Nursery is not to close

CONTRARY to the rumours that have been circulating round Merkinch, the Highland Council-run Merkinch Nursery in Coronation Park is NOT to close.

A number of people contacted News & Views with a view to raising a petition to "save" the nursery. But it seems their fears are unfounded. In fact, if a proposal before the Highland Council on 6th June is agreed it could mean an improvement in educational and social services provision in the area.

The proposal is to build a new state-of-the-art purpose-built extension to Merkinch Primary to house the nursery for the district's four-year-olds. The three-year-old nursery pupils would remain at their present premises in Coronation Park and the space released would be used as a much-needed Family Resource Centre for the area.

This centre would be run by the Social Work department's Sure Start project. Although it is stressed that this project has not yet been agreed by Highland Council, it is understood that money has been earmarked for the purpose.

The plan is being welcomed by those involved in the local education scene - the creation of a family resource centre in Merkinch has long been thought desirable.

Community Council's annual meeting

MERKINCH Community Council is to hold its annual general meeting in Merkinch Primary School on Thursday 9th June.
The meeting starts at 7pm and is followed by the council's June meeting at approximately 7.30pm. The past year has been "not unsuccessful" for Merkinch Community Council and the Merkinch area.
Tribute was paid to Community Project Officer Brian MacLeod, who left at the end of May, for his contribution to the regeneration of the area.

Doreen Russell Leaving Dairy

Doreen Russell left the Farmers' Dairy grocery in Lochalsh Road last month after 32 years! She is pictured here on her last day with colleague Colleen Stephen. The Farmers' Dairy management gave the staff a slap-up meal to pay tribute to Doreen, who lives next door to the shop, and she received this lovely display of flowers and other gifts.

Arts worker appointed

LAST month Arts in Merkinch appointed a part-time Arts Worker to help co-ordinate all the various arts, cultural and heritage activities in the area.

She is Catherine MacNeil who comes originally from Barra. After spending some years in the Edinburgh drama scene she returned to Inverness - her mum Sandra lives in Telford Road and works at Huntly House.

Catherine was working for the Highland Festival when this year's event was unfortunately cancelled. However, the Highlands' loss is Merkinch's gain and Catherine has hit the ground running, just in time to help with this year's Merkinch Festival.

Arts in Merkinch chairman Bette McArdle said: "We are delighted to welcome Catherine-she's just the right person for the job. Her appointment is initially for only three or four months, but it is hoped that we will be able to extend it beyond the summer - there are so many exciting plans in the pipeline."

Review of Merkinch year

TWO topics are given particular mention in Merkinch Community Council's annual report.

One is the amount of new housing completed and proposed housing for the area in the last year, including Maclennan Crescent, Anderson Street (adjacent to Gael Force Marine), the former Bon Accord factory, the corner of Huntly Place/Dunabban Rd, and Glendoe Terrace.

The other significant matter was the redesignation of the area from "Social Inclusion" to "Community Regeneration".

Over the year the community council met nine times along with an AGM and an EGM, although they are only obliged to meet six times. On all occasions there was a quorum of 11 of its 16 members.
Local councillors P Corbett and C Cumming as well as local Community Beat Officers A MacRae and P Underwood were all praised for their good attendance.

BT turns up trumps for toy service

THE Toy Library has joined the IT age after BT presented the charity with a new computer with internet access last month.

The presentation took place at Fliperz Nursery in Simpson's Lane. The Toy Library visits the nursery-which comes under the aegis of Merkinch Enterprise-once a month. Parents and groups can borrow up to four toys at a time and there are all kinds of toys to choose from, anything from a jigsaw to a pedal car.

Pictured with Robin Fox of BT is Mabel Ross of the Toy Library service and Fliperz kids Aiden Griffins and Caitlin Aitkenhead.
Mrs Ross said: The computer will help us to research funding opportunities and to communicate with people who use the service or provide us with toys."

High School plan big fund-raising day

INVERNESS High School is planning a Big Day for all the family to raise funds for their Uganda trip.

Saturday 11th June is the date for your diary… and the fun will go on all day, from 10am to 4pm. A group of pupils will be heading for Africa this October to work with street kids and AIDS sufferers along with the Watoto Group - already Watoto kids have visited Inverness in a series of concerts in April.

Among the ways the Big Day aims to amuse is with a 30-foot high inflatable slide, kiddies show rides, car washing, massages, competitions, displays, garden stalls, bouncy castles and raffles. There will also be a chance to gunge the teacher, go for a pony trap ride, have your face painted as well as purchase food and refreshments.

A highlight for those in need of retail therapy will be a massive car boot sale. Collections are being uplifted from the school's catchment area, but those who would rather run their own car boot sale can turn up with their own car and table. The cost is just £6 per car or £8 per van per plot. There is also a plea for all your unwanted or cracked crockery. Someone is going to have a smashing time on the day!

So come along and join in!

briefs…

• AMONG the treats in store for Merkinch Senior Youth Club this month are a trip, circus skills, a barbecue and award ceremony. All the news for young people is in the new-look mp33 insert designed by Gus MacIver.

 

• SATURDAY 4th June, 10am to 5pm, sees another Day of Dance at Culloden Academy. There are workshops for all ages in a wide range of dance styles from hip-hop to salsa, capoiera to flamenco. Buses 1, 2, 3 and 3a from the main Post Office every 20 minutes. Details from 724261 or 724278.

 

• CITIZENS Advice Scotland, Highland Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, Money Advice and the NHS Highland in collaboration with Highland Council are holding a day-long seminar during Highland Health Week to examine Inequalities in Health. The event will comprise presentations and workshops "addressing significant health and equality issues affecting individuals and communities, including mental health, older age and ethnicity".

 

Lunch and info for new mums-to-be, plus snacks, smiles and sun-cream

EXPECTING your first baby? Babies don't come with an instruction manual so it can be a bit scary knowing what to do. We're running a Monday session with lots of interesting and useful tips and info. We supply a tasty lunch, all you need to do is come along and enjoy.

If you want to come just get in touch with the Hoose or your midwife and then we can get in the food for you.
If you want a check afterwards the midwife will be here until 3pm to do that for you.

For the week starting May 30th we are having a Smile Week, concentrating on teeth. There'll be colouring competitions for school children, quizzes, displays and maybe even a few freebies. Come along to the Hoose and see what we're up to, any morning from 9am to 9.30am.

June 20th - 24th is Healthy Highland Week, so watch out for us in Grant Street giving out healthy snacks. On Thursday we'll be having a garden party at the Hoose with lots of fun and freebies for families. Our theme for the day will be child safety, so we'll have some child safety items to give away including suncream should we ever get some summery weather.

Jean Mackay
Janny's Hoose Healthy Living Centre
Merkinch Primary School
Telford Road
Inverness
IV3 8HY
01463 226348

Cut out the fat, water authority tells local businesses

BUSINESSES in the Grant Street area have been asked to stop putting fat down the drains, Scottish Water told former MP David Stewart.

Days before he lost to LibDem's Danny Alexander in the Westminster election on 5th May Mr Stewart raised the matter of the recurring drainage problem in the street. Scottish Water's chief executive Dr Jon Hargreaves said that there were two separate problems affecting the area.

Said Dr Hargreaves: "We have issued a notice to businesses in the area to request they stop putting fat down the drains." But besides the fat-blocked roads drain there is a private service pipe which has been leaking, causing disruption for local residents.

"Unfortunately we have not been able to identify the source of the leak, although we have determined the leak is not coming from the nearest business," said Dr Hargreaves.

"We have now shut off the water and are waiting to hear from the customer affected so that we can arrange for the leak to be fixed.

"At this time (5th May) we cannot refill the hole because of the amount of water which is running through. However, if enough water drains away while the water supply is shut off, we can then reinstate the area."

Dr Hargreaves adds: "I am sorry for any inconvenience this has caused to residents and can certainly appreciate their frustration. If residents notice any blocked drains, please ask them to contact either ourselves or Highland Council so we can clear the blockage.

"In addition, the residents or the Community Council can always contact us with information about activities in the area which may be contributing to the problem."

Merkinch Festival kicks off

THE second Merkinch Festival kicked off on Thursday 26th May with a Coloursplash workshop in the former Macintosh Motorcycle premises in Grant Street.

This was the first of two Thursday workshops from which it is hoped there will be enough painted panels to brighten up the area under the "Colourful Corners" plan.

The Black Bridge Gallery, which appears for a short time each year like Brigadoon, opened the following evening and once again has been meeting with enthusiasm. The exhibition focuses mainly on photography and there are many fine examples of the photographic art on show.

The painting aspect of the show comes from local residents and there is a selection of work by Studi'03 artists from the Corbett Centre. Tthe Merkinch Art Group who meet weekly in the Community Centre over the winter are also featured. For many this was the first time they had ever exhibited work.

A new element this year was the flurry of poems circulating in local shops and centres. These were the work of the Merkinch Literacy Lovers who meet on the first Monday of the month in the Janny's Hoose.

The weather was particularly unkind on the Saturday, when Ranger Katy Martin led an environmental walk: one highlight was when a deer was spotted. The reminiscence session with Cath Irvine and Val Reid in the afternoon went well, with the topic being mainly about schooldays of yesteryear.

The festival programme also includes workshops in soap-making, Gaelic, pottery, and story-telling and the Singing for Pleasure group ran a Country & Western barbecue on the Tuesday.

Improving life in Merkinch: now it's up to us!

MERKINCH could enjoy a considerable economic and social boost - but only with the participation of local people.

It would seem that there is considerable government funding available for initiatives which would help improve the quality of life in the area, through more employment and social opportunities. However, the ideas and the drive will have to come from the grass roots; it must be community-led. It is thought that imposing projects by the various interested development authorities does not achieve the long-term desired effect of regenerating the community.

People like living here - the Community Appraisal carried out last year highlighted that - but there are a number of real necessities and a steering group has been working for the last few months to identify these and focus on them. This group includes some local people and some representatives from the various development agencies, such as Highland Council, Inverness & Nairn Enterprise and the City Partnership.

A name is still being sought for this partnership forum which it is hoped would number about 30.

What's its name?

The group is still looking for a name: "Forum" was mooted but although it has the right democratic feel, it is thought it suggests too much of a "talking shop". Also, in the longer term it is likely the group would need legal status. Suggestions are welcome.

What's its remit?

With legal status the body can control and channel money and take decisions over allocation and funding. Says Community Project Officer Brian MacLeod: "By creating a forum based on a common agenda and mutual respect we can speak with one voice and avoid duplication."

How many meetings?

The group would meet perhaps once every three months to progress the development agenda, but with sub-groups based around themes promoting specific developments. Themes are likely to come under the headings such as:

• Our Environment

 

• Cultural Development

 

• Wealth Creation

 

• Child Care

 

• Community Health & Well-being

 

Local representation is being sought from each local association, body or group-which will elect their representatives to the partnership group/forum. A programme of responsive participative training would be promoted by the partnership, possibly involving speakers, study visits, seminars on leadership skills, how to achieve funding and so forth.

Employment?

The partnership could employ a development person following on from the current project officer post. Part of this person's remit would be to identify emerging agenda and priorities for action.
It would also be likely that the group would need to employ a company, such as Merkinch Enterprise, to assist with realising objectives, including administering, managing employment and accounts.

Says Brian MacLeod: "The Community Participatory Planning exercise and the Community Conference held last year identified many positive ideas and aspirations for community-led regeneration.

"Through this participation, local people are providing essential and relevant information about where the community currently is and how they would like to see it continue to move forward now and in the future.

"We are now at the stage of re-working these ideas and aspirations into a positive working agenda that may form the development focus for a Merkinch Partnership.

"At the core of this and any partnership is the need for equality, open-ness, trust and clarity of roles and purpose; those aspects are absolutely fundamental to a partnership success. Partnership is about people working together and in that way Merkinchers and our community becomes stronger together."

• Next month - local groups outline plans.

 

Familiar face on the Merkinch scene

MERKINCH was previously designated a Social Inclusion Area; this designation has now changed into a Community Regeneration Area, which means there will be more emphasis on community participation in exploring opportunities and shaping decision-making.

Highland Council's Regeneration Co-ordinator Bob McKinnon is a weel-kent face in Merkinch and takes a keen interest in the area. For he was the first manager at Merkinch Community Centre and remained in that post for 11 years. Also he lived for a while in Thornbush Road.

"What is needed is for the community to be in charge of things, rather than waiting for things to happen," he explains. "We need more community involvement."

Farewell to Brian

THE bad news is that Brian MacLeod, Community Project Officer in Merkinch for the last two years left the area at the end of last month. Brian's post was initially only to be for two years and it was not thought he would be replaced.

However, the good news is that funding has been found for another year for a similar post with a slightly revised remit. The post has been advertised and the new CPO should be in place soon.
He/she will have a hard act to follow -Brian's relatively brief time in Merkinch has seen him accomplish a great deal, including the setting up of the Merkinch Festival and support of its spin-offs, the November Conference and the various developments that have emerged from that. We wish him well in the future.

Open meeting this month

THERE is to be a meeting of all interested parties to discuss the formation of a community regeneration forum/group in Merkinch Community Centre on 21st June. The meeting will be chaired by local Highland Councillor Peter Corbett and representatives from local groups/associations are invited as are interested individuals.

Gifted in the art of living together

COMMUNITY Project Officer Brian MacLeod recently addressed a conference in Inverness on the process of regeneration. He said: "The Merkinch district of Inverness, according to recent Government surveys, is the eighth most deprived neighbourhood in Scotland, and the poorest in the Highlands. But of course that tells you nothing about what it is like to live and work there. The Merkinch is a place where people know how to relate to each other and look out for each other - they know about the art of living together."

Sports Nooz

Portland A and Dows come out on top

PORTLAND A and Dows completed the League and Cup double at the Clach Club last month.
Portland beat their own B team in the A League cup final and Dows beat Portland E in the B.
Portland X who had finished fifth in the league beat The Drover in the C League cup final.
It was a bad end of the season for the team from Hilton as they had lost the second place play-off to Caley Club earlier in the week.
Uncle Bob's beat City Taxis in the first semi-final of the Handicap trophy and Tarradale overcame Keppoch in the other.
And it was the team from Nairn who became the first handicap champions beating their fellow A league team in the final.

Extended warranties - new rights for consumers

ONE of the most common complaints received by consumer advice bodies is in relation to faulty domestic goods such as washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners, televisions, DVD and cd players.

Consumers find an array of confusing terms and conditions relating to manufacturers guarantees and extended warranties. But new rules have now come in to assist the consumer with further rights relating to extended warranties for such domestic goods.

Basic rights concerning the sale of goods is covered under The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) which states goods must be:

• Of a satisfactory quality, i.e. of a standard that a reasonable person would consider to be satisfactory - generally free from fault or defect, as well as being fit for their usual purpose, of a reasonable appearance and finish, safe and durable.

 

• Fit for the purpose - as well as being fit for the purpose, for which they are generally sold, goods should also be fit for any specific or particular made known at the time of the agreement.

 

• As described - goods should correspond with any description applied to them. This could be verbally, in words, or pictures on a sign, packaging or an advert.

 

Quite often, however, where the consumer has bought new goods, a guarantee has been given by the manufacturer or the consumer has paid (or has been given as part of the price) an extended warranty. It is important to remember that these guarantees and warranties are over and above the consumers' statutory rights. Terms under these guarantees and warranties should not be used to restrict the consumers' statutory rights or prevent the consumer from exercising their rights against the trader if they wish to do so.

What are Guarantees? A guarantee is most often issued by the manufacturer of goods, such as electrical equipment, or by a company that has provided a service, such as replacement windows. It is normally provided free of charge at the time of the purchase of the goods or services. A guarantee is considered in law to be a promise to provide some benefit for a set period of time (usually 12 months, sometimes less, sometimes more - so always check!) in the event of the goods or services being defective.
Usually, the guarantee covers "free repairs" for problems that can be attributed to manufacturing faults but very rarely goes beyond this, in benefits to the consumer.

What is a Warranty? A warranty provides the same sort of cover that a guarantee does, but often you have to pay extra for it - for example, many electrical stores offer a warranty for cover against the cost of repairs and replacement of parts for up to five years after purchase. Effectively these warranties are insurance policies, issued and underwritten by insurance companies. Just to confuse matters, these can sometimes be known as "extended warranties" or "extended guarantees"!

What legal protection do I get with Warranties and Guarantees? Usually, in order to have a legal claim against anybody, you have to have a contract with him or her. One of the cornerstones of a contract is the concept of "consideration". Basically this means that you have to give something of value (usually money) in return for a service.

Because guarantees are usually provided free by the manufacturers, the law considers most guarantees to be merely a promise, provided in addition to your statutory rights. You will not therefore have a claim against the manufacturer and can normally only expect a guarantee to be honoured as a gesture of goodwill.

In practice, though, the majority of manufacturers are perfectly happy to provide you with help and assistance during the lifetime of the guarantee.
If you have a warranty however there will usually be a contractual obligation which is enforceable by law and not a mere promise to do something.

If the company who issued the warranty will not honour the terms of the agreement, perhaps to carry out a repair within a specific time limit, then you could sue them for the cost of employing someone else to put the problem right.

A word of warning however, there are no definite legal definitions of the difference between a warranty and a guarantee. The differences described above are those that have arisen through common usage in the commercial world.

You should always consider whether you have had to pay for cover or whether it was provided free, as this is most likely to be what will count in the eyes of the law.

One of the main aims of "The Supply of Extended Warranties on Domestic Electrical Goods Order 2005" is to inform consumers of the details of any warranty on offer prior to the agreement to buy one at the point of sale.

Criticism by the Office of Fair Trading in the past has been that:

• Almost all extended warranties are bought at the point of sale and very few consumers consider the purchase of extended warranties before purchasing their electrical goods and have little opportunity to consider alternatives;

 

• Extended warranties on offer at the point of sale are nearly always from one provider, usually the retailer;

 

• There is generally no information available on the reliability of electrical goods or likely repair costs, and

 

• There is generally no information available at point of sale on prices of extended warranties, terms and conditions, or availability from alternative providers.

 

The Order has been introduced to combat these disadvantages to the consumer and offer real transparency and competition relating to the sale of extended warranties in the future.

Traders covered by this order are those who sells electrical goods and offer extended warranties for those goods either on their own behalf or as an agent for someone else, for example an insurance company.

Summary of Requirements

Consumers should be aware that to comply with this Order certain information now must be on display as follows:

• Product price displays should include information (price and duration) on at least one applicable extended warranty;

 

• Retailers should provide further relevant information about extended warranties.

 

• Published advertising materials also has to include price and duration on at least one applicable extended warranty; and

 

• Information should be given to consumers regarding new cancellation and termination rights regarding contracts for "extended warranties".

 

A consumer guide will be published soon to assist consumers in understanding these new important rights when buying extended warranties for domestic electrical goods. However if you would like further detailed knowledge or you have a problem with an extended warranty that you have recently purchased please contact:

Consumer Direct on: 08454 04 05 06 or visit their website on: www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

Alternatively you can visit or write to: Trading Standards 38 Harbour Road Inverness Or visit our website on: www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/highland

Trading Standards Service is part of Transport, Environment and Community (TEC) Service, Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness.

This project is being part-financed by the European Union under the Inverness and Nairn CED programme.