Agenda and minutes

Councillor Anne Horn presented Petitions to the Council on behalf of Bowmore Primary School and Port Charlotte Primary School in relation to Service Choices.  These Petitions were accepted by the Provost and it was confirmed that they would be passed to the appropriate department.

Apologies of Absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Iain Angus MacDonald, Robert E MacIntyre and Iain Stewart MacLean; and on behalf of William Crossan, Church Representative.

There were none intimated.

Argyll and Bute Council held on 21 January 2016

The Minutes of Argyll and Bute Council held on 21 January 2016 were approved as a correct record subject to the  first sentence of the Amendment under item 17 of the Minutes (Council Bird Control Policy) should be amended to read “The Council agree to provide both an Advisory and a limited enhanced service in respect of bird control.”.

 

 

 

The Council considered the Revenue Budget and Capital Budget papers as contained within the budgeting pack; considered such other appropriate resolutions in relation to these papers and fixed the Council Tax for the year to 31 March 2017 which had been referred without recommendation by the Policy and Resources Committee held on 11 February 2015.  There was tabled an amended page 270 of the Revenue Budget Pack which was referred to by the Head of Strategic Finance in her presentation of the Budgeting Packs.

 

The Leader of the Council proposed the following which was unanimously agreed by the Council –

 

 “Provost. I move that as is the Council’s normal approach to setting the budget that all budget proposals to be put to this meeting should clearly detail how they will be funded and that any amendment to the budget proposals I am about to propose should clearly detail how such changes would be funded ”.

 

Motion

 

The Council:

 

1.    Notes the Revenue Budget Monitoring position as at 31^st December 2015;

2.    Notes the findings of the Planning our Future consultation which have been taken into account in the preparation of the budget proposals;

3.    Notes that Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) have been carried out and notes the subsequent detail in the report on Assessing Equality Impact;

4.    Notes the Financial Risk Analysis as set down in the Revenue Budget Pack;

5.    Notes the funding gap of £10.052m within the Revenue Budget estimates;

6.    Approves the Revenue Budget estimates for 2016/17 as set out in the Revenue Budget Overview report, subject to the following:

Further savings

·         Reduce elected members cost centre                                               £150,000

·         20% savings in staff travel budgets across all council services        £235,000

·         10% saving in staff overtime across all council services                   £158,000

·         Increase vacancy savings target                                                        £310,000

·         Increase council tax base                                                                   £200,000

·         Remove additional monies previously allocated for Unitary

charge for 2016/17                                                                              £500,000

·         1% pay inflation saving as a result of savings options                         £26,000

·         Management savings, with Chief Executive to bring forward

a report to members on proposals for implementation                        £95,000

                                                                        Total                            £1.674m

7.    Notes that management/operational savings of £1.044m will be taken forward as part of normal business;

8.    Notes the revised funding gap of £7.334m as a result of the above adjustments;

9.    Approves the following and further policy options to balance the budget;

·         Adjustment to social work budget ( saving )                                       £990,000

·         Social work cost pressures arising since 2015/16

being met by IJB                                                                                 £551,000

·         Additional 3% to the Council’s income-generating fees and

charges to total 6% each year, apart from the general

increase exceptions outlined in the Revenue Budget

Overview report.                                                                                 £610,000

 

10.   Rejects the following savings options totaling £1.402m:

1.    EDUC05g Reduce subsidy payments to community swimming pools

2.    EDUC07a Reduce primary school classroom assistants by 20%

3.    EDUC07d Reduce primary school janitor costs by 20%

4.    EDUC07k Stop lunch payments for primary school supervision staff

5.    EDUC08a Reduce secondary school classroom assistants by 20%

6.    EDUC08c Reduce secondary school janitor costs by 20%

7.    EDUC08g Reduce school technician costs by 20%

8.    EDUC08k Stop lunch payments for secondary school supervision staff

9.    CC02a Reduce Adult Learning/Literacies service availability

10.  CSS02k End discretionary non-domestic rates relief for charities

11.  FS03m Remove out of hours property emergency line cover

12.  FS04G Remove discretionary Community Transport Grant funding

13.  PRS04g Reduce debt counselling service to focus on complex cases

14.  RAMS01c Removal of hanging baskets

15.  RAMS01d Close 43 public conveniences across Argyll and Bute

16.  RAMS01f Replace annual bedding display with grass areas

17.  RAMS01k Reduce Environmental Warden Team

18.  RAMS01o Additional Roads and Amenity Service staff reduction

19.  RAMS02a Reduce coastal and flooding work budgets

20.  RAMS02b Reduce bridge assessment budget

21.  RAMS03c Reduce budget for road works/bridge repairs

22.  RAMS05d Removal of food waste collection, Helensburgh area

23.  SF01F Further review of Strategic Finance team

·         Value of options rejected - £1.402mm (68FTE jobs secured)

 

11.   Accepts in part or in full the savings options totalling £5.186m (82FTE) as follows, rejecting £0.809m (34FTE) through reduced levels of savings:

1.    SF01a Review of staffing structure within Strategic Finance

2.    CC02b Adult Literacies and Learning – reduce spend in areas based on needs assessment

3.    CC03a Reduce cost of combined community development and community planning teams

4.    CC03b Provide reduced amount of third sector grant funding – full saving in first year, with 10% in 17/18 and 10% in 18/19

5.    CC03c Introduce consistent management arrangements for four community centres

6.    CC05/1, CC05a, CC10a, CC11a, CC11a/1 Create a charitable leisure trust to bring together council owned community halls, libraries, swimming pools and fitness facilities

7.    CC06a Provide reduced level of funding support for events and festivals

8.    CC06b Offer Campbeltown Museum for community ownership

9.    CC006c Provide reduced level of funding for arts development

10.  CC08a Provide reduced level of funding to energy and mediation advice services where other opportunities are available and where there is less demand for service

11.  CC08b Align funding for rent deposit scheme to current demand

12.  CC08c Reduce budget for housing IT, strategy development and staff training following major work done in 2014/15

13.  CC08d Reduce staffing costs re promotion of housing information/capacity for partnership work

14.  CC08e Save council funds by transferring strategic staff costs to Strategic Housing Fund

15.  CC10b Reduce library management costs

16.  CC10c Saving of £50,000 on mobile library service

17.  CC12A Provide reduced level of funding for domestic abuse outreach support

18.  CC12b Provide reduced level of funding for tenancy support contracts

19.  EDUC01a Align disability access budget (for adaptations in education centres) with current demand following previous underspend

20.  EDUC01b Review Service Level Agreement for home and hospital tuition in line with previous demand

21.  EDUC01c Reduce education Quality Improvement Team materials budget

22.  EDUC01d Align specialist equipment budget with demand following previous underspend

23.  EDUC01e Reprioritise repairs and maintenance budget for Education HQ

24.  EDUC01h Manage cover for ASN assistants from within current devolved budget at individual schools

25.  EDUC01i Deliver  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Report by Head of Strategic Finance

The Council considered the proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy, a requirement of the Treasury Management in the public services Code of Practice issued by CIPFA, which set out the Council’s strategy for borrowing and investment  for the forthcoming year along with the Council’s prudential indicators which require to be set for a three year period.

 

Decision

 

The Council –

 

1.    Approved the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy subject to review by the Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee in February.

 

2.    Approved the removal of Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Qatar from the list of approved countries for investment.

 

(Reference:  Report by Head of Strategic Finance dated 3 February 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Council considered a report updating Members on vacancies which had arisen on the Councils Committees and other outside bodies/organisations.

 

Decision

 

The Council:

 

a)    Noted the material change in circumstances in relation to the council’s representation on the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) and, in light of this change and in accordance with Standing Orders, appointed Councillor Maurice Corry to the IJB with immediate effect to avoid any gap in representation;

b)    Nominated Councillor Maurice Corry as the council-appointed Chair of the IJB;

c)    Noted the vacancies arising on the Audit Committee and Performance, Review and Scrutiny Committee following Councillor Maurice Corry’s resignation;

d)    Appointed Councillor Robert E MacIntyre to the Performance, Review and Scrutiny Committee;

e)    Deferred consideration of the Audit Committee vacancy until after the Oban North and Lorn by-election on Thursday 18^th February;

f)     Noted the resignation of Councillor Douglas Philand as the council’s substantive representative on the Stramash Board;

g)    Appointed Councillor John McAlpine as the council’s substantive representative on the Stramash Board;

h)    Noted the resignation of Councillor George Freeman from the council’s Administration and his resignation from the role of Vice Chair of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee;

i)      Appointed Councillor Robert G MacIntyre to the role of Vice Chair of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee;

j)      Noted the resignation of Councillor Douglas Philand from the council’s Community Services Committee and appointed Councillor Iain Angus MacDonald to the arising vacancy;

k)    Noted the resignation of Councillor Donald Kelly from the council’s Policy and Resources Committee and appointed Councillor Neil MacIntyre to the arising vacancy.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 1 February 2016, submitted; and Notice of Motion by Councillor Dick Walsh, seconded by Councillor Ellen Morton, tabled)

Report by Chief Executive

The Council considered a report advising of a tender of resignation from the Chief Executive of the Council, Sally Loudon, with effect from 8 May 2016.  The report invited the Council to establish an appointments Panel of 7 Members to appoint to the post of Chief Executive.

 

Motion

 

The Council:

 

1.    Establishes an Appointments Panel to appoint to the post of Chief Executive;

2.    Agrees that the Appointments Panel will consist of seven members – five from the Administration and two from the main Opposition, with appropriate substitutes;

3.    Appoints Councillors Dick Walsh, Ellen Morton, Aileen Morton, Roddy McCuish and Gary Mulvaney as the five Administration members;

4.    Appoints Councillors Mary-Jean Devon, Rory Colville, Alex McNaughton and Maurice Corry as the Administration substitute members;

5.    Invites the Leader of the council’s main Opposition group to notify two Panel members and appropriate substitutes;

6.    Notes that, as an operational matter, arrangements will be made as necessary to ensure continuity of service delivery.

Moved Councillor Dick Walsh, seconded Councillor Ellen Morton.

 

Amendment

 

That the Council agree not to replace the post of Chief Executive and consider appointing the three current Directors to carry out the duties of the Chief Executive on a four month rotational basis.

 

Moved Councillor Donald Kelly, seconded Councillor Douglas Philand

 

Decision

 

Following a show of hands vote the Motion was carried by 21 votes to 3 and the Council resolved accordingly.

 

(Reference:  Report by Chief Executive dated 4 February 2016, submitted; notice of Motion by Councillor Dick Walsh, seconded by Councillor Ellen Morton, tabled; and Amendment by Councillor Donald Kelly, seconded by Councillor Douglas Philand, tabled)