ICC minutes

Gaelic College

3rd October 2011

  1. Present:

Members:- Roberta MacNeill (RM), Hamish Campbell (HC), Islay McEachern (IM), John McGillivary (JM), Geunda Young (GY), Glen Roberts (GR), David Boyd (DB), Fiona McGregor (FM), Ann Gillies (AG), Niall Colthart (NC), Alice Stewart (AC)

Others

Councillor Robin Currie (RC), PC Lynn ??? (L?), Brian Abbot (BA), Catriona Bell (CB)

Apologies

David Ferrier

  1. Minutes

Proposed RM and Seconded IM

  1. Matters Arising

Diageo consultation

Involvement of consultants Liddell Thompson has come to an end and local Diageo staff will assume responsibility to develop the project. ICC is waiting to hear from Diageo to see what they can do to assist.

Bollards

RC asked ICC for their views on the present bollards. ICC is against any additional bollardsand would prefer the existing ones removed. Discussion followed about the need to keep clear sightlines at junctions and the lack of adequate parking in Bowmore which results in unsuitable and illegal parking in some areas. Planters were suggested as an alternative to plastic bollards.

  1. Financial Statement

£776.62. All invoicesare paid and account is up to date.

  1. Police input

CCTV in Bowmore is making a difference. Parking issues especially the difficulties at Bowmore coop were discussed; PC? to contact those involved, Mundell`s, Police, Roads and Coop, to arrange a meeting.

  1. Ferry Users Group

Cal-Mac has suggested a Ferry users group under the aegis of the Community Council with representatives from interested groups. CB noted that this should include the Jura Ferry and gave the Council useful background information. RC noted that the Argyll Ferry Users Group used to have an ICC member.

It was proposed that 4 ICC meetingseach year should allocate an hour if required to Ferry issues. Information will go into the Ileach to get interested groups to attend; ICC meeting in January suggested as the first date for a meeting of this kind.

  1. Ileach and Calmac

Discussion of Ileach content and whether it fairly represented the views of people on Islay. ICC and others present agreed that in their view, the editor was showing bias against Cal-Mac in favour of Western Ferries. Chair will write to the Ileach Board of management and inform them of our concerns. It wasagreed to submit regular reports to the Ileach after each ICC meeting; HC to arrange this.

  1. Bowmore Surgery Update.

HC updated the council on this.

  1. Roads

Issues raised were

a)Repair of potholes versus resurfacing

b)Roads team working on Sundays

c)Control of ragwort

d)Signage – proliferation of brown tourist signs, height of some new signsespecially at Kilchoman distillery road-end. Sign there is very high and looks totally out of place. Secretary to contact roads dept and ask it to be lowered. Reinstatement of lay-by signs on the High Road, with new poles and reflectors to improve visibility. HC to contact Roads dept.

  1. Kilchoman Broadband Issues

GY outlined problems reported to her regarding deteriorating broadband access from BT. Also highlighted was the difficulty ICC had in contacting BT; ICCwill follow up on this.

  1. LACPG

HC attended the MAKI LACPG meeting by VC. HC fed back to the council on issues covered and his thoughts about this group. Although it was still struggling to find its feet, it does have potential and should be supported and efforts made to change how it operates to make it more user-friendly and driven from the bottom-up.

  1. ICC representation on other groups

ICC members were encouraged to participate in other groups and committees which are helpful in providing feedback to the ICC.

  1. Issues raised by members of the public

GR raised an enquiry from a member of the public about social housing allocation policy of the council. RC reminded the ICC that A&B Council no longer have control over thesocial housing stock; this is now under the control of various housing associations. It was noted that there is a need for more social housing on Islay. RC will email ICC with more information on the A&B strategy for social housing and how Islay fits in.

  1. AOB

Laphroaig Road

HC asked RC for clarification of the A&B Councildecision following the recent public meeting in Port Ellen regarding. After taking a call from Jim Smith, head of Roads, prior to tonight`s meeting, R Currie stated that the single track option had been ‘Kicked into the long grass’.(sidelined) but there was still no (movement) agreement with(by) Scottish Water regarding their share of the repair costs.

Next Meeting TBC