Kincorth/Leggart Community Council

Minutes of meeting held on 9th September 2009 at Kincorth Community Centre

Item No
1 Chair
Members were welcomed to the meeting. A new nominee for the next council, Hazel Park, was welcomed to the meeting.
2 Attendance
Members
Mary Wilson, Chair, Shirley Watt, Treasurer, Roy Wilson, Secretary, Lynne Brown, Catherine Cowie, Maureen Downie, Glyn Sangster, John Shand.
Others
Patricia Frazer ACC, Constables Gary Lloyd and Craig McDonald and Hazel Park resident.

3 Apologies
Councillor Cooney, Lee Brown, Mary MacDonald and Robert Sangster

4 Minutes of Meeting on10 June and Reports of July and August meetings
The minutes of the June meeting were accepted as a correct record.
The August report should include reference to John ShandÂ’s request to take a petition to the Spar Grocer area regarding the closure of the steps in that area. However this could not be supported since there was no quorum.

5 Business Arising
In the August report, a member complained about the comments made regarding attendance at our meeting. The comments were made as a result of the extremely poor attendance at that meeting when members had been advised that an item on the agenda was an important discussion on the proposed model constitution etc on which we were asked to provide our comments.

6 Police Report
PCs Lloyd and MacDonald attended the meeting at 7.00p.m and reported that Kincorth does not have a bad record of crime. Any problems still occur on the same streets as they did nine years ago when one of the constables was stationed in our area.
Shop theft in the Spar grocer is a continuing problem and the staff are being subjected to verbal abuse by youths.
The police are to look into the operation of the basement facility in the community centre to try to ensure there is no cause for complaint from the local residents.
The mobile police office is now operational and will be seen in various areas of the communities the police cover.
A member asked a question regarding quad bikes. They were informed that these vehicles are required to be registered and have a current vehicle licence if they are run on the public roads.

7 Correspondence
7.1 Aberdeen City Council
Agenda for various standing committees were noted
7.2 Aberdeen City Council
CD with minutes of standing committees
7.3 Aberdeen City Council
Request to advertise a recruitment campaign for the City childrenÂ’s panel. The campaign begins on 31 August and a poster is included for display.
7.4 Councillor Cooney
Councillor Cooney has spoken with Charles Lowe regarding clarity in the advice given on funds held. Charles has promised that all new Community councillors will have induction training in November and that there will be a specific training event for Treasurers
7.5 Councillor McCaig
Councillor McCaig has a reply to his query regarding the hire of the field for the gala day. He is advised that the City Events Team has no input into the hire of the field in question. Dawn Schultz understands that the filed belongs to Kincorth FC Amateur Football Club and this would be a private hire with no City Council involvement. I have replied to our Councillor asking why, if this is correct, we were billed by the City Council this month.
7.6 Aberdeen City Council
A planning brief for the future use of Bon Accord Baths has been received.
7.7 Aberdeen City Council
Local Licensing Forum. We are asked if we have any concerns about alcohol related issues in our local community, and invited to meetings of the Forum on 17 September at 5.00p.m. in Committee Room 2 in the Town House. The letter also indicates the five objectives of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 the operation of which the Forum keep under review.
The only problem known to our members was that of adults buying alcohol for under age drinkers. The secretary was asked to respond with this concern
Action Secretary
7.8 Building Design Partnership
Notification of the proposed development at Robert Gordon University site at Garthdee. We have been sent a Proposal of Application Notice and a location plan of the development.
7.9 Gordon McIntosh
Email in response to my question why I have not had a response to the problem of the steps at the Spar grocer. My original letter was written on 18 May. The problem was passed to Hugh Murdoch who failed to reply. A previous email indicated he was on holiday but would reply on his return on 20 July. This email now informs me the Mr Murdoch is on holiday until 31 August. Mr McIntosh is checking with his managers and has said he will get back to me as soon as possible.
7.10 Michael Cheyne Aberdeen City Council
An email with apologies for not responding sooner. This area is not under Mr CheyneÂ’s control. However Mr Stuart Gallon is looking onto this issue and he has been asked to respond to me direct with his findings.
7.11 PPCA
We are informed that trial pits will be dug on the land of the Leggart development. This will commence on 9th September and should last for approximately two days
7.12 Business Design Partnership
A copy of “The Robert Gordon University Garthdee Campus – Development Framework” has been received. The City Council Planning Committee accepted this as Supplementary Planning Guidance to the Local Plan on 18 June.
7.13 Patricia Frazer
An email from Patricia provides information on the Youth Activities Small Grants Fund. Applications to this fund close on 29 September.
7.14 Aberdeen City Council
The first formal consultation on the local development plan Main Issues Report is due to begin in October. We are invited to participate in this consultation and attend an informal meeting with members of the Development Plan Team on Monday 28 September from 19.00 to 21.00 at Committee Room 2 in the Town House. This meeting is to get our views on the consultation arrangements for the Main Issues Report. We are asked to let them know if we will be represented.
A Newsletter from the Development Plan Team is also enclosed.
None of members are available to attend this consultation
7.15 Aberdeen City Council
Charles Lowe has sent an email with an attachment regarding the re-design of the Neighbourhood Community Planning. At the end of the document there is a link to a questionnaire www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=0g7kvTHDdSDNIK7pb62vaA_3d_3d. Comments must be returned by 20 November.
None of our members had any comment to make on this document.
7.16 Aberdeen City Council
Nature Conservation Strategy Consultation – Final draft. An eight week consultation periods ends on Monday 2 November. We are asked for our comments and comment forms are included. These documents can be accessed on the website www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/consultations.
None of our members had any comment to make on this document.
7.17 Aberdeen City Council
Former Dutch School Boyd Orr Avenue. The developer is appealing the decision to refuse planning permission to demolish the school and build flats.
7.18 Charles Lowe
Email with an attachment giving details of Women’s support Project. This is to be a presentation and discussion on 18 November in ~The Carmelite in Stirling Street at 5.00p.m. for tea and coffee. Meeting to start at 5.30. The title is Coming of Age in a Porn Culture – Children and Young People. It is relevant for anyone who has an interest in or concern about the commercial sexual exploitation of women and children. A booking form is attached.
This information was passed to Shirley and Lee who agreed to attend the presentation.
Action Shirley Watt and Lynne Brown
8 Model Documents for Community Councils
These documents were discussed and it was agreed that the following comments should be returned.
Model Scheme of Establishment of Community Councils
Page 1, item three, members were reminded that we do not have in place ‘recognised consultative mechanisms’.
Page 2, paragraph 3 We do not think we have ever been consulted on the establishment of ‘working relations’. However this is something that should certainly be done.
Page 2, paragraph 7. Our members details are not published with the exception of the Chair and Secretary. We are not in favour of the contact detail of all members being made public since this could lead to nuisance calls and perhaps the detail being used for some other purpose
Page3 paragraph 2. Reference is made to “Guidance Notes”. These are referred to in other sections of the documents. We have not been provided with any guidance notes.
Page 3 paragraph 4. We do not have Appendix III.
Page 4 paragraph 1. We are of the opinion that our area would be improved by moving the boundary to Wellington Road up to the roundabout at tar Nigg police office. This would give an area with natural boundaries
Page 4 section 6. This proposed increase of one year on our term of office could potentially put prospective members off joining the council
Page 5, “Process Section 1” Appendix IV is not included in our papers.
Page 5 “Method of Election. We are not very clear on what is meant by “devolved administrative areas”. Hence we cannot make a valid comment.7.
Page 8 paragraph 2. The proposed quorum is less than the present requirement and there are no office bearers required to be present. We think the quorum should be half the membership and that at least two of the office bearers should be present to form a quorum
Page 8 last paragraph. The proposal to require two examiners for the annual accounts could put an unnecessary strain on the finances of a community council that has to pay for auditors. With the small sum of money involved one examiner should be sufficient.
Page 9 paragraph 4. We have gravel concerns with the statement that “The local authority MAY provide an administrative grant”. “May” should be changed to read “shall”
Page 9 paragraph 5. The proposal that grants will be reviewed after each local election is welcomed since the current administrative grant has not been revised for seven years so far as we are aware.

Model constitution for Community Councils

Page 1 section 4. It would be much easier for community council members it a direct copy is quoted rather than reference another document such as “as set out in paragraph 3 of the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils”.
Section 5 we would make the same comment as that made above.
Page 2 section 7(b) Co-option is stated as a maximum of quarter of total membership. Scheme for Establishment of Community Councils states on page 6 a maximum of one third of the current membership. This is obviously contradictory.
Page 2 section 8 Gives the Chair a casting vote in the event of a tied vote. Will the Chair have a deliberative vote as well as the casting vote?
Page 2 section 9a Office bearers are elected every year. The Scheme of Establishment at section 10 seems to indicate this is only done at the first meeting. This again is contradictory
Page 3 section 11a Quorum is 1/3 of the voting members or three members whichever is greater. There is no inclusion of an office bearer in this number. We would again urge that the quorum be set at half the members and at least two of the office bearers be present.
Page 3 section 11b. The appointment of office bearers at the AGM each year is mentioned in this section. The Model. Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in Scotland indicates that office bearers will be elected at the fist meeting after the elections.
Page 3 section 11d. Notification of a special meeting is to be given at least 10 days prior to the meeting date. This time scale may preclude the inclusion of any relevant correspondence along with the notice of the meeting.
Page 4 section 12b. Currently only 7 days notice of a meeting is required. With this requirement I still have several items of correspondence that arrive after the notice and correspondence list is circulated. 10 days notice would mean even more correspondence items would not be notified to members prior to a meeting.
Page 5 section 14a. What is the ‘prescribed use’ of our administrative grant? We are not aware of any such statement in the current set-up

This model constitution has no provision for a vote on no confidence in any office bearer. Thus, there is no mechanism for the removal of an ineffective office bearer

Model Standing Orders
Page 1 section 1a Quote “Annual General Meetings are held annually”. Can annual general meetings be held otherwise?
Page 1 section 3. We would make the same comments as made previously regarding the quorum.

We would question whether this is becoming very ‘official’ for a group of volunteers?

Code of Conduct

Page 2 Accountability and Stewardship. Quote “Community council uses its resources prudently and in accordance with the law” We lost our administrative grant through doing this

These comments will be sent to Mr Charles Lowe before 30 September.

9 TreasurerÂ’s Report
The Treasurer informed members that the main account balance is £1344.43 and the Small Improvement Fund £3034.99. Members were reminded that the Small Improvement Fund must be spent before the end of December.
A refund is to be made of the bill paid for the use of the grass area for the gala day.

10 Reports
Due to the late hour there were no reports submitted.

11 A.O.C.B
There was no other business

12 The next meeting will be held on 14th October.