Annual Report of TCC June 2023–4 | Tiree Community Council

TIREE COMMUNITY COUNCIL (TCC)

SECRETARY’S REPORT June 2023–24

Number of meetings: 10. These have been a rotation of in-person/hybrid and virtual meetings on the second Wednesday of each month. In-person meetings are now held at the new IT Hub at the Trust offices.
Councillors until May 2024: Phyl Meyer (Convenor), Dr John Holliday (Secretary), Tim Arkless and Jacqui Bennett.
Co-opted members until May 2024: Frances Khetrat, Aran Khetrat and John MacCaskill.
Councillors after May 2024 by-election: Gerard McGoogan (Convenor), Dr John Holliday (Secretary), Tim Arkless, Frances Khetrat, Aran Khetrat and John MacCaskill .
Skills and Knowledge member: Angus John MacKechnie (transport)
Attendance of District Councillors: 3 attendances from 2 councillors.
Liaison:

Attended most public meetings of Coll and Mull CCs and a few meetings of Coll Transport Forum
Met with Scottish Water about the limits to capacity in the water supply
Met with SSEN project team about a new subsea cable between Coll and Tiree

Re-instatement of regular meetings of the Transport Forum under John MacCaskill
Negotiation of additional bank flights for the autumn film festival
We assisted the Trust campaign to help islanders with the Introduction of the Residents Fare Card form. TCC secured the Residents Fares rates for Coll
Discussion with Transport Scotland about the reduced resilience of the Loganair fleet

Highly Protected Marine Areas: TCC, along with the Tiree Trust, wrote to the relevant Scottish Government minister, and gave some interviews against this proposal. The policy was dropped
Re-instatement of Gaelic Development Officer funding: TCC, along with the Tiree Trust, wrote to the relevant Scottish Government minister. This funding cut was reversed, but not in a way that was practically of benefit to Tiree
48-hr rule for Patient Travel Scheme: Highland Health Board was lobbied about this, unsuccessfully
Retention of Screen Machine mobile film theatre: TCC wrote to the relevant Scottish Government minister to protest. Funding for an additional two years was subsequently promised
Retention of Ring n Ride Scheme: TCC met with Argyll and Bute Council (ABC) after the contractor gave in their notice. Despite pressure, the scheme has not been reinstated
TCC asked ABC to set up a Joint Forum of Community Councils in Argyll and Bute: this was refused
TCC asked ABC to recruit and train a new pest control officer resident on Tiree: this was also unsuccessful
TCC lobbied ABC over use of school playing fields by home schooled children in the afternoon: this was successful

Telephone boxes: those at Caolas, Scarinish, Mannal and Balephuil boxes have been renovated. Those at Balevullin and Middleton in progress. TCC decided that boxes at Silversands, Crossapol, Heylipol and Kenovay should be sold or moved
Community garden: TCC applied successfully for planning permission for a community garden west of Pier View, and bought a Keder house. This had not yet been erected
Replacing fence around Scarinish central business district: there have been negotiations with local businesses. TCC is awaiting a tender from the contractor
Beach signs about fires and dog waste: six were put up

Lobbied WHHA for improved insulation and new heating systems for the properties at Pier View
Argyll and Bute Council about whether re-cycled waste needed to be bagged
Argyll Estates about shooting parties near houses
Police Scotland about the absence of police from the island during a serious incident
Dental service about the frequency of surgeries
Tiree Medical Practice about the continuation of ordering prescriptions by telephone
The lack of a resident Open Reach engineer
West Highland Housing Association for a bus shelter beside Pier View
TCEL (part of Tiree Trust) about the differential pricing between summer and winter

Dr John Holliday, 6 June 2024