Inveraray Community Council

General Meeting held on Wednesday 1^st February 2023 at 7.00pm in the Loch Fyne Hotel

1. Welcome

Linda welcomed all to the meeting.

2. Apologies for absence

Alyssa Stewart, Alistair Rodden, Tracy Boyce, Hugh Nicol.

3. Declarations of interest

None intimated.

4. Approval of previous minutes

Jacqui approved; Linda seconded.

5. Inveraray Primary School – community garden

Ruth gave a presentation to demonstrate how successful the community garden in Dunoon is.  It is located in Kirn Primary School and their motto is Grow food, Grow Dunoon.  Ruth has been offered support from the group in Dunoon to help her set up the community garden at Inveraray Primary School.  The school has all of the equipment they just need support from the Inveraray community, sadly nobody attended the meetings in the school which were planned for 27^th and 30^th January 2023.

6. Treasurer’s report

Outgoing Treasurer’s Report January 2023

GENERAL

General Account Balance        £4,619.27

This includes income from:

Mini Bus                          -£255.00

Pier Fund                     -£2,639.02

Action Plan                    £0.00

Drax for Avenue Light Survey      -£500.00

Action Plan Prints                £25.00

Warm Spaces                   £0.00

Dots Christmas Light            -£607.98

Balance After Pending/Allocated Funds  £642.27

EVENTS & DISPLAYS                   £2,153.17

Pending £0.00

Balance after Pending                 £2,153.17

BONUS SAVINGS                     £10.50

MICROGRANT                    £72.48

Pending grants awarded:

Balance after Pending              £72.48

CLACHAN WINDFARM                    £17,521.62

Pending Payments:

British Region £1500.00

Balance after Pending                     £16,021.62 

7. Police Report

Received report on 13^th January 2023 which covered demand for December 2022.  Officer Ross Griffin attended and gave update on January’s demand.  Police Scotland have limited presence in Mid-Argyll so calls for non-urgent assistance may be slow.

8. Correspondence

Robin Campbell has produced a web strategy document for https://inveraraypier.scot/ – thanks to Robin.  This is a live document so will be constantly updated.

9. Licencing/Planning applications

Nothing of note.

10. Inspire Inveraray

2 x £15,000 grants have been received for pier restoration costs.  We will know if we have been successful in our applications for other grants in March/April.

Men’s Shed – DA MacDonald (Contractors) Ltd has given us a space to locate a unit – no further progress.

11. Fundraising

Donations collected at the Christmas parade will be put towards a new Christmas light in Dorothy Robertson’s memory, approximately £607 raised, Dorothy liked butterflies so we would like to buy a light to be placed beside the public toilet on the pier.

12. AOCB

1. Grass and bushes beside path from new town to Co-op car park require cutting back, Sgt Wilson advised that he will arrange a working party with the Army Cadets to tidy the avenue.
2. Swing park – DA MacDonald (Contractors) Ltd will quote for black mats beneath our equipment.

• Jacquie Kerr asked if the Council could install a grit bin at the swing park – Cllr Brown has put a request in for this with the Council.

1. Online shop – at the moment there isn’t anyone with enough time to successfully manage an online shop. Might be an idea to purchase a small stock of items that can be sold at local car boot sales/events.
2. Enquiries have been made with the Primary school to use the grounds as a sports pitch for the community – Cllr Philand will speak with Cllr Corner who had agreed to take this forward with the Council.
3. The lime render and paint is coming off the Avenue arches (Inveraray Screen), Cllr Philand will contact James Lafferty to discuss. Post meeting note:  James will visit Inveraray with the Architect who managed the contract to inspect and consider the long-term management and maintenance of the structure.

• First Aid for Gambia has donated a defibrillator which will be sited in the phone box in Church Square when it has been refurbished, currently the defibrillator is in the George Hotel – thanks to Bill Nelson and First Aid for Gambia.
• There has been a large amount of items fly tipped at the recycling area in the Avenue. It was mentioned that it is strange that the bins can now take paper, metal and plastic when there is a large recycling container for paper as the paper/cardboard in the small bins causes them to fill up quickly and if they aren’t emptied people are fly tipping.  Could a sign be placed in the area to say that anything that doesn’t fit in an official container is fly tipping and should not be left with a note where the nearest amenity site is – Cllr Philand to progress.

12. Cllr Philand advised that the Council budget is in deficit, currently the estimated budget gap remains severe –more than £12.2 million in 2023-24 alone, and more than £54.5 million in 2023-2028.
13. Cllr Philand will contact Bear Scotland to discuss placing signs on the Newton at the Church side to say that the speed limit is 30 mph.
14. The equipment at the swing park is woefully inadequate and all are disappointed that the children who deserve better are being let down by ACHA. Cllr Philand contacted Jane Hepburn at ACHA to discuss whether they have any plans to upgrade the swing park.  Post meeting note:  Jane Hepburn responded to say that ACHA don’t have any plans to upgrade the park.
15. Date of next meeting

Wednesday, 1^st March 2023.

Inveraray Community Council General Meeting Wednesday 1^st March 2023 in the Loch Fyne Hotel at 7.00pm

AGENDA

1. Welcome
2. Apologies for absence
3. Declarations of interest
4. Approval of previous minutes
5. Presentation by Ruth Semple, Statkraft Community Liaison Manager re An Càrr Dubh Wind Farm
6. Treasurer’s report

Including Grants applied for and review of micro/An Suidhe applications received

7. Inspire Inveraray
8. Police Report
9. Correspondence
10. Licencing Applications / Planning Applications
11. Fundraising
12. Any other competent business
13. Phone box – defibrillator
14. Inveraray Pier

• Swing park – matting & grit bin

1. Sports pitch at primary school
2. Fly tipping at recycling point in Avenue
3. 30mph speed limit sign.

• Online shop

13. Date of next meeting