February 2016

Minutes of Board Meeting held at Pier Hotel 24 February 2016

 

Directors in Attendance

 

Dinah McDonald               Chair

David McKenzie                 Secretary     

Pearl Brown                     Treasurer (part time)

Gordon MacDonald

Catherine Rae

Victor Sandall

 

Apologies

 

Jim Connor

 

Members in Attendance

 

Cllr Bruce Marshall

 

Guests

 

Anne Sobey, Loch Lomond & Trossachs NP Community Partnership

 

 

Minutes of Meeting 9 December 2015

 

The draft minutes of the Trust Board meeting of 9 December 2015 were reviewed. The minutes were proposed by Catherine, seconded by David M and adopted.

 

Matters Arising

 

Nomination of Historic Kilmun for a Civic Trust award – this had been separately taken forward by the Board of Argyll Mausoleum Ltd and was in progress.

 

Business of the Trust

 

Secretary’s Report

 

The new constitution, which was approved at the EGM held on 9 December 2015, has yet to be registered with Companies House and OSCR. This will be done shortly. 

 

Update on membership

 

NTR

 

Treasurer’s Report

 

Pearl advised that our bank balances were as follows:

 

Savings Account..........................£4175.32

 

Business Account........................£2934.92

 

Dinah advised that an application had been submitted to the National Park for an admin grant, but no decision had yet been communicated. No application had been made this year for a ‘Soon, Seen, Successful’ grant.

 

Community Partnership

 

Anne Sobey introduced herself and outlined the structure and purpose of the Community Partnership. The Partnership operates across 4 areas within the NP, each of which has 3 Directors on the Committee. In Cowal, these are Dinah McDonald, Iain MacInnes and Elizabeth Bain. In May, the partnership will adopt a new structure, but will continue to provide services to Community Groups, including the Area Network meetings, increased focus on the development of Community Action Plans and support to access funds from the new Leader program which will be operational shortly.

 

Community Action Plan 2013 - 2017 

 

Action Status:

 

Theme 1:

 

Priority 1 – Invasive Species:

 

Equipment and herbicide are in store and will be used at the appropriate time in the new season.

 

Theme 2:

 

Priority 1 – Blairmore Village Green

 

Catherine reported that the Blairmore Village Trust was partnering with the Hall Trust to have a survey carried out on the Village Green in preparation for further development by both Trusts.

The Village Trust is planning a summer event / picnic

The sale of surplus land plots by the Village Trust is going ahead and offers for sale will be shortly sent to affected residents. 

 

Theme 3:

 

Priority 3 – Development of potential sites.

 

The new Scottish Land Fund is in the process of being rolled out; the Trust was asked to complete a form to refresh the project, which has been done. A visit from an SLF representative is now expected on 17 March.
Blairmore Village Trust has agreed to partner with the Trust if the project goes forward. Bruce suggested that Ardentinny CC be asked if they would want to participate.
After discussion, it was agreed to proceed with the project for the moment. David M will update the draft feasibility study brief and circulate to the committee for comment.  

 

Theme 4:

 

Priority 1: Sewage facilities upgrade

 

The Trust Board are not convinced that they can do anything further on this – Scottish Water is planning some form of treatment for the communities of Kilmun and Stone but not for Blairmore.
It was agreed to brief the Kilmun CC and Blairmore Village Trust and to determine if they would want to get involved in taking this matter further.   

 

Priority 2 – Broadband Provision

 

Latest news is that some households in the shore area are being offered ‘Superfast Broadband’; however, there are no plans for the remoter communities.
It was agreed that Dinah would process the Trust becoming a member of the Scottish Rural Parliament, as rural broadband is a significant focus item for them.

 

Priority 3 – Renewable Energy

 

The joint hydro project with Kirknewton CDT is awaiting a decision on CARES funding.

 

Liaison

 

Forestry

 

NTR

 

Villages in Bloom

 

NTR

 

Graham’s Point Community Park

 

The work to sandblast and paint the bus shelter following the removal of the glass is still on hold due to Listed Building Consent (LBC) having been delayed. This has now been issued and the work can proceed.

 

In order to avoid problems with the deadline for claiming the necessary funds from the National Park, the Council has agreed to receive the funds before the deadline and to hold these until the work is completed. This has now been done.

 

Maintenance of the Willow Tunnel – Dinah will check if NP volunteers could do this in the spring.

 

Working Groups / Projects

 

Paths and Access

 

The Walking Group is going from strength to strength; 6 walks per month are being held as well as a program of ‘Lite Bites’ (shorter walks).

 

Historic Kilmun / Argyll Mausoleum Ltd (AML)

 

Gordon advised that a challenging year ahead could be expected.

 

AOCB

 

Blairmore Village Hall will be holding a fiddle concert on 20 March

 

On 12 April from 10:00 to 16:00, together with Growing Together Scotland, the Community Partnership are offering a free full day’s programme of practical training for community gardens aimed to support community growing organisations and individuals to be more enterprising. Venue – TBA.

 

Cuillin Sound will be performing at Uig Hall on 4 March

 

Next Area Network and BBQ will be at Lochgoilhead on 18 May

 

Next Community Partnership Gathering will be on 5 November.

 

 

Date of next meeting

 

The next Board meeting will be on Wednesday 30 March at 19:30 in the Pier Hotel.