Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Gary Mulvaney.

Councillor Alan Reid declared a non-financial interest in item 7 of the agenda (Local Flood Risk Management – Draft Local Flood Risk Management Plans for Cycle 2) by virtue that he owns a property in an area proposed to be the subject of a flood study.  He advised that he would leave the meeting during consideration of this item.

Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee held on 4 March 2021

The Minutes of the meeting of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee held on 4 March 2021 were approved as a correct record.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services

The Committee gave consideration to the Development and Economic Growth Services and Roads and Infrastructure Services performance report and associated scorecard for performance in financial quarter 4 2020-21.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted the content of the financial quarter 4 2020-21 scorecard as presented.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services dated 20 April 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing details of the finalised roads reconstruction £10m programme for 2021/22.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee -

1.    Noted the content of the report.

2.    Requested that a report be brought to a future meeting of the Committee providing detail on the number of contracts outsourced by the Council within the Argyll and Bute Council area; and the number of contracts the Council have pursued externally over the previous three year period.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure dated April 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing a further update on  the development of a medium to long term future strategy for electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Argyll and Bute following on from the December 2020 update.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee -

1.    Noted the detail of Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy Part 1 Introduction and Cost Recovery Model at Appendix One of the submitted report.

2.    Agreed the outline development methodology at Appendix Two of the submitted report.

3.    Noted that more detailed discussions with members regarding potential sites in their areas at a Member Development Day would be held prior to a further report being considered at Committee before a consultation exercise.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure dated 13 April 2021, submitted)

Having previously declared an interest in the following item of business, Councillor Alan Reid left the meeting and took no part in the consideration of this item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report outlining the process that has been used to formulate the draft list of actions as worked up with Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to address flood risk. 

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee –

1.    Agreed that the prioritised list of actions represents the Council’s preferred order for dealing with flood risk, subject to funding being made available.

2.    Noted the work undertaken to date in partnership with SEPA to allow SEPA to publish draft Flood Risk Management Strategy information for joint consultation on 30 July 2021.

3.    Agreed to the publication of the potential Actions for the Local Flood Risk Management Plan for Highland and Argyll Local Plan District and Local Flood Risk Management Plan for Clyde and Loch Lomond Local Plan District on 30 July 2021, as shown in Appendix A to the submitted report.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure dated 10 May 2021, submitted)

Councillor Alan Reid re-joined the meeting at this point.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the progress with the Campbeltown Flood Protection Scheme, including the funding position and making recommendations in order for the project to progress.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee –

1.    Approved the invitation to tender for the construction of the main flood scheme and supply and installation of property flood resilience measures.

2.    Noted that a paper detailing the full Business Case would be brought back to the Committee in September 2021.  Construction of the final scheme would be subject to approval of Full Business Case prior to tender award.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure dated 10 May 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the matter of dog fouling, the Council’s available resource to manage this issue and promoting a social media campaign to educate irresponsible individuals who don’t clean up after their dogs.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee –

1.    Welcomed and endorsed the ongoing work to help reduce dog fouling.

2.    Approved the proposals to introduce a campaign around dog fouling.

3.    Recognised that everyone has a part to play in the campaign, and noted that Councillor Robin Currie, as Committee Chair and Council Leader, will write to all community councils in Argyll and Bute and other partners seeking their assistance in this partnership approach.

4.    Agreed the content of the dog fouling briefing and campaign posters in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, and instructed the production of additional posters for provision to community councils in order that the message is circulated even more widely across Argyll and Bute. 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure dated April 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on Town Centre Capital Funding from Scottish Government.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted the content of the report and that £1.685m had been fully committed to twenty-eight Town Centre projects.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 20 April 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an overview regarding the progress of the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) initiative.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee –

1.    Noted the progress of the R100 programme and delays that had hindered its progress and the measures Scottish Government had taken to mitigate these delays.

2.    Agreed to pause further development of a bid to the Rural Gigabit Fund (renamed “Place”) with the recommendation that these sites had been given early indication by Scottish Government officials that they were covered within the R100 Programme.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 28 April 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the Waste Strategy Project.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee –

1.    Noted the content of the report and the progress made with the Scottish Government.

2.    Noted the shortlist of projects for the Recycling Infrastructure Fund prepared by Officers.

3.    Noted the successful joint procurement of a Residual and Bulky Waste Contract and further noted the new community benefits that had been secured as part of the successful joint procurement.

4.    Noted the details of the high level Waste Strategy project timeline.

5.    Endorsed that additional lobbying be taken forward at both a political and officer level with the Scottish Government to ensure that the biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) plan has no financial detriment to Argyll and Bute Council.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure dated 3 June 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report outlining the infrastructure to be put in place by the Council to assist in the recovery of the tourism industry and in anticipation of additional staycation pressures on local communities following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted the progress to date and that this is an evolving process with milestones throughout the year and beyond.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 11 May 2021, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support

A report providing an update on the actions that have been taken in response to the duties placed on the Council under Part 9 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 was before the Committee for noting.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted the Allotments Waiting List Register update which reflects the duties placed on local authorities arising from Part 9 – Allotments, of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support dated 23 April 2021, submitted)

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee Workplan was before the Committee for noting.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted the content of the work plan.

(Reference:  Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee Workplan dated June 2021, submitted)