NMCC
2006-2007 (803- 815)
Members:
Mr
Fergus Hood (Chairman)
[FH] Mr Alexander Buchan [AB]
Mr
Mike Taylor
(Secretary) [MT] Mr Robert Loughridge [RL]
Mrs
Fiona Duncan (Treasurer)
[FD] Mr Martin Morley, JP [MM]
Prof
Roy Bridges (Minute Sec.)
[RB] Mrs Pamela Young [PY]
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: Mr Fergus Hood (on Election duty); Mr Gordon Murray;
Mr Robert Loughridge; Mr Martin Morley; Mrs Pam Young. Inspector Pratt also sent apologies as did
Mr Sean Bate of the Evening Express
who will cease to hold his post at the newspaper office henceforth.
NB The Minutes
Secretary confirmed that the meeting was quorate. The Chair was taken by the Hon Secretary.
In attendance as visitor(s):
Minutes
The
Minutes of the meeting of
MT
agreed to contact Mr Murray about his offer to attend the May meeting. It was hoped also to contact representatives
from other community councils who had attended the consultation meeting
together with Mr John Mackintosh of Goval Farm.
804. Chairmanship of NMCC
(See Minutes 788 & 763)
It
was agreed that MT should continue to take the chair until the AGM when a
decision would be taken about both the chairmanship and the vacancy on the
Council created by the loss of FH.
805. Bus Services (See
Minute783)
MT
would try again to obtain the further information promised by Stagecoach.
806. Structure Plan Meeting (See
Minutes 798 iv & 756)
RB
reported on what he considered the rather unsatisfactory meeting at Balmedie on
16th April. He said the
meeting had opted for development along the existing railway corridor plus the
route roughly along the old railway route through Newmachar.
807. Post Office Situation
MT
agreed to write to the Post Office authorities about the recent frequent
closure of the Post Office facilities in Newmachar.
808. Aberdeenshire Council-Related Business
(i) CllrF reported that all normal AC elected
members’ activities were suspended until 17th May because of the
elections. He also pointed out that many
very-experienced councillors would not be standing for office.
(ii)
Hillbrae Way works (see Minute 799 i) were suspended pending settlement of a
dispute between Manor Kingdom and the contractors on the question of who should
pay for certain changes which had become necessary.
(iii)
CllrF reported that damage caused by vandals seemed not, fortunately, to have
extended to the memorial itself. Mr
Robert Ingram had offered to donate new slabs for the steps. Mr Rose of AC had put forward various
suggestions ranging from repairs to removal of the memorial from its present
position. It was agreed to ask Mr Rose
to set out his ideas in 400 words for the Newsletter which would then invite
residents to react to the suggestions.
(iv)
A complaint from a resident had been received about the disturbance caused
early in the mornings when dust lorries arrived and switched on the warning
voice message. CllrF agreed to take up the matter.
809. Police Business (See
Minute 793)
(i)
RB reported that Inspector Pratt had intimated that there was an on-going
Police investigation into the vandalism at the War Memorial.
(ii)
Inspector Pratt had also invited an NMCC representative to attend a meeting on
15th May about the Police Service Centre. AB agreed to attend if he
was able to do so.
810. Request from Royal Bank of
The
Bank wished to offer a mobile banking service in Newmachar and had asked for
advice on where to site their van, how to publicise opening times or possible
cancellations. It was agreed to suggest
the Library lay-by as a site except on Thursdays or during Library opening
times. The Newsletter was the only means
of publicity.
811. Community Hall Campaign (See
Minute 792)
It
was reported that the Casino Night had raised about L500. The sponsored walk would be on 26th
May.
812. Youth Drop-in Centre
(See Minute 796)
CllrF
said various building tests were still pending; he would be meeting the
organisers shortly and expected a formal opening ceremony to be arranged in
June.
813. Planning Applications: Small Glebe Field
(See Minute 801)
CllrF
explained why personal interests precluded him from taking an active part in
the discussions on the planning application for seven houses. It was agreed that, given NMCC’s objection to
the overturning of the Aberdeenshire Local Plan to enable this development to
take place, it would be appropriate for the Secretary to make a representation
recommending rejection of the submitted plans.
814. Correspondence
(i)
It was agreed that a questionnaire about gender equality was not appropriate
for NMCC.
(ii)
Information about ‘Dial a Bus Service’ should be passed to the Newsletter
editor.
815. Elected Councillor 1999-2007: Dr Martin
Ford
The
new arrangements for the disposition of wards for elected Aberdeenshire
councillors after 3rd May mean that whatever happens in the
Election, Councillor Ford will cease to be the sole councillor representing
Newmachar on Aberdeenshire Council and the sole elected councillor entitled to
attend Community Council meetings ex
officio. In this situation, the
meeting decided that the Community Council should record its warm thanks to
Councillor Ford for his regular attendance at its meetings, his assiduous
attention to concerns raised by the Community Council, his helpful counsel and
his dedication to the cause of improving facilities in Newmachar for the
benefit of its inhabitants.
Councillor
Ford thanked the Council for its expression of appreciation and said that he
wished, in turn, to acknowledge the friendship and co-operation he had always
received from. members of the Community Council.
There being no further business, the
meeting closed at 2049.
The
next meeting was agreed as Thursday, 24th May 2007.