Final Minutes of Meeting of Yell Community Council held on

      Monday 19^th May 2008 in Mid YellSchool at 7.00pm

Present:             Mr D Thompson (Chairman), Mr L Odie, Mr WJ Anderson, Mr I Johnson,

                            Mr L Tulloch and Ms A Smiles

                         In Attendance:   Mr R Henderson (ex officio), Mrs J Smiles (Clerk), Dr L Gray (NAFC)

                          Apologies:         Mr R Jamieson, Mr M Gray and Mr G Nisbet

        …………………………………………………………………………………………

05/08/2   Visitors – Dr L Gray, SSMEI Project Officer, NAFC

The Chairman opened the meeting be welcoming Dr Gray and invited her to speak with YCC. Dr Gray gave a brief summary on the Shetland Marine Spatial Plan consultation process to date which has involved meetings/feedback from community councils and other relevant public and expert groups (this process is now finished with just comments from a few CC’s still to be noted). This three year Plan has come from the Scottish Government to test a new framework for the sustainable management of the marine and coastal environment with one year left to finalise and assess. The main object of this Plan is to bring all information together for future developers to help in the process of marine planning permission and works licences and also help predict whether applications would be successful or not before applying. The consultation for the Shetland Plan consists of:

§      A Marine Spatial Plan Part One: Policy Framework

§      A Marine Spatial Plan Part Two: Marine Atlas (including CD with some data of maps)

§      A Summary of the Plan (to be finalised for Sept 2008)        

              During further discussion and in reply to queries from YCC it was noted that:

§      Yell Sound is still a closed site for fish farming (map 9 shows list of restricted areas for development)

§      Minimum distance between shellfish sited remain as previous – no changes

§      Contractors involved in laying electric cables from Shetland to north of Scotland are keen to use this plan and will respond to Dr Gray with feedback later this week

§      This is a three year project with one year working plan and Dr Gray has put proposals to Scottish Government for updates and other projects and hopes they will find funding to keep this going as the Plan will need continually updating.

§      YCC agreed that fisherman and fish farms need full input into this document and future developments should not be hindered in any way. Dr Gray noted that Hjatland Seafarms (biggest in Shetland) have stated the Plan has nothing contentious to the industry and is helpful in pulling data together and has no direct impact on their own work.

Dr Gray left the meeting after the Chairman thanked her for attending. Further details available from www.nafc.ac.uk/SSMEI.aspx or telephone 01595 772332 for a free copy of the Shetland Marine Spatial Plan.

05/08/3   Minutes

                        The minutes of Yell Community Council meeting on 21^st April were approved by Messrs Odie and Thompson with the following changes:

§      Item 4.8 (Waste Recycling/Skips) – Mr I Johnson requested change ‘Cancer Research Shop at Aywick is now collecting more articles for recycling’ to ‘ …some more small articles…’

§      Item 4.2 (Tarring 2008) – ‘… there have notbeen enquiries for this service in NI for 2008’

05/08/4   .1 Ferries - Outstanding Matters

§      Scottish Parliament Ferry Inquiry –Mr D Thompson attended the formal meeting at Lerwick on 28^th April as representative for the ASCC and also the informal inquiry in the NI as YCC member and ferry user. Mr Thompson reported both meetings were positive with all comments put forward recognised and taken on board. The Inquiry was able to see for themselves how ferry services have improved over time and any reduction would cause havoc in the islands. Comments on reduction of ferry fares and lack of travel concessions on ferries compared to Scottish mainland were noted. Mr Henderson reminded YCC that this was a fact-finding mission and these matters will be raised through the appropriate channels at the other times.

    Ferries – New Matters

§      Community Council Hires – changes to 2008/9 allocations noted (not affecting Yell Sound)

§      Vending machines-  Mr I Johnson received complaints and queried why the drinks from the machine have risen 50% (from 40p to 60p). 

§      Annual Refits – Mr L Odie raised concerns over the length of time of restricted service with smaller ferry on Yell Sound when big vessels away for refits and noted this has lasted almost eight weeks to date. YCC agreed this is causing real inconvenience for some folk and query why this has taken so long, especially in light of the five year service of latest vessels due next year which will take even longer. Also request if bigger ferries can be done earlier in the year to avoid further disruptions.

Action: clerk contact as above.

.2 Roads – Outstanding matters

§      Burravoe Footpaths Phase I – SIC still negotiating offers with two landowners and hope to finalise details over the next week. Clerk get final update for next meeting.

§      List of outstanding road matters  - Mr Henderson advised YCC request roads survey/site visit for Yell with SIC as soon as possible. YCC agreed and will note matters needing attention within their own areas to compile for site visit.

§      New Road into Mid Yell, Hillend ‘by pass’ – reply notes offer letters still to go out to landowners ASAP. Clerk request updates and forward to YCC.

Roads – New matters

§      Lighting at Public Halls – YCC agreed local halls that are not within areas with streetlighting should have exterior lighting to cover hall access and car parks for safety reasons.

§      Roads Performance Assessment 2007 – completed as agreed and return to Roads Dept.

Action: clerk contact as noted above.

                         .3 Mid YellSchool Project

Ground works are due to start the first week in July. Mr Henderson attend meeting tomorrow for final details and report back to YCC for next meeting.

.4 NI Working Groups

§      Initiative at the Edge, NI – update at spring 2008 distributed. Mrs M Morris, Development Worker requested to attend next YCC meeting to discuss Housing Survey project.

§      North Isles Action Group & Local Service Delivery Group – joint meeting on 24^th June.

Action: clerk confirm with IatE NI for next meeting.

                        .5 Seaside Award Scheme

Grant now received. Equipment ordered and put in place as soon as planning permission granted. SIC advise pp could take up to several week yet.

Action: clerk arrange delivery and siting of equipment as soon as pp agreed.

                        .6 Housing Issues for Yell

Hjatland Housing Association at early stage of assessing and negotiating for land at Mid Yell to accommodate six properties (one and two bedroom). HHA have no clear idea of timescales for building as this will be dependent upon obtaining funding and purchase of a site. Mr L Odie replied to Fiona Robertson at HHA noting his disappointment and frustration that YCC comments and requests for future developments to be sited or split between smaller villages with fewer housing developments than Mid Yell have been not been taken on board. YCC agreed that any new developments need more than one bedroom houses to encourage more families into the island. YCC agree to note comments with HHA but cannot take this any further at this stage.

Action: clerk contact HHA as above.

.7 Change of Licensing Laws – Public Halls

Reply from Scottish Government noted. Mr L Odie still queried the legalities on the consultation process. YCC agreed these changes are unfair on village halls and that the changes to the system were not thought through for rural areas. It was agreed YCC cannot take this matter any further at this stage.

.8 Planned Visits

§      16^th June 2008 – Mrs M Morris, I@tE NI (Housing Survey)

05/08/5   Planning Lists / Applications

§       Erect garage, Maegins, Aywick by Mr D Thomson – no objections

§       Erect general agricultural building, Giggleswick, Burravoe by Mr R Odie – no objections

05/08/6   Finance/Grants

                            2007/8 Grant approved for payment by Messrs Johnson and Tulloch:

  t was agreed to re-issue/issue the following cheques to MYJHS as requested:

                          (Ms A Smiles entered the meeting at this point).

§      2008/9 Road Grants were approved by Messrs Odie and Tulloch as follows:

          (Noted grants only available for roads to permanently occupied houses)

§      2008/9 Project Grants

SIC have retained 20% of CC funding until issue of Review of Peat Road Allocation in agreed at Council meeting on 25^th June. In light of this YCC agreed to hold all grant applications for consideration until final funding still available is finalised. Mr L Tulloch proposed to contact applicants as such and advise due to these exceptional circumstances grants will not be jeopardised if projects have to start before grant aid confirmed, Mr WJ Anderson seconded this proposal.

Action: clerk contact all as above.

 05/08/7   New Business

.1 Consultation of draft model scheme of establishment of C’s and draft code of conduct for community councillors

Mr D Thompson noted several changes to existing documents and it was agreed to carry forward to give members time to study and note comments for further discussion at next meeting.

Action: members bring comments/notes for next meeting.

                       .2 PO Area Plan Decision Booklet for North and Western Isles

                       Noted. Available from YCC clerk or telephone PO helpline 08457223344 for free copy.

                      .3 Consultation on the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 – Amendment Bill 2008

Noted. No further comments.

05/08/8   Skips

Mid Yell x 1, Burravoe x1, Cullivoe x 1, N a Voe to East Yell, West Yell to Westsandwick changed between meetings. E Yell, Westsandwick and Cullivoe noted as full.

Action: clerk fax for changes.

It was noted that folk are still putting items in the skips that could be otherwise recycled including normal household waste. During further discussion it was noted IatE NI are currently updating the Recycling Leaflet for the NI and YCC suggested contacting Shetland Amenity Trust for help in liaising for regular uplifts of electrical white goods etc from NI Households or a small fenced off area in each community. 

05/08/9   Leaflets / Annual Reports

              Crofting Inquiry Final Report – Mr L Odie took this to report for next meeting if required.

05/08/10 Any other Business

                      .1 Small Schools Closures 

YCC were advised of Scottish Government consultation document guidelines on how local authorities have to justify school closures (www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools) At a meeting earlier this   evening regarding shared headship of Mid Yell and Cullivoe schools, Mr R Henderson was advised that SIC recommend not closing any schools for at least six years and noted the six applications for school closures in Scotland to date have been rejected by the Scottish Government. YCC agree this is a good thing all round.

.2 New Local Development Plan – Briefing Sessions for CC’s

Mr D Thompson will try and attend this meeting on Thursday 5^th June.