^{1 - Present: Bob Davidson (Chair), John Thomson (Vice Chair), Sam Andrew, Dick Reville, Ian Massie, Colin Taylor, Jenny Wagstaff, Linda Mackie (minutes), Ros Deane}

^{Also Present: Councillor Paul Johnston, Alison Leith (Ellon Advertiser), 3 members of the public}

^{Apologies: Donny Chisholm, Karen Cooper-Bonner, Gordon Brown}

^{Bob welcomed Jack Clark from Aberdeenshire Council’s Planning and Environmental Services Department. The following points were made:}

• ^{A directive has been passed which says that the amount of organic (biodegradable) waste to landfill must be reduced by 25% by 2010, by 50% by 2013 and by 75% by 2020}

• ^{These suggested amounts are based on the amount of waste that was reported to have gone to landfill in 1995 - a reduction of 25% will be a major task and will involve more recycling and a reduction in the amount of waste produced.}

• ^{CFC gasses already extracted from refrigerants now must be removed from fridges and freezers as well; regulations are now in place which mean that motor vehicles cannot be scrapped but must be taken apart and all parts disposed of safely; all electrical equipment will have to be taken apart, the components segregated and disposed of separately from other household waste.}

• ^{The cost of acquiring a licence for putting waste into landfill is increasing.}

• ^{People’s behaviour must change and quickly - waste will have to be separated for recycling, and despite a grant of £50 million it is acknowledged that change will not be easy.}

• ^{The proposed method for encouraging change is 3-fold and includes}

  • ^{SUPPORT - through purchase of more recycling vehicles and manpower for vehicles and recycling centres. There is currently a 3-year experiment going on at the moment where composters, wormeries and shredders have been provided to householders. The average 18kg of waste produced per household, per week, has been reduced to an average of 3kg.}

  • ^{EDUCATE - through employing area officers and through major education and awareness campaign.}

  • ^{KERB SIDE RECYCLING SERVICE in more densely populated areas and move from weekly to fortnightly collections for different kinds of recyclable waste. (It is expected that 20% of remote households will not get kerbside collection).}

• ^{But there is not always a reliable market for recyclable waste. The reuse of glass bottles is not cost efficient. Certain types of plastic can be reprocessed in England but transport is expensive. The price of newspaper for recycling is volatile.}

^{When asked what was being done at government level to reduce packaging Mr Clark said that targets are already in place to encourage reduction, recycling and recovery of waste packaging but many companies pay another company to take responsibility for this. It would be beneficial if the government gave tax incentives to create demand for recycled material.}

^{2 composting units are already in existence and it is hoped that a third will be built.}

^{Bob thanked Mr Clark very much for coming to talk to us.}

1. ^{Melvin Hall Noticeboard - no progress, but existing notice board is showing signs of wear. Sandy Davidson to attend to this.}

2. ^{Potholes - Paul Johnston to ask for pothole in front of church to be attended to.}

3. ^{Development within Conservation Area - Sean Norman has provided a document with gives details of acceptable development within a conservation area. Bob to copy this and put in the box.}

4. ^{Ythsie Development - Karen to report to next meeting.}

5. ^{Plans - Bob wrote to Bruce Stewart asking that plans be automatically emailed to relevant Community Councils but no response. There has been no response to Linda’s letter regarding labelling of planning applications for easier identification.}

6. ^{Tourism Group are looking at a walk between Methlick, Gight and Fyvie. The group is still keen for something to be done in each area.}

7. ^{Motor bikes are still a problem on the Old Aberdeen Road. Bob to speak to the police.}

8. ^{‘No dogs’ signs have been ordered for the play park.}

9. ^{Castle trail sign at A920 crossroads with B999 still pointing the wrong way. Bob spoke to roads, Paul to speak to Bill Lennox.}

10. ^{Project Grant money is dwindling.}

11. ^{BBC Scotland fundraising scheme information to be looked at by Colin before the next meeting.}

12. ^{Mill of Tolquhon right of way - Colin Millar has provided forms to be filled up by anyone who uses the path or has used it in the recent past. John Thomson has these forms.}

13. ^{Dog Walk - it was suggested that a permanent beetle bank along the Manse Brae side of the glebe field would solve many of the problems. John Thomson to liaise with Colin Millar regarding safety and to see if a final solution can be reached.}

14. ^{Planters in front of school have been planted but not adequately maintained. Amenity Group to liaise with school to offer advice on planting and maintenance.}

15. ^{Skateboarders are to be discouraged from using the Old Aberdeen Road by erection of a railing at the Braiklay Avenue end, to be provided by the Council. There has been some criticism that this will ‘spoil their fun’ but children’s safety important. The survey done recently among the children in the village showed that there was not sufficient demand for a skate board park. It was again suggested that the old tennis court could be a possible site, if needed, but no decision made on how to progress this.}

16. ^{Braiklay crossroads site visit date not yet set.}

• ^{Water main issue on old school site being dealt with by a group of local residents.}

• ^{Bus shelter - Post Office to relocate post box free of charge. Barthol Chapel does not qualify for a purpose-built aluminium and glass bus shelter because it is not on a bus route. The Association is now looking to buy a shelter and awaits details of costs.}

^{6 - Village Orderley}

^{Village Orderly post to be created for Tarves and Pitmedden for 6 months of the year. Members were asked to let Linda have their suggestions for Village Orderly duties before the end of the month so that she could pass these on to Keith Newton. It was suggested that 2 men covering 4 villages might make the job more attractive.}

^{7 - Public Toilets}

^{These are now open permanently and a key holder is needed to lock and unlock the building. Please give suggestions to Paul Johnston in the first instance.}

^{Details of Tarves Conservation Area have been received from Sean Norman. These are to be copied and will be available from the Box.}

^{Colin to report back to next meeting.}

^{Most have already been dealt with, exceptions being those mentioned under matters arising, item 4}

^{11- Village Notice Board}

^{Has already been discussed.}

• ^{Ythsie to be discussed at the next meeting.}

• ^{Old Bakery - no further information available.}

• ^{Duthie Road/Tolquhon Avenue - Formartine Area Committee voted 6-5 in favour of granting permission for plot 2 to be identical to plot 1 but with dry dash and no stone in porch. The dormers have now been altered - they are now hipped - but the house position has not been changed. A copy of the Development Control guidelines for Tarves Conservation Area was given by Councillor Johnston prior to the Area meeting, but those who voted in favour of the application chose to ignore its content.}

^{It was suggested that a letter should be written to the Ombudsman detailing the Community Council’s disappointment with the way in which applications in or adjacent to the Conservation Area have been dealt. But it was decided that Bob should write to George Chree of Planning Department in the first instance, inviting him to future meeting to explain why little reference appears to have been made to planning guidelines, the conservation area, roads department regulations and Historic Scotland in considering planning applications. Also it was felt that the lack of detail and poor access to plans should be brought to his attention. And with the future developments at the Old Bakery and the Smiddy, both of which are in the conservation area, it was felt that a full explanation of what is and is not acceptable in a conservation area should be sought.}

^{It was brought to the Community Council’s attention that the plans approved in 1995 for plot 1 (a copy is attached) were for a house almost identical to the one next door - Eastfield. The planning officers make reference to these papers but no mention is made that the current plans vary greatly from the original ones, the only similarity being the use of wet harl.}

• ^{Community Safety - now have a website at www.aberdeenshirecommunitysafety.org.uk.}

• ^{Formartine Partnership tourist brochures to be checked by members by next meeting.}

• ^{An anonymous letter was received from a resident. Anonymous letters cannot be dealt with. It was pointed out that an operator’s licence is needed for 7½ ton (and above) lorries and regulations apply but not for a vehicle below that weight.}

• ^{A letter of resignation was received from Sarah Pumfrett, the minutes secretary. Linda to write and thank her for her work.}

• ^{Formartine Area Committee Information Bulletin}

• ^{Community Safety booklet}

• ^{Paths for All Partnership information}

• ^{Aberdeen and Grampian Tourism Strategy}

• ^{The bus shelter is in need of repair - Paul to see to this.}

• ^{The water supply in the village is off on a regular basis - to be looked into.}

• ^{The football club has been told that it is not considered suitable for a lottery application. Paul to look into this.}