Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and general introductions were made. 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of:-

Audrey Martin, Projects and Regeneration Manager, Argyll and Bute Council

Craig Mullen, Senior Community Investment Manager, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)

There were no declarations of interest intimated. 

The Minute of the previous Annual General Meeting of the Argyll and Bute Windfarm and Renewables Trust held on 22 September 2022, was approved as a correct record.

The group gave consideration to the annual report and audited accounts of East Kintyre Windfarm Trust to the year ending 31 March 2023, having heard from Alastair Bennett. 

Decision

The Argyll and Bute Windfarm and Renewables Trust agreed to note the detail provided. 

(Reference:  Annual Report and Audited Accounts by East Kintyre Community Council Windfarm Trust, submitted)

The group gave consideration to the annual report and audited accounts of West Kintyre Windfarm Trust to the year ending 31 March 2023, having heard from Margaret Pratt.

Decision

The Argyll and Bute Windfarm and Renewables Trust agreed to note the detail provided. 

(Reference:  Annual Report and Audited Accounts by West Kintyre Community Council Windfarm Trust, submitted)

The group gave consideration to the annual report and audited accounts of Inveraray Windfarm Trust to the year ending 31 March 2023. 

Decision

The Argyll and Bute Windfarm and Renewables Trust agreed to note the detail provided. 

(Reference:  Annual Report; Audited Accounts and Community Action Plan by Inveraray Community Council Windfarm Trust, submitted)

Consideration was given to a report by ALIenergy outlining the background of the sustainable energy charity, together with an overview of current projects and activities.   

Decision

The Argyll and Bute Windfarm and Renewables Trust agreed to note the information provided.

(Reference:  Report by ALIenergy, submitted)

Having noted the apologies of the Senior Community Investment Manager, the Governance Manager read out the following correspondence from Mr Mullen:

Apologies, I’m afraid I can’t attend this meeting due to a clash of events.

The grant money provided from Tangy continues to support local projects. Can I remind any community councils who haven’t yet done so, to submit last year’s report in order to release funds for this year. Most have already been paid this year.

Our local stakeholder engagement team will be in touch should any project updates be required.

Decision

The Argyll and Bute Windfarm and Renewables Trust noted the information provided.

Siobhan Jarvie of ScottishPower Renewables provided a brief update on local site activity within the area.  She advised that to date ScottishPower Renewables had invested £3,192,000 in community benefit across the region from the 5 sites within the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands area.  Ms Jarvie advised that since the last meeting, the Sheirdrim development had been refused at Public Local Inquiry and the Earraghail hybrid project was in the process of a Public Local Inquiry.  She advised that local contacts would be kept up-to-date on the progress. 

The Chair took the opportunity to congratulate all those involved in the contributions that the Windfarm Trusts had made in local communities.