Agenda and minutes

The Provost extended the Council’s congratulations to the team behind Stramash who were finalists and the runners up in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Sports, Leisure and Culture, which was sponsored by Health Scotland at the recent APSE Healthy Communities Accolades 2008 held on 6 November 2008.

The Provost extended the Council’s congratulations to Tina Marshall, Health and Safety Trainer/Coordinator within Community Services, who had recently been awarded the Personal Safety Champion Award at the inaugural National Personal Safety Awards held in London at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s Fundraising Ball.

Apologies for absence were intimate from Councillors Hay, McAlpine and Philand.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

Report by Head of Strategic Finance

The external auditors, Grant Thornton UK LLP, had completed their audit of the Council’s accounts for the year to 31 March 2008. The Certified Accounts and Report to Members were submitted for consideration together with the Audit Certificate which the Council were asked to note contained no qualifications.  The Council formally recorded their appreciation of the work undertaken by the Head of Strategic Finance and his team.

Decision

1.           To note the Certified Accounts, the terms of the Audit Certificate and Report to Members.

2.           To instruct the Audit Committee to monitor the external auditors’ recommendations as contained within the submitted action plan.

(Ref: Report by the Head of Strategic Finance dated 4 November 2008, 2007/08 Annual Accounts and Audit Certificate, submitted)

Report by Chief Executive

The Council, at its meeting on 2 October 2008, had adopted a new planning and performance management framework (PPMF) which together with other developments including the Concordat with the Scottish Government and the Single Outcome Agreement provided developments against which a new corporate plan had been drafted. The Council considered a report by the Chief Executive together with the draft corporate plan.

Decision

The Council:-

1.           Approved the revised corporate plan as a draft for consultation and development incorporating the various amendments as discussed.

2.           Noted that following consultation the developed corporate plan will be considered as part of the budget process in February 2009.

(Ref: Report by Chief Executive dated 19 November 2008 together with the draft corporate plan, submitted)

Report by Director of Corporate Services

The Council considered a report which advised that two vacancies had arisen on the Local Licensing Forum due to the resignation of two community representatives which required to be filled.

Decision

1.           Approved a process of advertisement in the Mid Argyll and Helensburgh and Lomond areas to recruit two community representatives, one from each area, to attend the Local Licensing Forum.

2.           Agreed to delegate to the Director of Corporate Services in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Regulatory Cohort to consider the responses and make the appointments and to undertake future similar arrangements to fill vacancies of community representatives in the future.

(Ref: Report by Director of Corporate Services dated 5 November 2008, submitted)

Report by Director of Corporate Services

The approved programme of meetings for the Council and Committees runs until the end of April 2009 and the Area Committees until December 2008. A programme of meetings for January 2009 to April 2010 was submitted for consideration.

Decision

Approved the programme of meetings as detailed by the Director of Corporate Services.

(Ref: Programme of meetings by the Director of Corporate Services, submitted)

The Council considered a report by the Director of Corporate Services together with a report from RPS Consultants which provided information to allow the Council to consider the Outline Business Cases (OBC) for the town centres and waterfronts of Campbeltown, Helensburgh, Oban, Rothesay and Dunoon.

Decision

The Council:-

1.           Noted the Outline Business Cases and associated papers, and the report from RPS.

2.           Agreed that a 5^th year (2013/14) is added to the capital programme and an amount of £2.5m is allocated to Town Centre and Waterfront Projects.

3.           Increased the budget for loans charges by £100k per year incrementally for each of the  next 5 years thereby providing funding for a further £7m of capital expenditure to be allocated to Town Centre and Waterfront Projects.

4.           Agreed that the £10m in the capital programme over the years 2009/10 – 20012/13 plus the block allocation of £2.5m plus the additional £7m be allocated as follows:-

£2.4m in respect of the Rothesay OBC proposals.

£6.5m in respect of the Campbeltown OBC proposals.

£6.66m in respect of the two main Helensburgh OBC proposals.

£0.9m in respect of development within Oban Bay or Harbour and that £6m is allocated within the roads unallocated block in the capital programme from 2012 for Oban Development Road as part of the OBC proposals.

£3m to augment the current £5.3m commitment in the capital programme for Dunoon Pier.

5.           Agreed that any capital receipt from the disposal of a capital asset within any project will be allocated to the project, as identified in any final business case.

6.           Requested a further report, to be submitted to the Executive, setting out the structure, process, resources, profiling and timescales to take the agreed projects through to Full Business Case and, thereafter, to delivery.

7.           Recognised that the emerging revised Corporate Plan should reflect the priorities determined by the Council in the light of the development of the Outline Business Cases for the town centre/waterfront developments.

(Ref: Report by Director of Corporate Services dated 7 November 2008, Report by RPS Consultants, submitted, OBCs previously circulated)