Minutes of the meeting held on the 3rd November 2003 in the CRAIGNURE HALL

PRESENT : Alan Mc Connochie, Tom Bettley, Sandy Brunton, Michael Ackerley, John Cable, Jo Reade, Derek Crook.

APOLOGIES : Olive Brown, Georgia O’Neill.

MINUTES : Minutes of the meeting on 6th October 2003 proposed by Tom and seconded by Sandy.

MATTERS ARISING : TRAVEL FAIR - Ongoing.

DRIVING ON MULL INITIATIVE - This subject was raised at the Cal. Mac. dinner by Sandy and Alan and resulted in Cal. Mac. showing great enthusiasm for the idea and offering to help finance the initiative. <SANDY> will write to I. Fox and P. Clark on how to progress this further.

CAL. MAC. DINNER - The dinner enabled Sandy, Alan and Michael to discuss many ferry topics with the Cal. Mac. board and senior management. Subjects raised included - Driving Initiative, Short sea crossing, additional winter sailings, transitional timetable between summer and winter timetables, new Oban linkspan, improved marshalling at Oban. <ALAN> will draft a letter detailing the above to send to the Cal.Mac. Chairman. Copy to Sandy prior.

PRESIDENT : Sandy reported he was unlikely to attend the Insuleur meeting in Corsica.

Sandy has also received a letter from Jim Mather MSP who is the Shadow Enterprise Minister expressing support for the Chamber. Sandy proposed inviting him to a meeting. Alan suggested he be our Annual Dinner speaker.

WEBSITE - Georgia advised images and content for the Ross of Mull still required for the Zynet site.

Georgia will also issue membership reminders.

TREASURER - Tom reported a balance of £3942.90.

SECRETARY - Alan reported he had been contacted by ’ Tobermory in Bloom’ with a view to making a presentation to the Chamber. <ALAN> will speak to STRAG members regarding progress.

AOCB - Alasdair MacDougall will be invited to a future meeting to discuss the Chambers concerns.

Michael will attend a Ferry Committee meeting to discuss - next years winter timetable, early/late sailings from Fishnish/Lochaline, extra winter sailings, etc.

T. Heggarty had omitted to invite the Chamber to a recycling event and apologised for this oversight.

A discussion on how to progress the Short Sea Crossing issue took place and >SANDY> will seek advice from Angus Johnston on to go forward.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING - 1st December 2003 in the Craignure Hall at 8pm.