Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting

held on 2nd August, 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, 22nd June, 2004

 

Minutes of Committee Meeting, Monday, 2nd August 2004 having previously been distributed there were no matters arising.

 

2.                  Letters / mails sent

 

It was noted that for the first time there were no letters sent.

 

3.                  Letters / mails received

 

21.07.   Ann Avison                              Games 2005 shoot

28.07.   HMS Sutherland                       September Agenda

 

Durness Highland Gathering had written to state that after all the arguments and misunderstandings over this year’s Shoot at the Games, in future, the Residents’ Association will be asked to run the shoot.

 

HMS Sutherland is due in Loch Eriboll 14th and 15th September. Hopefully there will be a shoot on board.

 

4.                  Laid Postal Address

 

This is in hand and under the advice of the Royal Mail, letters had been sent to Postwatch, Scotland and to the Highland Council requesting their comments or approval of the change. Responses had yet to be received.

5.                  Scrap Metal / Trailer in Quarry

 

Hugh Morrison had already removed some of the rubbish. Remainder hopefully, will be removed before end of August.

 

6.                  Footpath to Hood Stones

 

This had been mentioned at the Laid Grazings Meeting where it was agreed that the Durness Community Council and Laid Residents’ Association go ahead with the pathway, providing it would not be a ‘3 lane motorway’. Some concern had been expressed about the way markers, but it would make sense to have them the same as those in Durness. Funding has been applied for this project by the Durness Community Council. More information should be available after the next Durness Community Council Meeting.

 

7.                  Assistance for Laid Residency

 

The Laid Grazings Committee was willing to allow house to be build on Common Grazings assuming the owner of the property opposite such a development had no objection.

Francis Keith suggested that for such project it would be advisable to apply for outline planning permission first, alternatively choose 1 or 2 sites and ask the Planning Officer, D. Polson, to come and offer advice, which would be free. This may help with later Planning Permission.

Ian Wilson had been contacted and had agreed in principle.

 

 

8.                  HMS Sutherland visit

 

This is to take place on 14th and 15th September.

 

9.                  HMS Hood Memorial Shoot

 

Hopefully the HMS Hood Memorial Shoot will take place on board the ship on 15th September. There are enough clays and cartridges ‘in stock’, and there was to be a floating target available.

 

10.              Laid Connection to Inverness Bus

 

Alfie Walker had asked that the Inverness bus run by Iris MacKay have a connection to Laid so that people from Laid could take advantage of this service. He had been told that he would have to take a taxi into Durness to make the connection there. Jean and Frank Morrison and Jean and Jonathan MacKay would also be interested in the service.

Francis Keith reported that the service is subsidised by the Scottish Executive through the Highland Council so it was possible that Iris MacKay could make a case to the Council for a variation in her contract so that Laid could be included.

Andrew Marsham will speak with Iris about this possibility.

 

11.              Laid Grazings Committee

 

Alfie Walker, Andrew Marsham and Eddie Meyer are all part of the new committee.

One of the first issues mentioned was the ‘conflict of interest’. Whilst the Laid Residents’ Association rules (constitution) states that ‘one member having an executive committee position on one committee cannot hold an executive position on another committee’ this group could not see any conflict of interest at present.

 

12.              Any Other Business

 

Sheep:                              Again! Andrew Marsham will again speak with Lofty about sheep ranging Laid.

Bottlebank:                        The bottlebank in Durness is full and has been so for several weeks. Francis Keith will speak to Campbell Stuart to have it exchanged.

Anti-Midge Machine:         Eddie Meyer asked Francis Keith if he had heard if there were grants available to purchase these new machines.

                                        Francis thought there possibly was for those in the Tourist Trade, but as he no longer was on the CASE Board he knew nothing specific about such requests.

                                        Eddie Meyer agreed to write to CASE.

Account Balance:         Alfie Walker, Treasurer, reported the Association has a bank balance of £215.84:

 

 

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