Jan 2013
Minutes of meeting held in Dunnet Hall on Wednesday 9th January
Present: John Green (Chair) Chris Hobson (Vice-chair) Eric Green and Bill Mowat.
12 members of the public
1. Apologies Keith Muir (Secretary / Treasurer) and Steven MacGregor
2. Dunnet Artworks. Anne Cowling from Highland Council gave a presentation on the proposed Artworks to be sited at Dunnet Head and at Dunnet Sands.
There was considerable debate around the proposals and there was general agreement in the meeting that the project should be reopened for further consultation before a final design is chosen.
John Green thanks Anne Cowling for coming to the meeting and then opened the formal part of the meeting.
3. Minutres of last meeting - proposed Chris Hobson seconded eric Green duly adopted
4. Matters Arising:
Marine Energy Onshore developments
The Community Council has written to the Highland Council expressing its concerns over the apparently piece-meal approach to planning issues surrounding the landward developments required to support the emereging marine renewable energy industry in our area and requesting that a master plan be developed encompassing the whole of the requirements of the sector in the area. So far no satisfactory response has been received and it was agreed that Eric Green should be delegated to continue to press the Highland Council on this matter.
John O' Groats Public Areas Lease.
The Community Council is most concerned that the 99 year lease of public ground at the end-of-the-road site at John O' Groats to the site developer Natural Retreats appears to have been concluded without any attempt to address concerns raised by the Community in relation to ensuring public access and free car parking shoul be preserved. The Council's response has been that any development that goes ahead would be subject to normal planning process anyway. The Community Council is far from satisfied with this response; and further disappointed by the repeated refusal of the HC to send a representative to a meeting with the Community Council to address these issues.
5. Planning matters - no concerns were raised about any planning applications.
6. Treasurer Report - the current bak balance at end of December 2012 stood at £2804.67
7. AOCB - None raised
8. Next meeting will be in John O' Groats Hall on Wednesday 13th February 2013.