NMCC 2005 (524-536)

 

PARISH OF NEW MACHAR COMMUNITY COUNCIL

 

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held on

Thursday 24th March 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:

 

In attendance as visitor(s): Sergeant Colin Donald; Mr William Kennedy

 

Minutes

              The Minutes of the meeting held on 24th February 2005 were accepted as a   correct record subject to the excision of the words ‘in Inverness’ from line 2 of Minute          511.

 

524.     First Responder Scheme in Newmachar

              FH reported that he had been in touch with the Scottish Ambulance Service which                 would like to set up a ‘First Responder’ scheme in Newmachar.  Volunteers are                               required with some nursing or other relevant experience who are willing to attend a                            medical emergency immediately and help until an ambulance can arrive.  Two are               already available; three others are needed for a viable service.  Also needed is £3000                        for a first response kit.  It was agreed to seek a grant from Scottish Coop for the kit and                       to advertise for volunteers in the          Newsletter.

 

525.    Police Matters (See Minute 510)

            Sgt Donald reported a fairly quiet March although there had been cases of trespass in back gardens and attempted forcing of the Hall fire door.  He feared more problems as the clocks were changed for summertime.  The presence of the youth worker in Newmachar, if only for one night a week, was a great help.  He himself was interested in promoting a Scottish version of the American idea of ‘Midnight Basketball’ to keep young people off the streets and out of trouble.  Sgt Donald emphasised the importance the Police attached to obtaining information from the public about any problems.

              On other matters, Sgt Donald referred to the manpower problems the Police were experiencing.  Among other things, this affected their ability to continue the campaign to curb excessive speeds on Aberdeenshire’s roads.

             

 

526.    Community Hall (See Minute 512)

            (i) GraG reported on the meeting in the Village Hall when representative Community School plans were exhibited together with a possible layout for a stand-alone hall.  Only 42 people had attended but there were a great many questions both for him and the Aberdeenshire representatives.  One could now only await the result of the ballot which would close on 15th April.  AC had made a 65% grant towards the £1500 cost of preparing the specimen plans exhibited.

              (ii) RB raised the question of the constitutional position of the organisation at present handling the stand-alone hall initiative and in particular the problem of the Community Council’s relationship to the management group if, as seemed likely, the community expressed its desire for a stand-alone hall.  AB agreed that there was an issue and he drew attention to the need to command the services of high-level technical and financial advice.

              (iii) GM reported that in order to comply with legislation, disabled toilets and access to them was being arranged at the existing Hall.

 

527.    Kingseat  (See Minute 514)

            (i) NMCC considered the main clauses of the Section 75 Agreement between AC and Manor Kingdom. Some disquiet was expressed about Clause 7.1 which referred to Planning Gain resources for the refurbishment of the existing Village Hall rather than contributions to a new facility.  RL and CllrF doubted whether in practice there would be a problem about applying the £95K to the costs of a new hall.  But it would be wise to make it clear to AC’s Planning Officer, Stuart Robertson, that Newmachar was likely to be seeking a new building and looked to use the planning gain money. 

              (ii) The reference in 7.2 to the existing hall building at Kingseat itself raised further issues.  It was agreed to point out to Manor Kingdom what Morrisons had originally offered - that is, profit from the transfer of the Hall to the developer for housing.

              (iii) The importance of having sporting purposes to justify obtaining planning gain money for the loss of the football pitch was emphasised.

              (iv) RB drew attention to the fact that in their preliminary advertising, Manor Kingdom were referring to the site as ‘Kings Manor’ instead of the correct and well-known name.  He was asked to write to the firm to express the Council’s disapprobation.

 

528.    Youth Project (See Minute 511)

            (i) It was reported that the portacabin was now in place.  It needed fitting out.  The importance of regulations making adult supervision obligatory when it began to be used as a drop-in centre was stressed.  An eighteen-year old counted as adult.  FH promised to follow up this issue.

              (ii) It was agreed to invite the leaders of the project to the next meeting.

              (ii) CllrF reported that Ewan Cameron was still unwell and that, consequently, Amanda Hampton was the sole youth worker available for Newmachar.

 

 

529.    Lock-up Garages (See Minute 513)

            Since no uses within the regulations for the unused garages which were of benefit to the community could be identified, it was agreed to endorse AC’s plan to arrange for a block of unused garages to be demolished so that the site should become available for a social purpose e.g. affordable housing.

 

531.     Park and Ride and Western Peripheral Route (See Minute 515)

            It was agreed to defer any discussion on the evolving plans for the northern extension to the WPR until the ‘road show’ had visited Newmachar on 29th March.  FH would endeavour to gather views on that day.

 

532.    Garioch Forum

              NMCC received a Report on the Garioch Forum meeting of 17th March 2005 and          noted the following items which had been discussed:

 

              1. Road maintenance issues should be reported to Mr Bob Gray at Gordon              House.  bob.gray@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

              2. The Garioch Area Partnership is developing promisingly in its efforts to           promote youth activities and cooperation.  More funding is being sought.  A            further meeting for interested groups is planned for 27th April.

              3. AC has been asked whether it has powers to prevent the use of inappropriate place names by developers. (See also Minute 527 (iv), above)

              4. More information will be sought from Scottish Co-op about possible             grants (See       Minutes 518 (ii) and 524, above)

              5. The Forum advises community councils to use their designated pages on the    ‘Local Channel’ (See    Minute 518 (iv)); this would be additional to, not a      replacement for existing websites.  It was agreed to forward this information to the            Council’s new Web Site Officer if it proved possible to appoint one. (See also       Minute 508)

              6. Information is available about how to participate in the Trafalgar Weekend of      21st-      23rd October.

              7. The Forum has advised OFCOM that it believes the statutory right of           community       councils to veto the removal of the last public call box in any area        should be retained.      NMCC endorsed this decision.

              8. As both the Chairperson and the Vice-chairperson of the Forum have advised    that      they intend demitting office in June 2005, nominations will be sought for             replacements.

              9. The Forum is considering whether a Saturday morning both business and   social meeting for all community councillors in Garioch would be welcomed.    Views are sought.

 

533.    Aberdeenshire Council Matters

            (i) CllrF reported the ready availability of grants to aid projects designed to enhance the appearance of areas and urged applications.

              (ii) Provision had been made for the re-appointment of village orderlies in 2005 and Newmachar would again be covered.  A student on vacation would probably get the position.

            (iii) CllrF reported that the Electoral Boundary Commission had accepted the force of representations from AC that the electoral wards for the new system from 2007 should all be made to lie entirely within any one of the administrative Areas into which Aberdeenshire was divided and not straddle borders.  Newmachar Community Council area would fall within a ward designated to cover Newmachar, Fintray, Blackburn and part of Kintore.  This ward would elect three councillors.  There would be fourteen altogether in the Garioch Area and 68 in all Aberdeenshire.

              (iv) CllrF explained that problems had been caused for AC’s recyling of waste strategy by the Executive’s reclassification of ‘compost’ in respect of the proportions of plastic and metal content which could be allowed.  Hence AC’s ‘compost’ had become ‘waste’ and recyling targets could not be met.  There were other classificatory problems but the new collection patterns would nevertheless go ahead in the Autumn of 2006.

 

534.    Planning Matters

            It was agreed that AC’s Planning Officer should be reminded of Newmachar’s need for planning gain support for hall facilities when planning compensation sums were worked out for Mr Allan Buchan’s new development to the north of the village.

 

535.    Flower Boxes (See Minute  487)

            FH reported that Mr RB Ross had said that the flower boxes for Newmachar would be like those in Edzell but without the second tier.

 

536.    Correspondence

            (i)  RL reported on Marches and Parades (See Minute 518 iv) noting police costs, the need for longer notice etc but saw no need for Newmachar to offer comments.

              (ii) Other items (Asbos; Tetra masts; Postwatch) were postponed to the next meeting and there was nothing of consequence in newer correspondence.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was declared closed at 2005

 

The date of the next meeting was agreed as 28th April 2005