Agenda and minutes

Venue: SKYPE

Contact: Stuart McLean, Committee Manager - 01436 658717 Adele Price-Williams, Senior Committee Assistant - 01546 604480 

Items
Note No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence intimated.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

The Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed, to take the agenda items out of sequence in order to facilitate Officer attendance.  The following items are minuted in the order in which they were discussed.

3.

MINUTES

3a

Bute and Cowal Area Committee - 1 December 2020 pdf icon PDF 312 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Bute and Cowal Area Committee held on Tuesday 1 December 2020 were approved as a correct record.

3b

Bute and Cowal Area Community Planning Group - 2 February 2021 pdf icon PDF 231 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Bute and Cowal Area Community Planning Group meeting held on Tuesday 2 February 2021 were noted.

3c

Rothesay Common Good Fund - 22 January 2021 pdf icon PDF 179 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Rothesay Common Good Fund meeting held on Friday 22 January 2021 were noted.

3d

Cowal Transport Forum - 1 February 2021 pdf icon PDF 232 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the Cowal Transport Forum meeting held on Wednesday 1 February 2021 were noted.

4.

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

Minutes:

Question from Kenny Matheson, Dunoon Community Council

 

Dunoon Community Council has been in ongoing dialogue with officers from the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), it has been intimated that Struan Lodge has been earmarked for closure with the loss of its excellent staff as a consequence. Dunoon Community Council would therefore like to ask if the Area Committee is aware of the situation at Struan Lodge and if so support Dunoon Community Council in our endeavours to reverse the position of the HSCP and keep Struan Lodge open for its elderly residents and thereby securing the long term employment of the existing, excellent staff.

 

Response from Committee

 

The Chair stated that a meeting with local ward Members and Community Councils was scheduled for 3 March 2021 where they will discuss the proposals and he looked forward to seeing what potential future plans would be put forward associated with any decisions taken.  The Chair confirmed that the invitation would be extended to include all Cowal Members should they wish to take part in the discussion.

 

Councillor Yvonne McNeilly confirmed that she was aware of a discussion last year with the community and local groups and felt assured at the time of the direction of travel the HSCP was taking. Since then there had been huge changes brought about due to the pandemic and at a recent meeting she felt the involved trade unions were acutely aware of the situation and how to protect their own members whilst working in conjunction with HSCP towards delivering 7 star outcomes for the residents of Struan Lodge.

 

Councillor Jim Anderson commented that as had been seen in Helensburgh Waterfront Development he would be keen to see proposals to replace facilities with new builds stating that Struan Lodge was not just where people live but where they are rehabilitated.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee agreed to arrange a Special Business Day meeting inviting the HSCP to provide and update on wider care issues, specifically the future of Struan Lodge and that an update be brought to June’s Area Committee meeting by HSCP Officers.

 

Question from Willie Lynch, Dunoon Community Council

 

As part of the agreed council budget, was the capital spend for 21/22 agreed? If so what project(s) in Dunoon have been allocated funds?

 

Response from Committee

 

The Chair confirmed that a report to the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee containing details on the capital spend was due to be made public shortly.

 

Councillor McNeilly advised that a science, technology and education business hub in Hill Street had been approved and there was money to be put into the local roads network. She further stated that there was a real necessity for Members to monitor additional expenditure closely through regular reporting to committees.

Discussion focused on what was being done to keep and attract talent in Dunoon such as through apprenticeships and teacher training programmes as well as rationalising council assets such as surplus buildings.

5.

TRANSPORT UPDATES

5a

Gourock/Kilcreggan/Dunoon Shoreside Infrastructure Award for Outline Business Case to Mott MacDonald

Verbal Update by Chair

Minutes:

The Chair advised the Committee that the contract for the Outline Business Case for the Gourock/Kilcreggan/Dunoon Shoreside Infrastructure had been awarded to Mott MacDonald in January 2021 which was a positive step forward for the area.

 

Councillor Alan Reid, as Chair of the Cowal Transport Forum, confirmed that good progress had been made but until the Scottish Government’s plans for the design of the new ferries was known the shoreside infrastructure could not be progressed.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee noted the update.

5b

Traffic Regulation Order Position

Verbal Update by Chair

Minutes:

The Chair advised the Committee that there were several Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) in the area that had been progressed recently and all information relating to the position of TROs was currently being added to a new mapping system which could be found on the council’s website in due course. The Chair also advised that  should Members have any specific enquiries that these should be raised via Casebook.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee noted the update.

6.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW - AREA SCORECARD pdf icon PDF 974 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Area Scorecard report for Financial Quarter 3 of 2020-2021 (October-December 2020) which illustrated the agreed performance measures.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee;

 

1.    noted the performance presented on the Scorecards and supporting commentary;

 

2.    noted that upon receipt of the quarterly performance reports the Area Committee Members could contact either the Performance Improvement Officer or the responsible named officer with any queries; and

 

3.    noted that work was ongoing and to respond to the Performance Improvement Officer with requests or comments regarding the layout and format of the report and scorecard.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services dated 2 March 2021, submitted)

7.

DUNOON TOWN CENTRE SPACES FOR PEOPLE TEMPORARY PROPOSALS pdf icon PDF 255 KB

Report by Executive Director with the responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report which updated them on the outcomes of three consultations on the proposals for temporary changes in Dunoon Town Centre to increase space available to pedestrians to safely maintain social distancing as per government guidance.

 

Discussion focussed on the differing views of customers and businesses expressed on widening the pedestrianised areas and the need to look at how medium and longer term options could be developed.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee;

 

1.    noted the responses to the;

a)    Community Consultations held in July 2020 (at Appendix 1 of the report);

b)    Business Consultation held in February 2021 (at Appendix 2 of the report); and

c)    Taxi/Private Hire Consultation held in Feb 2021 (at Appendix 3 of the report);

 

2.    instructed Officers, given the results of the public consultation, not to take forward the proposals for temporary changes to Dunoon Town Centre to increase space for pedestrians in response to the covid-19 pandemic;

 

3.    welcomed the other measures being implemented to support residents and visitors to Dunoon and Cowal during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond; and

 

4.    requested that Officers consider the medium to long term aspirations for Dunoon Town Centre and that a report be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with the responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 22 February 2021, submitted)

8.

ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES UPDATE pdf icon PDF 204 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services

Minutes:

The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided an update on the recent activities carried out but the Roads and Infrastructure Service.  This included information on how the Service continues to take covid-19 secure measures whilst focusing on delivering  frontline services.

 

Discussion focussed on how there was limited scope to significantly change the Temporary Traffic Road Order (TTRO) process whilst remaining compliant with legislation.  Discussion was also had around and how options for tackling additional littering anticipated after lockdown restrictions are lifted were being explored including the progression of a website identify locations where refuge can be disposed of, development of waste disposal points for caravan and campervans and how 4 seasonal wardens will focus on traffic enforcement as well as littering.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee considered and noted the contents of the report.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated February 2021, submitted)

9.

HOUSING SERVICES ACTIVITY UPDATE 2019/20 - STRATEGIC HOUSING INVESTMENT PLAN (SHIP) - ANNUAL UPDATE pdf icon PDF 689 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

Minutes:

The Committee gave consideration to a report which updated them on the Housing Services activity within the Bute and Cowal Area.

 

Discussion focused on how to get the message out to vulnerable households about support available for fuel poverty.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee considered the contents of the report.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 11 January 2021, submitted)

10.

DRAFT BUTE AND COWAL AREA COMMITTEE WORKPLAN pdf icon PDF 404 KB

Minutes:

The Draft Bute and Cowal Workplan, as of March 2021, was before the Committee for noting.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee noted the Bute and Cowal Workplan.

 

(Reference: Bute and Cowal Workplan dated 2 March 2021, submitted).

Councillor Yvonne McNeilly left the call at this point to attend another meeting and took no part in the rest of the meeting.

11.

LAMONT BEQUEST AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS

Additional documents:

11a

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support pdf icon PDF 283 KB

Minutes:

The Committee gave consideration to a report regarding applications that had been received for support from the Lamont Bequest.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee;

 

1.    agreed to award £100 to each of the family applicants and £50 to each of the individual applicants who met the criteria of the Lamont Bequest; and

 

2.    refused the 1 family application that did not meet the criteria of the Bequest.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support dated 1 February 2021, submitted)

The Council resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the press and public for the following items of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

 

E1

12.

ROTHESAY TOWNSCAPE HERITAGE - RECOMMENDATION OF AWARD

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

Minutes:

The Committee gave consideration to a report which asked them to approve various grant offers in respect of the Rothesay Townscape Heritage.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee approved the grant offers as detailed in the report.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 2 March, submitted)

E1       Paragraph 8 The amount of any expenditure proposed to be incurred by the authority under any particular contract for the acquisition of property or the supply of goods or services.

 

Paragraph 9  Any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.

E2       Paragraph 6  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority).