NMCC 2008-2009 (935-945)

 

PARISH OF NEW MACHAR COMMUNITY COUNCIL

 

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held on

Thursday, 25th September 2008

 

Members:

 

Mr Mike Taylor  ( Chair 2008-9 &Sec)  [MT]     Mr Alexander Buchan                  [AB]

Mrs Fiona Duncan               (Treasurer) [FD]     Mr Martin Morley, JP                   [MM]

Prof Roy Bridges             (Minute Sec.)   [RB]     Mrs Pamela Young                        [PY]

Mr Gordon Murray                                [GM]    Mr Robert Loughridge                  [RL]

Ms Lyn Lockhart  (co-pted)                     [LL]

 

In attendance ex officio:  Councillors Dr Martin Ford [CllrMF]; Nan Culllinane [CllrNC] and Fergus Hood [CllrFH]

 

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

 

Apologies were recorded for: Mr Gordon Murray & Mr Robert Loughridge

 

In attendance as visitor(s): PC David Calvert

 

Minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting of 28th August 2008 were accepted as a correct record.

 

935.     Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (See Minute 927)

            RB said that the latest version of the timetable  for the Public Local Inquiry  into the     AWPR indicated that he would be presenting NMCC’s submission on the 10th October.

 

936.     Christmas Lights (See Minute 922)

            CllrFH announced that the order for the purchase of new lights was now going through.

 

937.     Police Matters (See Minute 928)

            (i) RB said that the problem of an incorrect address having been provided for PC Calvert            had now been overcome and it was anticipated that regular contact could be maintained.

            (ii) PC David Calvert reported that the Police were very busy.  As far as Newmachar was concerned, there had in the past month been two assaults, four cases of vandalism, one         break in and one breach of the peace.  However, to put this into perspective, he reported     that analysis showed that the incidence of problems in Newmachar was about 10% of that             in Kintore or Inverurie.  The closing of the shop at 10 p.m. had eased problems in the   village.

            (iii) Forty or more children had turned up for each of the  two sessions with the Mobile             Football Pitch when it was brought to Newmachar and it was hoped to bring it on further     occasions.  Whether Newmachar could enter the Aberdeenshire Friday Night League was uncertain.

            (iv) Observations on traffic speed in the village had been taking place.

 

938.     Heritage Matters (See Minute 926)

            (i)  Repairs to the Monykebbock Burial Ground were in course of planning.

            (ii) RB announced that he was in communication with Ian Shepherd and Sean Norman over the possible repair and refurbishment of the Straloch Mausoleum in the Kirkyard.         MT undertook to indicate to the Area Committee of AC that NMCC hoped to apply for a          project grant for this project.

 

939.     Community Hall (See Minute 929)

            It was reported that some Planning Gain money had been received by the Hall Association.

 

940.     Youth Project (See Minute 930)

            The three AC councillors undertook to speak to the Area Manager about the continuing            difficulty of obtaining supervisory staff for the Drop-in centre.  LL thought that there were    people in the village who were interested in helping; she undertook to try to get in touch     with them and pass on their names.

 

941.     Garioch Forum

            RB reported on the meeting of the Forum of 6th September as follows.

            (i) Progress on Waste collection had been reported: the 2008 target of 30% being recycled          was reached but 40% by 2010 would be difficult especially because of food waste. Window        envelopes (white) and plastic lids could now be recycled.  Mixing the two main types of         plastic (although there are seventeen) led to disaster.  Reviews of street cleaning and of who      was eligible for kerbside collections were in progress.

            (ii) The position of community councils in relation to the Data Protection Act remained in        doubt; Sir Robert Smith may take up the matter.

            (iii) Aberdeenshire is considering setting up a Community Council Forum for the whole of        Aberdeenshire and will make £1000 available for travel.

            (iv) Administration grants will continue for 2009-2010 but the money available for Project         Grants is in some doubt.

            (v) An Aberdeenshire in Bloom competition will be organised.

            (vi) Garioch Area has £11k for community projects. It has produced a handbook of advice          on running community halls.

            (vii) A new Community Planning Officer, Ms Jill Soden, will be making contact with      community councils.

            (viii) Shell has made a grant of £20k to AC for community planning.

            (ix) Rumours say that the Scottish government has decided not to accord any further      powers to community councils.  The Garioch Forum will invite its MSP, the First Minister,     to attend a meeting and give the             Government’s views on community councils.

 

942.     Aberdeenshire Council Matters (See Minute 931)

            (i) AC had formally launched its Sustainability Charter on 8th September at Haddo.  This           points towards means of sustaining present living standards without encroaching further            on the environment and while reducing carbon emissions.

            (ii) Local Government employees had voted AC the best authority to work for; it had come        twelfth overall in a survey of various characteristics.

            (iii) CllrFH reported that there had already been 800 useful comments on the Structure             Plan.

            (iv) AC’s minimum working balance is £7m.   It had been able to bring forward £3m from          the previous financial year.  In fact the Authority was rarely overspent and was usually            within one or two per cent of budget.  In other words, the Council was well managed       financially.

            (v) On more local concerns, the councillors reported that vegetation on Miller Gardens   obstructing the footpath would be cut back and that the street lights on Meldrum Drive had been repaired.  Although a one-way system of traffic management was not possible the          Traffic Department was considering further parking restrictions.

            (vi) CllrFH promised to investigate the reasons for NMCC’s suggestions upon core paths            not being implemented in relation to the Lairshill area woods.

 

943.     Correspondence

            MT reported correspondence forwarding details of Aberdeenshire Architectural Design   Awards; Sports Council information; and data from Aberdeenshire Citizens’ Panel.

 

944.     Street Orderly

            The 2008 Street orderly for Newmachar had been Greg Ritchie, the first holding that post          `who was a resident of the parish.

 

945.     Alteration to Date of October Meeting

            It was agreed that the October meeting should be postponed for one week.

 

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2115

 

The next meeting is scheduled for 30th October 2008.