Agenda and minutes

The Chair advised that she had received a request under Standing Order 22.1 from Councillor Jim Anderson to speak and vote on item 10 of the agenda (Strategic Events and Festivals Fund – Lessons Learnt and Key Changes to 2020/21 Fund Process).    She advised that his request did not meet the requirements of Standing Order 22.1 and therefore he would not be permitted to speak and vote on the item, but would be entitled to take part in the discussions generally.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Rory Colville, Audrey Forrest,  Roddy McCuish and Len Scoullar.

There were none intimated.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 16 May 2019 were approved as a correct record.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 16 May 2019 were noted.

Report by Head of Financial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report that provided a summary of the financial monitoring reports as at the end of June 2019.  There were six detailed reports summarised in the executive summary which were the revenue budget monitoring report as at 30 June 2019, the monitoring of policy savings options as at 30 June 2019, monitoring of financial risks as at 30 June 2019, capital plan monitoring report as at 30 June 2019, treasury monitoring report as at 30 June 2019 and reserves and balances as at 30 June 2019.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Noted the revenue budget monitoring report as at 30 June 2019 and noted the comments in respect of the Health and Social Care Partnership.

2.    Noted the progress with the policy savings options as at 30 June 2019.

3.    Noted the financial risks for 2019-20.

4.    Noted the capital plan monitoring report as at 30 June 2019 and agreed the proposed changes to the capital plan as detailed in Appendix 7 to the submitted report.

5.    Noted the treasury monitoring report as at 30 June 2019.

6.    Noted the reserves and balances report as at 30 June 2019.

7.    Noted that there were no revenue virements over £0.200m for approval.

(Reference:  Report by Head of Financial Services dated 16 July 2019, submitted)

Report by Head of Financial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report that provided an update to the Budget Outlook 2020-21 to 2022-23 reported to the Policy and Resources Committee on 16 May 2019.  The estimates within the report were based on the mid-range scenario with best and worst case scenarios noted in Appendix 1 to the submitted report.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Noted the current estimated budget outlook position for the period 2020-21 to 2022-23.

2.    Agreed to refer to council to agree the earmarking of the surplus budget in 2019-20 in relation to teachers pensions as a result of the decision by Scottish Government to defer the pension increase from 1 April 2019 to 1 September 2019.

(Reference:  Report by Head of Financial Services dated 18 July 2019, submitted)

Joint Report by Executive Director Customer Services and Head of Financial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report presenting them with the Customer Services and Strategic Finance performance reports and associated scorecards for financial quarter one 2019-20 (April to June).

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the performance reports and associated scorecards as presented.

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

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report presenting them with the Service Annual Performance reviews 2018-19 for Customer Services and Strategic Finance as set out by the Council’s Planning and Improvement Framework.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee endorsed the Service Annual Performance Reviews 2018-19 for Customer Services and Strategic Finance as presented.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 10 June 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer and Support Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report presenting them with the final Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) 2017/18 data for Argyll and Bute which included “Telling Our Story” and “Looking Forward – Expected Impact on Indicator” commentary from Heads of Service.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Noted the content of the report for scrutiny and performance reporting purposes and welcomed the level of detail coming to the Committee.

2.    Noted that the completed LGBF 2017/18 is published on the website as part of the Council’s statutory public performance reporting duty.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer and Support Services dated 22 July 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Human Resources

The Committee gave consideration to a report that outlined proposals for a long term preventative agenda to improve wellbeing and manage sickness absence in the workforce. 

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee -

1.    Agreed to recommend to Council approval of the wellbeing strategy and associated actions  to address the issue of sickness absence and improve the wellbeing of the workforce.

2.    Noted the following measures would be put in place, funded from existing resources across the Council to support delivery of the proposed wellbeing strategy:

·         Funding for 2x Attendance and Wellbeing Assistants within the HR and OD team

·         Funding of 10k annually for teams to bid for funds to implement actions that will improve wellbeing.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with the responsibility for Customer and Support Services dated 19 July 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

Consideration was given to a report that advised Members of lessons learnt from the 2019/20 round (round one) of the Argyll and Bute Council Strategic Events and Festivals Fund and to ask for approval of an enhanced process, based on evaluation of the initial round.

Motion

To agree the recommendation within the report as follows –

It is recommended that Members of the Policy and Resources Committee:

a)    Note the lessons learnt from the first round of the Strategic Events and Festivals Fund 2019/20;

b)    Approve the process for the second round of the Strategic Events and Festivals Fund 2020/21, as outlined in the report at paragraph 5.10.

Moved Councillor Aileen Morton, seconded Councillor Gary Mulvaney.

Amendment

To agree the terms of the Motion but to add at the end the words “with the change of the two references to £30,000 in para 5.10 (2) to £40,000.

Moved Councillor Alan Reid, seconded Councillor Dougie Philand.

Decision

On a show of hands vote, the Motion was carried by 10 votes to 2 and the Committee resolved accordingly.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 15 August 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report that presented the Draft Argyll and Bute Council Community Food Growing Strategy prior to it being put out to public consultation.  Following the consultation the updated Strategy would be presented to Council for adoption prior to April 2020 in order to comply with the requirements of  the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Noted the content of the Draft Community Food Growing Strategy which reflects the duties placed on local authorities arising from Part 9 – Allotments of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.

2.    Approved the Draft Community Food Growing Strategy for the purposes of public consultation.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with the responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated August 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report requesting approval for amendments to be made to the Articles of Association for Business Loans Scotland and to progress the procedure to withdraw appropriate resources from Business Loans Scotland, up to a total of £50k, to be returned to Argyll and Bute Council’s Business Gateway Service to be used for ‘SME development activities’.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Approved the change to the Business Loans Scotland Articles of Association.

2.    Provided delegated authority to the Economic Growth Manager, Director of Business Loans Scotland to advise the Business Loans Scotland Board of this decision and to complete any necessary paperwork to be signed, with the Head of Development and Economic Growth, to withdraw the Phase 1 match funding.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with the responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated August 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Economic Growth

Consideration was given to a report concerning a request by Argyll College UHI seeking funding of £105,040 over a two year period to July 2021 from Argyll and Bute Council’s Inward Investment Fund.  The purpose of the funding is to create a new role of Project Director to help deliver a new £7m Scottish Marine Industry Training Centre within the European Marine Science Park at Dunstaffnage, Oban.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee approved the release of £105,040 funding from the Council’s Inward Investment Fund over two financial years to enable Argyll College UHI to develop a comprehensive curriculum plan and business case for a new Scottish Marine Industry Training Centre within the European Marine Science Park at Dunstaffnage, Oban.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Economic Growth dated 2 August 2019, 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 item of business would require her 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 Paragraph 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

The Committee gave consideration to a report in relation to the Film Location Charging Schedule that had been previously approved to run for 1 year as a pilot, for permanent implementation.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed to recommend to Council approval of the Film Location Charging Schedule for permanent implementation with charges to be reviewed annually as part of the budget process.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 12 June 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Strategic Transportation - Airports

A report was before the Committee for noting advising that a compliant tender for the Argyll Air Services Public Service Obligation (PSO) Contract had been received from Hebridean Air Services Ltd.

Decision

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

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Strategic Transportation – Airports dated August 2019, submitted)

The Policy and Resources Committee work plan was before the committee for noting.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the content of the work plan.

(Reference:  Policy and Resources Committee Work Plan dated August 2019, submitted)

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