Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

Report by Chief Executive

The Short Life Working Group considered a report which outlined the context in which the Council was working and the challenges that Argyll and Bute was facing.

Decision

1.                  Noted the terms of the report and agreed that the current arrangement of the Council making all decisions was not sustainable

2.                  Agreed to endorse the principles set out in paragraph 3.4 i-viii subject to adding the following additional principles, namely;

ix – leadership

x – effective political scrutiny

xi – effective decision making

xii – increased focus on all our customers

3.                  Agreed to circulate the agreed Minute to all 36 Councillors to invite them to submit to the Executive Director of Customer Services by Wednesday 7 August 2013;

-                      issues that need to be addressed to make their participation in the Council business more effective;

-                      possible Political Management Arrangements decision making models; and

-                      comments on any of the content of the initial views of the Short Life Working Group as set out in this Minute

4.                  Agreed that all of the information received as arising from 3 above be considered by the Short Life Working Group (SLWG) at its next meeting, with a view to prioritising those models that should then be looked at in more detail by officers, with the intention that a report would then be submitted to a further meeting(s) of the Group

5.                  Agreed that the report to the August Council in terms of the SLWG terms of reference would be an interim report given the decisions taken above; and

6.                  Noted that it would be beneficial, if possible, that the Audit Scotland findings were available for consideration prior to the Council reaching a final decision.