Agenda and draft minutes

Minute of Meeting of Cheviot Area Forum held on 7 December 2016 to be noted and signed.  (Copy attached.)

MINUTE

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the Meeting of the Cheviot Area Forum of 7 December 2016.

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Minute for signature by the Chairman.

Presentation by Sandra Campbell, Business Gateway Growth Adviser.

            BUSINESS GATEWAY PRESENTATION

Sandra Campbell, Business Gateway, Growth Adviser was in attendance to give a presentation on Business Gateway.  In her introduction, Mrs Campbell explained that she was one of Four Advisers, all of whom had Business backgrounds and who covered the Scottish Borders area, her area covering Kelso and Jedburgh.  They were part of a Team of nine based at Ettrick Riverside Business Centre.  The Business Gateway worked with Economic Development Department of SBC and were part of a National Business Gateway network, working closely with Scottish Enterprise and Partners and Stakeholders i.e. Exporter’s Assoc., Chamber of Commerce.  Ms Campbell explained that the core business was giving support and advice for businesses starting up, Growth advice and support, Workshops and access to public Sector Finance Sources.  Across the team there were specialisms in Textiles, Manufacturing Food & Drink, Renewables, Tourism, Access to Finance, ICT and Social Enterprise and additional support linkages with Scottish Borders Council, Scottish Enterprise, Princes Trust Enterprise (formerly PSYBT), Skills development Scotland, Scottish Development International, Intellectual Assets Centre and Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service. In terms of Financial assistance available to Businesses - Scottish Borders Business Fund (up to £4k Grant 50% of total project); Scottish Borders Loan Fund (up to £20k, 3 years, interest free, 5% fee to maximum of £500); Start-up Loan Scheme (up to £25k per person); Expert Help (Consultancy costs); By Design & Make it to Market Grants (£2-£5k); Scot Edge (combination of grant and loan up to £100k); Business Loans Scotland (up to £100k coming soon!); RSA depending on geography – grant funding for capital expenditure and jobs and Scottish Investment Bank (£10k to £10m).

DECISION

NOTED the presentation.

Presentation by Mr Charles Johnston, Principal Officer, Plans and Research.

5.               Supplementary Guidance on Renewable Energy

5.1         The Chairman welcomed to the meeting Mr Charles Johnston, Principal Officer Plans and Research, to give a presentation on the Supplementary Guidance on Renewable Energy.   Mr Johnston gave the background to the preparation of the Supplementary Guidance.  One of the recommendations of the Local Development Plan, adopted on 12 May 2016, was to prepare, within one year, a Supplementary Guidance on Renewable Energy. Mr Johnston confirmed that a draft had been approved by Scottish Borders Council on 22 December 2016 and that there followed a 12 week public consultation period which would end on 17 April 2017.  He explained how responses to the Supplementary Guidance could be made.  In line with national support for the promotion of sustainable development and renewable energy the Council would continue to be supportive of renewable energy within appropriate locations. Shown within the presentation were maps of the Scottish Borders indicating all wind development applications of over 5 MW and under 5 MW, colour coded to show the status of each and the height to blade tip.  Looking at the policy context of the guidance, Scottish Planning Policy reaffirmed support for renewable energy and the need to attain national energy targets.  This was to achieve 100% of electricity from renewable energy by 2020.  However a balance must be sought; emphasising the right development in the right place and not to allow development at any cost.  The planning system should facilitate positive change while maintaining and enhancing distinctive landscape character.  There was general support of renewable energy within the Local Development Plan.  However if there were judged to be unacceptable significant adverse impacts, or effects which could not be satisfactorily mitigated, consent would only be granted if it was considered that the wider economic, environmental and other benefits outweighed any potential damage. The Guidance confirmed that the Council was also positive in its support of other renewable energy types; those referenced included micro renewables, field scale solar photovoltaics, biomass, energy from waste, anaerobic digestion, hydropower and ground source heat pumps.

5.2       Mr Johnston referred to the Wind Energy Spatial Framework within the draft Guidance and maps of the Scottish Borders were shown indicating: national scenic areas where wind farms would not be acceptable; areas of significant protection where wind farms may be appropriate in some circumstances; and areas with potential for wind farm development. Scottish Planning Policy also made reference to the need to consider Landscape Capacity and Cumulative Impact studies.  As a strategic study and starting point, an updated Landscape Capacity and Cumulative Impact Study had been produced by consultants.  Extracts from the study were shown in the presentation, including maps showing landscape capacity in areas of the Borders for turbines of different height ranges.  A summary map of opportunities and constraints was also shown.  Mr Johnston concluded the presentation by listing the development management considerations within the Supplementary Guidance, including those not previously mentioned such as impacts on communities, built heritage and archaeology, tourism and recreation, natural  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Presentation by Mr Charles Johnston, Principal Officer, Plans and Research.

Preparation of the New Local Plan

6.1         Mr Johnston’s second presentation related to the preparation of a new Local Development Plan (LDP).  He confirmed that, as part of a 5 year cycle, work on a new Plan was just commencing.  He summarised the timeline for the production of the Plan and highlighted that the first stage, the Main Issues Report (MIR), would be prepared by December 2017.  The MIR was a front runner to the LDP which in essence sought to identify a range of issues which the LDP should address.  The MIR, which would be sent out for public consultation, identified preferred sites for houses as well as alternatives.  It also proposed where planning policies could be updated, removed or merged.  The MIR sought public opinion on a range of matters such as the main aims of the LDP, proposals for allocation of employment sites, housing policy, retail policy, regeneration issues, green space protection and climate change issues.  Community engagement would be carried out through a series of exhibitions and workshops with community groups throughout the summer of 2017.  Mr Johnston was thanked for his attendance.

DECISION

NOTED.

Update report by Police Inspector detailing ongoing work and initiatives in the Cheviot area. 

              POLICE FORCE OF SCOTLAND – UPDATE FOR ‘J’ DIVISION

7.1         Inspector Wood was present at the meeting to update the Cheviot Area Forum on performance, activities and issues across the Ward for the period 1 December 2016 to 31 January 2017.  The Ward Plan Priorities for Jedburgh and District were highlighted as Drug Dealing and Misuse, Road Safety, Anti-social Behaviour and Rural Crime.  During the reported period, Inspector Wood advised that one person had been charged with possessing a controlled substance in Jedburgh.  In terms of Road Safety – an Officer had attempted to stop a vehicle leaving Grieve Avenue, Jedburgh in order to speak to the driver.  However the driver had refused to stop and made off.  The vehicle was stopped a short time later as it entered Kelso and the driver, a 31 year old male, was arrested and charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop for officers and a number of other document offences.  He was detained in custody to appear the following day.  A number of road checks had been carried out, which had resulted in two drivers being issued with conditional offers for speeding (both near to Jedburgh on the A68).  A number of drivers had been charged with various traffic offences following incidents or accidents over the last three months. Five were charged with careless driving. One of these incidents involved a vehicle striking a motorbike and the motorcyclist sustaining a number of broken bones from which he should make a full recovery.  Six people were detected and charged for driving without insurance and other driving related documentation offences.  In terms of anti-social behaviour a number of individuals had been charged with causing a breach of the peace, which appeared to be an isolated incident.  Just after midnight on 19 December 2016, police received a call from a resident in Hartrigge Road, Jedburgh after he spotted males acting suspiciously in the street before leaving the area in a vehicle.  Details of the vehicle were circulated and it was eventually stopped near Earlston, where three males were detained from the van.  Enquiries revealed that the males had entered a number of vans in Jedburgh, Ancrum, St Boswells and Newtown and had stolen a number of items, all of which were recovered.  These males, who were travelling criminals outwith the Borders, were kept in custody for court appearance.

7.2         It was reported that there had been no housebreakings in the reporting period in the Kelso area, however there was one slip in theft from a house in December and it was highlighted that members of the public remained vigilant, keeping doors locked routinely to prevent opportunist thefts.  In terms of Road Safety there was one drink driving offence reported in the Kelso area during the reporting period and many road checks carried out during the festive campaign with other offences detected in the area.  There were three drugs offences in the Kelso area in reporting period.  A number of young people had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Update report detailing ongoing work and initiatives in the Cheviot Area.

              FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE UPDATE

8.1         Mr Matt Acton, Station Manager explained that the purpose of the report circulated was to inform the Cheviot Area Forum on Scottish Fire and Rescue Service activity since the last meeting on 7 December 2016.  The report detailed that during the period of the report there had been 2 House Fires (1 x chimney, 1 x dwelling), 2 non-domestic Fires (1 x barn , 1x industrial)  – Open 2, occurrence of Special Services 5 and 10 unwanted Fire Alarm Signals.  In relation to partnership working, The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), Community Action Team (CAT) within the Scottish Borders core work centred on the on-going delivery of the SFRS Home Fire Safety Visit (HFSV) policy.  The team continued to expand its partnership working with the Key agencies including Police Scotland, Health, Social Care and Housing in order to focus on members of local communities at High Risk from fire and achieve outcomes in helping to reduce overall numbers of accidental dwelling fires. 

8.2         Fire preventionand protection activity over recent years had been key to reducing the number of fires, casualties and losses in Scotland thus minimising the economic and social impact of fire on communities.  The seasonal community safety calendar provided the catalyst for a number of initiatives and schemes throughout the calendar year.

8.3         Activity which was ongoing within the Cheviot Ward area included Scottish Fire and Rescue Service staffs in all local stations providing Home Fire Safety Visits all year round.  These free visits provided the householder with a home visit, focussing on identifying and reducing the risks of fire in the home. Smoke detectors with a 10-year battery life were provided as part of this free service; The living safely in the home (LSITH) initiative continued in the Cheviot locality, with a number of referrals made by the SFRS to community partners and an evaluation of the trial was underway.  Firesharp was an initiative for Primary 6 pupils, providing face-to-face education within local Primary schools on matters of fire risk and prevention; the SFRS Safeguarding Policy and Procedure for Protection of Children and Adults at Risk of Harm was implemented to link into adult and child protection. The introduction of the policy had created closer ties with Social Services within Scottish Borders and ensured those people and families that fire crews identified as at risk were brought to the attention of Social Services and had resulted in joint visits to homes to reduce risk to those occupiers.  A strong partnership was being developed with the local Domestic Abuse Advocacy Service and involvement in MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference).  The Local Authority Liaison Officer (LALO) and Scottish Borders Station Manager for Prevention and Protection were fully involved in all local MARAC processes, attending the monthly conferences and all steering group meetings. 

8.4         Road Safety Community Action Team (CAT) had delivered road safety awareness to secondary schools throughout the Scottish Borders with the support of the local whole time personnel  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

              ENGAGEMENT WITH NHS BORDERS

9.1         As there was no representative present from NHS Borders, there was no update given.

              DECISION

              NOTED.

Consider update on the progress of the planned programme of revenue and capital works, the work undertaken by the SB Local Squad and the proposed SB Local Small Schemes for the current financial year in the Cheviot area.  (Copy attached)

10          NEIGHBOURHOOD SMALL SCHEMES UPDATE

10.1       With reference to paragraph 10 of the Minute of 7 December 2016, there were circulated at the meeting copies of Appendices A and B which detailed the current position in terms of the Neighbourhood Small Schemes and Quality of Life Schemes previously approved.  The Area Neighbourhood Manager advised that the allocated budget (£56,628) for small schemes was available through Neighbourhood Services for the Cheviot Area in 2016/17.  There remained £8,860 for future schemes, although any budget remaining at the close of the financial year would be lost as there was no carry forward provision.  In addition, a budget of £31,072 was available for Quality of Life Schemes in the Cheviot Area in 2016/17.  It had previously been agreed that this budget would be split equally between Kelso and District and Jedburgh and District Wards.  There was a remaining budget of £6,768 in Kelso and District Ward and £6,397 in Jedburgh and District Ward for future schemes. 

DECISION

(a)  NOTED:-

       the following new Neighbourhood Small Schemes agreed by e-mail:-

(i)         Small section of overlay on C58 Lempitlaw – Lurdenlaw     £3,143                                                  

                       (ii)        Relocation of existing bus shelter at Bongate Jedburgh    £1,750                           

      (iii)        Installation of handrails to steps at Castlewood Cemetery £   435

(b)       NOTED:-

                  the following new Quality of Life Schemes previously approved by e-       mail:-

 (i)                      Provision of artificial flowers for window boxes at

                                       Town Hall, Kelso                                                                        £   984

                   (ii)        Resurface footpath at Crown Lane, Jedburgh                        £2,476

                   (iii)       Financial contribution to Apple Press Project requested

                        by Lanton Community                                                            £  657

                   (iv)             Defibrillator for Jedburgh Swimming Pool                          £1,400

Opportunity for members of the public to raise any issues not included on the agenda.

OPEN QUESTIONS

            There were no issues raised.

            DECISION

            NOTED.

Consider updates and matters of interest to Community Councils.

(a)  Skiprunningburn Flood Protection

              COMMUNITY COUNCIL SPOTLIGHT

12.1       Skiprunning Burn, Jedburgh (Flood Protection Scheme) –the Area Neighbourhood Manager advised that there was nothing to report.

DECISION

     NOTED.

13          FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

13.1       The Chairman asked all present for future agendas items. 

     DECISION

     NOTED.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 29 March 2017 at 6.30 p.m. in Kelso (Venue to be confirmed).

            DATE OF NEXT MEETING                      

The Chairman confirmed that the next meeting of the Cheviot Area Forum was scheduled for Wednesday, 29 March 2017 in Kelso.

DECISION

NOTED the date of the next meeting of the Cheviot Area Forum and that the venue was to be confirmed.

The meeting concluded at 8.15 p.m.