COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

ARTS AND LEISURE COMMITTEE

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Tuesday 13 June 2006 at 9.00am.

PRESENT	Mr Malcolm J Graham (Chairman)
	Mr Iain Morrison (Vice-Chairman)
	Mr John Mackay
	Mr Alex A MacDonald	Mr Donald I Nicholson
	Mr Norman L Macdonald	Mr Donald J Macsween
	Mr Angus Campbell	Mr Angus Macdonald
	Mr Angus McCormack	Mr Donald Manford
APOLOGIES	Mr Keith Dodson

		MINUTES
Minute of Meeting of 21 March 2006	1	The Minute of Meeting of 21 March 2006 was approved.
Declaration of Interest	2	Mr Donald J Macsween declared an interest and left the meeting during consideration of item 6.
		FINANCE
General Fund Revenue Outturn 2005/06 PR110.08	3	A Report was submitted by the Director of Finance regarding the overall, unaudited deficit of £811k. Appendix B demonstrated the effect of existing commitments and anticipated budget deficits over the next two years on funds. The projected deficit of £1,745k in 2006/07 had been offset by savings from delays in implementing Single Status. However, with a projected deficit of £2,589k in 2007/08 uncommitted balances will reduce to £795k. The final outturn in Social Work which had been an overspend of £434k, a significant improvement compared to the third quarter forecast. With the exception of the Chief Executive’s Department whose underspend had been slightly over 2% and Housing with an overspend greater than 1%, all other departments came within carry forward tolerances. Commercial Operations returned a net surplus of £136k. With the exception of the Bus Operation, all other operations had made surpluses and detailed reports on individual operations would be brought to the Commercial Operations Board in June. The Bus Operation had failed to achieve the financial target of breaking even over a three-year period and discussions are ongoing with the Executive as to how this would be viewed. The Housing Revenue Account showed a surplus of £123k and this would be transferred to HRA balances. It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle approve the recommendations in the Report insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned.
General Fund Fourth Quarter Capital Monitoring 2005/06 PR110.01	4	A Report was submitted by the Director of Finance regarding a summary of the overall funding position for 2005/06 and the revised projected position for the subsequent two years was shown in Appendix 1. Appendices 2 and 3 summarised the income and expenditure by Committee for 2005/06 and the revised Programme incorporating slippage and acceleration for the subsequent 2 years. Appendix 4 detailed the status of the PERs and Appendix 5 showed the expenditure approved for funding by Prudential Borrowing and CFCR. The Report stated that a more detailed analysis of income and expenditure, including slippage and acceleration for each Committee, would be available in the June Information Bulletin. It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle approve the recommendations in the Report insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned.
		ADDITIONAL ITEM
		The Chairman ruled that, in accordance with the provisions of Section 50 (B)4 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the following item be considered as a matter of urgency in order to allow the Comhairle to take a view on the matter.
Departmental Business Plans 2005/06 PR33.01.04	5	The Chief Executive submitted a Report concerning the performance of the Comhairle's Departments in relation to their Business Plans for 2005/06. The Report gave a summary of performance from each Director, highlighting the key performance issues for their Department and also indicated that the information provided would be included in the preparation of the annual performance Report which would be published in the Autumn of 2006. It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the performance of Departments in relation to their Departmental Business Plans be noted; and (2) where tasks were uncompleted, further monitoring information would be provided as part of the 2006/07 process.
		BUILDINGS
Capital Works: Programme and Progress PR33.01.12	6	With reference to item 4 of the Minute of Meeting of 21 March 2006 the Director of Technical Services submitted a Report concerning programme and progress in respect of properties held on the Arts and Leisure account. It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.
		Mr Donald J Macsween declared an interest and left the meeting during consideration of item 6.
Repairs and Maintenance (Revenue) Programme 2005/06 – Quarterly Expenditure to 31 March 2006 PR33.01.12	7	With reference to item 5 of the Minute of Meeting of 21 March 2006 the Director of Technical Services submitted a Report detailing expenditure on repairs and maintenance for properties held on the Arts and Leisure account in the financial year 31 March 2006. It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note the Report and that further Reports on the repairs and maintenance of properties held on the Arts and Leisure Account would continue to be placed before Committee at quarterly intervals.

		ARTS
Arts Capital Funding: Taigh Chearsabhagh Extension AL11.01	8	The Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report concerning a capital funding bid from Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre. The Report outlined the background to the Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre proposal which involved making a threefold increase in the size of the existing studio space. The Report also highlighted the benefits and identified the need for the proposed extension. It was agreed to recommend that, subject to production of satisfactory evidence of all matching funding and obtaining all necessary statutory consents by Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre, the Comhairle agree to allocate £20,000 arts capital funding towards the cost of a studio extension at Taigh Chearsabhagh, Isle of North Uist.
		COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Service Review of the Community Education Services AL04.10	9	With reference to item 15 of the Minute of Meeting of 31 January 2006 the Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report concerning the service review of the Community Education Service and seeking approval of a Service Improvement Plan. The Report referred to the Members’ Seminar which had been held on 21 March 2006, highlighting the conclusions of the Seminar. A revised Service Review and a proposed Service Improvement Plan was included in the Report as an appendix. It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle approve the Service Improvement Plan of the Community Education Service, set out in Appendix 3, including paragraph 2.2 of the Report.
Play Areas in the Western Isles AL02.12	10	With reference to item 10 of the Minute of Meeting of 31 August 2004 the Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report detailing the role of the Comhairle in relation to compliance with Health and Safety Legislation at non-Comhairle owned play areas. A summary of the role of the Comhairle was given in the Report which highlighted that the Comhairle does not have a duty or an obligation to carry out work on non-Comhairle owned play areas but it does have a power to do so. It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note the Report.
		SPORT
Smith Avenue Synthetic Pitch Project Evaluation Report AL06.01.61	11	With reference to item 12 of the Minute of Meeting of 31 January 2006 the Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report seeking approval of the Project Evaluation Report for the upgrade of the Smith Avenue Synthetic Pitch. It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle approve the Project Evaluation Report for the Smith Avenue synthetic pitch.
		It was agreed that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of item 12 below on the grounds that exempt information as defined in Paragraph 6 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would be disclosed, namely, information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person, other than the Comhairle
Provision of a Swimming Pool in Daliburgh AL06.06.01	12*	With reference to item 13 of the Minute of Meeting of 31 January 2006 the Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report giving an update on the options being considered for the provision of a swimming pool in Daliburgh. The Report stated that, following the Comhairle decision to explore a private sector partnership Borrodale Hotel (South Uist) Ltd had expressed an interest and the company were currently assessing detailed construction and running costs. A letter from Borrodale Hotel (South Uist) Ltd was appended to the Report. It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the Director for Sustainable Communities, in conjunction with the Director of Corporate Services and the Director of Finance continue discussion with Borrodale Hotel (South Uist) Ltd and prepare a detailed Report on the full implications of working with the private sector to provide a swimming pool facility in the Daliburgh area by August 2006; and (2) discussions with Borrodale Hotel (South Uist) Ltd be concluded by 31 July 2006.
		PERFORMANCE REVIEW
Reports Outstanding: Progress PR33.01.12	13	With reference to item 15 of the Minute of Meeting of 21 March 2006 the Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning the Reports outstanding arising from decisions of the Arts and Leisure Committee. It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted. It was further agreed that the Report referred to in relation to Ionad Spors Leodhais – Pricing Policy would also propose a policy for the renting out of the facility for events and charges therefor.