Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Rory Colville, Roddy McCuish and Yvonne McNeilly.

There were no declarations of interest intimated. 

Policy and Resources Committee held on 24 May 2018

The Minute of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 24 May 2018 was approved as a correct record.

Report by Head of Strategic Finance

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing a summary of the financial monitoring reports as at the end of June 2018.  Reports attached to the summary were the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report; Monitoring of Service Package Policy Options; Monitoring of Financial Risks; Capital Plan Monitoring Report; Treasury Monitoring Report and Reserves and Balances all dated as at 30 June 2018. 

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Noted the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report as at 30 June 2018.

2.    Noted the changed accounting treatment in respect of the Health and Social Care Partnership and the adverse impact it has on the Council’s 2018/19 forecast overspend with £2.4M of the £2.8M total relating to the Health and Social Care Partnership.

3.    Requested that the Section 95 Officer liaise with the Health and Social Care Partnership Chief Financial Officer in respect of plans to reduce the overspend and provide an update to the Committee in the October report.

4.    Noted the progress of the Service Package Policy Saving Options as at 30 June 2018.

5.    Noted the current assessment of the Council’s financial risks.

6.    Noted the Capital Plan Monitoring Report as at 30 June 2018.

7.    Noted the Treasury Monitoring Report as at 30 June 2018.

8.    Noted the Reserves and Balances Report as at 30 June 2018.

(Reference:  Report by Head of Strategic Finance, dated 16 August 2018, submitted.)

Report by Head of Strategic Finance

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update to the budget outlook 2019-20 to 2021-22, reported to Policy and Resources Committee on 17 May 2018.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the current estimated budget outlook position for the period 2019-20 to 2021-22.

(Reference:  Report by Head of Strategic Finance dated16 August 2018, submitted.)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee gave consideration to the Service Annual Performance Reviews from Customer Services and Strategic Finance for 2017-18 and the departmental performance reports and associated scorecards for performance in FQ1 2018-19 (April – June).

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee -

1.    Agreed to endorse the Annual Performance Reports for 2017/18 as presented.

2.    Reviewed and noted the scorecards as presented.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director - Customer Services dated 16 August 2018, submitted)

Councillor Sandy Taylor left the meeting at this point.

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report highlighting the request from Colonsay Community Council to hold a by election to enable them to fill out spaces in their membership due to the exceptional level of interest in members joining. 

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Noted the request from Colonsay Community Council for a by election to be carried out to fill spaces in their membership.

2.    Agreed that given the exceptional circumstances pertaining to this matter, the request be granted. 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director - Customer Services dated 16 August 2018, submitted)

Councillor Sandy Taylor re-joined the meeting at this point.

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report setting out the Information Management (IM) Strategy 2018-21 and outlining the approach that the Council will take to the governance, deployment and development of improved processes, procedure and technologies for  better management of information. 

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed to recommend to the Council approval of the Information Management (IM) Strategy for Argyll and Bute Council 2018 – 2021.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director - Customer Services dated 16 August 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report detailing the outcome of work previously undertaken to establish a proposed new model for the delivery of advice services.  The report proposed a strategy and a sustainable and affordable model by which the Council could support advice services for the future. 

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Approved the new model and implementation of the new arrangements for advice services of mixed economy and support to a single advice provider, commencing on 1 April 2019 (paragraph 5.4).

2.    Agreed that the focus of Council activity should be on the vulnerable and acknowledged the critical role for the Health and Social Care Partnership in delivering this model (paragraph 5.4.a. and picking up discussions at Committee).

3.    Agreed the new Governance arrangements and the changing remit and name of the Welfare Reform Working Group (paragraphs 5.5 & 5.6).

4.    Approved the “no-cost” option for affordable credit (paragraph 6.3).

5.    Endorsed the development of the Council’s website to provide a “single landing page” for advice services which can signpost clients to appropriate services, provide links to national and local advice via other website, and highlight issues relating to advice services across Argyll and Bute (paragraph 6.3).

6.    Requested that a report come back to a future Policy and Resources Committee on the progress made towards the delivery of the mixed economy model.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director - Development and Infrastructure Services dated 16 August 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report highlighting the opportunity to better use the Council’s assets for the purpose of filming by production companies and individuals looking to film in Argyll and Bute.  To enable this change and to improve the service provided,  a charging model and schedule has been developed, together with a structured transparent process.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Agreed to recommend to Council the proposed Film Location Charging Schedule, to be reviewed annually as part of the budget process.

2.    Noted the proposed Location Release Form (Appendix 2).

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director - Development and Infrastructure Services dated 16 August 2018, submitted)  

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the proposed transfer of surplus funds from the West of Scotland Loan Fund (WSLF), which is no longer active following the launch of Business Loans Scotland (BLS), to Argyll and Bute Council. 

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee approved that the transferred funds from the WSLF surplus be used to finance:

1.    £75k of match funding, circa £25k per annum for 3 years, for a Phase 2 Argyll and Bute Business Gateway Local Growth Accelerator programme, subject to a successful application.

2.    Additional SME support circa £75k, specifically linked to the Rural Growth Deal initiatives if opportunities are identified. 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director - Development and Infrastructure Services, dated 16 August 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

The Committee gave consideration to a request from the Council’s Inward Investment Fund for £25k of funding to be given to the Council’s Economic Development Service to procure a technical feasibility study for a new sea water pipeline at the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) in Kintyre.  It was noted that this funding would match an equal amount from HIE.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed that £25,000 worth of funding be made available to the Council’s Economic Development Service from the Inward Investment Fund (IIF) to progress the procurement of consultants to undertake the technical feasibility study. 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director - Development and Infrastructure Services dated 16 August 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report highlighting how the outcomes and activities of the Council contribute to the delivery of the Scottish Government’s new National Outcomes.  It was noted that the new National Outcomes are set out in the updated National Performance Framework. 

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed to note the information contained within the report.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director - Customer Services dated 16 August 2018, submitted)

The Policy and Resources Committee Work Plan as at August 2018 was before the Committee for noting. 

Decision

The Committee noted the content of the Work Plan as at August 2018.

(Reference:  Policy and Resources Committee Work Plan as at August 2018, submitted.)