Agenda and minutes

The Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed, to a variation in the order of business. The minute reflects the order in which items were discussed.

The Chair on behalf of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee welcomed Councillor Roderick McCuish back after a period of absence.

 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillor Mary-Jean Devon.

Councillor Jim Lynch declared a non-financial interest at item 8 - Supporting Communities fund 2020/21 (Application reference number 7 - Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival) due to his involvement in the organisation.

 

Councillor Elaine Robertson declared a non-financial interest at item 8 - Supporting Communities fund 2020/21 (Application reference number 14 - Oban and District Access Panel) as sits on the board.

The minutes of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee as held on Wednesday 11 December 2019 were approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Community Planning Group as held on Wednesday 19 February 2020 were noted.

Joint Report by Interim Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth and Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

Consideration was given to a report which updated Members on the economic outcomes secured following the completion of the North Pier Harbour Building and the

North Pier Pontoons in Oban. 

 

The Committee noted that the end of year figures for 2019 showed 4,196 boat nights were recorded which created 17,326 additional visits to Oban.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee;

 

1.    noted and welcomed the report;

 

2.    thanked and congratulated officers on the success of the project; and

 

3.    commended to Council the North Pier Harbour Building and North Pier Pontoons – Project as an example of a well delivered project that has had a positive impact on Oban’s tourism economy.

 

(Reference: Joint Report by Interim Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth and Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 31 October 2019)

10:55 At this point in the meeting Councillor Sir Jamie McGrigor joined the meeting

Question from Mr Duncan Martin, Oban Community Council

 

Mr Martin asked if there is a budget for the inspection and maintenance of the pontoons in Oban.

 

Response from the Committee

 

The Chair confirmed that there was a budget and that this information was contained within the report at item 5 on the agenda.

 

Question from Councillor Roderick McCuish

 

Councillor McCuish asked if there was an update on the review of the Traffic Road Orders (TROs) process.

 

Response from Committee Manager

 

The Committee Manger confirmed that the review of the Council’s current operational TRO process would be considered at the Audit and Scrutiny Committee on 17 March 2020.

 

Questions from Mr Andrew Spence, representing the business community and Mr Martin, Oban Community Council

 

Mr Spence asked for confirmation on what was happening regarding the parking issues in Oban town centre stating that Lochavulin car park was regularly empty and its use needs to be encouraged so people do not just use major retailers’ car parks. He stated that some payment machines use cards but not others which was confusing.

 

He said there is a need to address the issues of long term parking in the town, as it is  not easy for public and tourists to park their car for more than 24 hours especially with the increased likelihood of people staying local for holidays this year.  He stated that there is a need to engage with businesses, communities and tourists to seek a solution.

 

Mr Martin asked about the options for a public meeting to address the issues mentioned with the view of creating a pilot that kept the finance the same in order to speed up the process by avoiding the need to go through strategic committees for approval.

 

Response for Officers and Committee

 

The Chair confirmed that card payments were to be introduced soon following on from the clear results of the community council’s survey and a review of all parking in Argyll and Bute is to be conducted.

 

Councillor Lynch stated that there needs to be a meeting with businesses to get a plan together despite the delay in the TRO process so that there is information ready to be put forward when the TRO process is reinstated.

 

Councillor Kieron Green stated that the Lochavulin car park is a maximum of 24 hour stay which was routinely ignored prior to the introduction of charges. He stated that there needs to be a balance between long stay parking for workers and islanders and short stay as reduced costs in the town centre may fill up with long stay parking and may impact on short stay users.

 

Councillor Lynch and Councillor McCuish stated that there is a need for a structured public meeting. 

 

The Committee Manger confirmed that he would pass the concerns raised to colleagues within Roads and Amenity Services. 

 

Request from Oban High School Eco Committee

 

The Committee Manager read out a statement from the Oban High School Eco Committee as recorded below;

 

The Oban High School Eco Committee would like to invite you to a meeting at our school to discuss some of our concerns about Climate Change and to find out more about what Argyll is doing to tackle the crisis at hand.  As young people, we recognise the drastic influence that the climate crisis poses on our futures and feel passionate to ensure that Argyll and Bute Council is doing everything in its power to help suspend the challenge we face.

 

We have some suggestions on actions that could be taken in the town and across Argyll.  The aim of our meeting is to find answers to our questions about the lack of recycling bins on the streets, compost bins in Argyll, places where glass can be recycled, green spaces in the town, as well as other issues that we, as young people feel are particularly relevant considering the crisis we face.

 

Human actions have caused drastic changes to our planet’s climate.  We are on track to overshoot the limit of 1.5 °c of warming agreed by world leaders in 2016.  This will result in permanent, catastrophic changes to the Earth’s geological, biological and ecological systems.  In the midst of this Climate Emergency, it is shocking that governments have not yet put sufficient preventative measures in place.

 

We hope that the councillors of Argyll and Bute feel similarly passionate about the Climate crisis determining our future and will consider attending our meeting.

 

Response from Committee

 

The Area Committee agreed that they would engage with the Oban High School Eco Committee and requested that the Chair arrange a convenient date and time.

Report by Head Teacher, Oban High School

The Committee noted an update from Oban High School Pupils who explained to Members where they are in terms of their current studies and future aspirations.  This included how the study of vocational courses such as the Business Foundation Apprenticeship (BFA)  helped one pupil secure an unconditional offer at Napier University to study marketing and how one pupil was studying a Scottish Bachelorette in Expressive Arts in her own time away from school in order to help her become a music teacher.

 

The Depute Teacher of Oban High School took the Committee through a progress update report and presentation on the school’s achievements for the 2019 session.

 

Discussion focussed on how the expansive curriculum offered relies on partnership working, and the actions that the school takes to encourage teachers to move to the area such as offering subsidised housing and resettlement costs for specific posts.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee noted the contents of the report and commended the outstanding efforts of the teaching staff and pupils, particularly in relation to how the school approached the future of their pupils. 

 

(Reference: Report submitted by Head Teacher, Oban High School, dated November 2019, submitted)

Report by Head Teacher, Tiree High School

The Depute Head Teacher of Tiree High School took the Committee through a progress update report and presentation on the school’s achievements for the 2019 session.

 

Discussion focused on the difference in subject offerings between Tiree and Oban and how digital learning options and video conferencing had increased the number of subjects available but a need to revaluate bandwidth capabilities in both schools would be required if they wished to offer more.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee noted the contents of the report and commended the outstanding efforts of the teaching staff and pupils, particularly in relation to how the school approached the future of their pupils. 

 

(Reference: Report submitted by Head Teacher, Tiree High School, dated November 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services

The Committee considered the Area Scorecard report for Financial Quarter 3 of 2019-2020 (October-December 2019) which illustrated the agreed performance measures.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee;

 

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

 

2.    agreed to the removal of the Positive Destinations success measure and the inclusion of the Participation in a Positive Destination measure;

 

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

 

4.    noted that work is 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 11 March 2020, submitted)

Councillor Lynch and Councillor Robertson, having declared non-financial interests, left the meeting and took no part in the discussion of the below item.

Report by Chief Executive

The Committee gave consideration to a report recommending the distribution of the

Supporting Communities Fund (SCF) Grants for 2020/2021 for the Oban, Lorn and the Isles area.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Committee:

 

1.          agreed that applications are awarded funding from the Supporting Communities Fund budget totalling £24,670 as follows;

Ref No	Organisation	Grant 19/20	Total Project Cost	Amount Requested	Award 2020/21
1	Air Ghleus	£242	£4,600	£2,500	No award
2	Appin Community Development Trust	n/a	£5,304	£2,500	No award
3	Bookends	£400	£650	£650	No award
4	Connel Community Council / Connel Village Hall	n/a	£1,000	£400	£400
5	Friends of St Conan's Kirk SCIO*	n/a	£3,400	£2,500	£2,500
6	Friends of the Argyll Papers	n/a	£38,535	£2,500	£2,500
7	Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival*	n/a	£39,500	£2,500	£2,500
8	Isle of Kerrera Development Trust*	n/a	£2,284	£2,284	£1,225
9	Isle of Luing Community Trust	n/a	£2,600	£2,500	No award
10	Keep Oban Beautiful	n/a	£13,500	£2,500	No award
11	Kilmore and Kilbride Public Hall	n/a	£2,618	£2,500	£2,500
12	Mull and Iona Community Trust	n/a	£47,961	£2,500	£2,500
13	Mull Safe and Sound	n/a	£3,421.44	£2,500	£2,500
14	Oban & District Access Panel	n/a	£2,500	£2,500	£1,972
15	Oban Gaelic Choir - Coisir Ghàidhlig an Òbain	£242	£15,475.40	£1,500	No award
16	Oban Mòd Academy	£1,000	£11,318.30	£2,500	No award
17	Oban Youth Café	£750	£1,960	£1,960	No award
18	Ross of Mull and Iona Community Transport Scheme	n/a	£20,500	£2,500	£2,500
19	South West Mull and Iona Development	n/a	£2,500	£2,500	£2,500
20	WorkingRite	n/a	£73,884	£2,147 (across MAKI and OLI)	£1,073
		Total Available			£24,670
	* Events & Festivals	Total Recommended			£24,670

 

2.          agreed that Footprint Alba, a recipient of the Fund in 2019/20, can carry forward their award of £1500 until 30 June 2020; and

3.          rejected the request by Glencruitten Cathedral of Trees to spend their award of £1,250 on equipment instead of staffing costs, but encouraged them to make a future application when they are in a position to spend the funding as requested.

(Reference: Report by Chief Executive, dated 10 February 2020, submitted)

Report by Interim Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

Consideration was given by Members to a report on the progress of work being carried out by the Oban Bay Management Group which highlighted that stakeholders had formed a formally constituted group known as the Oban Community Harbour Development Authority (OCHDA) with a view to forming a Trust Port.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee noted and considered on the contents of the report.

 

(Reference: Report by Interim Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure dated February 2020, submitted)

Report by Interim Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services

The Committee gave consideration to an annual report which sought for any views and comments to be put forward for consideration as potential changes to the 2020/21 Winter Policy via the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee.

 

Discussion on the Winter Maintenance Policy focused on priority and parity, specifically in regards to school routes being treated regardless of number of pupils travelling the route and consultation with communities to better support partnership working.

 

Members were advised to submit any further comments or questions to the Committee Manager who would pass these over to the Head of Roads and Infrastructure for consideration.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee;

 

1.    considered the report; and

 

2.    agreed that Head of Roads and Infrastructure would take comments back to be considered as part of the 2020/21 Winter Policy which was intended to be presented to the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee in September 2020.

 

(Reference: Report by Interim Executive Director with Responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure dated February 2020, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

Consideration was given to a report which provided Members with an update on Estates and Property Development projects ongoing in the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee noted and considered the content of the report.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 24 January 2020, submitted)

The Draft Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee Workplan, as of March 2020, was submitted to the Committee for noting.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee agreed to note the Workplan.

 

(Reference: Draft Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee Workplan, dated 11 March 2020, submitted)