Agenda and minutes

Apologies were intimated from:-

Councillor Maurice Corry and Councillor Gary Mulvaney

There were no declarations of interest.

The Minute of the previous Meeting held on 8 October 2013.

The Minute of the previous meeting held on 8 October 2013 was approved as a true record.  

The Minute of the previous meeting of the Community Safety Forum held on 15 November 2013 (for noting)

The Minute of the previous meeting of the Community Safety Forum held on 15 November 2013 was noted.

There were no questions submitted.

Report by IOD Project Officer

The Committee considered a report with exceptional performance for financial quarter 2 of 2013-14 (July to September 2013).

Decision:

Members agreed to note the report.

(Reference:  Report by Improvement and Organisational Development Programme Manager, dated 10^th December 2013, submitted.)

Councillor James Robb entered the meeting at 9.40am.

Report by Executive Director of Customer Services

The Vice Chair welcomed the new Area Manager for Adult Care, Grace MacDonald to the meeting and general introductions were made.  The Committee considered a report providing an update on the findings of the 2^nd quarterly evaluation of the Care at Home provision following the externalisation of services on 21^st January 2013. 

Grace MacDonald advised the Committee that the recommendations outlined in section 2 of the report should be amended to read “ That the Committee note the update of the report”.  

Councillor Freeman requested that Members be provided with information relating to how the Helensburgh and Lomond area compares to other parts of Argyll and Bute in terms of satisfaction rates.  Grace MacDonald agreed to provide this information. 

Councillor Robb noted that on page 20 of the report there were 3 sets of figures missing.  Grace MacDonald agreed to provide these figures by email to Members. 

Councillor Trail advised that in terms of the information provided it was not clear how many clients used the framework preferred providers.  Grace MacDonald agreed to provide Members with a note of the statistics in this regard. 

Decision:

1. Members agreed to note the report; and
2. To bring the item back to the Business Meeting in March 2014, following the completion of the initial 12 month period review, and requested that the Head of Service attend this meeting to speak to the update report and answer Members questions. 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director, Community Services dated 10 December 2013, submitted.)

Councillor Ellen Morton joined the meeting at 10.00am.

Report from Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure Services

The Committee considered a report proposing a service delivery model for 2014/15 which had been developed following a Member Workshop, a report to the August Area Committee Meeting and a stakeholder engagement meeting. 

Decision:

1.  Members agreed to note the report;

2.  Members agreed that the service delivery model be taken to Council for

                  approval;   and

3.      An additional recommendation 2.2 be added to the model being taken to Council  to read “The Area Committee notes some savings are being made from not maintaining land in private ownership in the Helensburgh and Lomond area.”

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director, Development and Infrastructure, dated 10 December 2013, submitted.)

Report by Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure

The Committee considered a report providing information on road maintenance revenue activities being delivered in 2013/14 and the current level of expenditure of the Roads Operations Revenue Budget.  Councillor George Freeman requested that the Target Unit Rates for all areas be provided to all Members.  Stewart Clark confirmed that he would forward these on. 

Decision:

Members agreed to note the report. 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director, Development and Infrastructure Services, dated 10 December 2013, submitted.)

Verbal update by Head of Improvement and HR

The Committee gave consideration to an update by the Head of Improvement and H.R.

Discussion followed and the Head of Improvement and H.R. advised members of the timescales for submission to the Scottish Government which would be February, 2014.      

Decision

1.                  Members agreed to note the update; and

2.                  Noted that there would be an opportunity to review the draft report prior to submission.

(Update: Verbal update by Head of Improvement and H.R.)

Verbal update by the Head of Improvement and HR

The Committee gave consideration to an update by the Head of Improvement and H.R.  She advised that the Community Planning Events which had been scheduled to take place in November had been postponed and that they were now scheduled to take place in February.  Following some discussion the group agreed that Thursday 6^th February 2014 would be the best date to carry out the events but would seek clarity at the Community Planning Group meeting later in the day that this date was suitable to all.   

Decision

1.                  Members agreed to note the update; and

2.                  To agree the proposed date of 6^th February 2014 with the Community Planning Group at their meeting later in the day.

(Update: Verbal update by Head of Improvement and H.R.)

Councillor Aileen Morton left the meeting at 11.21am.

Report by Executive Director, Development and Infrastructure Services

Members considered a report outlining the off street carpark proposals during phase 2 of the ongoing CHORD works. 

Decision:

1. Members agreed to note the report; and
2. Agreed to the recommendations outlined in section 2 of the report, on the basis that the £10,000 contribution outlined in recommendation 2.2 is made to the Council’s car parking budget to offset any loss of car park income as a result of this proposal.

(Reference:  Report by CHORD Technical Project Manager, dated 10^th December 2013, submitted.)

Report by Executive Director, Development and Infrastructure Services

Members considered a report requesting that during the period of January to March 2014, a section of the non-charging area of the Pier Carpark is used as a temporary storage area. 

Decision:

1. Members agreed to note the report; and
2. Agreed to the recommendations outlined in section 2 of the report.  

(Reference:  Report by CHORD Technical Project Manager, dated 10^th December 2013, submitted.)

The Committee resolved in terms of Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Governments (Scotland) Act 1973.

The appropriate paragraphs are:-

E1

Report by Head of Strategic Finance

The Committee considered a report outlining the annual accounts of the 21 charitable trusts currently administered by Argyll and Bute Council, for the year ended 31 March 2013.

Decision:

1. Members agreed to note the report; and
2. Approved the annual accounts for each of the charities for the year ended 31 March 2013 and their filing with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director, Strategic Finance, dated 10^th December 2013, submitted.)