GULBERWICK, QUARFF & CUNNINGSBURGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL

MEETING ON 20 AUGUST 2019 IN THE CUNNINGSBURGH SCHOOL AT 7.30PM

AGENDA *denotes attachment

A. Hold Circular Calling Meeting as Read

B. Apologies for Absence

C. Declarations of Interest

D. Approval of Minutes of Meeting – held on Tuesday 4th June 2019*

1.

Matters Arising from Minutes

2. Police Report

3. Visit from Shetland Community Benefit Fund Representative – Alan Ockendon To update on latest news with the SCBF and the Viking Energy Fund

4. Financial Monitoring Report

5. Planning None requiring comment at time of publication.

6. Grant Applications None received at time of publication.

7. Community Council Training* Dates and details of upcoming training.

8.

Gulberwick Graveyard* Letter from Gulberwick resident regarding the overgrown grass in the graveyard.

9. Association of Shetland Community Councils Meeting – 17 September 2019* Attendance required by a member from GQ&C CC. (6-8pm in Town Hall)

10. Shetland’s Partnership Plan – Summer Update* Publication of the Delivery Plan 2019-2022, Project Outcomes and the Outcomes Improvement

Framework.

11. Tingwall Agricultural Museum and Heritage Centre – letter requesting support* Letter requesting support for the museum, helping it in its bid for funding applications.

12. Hjaltland Housing Association AGM – Nominations to the Management Committee* Invite to GQ&C CC to stand for election to the Management Committee.

13. AOCB

14. Date of Next Meeting –Tuesday 24th September 2019

Funding Available – Can now be searched through the SIC’s new Funding Scotland Portal: http://shetland.fundingscotland.com

GULBERWICK, QUARFF & CUNNINGSBURGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 4th JUNE 2019 IN THE CUNNINGSBURGH SCHOOL AT 7.30PM

A. THE CIRCULAR CALLING THE MEETING WAS HELD AS READ.

B. PRESENT Mr E MacPherson

Mrs S Wishart

Mrs L Johnston

Mr R Skinley

Mr C Clark

EX OFFICIO

Mr G Smith

(until 8.15)

Mr R McGregor

IN ATTENDANCE Mrs K Geddes

Mr A Farquhar

(Sumburgh Airport

Manager)

CHAIRPERSON Ms A Garrick-Wright

APOLOGIES Mr M Duncan

Mr C Smith

Mr P Campbell

Mrs P Christie

Mrs M Davis

Ms B Wishart

Mr R McAllister (HIAL

Programme Director)

Ms A Hawick

NOT PRESENT Mr A Duncan

Mr S Douglas

C. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Item 6 – Cllr G Smith will leave the room if still here during planning discussions because of his

role on the Planning Committee

Item 7 – Cllr R McGregor will leave the room during discussions on Cunningsburgh History

Group’s grant application as he is a member of the organisation.

D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 30 APRIL 2019

The minutes of both meetings were approved on the motion of Mr C Clark and seconded by Mr E

MacPherson.

1. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTE

1.1 Access Road – Pundsta Place

Patching work has taken place on the road but are a temporary solution and one of the options

for the future is micro-surfacing. Members wanted more detail on what exactly this means and

SIC Roads Engineer Neil Hutcheson emailed with a comprehensive and detailed explanation of

the process.

Members were happy with the response and agreed that they had a better understanding of why

it is an option for the road.

ACTION: Clerk to pass details of micro-surfacing on to the residents and to contact Roads to say

thank you for their response.

2. POLICE REPORT

No report available.

3. VISIT FROM HIAL REPRESENTATIVES – TO DISCUSS CAR PARKING CHARGES AT

SUMBURGH AIRPORT AND PLANS FOR AUTOMATED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM

Sumburgh Airport Manager Andrew Farquhar apologised for not being able to come sooner and gave

apologies for Programme Director Ross McAllister who could not make it tonight but has given him

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extra information on the ATC project in his absence.

Members explained that their main problems with the car parking charges were the lack of

consultation, their questions about what benefit it would actually have for Shetland, and whether it

was being used to subsidise airports such as Dundee.

Mr Farquhar said that the charges were definitely not being used to subsidise anywhere else and

were not profit making - it goes straight towards the running costs of Sumburgh Airport. He

explained that they have a cost base - how much is costs to run the airport – which goes up by a

little every year and that this is offset by their income from aviation with the rest being topped up

by the Scottish Government subsidy. The subsidy is approximately £20 million with Sumburgh

getting about £1 million. The subsidy is reduced year on year.

A few years ago they almost broke even but the following year they lost one of their biggest oil and

gas contracts, the competition between Loganair and FlyBe came to an end and this, added to the

fact that there is a gradual decline in oil and gas, meant that other options had to be looked at.

He said that the lack of consultation was a fair comment and being honest, they would do it

differently if they had the chance again. It was done out of necessity as they needed the money. He

also acknowledged that the public transport needed to be better but they had to do something

quickly. Transport to the airport was not within their remit though they have had lots of discussions

about it.

Mr MacPherson said he had concerns that those using the car park – a small section of the Shetland

population – were in effect subsidising multinational oil companies to use the airport. He also felt

that there was no effort to look at other ways to fund the shortfall.

Mr Farquhar said that the oil and gas companies were contributing massively and they have

increased prices for them to the tune of about 3% this year – again born out of necessity. They

have to pay their share to use Sumburgh and that goes towards funding the lifeline service.

He admitted that the car park is not generating the funds they were expecting or are aiming for –

largely due to the speed that the project had to happen. They could not get all the airport

boundaries included within the timescale as it required barriers, streetlights, speed restrictions etc.

This is likely to happen in the future though.

He also explained that the money from the car parking charges will not be ringfenced for one

particular project but will go towards the overall operating of the airport. Improvements to the

airport are always part of the operations and possible plans for the future which the car parking

charges could go towards includes projects such as more disabled toilets and an extension to the

departure lounge for NHS patients.

Cllr G Smith said that the government has a role to play in this in terms of recognising it is a lifeline

service – they should be looking at their subsidy. There are more problems coming up with the ATC

strike too. Everything is dependent on the subsidy and we would be far worse off if it was not for

the oil and gas. His biggest regret is that HIAL should have involved the community and the SIC at

the beginning of this process to support them to lobby the government about the lifeline service.

Members also wanted to point out that they feel that Sumburgh airport provides an excellent

service, is very well run, has excellent staff who are willing to work in all weathers and the criticism

is in no way aimed at Sumburgh Airport.

Mr Farquhar then set out where the investigation into the possibility of automated air traffic control

is at. A project director has been appointed and the preliminary operational – not physical – design

is being investigated. The design is out for tender just now and they will be awarding it in the next

few months. Staff engagement at all levels and from all airports is also happening. The next six

months will be about pulling it all together.

Members had questions and their main concern was about the resilience of the connection. Mr

Skinley was able to use his experience with the coastguard to explain why he was so worried. There

was a lot of discussion but Mr Farquhar explained that they did not have all the answers yet and

that was why they were investigating it – the safety case needs to be approved by the CAA and if

they are not completely convinced by the system, it will not go ahead. They can not ‘suck it and

see’.

The uniqueness of Sumburgh with its three runways, 360⁰ area they are controlling etc could mean

that Sumburgh might be a standalone – every option is being looked at.

He said that the project is being looked at because of sustainability, not cost-cutting. They want to

create a more sustainable air traffic service moving forward. At present recruitment and retention is

the main issue. There is no problem with recruitment but it can take up to three years from when

someone applies for the job before they become fully trained. They only have to give three months

notice of leaving so there is an inevitable shortfall in staff when someone leaves. The automated

ATC system would mean that if someone leaves then a member of staff could just move from the

next room – everyone would be trained to be able to work ‘at’ all airports.

Firm proposals will probably not be for about two or three years yet Mr Farquhar said, and public

consultation is an important part of the process and the impact assessment.

Before he left members asked if there were any plans for electric vehicle charging points within the

car park and Mr Farquhar said that there are plans for this as well as looking at electric vehicles for

the airport both land and air side. They are also looking at installing a windmill and other forms of

renewable energy – all as part of their attempt to offset costs.

Mr Farquhar left 9.15pm

4. SHETLAND COMMUNITY BENEFIT FUND – ALAN OCKENDON EXPLAINING VIKING

ENERGY FUND

Mr Ockendon explained that the Shetland Community Benefit Fund was set up in 2011 in

response to the projected Viking Energy windfarm. Money is often awarded back to the

communities that windfarms are set up in and it was decided that something should be done to

ensure that Shetland got the best possible deal. Representatives were nominated from

Community Councils and Mr Ockendon volunteered to become the GQ&C CC representative

several years ago when it was discovered that the CC had no representative on the SCBF board.

When first set up there were very detailed negotiations with Viking but there came a period

when it looked as though nothing was going to come of the project and it became moribund –

staffing was reduced and only AGMs were held to keep it going. For almost two years nothing

happened apart from one meeting to look at the Heads of Terms.

Recently there has been a lot of activity at Viking Energy with a huge increase in staff, lots of

planning applications and they approached the SCBF wanting to get agreements signed by the

end of May – with only 4-5 weeks notice. They wanted everything in place so that they can just

get going when they get the green light in Autumn. SCBF felt that the Community Councils

should be advised about what is happening and what is being signed and that is why Mr

Ockendon is here. The papers have been sent out to the CC for them to look at.

The general framework for a Community Benefit Fund is £5,000 per installed megawatt and

SCBF initially asked for more than that and were told no straight away.

There are three parties involved – Scottish and Southern Energy hold 50%, Shetland Charitable

Trust have 40% and the Burradale Windfarm owners Shetland Aerogenerators have 10%.

The community is not always involved with a benefit fund – more often than not the windfarm

operator itself handles the benefit fund and Mr Ockendon said that there is still the possibility

that this could happen. He believes that local involvement at this level is the best for Shetland.

At present, the benefit fund looks like it will be managing £2.25 million a year with the wind

turbines having an estimated 25-year life.

Up to 10% of the money would go to Community Councils – Community Councils funnel projects

through to the SCBF and the money is handed back to the CC to give to the project.

Participatory Funding is one of the models which is being examined.

The SCBF is not set up as a charity as it was felt that the Shetland Charitable Trust already

fulfils that role. It is set up as a means to funnel money through from Viking Energy to others

and if it funnels through without sticking it will not be taxed.

Mr Ockendon strongly recommends that the SCBF Heads of Terms are signed – Viking Energy

would then have to pay the funds and the SCBF would have to find ways to pay it to the

community.

DECISION: Members unanimously agreed that:

• Mr Ockendon should stay on as the GQ&C CC representative.

• The Heads of Terms should be signed.

They also discussed the fact that it would be beneficial if other windfarm developments were

also brought under the SCBF and that the Term of Service for each CC representative could

perhaps echo that of the Community Councils, with a review and nomination process triggered

by the CC elections.

5. FINANCIAL MONITORING REPORT

The bank balance on Tuesday 4th June 2019 is £11,929.68.

The only activity on the account outside of the normal monthly transactions was the £100.64

backpay payment to the clerk.

The accounts have all been balanced by the clerk and are to go in to VAS for Independent

Evaluation over the summer break.

6. PLANNING

There were only two planning applications on the council website in the Community Council area

since the last meeting and one did not require comment from members:

2019/133/PPF Change of use of land and erect detached garage, Fjara, Easter Quarff, Quarff,

Shetland, ZE2 9EY.

Members had no objections or comments to return on the following application:

2019/144/PPF New dwelling house, Brake, Cunningsburgh, Shetland, ZE2 9HG.

ACTION: Clerk to email SIC Planning with the response.

7. GRANT APPLICATIONS

Cllr R MacGregor left the room during this item.

Members had two grant applications to consider – an application from the Cunningsburgh

History Group for money towards a laptop and a joint road grant application from three

households in South Brae, Quarff.

Members agreed to award £500 towards the History Group and 5 tonnes of road material to the

three households.

ACTION: Clerk to contact the applicants with the news, organise delivery and payment of the

road material and payment of the £500 community grant.

8. ASSOCIATION OF SHETLAND COMMUNITY COUNCILS MEETING – TUESDAY 25TH JUNE

Attendance is required at this meeting. Mr C Clark agreed to attend.

ACTION: Clerk to email agenda and papers to Mr Clark and to contact the ASCC to inform them

that he will be attending. Mr Clark to report back at the August meeting.

9. SHETLAND OUTDOOR ACCESS STRATEGY CONSULTATION

Members agreed that the strategy seemed reasonable and that the guidance on improving

access for people who are less able seemed particularly good – installation of gates instead of

stiles for example.

ACTION: Clerk to pass comments back using the online comment link. Any members who wish

to make further representation can do so individually using the same method. The closing date

is 14th June.

10. NEW INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES FUND (RENAMED COMMUNITY CHOICES FUND)

There was some discussion about the change to the fund and how there is more emphasis on

deprivation, poverty and equalities in the new fund – which is an amalgamation of the People

and Communities Fund; Strengthening Communities Programme; Making Places Initiative; Fair

Food Transformation Fund; as well as the Community Choices Fund. Grants of up to £250,000

are available over three years and the deadline is Friday 14th June.

Members decided that an application for £40,000 for each year (totalling £120,000 over the

three years) and linked closely to the Shetland Partnership Project would be a possible way

forward.

ACTION: Clerk to contact Sandwick and Dunrossness Community Councils for input, hopefully

organising a meeting and getting an application put together before the deadline.

11. AOCB

Community Council Training

Another reminder that training is on this Saturday (8th June) and any members who wanted to

attend should let Community Development know ASAP if they have not already done so. No

members attending tonight’s meeting are planning to go on Saturday but several have booked

into training at later dates.

Internal Transport Provision Meeting

At the ASCC Meeting in March it was agreed to hold a separate meeting solely to discuss internal

transport provision. This has been scheduled for Thursday 18th July, 6.30pm- 8.15pm in the Voe

Public Hall. No GQ&C CC members at tonight’s meeting are able to attend.

ACTION: Clerk to email ASCC with this information.

SIC Approach to Gravestones needing Upkeep

Cllr R MacGregor attended the Environment and Transport Committee on Tuesday 7th May and

was able to report back that he feels comfortable that all of the concerns raised by members at

the last meeting have been addressed and that he is satisfied with the plans put in place.

No Pavement on Road at Mail, Cunningsburgh

Concerns have been raised about the lack of pavement or footpath for pedestrians near the Mail

junction and continuing to the Mail beach. It is a very fast piece of road and one in which

vehicles often overtake and members agreed that a path is long overdue.

ACTION: Clerk to contact SIC Roads as well as the Outdoor Access Officer to see if anything can

be done. Cllr MacGregor has been asked to be copied into the email.

Industrial Area at Hillside, Gulberwick

Despite concerns that the landowner had only cleared the site enough to enable extra parking

for SMUHA, members were pleased to see that the area was looking much better and that

tidying and clearing up was continuing to be done – he had made a real effort.

Zero Waste to Landfill Steering Group Update

At the February meeting, Mr Clark shared details of a steering group he is involved in, which

aims to pull together all the good work already being done by individuals and organisations in

Shetland to achieve Zero Waste to Landfill. Mr Clark has emailed further information to the clerk

who has passed it on to all members and hopes to have more information regarding progress

after the summer – he is hoping meetings will have happened by then.

ACTION: Progress update at the August meeting. Cllr MacGregor to continue to support on the

issue of meetings.

12. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be held on TUESDAY 20TH AUGUST 2019. The meeting will be held at

7.30pm in the Cunningsburgh School.

Ms Garrick-Wright has put her apologies in for the foreseeable future as part of her maternity

leave.

Meeting Ends – 9.55pm

CHAIR

OUTSTANDING ITEMS

There are currently no outstanding items.

Community Council training

Michael.Duncan@shetland.gov.uk <Michael.Duncan@shetland.gov.uk> Tue, Aug 13, 2019 at 4:31

PM Cc: frances.browne@shetland.gov.uk, patricia.christie@shetland.gov.uk, Roselyn.Fraser@shetland.gov.uk

Good afternoon,

Please note the following forthcoming training events:

Date Time Subject Venue

Saturday 14 September 10.45am – 1pm Induction training Solarhus boardroom

Saturday 21 September 10.45am – 1pm Clerks training * Solarhus boardroom

Saturday 28 September To be confirmed Planning training To be confirmed

Saturday 5 October 10.45am – 1pm Funding, Project Planning & Participatory Budgeting

Solarhus Boardroom

* Please note this training is only open to CC clerks

Please share these training opportunities with your Community Councillors. Anyone interested in attending please get in touch and confirm the course(s) they would like to attend. Places will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.

With regards to the Planning training, it is scheduled to be delivered by Planning Aid Scotland. The proposed date & time has not been confirmed as yet so it may be subject to change. However it is really important that all Community Councils are in attendance at this Planning training. Community Councils may wish to appoint a member to attend the training with a view to becoming its planning “expert” but more than one member can attend from each Community Council so please confirm who is going to be there.

I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions please contact Roselyn Fraser (tel. 743879) or myself at this office.

Best regards,

Michael D

Michael Duncan

External Funding Officer / Community Council Liaison Officer

Shetland Islands Council

Community Planning & Development

Tel: 01595 743828

Email: Michael.duncan@shetland.gov.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shetland.community.hub

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Gulberwick graveyard

Elizabeth Simpson <lizsetter@icloud.com> Mon, Aug 12, 2019 at 11:48 AM To: clerk@gqc-communitycouncil.co.uk

Dear Kerry

I am writing to you as Clerk to Gulberwick, Quarff & Cunningsburgh Community Council

I would like to request that the following be discussed at the Community Council’s next meeting on Tuesday 20 August:

Gulberwick graveyard

I recently visited the older of the two graveyards at Gulberwick to pay my respects at my parents and other relatives graves and was extremely vexed to see how neglected the graveyard was, with uncut, overgrown grass making access to graves very difficult (photo attached)

I can only presume this state of neglect is due to Shetland Islands Council cutbacks as in previous years the grass has been cut on a regular basis

While I realise there may only be a limited number of people who visit this graveyard it is nevertheless a community facility and as such should be kept in an accessible condition. Many people try to trace their ancestors and travel to Shetland to see where their forebears came from, often visiting graveyards as part of their research. I think it is a poor reflection on the community for these visitors to find the graveyard in such an unkempt state

Having grown up at Trebister and been proud to be part of a caring Gulberwick community for many years I find it very sad that former members of that community, many of whom are well within living memory, are now being shown so little respect

I would like to ask the Community Council to give the matter some consideration at their next community Council Meeting and would hope that some assistance might be available either to employ someone or perhaps for community volunteers to tidy the graveyard this year and to maintain it in an accessible condition in future years

I look forward to your response

Yours sincerely

Elizabeth Simpson (nee Harper)

Email: lizsetter@icloud.com

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MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SHETLAND COMMUNITY COUNCILS (ASCC)

Date: Tuesday 17 September 2019

Time: 6pm

Venue: Lerwick Town Hall

AGENDA

1. Introductions

2. Apologies

Presentations

3. Shetland Charitable Trust

4. Boundary Commission – Electoral Review of Shetland Islands Council area

Business items

5. Note of the previous meeting held on 25 June 2019

6. Matters arising from previous minute not on agenda

7. Strengthening Community Councils – discussion paper

8. Shetland Community Benefit Fund Ltd

9. Shetland’s Internal Transport

10. ASCC Complaints Procedure (papers to follow)

11. ASCC meeting dates for 2020

12. Items for decision at future meetings

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Shetland's Partnership Plan - Summer 2019 update

ShetlandPartnership@shetland.gov.uk <ShetlandPartnership@shetland.gov.uk> Mon, Aug 5, 2019 at 3:14

PM

To: All Shetland Community Councils

You will recall that we came and spoke to you all during the development of Shetland’s Partnership Plan 2018-28 in February and March 2018 to gather your views on the draft Plan. During those conversations, you told us that you agreed with the content and direction of the Plan, but that the Shetland Partnership would be judged on delivery and the results of our work being seen in communities across Shetland.

Since Shetland’s Partnership Plan was signed-off in summer 2018, we have been working as a Partnership to develop the key projects and activities that we feel will begin to improve outcomes as identified in the Plan in the short- to medium-term. This has led to the development of a number of resources that set out how partners will support delivery of Shetland’s Partnership Plan over the next three-years and beyond.

The Shetland Partnership Delivery Plan 2019-22 provides a high-level summary of the partnership projects that will be delivered over the next three years. It is supported by a set of Project Charters, which offer further detail on the projects and will be kept live and updated as work progresses.

The Outcomes Improvement Framework sets out how the Shetland Partnership will support the delivery of improved outcomes in Shetland, how progress will be monitored and reported to communities and partners. The framework also describes how the Shetland Partnership use structures and processes to support and uphold effective community planning.

These resources are designed to change and improve over time through learning and feedback from partners and communities. If you would like to get involved in any of the projects, or if you wish to share any comments or suggest any improvements before the work described gets fully underway, please email ShetlandPartnership@shetland.gov.uk

The Annual Report will be published by the end of September 2019 – a link to this will be shared with you at that time.

Thank you,

The Shetland Partnership

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