Agenda and minutes

1.0      WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

1.1      The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Cheviot Area Partnership and thanked the Community Councils, Partners and local organisations for their attendance, and for participating and putting forward ideas.

Presentation by Neil Robertson, Changeworks.

1.0      HOME ENERGY EFFICIENT PROGRAMME (HEEP)

1.1      Councillor Hamilton advised that Neil Robertson from Changeworks was unable to attend for the presentation on the Home Energy Scotland insulation scheme.  There had been circulated copies of the presentation.

DECISION

NOTED.

(Copy attached.)

3.0     Feedback from meeting on 17 APRIL 2019

3.1     The minute of the meeting of the Cheviot Area Partnership held on 17 April 2019 had been circulated. A summary of the discussion and review of the priorities identified in the draft Cheviot Locality Plan was attached as an appendix to the Minute.

a.       Economy, Skills & Learning: transport networks and connections within Berwickshire update on Scottish Borders Transport Conference from Timothy Stephenson, Passenger Transport Manager, SBC, and options going forward (30 mins)

b.      Discussion re potential options/solutions/actions (45 mins)

c.       Cheviot Locality Plan

  4.0     CHEVIOT LOCALITY PLAN – ECONOMY SKILLS & LEARNING

  4.1     Transport networks and connections within Eildon

Scottish Borders Council Passenger Transport Manager, Timothy Stephenson was in attendance to give a presentation on Transport Planning in the Scottish Borders.  Copies of the Scottish Borders Bus Map and of the presentation had been circulated with the agenda and were available at the meeting.  Mr Stephenson explained that the Council currently subsidised local bus services at £1.5m per annum.  However local bus services were not a statutory requirement but were discretionary and like all local budgets the payments were always being reviewed.  In 2018 there had been savings made of £200k based on data collection, alternatives being put in place and some innovative thinking.  In 2019 there were £85k of savings already secured without further cuts but a £165k budget saving was needed for 2020.  Some tough decisions therefore had to be made to achieve the savings.  A number of under-performing bus routes had been identified where passenger numbers were declining and the subsidy per passenger was very high.  However rather than just looking at

service cuts the Council wanted to use 2019 to meet communities and see if things could be done differently.  During August/September the team had been talking to Area Partnerships about transport and in September/October Bus Users Scotland would hold a big conversation (public consultation) with users.  The Council would work closely with communities to form a transport plan.  The local bus services being reviewed in the Cheviot Area had a subsidy per passenger of up to £11.02 compared with an average of £3.65 per passenger across the Borders bus network as a whole.  Mr Stephenson was keen to hear from communities who wanted to try new things: something that was an alternative to ‘the traditional bus; something flexible, that could be controlled locally; and something that communities could commit to.   He gave some examples of innovations in other areas and also referred to non-bus related options such as E-car, E-bike, Tripshare and community transport/social car schemes.  

4.2       Following the presentation, the Chairman invited those present to take part in a round the table discussion about transport planning in terms of potential options, solutions and actions within communities.  The Locality Development Co-ordinator provided a template to aid the discussion and on which points could be recorded.  A summary of the output of the discussion was attached as an appendix to this Minute.

5.0       CHEVIOT COMMUNITY FUND 2019-20 APPLICATIONS

5.1       An explanation of the SBC’s Community Fund application process was included in the information on the tables at the meeting. This was a fund available to community and voluntary groups to help support community activity.  Grants of up to £5k for non-constituted groups and £10k for constituted groups were available. In exceptional cases up to £30k was available for constituted groups. Applications submitted to SBC were assessed by the Communities and Partnership team and if they met the fund criteria, would go forward to Area Partnership meetings with an officer recommendation.  Assessments would be included in agenda papers and those who attended the Area Partnership meetings would be asked if they agreed with the recommendation made by the SBC officer.  Ms Smith referred to the Interim Assessment forms, circulated at the meeting and summarised below, which gave details of an application for Cheviot Area Partnership to consider:-

(Copy attached.)

5.2       Yetholm History Society  

Funding of £6,200 had been requested by the organisation Yetholm History Society to support the creation of an Archive and Heritage Centre within the Old Mission Hall ‘Tin Tabernacle’ building, Yetholm.  The total cost of the project was £7,200 and contributions had been received from Fallago (£14,430), Hugh Fraser (£4,000) and Garfield Weston (£2,500).  The recommendation to the Cheviot Area Partnership was to approve the funding request in full.

DECISION

AGREED to grant £6,200 from the 2019/20 Community Fund to Yetholm History Society to support the creation of an Archive and Heritage Centre within the Old Mission fund archaeological work (planning condition) and associated wider community engagement of that work on an area of land which was now in the Old Mission Hall ‘Tin Tabernacle’ building, Yetholm.

(Copy attached.)

            Jedburgh and District Community News Group (JDCNG), Marketing and Tourism Sub Group   

Funding of £2,339 had been requested by the organisation Jedburgh and District Community News Group, Marketing and Tourism Sub Group for the re-print (30,000

copies) of the Town leaflet and the associated distribution costs.  Distribution of the leaflet was to be undertaken via Crescent Distributors who use their customised display units in a variety of tourism related outlets in North Northumberland, the Lothians and other Border towns. The objective was to entice visitors to Jedburgh (who otherwise may not have planned to visit) and were attracted by its amenities and location as the Historical Gateway to Scotland, as set out in the leaflet. 

DECISION

AGREED to grant £2,339 from the 2019/20 Community Fund to Jedburgh and District Community News Group (JDCNG) Marketing and Tourism Group for the re-print (30,000 copies) of the Town leaflet and the associated distribution costs. 

5.4       Morebattle Community Shop Ltd   

            Funding of £10,000 had been requested by the organisation Morebattle Community Shop Ltd in respect of improvements and upgrade of the Community Shop, a fledgling business, purchased by the Community in 2018.  The upgrade included installation of safety flooring, redecoration to interior of shop, roof flashings as well as the substantial improvements to the rental flat.  The rental flat would diversify the income of the community shop and help ensure a steady income thereby reducing the impact of the shop trading fluctuations and help ensure the shop’s long term sustainability.  The Community Shop was the life blood of the Community and offered a range of much needed services i.e. outreach Post Office, Newsagents, General Groceries, Fresh produce, Bakery products and Pet care products, given the Village’s remote location and limited public transport.  The shop was also on the St Cuthbert’s Way and served hot drinks and sandwiches which could be consumed in the recently updated rear garden where there was a seating area and meeting point.

DECISION

AGREED to grant £10,000 from the 2019/20 Community Fund to Morebattle Community Shop in respect of the improvements and upgrade of the Community Shop, including installation of safety flooring, redecoration to the interior of the shop, roof flashings and substantial improvements to the rental flat.

Wednesday, 27 November 2019 in Jedburgh Grammar School.

6.0       DATE OF NEXT MEETING

6.1       The next meeting would be held on Wednesday, 27 November 2019 in Jedburgh at 6.30 p.m.   The theme of the meeting would be confirmed in due course.

The meeting closed at 8.30 p.m.