Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting

held on 22nd June, 2004, at 13.00 hours at Port-na-Con

 

Present:                                 E. Meyer, A. Marsham, L. Black, A. Walker

In Attendance:                      F. Keith

 

Agenda

 

1.                  Minutes of Committee Meeting, Monday, 26th April, 2004

 

Minutes of Committee Meeting, Monday, 26th April 2004 having previously been distributed (and errors amended) there were no matters arising.

 

2.                  Letters / mails sent

 

28.04.   All Laid Interest                                   AGM Minutes etc.

28.04.   Kenny MacRae, DCC              Path to Hood Stones

28.04.   Hugh MacLellan, LGC             Path to Hood Stones, Repr. On RA Committee

30.04.   Hugh MacLellan           @        DCC / Hugh MacLellan investigation

03.05.   Kenny MacRae                                   DCC / Hugh MacLellan investigation

03.05.   Hugh MacLellan           @        DCC / Hugh MacLellan investigation

07.05.   Hugh MacLellan           @        Meeting John Thurso / LGC

13.05.   Ian Wilson                               Land request Laid

13.05.   Laid Grazing Committee@        Copy of Ian Wilson letter

13.05.   Ronnie Lansley             @        Minutes 12/03 and AGM 2004 for website

26.05.   Ann Avison                  @        Games Shoot

27.05.   Hugh MacLellan           @        Laid after the Land Court

27.05.   Croftrs Commission      @        Path to Hood Stones

01.06.   Lotte Glob                    @        LGC / Path to Hood Stoes

10.06.   Alfred Walker                          Meeting RA

 

3.                  Letters / mails received

 

03.05.   John Thurso, MP                      AGM Minutes

03.05.      Hugh MacLellan          @        DCC investigation

10.05.   Charly Whitelaw                      £20 donation to RA

10.05.   Durness School                        Invoice photo copies

12.05.   Marsh Insurance                      Shoot Insurance

25.05.   Ann Avison                  @        Games shoot

02.06.   Lotte Glob                    @        LGC

 

 

4.                  Laid Grazings Committee / Laid Community Group

 

Eddie Meyer has written to both Laid Grazings Committee and the Laid Community Group/Trust about attending the Residents Association Meetings, he had also asked Lotte Glob if she would attend on their behalf. Lotte Glob was not at the meeting and it was thought she was away at present.

It was noted that the Laid Grazings Committee is to hold an Annual General Meeting on 2nd July, 2004.

 

5.                  Scrap Metal / Trailer in Quarry

 

The metal had been removed, but the old trailer was still there. No-one has admitted to owing it and Eddie Meyer asked Cllr Keith if the Association could do something about it.

 

 

Cllr Keith suggested we speak, initially informally, with Hugh Morrison to see if a skip could be placed in the quarry, the trailer be broken up and put in the skip. If this is acceptable the residents could also take advantage of the skip for items they wished to dispose of. If necessary the Association could write formally to the Council.

 

6.                  Laid Postal Address

 

The Secretary advised the Committee that she had been in correspondence with the Royal Mail and some progress was being made. Although in principle, the Royal Mail had no major objections there had to be consultation with the Operations Division of the Royal Mail, possibly

 

the Council and other addresses that did not appear on the Register of Electors from which the original list of residents was canvassed. It would appear that ‘Lairg’ would still have to be part of the new address as this is the postal town and had to be included.

 

7.                  Fire Hydrants

 

There having been no correspondence it was assumed the Fire Officer will be considering this after installation of new Laid water tank.

 

8.                  Footpath to Hood Stones

 

Durness Community Council are keen to see this go ahead and have asked if the Residents’ Association can progress this. Hugh MacLellan has refused to co-operate with the Durness Community Council until he receives a public apology from them over their alleged investigation into his private affairs. A letter had been sent to Hugh MacLellan from Colin Wishart, the Highland Council’s Senior Planner (Natural Resources) about this issue, with copies to Cllr Keith and the Durness Community Council, but the content was unknown, other than Cllr Keith stating that he had read it and noted that Hugh did indeed have the necessary planning permissions and no further action was required.

Andrew Marsham said he would get a copy of the letter from the Durness Community Council’s Secretary and go to speak with Hugh to re-assure him that there had not been any investigation into his affairs.

Meanwhile this Association would wait until the Grazings Committee has had their Annual General Meeting and speak with them then.

 

9.                  Joyce and Donny Morrison Silver Wedding Anniversary

 

The Secretary reported that this matter was in hand.

 

10.              Games Shoot / Insurance

 

Ann Avison, Secretary of the Durness Highland Gathering Association, had reported to Eddie Meyer that she had been advised that the LRA were to run the shoot at the Games after all.

Eddie Meyer reported that this was not the case. Gualin Gun Club had been unable to obtain the necessary Police Permission, as the Police were unable to issue such permission to an organisation, only an individual. The Gualin Gun Club were also under the impression they could come under the LRA’s insurance cover, but as Eddie has suspended this until September, this was not possible either.

Eddie Meyer, may, as an individual and as a favour to the Gun Club undertake the Shoot but there may be other complications with insurance.

 

11.              Land Court

 

The Land Court had found in favour of Durness, but there was still a possibility of an Appeal.

 

 

 

12.              CVS North

 

There had been some complication with the setting up of the company and until this had been resolved little could be achieved. Apparently some paperwork had got splashed and it was not acceptable.

 

13.              MacKay Country / Durness Development Group

 

A questionnaire had been received and it was agreed that almost all of the questions were irrelevant and that the form itself was ambiguous.

The Secretary will complete and return.

 

14.              Hugh MacLellan / Durness Community Council

 

On 28th April Eddie Meyer wrote to Hugh MacLellan asking that the Laid Grazings Commuittee and the Residents’ Association get together over the path to the Hood Stones, but Hugh was unwilling to co-operate because of the Durness Community Council’s investigation into his affairs. He wanted to know why they were investigating , why he was accused of causing local unemployment and the falling school role, and suggested possible legal action.

Cllr Keith said, that as far as he could remember, it was when the Council’s Aquaculture Planning Officer (Colin Wishart) came and reported on all the sea bed sites, it was noticed that Hugh MacLellan’s site was not included in the list and the Community Council asked him to check on this.

Eddie Meyer offered to ‘broker’ a meeting between Kenny MacRae and Hugh MacLellan, but Hugh had refused.

 

15.              Any Other Business

 

Sheep:                              Again! Andrew Marsham will speak to Ian MacLeod yet again about removing Eriboll’s sheep from Laid.

Website:                           Eddie Meyer was going out with Jimmy MacIntosh in Nimrod to take some photographs so that these could be included in the Laid website link.

Eddie will also speak with James Mather for similar information about his boating activities.

 

 

There being no other business the meeting was closed at 14:30 hours.