Present                       Chairman: John Wilson

Secretary: Iain MacKinnon

                        Michael Ackerly                        Chamber of Commerce

Michael Elwis                           Mull & Iona Community Trust

Jimmy Henderson                      Cal-Mac

                        Alistair MacDougall                   Argyll & Bute Council

Bill Pollock                                Independent Users

Hazel Yule                                Transport/Contractors

Apologies:      Ronnie Campbell, Chris James, Chris James and Neil MacKinnon

The Chairman welcomed the members and congratulated Councillor MacDougall on his re-election at the recent Local Government Election.

The Chairman proceeded to give a report on the Committee’s activities over the past year.  Eleven meetings were held including two with the local Cal-Mac route managers.  The Committee has been successful in persuading Cal-Mac to reduce the commercial rates on the Fishnish/Lochaline service also to include a “bookable” 1745 sailing form Lochaline for vehicular traffic and the introduction of the 2130 sailing from Oban on Fridays during the winter this to permit city students travelling by bus or train to get home on Friday evenings.  The committee had also received a positive response from the Chairman of Cal-Mac confirming that there is now a communications system in place to ensure that the Oban High School children from the Ross of Mull will not be left on Oban pier again.  The Committee also responded to the Scottish Executive on “Proposals for tendering Clyde & Hebrides Lifeline Ferry services “and, by lobbying the Scottish Executive, various MSPs and the local MP supported the Sound of Mull transport group’s campaign for additional sailings to be included in the proposed Winter timetable for the Tobermory/Kilchoan ferry and also for the type of vessel required for that service.

Mr Wilson urged that his successor as chairman and the members continue to pressurise Cal-Mac on the following ongoing issues:

Extension of the summer season until the end of October.  Saver Fares, Ticketing arrangements for Strathclyde concessionary fares, luggage cage on the MV “Isle of Mull” also continue to lobby the Scottish Executive to have the additional ferry in Oban call at Tobermory enroute to Coll, Tiree and Barra during the summer to give locals and tourists the opportunity of day trips to these islands.

The Chairman thanked the members for their support over the year.

There being no further business the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr Wilson for his hard work during his period of office.