Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence intimated.

Councillor Jim Findlay declared a non-financial interest in item 2(d) of the Budgeting Pack 2021/22 due to his appointment to the Rothesay Pavilion Charity Board.  He claimed the benefit of the dispensation contained at Section 5.16 of the Standards Commission’s Guidance and Dispensations Note dated July 2018 to allow him to speak and vote on this item of business.

Councillor Lorna Douglas declared a non-financial interest in item 8 (Strategic Events and Festivals Fund) as Chair of the Helensburgh Winter Trust.  She remained in the meeting during this item as her interest was not directly material to the consideration.

Policy and Resources Committee held on 10 December 2020

The Minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 10 December 2020 were approved as a correct record.

Report by Section 95 Officer

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing a summary of the financial monitoring reports as at the end of December 2020.  There were six detailed reports summarised in the executive summary including the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report as at 31 December 2020, Monitoring of Policy Savings Options as at 31 December 2020, Monitoring of Financial Risks as at 31 December 2020, Capital Plan Monitoring Report as at 31 December 2020, Treasury Monitoring Report as at 31 December 2020 and; Reserves and Balances as at 31 December 2020.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Noted the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report as at 31 December 2020 and noted the comments in respect of the Health and Social Care Partnership.

2.    Noted the progress with the Policy Savings Options as at 31 December 2020.

3.    Noted the Financial Risks for 2020-21.

4.    Noted the Capital Plan Monitoring Report as at 31 December 2020.

5.    Noted the Treasury Monitoring Report as at 31 December 2020.

6.    Noted the Reserves and Balances Report as at 31 December 2020.

7.    Agreed to recommend to Council that the revenue virements over £0.200m during November and December be approved.

(Reference:  Report by Section 95 Officer dated 8 February 2021, submitted)

Councillor Lorna Douglas joined the meeting during consideration of the following item.

1.    Introductory Report and Recommendations

2.    Revenue Pack

a.    Budget Consultation – Findings

b.    Service Plans

c.    Assessing Equality and Socio Economic Impact

d.    Revenue Budget Overview (Appendix 9 is marked exempt E1)

e.    Fees and Charges

f.     Financial Risks Analysis

g.    Reserves and Balances

3.    Capital Plan

a.    Capital Plan Summary Report (Appendix 4 is marked exempt E2)

b.    Corporate Asset Management Strategy

c.    Corporate Asset Management Plan including Asset Group Summaries

Please note that the Budget Pack 2021/22 relative to the consideration of the foregoing matters has been published separately under a meeting entitled “Budget Pack”, please ensure that you have downloaded this to your iPad before coming to the meeting.

Accessing the Budget Pack from your iPad -

To access this years’ Budgeting Pack 2021/22 Members should log into the Modern.Gov App on their iPad and tap “Committees …” on the top left hand side of the screen. From there subscribe to the meeting entitled “Budget Pack” by tapping on it and then tap done. This should now appear on your list of Committees. The budget pack will be stand alone and will be published here separately from the Policy and Resources Committee; and Council agendas. This will enable the same pack to be accessed at all meetings.

The Committee gave consideration to the full package of papers included in the Budget Pack 2021/22 in relation to the Revenue and Capital Budgets for 2021/22.

The Section 95 Officer advised that a supplementary paper to the Budget Pack 2021/22 would be issued prior to the Council meeting on 25 February 2021 providing updated information in relation to the exempt appendix contained within the revenue pack, a further request for funding from CHARTS, and the announcements of additional funding made by the Finance Secretary to the Scottish Parliament the previous day which would require consideration as part of the budget pack.

Decision

The Committee agreed to refer consideration of the Budget Pack 2021/22 to the Council meeting on 25 February 2021, without recommendation.

(Reference:  Budgeting Pack 2021/22 dated 11 February 2021, submitted)

Report by Section 95 Officer

The Committee gave consideration to a report which sought approval of the proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy which set out the Council’s Strategy for borrowing and investment for the forthcoming year.  The report also set out the policy for the repayment of loans fund advances for 2021/22.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee agreed to recommend to Council at their meeting on 25 February 2021 –

1.    Approval of the proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy and the indicators contained within and to note that the figures within the Strategy will be updated to reflect the budget decisions agreed at Council.

2.    Approval of the continued use of the asset life method for the repayment of loan fund advances using a 5.1% annuity interest rate, with the exception of spend to save schemes where the funding/income profiles method could be used.

3.    Approval of the proposed asset repayment periods as detailed within section 2.6 of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement.

4.    Approval of the ability to continue to use countries with a sovereign rating of AA- and above, as recommended by Link Asset Services.

(Reference:  Report by Section 95 Officer dated 8 February 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Directors with responsibility for Customer Support, Commercial Services, Legal and Regulatory Support and Financial Services

The Committee gave consideration to a report presenting the Policy and Resources Committee with the performance reports and associated scorecards for performance in financial quarter 3 2020/2021.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted the scorecards as presented for financial quarter 3 2020/21.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services dated 18 February 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update in regard to Round 3 Strategic Events and Festivals Fund (SEF) for 2021/22 and which sought agreement to defer a decision in regard to any formal grant award for Strategic Events and Festivals (SEF) Round 3 to the May meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee in light of the current lockdown and difficult and challenging on going position that the events sector is still facing with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic.  The report also provided an update in regard to Strategic Events and Festivals (SEF) Round 2 events and associated grants.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Agreed that in light of the current National Lockdown and the significant uncertainty over if and when strategic events and festivals, classed as mass gatherings, will be able to take place in 2021, that the decision in regard to awarding of SEF Round 3 grants is deferred and the position reconsidered at the May Policy and Resources Committee when hopefully the situation regarding holding of mass gathering in 2021 will be clearer.

2.    Noted that none of the 9 SEF Round 2 grant supported events planned for 2020 have gone ahead in light of COVID-19 and the restriction preventing mass gathering being held.  8 have been formally cancelled and whilst Tiree Wave Classic have rescheduled their 2020 event to March 2021, it is now very unlikely this will go ahead.

3.    Noted that following agreement by members to the partial release of the SEF Round 2 grant (up to 75%of the SEF grant) to support the legitimate and eligible expenditure incurred in relation to cancelled events, only 3 of the event organisations have drawn down grant in regard to expenditure incurred in relation to 2020 cancelled events. Grant payments have been made to Mull of Kintyre Music Festival, Cowal Highland Gathering and Mull Rally.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 14 January 2021, 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 as at February 2021.

(Reference: Policy and Resources Committee Workplan dated February 2021, 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 Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report setting out proposals on the use of Scottish Crown Estate funding received within financial year 2020-21 and a prudent estimate of the distribution expected in the Summer of 2021.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee -

1.    Agreed to recommend to Council that they agree that Crown Estate funding as specified is allocated to the projects identified within paragraphs 4.2.2 to 4.2.16.

2.    Noted that a further report would be brought forward once the final amount to be distributed in 2021-22 is known, expected to be Summer 2021.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 16 February 2021, submitted)

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

E2       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.