NMCC 2006 (667-678)

 

PARISH OF NEW MACHAR COMMUNITY COUNCIL

 

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held on

Thursday 27th April 2006

 

Members:

 

Mr Fergus Hood                 (Chairman) [FH]     Mr Alexander Buchan                   [AB]

Mr Mike Taylor                   (Secretary)  [MT]     Mr Robert Loughridge                  [RL]

Mrs Fiona Duncan               (Treasurer) [FD]     Vacant position

Prof Roy Bridges            (Minute Sec.)  [RB]      Mr Graham Geddes                   [GraG]

Mr Gordon Murray                               [GM]

 

In attendance ex officio:  Councillor Dr Martin Ford [CllrF]

 

Abbreviations: AC = Aberdeenshire Council;  NMCC = Newmachar Community Council

 

Apologies were recorded for: Mrs Fiona Duncan; Prof. Roy Bridges

 

In attendance as visitor(s): Mr Ian Fowell, (Area Manager); Ms Pamela Walker (AC); Mr Derek Golder (Kingseat United AFC)

 

Minutes

      The Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd March 2006 were accepted as a correct record.

 

667.     Aberdeenshire’s Waste Strategy  (See Minute 663)

            Pamela Walker (Aberdeenshire’s Waste Minimisation Officer) explained in detail the practical arrangements to be put in place for the kerbside collection of recyclables and why there were differences between the village and the rural area.  She emphasised the importance of squashing all plastic bottles. She advised that the intended operational date locally was now 5th June 2006, and indicated the proposed publicity arrangements and the availability of a help line facility for those who experienced any kind of problem.  She also advised on the arrangements Aberdeenshire had adopted for dealing with the collected materials, and explained that a pilot scheme was to be operated with regard to recovery of batteries. She indicated Aberdeenshire’s confidence that if everyone co-operated in the arrangements being introduced that it would be possible to achieve the required reduction in the waste being assigned to landfill, and reminded the Council that as a society we are still continuing to increase the amount of waste generated on a daily basis.

 

668.     Community Council Election 2006.  (See Minute 655)

It was noted that ten nominations had been received by the closing date and that the Returning Officer had caused notices to be displayed at the Post Office, on the Notice Board, at the Crossroads Filling Station and at the Library with the candidates’ statements about themselves. There was a brief discussion of the importance of publicising the election further.

 

669.     The Website  (See Minute 654)

            The Chairman reported that he understood progress would be achieved shortly.

 

670.     New Notice Board  (See Minute 650)

            Estimates had now been received for the intended notice board.  On the suggestion of the Chairman, seconded by M Taylor, it was agreed that the Community Council would fund the project up to a maximum of £300.

 

671.     Flower Baskets (See Minute 657)

            A successful meeting had taken place with the appropriate officers of Aberdeenshire Council and positions agreed for the intended structures.  At the same time, the relevant officers had agreed to renew road markings, attend to pot-holes in the roads, and to resolve the issue of the ill-fitting manhole covers which were generating a great deal of noise.

 

672.     Youth Project (See Minute 660)

The project continued with a reasonable degree of success, although appointment of the youth worker post was still underway by Aberdeenshire, and once the recruitment was completed, it should prove possible for matters to progress somewhat more formally.  There was a need to constitute the committee (on which M Taylor is to serve) which had been previously agreed but had not yet become operational.  It was hoped that further progress would be achieved by the date of the next meeting.

 

673.     Village Hall Project (See Minute 661)

G Geddes reported that the Golf Day is now fully subscribed (with 46 teams and 28 sponsors).  Arrangements for the Fun Day on 28th August 2006 were in hand.  Charitable status was being pursued following legislative changes which had necessitated re-submission of the relevant application.

 

674.     First Responder Scheme (See Minute 662)

This is now operational, although there was still a need for additional volunteers to secure more comprehensive coverage.  A car had been secured from Newmachar Motors, and discussions were continuing about how to resolve the problem of ensuring that the volunteers could quickly and accurately identify the location at which they were to attend, especially outwith the village where a street address is not available.

 

675.     Correspondence

(i)It was agreed that the Council should write in support of the various traffic calming measures which had now been formally proposed for Station Road (and which the Community Council had requested). 

(ii)Information on the introduction of Core Paths was to be passed to A Buchan. 

(iii) Communications about Gypsy Traveller education and from the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland were noted.

 

 

676.     Planning Gain Monies and Kingseat United (See Minute 527 iii of 24th March 2005)

Derek Golder advised that Kingseat United FC had re-formed (they had previously disbanded when, in conjunction with the redevelopment of the Kingseat site, they lost the football pitch on which they played).  They were now actively pursuing alternative pitch provision in Newmachar, and were hoping to access the planning gain money which had been assigned for replacement sporting facilities.  It was the club’s intention that if they were successful in securing a pitch locally it would be available for community use.  It was recognised that a sum of £50,000 had been identified by Aberdeenshire Council in the Section 75 agreement relating to the Kingseat development and it was acknowledged that the project identified by Kingseat United FC fell within the parameters identified in the agreement.  The Chairman, however, expressed his disappointment that that sum of money could not be put to better community advantage by supplementing the resources available for the new village hall.

 

677.     Aberdeenshire Council Matters

Mr Ian Fowell indicated that the Community Council should shortly receive communications about the administrative grant and the project grant scheme.

 

678.     Aberdeenshire Local Plan (See Minutes 642 and 665 ii)

It was agreed to write to Nora Radcliffe MSP, in the context of the Planning Bill currently being considered by the Parliament, about a circular letter from the Chief Reporter to all Directors of Planning making it clear that in future supporters would have no role in local plan public inquiries, indicating to her the Community Council’s view that local experience undermined confidence in the planning system, when the views of the local community (which had been adopted in the draft local plan by Aberdeenshire Council) were rejected by the Reporter appointed to conduct the Inquiry in circumstances in which the Community Council as unaware of the nature of the objections being pursued by the relevant landowner.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was declared closed at 2110

 

The date of the next meeting was agreed as 25th May 2006