Action Note of Ward Forum held on 27th February 2008, at Inshes Primary School at 7 p.m.
Attendees
Cllr Roy Pederson – Highland Council (Chair)
Cllr Thomas Prag – Highland Council
Cllr Jim Crawford – Highland Council
Cllr John Holden – Highland Council
Malcolm Raeburn – Inverness Community Safety Officer – Northern Constabulary
Sgt Vince Tough – Northern Constabulary
Robert Roberts – Inverness South Community Council
Veronica Mitchell – Inverness South Community Council
Catriona Johnson – Westhill Community Council
Hector Robertson – Education, Culture & Sport – Highland Council
Nicola Drummond – Planning & Development – Highland Council
Sean Danaher – Property & Architects – Highland Council
Debbie Maguire – GreenInverness Officer – Highland Council
Elaine Watt – Planning & Development – Highland Council
Ben Leyshon – Scottish Natural Heritage
Nikki Gilbert – Partnership for Rural Inverness
Charles Stephen, Ward Manager – Inverness South Ward, Highland Council
Apologies:
None
Agenda
1. Welcome & Introductions
Cllr Pederson opened the meeting.
2. Community Safety – Northern Constabulary, Sgt Vince Tough
Over one 48 hour period there were 360 reports police had to attend to. Only 95 were crimes.
There will be a uniform police presence at A&E partly funded through NHS.
Q: Speed on new road past school?
A: Police will carry out speed checks in the area and will feed back to Community Council.
Ward Discretionary Budget has agreed funding for three smiley faces and Safer Routes to School are also looking at this issue.
3. A Presentation on Inshes District Park
– P7 Pupils, Inshes Primary School
Excellent power point presentation delivered by Leah Goodwin & Brodie MacLaren on the views of local children on what should be part of the Park.
– Debbie Maguire, Green Inverness Officer
Power point presentation on the three phases of the new Park.
Q: Time frame on constructing the three stages?
A: Relies on purchasing all the land, once purchased bids for funding to carry out the work can be put in. Currently Highland Council own Phase 1.
Q: Pathways from Milton of Leys down to the School?
A: These are planned once the land ownership is sorted.
Q: How does the Park compare to Whin Park – parking there can be tight, will there be sufficient parking?
A: Have put in 30 spaces for car parking to start with. A larger facility can be considered if there is demand.
Q: (1) 5-a-side football pitches - are they for community use or private?
Q: (2) Will the new link road (Trunk Link Road)cut through Park?
A: (1) Pitches are on a commercial basis during peak hours – during day time open for children with schools encouraged to use.
A: (2) New link road will join up to roundabout by Blockbusters and should not affect the Park.
Q: Play areas - are they all for Phase 1 or will they be spread through all 3 phases?
A: this would depend on funding but could have play areas designed into Phase 1 and 3. Also there is planning permission in for play equipment at Milton of Leys.
Q: Link road from Milton of Leys runs across the Park – safety issues?
A: This will be the location of the Green Bridge – link road will be in a cut and so should not impinge on the view.
Q: What will happen to the biodiversity of the Greenspace when people start trampling all over it?
A: Planning will be designed with biodiversity in mind. It is a valuable resource and we need to integrate the construction of the Park with the schools and education so that it is locally owned in terms of protecting its biodiversity.
Q: Erosion of land around the paths?
A: 2m wide paths will be edged and maintained. 1 m wide paths will be granular and will need to be maintained. There will be a maintenance plan for the paths.
Q: Will dogs be excluded from the whole Park or part of it – children at risk from dog waste not being cleared up or not cleared properly.
A: Dogs will not be excluded and there will be bins provided. There are free dog waste bags available from the Inshes Community Library.
Q: Developers contribution & interest. In 2006 £885K but only £890K in 2007 – why is it mot more. It was estimated that the final figure would be £1.3m?
A: No more developments since 2006. This funding is ring fenced.
Q: Strip of land by Miller Park – why is this included in the Park?
A: Was included in the original application to Scottish Government. Do understand that it is owned and maintained by residents. It is linked into the path. Although it is within the boundary it doesn’t need to be maintained by the Park. Idea that the footpath by the burn would be linked to the school across the Park. No question of ownership being transferred to Park but pedestrian access is needed.
Cllr Holden suggested that the dog leg of land be taken out of the park and left to the residents for them to maintain.
Q: Residents are concerned that park access/noise pollution/overspill from the park will cause problems. There is not one Park in the city which does not have problems.
A: Anxieties have been noted.
Q: Southside Stephenson Road – level part there which would lend itself to football pitches and fence around the park to stop throwing stones at houses?
A: This is a blank canvas so that we can plan something that we all want and can be enjoyed. However there will not be enough money to put a fence around the whole Park, but it is something that could be worked on and there has to be a minimal amount of fencing to make it safe.
Q: This park has been ongoing for several years – is there a date when it will happen?
A: A project of this size takes time.
Q: Maintenance of the Park?
A: Highland Council TEC Services - funds available within developer contributions for maintenance.
Q: Millburn landscaping – what are the ideas?
A: 2 burns run together in the lower part, further up then run through incised land covered in mature woodland – there will be opportunities to open up in the lower site.
Q: Residents are concerned about living so close to the Park.
A: All new applications will be looked at taking into account that the Park is there.
Q: Inshes Primary School presentation – no provision in the plan for what they are wanting. If you involve the schools (primary and secondary) right from the start then it will help them to take ownership of the Park and deter vandalism.
A: Cllr Holden – the last Council and this one are committed to the up keep of the parks. This is only the first public consultation and the children’s presentation has not gone unnoticed. Cllr Crawford – school are an integral part of this plan – need to be actively encouraging them to take part. Cllr Prag – there may well be problems but 99% of the people who will use the park hopefully will use it respectfully.
Note: The presentation/photographs/maps are available on the Green Inverness website (http://www.greeninverness.com/index.asp?pageid=43129 ). They can also be collected from Town House or mailed out. Access to the internet is available at the Library at the school.
4. Questions from Members of the Public
Q: Speeding Traffic – who is responsible to repair and maintain the speed limit signs
A: Responsibility of TECS
Action: Charles Stephen will check with TECS and will also look into the Smiley Faces.
Q: Shops in Wester Inshes – will there be an Off Licence that close to the Park?
A: Within the planning application there is no indication as to what the shops would be. However a shop would have to apply for a licence which would be advertised and residents could object.
Q: No sign on residential road.
A: Come to Community Council meeting and the Community Council will try and get the road adopted.
Q: Bus Shelter Stephenson Road – in a mess, even post box vandalised.
A: Bins have been requested for bus shelters.
Q: Factoring Charges – Play area being created at Westhill – residents are going to have to pay Factoring Charges for the play area.
A: Cllr Crawford – Peverill want the residents association (if they can form one) to undertake insurance for the play park.
Action: Cllr Crawford will look into this and get back to the Community Council. Same problem in Inverness South
Action: Cllr Crawford to look into and report back to the Community Council.
Q: Will there be a guarantee at the next meeting that there will be purchase of Phase 2 & 3 land? If agreement is in place why cannot a date be discussed?
A: This is currently under negotiation and believe that it will be completed in near future. Agreement is in place about price but there is not a date in for sale yet. Negotiations are being pushed through.
5. Date & Location of Next Meeting
27th May 2008 at Cradlehall