Argyll and Bute Council has agreed major changes to its decision-making processes as part of its response to COVID-19.
Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, Councillor Aileen Morton explained:
“Our committee system works well when we can plan ahead and deliver a range of meetings focusing on different areas of the council’s work.
The COVID-19 pandemic however changes quickly. Our decision-making process has to be flexible enough to deliver decisions rapidly so that we are doing all we can to protect our employees and communities.
At the same time, we have to continue with the normal business of the council – we deliver a wide range of services for young and old, businesses and local communities. We have to find ways to maintain vital services using as few resources as possible considering the enormous scale of work we are doing to respond to COVID-19.
The changes agreed today make it easier to take urgent decisions when needed and to continue progressing the longer term business of the council.”
A special meeting of full Council today agreed to set up a Business Continuity Committee (BCC) to temporarily replace and do the work of its numerous scheduled committees.
Nine councillors, from the area’s 36 elected members, will sit on the BCC to deal with normal business that would usually be managed by the full Council or another committee.
The BCC will function as other committees, with published agendas, reports and minutes.
Councillors also noted that the Chief Executive has the authority through the Council’s Constitution to make urgent decisions that would normally go to a committee for consideration, if required. During this period of responding to COVID-19 councillors agreed to widen the consultation the Chief Executive is required to do for these decisions to include the Leader, Depute Leader and Leader of the Opposition where available.
Members of the BCC are:
Aileen Morton (Chair)
Gary Mulvaney (Vice Chair)
Kieron Green
Yvonne McNeilly
Robin Currie
Rory Colville
Sandy Taylor
Dougie Philand
Lorna Douglas