SUTHERLAND ACCESS PANEL Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 27th November 2001 at 11:00am in Durness Community Hall, Durness. PRESENT: Denise Carroll Maggie Coupland Cllr Rita Finlayson Christian Goskirk Carl Lemkes Gerry Lemkes Martin Macleod Shirley McHardy Sandra Peterkin John Sutherland 1. WELCOME & APOLOGIES Apologies were received from Sheila Board, Anne Keatinge, Ann Lynch, Monica Mouat and David Polson. 2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of the meeting held on 9th October were approved. 3. MATTERS ARISING 3.1 Fundraising Issues * Camelot Foundation - No news has been received regarding the success or otherwise of our application. * Bank Balance - At 31/10/01 the Access Panel had Bank Balance of £787.51 3.2 Access Issues * Golspie Health Centre - Shirley reported that she had contacted Dr Ross, who shares many of the concerns of the Access Panel. Dr Ross is to meet with the Architects in the near future and will report to Shirley after the meeting. * Evlix Filling Station - Plans requested but not yet been received. * Dornoch Sheriff Court - The meeting at the Court was cancelled. A new date will be arranged. * Disability Rights Commission - Shirley made the views of the Panel re the venue for the Disability Rights Commission Roadshow known. No response has been received. 3.3 Dr Su Sen A letter was received from Dr Sen thanking the Panel for inviting him to attend its October meeting and inviting members of the Sutherland Access Panel to a meeting of Lochaber Access Panel. 4. PLANNING APPLICATIONS * Chinese Takeaway (Brora) - Points noted by the panel included ramp slope and doors opening into each other. Shirley to contact the Architect (David Murray) with the Panels comments. * Helmsdale Community Centre - Disabled toilets. Carers of the opposite sex may be made to feel uncomfortable going into the disabled toilets if they are in the male and female toilets. This issue is to be raised with the architect. Other comments made to the architect had been noted and responded to in a very positive way. * Dornoch Castle Hotel - Denise, Shirley and Christian had met with Mr Colin Thomson of the Dornoch Castle Hotel to discuss the plans made available to the Panel. While informal this had been a very useful meeting. Mr Thomson agreed to keep the Panel up to date with progress. 5. ACCESS ISSUES * Golspie Golf Club - Shirley to add to Golspie list * Cambusavie Unit - Shirley to contact NHS Highland. * Golspie Post Office Car Parking Bay - Shirley to add to Golspie list and to write to BEAR Scotland. 6. AOCB 6.1 Post 16 Post 16 is concerned with the enforcement of the Disability Discrimination Act in premises used for "Life long learning" by those over 16 years of age. Shirley is to request copies on the Panels behalf. 7. DONM The next meeting of the Sutherland Access Panel will take place on Tuesday 29th January at 10:30 am in the Community Room, Admin Dept, Lawson Memorial Hospital, Golspie.