River Community Council AGM

The usual lively affair with Chair Jean Tolmie thanking everyone for their support during a difficult year. She mentioned the challenges met and those to come and especially thanked Stephanie Whitaker for her hard work recording the minutes.

There then followed a short meeting on other matters including the Sports Bar application for the social club. Members of the public present raised concerns about the proposed upstairs external smoking area, worried mainly it seems that noise would travel through the surrounding streets and lanes. They wanted more information about how the external smoking area would be constructed. The Community Council decided to seek more time from Highland Council to consider the matter, calling a special meeting in a week’s time to discuss the issue further. A concern was also raised about another application in the town centre area, this concern was more to do with the accuracy and confusion presented by the conflicting information contained in a neighbour’s notice and the online planning pages on the Highland Council site.

Two members of the public made detailed statements concerning lower river wildlife issues. The Councillors then debated these concerns, taking on board comments from other members of the public present and decided to forward the statements to Louise Clark at the Courthouse with a supporting covering letter adding their own points.

Iain Gordon specifically asked for the digital press present to mention that they wanted to know where the ‘salty bins’ were as they might be needed soon if we have a hard winter. His wit was priceless as usual. Vintage River CC.