Badenoch and Strathspey Ward Forum
Wednesday 31 August
Newtonmore Village Hall, 7-9pm
Shaping the Future of the National Park: Your View
Action Note
1. Welcome and Apologies: Cllr Black (Chair), Cllr Douglas, Cllr Rimell, William Gilfillan, Sue Palmer, Keith Bootle (Highland Council), Inspector Angus Macleod and Superintendent Stevie Mackay, (Northern Constabulary), Duncan Bryden, Hamish Trench, (Cairngorms National Park Authority), Karen Derrick (Voluntary Action Badenoch and Strathspey), members of community councils and the general public.
Apologies: Cllr Fallows, Richard Eccles
2. Brief Updates:
A9 Schemes (Cathel Macaskill, Scotland Transerv)
Snowgates at Slochd – discussed with police following there review of road closures and agreed the situation can be managed without the need for snow gates, so withdrawn.
Crubenmore dualling extension – completed by end September. Underpass constructed only if political will.
Proposed 2+1 overtaking lane at slochd – they will respond to objections and will go ahead if there’s money available.
Ward Discretionary Budget (see attached)
The current balance stands at £25,544.80. An additional £10,000 has been ring-fenced for “Our Community A Way Forward” (OCAWF) quick win projects.
3. Shaping the Future of the National Park: Your View
Duncan Bryden (Chair of Park Board Planning Committee) introduced people to the main topic and the importance of everyone having their say. Second National Park Plan being drafted and main issues report of the Local Development Plan with opportunity to all have input into it. There’s a period of consultation between 19 September to 9 December.
OCAWF “Our Community a Way Forward 2007-2011” (Karen Derrick)
We are on the last phase of this community consultation project working on the action plans with remaining communities of Nethy Bridge, Carrbridge and Boat of Garten. Communities have identified their top 10 priorities including quick win funded projects with each community. Karen took us through examples of these projects.
National Park Plan/Local Development Plan (Hamish Trench)
Strategic statements coming out to date include affordable housing, integrated transport, young people’s facilities, village and community halls, the natural landscape, health issues, community safety including speeding and snow clearance. The work needs to be joined up in order to be achieved. The park plan after consultation will be ready next year.
The main issues report in the Local Development Plan is concerned with how policy should address issues.
Booklets were available at the meeting (downloaded on the www.cairngorms.co.uk) that included the community information events on the back page. 6 evening events are taking place through October across locations in Badenoch and Strathspey. Meetings will also take place with organisations as well as consultation with individuals and groups.
Questions
Q/ Will hard copies of the plans be available at the events? Yes copies of draft plans alongside other relevant materials will be at the events, also at local libraries, service points and shops.
Q/ Will money be ring-fenced to take account of us being within a national park and additional resources required such as litter picking? This needs to be taken up by politicians.
Q/ What can we expect? Partners working closer together and pooling resources in order to achieve priorities.
Q/ Will we preserve what we have re the new divisional structure of the police force? We don’t yet know what it will look like on the ground but will report back at future meetings.
Q/ Issues re noise in Aviemore noise and ragwort? Cllr Black suggested the person discusses the details after the meeting.
Youth Matters (Keith Bootle, Youth Development Service)
Keith referred people to the display at the forum meeting that showed the many events and activities that have been happening in the local area over recent months.
Q/ Update re the Aviemore Youth Club – talks with contractors in terms of bringing the building up to standard.
Meals at home service – the letters are being put in envelopes at the moment to thank and feed back to the Meals at Home service users. We are still waiting to hear the formal outcome of the national tendering process and will report the outcome back.
Learning support – there is a yearly Additional Support Needs review at every school and at Grantown Primary School there was a reduction in the number of children with especially higher needs therefore that meant a reduction in the resources required and allocated. One person has been deployed and another left.
4. Question and Answer Session
No questions were lodged.
Community Development Strategy for Older People – workshops being held at end of September.
5. Future Meetings
Next meeting is Wednesday 26 October and the theme will be TEC Services (venue to be confirmed).
Badenoch and Strathspey Ward Forum
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Brief Updates and Actions
A9 Schemes
Cathel Macaskill, Scotland Transerv, will provide an update at the start of our meeting.
Service Points – Changes to Opening Times
The opening times of the Service Points have changed as part of the Customer Service Review as follows;
• Grantown 9-12.30
• Kingussie 1.30-5pm
• Aviemore 10-12.30 and 1.30-4pm
The Service Centre 01349 886606 is also available to take your calls Mon-Fri 8am-6pm and Sat 9am-12pm. Out of Hours (after 5pm) Social Work/Roads, Flooding, Lighting 0845 7697284 and Housing 0845 7002005
Community Growing Spaces (allotments)
Following on from the pubic meeting on 25 May an ‘interim committee’ met on 23 August to draft the constitution for a ‘Badenoch and Strathspey Community Growing Spaces Association’. The constitution will be agreed at a general meeting on 6 October Talla Nan Ross from 7.30pm, when the association is formed and committee members officially elected. All welcome, particularly anyone wishing to become a member or to get involved.
Community Council Elections
For the first time later this year, elections for Community Councils across the Highlands will be held at the same time. A local election, by postal vote, will take place where the number of valid nominations exceeds the maximum number of members each Community Council is allowed. The deadline for nominations is 4pm on Tuesday 4 October and, where an election is required, the deadline for voting by post will be 5pm on Wednesday 16 November. Counting will take place over the following two days. Anyone over the age of 16 at the time of the election is eligibile to stand for election and to vote in the election. Persons seeking election require to appear in the current Electoral Register for the Community Council area. More information on the Councils Home Page www.highland.gov.uk
Questions from Previous Meeting
Traffic Management at Aviemore Primary
Richard Evans, Area Roads and Community Works Manager, is meeting with the community council.
Summer Programme
The Youth Development Service has for the last 4 months been actively involved in the Community of Boat of Garten through Our Community… A Way Forward (Community Consultation). During this period the Service in conjunction with VABS Community Developments Staff has co-ordinated meetings and discussions with Young People regarding improving Youth Provision in the village, particularly around reopening the Youth Club. Over the summer the Service arranged for the use of Lochaber’s Mobile Skateboarding Park which ran for a day in Boat. (2 days were planed but one had to be cancelled due to the weather). 18 Young People attend the event in Boat.
We will be holding a meeting in October on how we can help support the youth club to be re-established.
A 4 day programme of Street Dance and Drama was scheduled to take place in Boat of Garten from 25th 28 July. Unfortunately this had to be cancelled the week before due to the loss of the tutor. These work shops were organised in partnership with “Virtually Famous” Boat of Garten’s Youth Drama Group. 12 young people from the Communities of Boat, Carrbridge and Nethy had booked places. The Service is investigating reorganisation of these Workshops.
2 Young People from Boat of Garten in a group of 12 also attended a 2 Day Outdoor Education Residential at Badaguish organised by Carrbridge ACTIVE with the support of the Youth Development Service and Badenoch and Strathspey Youth Forum. Over the 2 days the group participated in a canoe descent off the Spey from Aviemore to Cromdale, and a days Mountain Biking. The activities were organised by Highland Council’s Outdoor Education Service based at Badaguish.
Ward Discretionary Budget
The current balance stands at £25,544.80. An additional £10,000 has been ring-fenced for “Our Community A Way Forward” (OCAWF) quick wins. Please see separate sheet for list of approvals for 2011-2012.
Download an application forms on www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/yourward/ward21/ward. There is a link to additional funding sources within this page. Send completed application forms to the Ward Manager, Sue Palmer (See details below) ideally by email.
Ward Profile
Agendas and action notes of Ward Forums and information about future meetings are available on the Highland Council website. Action notes of previous Community Planning Partnership meetings are also available on www.highland.gov.uk
Question and Answer Session
No questions have been lodged.
Future Meetings for 2011
Wednesday 26 October, 7-9pm (venue to be confirmed)
We are exploring a TEC Service (Transport Environmental and Community Services) theme, to include preparation for winter, alongside more general matters relating to this Highland Council Service.
PLEASE CONTACT
Sue Palmer, Ward Manager - Badenoch and Strathspey
sue.palmer@highland.gov.uk or 07901 560523
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