Karl Speirling(KS) – NLCC / NLCA

Kathleen Cameron (KC) – NLCC / NLVH

Marilyn MacDonald (MMD) – NLCC/NLVH

Marie MacLachlan (MML) – NLCC / NLVH

Elizabeth MacLellan (EM) – NLCC 

In Attendance: 

There was no public attendance at the Meeting. 

• Apologies 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Brian Pearson and Lisa Glaze. 

• Minutes of Meeting held 4^th November 2024 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 4^th November 2024 were Proposed by Marie MacLachlan and seconded by Kathleen Cameron. 

• Matters Arising from Minutes 

None.

• Police Report 

The Committee noted from MMD that there would be no Police presence at the meeting but that PC Cooper had indicated there was nothing to report and that he hoped to attend the next meeting. Agreed the local Police contact be added to the NLCC circulation list.

• Action Points 

• Glen Righ Hydro Scheme – noted from MML that she had heard nothing from David Colthart, Director so had written a letter to him asking him to get in touch.
• Newsletter – (a) noted from MML that the Newsletter had been printed and was now ready to be put in envelopes and delivered; (b) MMD volunteered to collect envelopes from Fort William; (c) agreed that Members would personally deliver the Newsletter; (d) the Committee then thanked MML for all her hard work in preparing the Newsletter and agreed that a letter of thanks should go to Don Michie for printing the Newsletter.
• Notice Board – noted KS had not yet been able to attend to this;
• Lochaber Place Plan – noted MML had received and circulated the draft Lochaber Community Place Plan to Members but had not spoken to anyone else about it yet.
• Community Website – MML to update January 2025 meeting on this. 

• Office Bearer Reports 

Chair

Nothing to report.

Secretary

MML advised that it took quite a lot of her time checking the CC generic mail box due to the tremendous amount of spam and irrelevant e-mails. Noted MML would circulate details of the Building Resilience in your Community Scheme to Members and that applications to the Scheme had to be submitted by 31^st January 2025. 

• Planning Matters 

• Ref No 24/04680/FUL

Cuilcheanna Telecommunications Mast Onich

Installation of 1 no. 300mm dish and supporting steelwork

No objections.

• Updates from NLCA and Village Hall Committee 

VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE

MMD advised (i) that the application for funding to pay the Solicitors fees to transfer the Village Hall had now been submitted; and (2) the Raffle to raise funds for the Village Hall would be drawn at 6.30pm following the local Children’s Christmas Party to be held the following Saturday.                                                                                                        /

NLCA

Noted the following:-

• The Inchree Barn Project was now at Stage 2 and following the recent 3 day drop in event held at Roam West where members of the public could view the latest Architect’s plans for the proposed development, the NLCA would report back to their Architect with any changes they wished and they hoped to have a final set of plans which could be submitted for planning approval by the end of January / February 2025.
• The NLCA Community Leaflet drop to 250 local residents had taken place;
• The recent Weaving Workshop had been so popular that NLCA were holding some more on 3 Thursdays in February.
• The NLCA now had several Companies sponsoring the flower tubs throughout the Village and hopefully the NLCC would no longer have to donate to this.
• At the Creag Mhor Cemetery activity day on 9/11/24 volunteers cleared all the vegetation and weed around the mosaic.
• Following the recent bad weather the fencing at the picnic site next to Gleaner’s had collapsed. Also noted the Buddleia had been cleared around the stone and that it was hoped to refurbish the picnic benches one by one in the near future.
• Ian Jenner had acquired the Village Christmas Tree from Kinlochleven and had planted it in the Orchard at St Brides School.
• NLCA were holding their annual Ceilidh in Alltsheallach sometime in January 2025.
• Ian Jenner and KS on behalf of the NLCA had been in discussions with David Robertson, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) on 23rd January re their plans for the future of the Inchree and surrounding local area. Agreed MMD would contact FLS with a view to re-establishing a leaflet/map for the Inchree Trail.
• The NLCA has now registered for Gift Aid. 

• AOCB 

• Planning Applications – agreed that as the next meeting was not to be held until February 2025 EM would check the Highland Council Planning website for Applications during this period and circulate the relevant applications to Members.
• Access through Bunree Caravan Park – noted (i) the ground works for the new toilet block etc had commenced and that the Contractors had no problem with public access; and (2) that MML had e-mailed Jill Morrow advising her the Members were supportive of her application for a right of way.
• Soup & Sandwich Lunch – noted (i) the next lunch would be Monday 20^th January at 12.30 in the Nether Lochaber Church Hall;(ii) the profits of £175 from the previous lunch had been distributed as follows - £50 to the Children’s Christmas Party; £50 to the Afternoon Club; £50 to the Village Hall Fund; and £25 to pay for the hire of the Church Hall.
• Defibrillators – Further to previous discussion at Meetings on this subject it was noted Onich Petrol Station had agreed to have one. Noted MML would check with St Brides re this and that KS would discuss the matter with Roam West who had previously indicated their willingness to have one. MML to check her e-mails for any points of contact. 

• Date of Next Meeting 

It was agreed that the next Meeting of the NLCC would be held on Tuesday 4^th February 2025 at 7.30pm in the Nether Lochaber Church Hall.

Approved by the NLCC at their Meeting held on Tuesday 11^th February 2025.  

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            Chair                                                                               Date