NMCC
2009-2010 (1088-1095)
Thursday
25 March 2010
Members:
Mr Mike Taylor (Chair &Sec) [MT] Mr Alexander Buchan (Planning) [AB]
Mrs Fiona Duncan (Treasurer) [FD] Mr
Martin Morley [MM]
Prof Roy Bridges (Minute Sec.) [RB] Mrs
Pamela Young [PY]
Mr Gordon Murray [GM] Mr
Robert Loughridge [RL]
Mr Graham Geddes [GrG]
Clerk
to the Community Council: Mrs
Linda Rendall [LR]
In attendance ex officio: Councillor Martin Ford [CllrMF] (from Minute 1090), Councillor Nan
Cullinane [CllrNC] (from Minute 1090), Councillor Fergus
Hood [CllrFH] (from Minute 1090).
Abbreviations:
AC = Aberdeenshire Council; NMCC = Newmachar Community Council
Apologies were recorded for: Mike Taylor, Graham Geddes.
In attendance as visitors: Ian Fowell
(Aberdeenshire Council), PC Ian Lawson, Ruth Warrander (Evening Express),
gentleman from Kintore (from Minute 1090)
Minutes
The minutes of the
previous meeting on 25 February 2010 were accepted as a correct record.
1088 Police Matters
(i) PC Lawson advised
NMCC of the following reported crimes:
two assaults, one Breach of the Peace, one domestic problem, one
shoplifting incident, one drink driver and one incident of failing to keep a
dog under control which subsequently attacked another dog.
(ii) Three members
of the public attended March’s police surgery.
The nuisance caused to local residents by the Boogie Bus, not only in
Newmachar but also in surrounding areas, was of particular concern. PC Lawson will visit the local publicans to
encourage revellers to exercise care and not to leave the hostelries bearing
glasses or bottles. NMCC is liaising
with the police in supporting the concerns of the local community.
(iii) PC Lawson has
dealt with the problem of youths noisily gathering at the end of the path from
the village to Kingseat and will continue to monitor the situation.
1089 Traffic Matters
(i)
PC Lawson has been to the Co-operative to discuss the traffic difficulties
caused by lorries unloading goods and has been assured
that now the weather is improving the lorries will be able to reverse off the
main road thus ending the congestion.
NMCC thanked PC Lawson for his intervention.
(ii) Traffic police
will be increasing their presence and plan to install a box monitor which will
record the speed of vehicles on
1090 Community
Hall
GM
reported on the recent AGM and advised that all committee members were
re-elected. As an
information gathering exercise, other similar projects in
1091 Garioch
Forum
(i)
RB gave a report on the recent meeting of the Garioch Forum on 4 March 2010 and
pointed out that NMCC has been requested to provide a report at the December 2010
meeting. The Area Top-up Budget for
Garioch amounts to £52,000 for the forthcoming financial year and community
councils are encouraged to submit bids for up to £25,000. Possible bids will be discussed by NMCC at
the next meeting in April.
(ii) Mr Fowell
advised NMCC that a request had been made for a definition on what could be
considered ‘significant change’ where a planning application had been submitted
which subsequently required alteration.
AC are in the process of drawing up
examples. It is recommended that where
there is likely to be significant change it would be preferable to submit a new
application.
(iii) In an attempt to rectify poor
attendance at recent meetings of the Garioch Forum, Mr Fowell
requested that members of NMCC consider what they would like or would wish to
change at future meetings.
1092 Alistair
Mair (see previous Minute 1038)
RB has approached
the head teacher at
Mr
Mair to the school.
It was agreed that an article be put in the Newsletter to generate
interest in his visit and possibly arrange a meeting with his
contemporaries. Depending on the date of
Mr Mair’s visit, he may be invited along to the
September meeting. It was decided that RB, AB and MT would continue with the
arrangements.
1093 Aberdeenshire Council Matters
(i) The councillors
reminded NMCC that meetings to discuss the Local Development Plan and land
allocations take place on 30 & 31 March 2010. After next week’s discussions a draft plan
will be circulated at the end of June which will be followed by a period of
public consultation. It may be mid 2011
before the Plan is adopted.
(ii) CllrFH
announced his intention to hold a public meeting in the middle of May for
residents at the north end of the village to discuss the Green Belt issue. It
is hoped that members of NMCC will attend.
(iii) There has
been no reply as yet from AC concerning lighting on the ‘jungle path’ which
links
(iv)
The situation regarding the portacabin adjacent
to the village hall was discussed. It
was noted that the After School Club has withdrawn its interest. Funds had been identified to restore the
building to an acceptable state of repair but it was noted that there was no
point in doing this unless there was a commitment from an organisation to make
use of it. It was agreed that Ian Fowell would contact
(v) RL
congratulated AC on its snow clearing operations during the winter period but
expressed concern that some of the footpaths linking streets within the village
had not been cleared. It was agreed to
write to AC to identify the paths requiring attention so that in future efforts
can be made to clear the snow in these areas.
(vi) CllrFH
reported that next year’s road maintenance programme will include 1000 m resurfacing with asphalt on
unclassified roads.
1094 Planning Issues
(i) It was noted
that the application to convert Chalmers Bakery to housing had been turned down
due to insufficient parking.
(ii) CMB Autos – as
a result of planning permission being refused at Lairshill,
RB reported that Mr Colin Bowie of CMB Autos has sought advice from NMCC as to
what steps can now be taken, given that the land does not belong to him. MF pointed out that Mr Bowie’s retrospective proposal contravenes the
policies in the Development Plan and suggested it was prudent to gain planning
permission before a business gets underway.
It was decided to recommend to Mr Bowie that he either lodges an appeal
with the local review body or seeks alternative premises.
(iii) Housing
development – APP/2010/0240. After
considerable discussion it was decided that the clerk would contact AC
indicating that it would be inappropriate for NMCC to make detailed comments on
the submitted plans until the outcome of the Local Development Plan was known. In addition, it is unclear where the
replacement area for recreational development could be established. Concern was also expressed surrounding the
most direct route to school which children from the proposed new development
would follow. With no pavement,
(iv) AB encouraged all NMCC
members to regularly check the applications listed on the AC website.
1095 Correspondence
There had been
no correspondence received since the previous meeting.
Next
Meeting
The next meeting will take place on Thursday 22
April 2010.