Agenda and minutes

The Provost expressed his sorrow at hearing of the passing of ex Councillor Alistair McKinlay from Campbeltown and asked the Council to record its condolences.

Apologies for absence were intimated from Councillors Freeman, Good, Horn, Kinniburgh, McGrigor and McKenzie.

Councillor McCuish declared a non-financial interest in item 14 (43 Stevenson Street, Oban) due to his membership of the Bid4Oban Board. He took no part in the discussion of this item of business.

 

Councillor Robertson declared a non-financial interest in item 15 (Former Kerrera Primary School) due to her husband’s former involvement in the Kerrera Development Trust.

The Minutes of the Argyll and Bute Council Meeting held on 28 June 2018 were approved as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Special Argyll and Bute Council Meeting held on 16 August 2018 were approved as a correct record.

The Minute of the Policy and Resources Committee of 16 August 2018 was noted.

 

Arising under Item 8 (Information Management Strategy 2018-2021) the Council approved the Information Management (IM) Strategy for Argyll and Bute Council 2018 – 2021.

 

Arising under Item 10 (Film in Argyll and Bute – Facilitating the Use of Council Assets the Council approved the proposed Film Location Charging Schedule to be reviewed annually as part of the budget process and noted the proposed Location Release Form.

The Minute of the Community Services Committee of 23 August 2018 was noted.

The Minute of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee of 6 September 2018 was noted.

 

Arising under Item 5 (Policy on Memorial Safety on Local Authority Cemeteries and Burial Grounds) the Council approved the Policy.

Report by Leader of the Council

The Council gave consideration to a report providing an update on the activities of the Leader of Argyll and Bute Council from 11 June to 14 September 2018, together with an update from the Policy Lead for Economic Development.

 

Decision

 

1.     The Council noted the terms of the report.

 

2.     Noted that the full Leaders report pack was available in the Leader’s Office which included COSLA papers and briefings as referenced in the report.

 

3.     Noted that any COSLA items heard in public session could be provided to Members electronically and any items taken in private session could be reviewed in the Leader’s Office.

 

(Ref: Report by Leader of the Council dated 14 September 2018, submitted)

Report by Policy Leads

The Council gave consideration to a report providing an update on key areas of activity for each Policy Lead Councillor.

 

Decision

 

The Council agreed to note and endorse the terms of the report.

 

(Ref: Report by Policy Leads dated 10 September 2018, submitted)

Report by Chief Executive

The Council considered a report which highlighted the key points from the evaluation of the completed pilot project with the Supporting Communities Fund and sought agreement on the future distribution of the Supporting Communities Fund.

 

Decision

 

The Council noted the outcomes from this successful pilot project and agreed:

 

1.	That for 2018/20 Participatory Budgeting will not be used as a method to allocate the Supporting Communities Fund for the reasons detailed in paragraph 4.7 related to disproportionate costs against grant funding available; and notes the work currently underway to consider a national platform which would be available to local authorities.
2.	Improvements be made to the Supporting Communities Fund, taking on board feedback through the evaluation to increase awareness and transparency in the grants process as detailed in paragraph 4.8 of the report.
3.	The Council shares the learning from the PB pilot with dedicated COSLA Office and COSLA Elected Member Groups looking at Community Choices and PB to inform best practice and national considerations for a PB platform.
4.	Options for how the Council can meet the 1% requirement of budget distribution by ‘Community Choices’ by 2020/21, including where the use of PB may be appropriate, be brought to a future meeting of the Council.

(Ref: Report by Chief Executive dated 13 September 2018, submitted)

The Provost introduced Joanna Macdonald the new Chief Officer of the Health and Social Care Partnership to the Council meeting. Joanna advised that she was delighted to be back in Argyll and Bute and was looking forward to working with everyone.

Report by Chief Executive

The Council considered a report which advised of the Programme for Government 2017-18 which set out the intention to “decentralise power to a more local level in Scotland and launch a comprehensive review of local governance ahead of a Local Democracy Bill later in this Parliament”. The Scottish Government and COSLA jointly announced the Local Governance Review consultation which was launched in May 2018 and closes on 14 December 2018.

 

Decision

 

The Council:

 

1.	Noted the summary reports from each of the eleven community engagement events undertaken by the Council during the summer of 2018 have been reported to relevant area committees for their information and consideration.
2.	Considered the key themes drawn from the engagement events as outlined within the report which will be used to inform the Council’s draft response to the Local Governance Review consultation; and
3.	Noted that a draft response to the Local Governance Review will be presented to Council in November 2018 with a view to submit to the Scottish Governments before the deadline of 14 December 2018.

 

(Ref: Report by Chief Executive dated 3 September 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director of Customer Services

The Council considered a report which set out a proposed consultation on public priorities, for use in setting the Council’s budget for 2019/20.

 

Decision

 

The Council approved the consultation as set out in Appendix 1 to the report and noted that further information in respect the Council’s budget-setting timeline will be included in the next budget outlook report, at the Policy and Resources Committee of 18 October 2018.

 

(Ref: Report by Executive Director of Customer Services dated 27 September 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director of Customer Services

The Council considered a report which updated the Council on vacancies which had arisen on the Councils Committee and other outside bodies / organisations. The Head of Governance and Law advised Members of a correction to the detail contained in the report.

 

Decision

 

The Council:-

 

1.	Noted the resignation of Councillor McNeilly from the Argyll Islands Strategic Group and appointed Councillor Redman to the Group.
2.	Agreed the replacement of Councillor Alan Reid by an officer of the Council for the West of Scotland Loan Fund/Business Loans Scotland.
3.	Agreed that as CHArts moves from being a Steering Board to being a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), Councillor Robin Currie continues as the Council appointee.

 (Ref; Report by Executive Director of Customer Services dated 11 September 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure

The Council considered a report which advised that COSLA and the Scottish Government made a joint commitment to remove local authority fees for burial and cremation for children under 18 years old.

 

Decision

 

The Council agreed to the change to the Council’s Fees and Charges schedule 2018/19 as outlined in the submitted report.

 

(Ref: Report by Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure dated 27 September 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director of Customer Services

The Council noted a report which advised members of the actions that have been taken following the publication of an amended version of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, as agreed by the Scottish Parliament on 9 July 2018 and the revised guidance issued by the Standards Commission in light of the amendments.

 

(Ref: Report by Executive Director of Customer Services dated 15 August 2018, submitted)

Moved by Councillor Paterson, seconded by Councillor Douglas

 

The Council notes that:

a)    the Council’s wish to promote a thriving economy in Argyll and Bute and the importance of tourism and related amenities to that economy;

b)    the budget approved by the Council on 22nd February 2018 included;

i.                 a general increase in fees and charges at a general 3% above inflation; and

ii.                an increase in car parking income

c)     the new car parking charges being introduced at Glen Loin 1 & 2 which increase the daily parking rate from £1 per day to £9 per day represent an increase of 800%; 

d)    as a consequence, Glen Loin 1 & 2, become amongst the most expensive in Scotland, in stark contrast with the least expensive; Ben Nevis, Ben Lomond and the Cairngorms, at £4, £3 and £2 per day respectively, for car parks with associated facilities and amenities;

e)    these increases have given rise to considerable public objection, given voice in the “Petition Argyll and Bute Council against raising parking fees at Arrochar car parks by 800%” which at the time of writing stands at 3,903 signatories;

The Council agrees:

1.     To amend the car parking charges at Glen Loin 1 & 2, to £1 per hour, for the first three hours;

2.     To cap the day rate for Glen Loin 1 & 2 to £3 for any length of stay beyond 3 hours;

3.     That officers are to assess the available information on car park use to inform a revised charging regime reflecting urban and rural local parking facilities and usage and bring a report to the December meeting of the P & R Committee.

Councillor Paterson, seconded by Councillor Douglas had given notice of the following motion:-

 

Motion

 

The Council notes that:

a)     the Council’s wish to promote a thriving economy in Argyll and Bute and the importance of tourism and related amenities to that economy;

b)     the budget approved by the Council on 22nd February 2018 included;

i.                 a general increase in fees and charges at a general 3% above inflation; and

ii.                an increase in car parking income

c)     the new car parking charges being introduced at Glen Loin 1 & 2 which increase the daily parking rate from £1 per day to £9 per day represent an increase of 800%; 

d)     as a consequence, Glen Loin 1 & 2, become amongst the most expensive in Scotland, in stark contrast with the least expensive; Ben Nevis, Ben Lomond and the Cairngorms, at £4, £3 and £2 per day respectively, for car parks with associated facilities and amenities;

e)     these increases have given rise to considerable public objection, given voice in the “Petition Argyll and Bute Council against raising parking fees at Arrochar car parks by 800%” which at the time of writing stands at 3,903 signatories;

The Council agrees:

1.     To amend the car parking charges at Glen Loin 1 & 2, to £1 per hour, for the first three hours;

2.     To cap the day rate for Glen Loin 1 & 2 to £3 for any length of stay beyond 3 hours;

3.     That officers are to assess the available information on car park use to inform a revised charging regime reflecting urban and rural local parking facilities and usage and bring a report to the December meeting of the P & R Committee.

Amendment

 

The Council notes that:

 

1.     The decision to amend parking charges across Argyll and Bute was unanimously agreed as part of the February 2018 Budget decision, which will deliver total additional income of £600,000 over the next 3 years; if this cannot be achieved then on average one Council job will need to be cut per £28.6k of income reduced;

2.     80% of Council funding comes direct from the Scottish Government; over the past five years funding to local authorities across Scotland has decreased by almost £750million;

3.     As reported in May by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, Argyll and Bute Council has had the largest drop in funding of any of mainland local authority, with funding down by 11.4%, compared to a Scottish-wide funding drop of 5.7%;

4.     The Council’s in-year financial position, as reported to the Policy and Resources Committee in August, is a £2.8million overspend in 2018/19;

5.     As also reported to the Policy and Resources Committee in August, the mid-range estimate of further savings required by the Council over the next three years is £22million;

6.     Difficult decisions have been made by this Council over a number of years now to maintain a balanced budget, as is legally required, including in February 2018 when the Council unanimously agreed to take the parking income option while also agreeing areas of protection or additional spending.

 

The Council agrees:

 

1.     That the priorities agreed in the Budget in February 2018 still stand, namely:

a.     Protection of Education and Social Care services

b.     Investment in our Roads network

c.      Agreement of a Rural Growth Deal for Argyll and Bute

d.     Protecting local jobs

2.     That dealing with individual decisions in a vacuum is inappropriate, especially when no effort is made to identify alternative savings, and no action should be taken at this time on the proposed motion.

 

Moved by Councillor Mulvaney, seconded by Councillor McCuish.

 

The requisite number of members required the vote to be taken by calling the roll and members voted accordingly:-

 

Motion	Amendment
Councillor Armour	Councillor Anderson
Councillor Blair	Councillor Colville
Councillor Douglas	Councillor Currie
Councillor Findlay	Councillor Devon
Councillor Forrest	Councillor Green
Councillor Kelly	Councillor Hardie
Councillor Lynch	Councillor MacMillan
Councillor Moffat	Councillor McCuish
Councillor Paterson	Councillor McNeilly
Councillor Philand	Councillor Morgan
Councillor Taylor	Councillor A Morton
Councillor Trail	Councillor E Morton
	Councillor Mulvaney
	Councillor Redman
	Councillor Reid
	Councillor Robertson
	Councillor Scoullar
	Councillor Vennard

 

Decision

 

There were 12 votes for the Motion and 18 for the Amendment and the Council resolved accordingly.

 

The Council resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the press and public for the following two items of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 8&9 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

 

Report by Executive Director of Customer Services

The Council considered a report which advised members of an approach from Bid4Oban to extend their lease of the shop premises at 43 Stevenson Street, Oban.

 

Decision

 

The Council agreed to the extension of lease in favour of BID4Oban on the basis of the annual rent as outlined in the submitted report.

 

(Ref: Report by Executive Director of Customer Services dated 10 August 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director of Customer Services

The Council considered a report which provided details of a request received by the Council from the Isle of Kerrera Development Trust to acquire the former Kerrera Primary School.

 

Decision

 

The Council agreed to a sale of the former Kerrera School to the Isle of Kerrera Development Trust on the basis outlined in the submitted report.  

 

(Ref: Report by Executive Director of Customer Services dated 16 August 2018, submitted)

E1  Paragraph 6  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority).