Minute of Meeting on Tuesday 17 July 2012

Kalewater Community Council

Minute of Meeting on Tuesday 17 July 2012

In the Village Hall, Hownam

Present:  Community Councillors; Eric McNulty (chair), Margaret Lister (Treasurer), Helen Cessford (Vice-Chair), George Aitchison, Paul Grime, Andrew McEwan, Sarah Dixon, Michael Scott (Secretary), Richard Pedersen, SBC Cllrs; Alec Nicol, Simon Mountford.

ACTION

1

Apologies

Cllrs Matilda Hall.

2

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting of 19 June having been circulated were then passed as a true record of events.

Proposed: Cllr Lister; Seconded: Cllr Aitchison.

3

Matters Arising from 19 June Actions

3a

Noted that ‘Road Narrows’ signs were already located at the bridges.

3b

Chair to send comments to SBC Planning Officer Martin Wanless.

a. Chair

3c

Completed.

3d

Completed.

3e

To be progressed

3f

Completed.

3g

Completed.

4

Presentation: Andy Maybury, Development Officer, SE Scotland, Community Energy Scotland

Andy introduced himself in his role as Jedburgh-based Development Officer for CES, an organisation which began in 2007, having evolved from projects in the Highlands and Islands (H & I). CES now supports 100s of community renewable energy projects and installations.

On Kalewater Community Council’s memorandum of understanding with Vattenfall, AM reckoned that it was a good move as £5k community benefit/year/MW is the standard recognised by CES. Historically in Scottish Borders agreements have been far less. KCC’s plans for a community action plan would be a positive development too.

CES has experience of how renewable energy projects and communities interact; there are three approaches (1) the one which Kalewater may enter – community benefit, (2) community-built, more common in H & I using wind and water resource and (3) community buy-in, the least common and covering a range of options.

The community of Fintry in Stirlingshire are an example of ‘buy-in’, known as the ‘Fintry Model’ and recorded in the film ‘Wind of Change’. A wind farm developer agreed for the community to add one extra turbine to a proposed scheme. The community successfully raised the several £M required but then the developer offered to fund it through their own existing financing which resulted in the community owning 1/16 of the site, essentially a ‘virtual’ turbine rather than a wholly-owned one.

The income to the community over several years has funded a new school which has then been leased to the local authority. Funding has also paid for home insulation schemes.

Another form of ‘buy-in’ is development with a landowner or farmer through a limited liability partnership.

Community buy-in can expect to produce 2-10 times as much income as a typical community benefit scheme but is much more work and requires a Community Action plan or Development Plan. If the plan is ambitious and facility-driven then the buy-in route would be more appropriate than the others.

AM noted that approx. 70% of the population are positive about wind turbines.

Questions and Answers

Andy Maybury invited questions from the community council.

1.    Cllr Grime
Are there any other communities, apart from Fintry, that have changed course?

Andy Maybury
No. Some other communities are negotiating ‘buy-ins’. CES has access to good legal advice for communities taking this route.

2.    Cllr Scott
Do Vattenfall have any partnership agreements elsewhere in Europe?

Andy Maybury
Don’t know. In Denmark most wind capacity is community-owned.

Cllr McNulty
Vattenfall haven’t been against community buy-in but reckoned that the income for one turbine would be similar to the benefit being offered?

3.    From the floor
Are there any other Vattenfall sites in Scotland?

Andy Maybury
Whitton is one of the first land-based sites.

4.    SBC Cllr Nicol
What is community buy-in and equity purchase?

Andy Maybury
These are co-op style share offers which require the formation of an ‘industrial and provident society’. Another option is a ‘ben-com’ which also requires an ‘i & p’.

SBC Cllr Nicol
If you went to a bank or individual with a 25-year proposal, could you arrange finance?

Andy Maybury
Typically a company such as Vattenfall would raise 80% of investment from the bank with 20% from their own equity stake. If the community can use local private investors, the investors get a 4-5% return on investment leaving plenty for community benefit. The repayment schedule to the bank is important – the best arrangement is for it to be annualised over 25 years.

Most communities are unaware of the options. Fintry has access to professionals with investment connections in Glasgow. Their success has taken a lot of time and effort. Other communities would be advised to get funding for a full-time development officer to avoid ‘burning-out’ community representatives!

5.    From the floor
Are there scale issues on wind farm sites?

Andy Maybury
The wind resource is the most critical issue on any site.

The Chair thanked Andy for his interesting and informative presentation. Andy was happy to be contacted in the future.

5

Planning Matters

12/00810/FUL Erection of dwellinghouse, Plot 3 Morebattle Mains Farm, Morebattle, Kelso

No comments

b. Secretary

6

Correspondence

• Morebattle Environmental Partnership Agreement, change of SBC personnel
• Scottish Borders Free Insulation offer - concerns over doorstep callers.

7

Items for Circulation Folder

The Secretary summarised some of the items going into the new circulation folder as listed on the agenda.

• SBC Low Carbon Economic Strategy - Energy Advice & Green Deal Workshop, 31 July 2012, Newtown St Boswells
• SBC questionnaire: Older people, health care and public transport
• Energy Saving Scotland advice centre South East summer update
• Scottish Borders Free Insulation offer - poster and flyer
• Safer Borders newsletter, June 2012
• Cheviot Wardens Newsletter, June 2012
• Scottish Borders ElderVoice newsletter, June 2012
• Kelso Horticultural Society Summer Exhibition, 26 August 2012

8

AOB

• Chair read a letter from Cllr Hall re. investigating the formation of a film club in Morebattle.

Cllr Scott noted that good quality seating and a easily heated venue were two essentials sometimes overlooked.

It was suggested that the Yetholm mobile cinema should be investigated.

Cllr Hall also suggested researching a twinning arrangement with a village in France or Poland.

SBC Cllr Nicol noted that a successful twinning required community-wide involvement and that Cllr Hall could perhaps research the benefits and requirements.

Cllr Hall also queried recent tree-felling work at the ‘T-Wood’. SBC Cllr Nicol noted that a FC felling licence would have been required and that trees have been recently planted.

• Member of the public and former community councillor Margaret Blackmore asked if anything was being done about slurry run-off at the Pikings. The Chair noted that he had been in touch with SEPA following a request from Cllr Dixon. SEPA are to investigate and speak to the farmer concerned.

• Margaret Blackmore asked if there had been progress with Neighbourhood Watch arrangements since she gave up the role?

Chair noted that he had emailed and written to NW but had not yet received a response.

• Treasurer noted that although a Jubilee grant of £646 had been received the outgoings on the disco and on commemorative mugs had been greater than expected due to VAT and postage costs and totalled £709. KCC still solvent!

• Treasurer asked Secretary to send SBC Community Engagement Officer Clare Malster the AGM minutes asap so as to release this year’s grant.

• Cllr Cessford asked if the Teapot Street sign could be updated to include Thimble Row and Teapot Bank as delivery drivers regularly get lost in the area?

Chair to contact SBC Officer Ronnie Pattenden.

• Cllr Cessford noted that the vennel now has a light.

• Cllr Cessford noted that the school play area is in need of updating. Cllr McEwan noted that this was a potential recipient of any future wind farm community benefit funds. SBC Cllr Nicol suggested contacting SBC Play Parks officer Dougie Mallin. Secretary would forward his email address.

• SBC Cllr Mountford noted that the SBC Cheviot Area committee had no representative from Kalewater Community Council. Secretary to contact SBC Officer Fiona Henderson for details.

• Cllr Pedersen noted that SBC had rejected a request from him for a Signage Grant in relation to his development of the former church in Morebattle.

• The Chair thanked the Hownam members of the community council and the hall committee for inviting Kalewater Community Council and for the lovely home-made cakes and refreshments. Everyone agreed!

 c. ALL

 d. Cllr Hall

e. Secretary

 f. Chair

 g. Secretary

 h. Secretary

9

Next Meeting 21 August 2012 at the Village Institute, Morebattle

Meeting concluded at 8.45pm

Signed:

Date: