Author Archives: John Holliday

Minutes TCC March 2025 public meeting

TIREE COMMUNITY COUNCIL

DRAFT MINUTES MARCH PUBLIC MEETING

7pm, 12 March 2025

Held online on Zoom and Facebook

  1. Present: Gerard McGoogan (chair), Dr John Holliday, Frances Khetrat, Tim Arkless. Cllr Amanda Hampsey from Argyll and Bute Council.
  2. Apologies: John MacCaskill. Aran Khetrat has resigned from the community council due to his college commitments. We are grateful for his contributions and the perspectives he was able to bring to our discussions. There are two places for new co-opted members on the community council. We welcome applications. The chair pointed out that some people have been using Facebook to contact TCC. As they may have noticed, we have not not been routinely monitoring the Facebook page. If anyone wants to talk urgently, it is better to contact us directly.
  3. Minutes of last meeting: these were agreed, though due to an error by the chair a formal proposer and seconder were not called for.
  4. Closure of Tiree Library: TCC had become aware that Live Argyll had decided to close Tiree’s library. TCC invited Paul Ashworth, Service and Support Manager from Live Argyll to attend the meeting. This section lasted 45 minutes and only the key points are listed below:

Timeline:

Nov 2024 TCC meeting. Concern was raised about council shutting Tiree’s library as assistant librarian retiring.

Jan 2024 TCC meeting          Frustration noted by TCC secretary about Live Argyll’s failure to answer emails.

                                  Councillor Amanda to ask for update from Live Argyll

January 31st              Closing date for Library assistant Job.

February 19th            TCC learn of librarian Assistant Job being withdrawn from a member of the community.

February 22nd                        A&BC voted for 9.9% council tax rise; as a result funding from A&BC was not cut.

February 27th            A&BC’s “Revenue budget overview” noted “reduction of library services”.

2024/2025                Live Argyll was budgeted to spend £18,000 on Tiree last year, although there was an underspend due to library closing in November 2024.

2025/2026                Projected Live Argyll on Tiree spending approximately £0.

Summary of Live Argyll’s viewpoint:

Live Argyll stated that Argyll and Bute Council kept their 2025/26 funding the same as 2024/25. Live Argyll has calculated this as effectively meant a real term cut of £211,000, primarily due to nationally agreed pay settlements and unavoidable NI cost pressures.

TCC’s Position:

TCC voiced frustration about the lack of timely information and the lack of consultation. TCC emphasized the importance of considering the value of the library to the community, rather than just focusing on costs.  TCC argued that the cost of the librarian was a small percentage of the overall budget and emphasized the importance of libraries in education. The councillors felt Live Argyll were not spending a proportionate amount of money on Tiree. Moving forward it will be virtually zero.

TCC were surprised Live Argyll had not conducted an Islands Community Impact Assessment.

Cllr Hampsey expressed disappointment and frustration at the lack of prior warning or updates from Live Argyll.

Actions:

  • Paul to update Live Argyll’s management team on community feedback and get back to TCC with answers to points raised.
  • Dr John: To send the library consultation letter to all Argyll and Bute councillors.
  • Councillor Amanda: Discuss Tiree Library concerns with Councillor Julie Mackenzie
  1. Matters arising from minutes: SSEN presentation on new Coll-Tiree cable. SSEN have:
    1. Contacted Tiree’s countryside ranger about wildlife disturbance.
    2. Contacted Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust re disturbance of basking sharks, etc.
    3. Sent some of the underwater footage of seabed to TCC so we can check for sea grass, etc.
    4. Is the cable between Coll to Mull duplicated (Currently No))
    5. Is Mull to mainland duplicated (Yes, three off).
    6. What is the power caring capacity of the cable (7.8MW but limited to 4.47MW elsewhere).
    7. Concern over future of Tiree power station: There is a long-term plan to decarbonise power generation and this would mean reducing the use of Tiree power station. However, this would not happen till there is a second Coll/Mull cable and a number of other enhancements. It is all part of a contract between SSE and the SG.

https://www.ssen.co.uk/about-ssen/our-works/whole-system-energy-solutions-for-the-scottish-islands/

TCC was impressed that we they had answered all seven questions we had sent them, swiftly and informatively.

  1. Correspondence:
  • National speed limit consultation 50mph. TCC has not responded to this
  • Phyl Myers has sent invoices regarding the Community Garden planning permission and website costs. TCC to review
  • JH had been chasing another manager at Live Argyll, Alex Edmundston about the all weather pitch. We have now received a reply. Negotiations with the executive head teacher at Tiree school about exactly how any arrangement might work are ongoing
  • Letter about litter in the Scarinish ‘commercial district’. JH to follow up
  1. Meeting reports: there were none.
  2. Transport:
  3. LOTI staying on. Probable cancellations. Clansman is back from its annual maintenance, but is filling in for the Hebrides and will not be back on the Tiree route till the 8 April. This will impact Tiree as the LOTI has less capacity and will mean passenger cancellation. This will be exacerbated if the Isle of Mull (limit 45 passengers) is put on our route. There will be no desk space pilot on these days. We’re also losing the Clansman in the middle of April, 23 April until 10 May. (We will be getting the LOTI with no Barra connections on the Wednesdays).
  4. We have now got double sailings on the two Saturdays of the Tiree Wave Classic event in October.
  5. Tony McInnes, who’s on the Calmac Communities Board facilitated a meeting here in Tiree on 7 We were pleased that the Tiree school had been asked to have a representative at this this meeting and Mckenzie MacArthur went and spoke very eloquently on behalf of the youth of Tiree. He should be congratulated for his contributions to the meeting. The main point that he raised, a very valid point, is the need for subsidised youth ferry fares concessions. This has been taken on by Calmac Community Board.
  6. Start work at marshalling area at the pier this September.
  • GMc to update current loading graphs for Summer 2025 to website.
  1. A&BC budget:

6% increase on fees across the board

25% uplift on retrospective applications

  Cllr Hampsey to send TCC the breakdown of A&BCs spending overall and for Tiree.

  1. Visitor Levy: we have submitted our letter opposing this. Await A&BC vote.
  2. R100 update: Openreach have now reached 182 premises, with 32 more planned for w/c 10 March. This will take them to over 200 total homes. Openreach met with a representative of Nature Scot and went over the remaining works near the bird nesting areas, and she has agreed that the works can continue after March. They have part built the fibre for Hynish up to the solid rock sections. With the above relaxation, the remainder of this fibre should be laid by first few weeks of April. Though final connections will be a bit after that. Openreach will be continuing after March with the roll-out to the east side of the island as they are not affected by the bird nesting areas.

Note: if your address is not listed under R100, you are not a priority, even if the fibre passes the front of your house. People should register on the Openreach website to be kept informed of full fibre availability. You can do this by using our postcode checker on the main page www.openreach.com/fibre-checker.

  1. Planning: there were two minor modifications to existing applications, neither of which were significant.
  • Tiree Business Centre moved solar panels to the ground.
  • House at Heanish move some windows to rooflights.
  1. AOCB: There was a discussion on the broken “flying fix” ride at Crossapol play park. Cllr Hampsey to contact ACHA.
  2. Date of next meeting : 9 April 2025. This will be online.

Gerard McGoogan and Dr John. Holliday 27 March 2025

Amendment to tonight’s agenda

As Paul Ashworth of Live Argyll is coming tonight to discuss the status of Tiree’s library, we have move the agenda item to near the start.

Agenda for Tiree Community Council Meeting 12th Note: Meeting will be online only.
1. Welcome
2. Apologies Membership.
3. Minutes of last meeting
3a Tiree Library
4. Matters arising
5. Correspondence
6. Meeting reports
7. Transport update
8. A&BC budget
9. Moved to 3a Tiree Library
10. Visitor Levy
11. R100 update
12. Planning
13. AOCB
14. Date of next meeting 9th April 2025

Agenda March TCC meeting

Agenda for Tiree Community Council Meeting 12th March 2025

Note: Meeting will be online only.

  1. Welcome
  2. Apologies
  3. Minutes of last meeting
  4. Matters arising
  5. SSE presentation of new cable
  6. Permanent police replacement?
  7. Correspondence

National speed limit consultation 50MPH

All weather pitch.

  1. Meeting reports
  2. Transport update
  3. LOTI staying on. Probable cancellations.
  4. CalMac Communities Board Meeting (Tiree)
  5. Deck space Pilot survey.
  6. A&BC budget
  7. Tiree Library
  8. Visitor Levy
  9. R100 update
  10. Planning
  11. AOCB
  12. Date of next meeting 9th April 2025

Online/in person?

Meeting invite will be posted separately.

Agenda TCC meeting Wednesday 19th 7PM Online only

Agenda for Tiree Community Council Meeting 19th February 2025
  1. Welcome
  2. Apologies
  3. Minutes of last meeting
  4. SSEN New Coll-Tiree cable
  5. Matters arising
  6. Councillors’ reports
  7. Correspondence
  8. Meeting reports
  9. Transport update              Including Deskspace Pilot survey.
  10. Visitor Levy
  11. R100 update
  12. A&BC budget
  13. Planning
  14. AOCB
  15. Date of next meeting       12th March 2025

Topic: February 2025 Tiree Community Council Meeting (19th Feb 7PM On line)
Time: Feb 19, 2025 07:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/7935569301?pwd=qeHEdMGGKZBvGdyw7cUVUi0LV9f57z.1&omn=82818958561

Visitor Levy survey

Argyll and Bute Council are consulting on the introduction of a new Visitor Levy. Visitors will be charged an additional 5% on top of their hotel or AirBnB charges. This money will then be spent on developing tourism in the area. Islanders would also pay the Levy if they stay overnight in Oban.

What do you think about it.

Take this short survey, and let us know!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SZTWCKG

Minutes TCC January meeting

Minutes TCC Jan 2025

 

Minutes TCC Jan 2025

MINUTES

TIREE COMMUNITY COUNCIL

JANUARY PUBLIC MEETING

7pm Wednesday 8 January 2025

In-person in the Tiree Trust offices, Crossapol,

and on Zoom and Facebook live stream

 

  1. 1. Present: Gerard McGoogan (chair), Dr John Holiday, Tim Arkless and Frances Khetrat. Also present were Kirsty MacFarlane from Coll CC and Cllr Amanda Hampsey from Argyll and Bute Council (ABC). There were no members of the public on the Zoom call, but over 100 were ‘watching’ on Facebook. Within three days, 219 had ‘watched’ the meeting.
  2. Apologies: John MacCaskill, Aran Khetrat and Cllr Willie Hume.
  3. Minutes of last meeting: proposed TA, seconded GMG.
  4. Matters arising:
  • Phyl Meyer is proposing to repair the bicycle repair stations. TCC holds funds for this
  • Tiree Community Business is happy to take over the community garden. JH will write to TCB to discuss this and to arrange transfer of the Keder house. The community garden fund is currently – £137, and there are outstanding bills for planning permission fees and the website
  • The Coop outside light is still out of action when it rains. The local management is doing its best to get the lighting replaced
  • GMG has contacted the R100 team about announcing road closures, and this is now being done via Facebook
  • TCC has written to Police Scotland about the future level of rent on the Tiree police station. We suggested that a low rent would encourage recruitment to Tiree
  • Library: JH has written, but has had no response. AH said she would help with this
  1. Correspondence: we have been invited to apply for a £500 Resilience Fund. We agreed not to do this at present. West Ardnamurchan CC wants us to support their attempt to extend the summer ferry timetable until after the English holidays.
  2. Councillor’s report: there has been a lot correspondence from Tiree about the Visitor Levy, all of it against it. She, herself, had voted against the consultation. She encourages people to respond to the consultation, and is happy to come over to Tiree for a public meeting. TCC welcomed that.
  3. Meeting reports:
  • TCC had been approached by a consultancy called NIRAS to consider a project to make Tiree rat-free. We had met them, with John Bowler and Hayley Douglas. They are acting for a windfarm in the Scottish North Sea, who have been asked to ‘find’ 30 guillemots, the number predicted to be killed by the new windfarm every year. They would eradicate the Tiree rats and monitor the island for 35 years. There might be local employment opportunities. JB had told them that the Tiree guillemots nested on the Kenavara cliffs, out the reach of rats. Rat eradication might, in fact, increase the attacks of feral cats on corncrakes. The poison currently used was now illegal. This ‘trade’ in birds was viewed with some scepticism by most members, but we were happy to keep the dialogue open, with local expert advice. This project might involve Gunna and Coll, too
  • We have discussed the use of the all-weather pitch with Alex Edmonstone, the Commercial Operations Manager for Live Argyll. He was keen to make the facility more easily available, and was optimistic that this could happen. He will get back to us. He also promised to get back to us with a contact for the library. Cllr Hampsey will follow this up
  1. Transport update:
  • We expressed our thanks to CalMac and John MacCaskill for the changes to the timetable over the festive period, allowing passengers to go from Tiree to Coll
  • We had received a letter from a member of the public complaining about the poor booking system. We passed this on to the Transport Forum
  • We have previously agreed to do a deck space pilot survey. Some questions have been circulated. We discussed the pros and cons of residents’ fares. This could lead to higher fares for non-residents. KMF said that the new CalMac contract is due in October. This was therefore a period when pressure on CalMac might be more effective. We agreed to leave the question about residency cards in at the moment, if we could find the right words to explain it. JH and TA will correspond about this
  • Community Transport: we have not heard from Martin Arnold, ABC Community Transport about the possibility of the ABC funding for the RingnRide being restored. JH will send the details to AH. We have also approached the Tiree Trust about a community car scheme. This will be considered by the Board at their next meeting
  1. Climate change working group report: we have met three times with ABC engineers and JBA Consulting to help with an ABC funding application to develop an Argyll and Bute Council Coastal Change Adaptation Plan. This would focus on Gott Bay, Hynish Bay (Baugh to Hynish) and Balephetrish Bay. We will hear of the application’s success in May. During Storm Ashley, there were 6-m waves in Gott Bay. We will continue to liaise with the Trust’s environmental committee.
  2. Visitor Levy: the views expressed so far had been negative. There were concerns that the increased cost of visiting Tiree would deter people and harm the tourist industry. Tiree residents would have to pay the Levy themselves when going to the mainland. Campervan residents would not be paying. Three of our ABC councillors had not answered the points we had put to them about this. It has been estimated that the Levy would raise £9 million a year for the Council. This would be retained and spent by ABC itself, with no guarantee that Tiree would get its fair share. On a per capita basis, this could work out at about £60,000 a year for Tiree. It was not clear who would decide how this money was spent. There has been a small-scale Island Community Impact Assessment, but it had not raised the matter of charges on the island’s residents. This reduced its credibility. One possibility was to ask for the Levy to be applied for just four months in the summer. The ABC consultation was just about to start. People can respond individually. TCC will be making its own collective response. We will wait until we had collected a bit more information before we run our own survey.
  3. 11. ABC budget: this was to be set soon. The predicted shortfall for ABC for the next financial year was £14 million, although a relatively generous settlement from Westminster in the last budget has meant that this deficit is likely to be smaller.The council’s own budget meeting is due to take place at the end of February.  This year, ABC has a dedicated budget web page atOur budget challenge | Argyll and Bute Council . AH asked if there were any services that were better to cut than others. Our reply was that Tiree had already been cut to the bone, and that we would not tolerate any further ones. ABC can be contacted directly onworkingtogether@argyll-bute.gov.uk
  4. Planning: there were two pre-apps for new-builds in Ruaig and Caolas. They did not concern TCC.
  5. 13. AOCB: we wanted to pass our thanks on to Loganair staff for the efforts they went to to get everyone to their destination over Christmas and New Year.
  6. 14. Date of next meeting: the next (online) meeting will be delayed until 19 February because of the school holidays.

The meeting closed at 8.50pm

Dr John Holliday

10 January 2025