COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Wednesday 23 June 2004 at 2.30pm

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

Prayer:		The meeting was opened with prayer led by Mr John Mackay.
Tribute:  Prof Murdo Ewan Macdonald		The Convener referred to Prof Murdo Ewan Macdonald who had recently passed away.  Prof Macdonald had been educated in the village school in Drinishader, Harris and from there he had received bursaries to Tarbert and Kingussie Schools and had then gone on to St Andrew’s University.  He had been inducted to the Ministry in 1939 and had received a call up in 1940 and after a spell as chaplain to the Queen’s Own Highlanders in the Caribbean, he had volunteered for the 1^st  Parachute Brigade.  He had been captured by German forces and imprisoned for the remainder of the war.  After the war he had received a call to Partick and from there to what was Scotland’s most prestigious Church, St George’s West in Edinburgh.  He had then gone on to become Professor of Theology at Glasgow University. On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener extended condolences to Prof Macdonald’s family.
Tribute:  Lewis and Harris Senior Football Select Team		The Convener referred to the Lewis and Harris Senior Football Select Team who had recently defeated the Scottish Amateur Football Association Select Team. The Convener, on behalf of the Comhairle, congratulated the Lewis and Harris Senior Football Select Team.
		MINUTES
Minute of Meeting of 29 April 2004	1	The Minute of Meeting of 29 April 2004 was approved, subject to the following amendment:                 at those present, insert the following:                 Mrs Annie Macdonald                 Mr Donald Macdonald
		COMMITTEES AND BOARDS
Appointment to Stornoway Port Authority PR42.01	2	The Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report seeking confirmation of the appointment of Mr Keith Dodson to Stornoway Port Authority and to authorise the Director of Corporate Services to appoint to the other vacancy to be filled by the Comhairle on Stornoway Port Authority. It was agreed that: (1)        Mr Keith Dodson be appointed as one of the Comhairle representatives on the Stornoway Port Authority; and (2)        the Director of Corporate Services be authorised to confirm any appointment made by the Appointments Panel to the second vacancy to be filled by the Comhairle.
		COMMITTEES
Committee Decision Reports	3	The Committee Decision Reports were submitted as undernoted.  The Comhairle approved the recommendations in the Committee Decision Reports unless otherwise indicated. (a)           Commercial Operations Board – 8 June 2004                 Mr Donald Macdonald, seconded by Mr John Mackay, moved approval of the Commercial Operations Board Decision Report.                 Mr Angus Campbell, seconded by Mr Norman A Macdonald, moved as an amendment that Item 7 of the Commercial Operations Board Decision Report regarding Performance Report for Schools Catering for the Period 1 April 2003 – 31 March 2004 be amended to read as follows:                 It was agreed to recommend that the surplus, detailed in the Report, be the subject of a Report to the Policy and Resources Committee in Autumn 2004.                 On the matter being put to the vote, the amendment received the majority                 of the votes cast and became the finding of the meeting. (b)           Arts and Leisure Committee – 15 June 2004 (c)           Housing Committee –  15 June 2004 (d)           Transportation Committee –  15 June 2004                 At item 12 of the Decision Report regarding Additional Bus Contracts:  School Services, it was agreed that the following be added as recommendation (3):                 “it be noted that the Integrated Passenger Sub-Committee was considering evaluation criteria for future rounds of bus contracts and that the outcome of this consideration would be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee for approval.” (e)           Social Work Committee –  16 June 2004 (f)            Education and Children’s Services Committee – 16 June 2004 (g)           Sustainable Development Committee – 16 June 2004 and the adjourned part of that meeting on 23 June 2004 (h)           Environmental Services Committee –  17 June 2004 (i)            Audit and Scrutiny Committee –  22 June 2004
		(j)            Policy and Resources Committee – 22 June 2004
		In relation to the adjourned part of the meeting Mr Archie K Campbell, seconded by Mrs Annie Macdonald, moved approval of the Committee Decision Report. Mr Angus M Graham, seconded by Mr Angus Campbell, moved as an amendment that the following be added as an addendum to the Committee Decision Report:
		In light of the concerns in many of our communities regarding the lack of information on wind farm developments, the Comhairle gives consideration to the following issues as a matter of urgency: 1    (a)        the siting of the infrastructure;       (b)        the method of construction;       (c)        the method of procurement of contracts for construction and operation;       (d)        the distribution of community benefit – current situation is four parties are involved:  Landowners, Crofters, Local Community Trust, Western Isles Development Trust.  What is the “Local Community”?       (e)        whether community benefit is partly capitalised or on increasing revenue?;       (f)         effective liaison with the communities affected;       (g)        that there is sufficient flexibility in the developer’s proposals for change if required.                    And that: 2    The Comhairle in its community advocacy role should be involved in:       (i)         negotiations to maximise the wider community benefit;       (ii)        determining form of payment, whether by annual income, or capitalisation of income, or both;       (iii)       seeking discussions with SNH and RSPB at a senior level to try and ascertain their stance on each development;       (iv)       in the Comhairle’s facilitation role assisting the crofting communities in determining the legal options open to them;       (v)        trying, as far as possible, to ensure that the procurement of goods and services were local;       (vi)       seeking legal agreement Reinstatement Bonds from each developer;       (vii)      forming liaison committees with the affected communities;       (viii)     seeking a fair distribution of wayleaves – under current legislation income goes to landlord;       (x)        negotiating with the Crown Estate regarding benefit for the sub-sea link to compensate for the inevitable exclusion zone for fisheries;       (xi)       seeking assurances from the Scottish Executive that the planning consent could be conditional on a satisfactory outcome of the negotiations with developers.
		The meeting adjourned at 2.55pm to allow for consideration of the amendment. The meeting re-convened at 3.00pm when the following Members were found to be present:
		Mr Alex A Macdonald (Convener) Mr Angus Campbell (Vice-Convener) Miss Samantha E L Hawkins Mr John Mackay Mr Iain Morrison Mr Roderick Morrison Mr Norman A Macdonald Mr Angus M Graham Mr Malcolm J Graham Mr Ian M Macleod Mr Neil Campbell Mr George Lonie Mr Norman L Macdonald Mr Keith Dodson Mr Angus McCormack	Mr Norman M Macleod Mr Donald J Macsween Mr Alexander M Mackintosh Mrs Annie Macdonald Mrs Morag Munro Mr Donald Macdonald Mr Archie Campbell Mr Donald Maclean Mr Peter Carlin Mr Ronald J Mackinnon Mr Angus Macdonald Mr Donald Manford
		Mr Archie K Campbell, with the consent of his seconder, agreed to incorporate the amendment as an addendum to the Sustainable Development Committee Decision Report of 23 June 2004.
		At item (2) of the Decision Report, it was agreed that the Comhairle appoint two Members to the Western Isles Development Trust in addition to the Convener, Vice-Convener and Chair of Sustainable Development. The Head of Legal and Democratic Services called for nominations for two Members to be appointed to the Western Isles Development Trust, in addition to the Convener, Vice-Convener and the Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee and the following nominations were duly moved and seconded: Mr Donald Manford Mr Peter Carlin Mrs Annie Macdonald Mr John Mackay Mr Angus Macdonald Mr Norman L Macdonald Prior to the Comhairle voting on the above nominations, Mr Donald Manford withdrew his nomination. The Comhairle proceeded to vote by ballot, the result of which was as follows: Mr Peter Carlin                     13 Mrs Annie Macdonald        11 Mr John Mackay                  12 Mr Angus Macdonald         5 Mr Norman L Macdonald   12 Prior to a second ballot being held between Mr Norman L Macdonald and Mr John Mackay, Mr Norman L Macdonald withdrew his nomination. The Convener then declared that the following members had been appointed to serve on the Western Isles Development Trust: Mr Peter Carlin Mr John Mackay