PRESENT:

 Marylin Macdonald (MMD) Chair – NLCC / NLVH
Marie MacLachlan (MML) Secretary NLCC / NLVH
Kathleen Cameron (KC) – NLCC / NLVH
Elizabeth MacLellan (EM) Treasurer / Minute Secretary -  NLCC

 PUBLIC ATTENDANCE:

 Chris Boles

• Apologies 

PC Stephen Cooper and Councillor Thomas MacLellan. 

• Minutes of Meeting held 17^th June 2025 

The Minutes of the NLCC Meeting of 17^th June 2025 having been circulated and there being no amendments were approved together with the attached statement detailing the duties and responsibilities of the NLCC.

Proposed:  Marie MacLachlan            Seconded:  Marylin Macdonald 

• Matters Arising from Minutes 

• Item 4 – Co-option of New Member to the NLCC – Noted that Highland Council had now circulated a Community Council Election Timetable and that the latest date for submitting Nomination Papers was 12 noon Tuesday 2^nd September 2025. 

• Police Report 

The Committee noted from PC Cooper’s e-mailed report that:-

• Following the recent theft from a building site in Nether Lochaber the suspect had now been arrested, charged and a report sent to the Procurator Fiscal. It was further noted that some of the property had been recovered.
• The Glencoe Police once again had to cover the Fort William area due to staffing levels.
• Again PC Cooper encouraged anyone to let him know if there were any issues or concerns in the area which he could assist with. 

• Action Points 

• Defibrillators – MMD reported that NLCC had now applied to the British Heart Foundation Community Defibrillator Funding Programme for a Defibrillator to be placed at St Brides School. It was noted that as the Fund was limited to one application per Group the Nether Lochaber Village Hall Committee had applied for one to be located at the Roam West site. MMD advised that she had spoken with Gus MacDonald of Highland Council with regard to the defibrillator signage who said he was aware of the proposed removal of old telephone boxes following consultation and said he had no problem with the defibrillator signage being displayed on the Bus Stop at the Old Post Office and that he would advise the appropriate person in the Council with regard to this.
• NLCC Bank Account Signatories – Noted from EM that the signatories on the NLCC Bank Account had now been changed and both she and MMD had registered for online banking.

• Treasurer’s Report 

            Noted from EM that following payment of the undernoted outstanding amounts the balance in the NLCC Account would be £4,547.45.

• Kate Ward’s Afternoon Club - £100
• Children’s Christmas Party - £100
• Innis Na Birlinn Cemetery - £50
• MMD – refund re SP Services (for Defibrillator Pads) - £92.63
• Hire of NL Church Hall - £72
• MML – refund re McIntyre & Co Land Registry Search - £150 

• Planning Matters 

1. Siting of Static Caravan for staff accommodation; siting of storage container

Allt-Nan-Ros Apartments, Onich, PH33 6RY

Ref No: 25/02660/FUL

No objections.

• Village Hall Committee 

The Committee noted from MMD that-

• The Committee were continuing to hold their soup and sandwich lunches on the third Monday of each month in the Nether Lochaber Church Hall.
• Tickets for the Village Hall annual raffle would be available to purchase at the next soup and sandwich lunch with the draw taking place at the soup and sandwich lunch on Monday 17^th
• With regard to the transfer of the Village Hall Niall MacBeath of McIntyre’s had received a quote of £962 for the proposed Title Indemnity Policy. The Village Hall Committee had thought this rather high and Ann Marie Cameron had contacted Steven Bond of Gallagher’s to see if a cheaper policy was available.
• Chris Boles kindly offered to put details of the annual raffle onto the Village Hall website. 

• Nether Lochaber Community Association 

No update but noted details of the NLCA Newsletter on their website. 

• AOCB 

• Noted from EM that the poly-pockets attached to each of the five notice boards for the Agenda/Minutes were not successful in that two had blown away and the three remaining contained soggy minutes that tore when you tried to separate the pages in order to read them. Following discussion it was agreed that MML would prepare a poster to which Chris Boles would add a QR Code with a link to the NLCC website where the Agenda and Minutes could be accessed, this would then be laminated and displayed on each of the notice boards for members of the public.
• It was noted that despite members of the public being informed that the visit by the Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop scheduled for Tuesday 5^th August had been cancelled due to extreme weather conditions and the Corran Ferry being off, the event had taken place with Ms Hyslop in attendance.
• Noted the Maid of Glencoul was ready for sea trials.
• MML advised that Lochaber Community Alliance had asked if anyone from NLCC would be willing to undertake their secretarial role but nobody was able to take this on.
• Upgrades at CS 11020927 North Ballachulish, Fort William, PH33 6SA – NGR E:209608 N: 761163 – Noted letter received by e-mail from Cornerstone advising they are in the process of progressing suitable sites in the North Ballachulish area for a radio base station equipment upgrade for VMO2 (Telefonica).
• NLCC Facebook – agreed that MML would make a new Facebook account on behalf of the Community Council and then contact the Administrator of the current Facebook page to switch Administrators and this would create a Community Council page that all Committee Members could access. 

• Date of Next Meeting 

As previously agreed the next meeting of the NLCC would be Tuesday 9^th September 2025 at 7.30pm in the Nether Lochaber Church Hall. 

As Approved by the NLCC at their Meeting held on

Tuesday 11^th November 2025