TIREE COMMUNITY COUNCIL (TCC)

SECRETARY’S REPORT June 2023–24

1. 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.
2. Councillors until May 2024: Phyl Meyer (Convenor), Dr John Holliday (Secretary), Tim Arkless and Jacqui Bennett.
3. Co-opted members until May 2024: Frances Khetrat, Aran Khetrat and John MacCaskill.
4. Councillors after May 2024 by-election: Gerard McGoogan (Convenor), Dr John Holliday (Secretary), Tim Arkless, Frances Khetrat, Aran Khetrat and John MacCaskill .
5. Skills and Knowledge member: Angus John MacKechnie (transport)
6. Attendance of District Councillors: 3 attendances from 2 councillors.
7. 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

8. Transport:

• 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

9. Campaigns:

• 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

10. Projects:

• 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

11. Correspondence:

• 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

12. Consultations:

• Visitor Levy
• Democracy Matters
• CHFS3 Ferry contract
• Operation Neptune
• Island Connectivity Plan

Dr John Holliday, 6 June 2024