AGRICULTURE - LUCY SUMSION / JOHN FORSTER
:
Minutes:
Chris
Haran informed the group of correspondence which had been sent to both Alex
Neil and Michael Russell in regards the lack of sustainable mobile phone signal
in Southend. A response had been received from Michael Russell, but nothing
as yet from Alex Neil.
The Chair
stated that he was fully aware of this problem and of an approach made to HIE
for funding to alleviate the problem.
Alan Reid
informed the group that the UK Government was responsible for electoral
communications; the previous Government had sold the spectrum to mobile phone
companies. Under the terms of the licence, conditions of provision were
not universal. He had written to Jeremy Hunt on this issue.
Councillor
Semple made the suggestion of initiating a campaign directed at the mobile
phone companies to pressurise them into providing a suitable and adequate
service in the area in question.
Action:
It was agreed that David Rodger would bring a report to the next KIWG
meeting on this issue, that the KIWG would also write to Jeremy Hunt and that
contact would be made with Vodafone to
investigate provision of signal boosters
:
AGRICULTURE - LUCY SUMSION / JOHN FORSTER
:
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Chris Haran to the
meeting. Jim Martin enquired on the status of the modernisation of the
Creamery in Campbeltown. Chris replied that a
further meeting was scheduled next week with producers when more would be known.
Action: It was agreed that a letter be written
to enquire on the status of the modernisation at the
Creamery. Contact would be made with the First Milk representative to
ascertain the best point of contact.
:
AGRICULTURE - LUCY SUMSION / JOHN FORSTER
:
Minutes:
There were no represetnatives or reports received on this item.
:
AGRICULTURE - DOUGIE MCCORMICK NFU / SANDY PIRIE
:
Minutes:
Fergus Younger provided a written report for the meeting.
Group attending 12 large events
this year, events are slightly down this year –numbers and spend. Some good media coverage from events, and a
steady flow of associate members using the brand.
Forum successful in their Leader
bid to secure funding for a transnational cooperation project – Taste
of Rural Europe. Delayed
start due to partner problems, agreement currently being ratified by Polish
partner. This project will allow development funds for: Regional Food
Labelling, linking Hospitality to Local products, engaging young people, red
meat processing training, regional food promotion, developing new products and
new media marketing.
Forum unsuccessful in joint bid with UHI to the Northern Periphery
Programme project for WOODSWORC a farm woodland
collaboration project to link farming and forestry. Now working on a farm woodland collaboration
project focussed on North Kintyre area, addressing new planting, invasive
species, wood fuel and unproductive small scale woodlands.
Helping support this group to
adopt an Argyll brand developed through the Argyll food producers as an
umbrella brand for the region and working towards Tourism Expo 2012
Working to support First Milk and SAC to deliver a home grown fodder
trans-regional project between Kintyre, Pembrokeshire and Cumbria. Overall aim is to improve milk quality going
into each plant, reduce farmer input costs and improve the long term sustainability
of each area.
Currently being reviewed to be a
more user friendly site.
Arrangement is working well,
useful crossovers with other areas being developed.
: