Present Nicola Greenall (in the chair), John Butcher, John MacColl, Catriona
Renfrew, Robin Webster, Vicky Wince.

1. Minutes of meeting 29th April Agreed
2. Apologies: Ed Pybus
3. Declarations of interest: Nicola is an employee of Abcan.
4. Matters arising

• Banking update VW Now sorted £2012.53, £57 due for ICO registration, need to pay hall and EP needs reimbursing for website costs.
• Pier repairs CR had positive response from Graeme Hogg, temporary repairs made and Waverley has been in.
• Dunoon Observer piece EP really good piece in Dunoon Observer.
• Road’s session update date not communicated yet. CR to chase up.
• Millhouse cemetery Kilbride has been strimmed and CR to follow up issue about spoil at Millhouse. 

6. Register of Interests paper circulated but not returned CR to send round again. Hard copy to be provided for John Mac.
7. Community resilience

• Write up of A and B Council session CR reported that the material on the Council website is very extensive. Agreed CR will circulate the link to help us identify areas we can prioritise and progress. 
• Other CC plans EP meeting Colintraive Development Trust to review their plan. CR to ask emergency planning for other examples.
• Discussion with community hall EP reported back that TDDT potentially interested, but suggested that it might be good to have it in all three community halls. ColGlen have internet, funded by the development trust, in their halls, EP to meet with Cathleen to discuss how they manage the issues that Kames Hall highlighted. EP proposes to contact the Millhouse and Kilfinan halls to get their thoughts and then consider how to apply to TDDT for funding.  NG fed back issues from place plan about a community hub for home workers and wider community use.

8. Rally Update

• Correspondence and update from A and B Council had been circulated. The response did not deal with most of our queries and also not clear why Kilfinan route cannot be revised. Agreed to circulate draft letter back to Council for approval CR. Discussion about potential of legal challenge by CC, agreed not appropriate at this point. Agreed we should also raise with AB and C a very different planning process for 2026.

9. Planning for AGM 

• Local place plan emerging issues to structure engagement at AGM. Run two sessions 1700 and 1800, NG to present emerging themes and then post tip thoughts from participants. EP has offered to do poster, include map on the poster and on notice board and on website so people are clear on area we cover. CR to secure a flip chart stand. Short business meeting at 16.30. Need to pre circulate officer’s reports and enable public to ask questions.

10. Empowering Communities Fund and Local Action Group CR reported closed fund and LAG are closed for 2025. CR to check LAG reopening. Agreed CR will draft a general diary of key dates.
11. Review of CC scheme of establishment: Agreed any comments to CR by 15^th June Community Council Review 2026 | Argyll and Bute Council  Initial consultation period closes Sunday 22 June 2025. There is a further phase of consultation in August 2025.
12. Privacy statement: approved, should now go on website EP.
13. School ragbag proposal EP had opened discussions with the school parents and the charity shop and will get a meeting organised. This article sums up some of the issues well : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/29/you-sold-it-now-recycle-it-the-protesters-mailing-worn-out-clothes-to-the-shops-they-bought-them-from 

14. Meeting reports:

• Cowal Transport Forum CR raised Portavadie ferry issues, CalMac to engage for future. Issue of free travel up to age 22 being extended beyond islands raised with the transport minister and rejected, as was RTE extension.
• Community Planning Group minutes at http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/moderngov/mgA.aspx?M=16277&LLL=0
• Bus group EP has already circulated his notes.

15. AOCB 

• Agreed to raise provision of large bins at Otter ferry and Glenan Wood and to raise with council litter pickers idea. CR
• Landline switch off – this is an issue that has come out in LPP questionnaire as well, we can get a summary of people’s views for the questionnaire responses. ColGlen CC are trying to get BT to hold a meeting in Cowal. EP has suggested a joint approach to BT might be useful. Agreed we should also approach Strachur.
• Broadband issues get feedback from AGM and write in to national project team.
• JB raised issue of visitor levy consultation. We had previously agreed that this is an important issue with different views across the community and lots of forums for discussion which the CC should publicise and encourage people to engage with. Add to next agenda CR.
• Joint meeting with ColGlen CC – EP reported they have suggested holding a joint meeting in the Autumn. Agreed in principle.

Date of next meeting 24^th June 16.30 business hrs and AGM at 1700.