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Minutes of Kenmore and District Council 20th January 2010 MINUTE OF KENMORE & DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL THE COMRADES HUT, ACHARN WEDNESDAY 20TH JANUARY 2010 @ 7.30PM
Present: James Duncan Millar (Chair), Wilma Harrison, Sheila Mitchell, Peter Ely, George Wilson, John Forsyth and John Stilwell.
In attendance: Cllr Ken Lyall, PC Andy Watt & 1 member of the public.
1. Apologies: Ian Campbell, Kate Howie, & Cllr Alasdair Wyllie
2. Minutes of last meeting held on 18th November were accepted and approved
3. Matters arising ♦ World Heritage Site: LTA holding there next meeting 21st January in Killin after which there may be more information. After note: It appears that after further investigation it is realistic to suppose that this is unattainable.
♦Foot Paths: No response as yet from Jane Pritchard.
♦Road Safety: No response to previous correspondence. Roads Department had said they would investigate. Police also said they would look into dangerous corner at the foot of Manse Brae / Amulree road junction with South Loch Tay road.
♦ Drains which were spilling over at Garage Corner are now clear.
4. Police Issues: PC Watt reported that two drunk drivers had been caught in Kenmore. The enquiries into the recent break-ins were ongoing but they were fairly sure who is responsible.
♦ There was a report of theft from a domestic fuel tank.
♦ Construction traffic at the new Amulree Bridge was causing concern as a couple of drivers had been almost forced off the road. Police are to monitor.
♦ PE is to look into the price of a ‘dog bin’ as the persistent problem of owners allowing their dogs to foul on play areas continues. Police may pay a surprise visit.
♦ANY NON EMERGENCY INCIDENTS ARE TO BE REPORTED ON 0300-111-2222
* Friend of the Birks Cinema: Mrs Flowers gave a short resume of progress and future plans for the ‘Birks’. Funding has been secured to purchase the building and now the work begins on the renovation and restoration for community use with an estimated completion date of Easter/June 2011. JDM to send in a letter of support for the project which was approved by all those present.
5. Cummunity Fund: A presentation was given by Noel Cummins, Community Liaison Officer with SSE Renewables. Below is a brief outline of the project as passed to CC by Mr Cummins:
Community Liaison Officer: attached to the Griffin project due to the project size and working on experience gained from other projects. Role is to be the central point of contact between the communities surrounding Griffin and the construction team. Role includes effective communication and assisting where required in roll out of Community Funds. I will be based between the Perth office and the site itself.
Project Information : Consented January 2008 and located just to the south east of Aberfeldy on the A826. Originally conceived and taken through planning by Green Power International. SSE Renewables (formerly Airtricity) have now purchased 100% stake in project and will continue with the construction of the project.
Consent for up to 68 turbines with potential for up to 204MW of installed capacity. Main transport route is intended to be from the A9 to A822 to A826. There will be some public road improvements/widening and the site will require around 30km of track to be laid for turbine access. Existing forest transmission line will be used to connect new substation to the Grid.
Project Timeline: Site investigations will resume once site reopens. Turbine selection should be confirmed within a month or so. Enabling works (pre construction work) anticipated to begin in March/April. Full construction anticipated to begin in summer 2010. Turbines will begin to arrive on site in spring 2011, with project completion anticipated to be around summer/autumn 2012.
Community Funds: Comprise of 3 elements – Fixed, Variable and Energy Efficiency. Fixed element directly linked to installed output of project – first payment to Fund due at start of main construction payable annually for the life of the wind farm or 25 years whichever is sooner. Variable element based on performance of Griffin within the ROC scheme operated by OFGEM – payable annually as per the Fixed element but the first payment will be made once OFGEM have sufficient performance data etc. Both elements will be administered by the Scottish Community Foundation (experts in grant making) along with a local community panel.
Energy Efficiency Fund: Based on the installed capacity of Griffin and administered by a local Energy Efficiency agency/ SSE Renewables. Surveys and fact finding will take place to identify properties in need of energy efficiency measures which will then be offered and paid for by the scheme. Aim is to reduce energy usage, reduce energy bills and help community move to a more sustainable way of living with the added benefit of more disposable income as a result of lower bills, along with a reduction in the number of properties living in fuel poverty.
Business Register Days: Two events to be held to register local businesses who wish to offer their services to the project. The ‘register’ will be passed to the main contractor once they are appointed in the hope that they will be able to use as many local resources as possible. 15th February at the Locus Breadalbane, Aberfeldy and the 18th February at the Birnam Institute, Dunkeld. Informal drop in to learn more about the project and register their company details.
6. Planning Issues: ♦ Mansfield Forrest Park: JF & GW to report back on findings of plan, although few of the woods lay within the Kenmore & District Community Council area..
7. Scottish Water: There is to be an Open Afternoon in The Reading Rooms on 4th February to which anyone can go along, see the plans for Kenmore /Mains of Taymouth upgrade and ask questions.
8. Taymouth Castle: Meeting is scheduled for the Reading Rooms on 30th Jan to discuss Community Buyout. Official bids are under consideration.
9. World Heritage site: Dealt with in item 3.
10. Housing Strategy: All comments to PE ASAP. General opinion was that Planning Guidelines where becoming too much of a ‘wide brush’ approach, ‘one size fits all’ and not sympathetic to local considerations.
11. HPCP: ♦ Next meeting is on 1st February. PE reported on useful think tank meeting on Affordable housing in the area. Helpful in responding to P & KC’s Local Housing Strategy draft document.
12. Correspondence: ♦ Next meeting of P&K CC Convention to be held on 24th Jan. ♦ P&K first proposal for CC constitution to be discussed at next meeting. ♦ A workshop to explain CC role in future planning process will be on 1st Feb in Perth Theatre.
13. Community Council Elections: ♦ All CC members are at the end of their term. All those wishing to stand again should forward Nominations forms to Ken Lyall by 5th Feb. Efforts are to be made to encourage new members.
14. AOCB ♦ Ed MacNally is to be asked if he would kindly audit CC accounts. All expense claims are to be forwarded to GW.
Date of next meeting – next meeting will be held in The Reading Rooms, Kenmore on Thursday 11th March at 7.30pm. There being no further business the meeting closed. |
