MINUTES OF MEETING
INVERNESS SOUTH COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Monday 2nd March 2009 At 7pm
INSHES PRIMARY SCHOOL

PRESENT:

Bob Roberts (Chair & Planning Secretary)
Jean Pumford (Secretary & Vice Chair)
Veronica Mitchell (Treasurer)
Liz Gilchrist
Gavin Norton
NigelCollins        
Meg Gunn
Ian MacFarlane
Kevin Findlay
Cathy Sengupta - Minute secretary for this meeting

Councillors:

Roy Pedersen
John Holden
      
Also in attendance:

PC Dave Elliot   
Members of the public (8)           

1 .Introduction and Welcome

Bob welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked the public, PC Elliot and the Councillors for attending.

2. Apologies:

Barrie Haycock

Councillor Jim Crawford
Councillor Thomas Pragg
PC Gary Taylor
Ward Manager Charles Stephen
Kirsty Campbell – Tonight’s speaker

3. Community Police Report

PC Dave Elliot reported that there were a total of 61 calls in both January and February; down slightly on last years figures. Noteworthy items are that 2 youths have been reported to the PF following fire- raising behind Matalan Store, 9 noise disturbance calls and a theft from a building site which is still under investigation.

Matters Arising:

Veronica asked PC Elliot whether speed checks on motorist had ever been carried out at Milton of Leys. He assured her that there had been checks and there would be others. To date, no speeding offences have arisen.

4. Minutes of last meeting

Councillor Holden would like a correction in Matters Arising under BUS SHELTER paragraph 2. The shelter for Wester Inshes has in fact been budgeted for.
The minutes were then approved by Liz Gilchrist and seconded by Gavin Norton.

5. Matters Arising

(a)  Bus routes via Boswell Road:  Jean emailed Scott Pearson, Divisional traffic manager at Stagecoach prompting him for a response to a request made by Boswell Road residents to have the No 6 bus routed to include their street. He replied that “there are currently no plans to revise the Inverness City network at present” However, the request (he states), has been passed on for future consideration.

(b)  Community Policeman’s email has changed and he has been asked to send the secretary his report if unable to attend.

(c)  Highland Housing Fair:

As previously discussed, a letter was sent to Councillor Jean Urquhart, the HHF management and copied to MSP’s. So far acknowledgements from Fergus Ewing MSP and Mary Scanlon MSP. It was agreed a second letter should go to  Jean Urquhart, Susan Torrance, and Fiona Porteus.

(d)  Factoring:

Councillors Pedersen and Holden attended a meeting with 2 representatives from the Greenbelt Group. It was a difficult and challenging meeting with disappointing responses from the other side. The point was made that both HCC and Residents Associations (of areas Greenbelt Group are responsible for managing) are utterly dissatisfied with their service to date. As a gesture, Greenbelt will be offering 3 months grace from management fees, although Councillors felt a better gesture would be to bring communal areas up to scratch first and waive all fees till completed to everyone’s satisfaction.
Councillor Pedersen thanked Gavin as Chair of MoL Resident’s Association, for providing useful information pack which was of benefit during the meeting.
Councillor Holden was reassuring that a resolution will be found to the satisfaction of all in time.
Liz, Barrie and Bob met with Neil Cameron of Tulloch Homes and were told there is definitely a contract indicating the developer must hand over the communal land to Greenbelt group. However, there is some dubiety as to when this will happen.

(e) Public Footpaths:

Councillor Pedersen advised that paths on recent housing developments have not been adopted by Highland Council. They are still in the ownership of the developers therefore all queries and/or complaints should be referred to Tulloch and Barrat in this instance.

(f) Tonight’s speaker:

Due to ill health, Kirsty Campbell has cancelled her talk on Archaeology work and the Planning Process and recent finds in Inverness. Hopefully this can talk can be rescheduled for later in the year.

6. Planning Report - Bob Roberts

(a) Asda Public Enquiry: Inshes Roundabout 
Time wasted on exaggerating perceived traffic problems. Inverness Estates objections - delay tactic for commercial reasons.

(b) UHI campus plans:

Kevin reported that members of the subcommittee met with HIE representatives to view and discuss plans.

The campus will be set on a 215 acre site know as Beechwood west of the A9 and to the south side of the Retail Park. HIE have responsibility for the design and layout which will be constructed in phases over a period of years. Outline plans to be submitted in April and it hoped construction will begin in 2010.

There will be housing accommodation for students.  Sports centre, football & rugby pitches and swimming pool, which will be accessible to the wider community. Public meetings/viewings will be held in Inshes Church later this month. Times were given to those present.

(c) SSE substation planning application for realignment of cables. Better than previous plan showing less pylons, more underground cables.

(d)  Application for 4 small shop units at Culduthel Mains Estate. Liz reported that these units appear too small and concerns have been expressed by local residents that if any are to be take away food outlets, pollutants and other nuisance factors would be cause for concern.

(e) House in garden at Druid Temple Way refused – delegated powers.

7. Chair Report

(a)  Veronica re:
The Highland Council Draft Supplementary Guidance: Open Space in New Residential Development document.
Please be advised this document can be accessed on www.highland.gov.uk/yourenvironment/planning/developmentplans/osspg.htm
Residents and home owners are strongly advised to read and comment on this document before 20 March 2009. The comments form can be completed online. Veronica made some comments of her own to the Councillors. (a) She questioned the 2.23 occupancy per dwelling. This figure is understood to understated from previous discussion with the Education Dept. (b) On new developments; owners are paying twice for green space amenities i.e. their own area is factored in to the purchase price of the house, followed by the charges made again through council taxes (for their own area and all previously established areas). Is this fair? (c) HC should take a more measured proactive approach in the size, design and management, and for maintenance programmes of new developments. (d)HC should also take responsible ownership in resolving genuine disputes related to home owners/developers/other agencies as and when they arise.

(b)  Scottish Government Document about permitted developments consultation for 13 March. Basically about relaxation of planning rules.

(c)  Presentation of prizes by Bob to Inshes Primary school winners. Letter of thanks received from Angela Donald.

8. Secretary Report & Correspondence

(a) Community Council Forum meeting on 10/02/09:

Cathy read an extract from the minutes of the meeting on a presentation given by Colin Clark, Head of Waste Management, Highland Council.

“Colin suggested that the UK has been historically very poor at dealing with waste. We’ve prevaricated for decades and the UK’s policy had been to get rid of waste as cheaply as possible since the 70’s.  Yet there have been plans drawn up over the years, but they were not seriously changing habits.  In 2010, a new National Waste Plan is due.

The EU is what had brought about developments.
The EU is trying to create a “Recycling Society”. Over the last 12 years, Highland Council has spent £20M.restoring landfill sites and the Recycling Centre on Henderson Road has also had money spent on
it, upgrading this facility The Scottish Government issue guidelines for Local Authorities with Targets up to 2025. Inverness City has a 34% recycling rate, up from <1% in 2000 and some of the Recycling points are particularly well used.  It should be remembered that the concept of Energy from Waste (EfW) displaces landfill and does not displace recycling schemes.  Recycling is good for the environment and for public health. Recycling cuts down on Carbon emissions.  The more we consume, the more waste we produce and the Western Countries are really the ones impacting on climate change because of all our waste. Over the years, the West has been happy to ‘export’ waste to the Far East rather than provide facilities to deal with it nearer home. There is a lack of infrastructure in Scotland he believes. In the future, to achieve over 50% recycling in Highland, we’ll need to develop EfW, and In-vessel Composters (for food waste). In Highland, 4 new Waste Awareness staff have been appointed, 5 new recycling vehicles have been purchased, Plastic Bottle collection is available at Recycling Centres and funding has been extended for Social Enterprise schemes. In his conclusion, Colin believed the following should be remembered: Waste needs a long term view, we are nearer the start than the end of the journey, consumption and inefficient use of resources and energy are real issues and this issue is important because it could affect your health.”

(b)  APT Meeting on 18/02/09:
Liz attended but felt there was nothing useful to contribute on this occasion since the planning concerns related to the proposed Tornagrain development which is outwith the remit of ISCC.

(c) Milon of Leys School Update:
The community should expect similar community facilities within the school as Inshes Primary and make sure the design includes a parking bay for drop off and pick up.

(d) Notice of Meetings: 

Jean intimated upcoming dates for various meetings and invitations which will be reported on by participants in time.

(e)  Correspondence
Please book Inshes Church for 4th  Dec. 2009 Christmas Concert.

9. AOCB

(a)  Following complaints from residents, letters will be sent to Tesco (Inshes), Kilmartin Group, TECS, the Ward Manager and Councillors with regard to ongoing supermarket littering and abandoned trolleys in the neighbourhood.

(b)   Meg also reported trolleys, bags of rubbish and other items in the burn at Dell of Inshes. It was suggested that SEPA should be informed about pollutants in water courses.

(c)  Liz: re the 2008 Christmas Carol Concert. Letters of thanks and cheques have been sent to Inshes Church and to the Bell Ringers as contributions to their funds.

(d)  Councillor Holden felt ISCC should consider circulating a newsletter. To be discussed later.

10. Date of Next Meeting:
Monday 6 April 2009 at 7pm Inshes Primary School.

11. Tea/coffee served after the meeting. Time to chat with Highland Councillors/Community Councillors