SSE Presentation:
The Chairman opened the meeting at 7.30pm by welcoming representatives from SSE. The presentation was an Overview of the revised proposal for the new sub station required as part of the power line up grade to carry wind farm production to the grid. The sub station will cover 4 hectares and be sited on Forestry Commission land north of the A832 and West of Corriemoillie. Site E has been chosen as the site with the least environmental and visual impact. During the survey SSE considered various sites listed A to G. Site E was the best scoring site with the lowest impact. Visible from the A832 will be only the top of the terminal tower and power lines. The rest of the sub station will not be visible as evergreen trees will be left as screening. Construction time would be 18 months. Comments on this proposal are required by 20th November 2010. A split process will be used for Sub station and Overhead line as follows.
Sub station site: Complete environmental appraisal – November 2010. Apply for consents – December 2010. Over head line: Issue EIA for Over head line – October 2010. Undertake EIA for Over head line – start December 2010 (vantage point surveys from September 2010). Apply for consents – January 2012.
Q: What date for completion?
A: Construction will be finished for 2013 and over head line for 2014.
Q: What about the Osprey nest?
A: The osprey nest will not be disturbed. Construction work for sub station can be carried out during nesting season, but the connection of power line to sub station will have to be done out with nesting season.
Q: What about underground cabling?
A: One underground cable from sub station to power line and one over head cable. The line from the sub station to Beauly will be over head.
Q: What about undergrounding the main run from sub station past Garve.
A: Over Head line has been decided as the terrain is prone to slippage. Under ground is excessively expensive (20x more expensive).
Q: What height are the pylons?
A: 31 metres.
Q: Which wind farm will connect?
A: Lochluichart, but complicated system. The wind farm is not guaranteed that the grid can take its electricity, if the capacity has been taken up by hydro generators then wind farm will be denied until capacity becomes available ( determined by hydro activity. Capacity may not be fully taken up by hydro.)
Q: What about proposed hydro schemes further west?
A: Operate on a different system and will connect to wooden pole lines which connect to Grudie Bridge and then into transmission system.
MINUTES OF COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING 2ND NOVEMBER 2010.
Meeting started 8.00pm
PRESENT: Kenny MacLean (Chairman) Steve Jones (Vice Chairman) Jean Hollingdale (Sec.) Jean Bailey (Treasurer) Pam Morrison, Jennifer Haslam, Sue Tarr, Alex Mackenzie, Jock Logie, Cllr Jean Urquhart, Robbie Bain (Ward Manager),Val MacIver, and 14 members of the public.
APOLOGIES: Cllr Richard Greene, Bob Moir, Ruari Matheson, Jimmy Ruggles-Brise.
The Chairman welcomed everyone.
ROYAL VISIT: the Chairman had been honoured to have been invited to attend Strathgarve Primary School on the occasion of a visit by HRH Princess Anne to open the garden. She stayed for 1 ½ hours and enjoyed her visit.
BOTTLE OF WHISKY: Chairman has received no indication of where it came from, and he donated it to the Bottle Stall. Sue stated that donations had been received for bottle stall and CC very grateful.
The Chairman queried an email that been received from News and Views; they were able to confirm that the email address was theirs.
THREATENING EMAIL that had been sent to CC: the Chairman asked Steve Jones to tell the meeting about it. He stated he had deleted the email and could not remember what it said. It had been sent to GDCC account at achnasheenandgarve.com, with a copy to Steve but GDCC had not received the email. Jackie West stated that an auto-reroute link to fsmail.net was running, and would the CC like her to cancel the achnasheenandgarve.com account. All agreed that that should be done ASAP. The Chairman stated that the police would be made aware of the incident.
ARCHIVES: Sue Tarr said that while sorting through the Windfarm boxes in the archives, she had found two items she was unsure about. One related to Hamish Leslie Melville and one related to Gordon Mackenzie. She had spoken to Gordon about it, but he was unable to attend the meeting. The Chairman read out a letter from Gordon and asked that Jean Hollingdale, Jean Bailey and Sue Tarr do a full search of the records. Lady Eliza who was present was handed the document concerning Hamish Leslie Melville.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: for Ordinary meeting 5th October 2010 with amendments : date should read 5th October not 7th October; re News & Views, after a vote CC did agree in principle that a separation could take place; re E-On Windfarm Application we would like to make it clear that Matilda Urie is the representative of E-On. Proposed: Jennifer Haslam Seconded: Jean Bailey.
Special Meeting Minutes for 19th October 2010 with amendment: Pam Morrison wished to clarify that she had asked about the News & Views deadline being brought forward so we could inform community about E-on Planning matters. Proposed: Jock Logie, seconded: Alex Mackenzie.
MATTERS ARISING
BINS IN LAYBYS: Jean Urquhart has asked for bins, still waiting.
ACHNASHEEN SCHOOL TENENTS: CC wishes them well, no further involvement expected for time being.
GARVE PLAY AREA: Jean Urquhart to follow up.
OFFLETS AT GRUDIE: No action, but some had been cleared – haven’t yet reached Grudie.
Member of public informed meeting that reflective bollards were being installed at Grudie to help prevent otter casualties.
STIRLING DRIVE TREES: Trees will be cut on coming Thurs, and power would be off for a while.
GORSTAN SIGN: Robbie Bain stated that the sign had been ordered.
MEMORIAL BENCHES: Benches had been completed and were being varnished. Expected to be in place by the time of the Remembrance Service.
ACHANALT STATION LIGHTS: Pam Morrison had spoken to a railway man, who said that the station lights come on automatically for a certain period before and after each train, day or night. The CC has received three letters in reply; 2 from Network Rail and 1 from Scotrail.
DATA PROTECTION ACT: research ongoing.
DRAINS IN ACHNASHEEN: Robbie Bain stated that Gully Sucker had been ordered. Only one to cover whole of Highland.
OVER 60’S PARTY: Menus from Aultguish and Ledgowan imminent.
DUMPED TYRES: Jennifer Haslam reported they had increased from 10 to 17. Discussion of how to dispose of tyres. Member of public offered to transport tyres to recycling centre, but only if the recycling centre would accept them. Suggested that CC contact SEPA. Ongoing.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Balance as at 30th Sept; had been outgoings since then.
Treasurer’s Account: £2077.73; Senior Citizens: £941.55; War Memorial: £156.81; News & Views: £1429.81.
Fundraising events are needed next year, CC have a table at Christmas Fayre in Dec.
NEWS & VIEWS CONSTITUTION: Discussion was held on Management Committee’s response to the CC comments on the proposed constitution. The Chairman requested views of CC members. Pam Morrison requested that CC doesn’t move too hastily, asked if the CC had seen the minutes of the last newsletter meeting. Moira Harris (representing Management Committee) stated minutes have been approved but not at a meeting. Jennifer Haslam felt that the Management Committee should not consider themselves up and running yet and CC hasn’t yet approved the separation. Jean Bailey felt that Management Committee has not taken CC comments on board, and that the printer does belong to CC.
Steve Jones felt that the money and the printer should be handed over.
Jean Urquhart asked to clarify status of new group, concerned that constitution as proposed would not allow them to receive public funding. The proposed constitution does not define membership, in situation of Management Committee being elected who is electing them? Robbie Bain agreed, it was unusual in that the readership/ membership need to be defined. No public body could fund them as this constitution stands.
Helen Grainge stated that Ross-shire Voluntary Action had helped with the constitution; reason for membership being vague was that not everyone in Garve and District area would want to be members.
Jean Bailey felt CC should not hand over money and printer at this stage. Jean Urquhart felt it was good that there is a group of people to produce the newsletter, advises that this group should declare the constitution publically and have it endorsed by the community, so that the CC can hand over funds. Suggest that once the constitution is publicly endorsed then the group makes a formal application to CC for funds. Robbie Bain suggested that the Management Committee could be appointed by “subscribers” as an alternative.
The Management Committee expressed concern that the CC did not trust them. The Chairman was sorry they felt that way. Sue Tarr felt the CC had asked for clarification on various points of the constitution, councillors were not saying that they did not trust the Management Committee, but disappointed that CC views had not been taken seriously.
Moira Harris confirmed that the next issue of the news and views would publish the minutes and proposed constitution of the Management Committee; then a public meeting would be held on 11th Jan (6.30pm in Achnasheen Village Hall) which would be chaired initially by Jean Urquhart; she would then hand over to chairman of the Management Committee once constitution publicly endorsed.
CORRESPONDENCE
NHS Team Update; SSE fliers for drop-in event; Network Rail re Achanalt Station Lights; Scotrail re Achanalt Station lights; Play equipment flier; SNH re Classification Glen Affric/ Strathconon Special Protection Area; SEPA View magazine; Email from member of public re E-on Windfarm; Email from Two Lochs radio; Email from member of public re mins; Mins from Lochbroom CC, Shieldaig CC, Torridon & Kinlochewe CC; 2Emails from members of public re community ballot; Email from Jackie West re Litter Highlands; Highland Council Planning meeting dates; Email from Jackie west re auto re-route on G&DCC email account; Community Payback newsletter (CJA- Community Justice Authority); Email from Robbie Bain re Newsletter constitution; Copy of letter from Strathpeffer CC re Community Benefit; letter from member of public re CC files; Association of Scottish Community Councils (decided not to join).
AOB
BROADBAND: Steve Jones asked if the HIE high speed broadband project could help the area. Bob Moir in Congo at present so Kenny Maclean to write to HIE making case for G&DCC.
THEFT IN GARVE: The Chairman said that there had been stealing recently, the police were aware of situation.
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY: A service will be held at the War Memorial on Sun 14th Nov. Kenny Maclean and Jean Bailey to attend on behalf of CC, Chairman encouraged other councillors to attend too.
PLANNING & LICENSING
E-on Corriemoillie Windfarm (discussed at Special Meeting of 19/10/10)
COMMUNITY BENEFIT
The Sub Group (Steve Jones, Kenny MacLean and Jean Bailey) attended a meeting with Scottish Communities Foundation on 4th Oct 2010. (See Appendix). Steve Jones is impressed with SCF and feels they can do majority of what we would want done, but they can’t develop projects eg housing development etc. A development group would have to be set up in such a case. Jean Bailey felt SCF were good, they answered all questions.
The Chairman asked Robbie Bain for an update. He reported that Bob Cameron and Robbie Bain had met with E-on (Matilda Urie) and negotiations were in progress.
On the Lochluichart Community Benefit, SCF had been in touch with Robbie. He advised that at some point Highland Council, Community Council, SCF and the developer(s) should meet up but that it may be an advantage to wait until the E-On Planning Application had been determined. He also advised that Marybank would be a good test case and that we may wish to observe how they get on with SCF. Kenny MacLean said he had been invited to a SCF/ Marybank meeting and that he would be attending.
The Sub Group was dissolved as no longer needed and Chairman requested all contacts be forwarded to the Secretary.
Date of next meeting – 7th Dec 2010 at 7pm in Garve Village Hall
Meeting Closed at 9.45pm
APPENDIX
Summary of SCF meeting on Mon 4/10/10
• SCF holds money for over 200 companies/ clients. They can also help to secure other monies such as lottery grants that we may be able to tap into if we have some money behind us for a specific project. They have 28 staff based in Glasgow.
• Range of services – working in partnership with CC, manage payments, reporting, audits, assist community panel, promote the trust locally, legal services and training for those who may not have had to deal with such large amounts of money before.
• Costs – 12% approx.
• The trust would need a statement of intent.
• If we did some of the trust’s work ourselves, we would need to make sure we could accept other money from other windfarms within the constitution of the trust.
• Corriemoillie money (if any) could go into the same SCF trust fund as Lochluichart if we wanted.
The other point to make is that any community needs assessment would be best left until nearer the time that the first payment of money is due. That way the money would go to what is needed at the time.
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