COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Thursday 12 October 2006 at 7.00pm .

 

PRESENT

Mr Alex A MacDonald (Convener)

 

 

Mr Angus Campbell (Vice-Convener)

 

 

Mrs Annie Macsween

 

 

Mr John Mackay

Mr Donald I Nicholson

 

Mr Iain Morrison

Mr Norman M Macleod

 

Mr Roderick Morrison

Mr Alexander M Mackintosh

 

Mr Norman A Macdonald

Mrs Annie MacDonald

 

Mr Malcolm J Graham

Mrs Morag Munro

 

Mr Ian M Macleod

Mr Donald Macdonald

 

Mr Neil Campbell

Mr Archie Campbell

 

Mr George Lonie

Mr Donald Maclean

 

Mr Angus Nicolson

Mr Martin C Taylor

 

Mr Murdo Macleod

Mr Peter Carlin

 

Mr Keith Dodson

Mr Ronald J Mackinnon

 

Mr Angus McCormack

Mr Angus Macdonald

 

 

 

APOLOGIES

Mr Angus M Graham

Mr Donald J Macsween

 

Mr Norman L Macdonald

Mr Donald Manford

 

 

 

 

MINUTES

 

Minute of Meeting of 30 August 2006

 

 

1

The Minute of Meeting of 30 August 2006 was approved subject to the reference to the Policy and Resources Committee Decision Report in relation to Mr Donald Macdonald’s declaration of Interest at item 2 being amended to the Transportation Committee Decision Report

Declaration of Interest

 

 

2

The Vice Convener declared an interest in item 34 of the Policy and Resources Committee Decision Report and left the meeting during consideration of this item

 

Mr Angus McCormack declared an interest in item 10 of the Environmental Services Committee Decision Report and left the meeting during consideration of this item.

 

Mr Norman M Macleod declared and interest in item 34 of the Policy and Resources Committee Decision Report and left the meeting during consideration of this item.

 

 

 

 

Mr Donald I Nicholson, Mr Alex Mackintosh and Mrs Annie MacSween declared an interest in Item 32 of the Policy and Resources Committee Decision Report and left the meeting during consideration of this item.

 

 

 

TRIBUTES

 

Very Reverend John Angus Galbraith

 

 

The Convener paid tribute to Canon John Angus Galbraith who had passed away recently.  The Convener stated that Canon Galbraith had been born in Brevig, Barra in 1945 and was first ordained as a priest to the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles in 1971 at St Columba’s in Oban.  He had been appointed by the Comhairle in June 2000 to represent the Roman Catholic Church on the Education and Children’s Services Committee on which he had served for five years.

 

Canon Galbraith was dedicated to the Gaelic Language and was a very popular and eloquent voice on radio and television.

 

On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener extended sympathy to Canon Galbraith’s relatives and friends at this sad time.

 

 

Mrs Anna Morrison

 

 

The Convener paid tribute to Mrs Anna Morrison from Ness who passed away recently after a long illness.

 

The Convener stated that Anna had worked in the Corporate Services Department from 1986 until 1996 when she had left to raise her family.  Anna had been a very popular and capable person with a vivacious personality.  She returned to full time Education whilst raising her family and graduated with a BA Gaelic Language and Culture in 2000.  Anna had remained a familiar face around the Comhairle as she provided support as a relief officer to the Gaelic Translation Section.

 

On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener extended sympathy to her husband Willie and two sons Sandy and Calum and also her father Donald in Ness.

 

 

Mr Donald MacLeod

 

The Convener congratulated Donald Macleod the coxswain of the Barra RNLI Lifeboat who had been awarded the Bronze medal in recognition for his command, leadership and initiative in his use of local knowledge to save Vjara, a badly damaged 12m aluminium racing yacht.

 

On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener congratulated Mr Macleod on receiving this award.

 

 

Mr John Neil Mitchell

 

The Convener congratulated John Neil Mitchell who had won the 2006 Honda QRA ACU British Quad MX Championship.

 

On behalf of the Comhairle the Convener extended his congratulations and good wishes for Mr Mitchell in the future.

 

 

 

 

QUESTIONS

 

Written Questions to the Convener and the Chairmen of Committees

 

 

3

There were no written questions.

 

 

 

CALENDAR

 

Public and Local Holidays 2007

Timetable of Committee/ Comhairle Meetings 2007

C01.09

 

 

4

A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services seeking approval for the proposed public and local holidays in 2007 and the proposed programme of Committee and Comhairle meetings.

 

The Report stated that the planner set out the anticipated pattern of meetings for Committees and the Comhairle together with the suggested local and public holidays and had a pattern of meetings broadly in line with that adopted for 2006 with the addition of the statutory meeting and series of Committee meetings necessitated by the local government election on 3 May 2007.

 

The Report further suggested that the Comhairle set its Council Tax on 15 February 2007 in line with the COSLA guidance.  The Report further stated that local authorities were not bound to have set their Council Tax until 11 March in any year.  It was suggested that it would be inadvisable to leave setting the Council Tax until close to that date as that would not allow for any issues which may come up late in the process when the Council Tax was submitted for formal approval to be dealt with at another meeting if necessary.

 

It was agreed that the Comhairle approve the proposed timetable for Committee and Comhairle meetings and public and local holidays as detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 to the Report respectively.

 

 

 

BEST VALUE

 

Best Value Audit Report – “Improvement  Audit Agenda”

SS02.01

 

5

A Report was submitted by the Chief Executive to enable Members to discuss the Commission findings and to agree the Improvement Agenda Action Plan resulting from the Best Value Audit of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

 

The Report stated that the Comhairle had welcomed the Best Value Audit of the authority and was pleased that the Accounts Commission recognised a number of advantages and strengths on which the Comhairle could build

 

The Report further stated that the Accounts Commission had indicated that it had particular areas of concern which included:

 

·          The failure to plan for and to introduce Best Value processes

·          The absence of robust performance management arrangements

·          Limited performance information giving, at best, a mixed picture of service delivery;  and

·          A poor working relationship with the Health Board

 

It was further stated that Audit Scotland’s Best Value Audit report highlighted required improvements and stated  that “The pace of change within the Comhairle must increase and it needs to demonstrate a more effective and systematic approach to continuous improvement if it was to be able to cope with the challenges ahead”

 

It was agreed that the Comhairle:

 

(1)     approve the Action Plan in Appendix 4 to the report  subject to appropriate resources being allocated for implementation;  and

 

(2)     allocate monitoring responsibility of the Action Plan to Audit and Scrutiny Committee.

 

 

 

 

 

APPOINTMENTS

 

Appointment of Member to the Local Negotiating Committee:  Teaching Staff

PR41

 

 

6

A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services to enable the Comhairle to consider the vacancy on the Local Negotiating Committee:  Teaching Staff.

 

The Report stated that a vacancy had arisen following the resignation of Miss Samantha E L Hawkins.

 

It was agreed that the Comhairle appoint Mrs Annie Macsween as a Member to serve on the Local Negotiating Committee:  Teaching Staff.

 

 

Western Isles Development Trust – Appointment to Vacancy

PR41

 

 

7

A Report was submitted by the Director of Corporate Services advising the Comhairle of the resignation of Councillor John Mackay as a Director on the Western Isles Development Trust and suggested that Members consider whether to make an appointment to the vacancy which had been created.

 

The Report stated that the Western Isles Development Trust was a company limited by guarantee whose objects were to promote the well being of the Western isles and its inhabitants by encouraging and assisting all forms of development and, ultimately, to create a fund to aid in the promotion of the Trust’s aims.  The promotion of energy efficiency schemes and the undertaking of research into alternative/renewable energy sources were also stated objects of the Trust.

 

It was agreed that the Comhairle do not appoint a Director to the vacancy created by Mr Mackay’s resignation and that the Comhairle would reconsider the matter when other vacancies had been filled.

 

 

 

 

COMMITTEES

 

Committee Decision Reports

 

8

The Committee Decision Reports were submitted as undernoted.  The Comhairle approved the recommendation in the Committee Decision Reports unless otherwise indicated.

 

(1)     Arts and Leisure Committee                                    3 October 2006

(2)     Housing Committee                                                   3 October 2006

(3)     Transportation Committee                                        3 October 2006

(4)     Social Work Committee                                             4 October 2006

(5)     Education and Children’s Services Committee    4 October 2006

 

With reference to Item 9 of the Decision Report Mrs Morag Munro seconded by Mr Archie Campbell moved as an amendment that the Comhairle approve that the scope of the proposed Point Community School did not include the retention of the existing games hall or primary school.

 

On the matter being put to the vote the recommendation in the Decision Report received the majority of the votes cast and became the finding of the meeting. 

(6)     Sustainable Development Committee                   4 October 2006

 

With reference to Item 15, Mr Iain Morrison seconded by Mr John Mackay moved as an amendment that the Comhairle approve the allocation of the financial resources set aside to match the now ceased LCGS on the basis of:

 

(1)        £75k to Clan MacQuarrie Community Centre; and

 

(2)        £75k to Benbecula Community Centre

 

 

 

 

On the matter being put to the vote the recommendation in the Decision Report received the majority of the votes cast and became the finding of the meeting.

 

(7)     Environmental Services Committee                       5 October 2006

(8)     Commercial Operations Board                                11 October 2006

(9)     Policy and Resources Committee                          12 October 2006

(10) Audit and Scrutiny Committee                                  12 October 2006

 

 

 

 

It was agreed that the public including the press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following amendment on the grounds that exempt information as detailed in paragraph 6 of Part 7A of Schedule 1 to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would be disclosed namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person other than the Comhairle.

 

With reference to Item 32 Mr Norman M Macleod seconded by Mr Angus McCormack moved as an amendment that the Comhairle agree to provide a factoring service on such terms as shall be agreed by the Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance and that the cost of providing this service be met from the Comhairle’s match fund.

 

On the matter being put to the vote the recommendation in the Decision Report received the majority of the votes cast and became the finding of the meeting.