APPIN & LISMORE INTERPRETATIVE STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT

Minutes of the Steering Group Meeting held at Appin Co-op  16^th January 2008

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Present:

Carol Collis

Alex Gourlay

Alison MacCorquodale

Stewart Saunders

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2          Minutes from the November Meeting

            These were agreed

2.1       Stewart Saunders was welcomed to the meeting.

3          Matters Arising from the Minutes

3.1       Lismore Museum Grant Application

            It was reported earlier by Dee of DeeVa Design that she was meeting John Raymond          to progress the wallets for Lismore. The Lismore CERS grant has a deadline for       completion.  

3.2       Publications/Branding

            Photos for the wallet

            John e-mailed a selection of photos to the group. General feedback  was although the      photos were liked, some were very site specific, and did not represent the area as a whole.  It was agreed that a panoramic   photo taken from above the Castle Stalker            Tea room to encompass the wider area,             would be appropriate for the Appin walks            wallet.

3.3       Appin Leaflets & Walks

            Stephen Austin reported earlier that the SNH grant would have to be carried over to the next financial year. In the meantime, Alex and the Appin working group have been         working on illustrations and ideas for the leaflets, and have a sample sheet to be        agreed at their meeting to be held tonight. The group are keen to approach Dee of            DeeVa Design about the wallet, but she cannot be expected to do any work on this    until the grant is confirmed.

            Other comments relating to the walks included:

            The Forestry Commission are not keen to sign the route to the Fairy Bridge due       to         public liability reasons, and are unwilling to upgrade the access due to financial         constraints. The working group will continue to liaise wit them

3.4       Jubilee Bridge

            Les Silkowski reported before the meeting that he had found the name of the             estate that own the Bridge and had written to them.  As he has had no reply, Issy will             try MacKinnon’s in Oban as the estate factor.

            Alison reported that Elaine will try and press the Roads Department to adopt the        Jubilee Bridge Path. It was also noted that Elaine may also be able to assist with      securing the £3,000 balance from the Roads Department. It was not known if this       could be carried forward to the next financial year.

            It was noted that if we receive confirmation of consent for the work from the owner, before the financial year end, we would be able to initiate the work straight away, to           make use of any money that might be given by the Roads Department.

            Some further damage has been sustained to some of the planks on the bridge after       the recent gale.

            Stewart Saunders pointed out that there are two bridges in the area both called the          Jubilee Bridge, which might be confusing. The second one is the FC Bridge built in    the area as a millennium project.

3.5       Business Seminar Update

      No new feedback has been returned to either Alison in Appin or Pauline on Lismore,     as a result of the circulation of the summary.

      It was agreed that projects identified, such as public access to slipways, which local volunteers are interested in, will be impossible to act on in the short term until the           outcome of the STAG report etc is known. They will still be considered as a future         projects at the right time.

      It was noted that a delegate was encouraged by the facilitator to contact HIE/AIE for help and advice to further her new business idea. She did this and was met with a        negative response. She has set up her business anyway.

3.6       Signs

            The Community Council are still keen for information signs to go in the laybys at         Appin House and Creagan, on the north side of the bridge. It is hoped that this can             be carried out as a separate project in the future. There is also potential for       similar signs south of the Bridge, in Ardhattan CC’s area.

4          Any Other Business

4.1       NACT

            The funding received from SNH for NACT to work with the Strategy Working Group   has now come to an end.

            NACT’s involvement in current projects, which are the subject of grant applications       remains active.  NACT will also be able to become involved n helping with future         projects that are taken on by the local sub-groups, if required.

            It was agreed that contact will be maintained by e-mail and phone, and that Carol    will attend sub-group meetings when there are issues relating to the grant aided    projects to be addressed.