Community Council June 1980
From Moriston Matters, Issue 20, August 1980.
COMMUNITY COUNCIL
The first Open Meeting of the Community Council of Fort August¬us and Glenmoriston to be held in Glenmoriston Hall - on Monday, 23rd June - produced five members of the public - an increase on the number attending any such meeting in Fort Augustus. The business was handled very competently by Mr Sherriffs in the chair and Mr Everett, Secretary.
The first item concerned the fence on the left as one drives out of Riverside Park, where, at a certain point, the posts appear in line and obscure any traffic coming down the Glen. It was reported that the Safety Officer had agreed that this constituted a hazard and the District Coun-cil would reposition the fence without significant loss to the playing field. This led to various other road matters being aired. The footpath which has been asked for so long from the shop to the Pier may soon be provided as far as Bridgend; the winter grit still lying on the footpath to Riverside, the uncut verges and other unsatisfactory points made the reappointment of a local roadman seem desirable, and the secretary agreed to look into this.
Inchnacardoch Bay now belongs to the Community Council and is available for use by the public.
The next item concerned problems in the Memorial Hall, Fort Augustus, now handed over to the District Council, and how the users can best have their needs by that body.
One was left with the feeling that the situation in Glenmoriston, where the Hall still belongs to the people, has something to be said for it, for although there is the responsibility of looking after it (and of finding the necessary money first of all) there is also the possibility of making arrangements to suit ourselves.
It was reported that a site for Sheltered Housing has been selected at Abertarff Place and the scheme has reached the Architect stage, but building is unlikely to be begun before 1983 or finished before 1985. The meeting was assured, however, that having reached this stage the scheme would go on.
At a recent meeting, reported elsewhere in this issue, the Dr. Buchanan Memorial Fund had been wound up, and the meeting expressed its thanks to the Committee for the accomplishment of their task.
In a letter from the Department of Health & Social Security it was stated that about 25% of the people entitled to the various benefits offered were not taking advantage of them, and the Council were invited to arrange a meeting when a speaker could come and explain things so that the Council members would then be in a position to advise people of what was applicable to them.
Mr Woolley, on behalf of the Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Swimming Club, asked for a small grant to enable the Club to keep going through the summer months. On Friday evenings the Club travels to Fort William or Inverness for a session at the Baths during which tuition is given. Adults pay £1.50 and children £1.20 plus admission to the Baths. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. With the coming of summer evenings and activities the attendances had been falling and not providing enough, to pay the transport, and so as the Club was just in its infancy and struggling to establish itself and as it was felt to be fulfilling a very useful purpose the meeting voted it a grant of £30.
The next meeting was fixed for Tuesday, 26th August at 7.30 p.m. in Fort Augustus School, but will not be an open one. Nevertheless, it is hoped to be able to give an account of it in due course both for the information of the public and to enable them to contribute their ideas to the deliberations as appropriate.
M.E.F.