NMCC 2005 (597-609)

 

PARISH OF NEW MACHAR COMMUNITY COUNCIL

 

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held on

Thursday 27th October 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]     (position vacant)

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 Mike Taylor

 

In attendance as visitor(s):

 

Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd September 2005were approved as a correct record subject to an amendment to 587 line 1, to read...presented the accounts, audited by Ms Lorna MacGregor, for 2004-5...; 590 (i) lines 4-5 to omit all words in the sentence after ...on the Glebe area...; and (ii) line 1, to read: ...the Church had sought an assurance...

 

597.   Christmas Lights

FH reported his measures to get the Lights ready for display; he hoped again to engage the help of Aberdeen Tool Rental.

 

598.   Aberdeenshire Policy on Open Spaces Left by Developers

The paper on this subject circulated by AC was noted and in general approved after some discussion on the difficulties created for some householders under some present arrangements which meant untidy areas and/or their paying for unsatisfactory maintenance contracts.

 

599.   Resignation of Mrs Moira Lee

Members expressed regret at the news of Mrs Lee’s resignation and GraG agreed to ask her if she might be prepared to reconsider.

 

600.   Youth Project (See Minute 596)

FH said there had been an Evening Express  report on progress with the drop-in centre but NMCC had had no direct contact; he would get in touch while CllrF agreed to find out from the youth worker, Amanda Hampton, about any plans for an opening ceremony.

 

601.   Reporter’s Changes to Aberdeenshire Local Plan (See Minute 590)

(i) FH and RL had sent a letter to Mr G Davidson of AC pointing out that the change and AC’s acquiescence put the Community Council, which had accepted the original version of the Plan, in a difficult situation; it needed time to discuss the situation and perhaps canvas local opinion.

(ii) CllrF reassured the Council that AC would make every change open to consultation and possible objection but he did point out that AC could not possibly contest every one of the reporters’ decisions; in most cases they would perforce be accepted.

(iii) RL reiterated the concerns he had expressed at the previous meeting and emphasised his view that the boundary proposed by the reporter in this case was not sustainable.  He added that the War Memorial had originally been deliberately sited outside the village; its setting should not be altered.

(iv) After considerable discussion on the best way forward, it was agreed to consult nearby residents by means of a letter setting out the situation and asking them for advice and comments before a submission was made. FH and RB agreed to draft the letter.

 

602.   Flower Tubs and Hanging Baskets (See Minute 589)

(i) RB reported that on the question of the safety of those watering the baskets, Mr Ian Rendall of AC had suggested following the practices of Old Meldrum and Inverurie by using flashing lights and warning signs.

(ii) Mr Rendall had also passed on permission for brackets for hanging baskets to be affixed to the new lampposts in the centre of the village.

(iii) It was agreed to ask Garden Club representatives to come to the November meeting of the Council to discuss future policy.

 

603.   Traffic Problems (See Minute 585)

(i) CllrF reported that the line outside the Library would be repainted and that the question of parking outside the chip shop would be investigated.  AB reiterated his concern about parking outside Beekie’s Neuk and asked whether the earlier proposal for a fence on the corner at that point had been considered.

(ii) CllrF explained that no speed humps had been put on School Road as it was considered to be a through road; there would be speed cushions instead.

(iii) Announcing that work had begun on repairing the edges of Disblair Road, he explained that funding came from an EU source designed to encourage people to walk to shops and offices.

(iv) AB hoped AC would, this winter, take steps for the adequate gritting of minor roads which were important for school buses and for farm operations; putting down only salt made things worse.

 

604.   Post Office Problems (See Minute 586)

After discussion, it was agreed that Postwatch should be contacted about three problems: the closure of the Post Office for whole mornings in the recent past; the lack of an adequately sized letter box in the centre of the village and the lateness and irregularity of post deliveries which was a situation having an adverse effect on small businesses.

 

605.   Community Planning (See Minute 588)

     It was reported that there had as yet been no response to NMCC’s submission.

 

606.   Village Hall Project (See Minute 591)

     (i) GraG agreed to tackle the question of an official name for the project.

(ii) The constitution was being worked out in detail and questions such as whether a limited company should be formed, whether there should be articles of association and what kind of bank account or accounts should be set up were under review.

(iii) A corporate Golf Day in June 2006 was being planned and various other fund-raising activities; the aim was to raise about £45K to £50K locally as an earnest of the local community’s commitment to the project when grant-giving bodies were approached.

 

 

607.   Garioch Forum Matters

(i) It was noted that AC’s Community Planning Partnership proposals (See also Minute 588) had been reviewed by the Forum which responded by (a) accepting that community councils should become partners; (b) suggesting that Area planning groups should be based on the Area Forums; (c) advocating that voluntary members of such groups should be paid their travelling expenses; (d) suggesting that transport issues should be included in the remit of community planning partnership groups; and (e) rejecting the publication of special newsletters and favouring the use of existing local outlets such as Newmachar’s Newsletter.

(ii) It was further noted that the Area Partnership had received £4K for three years of operations and that the Forum had objected to the failure of AC to consult all community councils about charges for the use of council-controlled premises.

608.   First Responder Scheme (See Minute 595)

It was reported that there were now 14 volunteers and that it was hoped to complete their training in November.  There was enough money in hand, given the help of NMCC, for all the necessary equipment to be acquired. Consideration was being given to the leasing of a vehicle at a cost of £2.2K per annum.  It was hoped a note about the scheme’s progress could go into the Newsletter.

609.   Garioch Area Plan

Copies of the finalised Plan had now been received and it was noted with satisfaction that NMCC’s suggestions had been incorporated, viz., for more medical facilities in the Village, affordable housing in the Kingseat scheme; repairs to the Straloch Mausoleum and the Monykebbock Burial Ground; and support for the Village Hall project.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was declared closed at 2145

 

The date of the next meeting was agreed as 24th November 2005