Agenda
Nairn Ward Forum/Nairnshire Partnership
Action Note of Ward Forum/Nairnshire Partnership held on 23rd April, 2008, at the Court House, Nairn, at 6.00p.m.
Attendees
Provost Liz MacDonald, Nairn Ward, Highland Council (Chair) (LM)
Councillor Laurie Fraser, Nairn Ward, Highland Council (LF)
Councillor Graham Marsden, Nairn Ward, Highland Council ((GM)
Councillor A.S. Park, Nairn Ward, Highland Council (SP)
Sheena Baker, Association of Nairn Businesses (SB)
Inspector David Bushell, Northern Constabulary (DB)
Ed Chambers, Council for Voluntary Service Nairn (EC)
Louise Clark, Ward Manager, Highland Council (LC)
John Mackie, Chairman, Nairn Suburban Community Council (JM)
Campbell Mair, Practice Manager, Lodgehill Clinic (CM)
Jack Starke, Chairman, Auldearn Community Council (JS)
Mrs J Tolmie, Chairperson, Nairn River Community Council (JT)
Mrs. M. Robertson, Cawdor Community Council (MR)
Iain Fairweather, Tourism Sector (IF)
In attendance: Geoff Robson, Head of Environment, Planning & Development Service, and Duncan Aitchison, Principal Technician TECS, Design Team, Highland Council.
1. Apologies:
L. Bow, Nairn Access Panel
J. P. Sieczkarek, NHS Highland
William Gilfillan, Corporate Manager, INB&S, Highland Council
Anna Dougan, Nairn Youth Forum
2. Nairn Streetscape
The Chairman introduced this item by confirming that although the item was being taken in the Nairnshire Partnership section of the meeting, the public were welcome to ask questions at the end of the presentation.
She also thanked David Ross, Ross Outdoors, for taken the time to suggest further amendments to the streetscape on the Brae.
She then introduced Geoff Robson, Head of Environment, Planning & Development Service, and Duncan Aitchison, TECS Design Team. GR updated the meeting on the streetscape project. Although a good number attended the public exhibition in the Community Centre, there had been a disappointing number of written responses. Overall respondents were in agreement with materials, wider pavements and traffic calming to reduce traffic to 20mph on the High Street.
• There was little support for a left hand turn only at the bottom of the Brae so the traffic flow would remain as existing.
• 60% liked Option C’s flush carriageway but this was a particular problem for the roads engineers as this could create a problem for guide dogs and drainage and there might be conflict between pedestrians and drivers so there would not be a flush surface.
• Loss of parking provision on the High Street if pavements were widened was not supported by the majority.
• The location of disabled parking bays on the High Street was well supported. To a lesser extent were the locations of street furniture.
• Disabled parking on the Brae.
• The carriageway on the Brae would be 3.5m wide with the pavements 2m wide, apart from where the loading bay was located.
• Respondents are generally supportive of the choice of both materials and colours on the Brae and the High Street.
• The vast majority of respondents agree with the need for wider pavements (particularly on the Brae) and for traffic calming measures to reduce traffic speeds on the High Street to under 20mph.
• “No Parking” on the Brae (apart from for residents and deliveries) was well supported.
The second plan he circulated indicated the types of design to form kerbing. He also thanked David Ross for his positive contributions.
Questions
• JT asked about a 20mph speed limit on the Brae. GR advised there would be 20mph speed limit with a sign but no road markings.
• JT voiced concern about granite being used. GR replied the Council had been involved in other streetscapes and they would be using materials where they had not experienced problems.
• Asked about the small kerb upstand, the Chairman confirmed the Nairn Access Panel had been consulted and they had specifically commented on the railings, raised pavement and disabled parking.
• GM mentioned that one main criticism of the existing set-up was the narrowness of pavements and asked if a loading bay was essential as one pavement would not be very wide in that area. The Chairman thought a loading bay was important for the businesses and it would serve the whole of the Brae including residents.
• Asked about the size of blocks, DA confirmed that these would be 4” square and set in mortar and would be easier to clean.
• DA confirmed the roadway at 3.5m allowed sufficient room for the biggest legal articulated lorry in Britain.
• The meeting thought the edging options should be left to the technicians.
• SB asked when it would commence. GR advised the traffic order would have to be promoted but the period up to Christmas would be avoided. Work would start at the end of January with completion before Easter. The Brae would be done in two stages.
The streetscape was then formally endorsed by the Partnership.
3. Minute of previous meeting - approved as a true record.
4. Matters arising
4.1 Tourism/Events Group. IF confirmed that a meeting had been arranged for 12th May in the Court House to look at setting up a tourism association.
The meeting would be open to any business.
4.2 Tourist Information Centre. LC confirmed the Community Centre staff had been through their training and they were just waiting for the display panels from Visitscotland.
5. Nairn Town Centre Redevelopment
LC advised there was very little to report except that the 30-day period for Somerfield to lodge their planning application would not be up until mid May.
6. Sandown Lands. LC reported a similar position here with no planning application lodged to date.
7. A96 Corridor and Nairn By-Pass.
The Convener advised there was nothing new to report from the previous meeting but the study should be coming out in June/July. However, he took every opportunity to remind Scottish Ministers. He thought the time to set up an action group would be after the study had been published.
8. Leader+ Programme. Although the procedures were not in place except that each area must have a Community Plan before qualifying for funding, LC suggested that a Project Group be formed to apply for 100% funding for the Community Plan to avoid any further delays. This was agreed. The Project Group would be Cllr. MacDonald, Ed Chambers and Louise Clark.
9. Any other competent business
9.1 Community Development Officer - Project update. In response to certain points raised by the youth representatives at the last meeting, Ed Chambers wanted to report on some work being undertaken by Helen Guy, Community Development Officer:-
• She had suggested that a Jobs Board be installed in the Youth Café. As a follow on from this idea and discussions with the Youth Worker, letters were being sent to all local shops and businesses asking them to inform when they had vacancies. These will be displayed in the Youth Café and the young people can then ask for assistance with CVs, interview techniques etc.
• HG had enquired into the possibility of films shows in the Community Centre. The Manager had been looking into this already but they would not be new releases and the question was, would the young people be interested when they had probably already watched these or could get them on discs?
• The Little Theatre had provision for showing DVDs and the possibility was that the young people could get together and have a movie night with their own films. This would require supervision.
• The Sailing Club offered courses throughout the summer.
• The Youth Theatre Project - HG met Shona MacDonald (Highland Council) to investigate the possibility of getting a Youth Drama Worker to run the project.
• CVS Nairn produces and publishes a “What’s On” for the area. HG had suggested that a “Junior What’s On” may be a possibility. This would contain information on all events, courses etc. running in Nairn. This would require funding as it could be time consuming.
• The Camera Club project for 2009 will require the assistance of young people to help with taking photographs of Nairn
• The “Happiness Garden” required volunteers to help. Could this be an opportunity for the youth?
• Youth organisations had waiting lists simply because there was a distinct lack of volunteer leaders.
9.2 BT Payphone Consultation. LC advised she had received notice that day of payphones up for proposed closure - Glenferness, Camperdown Road and Fraser Park. She circulated details to the Community Councils and undertook to contact Debbie McBean. Insp. Bushell advised he would pass his comments to LC on the public safety aspects.
9.3 Youth Forum. SB thought the Academy should be encouraged to provide a youth representative once Anna goes to university. LC to contact Jean Godden.
10. Minute of previous Ward Forum held on 27th February, 2008 was approved as a true record.
11. Matters arising.
11.1 Funding streams available to Community. LC circulated details on Cashback for Communities Fund 2008 – 10.
11.2 Youth Matters. LC reported it had been agreed that the Youth Worker would meet with the Youth Forum to identify two priorities.
11.3 Harbour Street. The Provost advised that the maintenance programme was not available as yet but that Harbour Street would be resurfaced. LC to check what happened to the palm trees.
11.4 Erosion of Nairn’s coastal dunes. There was a formal answer on the question and answer sheet.
11.5 (14.5) 20/30mph signage at Rosebank Primary School. Insp. Bushell advised he was happy that the signage was proper and legal. There was comment that a sign was being obscured by a hedge. LC to follow up.
1.6 Funfair at Links. There had been no further contact from the funfair proprietor. The Provost confirmed the August “Showies” would not be open on a Sunday.
12. Nairn Ward Discretionary Budget. LC reported:-
The following projects had been reported at previous meetings:-
Nairn Academy - Pupils’ charity run £350.00
Nairn & District Pipe Band £1,500.00
RNLI - stands £200.00
Maggot Car Park £15,562.00
Nairn & District Flower Show £500.00
Fornighty Hall for legal fees £716.42
Delnies/Altonburn Path (strimming/cutting back gorse) £560.00
Floodlighting Fisherwoman Statue £358.10
Nairn Highland Games Banners £211.50
Safer Routes to School (launch of DVD) £164.00
Nairn Access Panel – leaflet £658.82
Drop kerbs/slabs at Fisherwoman statue. £1,500.00
Winter Procession - Inspire’s Community Project £3,500.00
Final allocations for 2007 - 08
Nairnshire Partnership – website upgrade and training. £500.00
Nairn Citizens’ Advice Bureau – Temporary Welfare Officer £2,000.00
Nairn & District Gardening Club - Gardening Scotland £150.00
Nairn Play Parks £28,028.00
Giving a final total of £56,458.84.
13. Community Safety.
Insp.Bushell reported that there were no particular trends of crime at the moment, just youngsters drinking, anti-social behaviour and vandalism while the boy racers were creeping in again.
Operation Magna was continuing into the spring and summer. There were high visible patrols looking out for youngsters in particular.
It was of some concern that a 14 year old girl was rushed to hospital and had to have her stomach pumped due to alcohol. This has led to an enquiry into where the alcohol had been bought. The problem was not getting better and the police were doing their best with available resources but they were trying to get the message across by going to the schools and youth clubs.
With lighter nights, boy racers were appearing throughout town. Officers had recently seized a vehicle. He wanted to encourage the public to contact the police if they came across boy racers.
Nairn was now part of the new East Division under the command of David O’Connor.
With the new connection with Inverness, there was the opportunity to get teams in plain clothes through to go to specific hot spots. He would be able to tap into the services of 120 officers.
The Provost asked about the possibility of midnight football and was there any intention to introduce the blue light discos to Nairn? He confirmed disco plans were in progress.
SB asked what responsibility lay with parents? DB replied that they can report parents to the Procurator Fiscal if there was an indication of neglect or harm to a child but there was a certain difficulty in criminal law when that child is drunk and not under the control of their parents. If younger children were involved, then the police would liaise with Social Work and they would look at measures to be put in place to ensure a child was in a safe environment.
Traffic hold-ups. LF advised traffic problems in Nairn had been raised by Members with Bear Scotland at a meeting the previous week which included hold-ups at the roundabout.
Police representation. Jeanne Tolmie wished to record her appreciation that there was a continuing police presence at the Community Council meetings.
14. Open Question and Answer Session.
14.1 Extension of the current public bus system to include Fishertown, Boath Park and Broadhill. In Jean-Pierre Sieczkarek’s absence, CM thought it was a good opportunity to highlight traffic issues wider than the hospital. He would take back comments from the meeting to his colleagues in Community Transport and the Premises Project Team to see if there was any scope to extend the service particularly with respect to hospital visiting times.
The Provost suggested getting feedback from David Summers (Transport. Development Officer, Highland Council). Currently the dial-a-bus was restricted to country areas.
JM thought the current transport arrangements needed a completely new rethink with Hitrans as local public transport was difficult to access.
14.2 Riverside paths. Murd Dunbar mentioned the broken fence at Whinnieknowe and asked for more litter bins/dog bins at the riverside.
14.3 Giant Hogweed and Japanese knotweed. There was also comment about hogweed and Japanese knotweed taking over the vegetation at the riverside and was there a hogweed eradication programme?
SB advised this had been brought up under Green & Beautiful Nairn when legislation was going through the Scottish Parliament. The problem was the onus is on private landowner. The Provost advised TECS did undertake some spraying every year on the riverside.
14.4 Dutch elm disease trees. JT asked if the trees with Dutch Elm disease could be moved or burned on the spot. JS thought they could not be moved as there was a concern it might spread.
15. Date of next meeting - Wednesday, 24th September at 6.00p.m. in the Court House, Nairn.