Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were intimated from Councillors Forrest, Morgan, E Morton and Scoullar.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

Members were asked to suspend standing orders with particular regard to Standing Order 5.4 - the Member who is presiding at the meeting must do so from the specified location for the meeting and cannot join by video conferencing. The requisite two thirds of Members present agreed to suspend Standing Order 5.4.

Report by Chief Executive

The Council considered a report which advised of the Accounts Commission findings on the Controller of Audits Statutory Report on the Council and on the statutory requirements in relation to the Council’s consideration of the Commission’s findings together with the draft action plan in response to the findings.

Decision

1.     The Council welcomes the findings, particularly in relation to the progress the Council has made; the significantly improved relationships amongst elected members and between elected members and officers, which provide a sound basis for tackling future challenges, and the Council’s sound approach to financial planning and budgeting which has allowed it to achieve financial balance in the short term.

2.     Agreed to accept the recommendations and the development of an action plan to take forward the Statutory Report and Accounts Commission findings.

3.     Agreed the draft action in appendix 2 of the report which sets out how the Council will implement the recommendations of the report.

(Ref: Report by the Chief Executive dated 1 June 2020, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support

The Council considered a report which advised of the decision of the Special Council Meeting in March to put a hold on scheduled meeting and constitute a temporary Committee (BCC) to exercise all of the powers of the Council for a finite period of time. The Council were asked to review the continued role of the BCC.

Decision

The Council:-

1.     Agreed that all Area Committees and Strategic Committees (with the exception of the Policy and Resources (P&R) Committee scheduled for August / September will resume on a virtual basis, with a restricted number of agenda items.

2.     Agreed that the BCC will, in the meantime, continue its role, exercising all delegated functions from the Council and the Policy and Resources Committee.

3.     Agreed that a further review of the operation of the BCC and committees will be undertaken and reported to the Council meeting scheduled for 24 September 2020.

4.     Noted the log of decisions that have been taken in consultation with the Leadership Group as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

5.     Agreed to approve the non-attendance of any member at any meeting of the authority for the period up to and including the Council meeting scheduled for 24 September 2020.

(Ref: Report by Executive Director for Legal and Regulatory Support dated 22 June 2020, submitted)

The Depute Provost, on behalf of the Council, thanked all Council staff and volunteers who were working above and beyond through this difficult period. These are challenging times and it is thanks to those efforts and working together that we will come through this.