NMCC 2005 (610-622)

 

PARISH OF NEW MACHAR COMMUNITY COUNCIL

 

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held on

Thursday 24th November 2005

 

Members:

 

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

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

Mrs Fiona Duncan               (Treasurer) [FD]     Mrs Moira Lee                              [ML]

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: Mr Graham Geddes and Mr Robert Loughridge

 

In attendance as visitor(s): the following members of the Garden Club: Mr Dave Sandison (Chairman), Mrs Linda Rendall, Mrs June Pattison & Mrs Judith MacSween.

 

Minutes

      The Minutes of the meeting held on 27th October 2005 were approved as a correct record.

 

610                  Traffic Questions (See Minute 603)

(i) Park and Ride at Parkhill: CllrF reported that AC remains committed to the project but that no progress could be made until the Western Peripheral Route is settled.  This could be as early as Autumn 2006 or as late as a year after that.

(ii) FH deplored the lack of gritting on the A947 during the recent cold snap. CllrF replied that all roads could be gritted within three hours of a need becoming apparent.

(iii) Elaborating on Minute 603 ii, CllrF said the Scottish Executive supplies only speed cushions.

 

611.     Aberdeenshire Council Matters

CllrF drew attention to the financial difficulties caused for AC by the growth in the costs of providing social care; details would be set out in the impending issue of Newmachar News.

 

612.     Hanging Baskets and Flower Tubs (See Minute 602)

The Chairman expressed the appreciation felt by the community for the efforts made by the Garden Club to plant up and maintain the flower displays in the tubs and baskets.  He asked whether there were ways in which the displays could be enhanced.  Dave Sandison said that members of the Garden Club tended to be somewhat elderly and there were problems about managing more tubs.  After considerable  discussion it was agreed that NMCC and the Garden Club would co-operate in an effort to achieve the following features:

            (i) one big post with a capacity of four baskets to be placed near the central crossroads;

      (ii) more tubs to be acquired by purchase from Mr Ross and strategically placed;

      (iii) flower beds in the green roadside areas at the southern entrance to the Village;

(iv) repositioning of the existing flower baskets to achieve a greater concentration of flowers in the centre of the village, especially by using the new lamposts.

It was agreed to discuss the matter further with a view to applying to AC for a project or top-up grant.

 

613.     Amendments to the Aberdeenshire Local Plan (See Minute 601)

(i) The letter sent to residents living near the proposed altered boundary which set out NMCC’s reasoned objections to the Reporter’s decision and asking for responses was approved.  It was agreed that it should also appear on the website.

(ii) All the members of the Council present individually gave their assurances that they supported NMCC’s position and favoured a submission to AC based on the case put in the letter.

(iii) FH and RB undertook to prepare the submission to AC before the deadline of 23rd December.

 

614.     Christmas Lights (See Minute 597)

FH announced that, with the help of Aberdeen Tool Rental, he hoped to erect the lights early in December.

 

615.     Youth Project (See Minute 600)

(i) It was agreed to seek information on whether the Youth Group planned a formal opening of their Drop-In Centre.

(ii) NMCC accepted that continuing support for the project would be just as necessary in the future as it had been during the setting-up phase.

 

616.     AC’s Response to Consultation on Community Planning (See Minutes 605 & 607 i)

            No information was available as yet.

 

617.     Village Hall Project (See Minute 606)

No important new information was available but it was known that fund raising was proceeding, not least by the organisation of a corporate golf event.

 

618.     First Responder Scheme (See Minute 608)

(i) MT reported that there had been a slight delay to implementation because training had had to be postponed to early January but the scheme would be operational shortly thereafter.

(ii) MT further reported that the scheme would operate between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. or possibly only 2 a.m.; that coverage would extend as far south as Parkhill; and that the scheme did not provide for road accidents or children.

 

619.     Scottish Executive Consultation: ‘What Can We Do to Help Community Councils?’

RB said that he had read the (very ill-expressed) paper and would be helping to formulate a response by the Garioch Forum.  It was agreed that NMCC would decide whether it wished to send in its own response at the next meeting.

 

620.     Garioch Forum (See Minute 607)

NMCC noted the arrangements for a consultation on 5th December on the subject of the effects of the new electoral system for local government from 2007.

 

621.     NMCC Election Arrangements for 2006

RB referred to the Constitution and to a consultation he had held with the Area Manager.  He proposed that the Election should be held in the Spring with information and nomination papers being included in the next edition of Newmachar News which was scheduled to appear on the 20th March 2006. Hence forms could be submitted by 31st March or 3rd April with the election itself to follow on the 20th or 21st April.  It was suggested that Allan Cody might be invited to act as Returning Officer as an alternative to asking the Area Manager.

 

622.     Correspondence

            (i) Nominations for an Aberdeen Design Award would be deferred to the next meeting.

(ii) RB reported that he had responded to an urgent request from CllrF for possible street names for the Kingseat Meadows development by suggesting names connected with the area from the time of Malcolm Canmore to the periods of Kingseat as a Mental Hospital and a Naval Hospital.

(iii) AB said he would report to the next meeting on the SNH paper on access to the countryside.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was declared closed at 2130.

 

The date of the next meeting was agreed as 26th January 2006.