Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting

held on 26th April, 2004, at 13.00 hours at Port-na-Con

 

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

Apologies:                             F. Keith

 

Agenda

 

1.                  Minutes of Committee Meeting, Friday, 13th March, 2004

 

Minutes of Committee Meeting, Friday, 13th March were distributed.

Matters arising: The Laid Notice Board had now been stabilised and painted.

Eddie Meyer had written to James Clark about the sheep on Laid ground, a response was still awaited.

 

2.                  Letters / mails sent

 

16.03.   Kenny MacRae                                   Laid Notice Board

16.03.   Erika Seki                                Laid Community Study / AGM

17.03.   Ann Avison                              Games Shoot

17.03.   Iris MacKay                            Games Shoot (copy)

24.03.   Hugh MacLellan                      Membership suspension

24.03.   Charly Smith + family               Membership suspension

28.03.   John Whitelaw                         Exec. Committee

05.04.   Ronnie Lansley                        Clay Pigeon Shoot

08.04.   Meg Telfer, CVS North                        CVS North Meeting in Durness

22.04.   Julia Mann                               North West Sutherland Community Website

23.04.   Ian Findlay                               Scrap Metal

23.04.   Alfred Walker                          Executive Committee Meeting

23.04.   James Clark                             Eriboll sheep

 

3.                  Letters / mails received

 

10.03.   Erika Seki                                Laid Community Study

11.03.   Ann Avison                              Games Shoot

18.03.   Iris MacKay                            Games Shoot

19.03.   Peter Hays                              HMS Hood Association

19.03.   Commander MacKay               HMS Sutherland

22.03.   Erika Seki                                AGM presentation

29.03.   Meg Telfer                              CVS North

03.04.   John Whitelaw                         Exec. Committee

06.04.   Ann Avison                              Games Shoot

14.04.   John Campbell                          Minutes Inaugural meeting of CVS North

21.04.   Julia Mann                               North West Sutherland Community Website

23.04.   Ian Wilson                               Vibel SA

 

 

4.                  AGM 2004 review and Minutes

 

It was disappointing that so few people attended. Apologies had been received from Jean and Frank Morrison; unfortunately Jean had been taken ill. This Committee hope she has now recovered and wish her well.

Eddie Meyer suggested that the copies of the Annual General Meeting should be sent to the Durness Community Council and the Durness Development Group, so that they can be kept up to date on what is happening in Laid, as well as all those persons who appear on the Electoral Register in Laid.

This was agreed.

 

5.                  Member-at-Large position on Executive Committee

 

At the Annual General Meeting it was suggested that John Whitelaw be contacted to see if he was willing to stand for this post, but due to other commitments and personal reasons he declined.

This means the posts is still vacant on the Committee and if any member would like to stand, please contact Lesley Black.

 

6.                  Shoot 2004

 

After believing that the Committee would be using up their stocks of ammunition, and therefore bringing funds back into the account, the Gualin Gun Club requested that for environmental reasons they required the Laid shoot be held using fibre shot (as opposed to the usual plastic) so Eddie Meyer had to purchase stocks of these. It was noted that during the ‘Sutherland’ shoot for the HMS Hood Memorial Trophy later in the year, the plastic ammunition would be used then. 17 guns attended the shoot (4 more than last year). Income from the shoot raised £337.00, and the raffle netted £81.40.

A donation to the Gualin Gun Club of £30 will be made as thanks for the use of their site and equipment.

It is anticipated that members of the HMS Sutherland crew will be visiting again next Feb/March and have requested another shoot.

It was noted that Don Campbell is now the new Gualin Gun Club secretary.

 

7.                  Treasurer’s Report

 

Alfie Walker reported that there was approximately £200 in the Association’s bank account and no accounts were outstanding. The next shoot (HMS Sutherland / HMS Hood Memorial Trophy in September) should see next major income.

 

8.                  CVS North

 

This is a new initiative taking over from the former North West Council for Community Action. The first meeting of the ‘Council for Voluntary Services (North)’ had their inaugural meeting last week and Eddie Meyer was appointed a Director. It will cover a wider spectrum than the previous organisation and will take in groups from Bettyhill/Lairg/Lochinver.

The Group is to help Community Groups etc., to set up and can liase with other groups. It is funded by the Scottish Executive, and through its parent organisation reports to the Executive. There will be a number of professional persons to back up and advise the volunteers.

 

9.                  Laid website

 

Eddie Meyer reported that Cape Wrath Charters (Jimmy MacIntosh of KLB) has requested a link to the Laid website to and from his own for advertising purposes and he is willing to pay a fee, although this is unlikely before 2005. ‘Nimrod’ will be running tours to and from KLB/Eriboll and may be berthed in Eriboll on occasions.

It was suggested that James Mather be contacted to see if he would also be interested in advertising on the Laid site.

The Kinlochbervie website will also be linked to the Laid site.

The Laid website is to be overhauled and Ronnie Lansley will be attending the next meeting to obtain relevant information.

 

10.              Laid Grazings Committee / Laid Community Trust

 

No information had been received from the Secretary of either group, so it was not even known if any meetings had been held.

It was suggested that Eddie Meyer write to Hugh MacLellan requesting he continue to come to Residents’ Association meetings, but if unable so to do, could he nominate another person.

 

11.              Laid Projects

 

Durness Community Council had approached the Residents’ Association with a request for Durness pathways be continued over the hill and to join up with a new pathway to the Hood Stones and Wheelhouse. It was agreed this would be a good idea, but as the land was ‘common grazings’ it comes under the control of the Laid Grazings Committee. Andrew Marsham will speak with Durness Community Council to enquire about their plans and Lesley Black will consult with Hugh MacLellan.

Eddie Meyer had also informed Ann Avison that he had been in contact with the Police advising them that the Residents’ Association was running the shoot to enable the relevant authority be received from them

In previous years the shoot had not had this special dispensation licence, so this should also be pointed out.

 

12.              Land Court

 

It was noted that the decision on this issue is due out during the forthcoming week, but of course, there are no guarantees.

 

13.              Durness Estate

 

The Residents’ Association had received a letter from Ian Wilson informing us that he now has a majority share in Vibal through his company ‘Coastal Resources Ltd’. A copy of this letter will be distributed with the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting.

 

14.              Request for assistance for Laid residency

 

A friend of Eddie Meyer’s has sought his help in finding a property or land in Laid or Durness as he wishes to come to live here. If anyone knows of a property or land up for sale, Eddie would like to know.

 

15.              Any Other Business

 

Postal Address:                                        There are still members of the community who need to sign the petition to have the address officially changed by the Post Office. They are: James and Julie Clark, Eriboll Farm; Lotte Glob; Iain MacLeod, Foulin; Charles and Lesley Smith, Choraid Croft. The petition will be held by Lesley Black so that these people can call at Port-na-Con to sign.

Fire Hydrants:                                          The Fire Officer is to visit the area in due course and it will be his decision on the siting of the Hydrants.

Silver Wedding Anniversary:          Joyce and Donnie Morrison, Rose Cottage, 96 Laid. In June this year Joyce and Donnie will be celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary and almost the whole village has been invited to their celebration party in the Durness Village Hall.

                                                    Lesley Black suggested that it might be a good idea if Laid got together to buy them a gift and for a card to be circulated for signature. Lesley will arrange this.

 

 

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