PRESENT:

Karl Speirling(KS) – NLCC / NLCA

Kathleen Cameron (KC) – NLCC / NLVH

Marilyn MacDonald (MMD) – NLCC / NLVH

Marie MacLachlan (MML) – NLCC / NLVH

Lisa Glaze (LG) – NLCC / NLCA / NLVH 

In Attendance: 

PC Stephen Cooper

PC Roddy Sandeman 

• Apologies 

Elizabeth MacLellan and Councillor Andrew Baxter. 

• Minutes of Meeting held 11^th February 2025 

Subject to the Minutes being amended to reflect the following two points, the Minutes were Proposed by Kathleen Cameron and Seconded by Marilyn MacDonald.

• Item 9 – Village Hall Update – The Chairman of the Village Hall Committee had issued a brief for tenders for a Feasibility Study and Business Plan and these would be discussed at their next Meeting
• Item 10 – Cuilcheanna Notice Board – MMD advised the Meeting that the Kinlochleven Men’s Shed had priced the materials required and presented a quote of £350 to be given as a donation for constructing the notice board. 

• Matters Arising from Minutes 

None.

• Police Report 

The Meeting noted from PC Stephen Cooper that:-

• Following a collision at the traffic lights at Allt Nan Ros, when a vehicle had crashed into a signpost and a vehicle had been abandoned, the Police had subsequently cleared the area.
• Enquiries were ongoing into the theft at Innis Na Birlinn Cemetery.

During discussion it was noted that:-

• KS had spoken with Transport Scotland re the traffic lights at Allt Nan Ros (Incident No 60327);
• MML would contact BEAR for an update;
• The road works at Inchree had been delayed and were now to take place 17^th – 25^th 

• Action Points 

• Notice Board – Perspex Door – KS - ongoing
• Defibrillators – Noted Duror & Kentallen Community Council were given a Defibrillator for free so could not help with contact details. MML will make further enquiries. Noted the Defibrillator at the Old Post Office needed the pads replaced and these had been ordered – LG will receive Invoice shortly.
• List of Proposed Projects for funding – agreed to discuss this later in the meeting.
• St Brides School Bus – MMD advised that the school bus for St Brides was now stopping to collect children in the mornings on the Cuilcheanna side of the road;

Citylink Buses – MMD confirmed that this was a hail and ride service and the buses should stop anywhere that was safe to do so. 

• Office Bearer Reports 

Treasurer

LG confirmed that there was a balance of £5,252.28 in the NLCC Bank Account and Members noted the following outgoings:-

• £50 returned to Community Association (re Iain Jenner’s payment to NLCC in error)
• £22.95 for postage stamps
• £350 to the Kinlochleven Men’s Shed for the Cuilcheanna Notice Board
• 2 months rental to the Nether Lochaber Church Hall for 2 meetings

MMD raised the matter of signatories on the NLCC Bank Account. Noted it is very difficult to change these and we still have previous Committee Members authorised. LG agreed to make enquiries. Noted KS would like NLCC to change who they banked with and it was agreed to try and check who other Community Councils banked with as the dwindling number of Banks in the area made it difficult to decide which Bank would be the best to go with.

• Planning Matters 

Noted that since the Agenda had been issued NLCC had received an e-mail raising concerns regarding the following proposed development by the Ballachulish roundabout:-

Planning Application: 24/05246/FUL

Erection of distillery building with shop and cafe, erection of warehouses, store and formation of car park

Land 60M North of Cottage of Ardea, Ballachulish

Following discussion the Committee agreed that they were concerned for the wildlife in the area, in particulars otters and the heron in the area. KS suggested that all Members read the application before compiling the CC’s concerns.

• NLVH

Noted the AGM was to be held on Thursday 6^th March at 7.30pm in the Nether Lochaber Church Hall.

NLCC

• Noted following their recent AGM the Office Bearers were:-

Iain Jenner – Chair

Becky Jury – Secretary

Rodger Barnett – Treasurer

• A beach clean was to be held on Saturday 29^th March and everyone was meeting at the Picnic Site.
• The barn drawings were being submitted for planning next week.

• AOCB 

KC queried with LG how the Community Association funds were split. LG explained that although there were large sums received through grants, these were ringfenced solely for the purpose submitted on the funding application.

MMD said she wanted to check that the NLCC had sufficient funds available for the transfer of the Village Hall and the Committee was assured by LG that they did.

A discussion followed on suggestions for spending the Glen Righ Hydro Scheme Community Payout and LG submitted a list compiled by the NLCA to fulfil tasks on their Agenda as follows:-

• Signs for each site managed by the Community 9 x £41.21 – Total £370.89
• Resurfacing of the Picnic Area
• 5 new fruit trees to replace those damaged by the Council strimmers @ Total £200.
• 2 more village benches @ £300 each – Total £600
• Paint to repaint benches – Total £80
• Squirrel feeders x 4 @ £25 each – Total £100

Other suggestions from Committee Members were as follows:-

• Purchase a Defibrillator
• Communications cost
• Supporting Community Groups
• Defibrillator training
• Donations for funding local causes / banners
• Donations to Kate Ward’s Afternoon Club – agreed by all
• Innis Na Birlinn Cemetery – agreed by all
• Donations to Children’s Christmas Party – agreed by all
• A Nether Lochaber Flower Competition of some kind (whilst we are unable to host the Annual Flow and Produce Show at present). 

There then followed a lengthy discussion on the different causes throughout Nether Lochaber that would benefit from funding and it was agreed that due to the length of time taken up discussing this item and due to the lateness of the evening, that apart from the three items marked “agreed by all” above, a decision on the other projects listed be discussed at the next meeting. 

Also agreed to discuss the Coronation Trees further at the next meeting. 

• Date of Next Meeting 

It was agreed that the next Meeting of the NLCC would be held on Tuesday 1^st April 2025 at 7.30pm in the Nether Lochaber Church Hall.