Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies intimated.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

The Minutes of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Community Planning Group meeting of 11^th June 2014 were approved as a correct record.

Update by Area Governance Manager

A report detailing the governance of Area Community Planning Groups which is currently under review and the process involved for strengthening the Terms of Reference under which the Area Community Planning Group operate, was considered.

The Group felt that appropriate support mechanisms should be explored to enable more Community Councils to become involved

Decision

The Community Planning Group agreed the revised Terms of Reference and agreed that the proposed Terms of Reference be adopted at the Community Planning Partnership on 31^st October.

(Ref:  Report by Area Governance Manager dated 10^th September 2014, submitted).

Update by Area Governance Manager

A report detailing the Argyll and Bute Community Partnership SOA/Community Plan and the need to include localised delivery and a methodology to take forward the development of localised SOA plans was considered.

Decision

The Community Planning Group:

1. Agreed the proposed method of taking forward the development of localised SOA plans and agreed that the proposed method of development of localised SOA plans be taken forward; and
2. Agreed to feed any further comments back to the Community Governance Manager by the end of September.

(Ref:  Report by Area Governance Manager dated 10^th September 2014, submitted).

Report by Community Development Officer

The Group considered a report which informs the Area Community Planning Group on the data gathered at the Area Forum Events as part of the engagement on the Single Outcome Agreement 2013. 

This report was brought to the Area Community Planning Group in June but unfortunately there was no time left at the meeting to consider it.

Decision

The Community Planning Group agreed the recommendations in the report and noted the link between this item and the previous item regarding development of localised delivery plans for the SOA.

(Ref:  Report by Community Development Officer dated 12^th May 2014, submitted).

Verbal update by Amenity Services Manager

The Service Development Officer gave a presentation to the Group on the recent changes in Amenity Services.

He spoke about the budget savings for 2013/14 and 2014/15 and what Amenity Services currently deliver.

Decision

The Group noted the information provided and recognised all the hard work carried out by Amenity Services.

(Ref:  Presentation by the Service Development Officer dated 10^th September 2014, submitted).

Presentation by Shona Horn

Mo MacDougall and Shona Horn from SEE gave a presentation to the Group on community resilience.

They spoke about the key benefits of the Priority Service Register, their emergency plan and partners and how they communicate with customers to provide the best possible service.

Decision

1.      The Group noted the information provided; and

2.      The Area Governance Manager agreed to provide SSE with contact details for Community Council’s so they can meet with them to ask for comments on how SSE can further help their customers.

(Ref:  Presentation by Mo MacDougall and Shona Horn of SSE dated 10^th September 2014, submitted).

Verbal update by Joanna Peebles

There was no one present from Scottish Water so therefore this item was deferred until the December meeting.

Update by Quality Standards Manager

There was no one present from Education so therefore this item was deferred until the December meeting.

Report by Sam Campbell, NHS (to follow)

Unfortunately there was no one present from NHS Highland to provide this update so therefore this item was deferred to the December meeting.

Verbal update by Caroline Henderson, NHS

Veronica Kennedy from NHS Highland updated the Group on the current situation in regards to Ross of Mull and Iona Doctors.

She advised that there have been three review groups set up which have provided public sessions in Tobermory, Bunessan and will provide a further public session in Iona this month. 

She advised that they have local cover secured in Bunessan until the end of January 2015 and there have been 1600 letters sent out to all patients of the Tobermory Practice and 700 to the Bunessan Practice updating patients of the local cover.

The Group had a discussion and raised their concern around the Tobermory Practice stopping 24 hour cover. .

The Group noted the information provided.

Verbal update by Glenn Heritage

Alistair McLaren from Argyll Voluntary Action updated the Group on the new Support Worker for Oban who is now in post, Moira MacIntosh, who will be attending the next meeting in December.

He reported on the lunch clubs and walking groups that are currently in place once a week for the elderly which has had a successful turn out and spoke about the ‘Men’s Shed’ which is available 3 days a week for elderly gents.

Alistair advised that they have groups that are undertaking governance training on Lismore as members of the community are looking into community ownership.

He advised that there are 147 people registered for the Solitaire Awards which recognises young people aged 12-25 for different achievements.

He confirmed Argyll Voluntary Action are supporting the Scottish Rural Parliament event which is being held in Oban in November of this year.

Decision

The Group:

1. Noted the information provided; and
2. Alistair agreed to provide the Senior Area Committee Assistant with an updated written report from Argyll Voluntary Action so it can then be circulated round the Group for information.

(Ref: Verbal update by Alistair McLaren, Argyll Voluntary Action dated 10^th September 2014, submitted).

The Roads Performance Manager updated the Group on the discussions Argyll and Bute Council have recently had with Police Scotland in relation to the closures of trunk road network and in particular the Oban to Connel A85. .  He advised that they are currently working on a diversion plan which will not happen overnight and their main issue is the knock on effect of traffic by the general public and people using Sat Nav diversion routes.  He advised that the main concern is partners getting to each end of the diversion route when an accident occurs.  He advised he is looking into forms of words for potential advisory signs to advise the public of unsuitability of   roads to help reduce the risk of more road blocks in the event of an accident.

The Roads Performance Manager advised his aim at the moment is to get information out to the public to advise them what they should and shouldn’t do where there is an accident.

Chief Inspector Marlene Bailie advised there has been a multi agency road safety group set up which has been positive and they have detected that the diversion route is a specific action from the feasibility study which Argyll and Bute Council and BEAR Scotland have taken on as matters need to be improved.

Archie Maguire from Police Scotland confirmed that they have currently invested in new laser surveying equipment which will help survey roads quicker at the event of an accident.  He advised this piece of equipment will find and identify evidence quicker and will hopefully result in roads being opened quicker.  He advised that the equipment is in the Police College at the moment downloading data and will be stored at the HQs in Fort William.

Chief Inspector Marlene Baillie updated the Group on the current division staffing changes in Oban, Lorn and the Isles.  She advised that Barry McEwan has now moved on and will be replaced by Helen Swan at the end of this month.  She confirmed that there will be an Officer retiring in Mull at the end of October and they have recently carried out interviews for this post and have a successful candidate.  She advised that there are 2 sergeants retiring in the Oban office at the end of the year.

She updated the Group on this years figures which related to Outcome 6 of the Single Outcome Agreement.  She advised that domestic violence incidents are down since last year with 19 in Oban North and 27 in Oban South.  She advised that domestic violence is a key priority for Police Scotland and detection rates are high at 91% for Oban.

She confirmed that there is a downward trend in sexual offending with a detection rate of 76.5% and 6 offences this year.

Chief Inspector Baillie updated the Group on house break ins around the area and advised that there have been 10 reports recorded in Oban North which is higher than last year and 6 in Oban South which has gone down.

She reported on the anti social behaviour figures and advised that there has been a real push for downward trends with 104 reported this year in Oban North and 162 in Oban South.

She gave a brief update to the Group on the violent crime figures and advised that there has been 1 serious assault in Oban North and 2 in Oban South with a detection rate of 100%. 

She reported on road traffic accidents in the area and advised that there has been a multi agency group set up and a drivers scheme ongoing to prevent people from drink driving in the area.  She advised that there has been 1 fatal road accident this year but that is one too many.

The Group noted the information provided.

Martin Hill from Scottish Fire and Rescue confirmed they have now engaged in their Summer Strategy over the holiday period and have designed a leaflet covering fire safety advice in relation to camping, caravanning and gas safety in the one publication and they issued 2500 of these leaflets to nearby campsites.  He advised that they had a joint article in the Oban Times with Police Scotland colleagues to promote the strategy and gave out 1000 of these leaflets to festival goers attending the Tiree Music Festival.

He advised that Scottish Fire and Rescue are also working with Road Safety Scotland and Police Scotland to issue advice to members of the community and tourists to promote road safety and thanked June Graham, the Council’s Road Safety Officer who was extremely helpful in assisting with the vast amounts of road safety literature and materials which were distributed during the strategy.

He updated the Group on the Bikers Breakfast which took place in Inveraray in July.  He advised that there was over 200 participants on the day with 170 bikes there and it was a great success and attracted a large number of tourists.

He advised that Scottish Fire and Rescue are currently working on the community fire safety strategy and the upcoming Bonfire Strategy.

It was noted that Eddie Renfrew retired on Friday 29^th August and Martin Hill is leaving to work in the Clydebank Station at the end of the month.

The Chair thanked Eddie for all his work and involvement in the Community Planning Group and wished Martin Hill all the best in his new post.

Report by Area Governance Officer

A report updating the Area Community Planning Group regarding the main pieces of work undertaken by the Community Safety Forum was considered.

Decision

The Group noted the work undertaken.

(Ref: Report by Area Governance Officer dated September 2014, submitted).

Oban Community Council

Marri Malloy from Oban Community Council raised a concern in regard to Community Councils not hearing enough information about local issues in the area such as Rockfield, Kilbowie and new Oban High School.  She hoped that the new Area Governance Review for Community Planning Groups would resolve this issue. 

It was agreed that the Head of Facility Services would be invited to the next Community Planning Group meeting in December to give the Group a presentation on the current situation with new Oban High School.

Ardhattan Community Council

Margaret Adams from Ardhattan Community Council advised the Group that she is still anxious about the safe route to school for children from Lochnell Primary School and that she still awaits a report from the Technical Officer for Traffic/Development.

She asked the Group if the Community Payback position has been filled yet within the Council and Councillor Elaine Robertson advised that there was a meeting last week where this situation was highlighted and she confirmed that the post has gone out to advert and is on the Community Council websites.

Margaret updated the Group on the current position with Benderloch Turning Circle and advised that they are currently looking into funding and have had discussions with Transport Scotland.

There were no issues raised by Third Sector Partnerships.

There was no other business discussed.

The date of the next Oban, Lorn and the Isles Community Planning Group is Wednesday 10^th December at 6:30pm in the Corran Halls, Oban.