Letter from Factor about sand and gravel extraction
The above letter was sent to Tiree Community Council by Hugh Nicol, the Estate Factor of Argyll Estates. TCC discussed it as part of our February 8th 2023 meeting, and agreed the following response:
Last autumn, Tiree Community Council asked Argyll and Bute Council to review their decision that an Island Community Impact Assessment was not needed during the appointment of the Executive Head Teacher at Tiree High School.
This was not a criticism of the appointment itself. It was an attempt to see how the Council was interpreting their duties the Islands Act.
A recent report by the Scottish Government about the Island Act includes the passage:
‘Part 3 of the Islands Act gives island communities a strong voice in relation to policy through the obligation on relevant authorities to have regard to island communities in carrying out their functions and to undertake Island Communities Impact Assessments (ICIA) when required and if not required by making such an assessment or taking such other steps thought appropriate. An ICIA must take place when a piece of legislation, policy strategy or service will likely affect island communities in a different way than how it would affect communities on the mainland or other island communities. Scottish Ministers are determined to ensure that this is not simply a tick box exercise.’
Or submission ended with the passage:
‘We therefore believe that there is a clear and compelling case under the Islands Act for ABC to do an Island Community Impact Assessment (ICIA) on the shared headship involving Tiree and Oban High Schools.
We go further. Argyll and Bute Council has carried out just three ICIAs in the last twelve months. We argue that only when the Council starts to perform ICIAs frequently, without being asked and with a genuine desire to improve their understanding of their island communities, will they be able to discharge their responsibilities to their twenty-three inhabited islands.’
This is the Council’s decision.
Inaugural Meeting of the Tiree Community Council held in An Talla Centre on Monday 19th December @ 2pm
Present: Jacqueline Bennett, John Holliday , Phyl Meyer, Shona Barton (on behalf of the Returning Officer)
One member off the public attended
It was noted that any policies which had been agreed by the previous Community Council would still remain valid until such times as they are reviewed by the new Community Council.
13. The date of the next meeting will be on Wednesday 11th January 2023 at 7pm via Zoom and thereafter meetings would be held monthly on the 2nd Wednesday of the month (with the exception of January and July).
Shona Barton
Following a brief period of being unable to operate due to insufficient numbers, the Tiree Community Council has now been formally reconstituted after a by-election increased our numbers to the required level.
Your current Community Council is now:
Phyl Meyer (Chair), John Holliday (Secretary), Jacqui Bennett (Treasurer) and Tim Arkless.
Our first public meeting will take place via Zoom at 7pm on Wed 25th Jan 2023.
Agenda:
Meeting papers:
Tiree CC Inaugural Minute 19.12.22
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Good Afternoon,
CalMac has today announced that bookings for Summer 2023 (31 March – 15 October) will open on Friday 20 January.
All routes can be viewed on our website from Thursday 19 January and will be available to book on Friday 20 January, with the exception of:
· Mallaig-Small Isles
· Mallaig-Armadale
· Mallaig-Lochboisdale
These routes require additional time due to the number of tidal amendments required and the complexity of operating three services from one berth in Mallaig. Due to this, sailings in and out of Mallaig will open for bookings by Tuesday 31 January.
Online bookings will open at 7am on Friday 20 January, with telephone reservations available from 9am. A queueing system will be in operation on our website to manage the quality of the customer experience when booking online.
We’re working to finalise timetables for the last week of the Summer Timetable (the period between 16 and 22 October inclusive) as we work to finalise vessel deployment during the start of the annual overhaul period.
The fares freeze will apply for the whole of the Summer Timetable, up to and including Sunday 22 October.
For more information, please see our website here
Kind regards,
Don McKillop
Area Operations Manager – Clyde
CalMac Ferries Ltd
On behalf of Donna Lockhart
Following the election of Community Councillors in 2022, unfortunately TCC did not quite have enough members to re-constitute. We therefore had to suspend operations while a by-election was held to try to top-up our numbers. Fortunately this was successful and we now have the minimum required number to re-form.
The inaugural meeting of the new session has to be facilitated by an official from Argyll and Bute Council – this took place on 19th December 2022. Office bearers were elected, and an updated form of the TCC Consitution (incorporating changes to the scheme of establishment made by A+BC last year to make holding virtual meetings permissable permanently) was approved, as well as the Standing Orders.
The new office bearers are:
Chair: Phyl Meyer
Secretary: John Holliday
Treasurer: Jacqui Bennett
The note of the meeting and all papers, including the passed documents, are linked below:
Tiree Inaugural Minute 19.12.22
Tiree Community Council Signed Constitution 2022
TIREE COMMUNITY COUNCIL STANDING ORDERS FOR MEETINGS 2022
STAND UP FOR TIREE
As we’ve notified previously via An Tirisdeach and social media, unfortunately only three candidates put themselves forward for the normal scheduled election of Tiree Community Council – one less than the minimum required to convene. A second chance to keep this vital layer of democracy and representation going is underway, with a byelection having been called. This is the last call for anyone willing to stand for Tiree Community Council.
Without a council, we would not have been able to lobby for reserved spaces for islanders on next summer’s ferries. Or badger Argyll and Bute Council to get the school’s security lights switched off at night. Or make the case for a new water treatment plant for Tiree to ensure new homes can continue to be connected.
There are five places up for grabs, and an election is highly unlikely. Nominations close on Thursday 3 November. You can get forms from Rona at the Crossapol office or from us:
Dr John Holliday | 220385 | doc.holliday@tireecommunitycouncil.co.uk
Phyl Meyer | phyl@tireecommunitycouncil.co.uk