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Minutes of the Helmsdale and District Community Council

Meeting held in the Community Centre
Thursday 7th April 2011

Present

Evelyn MacKenzie (Chairman)

Edward MacKay (Vice Chairman)
Garry MacMillan (Treasurer)
Ann Houghton (Secretary)
Malcolm Bromley
Roz Shorrock
Lorna Smith
Christine Sutherland
Pete Carson (Local Development Officer)
Cllr Deirdre Mackay

Apologies

Elizabeth Fraser
Stan Amey
Margaret Cairns
Annie Cowie
Rosemary Findlay

There was no Police presence at this months meeting.

This month’s guest speaker, Mr Robbie Rowantree LibDem candidate for SP

elections, was introduced by the Chairman.

Mr Rowantree thanked the CC for allowing him to attend this months meeting. He
had contacted all the CCs in the area and Helmsdale and District was the only CC that
invited him to attend a meeting.

He believes the rural communities are struggling to survive and is keen to make sure
if elected that all the resources are not just directed into the central belt areas. He
would be a voice to bring forward the understanding of rural issues. Evelyn agreed
that local knowledge was vital in promoting the problems and issues in the area.
Evelyn mentioned the problems with road closures and Roz Shorrock also mentioned
the problems at Kinbrace and also the diverting of trains from the North to Glasgow
all of which had been brought up at earlier CC meetings.

Mr Rowantree explained in the age with cuts in expenditure, when Councils and
householders alike are short of money he believes care of people tale precedence over
road clearing.

On the issues of costs of road repairs – Edward Mackay explained that outside
contractors are brought in where local firms could be employed and that the local
firms who employed local labour may be looking at laying staff off he asked where do
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the local firms look to for advice? Evelyn said that her husband had been a snow
clearance contractor and when the local people were used there were no few closures.
It was explained to Mr Rowantree that the local depot has been closed with labour
having to travel to Brora before starting work. All of this is time and cost consuming.
Mr Rowantree said any concerns should be addressed to the Highland Council. There
are a set of rules to adhere to and Dr Jim McLennan would be a good contact.
Mr Rowantree hoped if elected he would not be the sort of person to promise all sorts
of things that he could not deliver. He believed the right approach is to be honest
about what can be delivered and what is useful to the Highland Area.

Garry MacMillan raised the issue of health care for the elderly. He cited a case close
to him and the problems he had obtaining the necessary home care required. He had
heard that there were care workers sitting at home and not doing the hours they were
paid to do. Mr Rowantree agreed that this should not happen and he added that a
report recently, by Dr Octavia Baker, said that people provided with home care in
their own home lived longer provided the quality of care needed was delivered.
Deirdre Mackay believes that are insufficient young in the area to care for the older
generation. Barbara Jappy commented that the Service Point could flag up problems
to the relevant departments.
Edward MacKay also raised the subject of fuel in the area. Mr Rowantree thought
that other ways should be looked at of raising the tax such as a mileage tax where the
rural areas could benefit and where local commuter transport could be used in towns
which could benefit the rural areas and cut carbon footprints. Edward MacKay was
also concerned about the strict road checks on vehicles. There should be some leeway
in the regulations. Mr Rowantree agreed with this.
Mr Rowantree said that MSP elected in the area must put forward and query Rural
Issues.
He thanked the CC again for asking him to the meeting and left the meeting at
8.10pm.

Matter arising from the Minutes.

The secretary had now received a reply form Garry Coutts of NHS regarding the NHS
guidelines and read as follows:

Thank you for your letter of 10th February 2011 concerning accidents in your village.

I f someone is involved in an accident and there is any concern that they may have
sustained a significant injury the most appropriate response is to contact the Scottish
Ambulance Service via the 999 number. The ambulance co-ordinator will then decide
on the most appropriate response for the individual e.g. a community first responder,
and ambulance crew, a doctor or a combination.

If the accident is of a minor nature, cannot be managed without clinical advise, and it
is practical to do so, then the person should attend the Minor Injury Unit at the
Lawson Memorial Hospital in Golspie.

I have asked for the content of your letter to be discussed at the next East Sutherland
Locality forum and have asked the Clinical Nurse Manager, Lorraine Coe, to forward
details of the Community First Responder Scheme to you.
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In addition, she is willing to arrange to meet with the Community Council to discuss
first aid guidelines and first responder schemes if you would find this beneficial.

It was agreed by all present that it would serve not further purpose for the Clinical
Nurse Manger to attend.

Clearly the message is if in doubt call 999. Lorna asked if it was possible to take the
injured if mobile to the surgery. This is not an option as the surgery will not see such
cases. Evelyn explained that transporting patients this way involved liabilities.

There are no updates at present on Gordonbush.

Treasurers Report

Garry explained that the books were at the Auditors.

There were two donation envelopes for the Christmas Light Fund from John Murray
owner of Nisa Shop.

The Christmas Lights Committee has been part of the CC since it started it was now
proposed that it become a separate entity, especially as the new CC elections will be
brought in November, now seems a good time. Everyone present was in agreement.
This was matter would now be handled by the Christmas Lights Committee who
would form a new constitution.

Community Councils in the Highlands

The Secretary had supplied everyone with a copy of some of the relevant material
about the new CC election to take place in November a full copy of the document is
to be place in the Library for anyone to read thought. The new guidelines will be
discussed at the next meeting. There will be fewer councillors and the elections will
take place during November.

Housing

Peter Carson had supplied each member of the CC present with a statement which
read as follows:

Housing – a way forward

There have now been two meetings with the Highland Council, the Highland Small
Communities Housing Trust and at the second meeting, Albyn Housing Society Ltd.
These Meetings have been very positive and there is now a funding opportunity, that
is being taken up.
The Helmsdale and District Development Group have gone into partnership with the
Highland Council, the Highland Small Communities Trust and Albyn Housing
Society Ltd to drive this new innovative project forward.
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A plot had been identified and is zoned for housing.

It is anticipated the application will be ready for submission 31st May 2011.
In all feedbacks from various groups the need for housing has always been in the top
three identified priorities. It is 20 to 30 years since the last housing was built. Based
on that a meeting was arranged with HC and SMHT. At the meeting it was agreed to
move forward Pete had copies of the previous minutes of similar meetings and
although these were taken into consideration the need now was to move forward and
not go over old ground and get things moving. At the first meeting there were two
representatives from the CC and 5 members of the Development Group. Pete was
disappointed that there were not more attendees. The meeting started quite heated and
then progressed into a hopeful optimistic meeting. At a second positive meeting with
the Highland Council, SMHT and Albyn a plan was drawn up. Land was identified
and means of moving forward with planning and funding. Lucy Fraser has been a
great help to the group with her good knowledge. The housing will belong to the
Community and will be affordable housing.

Questions

Edward MacKay objected to the slate being wiped clean over the past problems trying
to get housing for Helmsdale. He did not want the previous efforts of the CC to be
ignored. Pete explained that the slate was not being wiped clean just acknowledged
and now new planning being brought into place. The needs for housing have been
identified and there is a list of 18 young people in the community on the list. Many
have not applied for housing (hidden list) because they thought there was no housing
available and so not even being worth going onto a list. Lorna Smith asked if there
was no work why would there be a need for housing for the young. It was pointed out
that the young people were already in work but living with parents or other relatives.
The plan is to look at the feasibility of having some of the housing built with
workspace included. Roz Shorrock asked if there was a need for smaller housing –
Pete agreed. Maybe there are older folk who would like to move to a bungalow type
and free up large accommodation. Edward asked if planning would be needed for the
workspace. – the Highland Council are behind this theory of build. The matter of a
business moving from outwith the area was brought up – this would be answered by
careful allocation of housing making sure locals were first in the queue. A local
factory for wood burning central heating was once considered – would that still be
considered? Pete intimated that this would be a good idea it fitted in with the whole
eco friendly idea. The idea that two buckets of wood would supply 20 radiators and
less ash.

Development Group

General observations-

Allotment scheme has lease on ground from Phoebe Weir by railway line. There is to
be a setting up of an allotment group to run. There are plans to have 16 raised beds
20ft by 1yd. Hopefully when the beds are allocated there will be two beds to work
for the benefit of the community. It is expected to ask each allotment holder for an
initial £5 payment to create a bank account for the allotments. Evelyn asked if the
school might be interested in a plot? Pete intends to put an update in the Northern
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Times. Edward asked it Mary Dudgeon might also be interested – it was pointed out
that she usually grows plants in her own polytunnels.

A.O.B

Evelyn – road closure should have been for 5 weeks then 3 weeks but did not happen.
Work on the road was done in one day with no closure.
A letter from Matt Dent to tell us that we had been successful with our application for
pathway grants was followed by another letter to say he would be on holiday until end
of June and work would commence later in the year.

Barbara Jappy – the service point still has not received the debit card machine for
enabling people to make payments – she has been advised it will be June before the
machine arrives - Deirdre to enquire

Ann on behalf of Margaret Cairns – there is still problems getting back on the X99
bus from Inverness. Margaret could not get a seat on the 2.30pm bus back and had to
get the train back costing £8. Again the problem is the passengers who alight at Tain
and Dornoch filling the bus when they have the X25 service. Stagecoach reps to be
invited to another meeting.

Edward reported flooding on the road – Barbara Jappy will report

Malcolm – there is a blocked drain on the Strath Road – Barbara Jappy will report.

Pete – asked who to contact for the Social Club – Malcolm will organise a meeting.

Roz – problems with repairs on the Strath Road – Deirdre will report.

There being no business from the public the meeting was closed

The meeting closed at 9.25pm

The next meeting will be on Thursday 5th May in the Community Centre at 7.30pm.