LCC minutes 090323
Argyll and Bute Council · 15 November 2023
Back to Argyll and Bute Local Review Body — 15 November 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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LISMORE COMMUNITY COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting held on 9th March 2023 at Lismore Public Hall Present Archie MacGillivray (AM) Convener, Mandie Currie (MC) Secretary, Donald Mc Coll (DM), Clare Howarth (CH), Mark Willis (MW) Attending Cllr Luna Martin (LM) A&B Council and Rosemary Barry (RB) note taker. Three members of the public. 1. Apologies Cllr Kieron Green A&B Council 2. Declarations of interest DM declared an interest in agenda item 7 – ferries (work role). 3. Minutes of meeting of 26.01.23 There was a query concerning the declarations of interests. MC explained that LCC had adopted the A&B terms of interest at its inaugural meeting and that LCC would consider the need to review the matter. She emphasised that although members of the public could make comments on the minutes and on agenda items, and this could be noted, CC members made decisions on the issues raised. The minutes were proposed by MW and seconded by AM. 4. Matters arising There were no matters arising not covered on the agenda. 5. Scottish Government reaching 100% Broadband Scottish Government (SG) had been in touch regarding a community meeting with SG and BT Openreach on Wednesday 29th March. SG are keen to improve community engagement on the programme, with more communication with communities and more information made available about the project. Concerns have been raised by community members about some sections of line that will be left unburied where there are still existing poles. The response from SG so far has been that State Aid rules dictate that existing infrastructure must be used, so the fibre will be buried where the existing line is buried. There was a query about the remaining poles that are not in use and MC replied that this was a question that could be asked at the meeting. Further concerns have been raised about digging on private ground without permission. 6. Health and Social Care CH reported that there was no responsibility for A&B to provide care if people wanted to move to directly employed care. All responsibility therefore rests with the cared-for person or their relatives etc. She had raised this at the Social Services meeting that she had attended and also the risks of lack of training and police checks. LM mentioned that it was possible to change options. CH mentioned with respect to this, the difficulty of obtaining night care. LM queried whether the carers were registered as this could be done easily on line. CH replied that there were carers who had been registered before. LH explained that if anyone was left without care then A&B could be responsible. MC concluded that it needed to be made clear that the LCC had looked at this and that good practice would involve a PVG disclosure and relevant training but that the LCC has no responsibility or powers in these matters. CH mentioned that there was a training session coming up in April which she anticipated being free. Action – Importance of Health and Safety and Well-being to be highlighted in the minutes 7. Ferries MC had written to the Calmac Chief Executive regarding alternative sailings when there were tidal restrictions and the issue of carriage of fuel tankers during darkness hours; also enquiring about improvements to the Oban slip but she was waiting for a reply. She explained that she had copied her letter to our MSP, MP and relevant local Councillors. Julian Wormleighton (JW) reiterated that
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he had been assured by Calmac that improvements to the vessel running lights, to allow carriage of fuel tankers in darkness, would be done. There was a query about the problems with the north end ferry. CH queried the cost of the temporary replacement and the problems for those with disabilities and she described a difficult situation with trying to get a patient off the island by stretcher. 8. Boreholes Robert Smith is now doing the necessary site checks, with MW and AM assisting. MC said that she had copies of the necessary disclaimer forms. There was a query about the Church being on a reserve list for a borehole. MC replied that someone from the Church could fill in a form concerning this but that the Council Roads Dept might have concerns if a borehole was too close to the road. Sebastian Tombs (ST) agreed to pursue completion of a form. 9. Church and Graveyard MC explained that she was still preparing the report on the latest consultation and the next steps for the future of the Church. MC also reported the Council were still talking to the Church of Scotland about the graveyard extension and there was still a need for soil for backfilling. 10. Planning Applications MC gave an update on the fish farm scoping exercise which had now finished. If a planning application was submitted then LCC would make comments. She had not spoken to Appin as yet but would do so if the need arose. There was a query about the consideration of the planning application described at the last meeting. It was made clear that as the meeting was no longer quorate, no discussion took place at the meeting other than to outline the application. CH, MW and DM considered the matter outwith the meeting and a letter was sent in support of the proposal. LM said that for future reference, she would check the requirements for community councillors who had declared an interest to leave the meeting while discussions on the item took place. 11. LCT funding MC explained that there had been an agreement to fund meeting costs for a defined period that had now lapsed. As agreed in previous LCC meetings, there is a need to review various upcoming spend commitments before any decision could be made on further funding for LCT but it had been agreed that the item would be retained on the agenda for future consideration. The LCT representative present stated that there had been a request for the CC to fund the hall hire costs for 10 meetings each year. MC replied that the agreement was for a year but that it would be kept on the agenda and looked at again when there was a clearer idea of the demands to be made on LCC funds. DM stated that the General Fund covered general LCC expenses such as secretarial costs, hall hire and the minutes. 12. Resilience/Emergency Plans MC explained that there was a need for a separate meeting to discuss this. She suggested a date in early May before the next LCC meeting. MC to put a notice on the island Facebook page to advertise this. 13. New Correspondence Bute Community Council has emailed all CCs concerning the lack of community engagement by A&B Council within the Budget planning process, with a request to send a joint letter. This had been taken up by Luing CC and MC asked if LCC wanted to be involved in this. There was a general concern that there was a lack of community involvement in the budget process and MC suggested LCC might consider the letter depending on the wording. MC to email Bute Community Council.
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14. AOCB DM mentioned that there was a need for new signatories on the bank account. It was also agreed that there was a need to formalise the positions held on the CC since the last election. Office bearers could have been chosen at the inaugural meeting but the LCC members attending had decided to wait until all members are present. This would be actioned at the next LCC meeting in May. There was a query about the lateness of dissemination of the minutes of the previous meeting. RB apologised for this. There was a query about the absence of minutes of the December meeting on the website. MC explained that this had been the inaugural CC meeting, which had not been a public meeting, but that the minutes had been posted on the shop noticeboard.