Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mary Jean Devon, Iain MacLean and Ellen Morton.

There were none intimated.

Policy and Resources Committee held on 11 February 2016

The Minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 11 February 2016 were approved as a correct record.

Report by Head of Strategic Finance

The Committee considered a report which provided a summary of the financial monitoring reports as at the end of January 2016.

Decision

The Committee noted –

1.    The revenue budget monitoring report as at 31 January 2016.

2.    The current assessment of the Council’s financial risks.

3.    The overall level of reserves and balances and the monitoring of the earmarked reserves.

4.    The capital plan monitoring report as at 31 January 2016.

5.    The treasury monitoring report as at 31 January 2016.

(Reference:  Report by Head of Strategic Finance dated 16 February 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee considered a report presenting them with the Customer Services Departmental Performance Report with the Scorecards for Strategic Finance and Customer Services for FQ3 20156/16.

Decision

The Committee noted the Scorecards as presented.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated March 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services.

The Committee considered a report presenting the Service Plans 2016/17 for approval.

Decision

The Committee agreed to recommend to Council approval of the Service Plans for 2016-17.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 24 February 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

A report providing an update on the spending against welfare reform mitigations and advising that an estimate of £232,100 would be unspent at 31 March 2016, was considered.  The report sought approval for the carry forward of the unspent balance to be used in a continuation of the work.  Approval was also requested for the carry forward of the expected underspend of £30,000 DHP monies from the year end.

Decision

The Committee –

1.    Noted the information provided in respect of progress made, and the estimate of projected expenditure to 31 March 2016 of £232.6k from the balance of Scottish Government funding for DHPs of £464.7k in March 2015.

2.    Approved the continued carry forward of the balance of this as earmarked funds estimated at £232.1k and approved the proposals for their use as summarised at paragraph 4.20 of the submitted report.

3.    Approved the carry forward of the balance of the unspent 2015/16 DHP monies estimated at £30,000 as earmarked funds to be used to fund DHP payments in 2016/17 in order to help maintain current priority levels into 2016/17.

4.    Requested a further report to be brought back to a future meeting on the progress with the proposals approved at decisions 2 and 3 above.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 24 February 2016, submitted)

Councillor Maurice Corry joined the meeting at this point.

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

A report updating the Committee on the Broadband Pathfinder re-procurement for a wide area network for the Council providing connectivity to all schools, libraries and offices was considered.

Decision

The Committee –

1.    Noted the details provided.

2.    Noted the actions being taken to mitigate the risks described.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 3 March 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee considered a report highlighting issues relating to furniture and other items that had been held in buildings which were now surplus to requirements as part of the office rationalisation projects.  The report invited determination of some general principles.

Decision

The Committee -

1.    Agreed the protocol as set out in paragraph 4.3 of the submitted report.

2.    Agreed that a report should be brought to each Area Committee regarding current issues in their locality, and that an update should be provided on a regular basis to each Area Committee as required.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated March 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee considered a report advising Members that an action of judicial review had been raised against the Council by Calum MacMillan/Argyll Workboats in respect of the operation of Rothesay Harbour at various points since 2007.

Decision

The Committee noted the position.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 24 February 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

The Committee considered a report which sought approval of changes to operations of Business Loans Scotland Ltd which had not been identified the previous year when the Committee agreed to join the new fund.

Decision

The Committee –

1.    Endorsed the proposal to join BLS without BLS conducting consumer lending.

2.    Endorsed the proposal to transfer the minimum Council contribution (£90k) from WSLF to BLS.

3.    Endorsed the proposal to transfer £10k from WSLF to BLS to cover BLS management charges for the first three years (estimated at 3% per year).

4.    Endorsed the proposal to seek to transfer any WSLF surplus to the Council’s Economic Development Service, or other appropriate body able to provide loans, for the purposes of promoting commerce by giving financial assistance by way of loans, donations or subscriptions, noting that this may require the unanimous approval of all WSLF Member Authorities.

5.       Agreed to recommend to Council appointment of an elected member to represent Argyll & Bute’s interests on the Board of Business Loans Scotland.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services dated March 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

The Committee considered a report containing an assessment of a funding request from the Long and Winding Way using approved methodology which had been agreed by the Committee on 19 March 2015.

Decision

1.    The Committee agreed to  recommend to the Council, to grant funding to the LWW of £10,000 per annum for a three year period commencing April 2016; subject to -

a)    the completion of  a service level agreement with the LWW which requires  that the LWW should continue to develop its partnership working with the Argyll & the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust and its Long Distance Routes Forum,

b)    evidence of financial viability for each year being presented to and approved by the Council before the release of each annual payment  and;

c)    that LWW be advised that this is the final financial support from  the Council; to be funded from General Fund Balance.

2.    In addition members noted that if the LWW cannot find a sustainable way forward no financial  burden would fall upon the Council.

Councillor Gary Mulvaney, who had moved an amendment which failed to find a seconder, requested that his dissent be recorded from the foregoing decision.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Committee dated March 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

A report setting out proposals for the establishment of a Marine Planning Partnership to develop a statutory Regional Marine Plan for the Scottish marine region of the Clyde.  The report also identified the legal duties and implications, including benefits, risks and resources, associated with the direct involvement in regional marine planning and membership of the Clyde MPP.

The Committee were given a verbal update of the decision taken by the Planning Protective Services and Licensing Committee held on 16 March 2016 in regard to this item.

Decision

The Committee –

1.    Noted the content of the report.

2.    Noted the decision of the PPSL Committee on 16 March2016

3.    Agreed to recommend to Council to  –

a)    Agree to be a Member of the Clyde MPP, to be represented by an officer from Development and Infrastructure Services;

b)    Agree to accept the offer of a permanent position on the Partnership Board of the Clyde MPP, and seek appointment by Council of an elected member;

c)    Approve the constitution for the Clyde MPP, as detailed in Appendix 2; and;

d)    Give consent to the draft Direction from Scottish Ministers delegating functions under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 to the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership, as detailed in Appendix 3.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services dated 24 February 2016, submitted)

The Committee considered the Work Plan as at March 2016.

Decision

The Committee noted the Work Plan.

(Reference:  Policy and Resources Committee Work Plan as at March 2016, submitted)

The Chair advised that in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the appendices relating to the following two items of business would require him to exclude the press and public should any Member wish to discuss the content of those appendices 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.

The Committee considered a report updating them on progress in the delivery of the Lorn Arc Tax Incremental Financing Programme and its nine capital infrastructure investment projects.

Decision

The Committee –

1.    Noted the current progress with the Lorn Arc Programme;

2.    Noted that recruitment is underway for 1 full time Lorn Arc Programme Manager, 1 full time Lorn Arc Project Manager and a Secondment opportunity for a Lorn Arc Project Manager;

3.    Approved Officers formally requesting from the Lorn Arc TIF Executive the removal of the two Barcaldine projects from the Lorn Arc Business Case but retaining the option to borrow up to £18.9m across the remaining projects or bringing forward additional projects in due course subject to approval and affordability.

4.    Approved revising the reporting Tolerance levels in line with the levels set for the Council’s monthly Capital Financial Reporting i.e. Project Plan +/- 2 months on agreed completion and Project Budget +/- 5% of agreed budget subject to a minimum of £50,000.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services dated 16 February 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

A report updating the Committee on the progress in the delivery of the twelve major capital regeneration projects was considered.  The report also advised on key issues which would impact on the successful delivery of the projects from the design development stage through to procurement and implementation.

Decision

The Committee noted the current progress and agreed allocation of budget resources to date against each of the projects.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services dated 12 February 2016, submitted)

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 2 items of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Report by Executive Director – Community Services and Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee considered a report providing them with an update on progress on the Stage 2 Submissions by hubNorth Scotland Ltd (hubNorth) to build new secondary schools in Campbeltown and Oban and a new primary school in Kirn, Dunoon; together with an update on the project in respect of Dunoon Primary School.  There was tabled an updated Appendix 1 to the submitted report.

Decision

The Committee agreed the recommendations as contained within the submitted report.

(Reference: Joint report by Executive Director – Community Services and Executive Director – Customer Services dated 7 March 2016, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services and Head of Strategic Finance

The Committee considered a report advising of an opportunity for the Council to exercise its right to invest in its own new Schools Project.

Decision

The Committee agreed the recommendations as contained within the submitted report.

(Reference:  Joint report by Head of Strategic Finance and Executive Director – Customer Services dated March 2016, submitted)

E1       Paragraph 8  The amount of any expenditure proposed to be incurred by the authority under any particular contract for the acquisition of property or the supply of goods or services.

Paragraph 9  Any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.

E 2      Paragraph 9  Any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.