June 2008 Minutes (Draft)

Minutes of THE Meeting of Westhill Community Council held in the Community Lounge of Cradlehall Primary School at 7.45Pm on Monday 16 June 2008.

Present: Catriona Johnson, June Alexander, Sharon Hood, Brian MacGregor, Craig Ewan, Ken Cox, Neil Hornsby
Residents: Four residents were present.

Apologies: PC Kinnaird; Cllrs. Holden, Crawford, Pedersen and Prag

1.         Minutes of meeting held on 19 May: after amendment, these were accepted.

Acceptance of minutes: proposed by June Alexander, seconded by the Secretary.

2.         Matters arising

·         WCC membership: The WCC welcomed Sharon Hood onto the Council as a
co-opted member. Her membership was proposed by Brian MacGregor, and seconded by Neil Hornsby.

·         Dog bins: The Secretary reported that HC planned to locate a bin for the Culloden Road/Leanach Gdns. Junction very soon.

·         Castlehill bus shelter: The Secretary had invited Tulloch to finance an additional bus shelter in the ‘lower’ lay-by, but had as yet received no response.

·         Castlehill play-park: The Secretary reported his understanding that Tulloch had now applied to HC to withdraw the planning condition for the play-park, though no formal notification to this effect had yet been received by the WCC.

·         Inverness Trunk Road Link: ACTION POINT: Secretary to place a copy of the WCC’s response to the HC’s consultation on the website.

·         Cradlehall School allotment/eco- project funding: ACTION POINT: Chair to liaise with headmaster about timing of WCC’s £600 donation to the school’s eco-project.

·         Road Safety ‘Smiley Face’: two signs were now in place in Caufield Road. ACTION POINT: Secretary, acting on the meeting’s consensus view, to invite HC to move one of these signs to Tower Road.

·         Bogbain: the WCC’s response to the (recent) planning application had been submitted.

·         Message board at Tesco, Inshes: it was hoped Cllrs. would finance the cost of the board from the Discretionary Budget; if not the cost would be shared by the three CCs with an interest.

·         WCC logo: ACTION POINT:  WCC to consider the idea further.

3.         Community Police report

No report available.

4.         UHI Presentation

At the WCC’s invitation, Malcolm MacLeod (Policy and Information Manager at the Highland Council) gave an informative and interesting presentation on the plans for re-siting the UHI main campus at Inshes.  In his talk, Mr MacLeod said that:

·         a master plan for the UHI’s development was being prepared, which would include building layout, access provision etc;

·         the campus site, which would have similarities with the overall lay-out of the Stirling University campus, would be about 219 acres in area, and would take in the land between Cradlehall, the A9 and the railway;

·         delivery was tied to progress with the HC’s plans for improving the Distributor Road links (the proposed road linking the A9 to the Smithton roundabout would cross the campus);

·         a leisure sub-group had been established to advise on developing a regional sports complex;

·         outline planning permission would probably be sought in early 2009; the application would show how, in principle, the plans would reflect sustainability design features;

·         and depending on the availability of funding (which should be known by Aug/Sept.2008), and the receipt of planning permission, the UHI was scheduled to open at the new site in 2011/12.

In response to questions, Mr MacLeod said that the UHI’s move would be in doubt if TLR funding for the was not forthcoming; that the public would have an opportunity to help shape the UHI’s prospectus; that HC were keen on a rail shuttle link into town, though finance for this had not formed part of the Distributor Road link funding application. Mr MacLeod undertook to keep the WCC informed of developments.

5.         Gala Day

The WCC noted progress with arrangements for the Gala day.

6.         WCC website

ACTION POINT: Webmaster to prepare guidance for using the website forum

7.         Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer reported that the WCC’s account balance was standing at £3,715.81 (which included the £600 the WCC had earmarked for the garden project).

ACTION POINT: Secretary to advise Cradlehall Nursery of the WCC’s agreement to finance the provision of five tables, at £75 per item, for use by the play-group.

8.         Correspondence/planning

The Secretary advised the meeting of details of correspondence received including:

·         that the WCC would soon be receiving formal planning advice about a proposed pupil ‘drop-off’ zone near Cradlehall school;

·         the WCC had received an invitation from Action for Planning Transparency to attend one of their (now past) meetings;

·         his receipt of a letter from Danny Alexander MP about BT’s proposals for rationalising the provision of public call-boxes;

·         Archaeology Fortnight 4-19 October 2008: ACTION POINT: Secretary to place HC’s notification letter on the website.

·         The HC’s guidance to CCs about data protection was still to be received;

·         Licensing (Scotland) Act: CCs now have a legal right of input to any licensing proposals

9.         AOCB

None

10. Outstanding Action Points, from earlier meetings

·         Response to CC planning questions (see minutes of 18 February 2008)
ACTION POINT Mr Ferguson to report his findings back to the Council about the perceived lack of responses Community Councils were encountering from approaches to HC about planning issues..

·         Cllrs. ACTIONPOINT: (Cllr Prag) to arrange for the summary of the HC’s meeting with the Police on 12 May to be made available to the WCC. (see minutes of 19 May 2008):

11.  Date and time of next meeting: to be held at 7.45pm, on
Monday  15 September.