Issue - meetings

1.    Question from Emily Woolard

Emily Woolard on behalf of Connel Flying Club asked if the Area Committee would agree that Not for Profit Organisations, Sports Clubs and Recreational Clubs should not be treated the same as a Commercial entities and whether Standing Orders could be suspended to take the exempt Item 11a of the Agenda in public.?

The Committee Manager advised that the reason this item was to be considered in private was as a consequence of Legislation, specifically the Local Government Act 1973 that prohibited information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority being shared in public and advised the Area Committee to abide by this Legislation. 

David Allan of the Council’s Estates Department stated that the report named other parties and rental evidence from other areas, which is why the report would be considered in private.

Councillor Green believed that each lease application that the Council received was assessed on its own merits, with cognisance given to what the asset would be used for, community benefits and whether any reduction in terms was justifiable in terms of best value.

Councillor McKenzie stated that the Council should have a Policy for Not for Profit Organisations, Sports and Recreational Groups leasing premises and ground from the Council.

2.    Question from Marri Malloy

Marri Malloy on behalf of Oban Community Council asked why nothing had yet been done with regard to Campervans parking overnight at Ganavan, where the occupiers of the vehicles have been seen to be emptying their waste cassettes into the public toilets. Mrs Malloy advised that many of these offenders are also not paying for parking with no enforcement taken against them.

Councillor Green advised that a number of solutions had been suggested to control parking at Ganavan but none had been progressed due to the objections of neighbouring properties. Councillor Green was of the opinion that the only way to solve the ongoing issues at Ganavan was for the Council and community group to work together.

Councillor McKenzie agreed with Councillor Green and encouraged all community groups to work with the Council to find common ground to find a workable, practical solution to the parking issues at Ganavan.

Mark Calder of the Councils Roads Department stated that a Parking Review is being progressed, where the use of technology, blanket orders and enforcement actions are being looked at in consultation with AECOM Professional Services.  A report on the outcome of the Review would be considered by the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee in due course. It was agreed that Mr Calder would advise Mrs Malloy on progress made in this regard. 

3.    Question from Duncan Martin

Duncan Martin on behalf of Oban Community Council asked whether the recent changes to the bus services within Oban and surrounding area, was suggested by Officers within the Council?

Mark Calder pointed to Item 6 ‘Roads and Infrastructure Services Update’ specifically paragraph 3.17 which provided an update on the Dunbeg Bus Service. Mr Calder advised that a decision had been made to change the bus service based on patronage numbers and that subsequent feedback from customers had highlighted that the service was more important than these figures suggested. Mr Calder accepted that the communications around this change had not been as good as they should have been.

4.    Question from Roddy McCuish

Roddy McCuish asked whether the financial elements contained within the reports at Item 11a and 11b could be redacted to allow consideration of the reports in public.

David Allan advised that the financial elements contained within the reports were key to the discussions that the Area Committee would have to have to reach a resolution and as such this was not an option.