Innes Stephen, chair; Linda Mackie, secretary; Sam Andrew; Gordon Brown; Bob Davidson; Ian Massie; Dick Reville; Colin Taylor; Muriel Thomson. Also present PC George Hall and Councillor Paul Johnston.

Muriel Thomson said it was important that all responses on behalf of the council should be brought before the Council for approval before being submitted. The chairman indicated that wherever possible matters were discussed by the full council before representations were made, but that was not always possible because of time constraints. However, for important matters the practice was to attempt to get approval of at least five members (a quorum of the council) to any submissions.

Tamsin Morris, development officer of the Formartine Partnership outlined the work of the partnership and explained the background to its Ythan Project and its funding bids to the European Union and the Scottish Executive. She agreed to send the community council copies of the application forms for Community Council, Environment, and Rural Youth Transport grants

Referring to the previous item Linda Mackie expressed concern about spending priorities. She felt it was more important, for example, that money was sought for priorities like peripatetic music teachers for schools. Innes Stephen emphasised that the Partnership was not an Aberdeenshire Council body, and then reported on the finance briefing he and Sam Andrew had attended.

After lengthy discussion it was decided that members should give thought to spending priorities, and at the January meeting have the opportunity to indicate areas where they felt savings could be made by Aberdeenshire Council as well as identifying areas where spending should be safeguarded and where services should be reinstated if cash were available.

The Council noted the sub-committee minute on Zone 98. The need to dry out the building now that a new roof was in place was considered and PC Hall volunteered to try to source a de-humidifier and Ian Massie undertook to contact Garioch Plant Hire. It was important that the cabin should be dried out as quickly as possible.

Constable Hall announced that the Diced Cap police charity had decided to give £250 cash to Zone 98 and would provide £500 worth of stock of items like pens, mugs and collectibles which could be sold by the youngsters on a 50/50 basis. It was agreed that the stock should be delivered as son as possible to give the opportunity to sell it in the festive season.

Councillor Johnston said that the proposal for 50 houses in the cemetery field that he had mentioned at the November meeting was no longer included in the draft local plan. The area of land between Braiklay Croft and the village was identified in the plan as a site for future housing. However new submissions could be made in comments on the draft plan at any stage up until its formal approval. The Community Council along with all other bodies and individuals could make representations on any submissions made. Bob Davidson suggested that there should be a public display of updated suggestions for Tarves in the village to give everyone the opportunity to see them and make representations, and the suggestion was unanimously approved.

b) Ythsie

The Community Council considered a letter from a resident at Ythsie asking the new council to discuss the application with a view to making a submission before the matter came before the Formartine Area committee in January. After discussion it was agreed that the Community Council would write Aberdeenshire Council reiterating the comments previously made on road access concerns and the need to safeguard the interests of the present residents there. Bob Davidson suggested that the proposed path from Ythsie to Tarves would be unsafe for children and should be lit and Linda Mackie had concerns over the demolition of the steading buildings and the number of houses proposed, but the Community Council decided to make no representation on these points.

However, the Community Council expressed concern that an Aberdeenshire Councillor had suggested that if the development at Ythsie were turned down the houses could be built at Tarves. The meeting was reminded that at public consultation meetings the predominant general feeling had been that up to perhaps 20 new houses only could be accepted in Tarves and it was agreed that the Formartine Committee should be made aware of that.

The Christmas Tree was in place and the lights switched on. The chairman had a brochure of lights and their costs and it was agreed that the Community Council would discuss a replacement set. It was agreed that local groups (including, as suggested at the November meeting, the carol singers) should consider the tree lights as a suitable cause for any Festive Season fund-raising,

Members are to consider the Formartine Area Plan before the January meeting with a view to suggesting any items for inclusion. One Tarves matter, which might be appropriate for Aberdeenshire to consider, is the path between the rear of the school and Braiklay Avenue.