template for minutes

COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

ARTS AND LEISURE COMMITTEE

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Tuesday 31 August 2004 at 9.30pm

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

APOLOGIES	Mr Norman A Macdonald	Mr Angus McCormack

Mobile Library Vehicle		Members of the Committee were afforded an opportunity to visit the new Mobile Library Vehicle, which was parked in the Comhairle car park from 9am till 9.30am.
Tribute: Local Football Teams		The Chairman referred to Point Football Club who had won the local Senior League Title, Lochs Football Club who had won the Eilean an Fraoich Cup and the Lewis Cup and Back Football Club who had won the Highland Amateur Cup. The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, congratulated Point Football Club, Lochs Football Club and Back Football Club on these achievements.
		MINUTES
Minute of Meeting of 15 June 2004	1	The Minute of Meeting of 15 June 2004 was approved.
		FINANCE
General Fund Capital Monitoring: 1 April 2004 – 30 June 2004 PR110.01	2	With reference to item 5 of the Minute of Meeting of 26 August 2003 the Director of Finance submitted a Report detailing progress in the Capital Programme for 2004/05 as at 30 June 2004. It was agreed to recommend, in so far as the Committee’s interests were concerned, that the Forecast Out-turn be approved as the Revised Approved Programme and specifically the following: (1) the acceleration of £20k for electrical upgrading work at Lochmaddy School from the Renovation/Composite Programme for such work; (2) the acceleration of £84k for the Schools Accessibility Programme from the Renovation/Composite Programme for such work; (3) the acceleration of £103k for Reroofing work at Daliburgh School from the Renovation/Composite Programme for such work; (4) the slippage of £20k for the Boiler Plant Replacement in Schools; (5) the slippage of £914k of expenditure and £390k of income on the South Uist Care Development project;
		(6) the acceleration of £58k for Capital Repairs to Social Work properties from the Renovation/Composite Programme for such work; (7) the slippage of £335k of expenditure on Roads to Communities to 2005/06 pending the outcome of a HISTP claim for funding for this project; (8) the overspend of £23k on Pointers; and (9) the overspend of £195k on the Stornoway Sports Centre.
First Quarter Revenue Monitoring PR110.05	3	With reference to item 3 of the Minute of Meeting of 26 August 2003 the Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning the Comhairle’s forecast revenue outturn for 2004/05 at the end of the first quarter. It was agreed to recommend, in so far as the Committee’s interests were concerned, that the Report be noted.
Pointers Drop In Centre Unforeseen Additional Expenditure AL03	4	The Director of Technical Services submitted a Report concerning additional expenditure, in the sum of £23,000, which had occurred on the Pointers Drop In Centre Contract. It was indicated in the Report that after work commenced on the site the building had been opened up for more detailed inspection and defects including decayed wall strapping and plasterboard linings and inadequate power supply had been identified. The Report indicated that additional expenditure had also been incurred due to unforeseen ground conditions. It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.
		BUILDINGS
Capital Works: Programme and Progress AL03.02.01	5	With reference to item 13 of the Minute of Meeting of 15 June 2004 the Director of Technical Services submitted a Report concerning programme and progress in respect of properties held on the Arts and Leisure account at the end of the first quarter. It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.
		It was agreed that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9 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), information relating to the amount of any expenditure proposed to be incurred by the Comhairle under any particular contract for the acquisition of property or the supply of goods or services and any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the Comhairle in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.
Ionaid Spòrs Leodhais AL02.20	6	With reference to item 34 of the Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 29 April 2004 the Director of Technical Services submitted a Report concerning Ionaid Sports Leodhais. The Report provided an update on progress with the Contract and indicated that the estimated date of handover of the site was 22 November 2004. It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.

RELATED MATTERS

Plot of Land at Plasterfield, Stornoway

LB03.03

The Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report regarding the acquisition of a plot of land in the Plasterfield Ward, which was shown on the plan which was appended to the Report, from Barratt Construction Limited for use as recreational community ground. It was indicated in the Report that Barratt Construction Limited had no objection to the transfer of the area of ground to the Comhairle for no consideration on condition that the ground be used for recreational purposes for the benefit of the residents in the community.

It was agreed to recommend that the piece of ground extending to approximately 2,210.8 square metres or thereby, as shown delineated and hatched black on the plan attached to the Report, be acquired by the Comhairle from Barratt Construction Limited for recreational purposes for the benefit of residents in the community for no consideration and that the acquisition be conditional on the said area of land being leased onward on a long lease to an appropriate community group for development.

Disposal of Mobile Library Vehicle

AL08.06

The Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report detailing a request that the Comhairle donate the former Harris Mobile Library vehicle to the Western Isles Transport Preservation Group (WITPG). It was indicated in the Report that the WITPG would use the vehicle as a mobile display and exhibition area for vehicle restoration projects at events on the island and on the mainland and that the vehicle would promote Comhairle services and transportation in its own right.

It was agreed to recommend that:

(1) Contract Regulation 32 be suspended to enable the Committee to make a recommendation on the most appropriate method of disposing of the former Harris Mobile Library Vehicle; and

(2) the former Harris Mobile Library Vehicle be donated to the Western Isles Transport Preservation Group, in order to provide a mobile display and exhibition area for WITPG vehicle restoration projects at events on the island and on the mainland and to promote Comhairle services and transportation in its own right, subject to such terms and conditions as the Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Director for Sustainable Communities, shall deem appropriate.

Request for Use of Comhairle Flag

C40.04

The Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report seeking approval for the Western Isles Games Association to adopt the use of the Comhairle flag for use at sports venues and ceremonies during the week of the Island Games. The Report stated that it was intended that the flag would also be displayed in marketing material.

It was agreed to recommend that the use of the Comhairle flag by the Western Isles Island Games Association be approved.

Play Areas in the Western Isles

AL02.12

The Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report updating Members on the current Comhairle policy with regard to play areas, which was appended to the Report. The list of Comhairle owned play areas was also appended to the Report.

It was agreed to recommend that the existing policy on play areas be retained by the Comhairle.

Arising out of consideration of this item it was further agreed to recommend that:

(1) the Director of Technical Services be requested to update the current list of play areas; and

(2) a Report be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee:

(a) detailing the role of the Comhairle, if any, in relation to compliance with health and safety legislation at non Comhairle owned play areas; and

(b) proposing a Scheme of Administration in relation to the award of grant funding to community groups.

Youth Music Initiative: Update

AL07

The Director of Education submitted a Report updating members on progress in the implementation of the Youth Music Initiative. It was indicated in the Report that the Scottish Executive had allocated funds to all local authorities in Scotland to implement the Youth Music Initiative, which would be dispersed by the Scottish Arts Council. It was further indicated that the Comhairle’s funding would be £24k in year 1, £54k in year 2 and possibly £100k in year 3.

It was agreed to recommend that:

(1) the Report be noted; and

(2) a further Report be submitted outlining proposals for the mainstreaming of this project when the external funding came to an end and that the said Report be submitted to a meeting of the Committee at least six months in advance of the date of termination of the external funding.

Antiques Roadshow

AL02.20

The Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report detailing the visit of the Antiques Roadshow to Stornoway on 21 October 2004. It was indicated in the Report that Ionad Spòrs Leodhais was the only venue in the Western Isles with sufficient floorspace to hold the event.

It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Reports Outstanding: Progress

PR33.01.12

With reference to item 18 of the Minute of Meeting of 15 June 2004 the Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning Reports Outstanding arising from decisions of the Arts and Leisure Committee.

It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.