Agenda item

Questions from Ross Wilson, Vice-Chair - Oban Community Harbour Development Association (OCHDA)

 

Questions related to item 8 on the agenda – Oban Bay Single Harbour Authority Update and were presented by Mr Wilson. Mark Calder, Project Manager, responded on behalf of the Head of Roads and Infrastructure Services.

 

Appraisal of Options

 

Question 1:    Which of the 5 options listed in December 2019 are still under consideration and what is the timescale for completion?

 

Response:     At this point the Council’s policy positon on this matter is as set out in the December 2019 report to the Harbour Board. For the avoidance of doubt, what that means is that the Council has taken no view on which of the five options is preferable, therefore all options are under consideration. Once OCHDA have submitted the required information an options appraisal of all options will be concluded. This options appraisal will be used to provide recommendations to Members. 

 

Question 2:    Is there a workplan for this and who is involved in the appraisal?

 

Response:     There is no specific work plan. Council officers continue to work with OCHDA to enable the options appraisal to be concluded. This will be appraised by the appropriate council officers and a recommendation provided to Elected Members.

 

Question 3:    In view of the public interest in this, will the Council announce its preferred option at another public meeting?

 

Response:     Progress will be reported to the appropriate council committee.

 

Question 4:    Which of these options is preferred by the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Members?

 

Response:     The Committee Manager confirmed it would not be for Officers to comment on this question other than to say that it would not be prudent at this time for Elected Members to express their position on this matter as they are yet to be furnished with all the information on all the available options that would allow them to reach an informed decision.

 

Development of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

 

Question 5:    In view of the 18 months since the development of the MoU should have started, is there a workplan for the development of the MoU?

 

Question 6:    Exactly what stage has the development of the MoU reached and what needs to be done and by whom?

 

Response:     The relevant Executive Director and Head of Service are working with OCHDA to develop the MoU to a form which is agreeable to both parties – this is the subject of ongoing discussion and correspondence. An outline MoU was supplied to OCHDA in March this year. It is important to understand that a MoU is a high level document which forms the basis of an ongoing relationship.

 

 

Question 7:    What deadlines are the Council working to regarding their outstanding 'deliverables'?

 

Response:     At this point we do not consider that we have any outstanding ‘deliverables’.  The Project Manager confirmed that OCHDA and council  officers can have a further discussion around how and what deliverables can be agreed.

 

Questions from Phil Hamerton, OCHDA Management Committee member

 

Questions were read out by Mr Hamerton. Mark Calder, Project Manager, responded on behalf of the Head of Roads and Infrastructure Services.

 

Formal Approach to the Council

 

Question 8:    What additional material is required from OCHDA in order for Argyll and Bute Council to acknowledge that the approach for the offer of a lease is 'formal'?

 

Response:     There has been previous correspondence setting out what is required. The option from OCHDA is not the only option, other options will also be considered. The Project Manager confirmed that further information relating to how to make a formal proposal for a lease will be issued to OCHDA.

 

Outstanding commitment by the Harbour Board on March 5 2020 to convene a meeting to consider how to progress the MoU development

 

Question  9:   When does the Council propose to convene the meeting?

 

Response:     The Harbour Board agreed on 4 March 2021 that a virtual meeting would be organised with all stakeholders concerning the work being progressed by the Oban Community Harbour Development Association (OCHDA) towards the development on a Trust Port following consultation between the Chair and the Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure. The meeting is still to be arranged. 

 

Question 10:  The Harbour Board did not identify the 'stakeholders' to be included in the meeting; whom does the Council consider it is competent to identify as relevant stakeholders in this discussion over the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between OCHDA and the Council?

 

Response:     The Chair of the Harbour Board and the Executive Director will consult with each other regarding the appropriate attendees at this meeting. We would hope that all infrastructure providers/operators, and users be represented as stakeholders.

 

Response from Committee

 

The Chair confirmed that in relation to the stakeholder meeting it was her understanding that those in attendance would be Harbour Board Members, Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee Members, council officers and representatives from  OCDHA.

 

Councillor Roderick McCuish requested that a meeting with all stakeholders take place in the next two weeks as a matter of urgency so that Area Committee Members can become more informed about the situation. Councillor Andrew Vennard, in his role as Vice-Chair of the Harbour Board, supported this proposal.

 

The Project Manager confirmed that there was ongoing sets of meetings ensuring engagement and ongoing discussions with OCHDA as well as a formal meeting to be arranged as agreed by the Harbour Board.

 

Questions from Duncan Martin – Oban Community Council

 

What is the position with the season so far with regards to the management of caravans and campervans at Ganavan and can card payment parking meters be installed instead of cash only ones?

 

Response from Project Manager

 

A Staycation Officer had been engaging with community groups and Members are updated each week regarding visitors to Argyll and Bute. Mr Duncan was invited to address any specific issues to the Project Manger directly who would also explore what options are viable for card only machines and will update Mr Duncan and Committee Members accordingly.

 

Councillor Mary-Jean Devon stated that the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee had recently agreed some changes and the Committee Manager confirmed a copy of the relevant report and decision would be forwarded to Mr Duncan for information.

 

Questions from Marri Malloy – Oban Community Council

 

What is the council’s position, from an environmental health perspective, in response to people emptying their cassette toilets at the back of the public toilets and why are traffic warden not issuing tickets at Ganavan?

 

Response from Project Manager

 

The department is in the process of recruiting environmental health wardens for each administrative area. In respect of parking tickets the Project Manager would take these comments back to colleagues in Roads to look into.

 

Question from Alison McNab - Friends of Ganavan

 

In relation to the Ganavan Potential Development Area PDA 4023 in the new Local Plan would the two Area Committee members who declared an interest at the last vote on Ganavan be doing the same at the full council meeting on June 24 2021? We are not asking how you will vote but just want to know about what the numbers will be from our Area on the day.

 

Response from Committee

 

The Chair confirmed it was herself and Councillor McCuish who had to declared an interest but that particular meeting was on different aspect and area of Ganavan and she shall not be declaring interest at the Council meeting.  Councillor McCuish agreed that he would have nothing to declare about the carpark and he intended to vote at the Council meeting.

 

Question from Ian Stevenson

 

The Committee Manager read out the below question on behalf of Mr Stevenson.

 

I would like to formally request that the subject of signage and if required a revision of the TRO for Gallanach Road prohibiting overnight parking / camping in campervans is raised. I am extremely frustrated by the delay in finding a solution to this ongoing problem.

 

Response from Project Manager

 

Mr Calder stated that he understood in relation  to the passing place signs that the issue was that these signs are not prescribed within the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) legislation and therefore would not be enforceable. It is possible to ask Scottish Ministers to approve a non-prescribed sign but even if they were minded to do so, this would then create another demand for enforcement that would not be possible. 

 

Response from Committee

 

Councillor Jim Lynch stated he understood that the signs had been ordered and received and were due be installed.

 

Councillor McCuish stated that if the signs are not enforceable then they were not likely to solve the issues and discussion focused on other options that could be explored such as increasing council traffic warden patrols as well as working with communities to look at options for rangers to inform and welcome visitors to the area.