COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Thursday 30 March 2006 at 5.00 pm 

PRESENT	Mr Alex A MacDonald (Convener)
	Mr Angus Campbell (Vice-Convener)
	Miss Samantha E L Hawkins	Mrs Annie MacDonald
	Mr John Mackay	Mrs Morag Munro
	Mr iain Morrison	Mr Donald Macdonald
	Mr Malcolm J Graham	Mr Archie Campbell
	Mr Ian M Macleod	Mr Donald MacLean
	Mr Angus Nicolson	Mr Martin C Taylor
	Mr Norman L Macdonald	Mr Peter Carlin
	Mr Keith Dodson	Mr Ronald J Mackinnon
	Mr Donald I Nichohson	Mr Angus Macdonald
	Mr Donald J MacSween	Mr Donald Manford
	Mr Angus M Graham	Mr Neil Campbell
	Mr Murdo MacLeod	Mr George Lonie
	Mr Alexander M Mackintosh	Mr Angus McCormack
	Mr Norman M Macleod
APOLOGIES	Mr Roderick Morrison	Mr Norman A Macdonald

		BRIEFING
Prayer:  Mr John Mackay		The meeting was opened in prayer led by Mr John Mackay
Welcome		The Convener welcomed Mr Pat McGlinn, Mayor of Newry and Mourne District council, and Gerard McGivern, the Director of District Development.  He indicated that they would be participating  in the Tourism Seminar on 31 March and that representatives of Clare County Council who would also be participating were arriving later in the afternoon. The Convener gave Mr McGlinn the opportunity to address a few words to the Comhairle.
		TRIBUTES
Mrs Mairi MacLeod		The Convener paid tribute to Mrs Mairi Macleod, who had died as a result of an unfortunate accident at the beginning of March.  Mrs Macleod first came to work for the Comhairle in 1981 in the Social Work Department and left in 1984 for family and personal reasons.  She returned to work full-time for the Comhairle in March 2003, as an Inclusion Support Worker in the Education Department, where she worked with young people who had emotional and behavioural problems and supported the families.  She was dedicated, caring and compassionate.  She would be greatly missed by her colleagues, teachers and especially the young people that she worked with.  On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener extended sympathy to Mrs Macleod’s family at this very sad time.
Mrs Violet MacLean		The Convener paid tribute to Mrs Violet MacLean from Stornoway who had celebrated her 100^th birthday on the 15 February 2006.  On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener extended best wishes to Mrs MacLean.
Miss Joanna MacArthur		The Convener paid tribute to Miss Joanna MacArthur from Cromore who had celebrated her 100^th birthday on 22 March 2006.  On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener extended best wishes to Miss MacArthur.
Mrs Helen MacKenzie		The Convener congratulated Mrs Helen MacKenzie, from Callanish, who had been awarded “Postie of the Year” award after saving the life of Stephen MacKay when his arm stuck in mill machinery.  Due to her quick thinking, she had not only saved his life, but it had also been possible for surgeons to save his arm.  On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener expressed pleasure and pride in relation to the national recognition that Mrs MacKenzie so rightly received.
Paible School, North Uist		The Convener congratulated pupils in the primary sector of Paible School, North Uist, who won the Inov8 NrG competition where they had to design three posters showing imaginative use of renewable energy.  The school had won Swift Rooftop Wind Energy System and they were currently awaiting planning permission to erect the turbine.
		MINUTES
Minute of Meeting of 9 February 2006 at 4.00pm	1	The Minute of Meeting of 9 February 2006 at 4.00 pm was approved
Minute of Meeting of 9 February 2006 at 7.00pm	2	The Minute of Meeting of 9 February 2006 at 7.00 pm was approved
Declaration of Interest	3	Mr Norman M MacLeod declared an interest in item 5 on the agenda and item 18 of the Policy and Resources Committee Decision Report. Mr Norman L MacLeod declared an interest in item 5 on the agenda. Mr George Lonie declared an interest in item 5 on the agenda, and also anything appertaining to Caledonian MacBrayne Mr Neil Campbell declared an interest in item 5 on the agenda. Mr Angus McCormack declared an interest in item 8 on the agenda of the Arts and Leisure Committee Decision Report. Mr Angus Nicolson declared an inerest in item 8 on the agenda of the Arts and Leisure Committee Decision Report. Morag Munro declared an interest in item 46 on the Policy and Resource Committee Decision Report. Mr Donald J MacSween declared an item in item 8(a) on the Arts and Leisure Committee Decision Report. Mr Iain Morrison declared an interest in item 13 on the Policy and Resource Committee Decision Report Mr Alex A MacDonald declared an interest in item 25 on the Policy and Resource Committee Decision Report. Mr Ian M MacLeod declared an interest in item 17 on the Environmental Services Committee Decision Report.

		QUESTIONS
Written Questions to the Convener and the Chairmen of Committees	4	There were no written questions to the Convener or the Chairmen of Committees
		COMMITTEES/OUTSIDE BODIES
Standing Service Committtees and Outside Bodies – Appointment of Members C02	5	A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services regarding the resignation of the following Members; (a) Councillor Norman M MacLeod as a Member of the Joint Future Committee and as a Comhairle appointee on Tighean Innse Gall and on the Care and Repair Social Fund Committee; and (b) Councillor Murdo MacLeod’s as a Comhairle appointee to Hebridean Housing Partnership; and (c)  to request that the Comhairle appoint another Member or Members to these roles It was agreed to appoint (a) Mrs Annie MacDonald as a member of the Joint Future Committee; (b) It was agreed to appoint Mr Alexander Mackintosh to the Hebridean Housing Partnership (c) It was agreed to appoint Mr Angus McCormack to the board of Tighean Innse Gall; (d) It was agreed to appoint Mr Ronald J MacKinnon as a member of the Care and Repair Social Fund Committee.  .
		OUTSIDE BODIES
Hebridean Housing Partnership H01.17	6	A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services regarding the Housing Stock Transfer to the Hebridean Housing Partnership which had now been formally established as an industrial and provident society and which was in the process of obtaining formal registration from Communities Scotland.  The Report stated that its constitution still gave the Comhairle the right to be a Member of the organisation as well as to appoint Directors. It was recommended that the Comhairle agree to become a member of HHP.
Appointments to Stornoway Port Authority PR42.01	7	A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services seeking Members’ authority to appoint as two vacancies to be filled by the Comhairle on Stornoway Port Authority. It was agreed that the Comhairle authorise the Director of Corporate Services to confirm any appointment made by the Appointments Panel to the vacancies to be filled by the Comhairle.
		PUBLIC AND LOCAL HOLIDAYS
Proposed Amendment to Local holidays 2006 C01.09	8	A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services regarding the proposed change to the local holiday in Barra.  When the Comhairle had agreed the Local holidays for 2006, it became apparent that the Barra early summer holiday is traditionally celebrated on the first Monday in July. It was recommended that the date for the Barra early summer Local Holiday be amended to 3 July 2006 to reflect local tradition.

		COMMITTEES
Committee Decision Reports	7	The Committee Decision Reports were submitted as undernoted.  The Comhairle approved the recommendations in the Committee Decision Reports unless otherwise indicated: (a) Arts & Leisure Committee – 21 March 2006 (b) Arts & Leisure Committee – adjourned meeting – 30 March 2005 At item 13 of the Arts & Leisure Committee on the 21 March, it was agreed that a Report would be presented to the next meeting of the Committee regarding the source of the £25K allocated to the Island Games. (c) Housing Committee – 21 March 2006 (d) Transportation Committee – 21 March 2006 (e) Social Work Committee – 22 March 2006 (f) Education and Children’s Services Committee – 22 March 2006 In relation to item 14 Mr George Lonie seconded by Mr Angus Graham moved as an amendment that the council accepts the importance of working with parents to achieve the best possible educationfor their children and therefore supports the overwhelming majority of views expressed by parents to endorse the Comhairle’s decision of December 2004 that the catchment areas of Stornoway Primary and Laxdale Primary schools should remain unchanged.  The Comhairle further Requests that a detailed Report be prepared by the Director of Education reviewing the future needs of primary education, in conjunction with population growth and transport facilities, in the Broadbay area. On the matter being put to the vote the amendment received the majority of the votes cast and became the finding of the meeting. (g) Sustainable Development Committee – 22 March 2006 (h) Environmental Services Committee – 23 March 2006 (i) Commerical Operations Board – 29 March 2006 (j) Policy and Resources Committee – 30 March 2006 In relation to Item 34 it was agreed to add the following paragraph “Giving the continuing difficulty within the Western Isles Health Board that the Comhairle write to the Minister of Health and Community Care expressing its continuous concerns that to the capability of the Western Isles Health Board to address the concerns of staff and the public with regards to the boards statutory responsibilities” As the Convener had declared an interest in the following item the Vice Convener took the Chair. In relation to Item 35 of the Decision Report Mr Archie K Campbell, seconded by Mr Ronald J Mackinnon, moved as an amendment that The following additional wording “and that attendance at a mainland conference which includes a Sunday should be at the discretion of the individual attendee” be inserted after the word “practice” on the fourth line of paragraph (1) The words “no change to be made to the” where they appear in paragraph (2) be deleted and the words “should reflect custom and practice” be added to the end of the same paragraph; and
		An additional paragraph (7) be added as follows: The Comhairle recognise that it can seek to influence but cannot prevent Caledonian MacBrayne introducing new services” On the matter being put to the vote the motion received the majority of the votes cast and became the finding of the meeting. (k) Audit and Scrutiny Committee – 30 March 2006
		ADDITIONAL ITEM
Smoking Ban Fixed Penalty Notice Hearings Panel PR11.07	8	A Report was submitted by the Director for Sustainable Communities regarding the application of fixed penalty notices   It was suggested in the Report that five members would be appointed on the Panel. It was agreed to appoint the following Members to the Panel Mr Peter Carlin Mr Ian M Macleod Mr Donald I Nicholson Mr Martin Taylor Mr Neil Campbell