Issue - meetings

John Woods – Noted that this had been a period very much of continuity of themes in the village.   There was nothing particularly new to report other than that the community survey re wind farms  is progressing well.

The group heard an update from Jeannette Laughton where she detailed ongoing meetings with both Argyll and Bute Council and Scottish Canals.  She highlighted various local initiatives – including Works at the War Memorial and tidying the Canal Bank.  Jeannette added that the Community Council had also designed a flyer which would be distributed to people using the canal and would highlight the various amenities in Ardrishaig.  She outlined the 6 sub-groups within the Community Council which were assigned for various projects.

Jeanette Loughton advised that there have been a considerable number of projects and events involving Ardrishaig CC recently.   She noted that this year’s Ardrishaig lights switch on was a real community event and when complete it was akin to a mini Gala.  This success has encouraged the Community Council to make the lights switch on an annual event. Jeanette advised that funding for this event came from a variety of places including both local businesses and the Ardrishaig Community Trust (Alt Dearg Wind farm).

Jeanette noted that Ardrishaig CC membership is now at fifteen members out of a maximum 16.  She reported that the Community Council had held a joint meeting with the community trust on 10^th Dec, the purpose of which was to consider options for developing the town.  The group is looking to improve the frontage of the town particularly around the arches.

Jeanette reported that the Community Council had been in continuing contact with Scottish Water regarding flooding issues at the King George V playing field.  This is resulting in flooding down Glengilp Road.

Jeanette also noted that the Community Resilience plan for the Area is now in place.

The metal railings at Brae Road are still an issue.   The delay appears to be that there is an issue as to whether it is the Council or Scottish Water who are responsible for the maintenance of the railings

Jeanette commended Council officers working in Ardrishaig for regularly making themselves available for consultation and discussion with members of the CC., thereby providing invaluable assistance.  This was noted particularly in relation to planning staff.

It was noted that since the responsibility for the Crinan Canal had been passed to Scottish Canals, there has been considerable fruitful discussion about the CC being able to improve the War Memorial by applying for a licence to upgrade it without having to negotiate every detail separately.

It was highlighted that this year alone £130K has come into Ardrishaig from the wind farm.  The Trust are meeting on the 11^th January to review the February  round of applications for approval, which has 30K to allocate. Jeanette noted that the trustees were employing a prudential management strategy for the Fund with the remaining amount of this year’s allocation being retained for larger  long term regeneration projects for the area

A short discussion about regeneration and the involvement of planning and potential enforcement followed.  The Chair suggested that given that planning and enforcement were issues which appeared to have been identified by a number of Community Councils as areas where training was wanted, that there might be scope for a future training event to which all could be invited.  The Area Governance Officer was instructed to contact planning to ascertain whether this could be arranged to take place immediately after the next MAP meeting  

Finally, Jeanette reported on the work currently being undertaken at the King George V playing field.

Jeannette Laughton updated the group on the following:-

• Bus trips to Allt Dearg had now finished.  Each bus had been full and it was deemed that the trips were successful.
• The Action Panel had met on 6 July to award the first tranche of funding.  The panel consisted of Community Councillors, Trust Directors, local Member and local store manager.  Twenty six applications had been made and 19 had received full funding.  The second tranche was due in October.
• Seven thousand was awarded to a sub-committee of the Community Council for the purchase of a spire net, tables and benches plus 2 BBQs. The BBQs would be constructed by students from Argyll College, with the Community Council paying for materials. The local community had already raised £725 towards these items and with the further aid of Argyll and Bute council, the project had been able to purchase equipment through the Council Portal VAT free. Thanks was proferred to Paul Martin, Alan McDonald, Stuart Green and Dougie Philand.
• Further money was awarded to another sub-group to embark on a Christmas lights programme.  This would enable re-cabling to allow the Christmas tree to be placed in the centre of the green space between the 2 car parks in Ardrishaig.  The Gala Day committee also intended to make a contribution towards this project.
• A third sub-group had been established to take forward the redevelopment of the King George V field.  The group comprised Councillors, Directors and other interested parties.  An architect would be commissioned to draw up a plan for the field.  It was hoped that the plan would be brought to the November Community Council meeting for discussion.
• A successful partnership between the Community Council and Argyll and Bute council had resulted in a community shield for the Best Kept Garden in the Village.

The Chair thanked Jeannette for her informative update.   

Jeannette Laughton updated the group on the following:-

·         Funding received from Wind Farm Trust amounted to £50,000 and there had been 20 expressions of interest received.  The final applications forms would be forwarded to Ardrishaig Funding Panel for consideration.  The Funding Panel now comprised all Community Council members and all the Trust Directors.

·         Free bus travel was available on the first Saturday of the month at 10.15 from Ardrishaig to the Wind Farm.  Tickets were available from J Laws and the Rumblin Tum Café. 

·         Ardrishaig Gala Day would be held at the end of July.

·         Scottish Canals were undertaking work at the Bridge House in Ardrishaig in the construction of apartments.

·         The Project collaboration with Scottish Canals – ‘Shovel-ready projects’ – there was now uncertainty as Scottish Canals had failed to deliver on their

      side of the agreement.  

Jeanette Laughton reported that the Wind Farm was fully operational and had become effective from 24 December.  The 1st revenue stream would be received in the near future.  Funding applications would be invited shortly and notification would be in the local press.  Applications would be restricted to those living within the PA30 post-code.  There would also be a distinct educational grant facility available to those living in Mid Argyll.  The application assessment panel would consist of 3 Community Council members; 3 Co-operative Trust Directors; 1 Unitary Councillor and 1 Youth member.  Meetings would be scheduled twice per year and an assessment grid had been prepared to assist with assessments.

The waterfront regeneration project in Ardrishaig was continuing and a Stakeholders meeting was being scheduled for the end of April.

Further applications were being made to upgrade the play park in Ardrishaig.

A further survey was being instigated regarding A83 crossing provision in Ardrishaig.    

Jeanette also detailed concerns in regards the street lights along the shore front.  Councillor Philand confirmed  that this issue was now resolved.

Councillor Philand updated the group on the recent study undertaken on the A83 by Jacobs.  There would be a further study and Ardrishaig Community Council would be contacted directly by Jacobs to enable their input into the subsequent study.

Councillor MacMillan enquired on the restrictions on eligibility for the Educational Grant.  Jeannette Laughton informed the group that the grant would be available for the whole of Mid Argyll.  Details would be placed in the local press and the ethos of the grant would be for the advancement and benefit in Education.         

There were no representatives from Ardrishaig Community Council.

Jeanette Laughton reported:-

Ø      Wind Turbines successfully erected in place

Ø      Education Grant (30k) up and running next year.  Will provide a further update to a future meeting

Ø      ArtMap – local artists renting premises (The Blue Shop)  in Ardrishaig aided by Argyll and Bute council funding

Ø      Heart of Argyll Tourism - funding of a ‘Walking Theatre Group’.  Planned for young people in Ardrishaig over a 12-week period, involving the history of the village. Culminating in aseries of  performances at the  the Spring Festival.

Ø      Yellow lines appearing in Ardrishaig – queried the rationale since it was unclear whether these related to the routes of utility pipes and might be part of a survey (Scottish water to be asked

Jeanette Laughton expressed thanks to the Roads Department in their assistance at the Jubilee Picnic held in Ardrishaig.  They had provided signs and cones for the event.  She reported that 150 people had been in attendance at the picnic.

Jeanette raised the issue of the planned renewal of street name signs for Ardrishaig - these had been promised by the Roads Department approximately 3 years ago and were still not in place.

Action: Stewart Clark would investigate and report back to the next meeting.

Jeanette continued and updated the meeting on the status of the Allt Dearg Windfarm.  Most parts had been sourced locally and the final placements would be delivered next month.  This would cause some problems in the local area (particularly for residents at Brae Road who had been contacted individually) and a risk assessment had been undertaken accordingly.  She advised of an offer which had been made to local Members to view the site.

She referred to the Regeneration process which had been implemented in Ardrishaig some 5 years ago and expressed dismay at the lack of progress.  Jeannette enquired on the status of the funding which had been allocated by Argyll and Bute council for the project.

She highlighted the state of disrepair at the toilets near the front in Ardrishaig, referring to her letter to the Director of Development and Infrastructure Services to complain about this and mentioned the poor quality of the existing railings at the seafront when she queried whether a risk assessment had been conducted on these.

Action: Stewart Clark would look into whether a recent risk assessment had been carried out on the railings.

There was no update received from  Ardrishaig CC

 Jeanette Laughton advised that Ardrishaig CC were now full members of the Windfarm Partnership.  She continued that the road was progressing and the large cranes to undertake the heavy lifting were scheduled for July/August 2012.  Their expectation of the receipt of revenue cheques was for the middle of 2013.

In regards the re-naming of the play area Melissa Stewart advised that this would be discussed at the forthcoming MAKI Business Day scheduled for 7 March 2012. Jeanette detailed the problems in accessing money for the play equipment.  She suggested brokering a partnership with Argyll and Bute council – in that CCs would provide funding and installation of play equipment, then Argyll and Bute council would take this on.  The Chair agreed to raise this at the Business Day and Councillor Philand indicated his support for this suggestion, commenting this was in line with the current roads adoption policy.. 

Jeannette Laughton reported that the Wind Farm project continued to make progress and that the Co-operative Bank would fund the shortfall funding.

The swings provided by Argll and Bute Council were proving to be a great success and the CC had been encouraged by this to apply to RBS (through the Community Fund scheme) for more play equipment. This process was fraught, but the Community Council were committed to following this through.

The Townscape group set-up by the Regenaration stakeholders have reviewed and updated the Place Making report (2009).  A meeting had been scheduled with Artmap to discuss the development of some landscape art and the possibility of future projects.  The planters had proved populare and 3 more sponsors had come forward which would enable  further planters against the pillars.  The next round of planting was scheduled for 12 November and would involve spring bulbs and winter flowers.  It was still hoped to tidy up the arches area.

Ardrishaig had been chosen as one of a 1000 places in the UK  to receives trees from the Woodland Trust.  The Community Council would be working in conjunction with the local church, Argyll and Bute council, British Waterways and the local school to identify suitable planting spaces.  In total, 105 trees plus 1 oak sapling would arrive early November.

Plans were being formulated by a sub-group of the community council to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 with various events being planned in the village.

Jeanette highlighted various issues which were still unresolved with Scottish Water.  These included the grassed area in front of the pumping station which was still uncut.  In addition, the sunken trap at Upper Glenfyne Park has not been filled.  She advised that the community council were so frustrated at the uncut grass area that  they were contemplating taking enforcement action.

In September, Governance training had been provided through the Suss it Out project.  The training had enabled the successful updating of the plan for the Community Council. 

Jeannette detailed a proposal for the naming of the play area – Bayview Park.  The community had been consulted and were in favour of this.  Jeannette requested further information on how to proceed with this.

Action:  Meilssa Stewart would enquire on the naming procedure and advise Jeanette Laughton accordingly.

Jeannete enquired on the level of insurance liability provided in regards the regeneration project for Ardrishaig.

Action: Melissa would ascertain the level of cover provided and advise Jeanette  Laughton. 

The Chair congratulated Jeantette and the Community Council on their achievements to date and wished them every continued success.