Author: Strathdearn (Page 38 of 90)

Work to upgrade the Balvraid Road (U2829) will be carried out during the summer of 2022. This is to aid timber extraction from Glenkirk Forest and is funded by the Scottish government’s Strategic Timber Transport Scheme (STTS).  Weekly schedules will be published here.

CLICK HERE to download map

Stuart Bell BSc CEng MICE
Senior Engineer
Arvikaconsult Ltd
stuart@arvikaconsult.co

Potential Gym at the Strathdearn 

As readers may be aware, a comprehensive survey was held some time ago regarding the potential of setting up a Community Gym at the Strathdearn Hub. Gym equipment that was donated to the community is currently in storage. 

The process of progressing the gym was put on hold until the outcome of the Community Action Plan was known. The gym topic has been discussed at SCD Board meetings and plans are under consideration to run this for a pilot period of 12 months after evaluating what support is in the Strathdearn Community. 

As there is currently no appropriate space inside the Strathdearn Hub we have looked at running the pilot scheme using a temporary modular building at the rear of the Hub which will house the donated equipment. This would be supported using the existing toilet and shower facilities in the Hub. The initial indications are that this will cost approximately £20,000 for a 12-month pilot period. Progressing with the pilot is dependent on commitment from the interested members of the community to use the facility. 

As part of this evaluation process, we would like to invite interested members of the community to come forward to set up a small community gym group to progress this pilot forward and work with SCD to consider all the options and how this will be funded in terms of membership fees. All previous parties showing an interest should have received an email from info@strathdearn.org on the 24th of August 2022, many thanks to the 7 people who have already contacted us to show an interest in volunteering their time. If you did not receive the email on the 24th of August 2022 then we have not noted your interest in the gym. Please email us your name, email and telephone number to info@strathdearn.org by the 15th of September 2022 so we can add you to our gym database. Please also state whether you would be able to volunteer any of your time. 

We will be back in touch to arrange a meeting shortly to gather the interested community gym group together with a view to moving this forward and making a decision at the following SCD Board meeting. 

Please see this page for times and locations in Strathdearn.

Work to upgrade the Balvraid Road (U2829) will be carried out during the summer of 2022. This is to aid timber extraction from Glenkirk Forest and is funded by the Scottish government’s Strategic Timber Transport Scheme (STTS).  Weekly schedules will be published here.

CLICK HERE to download map

Stuart Bell BSc CEng MICE
Senior Engineer
Arvikaconsult Ltd
stuart@arvikaconsult.co

STRATHDEARN COMMUNITY COUNCIL – RESPONSE TO THE PETITION 
 
The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, made provision for the continuation of Community Councils. The Highland Council’s Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in Highland (updated September 2019) includes the following two paragraphs: 
 
“The general purpose of Community Councils is to act as a voice for their local area. This will involve them articulating the views and concerns of local people in their area on a wide range of issues of public concern and making representations to the Highland Council, other 
public sector bodies and private agencies on matters within their sphere of interest.” 
 
“Community Councils have a duty under statute to represent the views of their local community. It is essential that these views are demonstrated to be representative of the community and that they reflect the broad spectrum of opinion and interests of all sections of the community.” 
 
The Community Council’s response to statement 1: The lack of consultation about the major revisions to the plans for the work being carried out along the road heading south from the community Hub to Juniper Drive including the installation of infrastructure for street lighting. 

 
The term of the current Community Council started in January 2020 after an election held in December 2019. Personnel changes since then have been by co-options and by an interim election in January 2022. Since the inaugural meeting in January 2020, the minutes show that there was no specific agenda item for the Paths Project at any meeting, but that the Community Council was updated on the project’s progress by the Strathdearn Community Development’s representative at meetings. There was no mention of any information being received from the Highland Council. They further show that there was no specific mention of the details of the original specifications or of any changes. There is no record of any questions from the public until recently, with discussion being first noted at the July 2022 meeting. Comments at previous meetings concerned the safety of pedestrians, especially children, along the road in winter. Street lighting is not mentioned in the minutes until the 28th  of June 2022 meeting. Since this Community Council was not informed about the original 
specifications or of any changes, nor was it asked to provide them, it was unable to facilitate any consultations. 
 
The Community Council’s response to statement 2: The length of time the work is taking, and the disruption caused. 

 
The Community Council shares the community’s concerns about the length of time the work has taken, and the disruption caused. The minutes show that the site manager was invited to be present at both the meeting on 12th April and that on 28th July to engage with the public. The robust discussion that took place in July showed that the public were not satisfied with his explanations. In their deliberations on the topics raised, the Community Councillors felt that many of the petitioners’ complaints were justified. 
 

The Community Council’s response to statement 3: The specification of work and materials. 

Since the minutes show the current Community Councillors were not privy to the specification of work and materials, nor to any changes they cannot comment. However, they do consider the workmanship to be poor. 

SCD General Update Wednesday 31st August 2022 

Amongst other things, the SCD Team are currently working hard to find solutions and options in the following areas: 

• Rising energy costs.  How can SCD, along with other community bodies, use the funding to help the community as it experiences rising energy costs. 
• Shop prices.  How can SCD provide advice and support to 3B catering to allow affordable food prices in the local shop. 
• Skate park.  How can SCD look into the viability of this project in a way that the community are fully consulted. 
• Youth Development. How can SCD drive this forward after the successful Summer Pilot. 

Please bear with us while we work to gather all relevant factual information and options.  We are hoping to have our monthly update issued the week commencing 12th September 2022 and this should include more details on the above along with other news. 

Many thanks, 

The SCD Team.  

Statement from the SCD Board – Wednesday 31st August 2022 

In response to the petition on the paths project, we are taking the concerns of the community very seriously and are taking appropriate action to address the points made in point 1 of the petition, while reserving the right to make any further comment necessary on point 2 and point 3 once Highland Council have responded on these points. 

What appropriate action is the Board taking?  We are working with the Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS), the advisory body for development trusts and companies in Scotland, who have provided the following statement: 

“As a member of DTAS (Development Trust Association Scotland), DTAS will work with Strathdearn Community Development (SCD) by providing support and advice to enable SCD to better represent and meet the needs of its community.” 

In addition, following further advice from DTAS, we are also going to undertake an independent evaluation which will be carried out by Evaluation Scotland to see if there is anything we could have done better or anything more we could have done to keep the community better informed.  

Once we have the answers to these questions we will engage with the whole community in our usual way.  Working through the evaluation and seeking advice from DTAS first, rather than rushing headlong into immediate engagement with the community, will allow us to be much better informed.  SCD will then be able to engage much more meaningfully with the whole community at the end of this process.  We will fully update the community on the outcome of the Evaluation and any other actions recommended by DTAS, as well as any further actions the Board considers may be beneficial to the resolution of the paths dispute.  

We are not too proud to accept that lessons may need to be learned but what we are not prepared to accept is abuse on Facebook/social media or harrying demands from groups within the community for instant solutions, without first pausing for review and reflection to make sure that any mistakes we may have made will not be repeated.  We will not be bullied and consequently will not be responding to either.  

In the meantime, we will, of course, continue posting information about our other events and activities in the usual way:  

• On the dedicated SCD Facebook page and the Community Website.  
• On the Notice Boards.  

• Via the normal written monthly report to the Community Council.  
• In the Newsletter  

We will also continue to offer our monthly ‘Meet a Director’ sessions usually the day after the Community Council meeting, alternating between a daytime slot (10am-12 noon) and an early evening slot (5-7pm) to make these meetings as accessible as possible for those who go out to work as you requested.  In addition, contact on everyday matters can also be made by emailing to info@strathdearn.org  

With all good wishes.  

The Board and Staff of SCD 

‘SCD would like to advise the community it is working through the issues that have been brought forward by members of the community regarding the installation of the paths in Tomatin.

Just a quick recap, the paths project has been a very longstanding project since 2007. It has gone through various stages by members of the community, previous volunteer SCD Boards and Community Councils. Section 8 originated on the east side but due to residents’ concerns was moved to the west side as per the current plans on SCD website.

The current drawings which were formulated in 2016/18 did not meet The Highland Councils (THC) adoptable standard specifications. In the main it was the surface which THC required to be made of tarmac to allow it to meet the adoptable standards as they will be maintaining the paths going forward .Any other surface would have meant the community would have been left with the expensive maintenance burden.

In 2021 at the AGM the community strongly expressed they wanted some form of street lighting on section 8 as it would enhance the safety aspect of the path. As this was not previously budgeted for or consulted on, it was agreed that SCD would as part of the project install the infrastructure to future proof it. This was done at a cost of £450 during the construction phase opposed to thousands to retrofit it for the future generations of the community.

Every other aspect has not been changed including the timber edging in the original plans as there was a desire from the community to see a path which was less of an urban style in a semi-rural setting.

The plans/drawings were made available on SCD website, and the link posted to The Strathdearn FB page along with drawings/plans emailed to people who asked for them in February 2022. Further updates included within the community newsletter.

Between the date of communicating the plans/drawings and the commencement of the project there were no objections, with only one query on the plans/ drawings brought to SCD’s attention.

The Traffic Calming Measures were consulted on via THCs’ Public Consultation legal process, managed by Safer Routes to School

The Primary School and The Strathdearn Community Council in September 2021 both supported the proposed plans.

THC agreed to procure, and project manage the construction of the paths on a day-to-day basis.

The current status is THC are currently working through the defect process with the appointed contractor to identify and rectify the defects. This will include moving back the ‘giveaway’ lines at the traffic calming points, and relocating signage to ensure it is clearly displayed, and looking at the material/installation of the timber edging.

SCD have previously written to THC outlining concerns around some of the works, and are in agreement with the community on some of the timber edging. This is being reviewed along with the concerns from a petition which was also submitted.

THC will respond back to the petitioners and SCD once they have reviewed all the information. This is likely to take a couple of weeks’

The response from THC will be published. As soon as the defects are rectified, final costs of both sections of the paths with Grant Funding will also be made available to the community.

Going forward, there will be a further community consultation on whether the community wishes to see the following:

• concrete kerbs installed on section 8 (with the associated costs)
• street lighting on section 8 (with the associated cost and specification)
• assess further desires for traffic calming & speed reduction measures (with the associated costs)

Whilst it is unlikely there will be a consensus from the community on the above list, it is important that the community considers the safety aspects of the above choices in their decision making.”

Work to upgrade the Balvraid Road (U2829) will be carried out during the summer of 2022. This is to aid timber extraction from Glenkirk Forest and is funded by the Scottish government’s Strategic Timber Transport Scheme (STTS).  Weekly schedules will be published here.

CLICK HERE to download map

Stuart Bell BSc CEng MICE
Senior Engineer
Arvikaconsult Ltd
stuart@arvikaconsult.co

The SCD Board acknowledges receipt of the recent petition which it takes very seriously. Consequently we have been in touch with DTAS (The Development Trust Association Scotland), the body which provides support and guidance to development trusts and companies throughout Scotland, with whom we will be working to better communicate and work with the community.

DTAS have already provided us with guidance which we will be fully considering at our Board Meeting later this month after which we will be in a better position to further update the community on the measures agreed going forward to improve our relationship.

We will continue to use the designated Strathdearn Community Developments Facebook page rather than the general Strathdearn Facebook page because we do not believe that recent exchanges on Facebook have been helpful or beneficial.

We intend to continue our monthly Director Drop-In Sessions and, taking into account that you have told us that the daytime slot does not suit everyone, September’s Session will take place on Wednesday 14 September from 5 – 7 pm, when Director Vivian Roden will be available for discussion and to answer any questions if she can! In addition queries can also be sent to info@strathdearn.org We will be back in touch again after the August Board Meeting.

With all good wishes, the SCD Board of Directors.