COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Tuesday 31 October 2000 at 7.00 pm

PRESENT	Mr Alexander A Macdonald (Chairman)
	Mr Roderick J Murray	Mr Philip McLean
	Mrs Katie M Mackenzie	Mr Donald I Nicholson
	Mr Malcolm J Macleod	Mr Norman M Macleod
	Mr Iain Morrison	Mr Donald J Macsween
	Mr Roderick Morrison	Mr Finlay Morrison
	Mr Norman A Macdonald	Mr Donald M Mackay
	Mr Angus M Graham	Mrs Morag Munro
	Mr Malcolm J Graham	Mr Archie Campbell
	Mr Ian M Macleod	Mr Donald Maclean
	Mr Angus Nicolson	Mr James L McArthur
	Mr Murdo Macleod	Mrs Mary Bremner
	Mr Norman L Macdonald	Mr David Blaney
	Mr Alasdair G Macrae	Mr Donald Manford
	Mr Angus Campbell
APOLOGIES	Mr Ronald J Mackinnon	Mr Donald Macdonald

Prayer		The Meeting was opened with Prayer led by Mr Murdo Macleod.
Tribute: Royal National Mod C41.01		The Chairman, on behalf of the Comhairle, extended congratulation to the participants and prize-winners at the Royal National Mod in Dunoon, in particular, Mr Innes Macleod of Shawbost who had won the Gold Medal and Mr Gilbert Macmillan of South Uist who had won the Traditional Medal. The Chairman noted that this had been a very successful Mod for the Islands and congratulated all the competitors who had brought tropies back to the Western Isles. The Chairman referred particularly to the many young people who had travelled to the Mod and performed at such a high standard. He looked forward to an equally successful Mod next year in the Western Isles.
Tribute: Mr Donald John Maciver C41.01		The Chairman, on behalf of the Comhairle, extended congratulations to Mr Donald John Maciver, the Comhairle's Gaelic Adviser, who had received the Bardic Crown at the Royal National Mod in Dunoon.
Tribute: Mr Donald Dewar C41.01		The Chairman referred to the death of Mr Donald Dewar, First Minister in the Scottish Parliament and, on behalf of the Comhairle, extended sympathy and condolences to Mr Dewar's family in their sad loss.
Tribute: Mr Ronald J Mackinnon C41.01		The Chairman referred to Mr Ronald J Mackinnon, Member for the Locheynort Ward, who had recently suffered a heart attack and, on behalf of the Comhairle, extended best wishes to Mr Mackinnon for a full and speedy recovery.
Tribute: Ms Ancris Ross C41.01		The Chairman referred to the recent death of Ms Ancris Ross, a former Teacher of French and German and Woman Adviser at The Nicolson Institute and, on behalf of the Comhairle, extended condolences to Ms Ross's family and friends in their bereavement.
Tribute: Mr Angus Maclennan C41.01		The Chairman referred to Mr Angus Maclennan, a native of Shawbost who had been created a Freeman of the City of London and, on behalf of the Comhairle, congratulated Mr Maclennan on receiving this honour.
Tribute: Our Town Story C41.01		The Chairman referred to the recent performance at the Millennium Dome in London of an "Our Town Story" by pupils from the Western Isles and, on behalf, of the Comhairle, congratulated all those involved in organising and who participated in this very successful presentation.
Tribute: Mr Henry Macleish C41.01		The Chairman, on behalf of the Comhairle, congratulated Mr Henry Macleish on his election as First Minister in the Scottish Parliament and extended wish to him for every success with the tasks facing him.
Tribute: Mr Neil R Galbraith C41.01		The Chairman referred to Mr Neil R Galbraith, Acting Chief Executive, who was attending his last meeting of the Comhairle prior to taking retirement in November 2000. He paid tribute to Mr Galbraith's work in the local authority, first as a teacher, moving on to Depute Director of Education and then as Director of Education and subseqently as Director of Education and Leisure Services prior to being appointed as Acting Chief Executive for the Comhairle for the past eighteen months. He stated that Mr Galbraith had earned a considerable reputation in the field of education and his work had been recognised through honours bestowed upon him, including the OBE for services to Education and an Honorary Doctorate from the Open University. On behalf of the Comhairle, the Chairman thanked Mr Galbraith for his many years of dedicated service and extended best wishes to him for the future.
		MINUTES
Comhairle C01.01	37	The Minute of Meeting of 12 September 2000 was approved.
		QUESTIONS
Air Transport: Competition C33.01	38	Mr Angus Nicolson asked the Chairman of the Transportation Committee if he agreed that increased competition between airlines to provide flights to Stornoway would provide an excellent opportunity to reduce fares and improve the services? The Chairman of the Transportation Committee responded as follows:
		The cost of transport generally and of air fares in particular is one of the most pressing issues for the Western Isles. There are presently no scheduled operators of aircraft based at any airfield in the Highlands and Islands. Currently two operators provide schedule services in and out of Stornoway. British Regional Airlines (BRA) operate the British Airways (BA) franchised route Glasgow to Stornoway to Glasgow and Loganair, also a BA franchisee, operate Edinburgh to Inverness to Stornoway to Inverness to Edinburgh. Under European Union (EU) Regulations, any airline resident in any EU member countries, Norway or Iceland, may operate from any airport in the Highlands and Islands to any destination in the UK, the EU, Norway and Iceland. No routes are protected and there is nothing to stop any such airline deciding to fly the Stornoway route as a schedule service alongside BRA or Loganair.
		The air product on offer to the travelling public in the Islands has not really improved over the past ten years whereas central Scotland is attracting more airlines offering an increased range of fares including budget services.
		Whilst in principle the concept of competitition should provide an opportunity to reduce fares and improve services, this does not necessarily apply on the very thinly trafficked routes such as to and from the Western Isles where competition could indeed lead to diminution of service.
		It is probable that some form of intervention would be necessary to encourage lower fares and improved frequencies on island routes.
		The Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Forum is currently investigating options in relation to the provision of air services and a report of the outcome of the deliberations will be brought to the Transportation Committee in due course. Mr Angus Nicolson noted that the management of Prestwick Airport had expressed a desire to have the opportunity to compete on services to and from the Western Isles and asked the Chairman and the Chairman of the Transportation Committee as a supplementary question if they would take up an offer to visit Prestwick Airport and to invite the management of that airport to meet with the Comhairle with a view to identifying other airlines to provide competing service provision. The Chairman and the Chairman of the Transportation Committee both indicated that they would be willing to accept such an offer from the management of Prestwick Airport.
		COMMITTEES
Committees	39	The Minutes and Reports of Committees were submitted as follows and, unless otherwise indicated, were noted with regard to delegated functions and approved with regard to referred functions except where they had already been dealt with by the Comhairle.
Arts and Leisure Committee		(1) Minute of Meeting of 3 October 2000.
Housing Committee		(2) Minute of Meeting of 3 October 2000.
Education Committee		(3) Minute of Meeting of 3 October 2000 with the exception of Item 103. In respect of Item 103, the Chairman of the Education Committee stated that, for clarity, the recommendation referred to Option 2 relating to the review of secondary education in Stornoway. Mr Norman L Macdonald, seconded by Mrs Morag Munro, moved approval of Item 103 of the Minute of Meeting of the Education Committee of 3 October 2000. Mr Iain Morrison, seconded by Mr Ian M Macleod, moved as a first amendment, approval of the recommendation in Item 103 of the Minute with the following addition: As an additional reassurance to all parents, a monitoring and advisory committee representing a range of educational interests be formed by the Comhairle to oversee the implementation of the Education Authority's commitment and duty to secure that education is directed to the development of the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the child or young person to their fullest potential.
		Mr Donald I Nicholson, seconded by Mr Finlay Morrison, moved as a second amendment that the Comhairle proceed to consult on the basis of Option 3, namely, the combination of The Nicolson Institute and Lews Castle School into an single entity, involving distinct vocational and academic sectors with each sector retaining its own series of core departments and modes of delivery.
		At the close of debate, and before the motion and amendments were put to the Comhairle for voting, Mr Iain Morrison, with the consent of his seconder, withdrew his amendment. The Comhairle agreed in terms of Standing Order 58 that the vote be taken by roll call.
		On a vote being taken between the motion and the second amendment, there voted as follows:- MOTION AMENDMENT Mr Roderick J Murray Mr Alex A Macdonald Mr Malcolm J Macleod Mrs Katie M Mackenzie Mr Iain Morrison Mr Roderick Morrison Mr Norman A Macdonald Mr Angus M Graham Mr Ian M Macleod Mr Malcolm J Graham Mr Angus Nicolson Mr Philip R McLean Mr Murdo Macleod Mr Donald I Nicholson Mr Norman L Macdonald Mr Norman M Macleod Mr Alasdair G Macrae Mr Donald J Macsween Mr Angus Campbell Mr Finlay Morrison Mrs Morag Munro Mr Donald M Mackay Mr Archie Campbell Mr Donald Maclean Mr James L McArthur Mrs Mary Bremner Mr David Blaney Mr Donald Manford
		The Chairman declare the motion carried and it became the finding of the meeting.
Environmental Services Committee		(4) Minute of Meeting of 4 October 2000.
Transportation Committee		(5) Minute of Meeting of 4 October 2000.
Development Services Committee		(6) Minute of Meeting of 4 October 2000 with the except of Item 182. Mr Donald Maclean, seconded by Mr Archie Campbell, moved approved of recommendation in Item 182 of the Minute of Meeting of the Development Services Committee of 4 October 2000. Mrs Katie M Mackenzie, seconded by Mr Angus M Graham, moved as an amendment that condition 4 of the planning permission relating to sand extraction at Traighe Shanndaidh be amended to read "sand extraction take place between the hours of 0900 and 1700 on not more than two days in the one week", the provision relating to no work being undertaken on Sunday remaining the same.
		On the matter being put to the vote the amendment received the majority of votes cast and became the finding of the meeting.
		(7) Minute of Meeting of 31 October 2000.
Social Work Committee		(8) Minute of Meeting of 5 October 2000.
Contract Services Committee		(9) Minute of Meeting of 5 October 2000.
Policy and Resources Committee		(10) Report of Meeting of 31 October 2000.
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