action: Youth Development Officer for Black Isle and Wanda Mackay, Youth Worker with (Cromarty Youth Action Group) to investigate funding opportunities – Children in Need, Awards for All, Princes Trust…….
Action to Date: Actions now part of individuals work plans.
Action: Youth Development Team to produce a publicity flyer and poster to promote what is happening in the Black Isle for young people.
Action: Ward Manager, Kurtis Toy to set up a Working Group on Black Isle Youth Services to progress the interest shown by young people of having a youth group in Culbokie.
Action to Date: A group has been set up which is Chaired by Kurtis Toy, Youth Representative on the Forum. The Group have now met three times. At the moment the group have concentrated on youth services in Culbokie. When this has developed it is anticipated that the Group will then concentrate on other areas of the black Isle where there is a lack of access to services for young people.
The Group:
• have circulated Black Isle Youth Services Questionnaire (106kb) to young people on the Black Isle seeking their views and aspirations of youth services on the Black Isle
• are currently evaluating the responses to the questionnaires
• investigating the availability of venues for hire for use by youth group
• discussing way forward to encourage more volunteers to come forward to assist with development of a youth group
• are actively securing funding
• supporting the development and training of volunteers
• talks have taken place with Princes Trust and other funders and applications now submitted
Item 4
Community Safety
Inspector Pamela Ross gave an update on the restructure of the command area.
Action: Inspector Pamela Ross, Community Safety Officer, Carrie Shanks, Kurtis Toy, Cllr Billy Barclay and Cllr Craig Fraser to attend the Blue Light Disco Briefing Meeting at Ross County Victoria Park, Dingwall.
Action to Date: All attended Blue Light Briefing Meeting and feedback very positive. All to note that Inspector Mathew Reiss will be taking up post in April and will be in attendance at the Forum on 17 April 2008.
Item 6
Dates, venues and topics for future Ward Forums
Action: All to note. The next Ward Forum will be held on Thursday 17 April, 2008 6.00 – 8.00 pm in Munlochy Village Hall with the Topic for discussion being Planning.
Item 7
AOB
Boundary Commission
Action: Ward Manager to send out link to Boundaries Commission to Community Council contacts.
Action to Date: Action complete. Highland Council report attached for information Item 12 HC-52-07.pdf (64kb).
Education, Culture and Sport Service
Question raised by Jim Gaitens as to the Council’s decision on budget for 2008/09 and the impact of this as a result of the budget reductions – 2 posts are in Ross and Cromarty.
Action: Ward Manager to contact Education, Culture and Sport Service for further clarification.
Action to Date: Ward Manager contacted Ian Murray, Head of Community Learning and Leisure who feedback as below:
“The council has had a difficult series of decisions to take this year in order to bring in a balanced budget. The Education Culture and Sport Service alone had options for savings of over £10m examined by the Council’s Administration, over several months, leading to final savings, agreed by the full Council, of over £5m.
The Council has employed two part time specialist arts workers in the Ross and Cromarty Area since 1996, although they have been active through R&C District Council before that. It is now clear that the Council will not be able expand this Service to cover all parts of the Highland and has decided to remove these posts as an equalisation issue, as part of the budget process for the coming year.
I don’t believe that this reduces the value the Council places on the work of the staff concerned, nor the desire to continue to promote culture. Indeed, the Council has been keen to create a budget of £600k, which it is hoped will be augmented by others, for a continuing partnership with HIE, the Scottish Government and others to take forward the legacy of Highland 2007. This fund will be available for community groups and organisers of events and festivals to apply for, the draft criteria for which will be placed before the 2007 Board on the 1st May. [The Board consists of the convenor, vice convenor and Chief Executive of the Council, the Chairman and Chief Executive of HIE, a senior Scottish Government civil servant and representatives of Eventscotland and Visitscotland].”