SPEY COAST TENANTS’ FORUM.

MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE SPEY COAST TENANTS’ FORUM HELD ON THURSDAY 9^TH OCTOBER 2008 IN BUCKIE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL AT 7.30.P.M.

PRESENT ;   Harry Walton                                    Chair person

                                    Jean Walton                         Secretary

                                    Annie Cowie                        Treasurer.

                                    Helen Milne

                                    Pearl Mann

                                    Patricia Beattie

                                    Vivian Smith

                                    David Woods

                                    Douglas Ross                      Councillor

                                    Alistair McQuaker                The Moray Council

By invitation:             Scott Crossley – Scottish Housing Regulator.

Welcome.

Harry Walton welcomed all members to the meeting and extended a welcome to Scott Crossley who had been visiting Moray as part of the annual inspection team.    Scott Crossley said that the remit of the inspection team was to see that the policies and procedures of the Council were in place and working well.   He asked if the Forum had any objection to his taking notes of the meeting and his request was granted.

Apologies for Absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Gilbert Grant, Bob Hay,Bill Smith, Stella Clark and Councillors Joe McKay, Ron Shepherd and George Macintyre.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 September 2008.

The Minutes were approved as a correct record of the Meeting

Proposed for adoption : Helen Milne.

Seconded :                     David Wood.

Matters Arising.

No matters arising were brought up.

Secretary’s Report

Jean Walton gave a report relating to the computer training programme which has been arranged to commence on the 28^th October 2008 in the Computer Suite at Buckie High School commencing at 3.30.p.m.   Jean Walton passed enrolment forms to members of the group for completion prior to commencing he course.

It was noted that the group would be using memory sticks to save their work and Alistair McQuaker offered to purchase these for the group.

Treasurer’s Report

Annie Cowie reported that there was only £115.46 in the bank account.  It was noted that the direct grant funding of £500 should have been paid into the account with effect from the 26 September 2008.   Annie Cowie advised that she had not received an uptodate balance sheet.

Project Update.

Harry Walton advised that Gary Wiseman had now left and his post would be advertised, but said that Gary had submitted his final report for the Forum which was as follows:

Portgordon                Reid Terrace, Step Upgrades        With Roads

Portgordon                17-23 Tannachy Road,moss cleaning completed.

Cullen                         5-7 Binview Road,heightened fencing.With DLO

Buckie                       Samson Avenue,replacement fencing, prices have been accepted; now issued to DLO.

Fochabers                8-32 Castlehill Road,replacement fencing. Prices

                                  Accepted, now issued to DLO.

Buckie                      7 West Street, replacement fencing, with DLO

Portgordon              Crown Terrace, moss cleaning now with DAS.

This was an estimated spend todate of £40,746.12, leaving an

Estimated balance of £2,838.60 to be allocated before the financial

Year end.

Harry Walton asked for projects to be considered for the current

Year and also projects for 2009.  Gilbert Grant had proposed that

Repairs to be walls in Harbour Street, Buckie should be

Considered with a view to spending £8000 in 2008 and £8000 in

2009. It was agreed that the project should be left in abeyance

for 2008 and re-assessed as a project for 2009.

Harry Walton advised that reports from walk-abouts in June had not been received by the Forum.  Alistair McQuaker agreed to look into this and forward copies.

It was noted that the bushes on the path at Castlehill required to be cut back – Alistair McQuaker to look into this.       The path (Garden Lane) Portgordon with overgrown bushes.

Annual General Meeting.

Arrangements for the forthcoming Annual General Meeting were discussed and noted that in 2009 the Annual General Meeting would be brought forward to September/October to bring the Forum into line with the Moray Tenants Core Group Annual General Meeting.

Alistair McQuaker advised that voting papers would be posted out to all tenants in the Spey Coast area, with a request that these should be returned to Jean Walton by the 31^st October 2008.  It was also agreed that Graeme Davidson, Strategic Planning Manager at Moray Council should be invited to speak at  the Annual General Meeting.

Any Other Competent Business.

Jean Walton reported that now the Forum had it’s own website inputing information onto the website was proving difficult because of the dial-up service on the computer and a broadband service was needed which would cost approximately £14 per month.

This expenditure was not approved by the Forum, and the matter would be discussed further following the Annual General Meeting.

Date and Time of Next Meeting: Thursday 13^th November 2008 in the Community High School, Buckie at 7.30.p.m.

Proposed date for meeting in December. This to be discussed At the Annual General Meeting.

JW/20.10.08.