Sutherland Access Panel Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 26th April 2001, in The Church Hall, Lairg Parish Church, at 1:30pm Present: Myra Aitken Oversteps *Sheila Board User/DASH *Joyce Buchanan Highland Health Council Denise Carroll User Christian Goskirk North & West Sutherland CCF *Ann Keatinge VG-ES Carl Lemkes Carer Gerry Lemkes User Nick Lindsay Highland Council - Roads & Transport Shirley McHardy East Sutherland CCF *Monica Mouat Highland Health Council John Sutherland Highland Council - Planning * Arrived during the meeting In the absence of Monica Mouat, Denise Carroll took the Chair 1. Welcome & Apologies Apologies were received from Maggie Coupland, Andy Dawson, Cllr Rita Finlayson, Fiona Gordon, Peter Harrison, Martin Macleod, David Polson and Jamie Stone MSP. 2. Meeting of Meeting held on 8th March 2001 The Minute of the Meeting held on 8th March 2001 was approved. Proposed by Denise and seconded by Shirley 3. Matters Arising 3.1 Fundraising Issues * Hydro Electric - £100 from Community Fund. Ask that we acknowledge their donation on any promotional material. Shirley to write and acknowledge. * Highland Council, Sutherland Members - two of the six members for Sutherland have acknowledged our letter. Cllr Finlayson is to make £75 available from her discretionary budget. Cllr Magee is unfortunately not able to provide financial support from her discretionary budget, but encourages us to contact Mr McLaughlin, Area Manager. The Panel has already received £500 from the Area Committee * Moray Firth Radio - An Application Form has been received. It will be completed and returned ASAP. 3.2 Panel Membership - Forest Enterprise Anne Mackay of Forest Enterprise has indicated that she will join the panel. She was unfortunately unable to attend today's meeting, but has set up an informal meeting and walk with some members of the panel on Monday 14th May at 2:00pm at the Forest Enterprise Office, Dornoch, thereafter to Camore Wood. 3.3 Access Issues - Railtrack Both Railtrack and Scotrail have acknowledged receipt of letters sent to them by the Access Panel. As and when they have plans to undertake works at stations in Sutherland they will contact us. 3.4 Access Issues - St Andrews Church A letter was sent to the Presbytery of Sutherland to highlight the problem. 3.5 Planning Applications Comments were made on three sets of plans, Bonar Service Point, Spot on Printers (Dornoch) and also in Dornoch the proposed new Hairdressers. 4. Roads & Transport Mr Nick Lindsay, Highland Council, Roads & Transport was present at the meeting. He indicated that where he could not provide an immediate answer to queries, he would follow up on them and get back to the panel. The disabled parking bay at Dornoch Post Office has still to be marked. Nick indicated that marking of parking bays does not take place until the end of the winter salting period. This he informed everyone is mid May. Action on marking the bay will be addressed sometime after that. It was suggested that a marked bay be made at the Health Centre, Golspie. There followed some discussion regarding "dropped kerbs". It was noted that each costs approx. £150 per dropped kerb, which Roads & Transport has no budget. It was suggested however, that where works are already ongoing and drop kerbs may be needed they could be put in there. It was agreed that Shirley should write to each Community Council asking them to identify potential sites for drop kerbs and disabled parking bays. 5. Planning Applications Plans for review included alterations to the Public Bar, Nipp Inn, Lairg and offices in Lochinver. In addition to the plans made available Highland Council - Planning Dept. provides the Access Panel with a weekly list of current planning applications. Should there be anything on the list, which the Panel feels it would like to comment upon, a request for the plans should be made to Highland Council. 6. Access Issues The following issues were reported: * Bank of Scotland, Golspie. There were a number of concerns expressed regarding the resiting of the Bank of Scotland in Golspie. In the main these were with regard to disabled parking at the back of the building. Shirley to express our concern to the Bank of Scotland in a letter. * Dornoch Bakery and Dornoch Chemist. The steps make it prohibitive to enter the shops with ease. * Lochinver it was reported has a number of access issues, esp. shops on the main street. * Shop Mobility Highland. Due to a funding cutback it has not been possible for Shop Mobility Highland to extend into Sutherland as planned. It was agreed to write to Highland Council in support of the reinstatement of the lost funding. 7. AOCB 7.1 Service Points - Access Audit A draft copy of the Performa for an audit of access to Service Points has been received. Mr Hector Macdonald, Hurd Rolland Chartered Architects (17 Queensgate Inverness, IV1 1DF) is the main contact regarding this issue. 7.2 Disability Discrimination Act Denise passed on to the Secretary the name and contact details of a gentleman in Inverness who is working on a synopsis of the Disability Discrimination Act. Shirley to contact him. 7.3 Statement of Accounts The Treasurer distributed a Statement of Accounts for the Access Panel for the financial year ending 31st March 2001. The Panel has a small surplus amounting to £385.61. 7.4 Scottish Charity Recognition The Sutherland Access Panel is now a registered Charity within Scotland. Details of the Scottish Charity number had been passed from Ann to Shirley and Christian. 7.4 Funding Issues - Camelot Foundation An application for funding on behalf of the Access Panel is to be made to the Camelot Foundation. Ann, Shirley and Christian to progress. 10. DONM The next meeting of the Sutherland Access Panel will take place on Thursday 31st May at 2:00pm in Alba, VG-ES, Golspie Also arranged at this time were the dates for the two meetings immediately following. They will take place on 16th July and 27th August. Venues to be arranged. 1