Inverness West Ward Forum
Council Chambers, Glenurquhart Road
11 June 2009
Attendance
David Haas, City Manager – Chair
Robert Taylor
Robert Patton, Principal Officer – Land
Chief Inspector Julian Innes, Area Commander Northern Constabulary
Acting Chief Inspector Colin Gough, Northern Constabulary
David Polson, Area Planning and Building Standards Manager
Councillor Alex Graham
D. McWilliams, Inverness West Community Council
G. D. Greig, Inverness West Community Council
(and eight members of the public)
Actions – Debbie Maguire – Presentation
The following points were raised:
Q - Grading of streets and response times – applicability to City Centre.
A- DM confirmed that Inverness City Centre streets are grade A so squads are deployed quickly to deal with any issues. Further, some areas of the City have their grading changed depending on the season.
Q - Councillor Graham questioned the resources deployed in the Ward.
A - DM confirmed that whilst no information on waste collection could be given, there were:
3 dedicated personnel for street cleaning duties on a daily basis:
1 Gully Sucker:
1 Street Sweeper Machine.
Grounds Maintenance support was provided on a rota basis:
The Bught Nursery employed 6 staff.
Q - Could the Gum Buster be deployed within the Ward?
A - DM confirmed that consideration would be given to deploying available machinery to other parts of the City, including residential areas within Ward 14. It was noted that attention was needed to the area around the Charleston Court shops.
Q - Recycling – a four weekly collection is not enough.
A - DM confirmed that she would take the issue back to the Waste Team with a view to increasing the number of collections.
• Additionally DM confirmed that enforcement will be undertaken with regard to littering and dog fouling, 3 new dog bins being deployed noting that the area along Kinmylies Way was a particular concern and would speak to British Waterways.
PT confirmed that offenders would be targeted. In particular businesses with overflowing waste bins would be given legal notices to comply in the event that they did not comply with the original advice.
Actions - Robert Patton - Presentation
Q - On being asked what the safe height for trees was near a house.
A - RP confirmed that trees should be at least 20 metres away from a house or new developments. Existing trees are evaluated depending on height, age and type, each case on its own merit.
Q - On being asked about Leylandi hedges and controls to be applied.
A - RP confirmed that there is no law in Scotland at this time although the law currently applicable in England and Wales is being evaluated.
• Mention was made of a redundant section of the A96 (outside the Ward) and that someone had been planting without permission adjacent to it. The area was to be identified and RP was to investigate.
Q - On being asked about overhanging trees,
A - RP confirmed that these branches can be cut back to the boundary however the off cuts must be offered back to the tree owner – this also applies to tree roots however action must not be taken to cause the tree to be unstable.
Police Briefing
Acting Police Inspector Colin Gough confirmed:
A change in shift pattern allows for call demand to be in line with times of high demand:
• Anti social behaviour – in particular neighbour disputes are an issue:
• Underage drinking is being targeted with test purchasing schemes being implemented.
Q - On being asked about the Youth Shelter by Councillor Munro,
A - CG confirmed that the Police were very supportive of it and hoped that it would continue because it gave the opportunity to monitor the behaviour of young people to give fact based information. Further, there had been no increase in anti social behaviour due to the presence of the Youth Shelter.
It was noted that the number of Youths congregating outside the Community Complex in the evening hours had reduced.
Q - On being asked, JI confirmed that licensees would get a warning and if offences continued they would have to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal and the Licensing Board. It was noted that some licensed premises used a voluntary ’21’ limit.
General Points raised included –
• The need to plant more spring flowers in various locations within the Ward.
• Action Point - that a letter of congratulations be sent to the Grounds Maintenance Team on their achievement of the work done within the Ward to date.
• DM confirmed that the policy of planting up roundabouts with wild flowers would continue.
• DP confirmed that the August Planning, Environment and Development Committee will decide on potential changes to the Housing in the Countryside policy which currently applies to applications for new homes and the change of use to existing developments.
Action Point – The Sheriff Court to be contacted with a view to clarifying that the facilities at the Court House had full disabled access. Sheila McLaughlin had mentioned that on a recent visit to the Court that she had found that there was no appropriate disabled access to the first floor.
It was agreed that the Sheriff Clerk would be contacted and Mrs McLaughlin informed of the position.
Date of next forum – 8 September 2009 time to be adjusted to 6.00pm for 6.30pm
The forum concluded at 9pm.