NMCC 2005 (549-561)

 

PARISH OF NEW MACHAR COMMUNITY COUNCIL

 

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held on

Thursday 26th May 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):

 

Minutes

      The Minutes of the meeting held on 28th April were accepted as a correct record subject to the correction of Minute 548, line 1 to read ‘Sohail Faruqi’.

 

549.    First Responder Scheme (See Minute 537)

              Twelve people had to date offered their services including MT who would become               Chairman of the group.

 

550.    Police Matters (See Minute 542)

              A group who had damaged tiles on the roof of the Library to an estimated replacement             cost of £400 had been apprehended as a result of evidence on a video film taken by a              local resident.

 

551.     Kingseat (See Minute 544)

              FH and RB reported that Manor Kingdom had responded to representations from NMCC and changed the name of their development to ‘Kingseat Meadows’.   Representatives of the firm had also expressed some interest in obtaining copies of              People and Places in Newmachar. As a result of attending the reception to mark the              opening of the site, FH had obtained details of the types of residence now on offer.

 

552.    Road Safety (See Minute 538)

              CllrF reported that new speed measurements and other assessments were proceeding.

             

553.    Youth Project (See Minute 545)

              FH reported that with the help of the architectural firm JAM, the NYPD group were        going ahead successfully with the furbishment of their drop-in centre. The project     continued to go well. RB reported on the good impression made by NYPD at the        Garioch Area Partnership meeting he had attended.  The help of NMCC in getting the         project underway was fully acknowledged and recommended as a good precedent for        similar youth schemes.

 

554.    Garioch Area Forum and Garioch Area Partnership

              (i) RB proposed that NMCC nominate Cdr Hunneyball as Chairperson of the Forum       as he was stepping down after six years.  This was agreed.

              (ii) Attention was drawn to the importance of new ‘Community Planning’           arrangements which would be coming into force; it was important that community      councils took what opportunities Aberdeenshire was likely to provide for them to        become involved.

              (iii) The Partnership meeting and show of 4th May was reported. (See also 553.)

 

555.    Website (See Minutes 508 & 539)

              Two offers to take over the running of the site had been received.  After discussion, it       was agreed that Dave Lee be thanked for his interest and advice but, in view of his other commitments, his offer be declined.  Given his apparent technical expertise and   experience, Mr David Jolly appeared to be the right person to be formally invited to      become webmaster.  FH agreed to carry this forward.

 

556.    Arrangements for the Annual General Meeting (See Minute 540)

              MT would put a notice on the notice board and RB would prepare the Agenda for the              AGM which should be held just before the next regular meeting of NMCC on 23rd        June.

 

557.     Aberdeenshire Council Matters

              (i) NMCC’s administration grant of £4321.25 for 2005-6 was noted.

              (ii) It was agreed that NMCC apply for a project grant in order to cover the equipment   costs for the First Responder Scheme. Mt would proceed with this.

              (iii) Managing Waste.

              CllrF reported on AC’s 20-year strategy which involved raising the proportion of waste     recycled from the present 15% of waste to 25%.  However, the strategy had been upset             by new Scottish Executive and European regulations on what constituted ‘recyclables’         The practical effects for households would be fortnightly collections of ‘recyclables’ in               the village and monthly ones in rural areas; these collections were likely to begin in the    autumn but obtaining the special lorries required and arranging for the sorting of the            waste at the lorry were formidable difficulties.

 

 

558.    Community Hall (See Minute 543)

              GraG reported that his committee had discussed RB’s paper on management of the      project whose general approach was accepted.  The following observations were offered.                (i) There had been no point in proceeding to make concrete arrangements until the             community had given its verdict on whether it wanted a stand-alone hall.  What was               beginning to emerge was a group of about six or seven as an executive to manage fund-           raising, administration and certain kinds of technical expertise.  No-one should be paid       for their services at this level; remuneration should be restricted to professionals employed to undertake specific services for the project.

              (ii) Relations with the wider community would be managed by regular contacts with   user groups, public meetings and other measures to keep people informed.

              (iii) The committee was anxious to keep in close touch with NMCC and was open to            proposals on how the relationship might best be managed.  It would certainly be the    intention to make regular reports to the Community Council.

              (iv) The Committee was considering how best to move towards the writing of a formal        constitution and were well aware, inter alia, of Scottish Charities Commission            requirements.

              FH welcomed the information and added that NMCC wanted to be fully involved, e.g.        in fund-raising events, and in arranging publicity through the Council’s Newsletter and              a revamped website.

 

559.    Correspondence

              (i) FH reported that Tetra masts for police communications were unlikely to affect           Newmachar and also that ,so far, only one ASBOS had been used in our police area.

              (ii) New correspondence was distributed to those interested; no item called for           particular discussion.

 

560.    Village Improvement: Flower Baskets and Boxes; Christmas Lights

              (i) Mr RB Ross has now supplied six steel flower tubs. FH and the Garden Club will           arrange for their placement, filling with ballast and compost and their planting.  The        Garden Club will once again arrange hanging baskets.

              (ii) AC has asked whether more light sockets are required for Christmas decorations; it        was agreed to ask for two more.

 

561.     Western Peripheral Route (See Minute 546)

              FH reported that he had written to the Scottish Executive on behalf of NMCC           pointing out that the plans for the A947/WPR link area had no provision for a link               between the new road and the road around the Airport near Overton Farm.  There are            also concerns about how traffic from Bridge of Don, Newmachar and Blackdog is to reach and negotiate the Parkhill junction.

 

There being no further business the meeting closed at 2123.

The date of the next meeting was agreed as 23rd June.