18 March 2003 (4.00pm)

COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Tuesday 18 March 2003 at 4.00 pm

PRESENT

Mr Alexander A Macdonald (Chairman)

Mr Roderick J Murray (Vice-Chairman)

Mr Donald I Nicholson

Mrs Katie M Mackenzie

Mr Norman M Macleod

Mr Malcolm J Macleod

Mr Donald J Macsween

Mr Iain Morrison

Mr Finlay Morrison

Mr Roderick Morrison

Mrs Morag Munro

Mr Norman A Macdonald

Mr Donald Macdonald

Mr Malcolm J Graham

Mr Archie K Campbell

Mr Ian M Macleod

Mr Donald Maclean

Mr Angus Nicolson

Mr Martin C Taylor

Mr Murdo Macleod

Mrs Mary Bremner

Mr Norman L Macdonald

Mr Ronald J Mackinnon

Mr Alasdair G Macrae

Mr David Blaney

Mr Angus Campbell

Mr Donald Manford

APOLOGIES

Mr George Lonie

Mr Donald M Mackay

Mr Philip R McLean

COMMUNITY COUNCILS

Review of Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils

PR40.01.01

1

The Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report regarding the review of the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in the Western Isles.

The Report outlined the outcome of consultations undertaken under the terms of Section 53 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The draft revised Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils was appended to the Report together with a revised Model Constitution for Community Councils. It was stated that the revised Scheme and Model Constitution had taken accounts of comments received during the consultation period. It was stated that two further issues had been raised during the consultation:

(1) that a provision be included in the Scheme to enable a community that is within the area of an existing Community Council to petition to form a Community Council in its own right; and

(2) that a provision be added to the Scheme to enable the Community Council to remove who failed to attend meetings of the Community Council within a particular period.

It was noted that the opportunity had been taken to review and revise the Model Constitution for Community Councils to take account of the effect of proposed changes to the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils and to reflect current good practice for public bodies.

It was agreed:

(1) that the following provisions be incorporated into the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils;

(a) a provision to enable a community to petition to establish a Community Council separate from the existing Community Council for that area; and

(b) a provision to enable a Community Council to declare a casual vacancy when a member of the Community Council has failed to attend meetings as specified by the Community Council, with a guideline period of six months in line with that set for members of the Comhairle;

(2) to approve the revised Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils with incorporation of the provisions in paragraph (1) above;

(3) that the date of implementation of the revised Scheme for Establishment of Community Councils be 1 August 2003;

(4) that the date of the first election to be held under the revised Scheme be Thursday 25 September 2003;

(5) to approve the revised Model Constitution for Community Councils; and

(6) that the Scheme and Model Constitution be reviewed once in each term of the Comhairle.

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PRESENT	Mr Alexander A Macdonald (Chairman)
	Mr Roderick J Murray (Vice-Chairman)	Mr Donald I Nicholson
	Mrs Katie M Mackenzie	Mr Norman M Macleod
	Mr Malcolm J Macleod	Mr Donald J Macsween
	Mr Iain Morrison	Mr Finlay Morrison
	Mr Roderick Morrison	Mrs Morag Munro
	Mr Norman A Macdonald	Mr Donald Macdonald
	Mr Malcolm J Graham	Mr Archie K Campbell
	Mr Ian M Macleod	Mr Donald Maclean
	Mr Angus Nicolson	Mr Martin C Taylor
	Mr Murdo Macleod	Mrs Mary Bremner
	Mr Norman L Macdonald	Mr Ronald J Mackinnon
	Mr Alasdair G Macrae	Mr David Blaney
	Mr Angus Campbell	Mr Donald Manford

APOLOGIES	Mr George Lonie	Mr Donald M Mackay
	Mr Philip R McLean

		COMMUNITY COUNCILS
Review of Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils PR40.01.01	1	The Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report regarding the review of the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in the Western Isles. The Report outlined the outcome of consultations undertaken under the terms of Section 53 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The draft revised Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils was appended to the Report together with a revised Model Constitution for Community Councils. It was stated that the revised Scheme and Model Constitution had taken accounts of comments received during the consultation period. It was stated that two further issues had been raised during the consultation: (1) that a provision be included in the Scheme to enable a community that is within the area of an existing Community Council to petition to form a Community Council in its own right; and (2) that a provision be added to the Scheme to enable the Community Council to remove who failed to attend meetings of the Community Council within a particular period.
		It was noted that the opportunity had been taken to review and revise the Model Constitution for Community Councils to take account of the effect of proposed changes to the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils and to reflect current good practice for public bodies.
		It was agreed: (1) that the following provisions be incorporated into the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils;
		(a) a provision to enable a community to petition to establish a Community Council separate from the existing Community Council for that area; and
		(b) a provision to enable a Community Council to declare a casual vacancy when a member of the Community Council has failed to attend meetings as specified by the Community Council, with a guideline period of six months in line with that set for members of the Comhairle;
		(2) to approve the revised Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils with incorporation of the provisions in paragraph (1) above; (3) that the date of implementation of the revised Scheme for Establishment of Community Councils be 1 August 2003; (4) that the date of the first election to be held under the revised Scheme be Thursday 25 September 2003; (5) to approve the revised Model Constitution for Community Councils; and (6) that the Scheme and Model Constitution be reviewed once in each term of the Comhairle.
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