Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Amanda Hampsey, Reeni Kennedy-Boyle, Liz McCabe, Yvonne McNeilly and Dougie Philand.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

The Chair ruled and the Committee agreed in order to facilitate smooth running of the agenda, to vary the order of business and to take item 15 as the last item of the meeting.  This would  allow the Committee to deal with all of the business which could be taken in public before moving into private session.

Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 May 2025

The Minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 May 2025 were approved as a correct record.

Report by Section 95 Officer

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing a summary of the overall financial position of the Council for 2025-26 as at 30 June 2025.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    noted the revenue budget monitoring report as at 30 June 2025;

2.    noted the capital plan monitoring report as at Quarter 1 and approved the proposed budget changes to the Capital Plan outlined in paragraphs 4.3 to 4.6 of that report;

3.    noted the 2025-26 financial risks report; and

4.    noted the reserves and balances report as at 30 June 2025.

(Reference: Report by Section 95 Officer dated 30 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Section 95 Officer

The Committee gave consideration to a report summarising the Budget Outlook for the 5 year period 2026-27 to 2030-31 and providing an update to the position previously reported to the Policy and Resources Committee in May 2025.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the current Budget Outlook position for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31.

(Reference: Report by Section 95 Officer dated 31 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on feedback received following an 8 week public consultation on the proposals to amend the local Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils and suggesting further amendments based on the feedback received.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.     noted the feedback received following the stage one consultation outlined in Appendix 1 to the submitted report;

2.     agreed to carry out a second phase 8-week consultation with the public and community councils, based on the draft revised Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils at Appendix 2 to the submitted report and Best Practice Agreement at Appendix 3 to the submitted report; and

3.     noted that in terms of the agreed timetable for the review, a further report on the second stage consultation, including consideration of grant funding, and any final proposals would be submitted to a specially convened Council meeting on 26 November 2025. 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support dated 11 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report bringing forward proposals for the 2025-26 allocation of Crown Estates Funding, recommending a change to funding previously agreed for a Building Aires style campervan site in Dunoon (Glen Morag car park) and recommending a change to the funds allocated for Kintyre Sea Sports (KSS).

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    agreed to the allocation of the Crown Estate funding for 2025/26 to the projects outlined in Table 1, paragraph 4.2.1 of the submitted report;

2.    agreed to varying the use of previously allocated Crown Estate funding assigned to a now confirmed unviable project Building Aires style campervan site in Dunoon (Glenmorag Car Park) for a simpler, smarter and more sustainable Aires Project in Cowal; and

3.    noted the update provided in relation to the planning application for the new Kintyre Sea Sports facility and approved the revised scope of project activities to be funded from the £200k of Crown Estates Funding previously approved by the Policy and Resources Committee in February 2025.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 1 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an overview of the proposed arrangements for the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund in 2025/26.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.     noted the funding announced by the Scottish Government for the 2025/26 financial year for Local Authorities with responsibility for islands; and

2.     agreed to the allocation of the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund for 2025/26 to support the projects set out below:-

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 2 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report advising that the Place Based Investment Programme Offer of Grant from Scottish Government had been received on 25 June 2025 and had confirmed partial release of funding resulting in a reduction from £496,000 to £388,368, with the remaining £107,632 subject to the Scottish budget position later in the year.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed to the reprioritisation of projects set out in Table 1, paragraph 3.2 of the submitted report following Scottish Government notification that this funding would now be received in two tranches.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 1 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the Rural Growth Deal (RGD) and specifically costs associated with project development and followed on from the report presented to the Policy and Resources Committee on 5 December 2024.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.     agreed that the Council increase the amount set aside from the Priorities Investment Fund from £0.700m to £0.850m to cash flow the development costs for the Council, noting that the cash flow support would be fully paid back by the end of Year 10; and

2.     delegated to the Internal Programme Board (Chief Executive and Executive Directors), in consultation with the Leader and Depute Leaders to approve pre-development funding requests relating to Council led projects up to a maximum threshold of 15% of each project, subject to there being sufficient cash flow available, noting that this was an increase to the £0.250m threshold agreed in December 2024.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 22 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth and Roads and Infrastructure Services and Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the Nature Restoration Fund, the projects previously agreed to be taken forward and proposing several projects to be delivered in 2025-26.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.     noted the progress made regarding the previously agreed allocation of Nature Restoration Funding in Appendix 1 of the submitted report;

2.     approved the proposed projects in Appendix 2 of the submitted report noting that there was still a balance of funds to be allocated; and

3.     agreed delegated authority to the Executive Directors with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth and Commercial Services in consultation with the Policy Leads with responsibility for Planning and Regulatory Services and Climate Change, Renewables and Net Zero to amend the distribution of this funding in relation to approved projects in Appendix 2 to the submitted report if considered necessary.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth and Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 11 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing the Committee with an analysis of the Council's 2023/24 climate performance, in line with its statutory duties under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. The report presented an analysis of the Council’s most recent emissions data for the 2023/24 period, contextualised with findings from the analysis of national Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Report prepared by the Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN). The report provided the committee with an assessment of the Council’s current performance, enabling informed strategic decisions to be made to accelerate the Council’s progress towards meeting climate change commitments.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.     noted progress towards net zero and the challenges identified in the Council’s 2023/24 Public Sector Duties Submission which included a 3.8% rise in previous financial year but 31% reduction overall; and

2.     endorsed the strategic priorities outlined to accelerate climate action and ensure progress towards the Council’s net zero targets.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 21 August 2025)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an overview and update of recent activity completed or underway by the Climate Change Board.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.     noted the contents of the submitted report and the key implications for the Council arising from the Scottish Government’s consultation on new statutory guidance for Public Bodies' Climate Change Duties; and

2.     noted the updates from the Climate Change Board including Drax LED installations, SG Consultation on draft Statutory Guidance for public bodies, Burnett Building Climate Adaptation, the Nature Restoration Fund Initiative, the climate change focussed work of the CPP, and the developments in the Kilmory grounds with ACT.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 21 August 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report advising on the operation of the processes in regard to formal Asset Transfer Requests (ATR) and Participation Requests in terms of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015; current live informal Expressions of Interest (EOI’s) which may become subject to a formal asset transfer request or be dealt with out with the formal asset transfer request process; current live ongoing or agreed Participation Requests received by the Council; and the annual reporting requirements in respect of Asset Transfer Requests and Participation Requests set out in Section 95 and 32 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 respectively.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the content of the submitted report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 30 June 2025, submitted)

The Policy and Resources Committee Workplan was before the Committee for noting.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the content of the Workplan.

(Reference: Policy and Resources Committee Workplan dated August 2025, 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 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and Executive Director with responsibility for Financial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report advising of an economic development opportunity in relation to Kilmory Business Park.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed the recommendations as detailed within the submitted report.

(Reference: Report by Section 95 Officer and Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 29 July 2025, submitted)

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