Tap O' Noth Community Council

Minutes of meeting held at

The Rannes Hall Kennethmont

Monday 3^rd March 2014

Present: Paul Manning (Chairman), David Grant, James Grant, Peter Johnston, George Beverly, Colin Mumford, George McIntosh, Neil Muiry and Kate Hunter (Secretary)

In Attendance: Police Constable Julie Stephen and Councillor John Latham

Apologies: Duncan Connon and Councillor Joanna Strathdee

Minutes of Previous Meeting:

Approved by: Neil Muiry

Seconded by: George McIntosh

Matters Arising:

Network Rail: Work still to be carried out secretary will contact Community Relations again

Roadside broom and hedges have been cut back except for section road between Hillhead and Boghead road end

Sim’s Road West Rhynie: Road surface will be filled in with hot tar when the workmen are next in the area

 Gullies have been cleared but grid on the Earlsfield road requires mending/replacing

Dog Fouling: Manse Road and Moss Road Rhynie. Dog warden has been notified and has suggested adding more warning signs 

Public advised to report any dog owner who is caught allowing their dog to mess        Dog Warden Telephone Number 01569 768224

20mph Flashing Sign on Essie Road Rhynie: Reported but awaiting repair

Speeding on Old Military Road Backburn Gartly: This has been reported to the Roads Supervisor and mentioned to the police. Council have been asked to upgrade and replace signs and road markings

Local Telephone Exchanges Update: Colin Mumford spoke to the telephone engineers who informed him that the upgrade should be carried out before the end of the year giving us faster broadband

Police Report:

1. Local Interest Information:

       A reminder of our priorities

• Assault
• Robbery
• Theft by Housebreaking
• Theft of motorcars
• Domestic crimes
• Hate crimes
• Vandalism

Operation Ruby is an ongoing operation targeting theft of high value vehicles.

There have been a number of thefts, mainly from the Inverurie and Insch areas

Fortunately there have been no such thefts in the Tap O Noth area

Operation Collinsville will commence in the Marr area in the next few weeks, following its success in the Garioch area. It will focus on inappropriate and anti-social driving behaviours, by means of high visibility signs depicting safety messages, reminding drivers of their responsibilities, which will be attached to street signs, etc and small targeted operations. It is anticipated that the operation will reduce the number of incidents reported to the police, provide public reassurance and raise awareness of the risks associated with inappropriate driver behaviour

2.Details of actions in response to local priorities

• Speed checks continue to be carried out in the Main Street Rhynie

Finance Report: Nil to Report

Correspondence:

• Marr Community Ward Form at The Tin Hut Gartly Wednesday 12^th March Peter Johnston, George Beverly and George McIntosh to attend
• Proposed Change to Off Street Parking in Huntly

     There will be no change to the Pay and Display in the Square

     Pay and Display will be removed from Nelson Street and Gordon Street

    (Off- Street Parking)

• Community Council Insurance Arrangements with Highland Council (noted)
• Water and Sewerage Charges Exemption Scheme (noted)
• Local Development Plan Response to Community Council comments
• Community Council Training – Linden Centre Huntly 13^th September 2014
• Data Protection and Community Councils Briefing Note (noted)
• Local Energy Scotland Forestry Commission (Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme)
• District Heating Workshop(noted)
• Closure of Landfill Communities Fund Scotland 31^st March 2015
• Grampian Regional Equality Council Survey www.surveymonkey.com/s/GRECEquality
• Local Government Boundary Commission Fifth Review of Electoral Arrangements (noted)

Planning Applications:

Letter to Aude Chaiban outlining the concerns of Mr and Mrs Higham re planning application App/2014/0036

Individual Area Reports

Clatt

• Broom Between Hillhead and Boghead

Gartly

• Buses not using the parking area when dropping people off at the Gartly bus stop

Kennethmont

• Potholes and water on the road between Leith Hall and Duff School

Rhynie

• Trees in the Square unstable and need trimming

            Branches etc on the playing field

AOCB:

• Vattenfall Community Fund:

           There will be meetings with Foundation Scotland

           in the following locations

          Grouse Inn Cabrach               Thursday 13^th March                                                                12.30 – 16.30

                                                             17.30 – 19.30

         Fourteen The Square Rhynie Friday 14^th March                                                                      12.30 – 16.30

                                                             17.30 – 19.30

         Stewarts Hall Huntly           Saturday 15^th March                                                                     09.00 – 12.30

• Kemps Hill Wind Co-op: Three members attended the open meeting on 7^th February
• Rhynie Charitable Trust: After the AGM on the 18^th February the committee decided to conduct a survey of local residents regarding the possibility of building a community hall The survey should be returned by the 14^th March and the findings will be made public once all the information has been collated