Caithness CWS - Community - Community Councils - Castletown

Castletown and District Community Council

Minutes of meeting held on Thursday 25 October 2001 in Castletown Drill Hall at 7.30pm

Present

J.Crowden, A.Macdonald (HC Councillor), M.Cormack, W.Stark, G.Firth, I.Moodie (Village Officer), G.Ewing (Northern Constabulary, W.Swanson, A Swanson, E.Geddes, G.Calder (Press)

Apologies

A.Hill, I.Calder

2/ LAST MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING FROM THEM

A.M. stated that although the minutes showed himself present at the meeting he was in fact not present. With one amendment the last minutes of the 20th Sept were read and agreed as a true record.

Mins 20th Sept.

Item 4 Doggie Bins were still required at School road and Sand End. Also litter bin for Harland and Harbour. A.M. said that litter bins would be provided next year but would chase up the doggie bins. Discussion was held over who to report the wall crumbling around the post box at the Free Church to. A.M. offered to follow this up.

Action A.M.

JC had returned the waste strategy questionnaire.

The putting green fence had been temporarily repaired but was in a very poor condition, suffering severe corrosion of the wires and netting. G.F. and I.M. had tied up what he could but was not optimistic of how long it would last. Situation would be monitored.

Action G.F., I.M.

G.F. had attended the Thurso footpath subgroup and reported that the group were now gathering information on the local paths around Thurso which also included the costal path to Castletown. Also discussed was the cycle route from Thurso to Castletown which at present goes over Weydale. G.F. would provide information on the Castletown end of the coastal path to the subgroup. The group though that it would be better to wait on the coastal path until NOSWA started work on the new treatment plant and possibly use this as an opertunity to create a path to Murkle and possibly beyond.

^{Action G.F.}

3/ Closure of the Castletown Branch of the Clydesdale Bank

Customers of the bank had all received letters informing them that the Castletown branch would close at the beginning of December 2001. Concern was felt about the closure and the effect it would have on the customers who would be required to go to Thurso to bank. A letter had been sent to the Thurso manager of the bank, outlining our displeasure at the closure,the way it had been handled and the problems that the closure would cause to customers and asked him to pass it on to the person who made the decision. Jamie Stone had also been approached for support and he had agreed to contact the bank expressing his disapproval of the decision and pressing for a public meeting in Castletown. A petion was also being circulated. Mr Ewan McCulloch Government & Community Relations Manager for the Clydesdale had phoned JC explaining that they would attend a private meeting of the community council but had little inclination to attend a public meeting. The chairman expressed his concerns about a private meeting and said he would refer it to the community council meeting for the wider view. All present though that a private meeting was not what we required and we should press for a public meeting open to the press which would allow everyone a chance have their say. J.C. would contact the bank with the decision and also try to enlist the help of Rhoda Grant MSP. Action J.C.

4/ VILLAGE OFFICER UPDATE

I.M. reported coping stones going missing from drystane walls around the village. The copings are not being knocked off but removed completely. It was agreed to report the matter to the police. J.C. was to get the mower looked at to see if it was repairable. M.C. was to get the insurance cover extended to cover the winter period. A.M. would progress the missing No Parking sign at the sand end. The Highland Council were asking if we knew where it was, but it was pointed out that we reported it missing first. I.M. agreed to carry on as village officer over the winter attending to jobs as required and being paid for the hours he works.

Action J.C., A.M.. M.C.

5/ Correspondences

The latest batch of letters was gone through with none of note except that the winter Sunday train service had started. It was a commercial trial by Scotrail and was on a use it or lose it basis. The train left for Inverness from Thurso at 2pm and left Inverness at 6.30pm getting into Thurso at 9.50pm.

6/ AOCB

BCTV

JC reported that he had attended a meeting with Tanya Fletcher of BCTV about the possibility of getting some work done to improve the area at the heritage trail and also the battery walk. The BCTV thought they could do some thing with heritage trail wet area but felt that the battery walk was to big a project. They would explore both projects and report back later on possibilitys for both.

Health Body

It had been reported that a consultant was about to leave Wick maternity unit. Stevie Thomson (minister in Wick) had written a paper on Health for the church and was looking to try and organise some form of community group to keep a watching brief over the NHS trust as he and many others still did not trust their commitment to Wick General hospital. He was holding a meeting to gauge public support for such a body. Unforunatly no one was available to attend but he said that he would keep us posted on developments.

BEAR

J.C. had attended two meeting last week in which BEAR were present and explained their winter maintenance plan. It was clear from the discussions that BEAR were not given all the available information on road and weather conditions in the far north from the Scottish Executive and had had to develop a plan from only the information they knew and were given. The plan seemed to cover the pre treatment of the roads fairly well except that the gritting routes were now much longer that before meaning that they would not be covered as quickly as before. Concern was expressed at their capability to meet severe conditions but they claim to have enough resources available themselves or via private contractors to cover almost all conditions. The winter maintenance plan was very thourgh and listed all the plant and equipment they would use and how they would be managed. It was also pointed out that the majority of their workers were ex council who had done this job for many years before. Concern was expressed about the cross over points and boundarys between the council and themselves. They stated that they were having a meeting within the next few weeks to address some of these points as they were not dealt with clearly enough with in the tender document. BEAR promised to return after the winter for a follow up meeting to see how people thought then.

Bathing Water
J.C. reported that the preliminary results for Dunnet Bay for 2001 looked good but he had written asking for the final results for both ends of the beach for comparision purposes.

Action J.C...

Street Lighting
A request had been made for street lighting on Battery Road. A.M. stated that it could be only two options 1 - Full street lights the whole length or 2 - lights only at the junction. It was agreed that as some residents were known to be against street lighting that all residents be allowed to vote on the subject. J.C. would prepare a letter and voting slip and A.S. and M.C. would deliver them.

Action J.C., A.S., M.C.

AGM
The November meeting of the community council would be the AGM. It was agreed that cheese and wine be supplied for after the meeting. G.F. said he would be able to supply some oatcakes for the cheese. M.C. would arrange the cheese and wine. A.M. expressed his apologies as he had a prior engagement that night and was unlikely to make the meeting.

Action G.F., M.C.

Being no further business the date of the AGM was set for Thursday 15th Nov 2001 at 7.30pm in the Castletown Drill Hall.

Being no further business the meeting closed at 21.35hrs