Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and took the opportunity to acknowledge the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, 8 September 2022.

 

The Committee took a short pause for a moment of remembrance.

 

There were no apologies for absence intimated.

 

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

The Minute of the previous meeting of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee, held on 15 June 2022, was approved as a correct record. 

 

The Minute of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Community Planning Group, held on 17 August 2022, was noted. 

 

The Minute of the Oban Common Good Fund, held on 3 August 2022, was noted. 

 

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.  

 

 

 

 

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services

The Committee gave consideration to the Area Performance Report for Financial Quarter 1 2022/23 (April - June 2022) which illustrated the agreed performance measures.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee:- 

 

a)    noted and considered the performance and supporting commentary as presented;

 

b)    agreed that upon receipt of the Quarterly Performance Report members should contact either the Responsible Named Officer or Sonya Thomas with any queries; and

 

c)    noted that work is ongoing and to respond to Sonya Thomas with requests or comments regarding the layout and format of the Performance Report

 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services, dated 25 July 2022, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided an update on the recent activities of Roads and Infrastructure Services and highlighted works being undertaken which were of relevance to the Oban, Lorn and the Isles area.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee;-

 

a)    considered and noted the contents of the report; and

 

b)    agreed that the content, format and frequency of Roads and Infrastructure Service Update reports would be considered at a future Business Day meeting. 

 

 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services, dated August 2022 submitted)

 

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report on the Recycling and Recovery Performance which highlighted details on the steady progress made on recycling and composting performance during 2021 after being affected during the early months of the pandemic in 2020.

 

Decision

 

The Committee noted and considered the details as outlined in the report and the national policy drivers that will likely impact over the coming years.

 

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with Responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services, dated September 2022 submitted)

 

Extract of Minute of Audit and Scrutiny Committee held on 23 June 2022 and report by Chair of the Audit and Scrutiny Asset Transfer Panel

The Committee gave consideration to a report which had been referred by the Audit and Scrutiny Committee on the Scrutiny Review of Community Asset Transfer Review.

 

Decision

 

The members of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee noted the information provided.

 

(Reference: Extract of Minute of Audit and Scrutiny Committee held on 23 June 2022 and report by Chair of the Community Asset Transfer Scrutiny Panel, Submitted)

 

The Committee were asked to note the Area Committee workplan for future meetings.

 

 

Decision

 

The members of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles noted the contents of the workplan.

 

 

 

(Reference: Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee Workplan, submitted)

 

 

 

The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided information regarding three applications that had been received for support from the John of Lorne Bequest.

 

The Committee were advised of recent promotional work that had been undertaken which had resulted in 17 new applications being received. The Committee were advised that these applications would be considered at the December 2022 meeting.  

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee agreed to:

 

a)    refuse the two individual applicants who did not meet the criteria;

 

b)    award £50 to the individual applicant that met the criteria; and

 

c)    to delegate to the Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support or officers nominated by him, in consultation with the Chair, the authority to make awards from the John of Lorn Bequest using the criteria agreed in September 2020 and that reports be submitted to subsequent Area Committees to update trustees on awards made under this delegation.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with Responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support, dated August 2022, submitted)

 

The Committee resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the press and 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 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973

Report by Executive Director responsible for Commercial Service

 

 

Consideration was given to a report proposing the lease of an area of ground at Oban Airport to Connel Flying Club.

 

Decision

 

The Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee agreed:

 

a)    to note the background to the current positon outlined within the report by the Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and the requirement for officers to seek Market Value when leasing assets owned by the council; and

 

b)    to agree that officers consider and thereafter engage with the Connel Flying Club regarding a lease agreement subject to the area to the north of the site being retained by the Council, the grassed area being included and this agreement being reflective of the Market Value of the site.  

 

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 15 August 2022, submitted)

 

 

Report by Executive Director responsible for Commercial Service

 

 

Consideration was given to a report proposing the lease of an area of ground and buildings at Oban Airport to Connel Gliding Club.

 

Decision

 

a)    note the background to the current positon outlined within the report by the Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and the requirement for officers to seek Market Value when leasing assets owned by the council; and

 

b)    to agree officers engage with the Connel Gliding Club concerning the lease of ground and buildings at Oban Airport and that any lease should be reflective of the Market Value.  

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 15 August 2022, submitted)