CROMARTY AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Meeting held on Monday 31^st October 2005 at the Hugh Miller Institute

Present:

Community Councillors:Anne Short, (Chair), Jane Clunas, Douglas Cooper, Douglas McPhee, Wilf Taylor, Ronald Young, Susan Florence, Rachel Robertson

Highland Councillor: David Alston

In attendance: PC Williams

CC Secretary: Caroline Vawdrey

Item	Details	Action
	Chairwoman's welcome: Anne welcomed CC members to the meeting.
1	Apologies: Margaret Binnie, Alex Davidson
2	Approval of previous minutes: The minutes were approved. Proposed: Ronald Young Seconded: Douglas Cooper
3	Police Report: PC Williams reported that his area – stretching from Cromarty to Culbokie, Fortrose and Rosemarkie – had seen 61 incidents over the last month. These figures include 11 breaches of peace, 5 acts of vandalism and 1 theft. 7 charges have been brought. PC Williams commented that people are now prepared to speak up and to give statements – which means that charges can be brought. He noted the importance of dealing with the smaller crimes in order to prevent larger ones happening.
	Youth Issues Friday Club: has been running for 6 years. Recently the club had a fishing trip to Loch Tarvie, and will be going to a day of art, speech and drama at Charleston Academy. Youth Café: Is now open
5 5:1 5:2 5:3 5:4 5:5 5:6 5:7 5:8 5:9 5:10	Matters arising 3:1 School bus shelter: John Nightingale has been sent bus shelter plans by John Hearmon. DA gave AS a copy of the Links Management Agreement for CC records 3:4 Harbour Benches: these are now in place and have been toasted with a dram! 3:7 Beach Clean Up: This has been done and looks good. DA will check with John Hearmon that the CC has been sent the funds for this. 5:6 Black Isle Gathering: AS reported that this had been a good day, with a lot of interest in the work of the CC 6:2 Flooding at Shore St and Hospital Road: RY has sent photos of this to Ian Hay 6:6 High Street Flower gardens: WT commented that these still need some work on them. 15:4 Septic tanks at Cromarty Mains: SF noted that these are emptied 2 times a year, not each week. Someone from SEPA is to come out and look at the problem of them overflowing. 15:6 Scottish Water path: This is being used by mini motorbikes at present. Therefore the CC agreed to provide keys to users of the path with mobility difficulties, and to review asking Scottish Water about keeping the gate open at a later date. 15:9 Clumsy’s headstone: Is now in situ – and can also be seen on the Cromarty Live website. 15:11 Disabled access around Cromarty: After looking in detail at routes around Cromarty for wheelchair users DMcP concluded that the narrow pavements in places made it difficult to do much about it.	CC ongoing completed completed & DA completed completed ongoing JC CC ongoing completed completed
5	Townlands Development Discussion deferred until the November meeting
6	Industrial Unit/John Hearmon THC has to offer industrial units to local businesses first – and the Cromarty unit has been taken up – and so is now not available for CC use.	completed
7	Calor Gas Awards The visit of the judges went well – they were shown all the activities in the hall, and had a tour around some of Cromarty’s businesses. Representatives of the CC are invited to the awards ceremony in Edinburgh on December 7th. CC members agreed that AS, MB, RR and JC should attend.	AS, MB, RR, JC
8	Harbour Trust There have been 3 expressions of interest in joining the Cromarty Harbour Trust: Andy Young, Charles Petersen, Ronald Young. CC members agreed that they should be interviewed by AD, MB/SF, DA	AD, MB/SF DA
9	Treasurer’s Report: Bank balance: (up until 27th September) - £15, 990.12 Expenditure since my last report was £1,663.55 and included: £58.07 - out of the Homefront Recall fund for publicity by May Hunter £1265.48 - to David Ogilvie engineering for the two new harbour seats £340.00 - to Dougie Shepherd for painting the bus shelter and installing the harbour seats. Income since my last report was £170.00: £120.00 - Stall rental from Dingwall market £ 50.00 from the sale of booklets to the Cromarty Courthouse There is a query over a bill of £587.50 from ILM Highland because Alan Hunter isn’t happy with the quality of the work done on the plinth at the South Sutor. WT to find out why. If work is then seen to be satisfactory CC members agreed that the bill should be paid. Calico has sent an invoice for £52.88 for Cromarty Live website maintenance. CC members agreed that this should be paid. (also see AOB)	AD
10	Planning None	MB
11	Highland Councillor’s Report Covered under other agenda items	DA
12 12:1 12:2 12:3 12:4 12:5 12:6	Correspondence HSCHT AGM: The CC has been reimbursed for its mileage costs Police notification has been received that they are investigating the bus shelter graffiti ASCC AGM is in Pitlochry on November 19th Cromarty Footpath Guide: A draft copy is now complete. DA to check historical facts. AS to confirm guide progress and arrangements with Alan Hunter Affordable Housing in the Countryside – Draft development guidelines: CC members to prepare comments on this for the November meeting. SE discussion paper on the role of CCs: This is an important opportunity for CCs to comment and to raise issues of importance to them.	AD ongoing AS, DA All CC members All CC members
13 13:1 13:2 13:3 13:4 13:5 13:6 13:7 13:8	AOB Stalls: CC members agreed that it was important to find alternative storage from AD’s garage. DA to ask John Hearmon if they can go with the THC equipment. Other CC members to explore alternative possibilities. Cromarty Live website: CC members agreed to establish a new committee to maintain this.AS will ask Steve Ellwood. RY and AS are also happy to help with the site. Seat at the bothy: This is broken. CC members agreed that RY should ask Douglas Shepherd to repair it. Core Path Planning meeting: WT and Pete Clunas attended this. Phil Waite (THC Access Officer) is to visit John Nightingale to discuss access issues. High St. Kerb: One piece is loose. DA to investigate Kirkibrae: The project is waiting for THC signature, and can then go ahead. Traffic diversion away from Bank Street: CC members considered possible approaches to this, including changing the road prioritisation in order to direct traffic to Newton. AS to speak with Jim Yuill. DA and RY to consider further. Library Tables: Henderson’s would pay £100.00 per table, selling them at auction was also suggested. CC members were not convinced that these were good options – and so deferred decision until a later date.	DA and CC members AS, RY RY Completed & WT DA RR AS, RY, DA CC ongoing
	Date of next meeting: Monday 28th November 2005 at 19.30 in the Hugh Miller Institute