Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were intimated by Councillor Gordon Blair.

 

 

No declarations of interest were intimated.

The minute of the Bute and Cowal Area Committee held on the 4^th December 2018 was approved as a correct record.

 

The Chair updated the Committee on arrangements that are now in place for Members to visit the Scottish Parliament for a meeting with the Minister for Transport and Connectivity on the 12^th March 2019 to discuss the future of the Dunoon-Gourock ferry service.

 

For Noting

The minute of the Cowal Transport Forum meeting held on 17^th December 2018 was noted.

For Noting

The minute of the Bute and Cowal Community Planning Group held on

5^th February 2019 was noted.

 

The Chair informed the Committee that the new Chair of the Bute and Cowal Area Community Planning Group is Cathleen Russell, the Committee expressed confidence in the appointment and wished Cathleen well in her new role.

 

Briefing note by Head of Roads and Amenity Services

The Committee gave consideration to a briefing paper which provided an update on operational matters within the Roads and Amenity Services Department in Bute and Cowal.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee:-

 

1.          Noted the contents of the briefing note.

 

2.          Noted that an options paper concerning parking tariffs and associated procedures would be submitted to a future meeting.

 

(Ref: Briefing note by Head of Roads and Amenity Services dated February 2019, submitted)

 

1. Mr McCallum, Bute Community Council, raised concerns regarding the length of time abandoned cars had been left in the West Church Car Park and why Argyll and Bute Council had not removed them.

 

Stuart Watson the Traffic and Development Manager informed Mr McCallum that he would refer this matter to his colleagues and a conversation took place regarding a scrap metal merchant who was willing to remove the cars free of charge and contact details would be passed onto Stuart Watson.

 

2. Mr MacIntyre, Bute Community Council, asked the Committee when the road to Ardmaleish Farm would be repaired as he feels it is now in a dangerous state.

 

Councillor Scoullar informed Mr MacIntyre that funding was in place for this section of road to be repaired and work would commence during the summer 2019.

 

 

3. Mr MacIntyre raised concerns over the ongoing pothole issue on Bute and requested a breakdown spend of roads repairs on Bute compared to Cowal.

 

Mr Watson informed the Committee that he would provide the Committee with the information requested and informed Mr MacIntyre that there is an existing framework in place with timeframes to deal with potholes and other road repairs.

 

 

4. Mr McCallum requested that Roads and Amenity Services drain and fill the manhole outside Ardmaleish Farm.

 

Mr Watson noted the incident.

 

 

5. Mr MacIntyre informed the Committee that the white lines at the Co-Op junction have eroded.

 

          Mr Watson agreed to take this away as an urgent matter.

 

 

6. Mr Morrison, Bute Community Council, raised concerns regarding the positioning of Public and Councillor Question time on the agenda citing that having it at the beginning of the agenda limits the public interaction and the ability for the public to ask questions about items once that item had been presented by officers.

 

The Committee held a conversation and noted that the Chair of the Bute and Cowal Area Committee and the Area Committee Manager would meet to discuss the concerns raised.

 

7. Mr MacIntyre asked if the Rothesay Pavilion would be finished by it’s scheduled completion date of the 31^st July 2019.

 

Jonathan Miles, Rothesay Pavilion Project Manager, informed Mr MacIntyre that there is a contractual obligation on the firms involved to complete on time.

 

8. Mr McCallum asked when Bute Community Council could have a tour of the Pavilion.

 

Mr Miles responded that he would be happy to arrange a suitable date with Mr McCallum directly.

 

9. Mr McCallum raised concerns about the proposed disposal of land to the rear of Rothesay Pavilion to Appletree Nursery.

 

Stuart McLean, Area Committee Manager, informed Mr McCallum that due to        provisions made within the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 this item was exempt and therefore details could not be discussed at this time.

          

 

10. Mr MacIntyre asked the Committee for a breakdown comparison of Bute school rolls compared to other areas in the local authority.

 

Councillor McNeilly informed Mr MacIntyre that she would provide Bute Community Council with this information.

 

           Question raised at the conclusion of the meeting.

 

11. The Chair on behalf of a constituent raised concerns regarding speeding issues on the Bullwood Road, Dunoon, referencing a study undertaken by the constituent in response to a recently undertaken speed survey.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee agreed:-

 

1.     That the Chair would raise the concerns outlined by the constituent with Police Scotland.

 

2.     Agreed to forward the study undertaken by the constituent to officers for comment.

 

Report by Area Committee Manager

The Committee gave consideration to a report outlining the schedule of meetings in the Bute and Cowal area from September 2019 to June 2020.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee endorsed the submitted programme of meetings.

 

(Ref: Report by Area Committee Manager dated 16 January 2019, submitted)

 

 

Report by Special Projects and Quality Improvement Manager

The Committee gave consideration to a progress update report on the Council’s Schools redevelopment project in partnership with hubNorth Scotland Ltd for the refurbishment/part new build of Dunoon Primary School.

 

Decision

 

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

 

(Ref: Report by Special Projects & Quality Improvement Manager dated 29 January 2019, submitted)

 

Report by Performance and Improvement Officer

The Committee gave consideration to a report which presented the Area Report and

Scorecard for Financial Quarter 3 2018/19 (October-December 2018) which illustrated the agreed performance measures.

 

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee:-

 

1. Noted the performance presented on the scorecard and supporting commentary.

 

2. Agreed that upon receipt of the Quarterly Performance Report the Area Committee contact either the Performance Management and Improvement Officer or the Responsible Named Officer with any queries.

 

3. Noted that work was ongoing and to respond to the Performance

Management and Improvement Officer with requests or comments regarding the layout and format of the Report and Scorecard.

 

4. Noted thanks to the Performance Management and Improvement Officer for improvements to the scorecard and prompt responses to questions raised by Members.

 

(Ref: Report by Performance and Improvement Officer dated 5 March 2019, submitted).

 

Report by Transformation Project Manager

The Committee gave consideration to an update report on the delivery of festive

lighting across Bute and Cowal in 2018, as well as the community handover

arrangements now that the Council is ceasing to provide this non-statutory

service.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee:

 

1. Noted the contents of the report and;

 

2. Agreed that Port Bannatyne should be added to the list of Bute and Cowal communities to be considered for festive funding, on the basis that the Council has historically provided ad-hoc support to the project.

 

(Ref: Report by Transformation Project Manager dated 11 February 2019, submitted)

 

Report by Head of Roads and Amenity Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report outlining a request received for an additional inscription to be added to the Rothesay War Memorial, in recognition of Margaret Davidson of Ardencraig Cottage, Bute, who is listed among the Scottish Voluntary Aid Detachment Casualties of WW1 commemorated on the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee:

 

1.    Agreed to approve the request for the additional inscription and instruct Roads and Amenity Services to arrange for the inscription to be added and;

 

2.    Noted the importance of the inscription in the recognition of women’s roles during wars.

 

(Ref: Report by Head of Roads and Amenity Services dated January 2019, submitted)

 

Report by Senior Development Officer

The Committee gave consideration to a report to approve grant offers towards

the full-scale repair of a tenement property and three shopfront improvements.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee agreed to approve the following grant offers:

 

a) Up to £200,000 to the 2 property owners of 65-67 Argyll Street

 

b) Up to £27,192 to the owner of Kent’s the Butchers, 95 Argyll Street

 

c) Up to £43,074 to the owner of Gibson’s Electrical, 96 Argyll Street

 

d) Up to £50,000 to the owner of Bookpoint, 2a Ferry Brae

 

(Ref: Report by Senior Development Officer dated 22 January 2019, submitted)

 

The Committee gave consideration to the Bute and Cowal Workplan for March 2019 to June 2020 inclusive.

 

Decision

 

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

 

(Ref: Bute and Cowal Workplan dated 5 March 2019, submitted).

The Chair ruled and the Committee agreed to consider item 13. Notice of Motion Under Standing Order 13 in private. This item was therefore taken after item 14. Rothesay Pavilion Progress Update on the agenda.

 

Report by Rothesay Pavilion Project Manager

The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided members with a progress update on the Rothesay Pavilion Adaptive Restoration and Extension Works project, being delivered by CBC Ltd (CBC).

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee considered and noted the progress update provided in the report.

 

(Ref: Report by Rothesay Pavilion Project Manager dated 23 January 2019,

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 8&9 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

 

The Committee gave consideration to an exempt financial information

appendix pertaining to the Rothesay Pavilion.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee:

 

1. Noted the financial performance of the project, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

 

2. Noted the positive steps taken by the Head of Economic Development in establishing future governance arrangements.

 

3. Agreed to ask that SMT consider the consequences of any potential extension of the timescales associated with the project, specifically financial and in-kind support offered by the Council and;

 

4. Noted the exemplary work undertaken by Jonathan Miles since his appointment as Project Manager to the Rothesay Pavilion project.

 

 

(Ref: Appendix by Rothesay Pavilion Project Manager dated 23 January 2019, submitted)

 

Moved by Councillor Good, Seconded by Councillor Anderson

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee:

 

Recognises the importance of Cowal Golf Club to the people of Cowal and visitors alike.

Supports, in its entirety, the existing title conditions imposed when the Cowal Golf Club was conveyed by the District Council to the Golf Club in 1991:

‘(First) the said subjects shall be used as a golf course for the benefits of the people of Cowal and that in all time coming on payment of the appropriate fees to be levied and charged by our said disponees; (Second) the areas shown shaded in black on the plan annexed hereto shall be retained in all time coming as amenity open space and shall not be built upon in any manner or form without our prior written consent; (Third) our said disponees and their foresaids shall be entitled to alter and extend the existing clubhouse in accordance with plans previously to be submitted to and approved by us but no other buildings, dwellinghouses, chalets or other forms of residential accommodation will be permitted to be erected on any part of the said subjects hereby disponed; (Fourth) our said disponees and their foresaids shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of boundary walls and fences in so far as and to such extent as we would be liable to do in any question with adjoining proprietors.’

 

The Committee considered the following Notice of Motion submitted under

Standing Order 13 which was proposed at the meeting by Councillor Bobby Good and seconded by Councillor Jim Anderson –

 

Motion

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee:

 

Recognises the importance of Cowal Golf Club to the people of Cowal and visitors alike.

 

Supports, in its entirety, the existing title conditions imposed when the Cowal Golf Club was conveyed by the District Council to the Golf Club in 1991:

 

‘(First) the said subjects shall be used as a golf course for the benefits of the people of Cowal and that in all time coming on payment of the appropriate fees to be levied and charged by our said disponees; (Second) the areas shown shaded in black on the plan annexed hereto shall be retained in all time coming as amenity open space and shall not be built upon in any manner or form without our prior written consent; (Third) our said disponees and their foresaids shall be entitled to alter and extend the existing clubhouse in accordance with plans previously to be submitted to and approved by us but no other buildings, dwellinghouses, chalets or other forms of accommodation will be permitted to be erected on any part of the said subjects hereby disponed; (Fourth) our said disponees and their foresaids be responsible for the maintenance and repair of boundary walls and fences in so far as and to such extent as we would be liable to do in any question with adjoining proprietors’.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee unanimously agreed the contents of the

submitted notice of motion.

 

(Ref: Notice of Motion by Councillor Bobby Good and seconded by Councillor Jim Anderson, dated 5 March 2019, submitted)

 

Report by Estates Surveyor

The Committee gave consideration to a report on a proposal regarding land at the rear of Rothesay Pavilion.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee agreed to dispose of the site to the rear of

Rothesay Pavilion to Apple Tree Nursery on the basis outlined in the submitted report and that the report be passed to Full Council for approval.

 

(Ref: Report by Estates Surveyor dated 8 February 2019, submitted)

 

 

Report by Estates Surveyor

The Committee gave consideration to a proposal regarding a narrow strip of land at

Innellan Village Hall.

 

Decision

 

The Bute and Cowal Area Committee agreed to dispose of the strip of Council

owned land identified at Appendix A to Innellan Public Hall Trustees on the basis

outlined in the submitted report and that the report be passed to Full Council for approval.

 

(Ref: Report by Estates Surveyor dated 15 January 2019, submitted)

 

 

At the conclusion of business the Chair reverted back to item 5. Public and Councillor Question time to raise an additional question on behalf of a constituent.

 

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.