STRATHNAIRN COMMUNITY COUNCIL

GENERAL MEETING NO. 226

FARR COMMUNITY HALL 7.30pm

MONDAY26th JANUARY 2015

DRAFT MINUTE

SCC Members Present: Jimmy MacPherson, Ian Hunt, Sally Moore, Frances Matheson, Tony Kell (Associate Member). SCC Members Apologies: Isobel McQueer, Ewen Hardie, John Murray.

Highland Council Members Present: Cllr Caddick, Cllr Crawford, Cllr Prag, Cllr Gowans.

Highland Council Members Apologies:Cllr Wood, Cllr Henry.

Members of the Community Present: Mrs Ailsa Fraser (Head Teacher, Farr Primary School); PC Jason Hasson.

9 members of the public present

All present observed a minute silence in memory of the late Strathnairn Community Councillor, Willie MacQueen. Willie will be greatly missed and he served on the community council as a very popular and highly respected member. Condolences were given to all his family.

  1. Approval of MinuteNOVEMBER24th2014

Proposed: JMP Seconded:IH

  1. Matters arising: none noted
  2. Review of action points: all points discussed included in Minute
  1. Community Policing Report and local issues

From PC Jason Hasson –20 calls to Strathnairn area. Crimes of dishonesty – theft of a propane canister and cooker rings from a works caravan, padlock and chain from a forestry/hill access road. Vehicle seen in the vicinity. There have been two incidents of House Breaking in Culloden, tools removed from a building under construction and retail premises broken into. Reminder for householders to keep properties secure. Call Police via the 101 non-emergency contact to report any causes of concern.

PC Hasson 456 informed SNCC that a complaint re illegal shooting at Balnafoich is being investigated.

A meeting was held with Colin Ross from the HC regarding various issues raised in Strathnairn. CR is assessing options to resolve the problems.

Q (Public)– Reports of an unloaded timber lorry, speeding along the Dalroy road. Noted by the PC Hasson.

  1. Financial Report from Treasurer (JMcP)\

Isobel McQueer received £100. There are no other changes to our financial position.

  1. Declaration of Interests

Sally Moore declared an interest in a way-leave and potential payment from Moy w/f. No other interests declared.

  1. Planning Applications and updates, including:

Weekly planning documents to reviewplus pending or planning decisions.

  1. No new planning applications in the local area were discussed.
  2. Suggestion to hold a public SNCC meeting to discuss the issue of proliferation of wind farms in Strathnairn. It was noted that each application must be considered individually to ascertain and collate resident’s particular concerns and relevant local information. Suggestion to invite a planning person present to discuss how cumulative impact is assessed; and other decision-makers eg MSP’s. Key attendees – Fergus Ewing? Danny Alexander? Action: SM.(+Inform Police of meeting date)
  3. Highland Councillorspresent did not take part in any planning discussions.
  1. Roads Update - including
  2. CLG (roads) SSE group (Dunmaglass) – meeting last week. Work at Sockichbends is behind due to winter weather, despite two work squads. Road at Sockich is very dangerous – urge community to drive very carefully. Traffic lights for safety. Extra salt will be spread on this section of the road.

The Diversion route had not been cleared of snow – being addressed. Inform SNCC if problems

  1. Corriegarth roads group – no meeting at present.
  2. Other roads issues, follow ups.
  3. Will have 4 fewer gritters on the roads from 2016. New gritters will have increased capacity so need fewer return trips to the depot to refill, so this more efficient.
  4. Moy w/f complaints. Vehicles using the B9154 from the north. Action: PC Hasson to ask. Craggie Brae -steep road, prone to icing. 40 extra vehicles using the road. Warn the local community and school pupils walking to bus stop that there are extra vehicles from the north.
  5. Dalroy road – big hump of ice on the road towards Craggie Bridge. Field drain that has blocked and water is welling out and freezing on the road. Action: write a letter to John Taylor (SM & FM). (SM contact landowner).
  1. Wind Farm Updates
  2. Dunmaglass (under construction) – RJ moved the staff from the hill to Sockichs bends. Noel Cummings is now the liaison person for Dunmaglass (while Marianne Townsley is on leave).
  3. Glen Kyllachy– waiting for Reporter to visit (visit will be unaccompanied).
  4. Moy (under construction) Not much progress just now – weather.
  5. Aberarder - pending
  6. Craggie wind turbine planning application – was refused.Rejected by delegated decision. It was requested by a Highland Councillor that it go to committee. Developer can appeal.

SM informed the group that a telephone verbal comment complaint was received from the developer

(the day before the HC decision was taken) regarding the public meeting held in October 2014.Noted.

  1. Daviot farms wind farm – not yet submitted
  2. Tomfat Woods
  3. 105 supporting the application were from outwith Strathnairn area. 160 letters of objection. SM thanked everyone for all their hard work, to help inform the community. SNCC should send briefing information to brief HCouncillors prior to any decisions. Suggestion that the SNCC writes to the HCllrs and MSPs relating to planning application to point out: Financing and community benefit – developer ‘wouldn’t want to impose on a community’, forestry officer of the HC that his comments were made to comply with company policy. HIAL has objected. Agreed to write: IH /SM cc SNAG and Highland Councillors.
  4. SNCC need to challenge statements made by the developer: Forestry Officer said more trees would require to be felled than had been stated, so more compensation trees would require to be planted. Replanting is proposed for the other side of Loch Ness. Noted – SNCC should choose where compensation trees would be planted, and species (If the turbines were built).
  1. Carr Ban (previously Dinichean) – application submitted for an anemometer. Considerable number of community objections for this application. The Planning Application for Carr Ban has been SUBMITTED and is awaiting validation at HC. SNCC received two large folders of visualisations for Carr Ban wind farm. Suggest 1 for residents group and 1 for reference in Farr Hall. Residents will be examining the Carr Ban reports. RESIDENTS: invited to examine the planning application and send your opinions to HC – when it is advertised, and please copy to SNCC. This proposed development will have effects for all in our strath due to its near central location. Contact SNCC or Gregor McNicol for more information. Visualisations folder –See in Farr Hall. Action All

Reports from Benefits Liaison representatives / Negotiators –any updates.

  1. Moy - last meeting was cancelled.
  2. Glen Kyllachy – confirm that the decision that we would agree the 70/30 split for Kyllachy for Strathdearn/Strathnairn community benefit. SNCC members voted to ratify this decision - 3 For proposal and 1 abstention.
  1. Community Plan– Update.

Last meeting postponed. Working on improving broadband speed. Next meeting to agree the questionnaire to seek information /detail on broadband in the strath. Next meeting, 7pm, Tuesday 27th January, Farr Hall.

  1. Community Website

4 offers of help. All community groups have access to the website. It was proposed to speak with Duncan Ireland as a new volunteer, and invite him to attend the next SNCC meeting. All the volunteers are thanked and please do consider just one task or day in helping your SNCC/ community, that would be great, thanks.

Noted that the Community Planning Group identified that the website is difficult to use.

  1. Highland Council budget cuts

Budget approved and past.

  1. Gritters – no cut to the service that is promised but in some areas the formal arrangements will be restricted, but will not compromise safety. The new fleet will be bigger and they won’t need to refill as often. There will be slight changes to the order of the routes. Pre-gritting issue – monitoring this winter, and snowploughing issue. (day, time, position on the road, road – informative issues) Ask – HC how they will monitor pre-gritting issue. Ask Police rep to advise all vehicle incidents when snow felled. Ask residents to advise the SNCC with issues. Add our concern to the email.
  1. Correspondence received from residents/community and updates.
  1. Community Woods harvesting update – harvester delivered to Milton Wood 26 Jan and starts work tomorrow. Woods closed to the public 4 to 6 weeks. Action – Establish correct dates for closing Farr school car park.
  2. Community Woods - Approached by the roads dept, Re: buy a strip of land to extend the road, although the exact plans not yet submitted. Plans are proceeding to widen the roads along the Strath.
  3. Dangerous trees on the B861 –following the storms– (from Willie C). Community Services - John Taylor. Taking a while to get round all roads. Action: Fran
  4. Provision for winter weather – a letter was received from a resident to suggest that Farr Hall could be a useful venue to use as a community hub in severe weather situations as occurred recently in the Strath. All agreed this would be a good idea. Action: FM to email Charles Stephen. Action: does CiS help prepare the elderly community for winter weather? To include Doug Meiklejohn in discussions.
  1. List of Events, Meetings and Dates for attendance / interest – allocate. None noted.
  1. Questions from members of the public *
  1. Daviot Farms ltd – authority to use farm as an operating centre, applied to change the use from agricultural use industrial use. It was noted that the traffic commissioner can call in a public enquiry – which should be held locally. Police should have an interest in this due to the volume of HGVs using the junction from Daviot Farms on to the A9 at such a dangerous junction. SNCC has written to the traffic commissioners, awaiting a response.(Chase it) Action: IH to send a copy to HighlandCllrs. Cllr Crawford, mentioned that the HC sent a report relating to the application. Have the traffic commissioners been informed that they have an agricultural licence, not an industrial one?
  1. AOCB
  1. SNCC members wish David Richa speedy recovery.
  2. Noted with regret the passing of Neil Mackenzie of Brin. We extend sympathy to Neil’s family.
  3. Land reform point will be brought forward to the next SNCC meeting. Agenda Feb
  4. Dog fouling – write concerns to the Dog Warden, WITH ALL details, and cc the SNCC.
  5. Inverarnie Recycling point. The HC will no longer be collecting paper and cans from recycling points as households have provisions for this recycling with blue bins. It was noted that community residents should please NOTleave empty glass bottles outside a full recycling bank.
  1. Date of the next meeting– Monday 23rd FEBRUARY 2015.

(Agenda items by 13thFebruary, please.)

Meeting closed: 22:13

*Residents and members of the public are invited to speak at the discretion of the Chairperson. For email copies of SNCC Agenda and Minutes, please contact Secretary Mrs F Matheson on 01808 521255. They are also on the website at Strathnairn.org.uk

Page 1 of 5