GARVE AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL DRAFT MINUTES
FOR SPECIAL MEETING ON 19TH OCTOBER 2010 AT GARVE VILLAGE HALL
“COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR E-ON – CORRIEMOILLIE WINDFARM PLANNING APPLICATION”
PRESENT: Kenny MacLean (Chairman), Steve Jones (Vice Chairman), Jean Hollingdale (Sec.) Jean Bailey (Treasurer), Jennifer Haslam, Ruari Matheson, Jimmy Ruggles-Brise, Jock Logie, Sue Tarr, Alex MacKenzie, Pam Morrison, Bob Cameron (Corporate Manager), Cllr. Jean Urquhart, Cllr. Richard Greene, Val MacIver, and 12 members of public.
APOLOGIES: Bob Moir
The Chairman opened the meeting at 7.10pm by stating this meeting had been called because of Procedural Errors at the previous meeting (7.2 of the constitution) which were the Vice Chair took the lead on a discussion on holding a ballot; members had then had a vote 5 against and 4 for the ballot, with 1 abstention and then the Vice Chair had opened the vote to the floor.
The Chairman stated that 10-20 members of the public do not represent the whole community. He then apologised for allowing the community councillors’ decision to be overturned. He also thanked the CC members for the sympathy they had shown towards him since the last meeting.
Mr Cameron, Corporate Manager for Highland Council, was then asked for guidance. John Bruce, Elections Manager had been consulted. Mr Cameron then told the CC that there are two versions of the electoral roll.
1 The full list is used for statutory ballots - general elections, CC elections and community buy-outs.
2 The edited list can be used by CC. The safest way would be to use the edited list compared with the full list available at various council locations. This would be then openly verifiable. There is no list available that is openly verifiable for the whole community.
It is not illegal to be registered in more than one constituency but it is illegal to vote in more than one constituency. Chairman stated the current edited list is out of date at this time. A new updated list will be available in December. Mr Cameron stated that people can change from the edited list to the full list by ticking the box on their forms.
The treasurer was asked if we can afford to run a ballot? The annual grant from the HC has already been spent. Money would have to be brought forward to cover. We have no time for fund raising and there has been a lot of fund raising this year by Hall Committee and the School. Therefore we do not have money to cover a ballot.
The Chairman invited the Councillors to speak. Cllr. Urquhart stated that she was not at the last meeting. We recognise mistakes are made on long meetings. The community has elected the CC members to use their judgement on the community’s behalf. It would be extraordinary to run a ballot. Everybody has the option to contact Highland Council direct. A ballot will not give CC a clear option. There would be no definitive outcome. Her advice was to make it clear to everyone that there is no consensus, and to inform the community about the deadline and procedures for informing the planning dept of their individual opinions.
Cllr Greene stated certainly do not argue with John Bruce Elections Manager. It is no shame to say that we do not have a consensus on a ballot. Adding names onto a list for a community survey would be hugely difficult. Your community should be advised to contact Highland Council Planning.
Mrs MacIver was present and the Chairman invited her to give us her thoughts on this matter. Mrs MacIver asked that it should be minuted that she was here as an Ex –Highland Councillor having sat on various committees incl. planning in the past. A member of the public stated that the chair was out of order inviting Mrs. MacIver to speak as they thought there was a conflict of interest. Chairman asked if members would like to hear Mrs. MacIver’s comments all agreed they would. Mrs MacIver said in her experience Community Councils made their decisions democratically.
The Vice chairman then stated that a precedent had been set from the previous ballots (2006/7) and that Cllr MacKinnon had agreed the ballot. Chairman replied that it is a different constitution that we are working to now. Vice chairman, the principle is the same. Chairman brought his attention to 2.5 of the constitution which allows all ages to have a say in the community. Vice chairman, while I accept fully the edited list is not appropriate as it does not represent the whole community, he was speaking to Mr. Donald Northwood about people on the full list, 50 were missed. How do we manage “by adding names” ourselves?
Jock Logie referred to the Turcan Connell letter of 13 Dec 2006 and mistakes in it.
Cllr. Urquhart stated everyone gets a form it is up to them to not tick the box. The 50 did tick the box and therefore were excluded.
Cllr. Greene John Bruce stated that we can check the full list.
Vice chairman stated we could do a ballot for £150 or if postal service used £200. We could fund raise to cover short fall. If we hold a public meeting it would be totally unverifiable. It would be impossible to distinguish who is from this community and who is not. Chairman then asked what members of the CC thought.
Sue Tarr stated that the fairest way for the community is for the CC not to be involved with the planning application, but we should be encouraging people in the community can contact Highland Council Planning themselves. Jock Logie agreed fully with Sue and so did Alex. Pam suggested we ask the Highland Council to extend the closing date so that the community can be prompted to get in touch with the Highland Council, perhaps with an advert in News & Views.
Jackie West offered to do a one off run of N&V’s to put out a survey for community comments. She stated that the previous CC sent a letter to Highland Council objecting and suggested that N&V’s could carry out a survey. The Chairman thanked her for her thoughts but this would not get around unverifiable names .
Jimmy Ruggles Brise stated he thought all ballots and surveys had their faults. Did not see why we should not uphold the CC objection to the windfarm. He has had no evidence from the community thinking one way or the other.
Jock Logie made a comment that there has been a huge change over Scotland on windfarm thinking. Start thinking about moving ahead.
Ruari Matheson felt that this is what tore the previous CC apart, the CC should stay out of it
Jennifer Haslam said if people in the community feel strongly enough they contact the Highland Council, and the CC should stay out of it.
Jean Bailey was not happy about the letter of objection sent by the previous CC she felt they had been steamrollered into sending it. A ballot is unverifiable and so is a public meeting so how much value to the Highland Council would it be? Felt that the CC should step back from planning. The community has mixed opinions and so has the CC.
Jean Hollingdale fully agreed with the previous comment and felt she had no more to add.
A member of the public suggested that a ballot be held, he thought the CC should take a stand as they have more clout than individuals.
Cllr Urquhart stated that members of the public are statutory consultees. It is not uncommon for CC’s to refuse to comment on planning matters. It would be a good idea for CC to inform the community to contact the Highland Council planning with their comments, and to advise people to object/ support on planning terms. It would be unwise to use newsletter for a ballot. She also stated that a CC letter has no more “clout” over any other individual’s letter.
Member of the public asked surely you are saying that a decision by the CC to do nothing is a yes. Cllr Urquhart, Not at all.
Jackie West suggested N&V could be used to gather information for a community database and passed back to the CC.
The Chairman then invited members of the public to comment, which incl: It is time to get rid of this ballot thing, CC should step back; If you compile a data base, it would be a big disaster for CC and a pure target of abuse and would be out of date before long.
Mr Cameron thought the suggestion of the N&V’s was good to inform the public to contact Highland Council Planning with their comments, but a survey to gather info would have significant problems.
Jock Logie asked for a formal vote of CC members to be taken.
Pam Morrison suggested that the N&V edition be brought forward. Jackie said no it would have to be a special edition.
Member of the public stated that this discussion was becoming very boring.
Cllr Urquhart stated that there was nothing wrong with the CC stepping back from Planning. More and more CC’s are doing this.
A motion to step back and inform the community to contact Highland Council Planning directly was then declared; Proposed Jock Logie, seconded Alex Mackenzie 9 in favour, 2 against.
Chairman then asked where the bottle whisky that he found on his door step came from, as all gifts to CC members should be declared. If no one comes forward it will be donated to the bottle stall at the Christmas Fair.
Members were then asked to let the Secretary have their comments on the N&V’s constitution as soon as possible, so they can be forwarded to Moira before our next meeting.
Chairman thanked Bob Cameron and the Councillors and public for coming, and closed the meeting at 8.15pm
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