Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Yvonne McNeilly, Gary Mulvaney and Douglas Philand.

There were no declarations of interest.

Policy and Resources Committee held on 14 February 2019

The Minutes of the meeting of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 14 February 2019 were approved as a correct record.

Arising from item 3 (Minutes), Councillor Kieron Green asked the Committee to note that under declarations of interest in the Policy and Resources Committee Minute of 13 December 2018, that he was a member of the Lorn Highland Games Committee and not the Royal Highland Games Committee as had been recorded in the Minute.

Report by Head of Strategic Finance

The Committee gave consideration to a report summarising the budget outlook covering the period 2020-21 to 2022-23 taking into consideration the budget decisions taken at the Council Budget meeting held on 21 February 2019.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the current estimated budget outlook position for the period 2020-21 to 2022-23.

(Reference:  Report by Head of Strategic Finance dated 8 May 2019, submitted)

Report by Head of Strategic Finance

The Committee considered a report that advised that a formal request had been received from the Chief Financial Officer of the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) to request that consideration is given to payback arrangements relating to the overspend on Social Work Services within the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) for 2018-19.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee -

1.    Approved that the Social Work 2018-19 overspend of £3.127m is repaid by the HSCP over a period of three years with repayments weighted across the three years.

2.    Noted that repayments would be £0.800m in 2020-21, £1.000m in 2021-22 and the balance of £1.327m in 2022-23 and that the agreement would be reviewed at the end of 2019-20.

(Reference:  Report by Head of Strategic Finance dated 8 May 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report that presented them with the Departmental Performance Report with Scorecards for Customer Services and Strategic Finance for financial quarter three and financial quarter four 2018-19.

Decision

The Committee noted the Departmental Performance Report with Scorecards for Customer Services and Strategic Finance for financial quarter three and financial quarter four 2018-19.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated May 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report in relation to the distribution of £10,000 discretionary funding to Community Councils.  The report invited the Committee to determine whether or not to change the grant criteria for financial year 2019/20.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed not to change the grant criteria for financial year 2019/20.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 8 May 2019, submitted)

Councillor Sandy Taylor left the room during consideration of the following item.

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

Consideration was given to a report that detailed the work carried out to date with a view to transferring subsidised ferry services currently operated by the Council to Transport Scotland.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Agreed that the Council continue to pursue the transfer of ferries to Transport Scotland.

2.    Agreed that the transfer should be on the basis of ‘no transfer of revenue funding’.

3.    Referred the decision of the Committee to the Council for endorsement.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services dated May 2019, submitted)

Councillor Sandy Taylor re-joined the meeting during consideration of the following item of business.

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Committee

Consideration was given to a report which sought approval from the Committee for the drawdown of an additional £235,000 of development funding, from the approved budget of £19,510,680, to cover the costs of the project through to September 2019.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee approved the drawdown of up to a further £235,000 in development funding to take the project through to the completion of the Full Business Case and Contract Award Recommendation Report, scheduled for September 2019.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services dated 3 May 2019, submitted)

Recommendation from Special Meeting of Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Committee held on 24 April 2019

The Committee gave consideration to a recommendation from the Special meeting of the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Committee held on 24 April 2019 in relation to the Tarbert and Lochgilphead Regeneration Project.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed that –

1.    The full business case is approved and that Council funding of up to £295,000 is confirmed from the Tarbert and Lochgilphead Regeneration Fund.

2.    Delegated authority be afforded to the Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure Services for the delivery of the project as per the agreed programme.

(Reference:  Extract from Minute of the Special Meeting of the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Committee held on 24 April 2019; and report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services dated 24 April 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

A report which provided Members with an update on the position with the implementation of the new arrangement for advice services relating to debt, welfare rights and homelessness advice was before the Committee for noting.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the improvements that had been made to date and that the new arrangements would be fully in place by 1 July 2019, when the contract with the single advice provider takes effect.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services dated May 2019, submitted)

The Policy and Resources Committee work plan as at May 2019 was before the Committee for noting.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the work plan as at May 2019.

(Reference: Policy and Resources Committee work plan as at May 2019, 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 – Customer Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report that sought authority to appoint a suitably qualified officer to assist a charitable trust.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed the recommendation as contained within the submitted report.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 25 April 2019, submitted)

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