Meeting Minutes

 

Echt & Skene Community Council

Minute of meeting held 21^st February in Garlogie Hall at 7:30pm

Present: Fiona Bick (Chair), John Foulkes (Secretary), Wendy Duncan, Ian MacMaster, Nick Pilbeam, Brian Poppleton (Treasurer), Edith Duchie, Councillors Ron McKail and Alistair McKelvie

Apologies: Alan Edwards, Cllr David Aitchison, Cllr Iris Walker, Mary Gray

Minute of last meeting: Accepted

Police Report: None received

Other Agenda items:

ESCC Website: Website text content has been updated. Photos of local scenes are needed to enhance the look and feel, and contributions should be sent to Nick. Nick to add links to Aberdeenshire Safety Partnership and Skene Heritage Society.

ESCC Constitution: First draft prepared. Further working group meeting needed to discuss and finalise for ESCC approval. Following that the new constitution will be sent to Aberdeenshire Council for approval so that it can be in place for next AGM.

Echt War Memorial: Survey was sent out by email to 125 local Echt residents and also made available in village shop and hall for pick up. Only 5 responses received with none willing to assist with fund-raising, etc. Wendy will send survey and results to Dunecht Estates for comment.

Echt Public Convenience: Meeting between Council property department and Bert Mackintosh is to take place on Monday 26^th Feb. Fiona will attend for ESCC. Toilets remain open in the meantime.

Echt Developer Contributions (Sport & Recreation projects): No progress with the new Pleasure Park path. It is rumoured that some of the Echt developer contributions have been siphoned off to other Council projects. Fiona to follow up with Garioch Area Manager.

Carpenters Croft/Kirkton of Skene Flooding Issues: Bancon Homes has offered a disappointingly small donation towards the cost of enlarging the Manse Road culvert. Fiona to contact them again.

Echt Footpath: No progress.

Community Resilience: Residents’ information leaflet has been printed and is ready to go out as an insert in February’s Westhill bulletin. Nick has leaflets for anyone wanting to distribute door-to-door. They will also be left in village shops for pick-up.

Lyne of Skene bus shelter: Planning application imminent (Nick).

Heartstart Course: No progress.

New Planning Applications:

• APP/2018/0067 Alterations and extension to existing garage – Leddach House, Skene. No comment.
• APP/2018/0259 Planning Permission in principle for erection of dwellinghouse – site east of Newton Smiddy, Dunecht. ESCC to submit comment regarding undesirability of breaking skyline with new house (John).

Prior Planning Applications:

• APP/2017/ 1802 Continued use of Buildings for Class 5 (General Industrial): Non-compliance with Condition 1 (Time) of Full Planning Permission Ref. APP/2015/0663 Units 4 and 5 South Fornet, Skene – APPEALED. Community Councillors will attend if Reporter makes accompanied site visit.

Treasurer’s Report:

Cash in bank: £1157.73 Cash in hand: £14.14

Correspondence/Upcoming Events:

• GACCF meeting 7^th March 7pm at Meldrum Academy – John to attend.

AOCB:

• Kingsford stadium – It’s understood Aberdeenshire Council is writing to Scottish Government asking them to call in the approval of the application by Aberdeen City Council contrary to the Local Development Plan. The discharge of a number of the planning conditions would require the cooperation of Aberdeenshire Council i.e. pedestrian bridge and Controlled Parking Zone.
• The telephone box and post box at Garlogie Hall have now been removed. A post box remains at the other end of Garlogie.
• The Milne Hall Committee would like signs in the village at the car park entrances for “Village Hall” as some visitors have difficulty spotting it – Ron to write to Roads Department.
• Aberdeenshire Licensing Forum – John attended. Issues discussed included high price of low/no alcohol beers, difficulties in competing with supermarkets faced by small retailers and burdensome application process for occasional licences leading to increase in BYOB events. Forum will meet 2/3 times per year.

Future meetings:

4th April                                               Garlogie

16th May                                            Lyne of Skene

20th June (AGM)                             Echt Hall

 

 

Present: Fiona Bick (chair), John Foulkes (Secretary), Brian Poppleton (Treasurer), Wendy Duncan (minute taker), George Glennie, Ian MacMaster, Cllr Iris Walker, 4 residents from Echt and 1 resident from Kirkton of Skene.

Apologies:, Nick Pilbeam (vice chair), Klaus Wahle, Cllr Ron McKail, Cllr David Aitchison, Mary Gray

 

Minute of last A.G.M. – No matters arising therefore minute approved by Ian MacMaster, seconded by John Foulkes

Election of Members:  

Block vote of existing elected members who all expressed a wish to remain on the committee except for Kevin Strachan. Alan Edwards agreed to join as community councillor representative for Kirkton of Skene. Fiona Bick will be a representative for Dunecht in place of Kevin Strachan.

 

 

Election of Office Bearers:

 

Fiona Bick as chairperson, Nick Pilmbeam as vice chairperson, John Foulkes as secretary, Brian Poppleton as treasurer. Ian MacMaster proposed office bearer’s elections and Wendy Duncan seconded.

 

Wendy Duncan to resign from post of minute taker. With no nominations or expressions of interest received, it was agreed a) to approach Klaus Wahle to be minute taker or b) for minutes to be taken on a rota basis. This will be finalised at next Echt & Skene Community Council meeting in June.

 

 

Treasurer’s Report:
CIH £60.42 Bank balance £830.98

Resilience expenditure £2199.16 – expenditure approved and paid by Aberdeenshire Council of £2198.96 [20p shortfall].

 

The books have been audited and Brian awaits the AGM minute so that they can be sent to Alison Cumming of Aberdeenshire Council for verification.

 

Acceptance of Accounts:

Ian MacMaster proposed records to be accepted as correct and seconded by George Glennie.

Chairman’s Report:

 

The Echt & Skene Community Council has been pro-active over the course of the year putting together and implementing Community Resilience Plans for each of the five villages of Lyne of Skene, Kirkton of Skene, Garlogie, Echt and Dunecht. These plans will enable each village hall to be used as a refuge or safe haven in the event of an incident in the community. A grant of £2240 was secured from Aberdeenshire Council’s top-up fund, which has enabled the purchase of some basic equipment, which is now held in cabinets at each village hall. Unfortunately our application for a grant to SSE to buy heating appliances and fuel was not successful in 2016 so we will still be looking for an alternative source of funding for this element over the course of 2017. Particular thanks go to Nick Pilbeam and Brian Poppleton for their efforts.

 

The Echt Community Councillors, George Glennie and Wendy Duncan, have also been very active in the past year in responding to Aberdeenshire Council’s decision to close the Echt public conveniences as part of cost cutting measures. Thanks to the generosity of a local business, McIntosh Plant Hire, and an award of funds from the Garioch Area Committee, a lower cost and more accessible alternative to be run by the local community has been developed. The existing facility will remain open over the summer of 2017 with the intention of replacing it with a disabled portaloo thereafter.

 

The Scottish Government review of the planning system, which commenced in 2015 has continued through to 2017 with further consultation. The Community Council submitted a response to their proposals for change in April this year and we await further developments on this.

 

Consultation has also been ongoing since 2015 with respect to a revised Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils in Aberdeenshire. It’s now expected the new scheme will come into effect on 1st July 2017 if approved by Aberdeenshire Council this month.

 

Unfortunately our area has seen an increase in crime over the past year with a number of incidents including thefts, assaults, threatening behaviour and road traffic offences occurring. I shall close my report for 2016 in urging local residents to do all they can to protect themselves from opportunistic criminals by securing their vehicles, outbuildings and homes at all times.

John thanked Fiona for all of her hard work this year which was concurred by other committee members.

 

Correspondence:          None

A.O.C.B                           None

Present:   Fiona Bick (Chair), John Foulkes (Secretary), , Wendy Duncan, Ian MacMaster, Nick Pilbeam(Minutes), Brian Poppleton (Treasurer), Raymond Alexander, Edith Duchie, Nicole Garden and Steve Middleton (Police Scotland), Tish Angus, Daisy Roger, Samuel Cockburn (MOD Police)

Councillor Iris Walker.

Apologies: Alan Edwards, Cllr David Aitchison, Mary Gray , Cllr Alistair McKelvie, Cllr Ron McKail

Minute of last meeting: Accepted

Police Report: 1 theft, 2 drugs related offences. Police Scotland have been monitoring Skene school speeding during 20mph times with one vehicle recorded at 41mph; there will be more use of the radar gun here in the near future.

Feedback from GACCF: CC Scheme of Establishment. We petitioned for the number of ESCC Community Councillors to be raised from 8 to 10 which allows for 2 reps per village; this has been agreed.  The new scheme comes into force on 1^st April – Nick and John will review our constitution and see what needs changing.

Aberdeen City Region Strategic Transport Survey Response: Discussion ensued and Fiona will complete on-line consultation response on behalf of ESCC.

Other Agenda items:

ESCC Website: Format agreed and content proposed by Fiona will be put on site by Nick, Fiona will post minutes of meetings.

Echt War Memorial: Information and survey requests being sent out by Wendy to local residents prior to next step, which will be discussion meetings.

Echt Public Convenience: Meeting between Council property department and Bert Mackintosh has not happened yet. Toilets remain open in the meantime.

Echt Developer Contributions (Sport & Recreation projects): The new Pleasure Park path awaits Council contract to be finalised. Bert Mackintosh is pressing for earlier conclusion so it can be done before the ground gets too soggy.

Carpenters Croft/Kirkton of Skene Flooding Issues: Council will inspect the flood prevention ditch and see if there is anything they can do to improve it. The issue is being discussed in council funding committee but it will compete with other needs. Fiona to follow up with Bancon Homes regarding the Manse Road culvert.

Echt Footpath: No progress.

Community Resilience: Residents’  information leaflet to be finished and ideally printed before end February so it can be inserted in Westhill bulletin. Wendy has a list of volunteers/key holders for Echt which she will send to the Council Emergency Planner. She is holding a meeting on 17^th January in Echt Hall to invite residents to find out about the system.

Lyne of Skene bus shelter: Planning application about 80% ready to go.

Heartstart Course: Wendy chasing up.

New Planning Applications:

• APP/2018/0004 Erection of domestic outbuilding – Proctor’s Cottage, Westhill, AB32 6HG – No comment

 

Treasurer’s Report:

Cash in bank: £1379.08 Cash in hand: £14.14

 

Correspondence/Upcoming Events:

• Licensing Policy Review Online Consultation – deadline 12^th January: Individuals can complete the online survey. JF will attend the Central Aberdeenshire Licensing Forum meeting on 7^th February.
• Proposed 20mph speed limits in Forbes Park: Discussed – CC will comment supporting.

 

AOCB:

• Interviews for head teacher at Echt are progressing.
• Review of community policing including police presence at CC meetings: A short life working group has been set up chaired by Iris and with 1 rep from Garioch. Their next meeting will be on 5^th
• Council budget is due to be finalised on 8^th There has been a reduction in government funding of 13% of the rates bill. Thus either the rates go up by 13% or other savings will have to be made to balance the budget.
• Kingsford stadium hearing takes place on 17^th January and a decision is due by the end of the month. Aberdeenshire Council have submitted their objection.
• Scotway grants are available for £500-£1500 for footpaths.
• Plaque on tree in Echt: Several quotes obtained, Westhill men’s shed will be asked to quote.
• Discussions have taken place between Echt School and the Council re a new garden bench for the park.
• Samuel Cockburn explained that he had taken over from Gary representing the MOD police. Gary has retired.

 

Future meetings:

21^st February                                      Garlogie

4th April                                               Kirkton of Skene

16th May (will also be AGM)       Lyne of Skene