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Minutes of Meeting 10 January 2011
1. Welcome and Apologies
The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, including Donna Booth and David Stark who have been co-opted on and Raymond Szyfelbain, who was unable to attend the previous meeting. Apologies are noted as above.
2. Minutes of the meeting Monday 13 December
Proposed by Geraldine Durrand (GD) and seconded by Joanna Coghill (JC)
3. Matters Arising
Laurel Bush (LB) pointed out that there was no record of a meeting in June that David Sutherland (DS) of Highland Council had spoken of regarding the new boundaries. This was attended by representatives from Wick, Tannach, Dunnet, Castletown and Canisbay to propose and agree new boundaries for the respective community councils. Wendy Campbell was the representative from Wick and all boundaries were agreed by all present.
LB pointed out that in the correspondence there was an action to reply to a letter from Denise Davis but no explanation of the content of the reply. This has been rectified.
4. Police Report
Chief Inspector, Angus MacInnes informed the meeting that December had been a particularly bad month with the weather causing many hazards on the roads, with a main road having to be closed once, but the decision is never taken lightly. He asked members of the public to be extra careful in the conditions and also to keep checking on elderly neighbours.
The “Up Hellya” festival and switching on of the Christmas lights in Thurso went very well, as did the street party’s in Wick and Thurso on Hogmanay. He asked the meeting if anyone had noticed or heard any disturbances at the party in Wick, as some people were inclined to think there had been some high jinks. Nothing was noted.
Licensed premises have been targeted frequently over the festive period. Crime figures in the past have shown that September and December are particularly bad months for crime so Northern Constabulary is making officers more pro-active during this time.
In the drink/drive campaign more people were caught this year than last. This is unacceptable.
There has been an improvement in detection rates, just under 66% in Caithness. He told the meeting that 65% of undetected crime is vandalism, of which there is an ongoing problem. Need the public to be vigilant and report anything they see.
Points for discussion – weather, ongoing vandalism.
David Stark (DS) told the meeting that due to the build up of snow and ice on the pavements, elderly people had resorted to walking on the roads. Young people in cars were driving too fast for the conditions and he feared for the pedestrians safety. CI MacInnes (CIM) said that they had an initiative coming up called the Boy Racers Project and they would certainly take his points on board.
Gail Ross (GR1) noted that cars did not observe the speed limit from Bignold Corner to the 30 signs at Tesco and this was a danger to pedestrians. CIM explained that they had an initiative in progress at the moment in Thrumster where they were testing speed in order to see if they needed a mobile speed camera, 5 x 1 hour speed checks; this can also be done outside Tesco. He also mooted the idea of having an island with a bollard for the right hand turn into Tecso.
DS asked if there was currently a campaign for people in rural areas to be aware of possible theft of oil tanks. CIM said they had been leaflets provided by the energy suppliers on this issue and last Friday there had been an action released through their media office.
5. Highland Councillor’s Report
Bill Fernie (BF) informed the meeting that the agenda for the Education Culture and Sport committee meeting on Thursday was now available. The statutory consultation paper on the new Wick High School (WHS) is up for debate. The recommendation is now to build on the playing fields at the back of the existing school and to include a community swimming pool and library with development being in 2012.
The proposal to shift HC leisure facilities to a trust could now save £1.1 - £1.3m instead of the £700,000 originally thought.
Budget cuts in December only represented part of the eventual total. More cuts are to be made in February with a lot of posts in Education, Social Work and Housing likely to disappear. Significant changes are happening in the NHS, departments are merging and different departments are assuming responsibility for different roles, adults services are passed onto health, children’s services are moving to the council etc.
LB asked if the decision of the meeting will go to the council meeting and was this on the 10th? BF said it would go to the council for finalisation in the minutes of the meeting.
Graeme Smith (GS) then told the meeting that with regards to leisure facilities being taken over by a trust, this could trigger an additional cut from government in the future.
6. Correspondence
CVG – fees due (£6), agreed by the meeting and passed to the Treasurer.
Sea Energy – Moray Offshore Renewables – request for feedback on a Windfarm in the Moray Firth area. Leaflets were handed out to interested members.
Forestry Commission – Comments requested on new planting at Newtonhill by the end of January.
Donna Booth (email) – confirming attendance at this meeting.
David Stark (email) – confirming attendance at this meeting.
Pulteneytown People’s Project (PPP) (email) – they will ask for a representative for Wick Community Council at their February meeting.
LB – Letter to inquire about the Community Fund. He was informed that John Mackay, the person that set it up, was no longer a community councillor and no-one else had volunteered to take it on so it has been wound up. GS said that he had a request from RBS Headquarters in Liverpool asking for all the information in a letter and signed by all the signatories. This is to be done ASAP.
LB – letter asking for information on the sub-groups of Wick Community Council. He was informed that each sub-group held their own information and they would be only too happy to give him this information directly.
Community Awards – citizen of the year nominations requested. This will be done by individuals in private.
7. Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer GD has been into the bank and updated the information regarding the office bearers.
Accounts –
Community Council - £15,485.89
Baskets - £4145.70
Lights - £9768.01
8. Planning Report
Nothing to report
9. Christmas Lights
The lights came down yesterday (9th).
The AGM has been held and the following office bearers elected – Chair; Wendy Campbell, Secretary; Doreen Turner, Treasurer; Anne Mackay. Future fundraising was discussed and there will be a meeting with the various helpers in February. The accounts show more money than last year; this is because, although the fundraising was the same, the expenditure was considerably less.
Garry Robertson (GR2) commented that the lights on the trees at the hospital were magical and expressed a wish for them to be kept on until the clocks go forward in Spring. Doreen Turner (DT) told the meeting that it was a possibility that Iain MacKenzie could be asked to make some more wooden figures like the Santa he made this year.
10. Wick Paths report
GR2 told the meeting that there is to be a meeting on the 11th February to discuss changing the constitution.
11. Baskets
JC told the meeting that the planting has been curtailed yet again due to the bad weather.
There is a meeting early next week to discuss a date for the AGM in February.
HAPPY – Wendy Campbell is retiring so an additional community councillor is needed as a replacement.
12. Town Entrances
Nothing to report
13. Wick High School
See section 5
14. Town Centre
David Sutherland (DS2) has raised the points from the last meeting (signage) with Tec Services but because of the weather and the holidays he has not met with NC. This is an ongoing issue.
There has been an advert placed by the Caithness Chamber of Commerce (CCC) for a town centre manager covering Wick and Thurso, closing date is the end of January. It will be a two year, full time term funded by the NDA. DT asked if there had been any more meetings as she and Donna Booth had been to one a while ago and had heard nothing since. No-one seemed to know.
15. AOCB
LB stated that the minutes and agenda were not present in Wick Public Library. GR1 told him the librarian was on her list as she was every month but she would e-mail her and ask if there was a problem. It was agreed that an Agenda would also be placed in the Town Hall notice board.
16. DONM
Monday 7th FEBRUARY 2011 at 7pm in the Mowat Room Assembly rooms, Wick
Gail Ross Seen and agreed
Secretary/Minute Secretary Coreen Campbell (Chair)
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