COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Wednesday 30 August 2006 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT	Mr Alex A MacDonald (Convener)
	Mr Angus Campbell (Vice-Convener)
	Mrs Annie Macsween	Mr Norman M Macleod
	Mr John Mackay	Mr Donald J Macsween
	Mr Roddy Morrison	Mr Alexander M Mackintosh
	Mr Malcolm J Graham	Mrs Annie MacDonald
	Mr Ian M Macleod	Mr Donald Macdonald
	Mr Neil Campbell	Mr Archie Campbell
	Mr Angus Nicolson	Mr Donald Maclean
	Mr Murdo Macleod	Mr Martin C Taylor
	Mr Norman L Macdonald	Mr Peter Carlin
	Mr Angus McCormack	Mr Ronald J Mackinnon
	Mr Donald I Nicholson	Mr Angus Macdonald
	Mr Norman A Macdonald	Mr Donald Manford
	Mr Keith Dodson
APOLOGIES	Mr Iain Morrison

		BRIEFING
Prayer: Mr John Mackay		The meeting was opened in prayer led by Mr John Mackay.
		TRIBUTES
Mr Donald Macdonald		The Convener paid tribute to Mr Donald Macdonald who had passed away earlier in August. The Convener stated that Mr Macdonald had been the first appointed Council Officer to the Comhairle’s Balavanich Office when it was opened in 1976. Mr Macdonald had been a very active and industrious crofter. On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener extended sympathy to his family at this sad time.
Mr Murdo Mackay		The Convener paid tribute to Mr Murdo Mackay who had passed away on the 10 July 2006. The Convener stated that Mr Mackay had been a Building maintenance Foreman with the Commercial Operations Unit. On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener extended sympathy to his wife Agnes and their two daughters at this sad time.
Mrs Christina Morrison		The Convener paid tribute to Mrs Christina Morrison who had passed away in July aged 110. Christina had been born in October 1895 and had always lived and worked in Scalpay. She had married her husband Angus in 1921. He had been involved in the fishing industry, while Christina was left to work on the croft and raise their 11 children. On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener extended sympathy to their five surviving children at this very sad time.
Mrs Violet Maclean		The Convener paid tribute to Mrs Violet Maclean who had passed away recently. Mrs Maclean had celebrated her 100 th birthday in February of this year. On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener extended sympathy to her son Donald and his wife at this very sad time.
Ms Kirsteen Campbell		The Convener paid tribute to Kirsteen Campbell on her recent appointment as the Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet. Kirsteen was one of the longest serving members of the Isle of Lewis 1731 Air Training Corps and the youngest daughter of Cllr Neil Campbell. On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener wished her well for the future.
Stornoway Territorial Army		The Convener paid tribute to the Stornoway Territorial Army Reservists who had been called up for duty in Iraq. Among the eleven people who had been called up was a member of the Corporate Services Department, Ninian Christie. On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener extended best wishes to them all and for their safe return.
		MINUTES
Minute of Meeting of 22 June 2006 at 7.00pm	1	The Minute of Meeting of 22 June 2006 was approved
Declaration of Interest	2	Mr Angus Nicolson declared an interest in item 6 and left the meeting during consideration of this item. Mr Norman L Macdonald declared an interest in items 9 and 53 of the Policy and Resources Committee Decision Report and left the meeting during consideration of these items. Mr Donald Macdonald declared an interest in items 27 and 28 of the Policy and Resources Committee Decision Report and left the meeting during consideration of these items.
		CONSTITUTION
By-Election: Port of Ness Ward C32	3	A Report was submitted by the Returning Officer advising the Comhairle of the outcome of the by-election to fill the vacancy for the Port of Ness. The Report stated that since the resignation of Miss Samantha E L Hawkins who had been elected as Member of the Comhairle for the Port of Ness Ward in May 2003, a by election to fill the vacancy had been held on Thursday 27 July 2006. Mrs Annie Macsween had been elected to serve as Member of the Comhairle for the Port of Ness Ward for the remainder of the term. It was noted that, following the by-election to fill a vacancy for the Port of Ness Electoral Ward Mrs Annie Masween had been elected as a Member of the Comhairle. Arising out of consideration of this item it was agreed to appoint Mrs Macsween to the Gaelic Language Plan Member Officer Working Group.
		QUESTIONS
Written Questions to the Convener and the Chairmen of Committees	4	There were no written questions.

		OUTSIDE BODIES
Appointment to Outside Bodies PR41	5	A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services advising the Comhairle of vacancies created on outside bodies by the resignation of Miss Samantha E L Hawkins, the former councillor for the Port of Ness and it was requested that the Comhairle make appointments to these vacancies The outside bodies were The Lewis and Harris Cattle Producers Group and University of the Highlands and Islands Foundation. It was agreed that Mrs Annie Macdonald be appointed to the Lewis and Harris Cattle Producers Group and noted that the UHI Foundation had indicated that no vacancy existed.
		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 Paragraph 6 namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person other than the Comhairle.
The Stornoway Harbour Revision (Constitution) Order 2006 Appointment to Stornoway Port Authority T07.01	6	A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services informing the Comhairle of the provisions of the draft Stornoway Harbour Revision (Constitution)Order 2006, particularly with regard to the proposed revisions to the constitution of the Stornoway Port Authority and the method of appointing members of the Authority. It was agreed that the Vice Convener be authorised to respond to Stornoway Port Authority proposing (a) the maximum level of democratic input in relation to appointments to Stornoway Port Authority and in particular that the Comhairle retain its right to appoint two Members and that the provision for Members to be elected remain; and (b) that the current number of Members on the Board be retained.
		COMMITTEES
Committee Decision Reports	7	The Committee Decision Reports were submitted as undernoted. The Comhairle approved the recommendation in the Committee Decision Reports unless otherwise indicated: (a) Commercial Operations Board – 17 August 2006 (b) Arts and Leisure Committee – 22 August 2006 (c) Housing Committee – 22 August 2006 (d) Transportation Committee – 22 August 2006 (e) Social Work Committee – 23 August 2006 (f) Education and Children’s Services Committee – 23 August 2006 (g) Sustainable Development Committee – 23 August 2006 (h) Environmental Services Committee – 24 August 2006 (i) Policy and Resources Committee – 30 August 2006 In relation to item 37 (2) that the words “every six years” be omitted. (j) Audit and Scrutiny Committee – 30 August 2006