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Welcome
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The Chairman welcomed Mrs Trisha Shorthouse
and Mr Jeff Wilcock from the Scottish Highlands & Islands Film Commission
to the Meeting and indicated that Mrs Shorthouse and Mr Wilcock would make a
presentation in respect of item 5.
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MINUTES
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Minute of
Meeting of 27 August 2003
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1
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The Minute of
Meeting of 27 August 2003 was approved.
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DS09.01
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CONSTITUTION
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Joint
Consultative Committee
DS09.05
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2
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The Director of Corporate Services submitted
a Report seeking the appointment of Members to serve on the Crofting and
Fishing Joint Consultative Committees. The Standards Commission have
recognised that there was a requirement for expertise in relation to the
crofting/fishing interests and it would therefore be inappropriate to de-bar
Councillors with such interests from discussions that arose in relation to
these matters and the JCCs.
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It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
appoint the Chair of Sustainable
Development, ex-officio, together with Mr Alexander A Macdonald, Mrs Annie
Macdonald, Miss Samantha E L Hawkins, Mrs Morag Munro, Mr Donald Maclean, Mr
Peter Carlin, Mr Ronald J Mackinnon and Mr Donald Manford to the Crofting
Joint Consultative Committee;
(2) appoint the Chair of Sustainable
Development, ex-officio, together with Mr John Mackay, Mr Alexander A
Macdonald, Mr Norman L Macdonald, Mr Neil Campbell, Mr Alexander M Macintosh,
Mr Donald Macdonald, Mr Martin C Taylor and Mr Donald Manford to the
Fisheries Joint Consultative Committee;
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(3) delegate to the
Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Director for
Sustainable Communities and the Chairman, the appointment of representatives
of crofting interests and fisheries interests to the JCCs;
(4) authorise the Director of Corporate
Services to make the necessary amendments to the Scheme of Administration to
increase the number of representation of Comhairle, Crofting and Fishing
interests and to invite WIE/HIE to be represented on the JCC’s; and
(5) approve the Reporting mechanism for
the JCCs as detailed in the Report.
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FINANCE
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General
Fund Capital Programme 2004-2008
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3
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The Director of Finance submitted a Report
updating Members on developments with the existing and proposed Capital
Programme and recommending a revised timetable for setting the Capital
Programme for 2004-2008.
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It was agreed to recommend approval of
the recommendations in the Report by the Director of Finance, insofar as the
Committee’s interest was concerned.
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The Chairman ruled that in accordance with
the provision of Section 50(B) 4 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973,
the following item be considered as a matter of urgency in order to allow the
Committee to take a view on the matter, prior to its next meeting.
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General
Fund
Capital
Programme 2004-2008: Additional projects
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4
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The Director of Finance submitted a Report
detailing the latest position with regard to the inclusion of additional
capital projects within the Capital Programme 2003/04.
It was
agreed to recommend that no further projects be added to the Capital
Programme 2003/04 at this point of the year.
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Use of
Revenue Carry Forward from 2002-03
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5
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report detailing proposals to utilise revenue funding carried
forward from 2002-03 from the Sustainable Communities portfolio of services.
The Comhairle had indicated that the first call on those sums should be for
office accommodation for the Lifelong Learning One-Stop Shop. The
capitalisation of that project has allowed for the use of the Revenue Carry
Forward to be reconsidered.
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It was agreed to recommend approval of
the allocation of revenue funds carried forward from the financial year
2002-03, from the combined budgets for the Department of Sustainable
Communities to the services and in the sums detailed in the Appendix to the
Report.
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PRESENTATION
Mr Norman A Macdonald declared a non-pecuniary
interest and remained in the Meeting during consideration of the following
item.
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Presentation
re the Scottish Highlands and Islands Film commission (SHIFC)
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6
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Mrs Trisha Shorthouse and Mr Jeff Willcock
were invited to give a presentation on the role of the Scottish Highlands
& Islands Film Commission. SHIFC was formed in 1997 with the aim of
attracting film production companies. The benefits to the Western Isles
through the work of the SHIFC were detailed and Members were afforded the
opportunity of asking questions.
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DS40.24
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It was
agreed to note the presentation.
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BIODIVERSITY
& COUNTRYSIDE
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Draft
Western Isles Woodland Strategy
DS20.31
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7
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report seeking approval of the draft Western Isles Woodland
Strategy for public consultation. The draft Strategy provided a long-term
vision for the development of woodlands to meet the needs of the people in
the Western Isles and would deliver the objectives of the Scottish Forestry
Strategy within a Western Isles context.
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It was
agreed to recommend approval of the draft Western Isles Woodland Strategy for
consultation.
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Non-Native
Species
DS20.31
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8
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report detailing the Comhairle’s response to the Scottish
Executive in respect of proposals to change legislation addressing problems
posed by invasive non-native species.
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It was agreed to recommend that the
actions of the Director for Sustainable Communities in relation to responses
on Non-Native Species as set out in Appendices 1 and 3 of the Report be
homologated.
Arising out of consideration of this
item, it was agreed to ask the Crofting JCC to investigate the issues in
respect of Greylag Geese and report back to the Committee.
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COMMUNITY SUPPORT
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Establishment
of a Community Support Unit
DS40
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9
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report detailing proposals for the establishment of a Community
Support Unit. The proposed unit would provide, within each community, one door
to access community grants and services and would assist communities to plan
and develop an infrastructure suitable for their area.
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It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
agree in principle, to the formation of
a unified Community Support Unit within the Department for Sustainable
Communities; and
(2)
note that the personnel requirements
for this unit, as set out in the Report, will be the subject of a further
report to the Human Resources Sub-Committee
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Review of
Business Support Services
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10
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report detailing a proposed review brief to provide a
wide-ranging evaluation of Business Support Services.
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DS40
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It was agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the Comhairle approve the draft Review
Brief for the Business Support Services, as set out in the Appendix to the
Report; and
(2)
the Director for Sustainable
Communities be authorised to publicise that businesses with a rateable value
of £12k or less are entitled to a 50% discount on rates.
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Business
Improvement Districts: Scottish Executive Consultation Paper
DS40
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11
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The Director for Sustainable
Communities submitted a Report indicating that the Scottish Executive had
issued a Consultation Paper on establishing Business Improvement Districts
(BIDs) in Scotland. Business Improvement Districts were a proposed
partnership arrangement through which local businesses and local authorities
could agree to take forward schemes for improving the environment, services
or facilities to benefit the local business community. The proposed response
to the consultation document was detailed.
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It was agreed to recommend that the
Director for Sustainable Communities be authorised to submit the draft
comments set out in Appendix 2 of the Report, as the basis of the Comhairle’s
response to the Scottish Executive on Business Improvement Districts.
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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 9 of
Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would be disclosed,
namely any terms proposed or to be proposed by, or to, the Comhairle in the
course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of
property or the supply of goods and services.
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Western
Isles Connected Communities Broadband Network
DS40.03
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12
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The Director for Sustainable
Communities submitted a Report detailing progress with the Connected
Communities Broadband Network Project. The project aimed to bring fast
internet access to business and individual users in rural communities and
provide services to meet the connectivity requirements of public sector
organisations.
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It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
approves the Connected Communities
Broadband Network Project as a single procurement to achieve full
implementation throughout the Western Isles; and
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(2)
approves a total contribution of £788K
to the Connected Communities Broadband Network Project as detailed in Table 2
of the Report, funded as follows:
(a)
£468K in the main 2003/04 Capital
Programme;
(b)
£200K from funds earmarked to Broadband
in the Conditional Programme; and
(c)
£120K from funds allocated to Business
Development Parks in the Conditional Programme.
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Consumer
Direct
DS40
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13
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report detailing the progress of a potential bid by the Western
Isles Community Planning Partnership to set up the new consumer helpline,
Consumer Direct, in the Western Isles. The Chairman, on behalf of the
Committee, thanked all those involved in the preparation of the bid,
including community planning partners.
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It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle notes the current progress on the
potential for locating the Consumer Direct contact centre in the Western
Isles.
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CROFTING
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Consultation
on Changes to the Crofter Building Grant and Loan Scheme
DS40.02.11
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14
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The Director for Sustainable Communities and
the Director of Housing submitted a Report inviting the Comhairle to give a
considered response to a Scottish Executive Consultative Report on changes to
the Crofter Building Grant and Loan Scheme.
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It was
agreed to recommend, insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned,
that:
(1)
the remit of the Housing Grants Member/Officer
Working Group be widened to allow consideration of the proposals to change
the CBGLS; and
(2)
a report be brought to the November
2003 Committee series, detailing the Comhairle’s proposed response.
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ARCHAEOLOGY
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Dun
Eistean Archaeological Project
DS20
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15
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report detailing progress in respect of the Dun Eistean
Archaeological Project. The Comhairle’s Archaeologist has taken a lead role
in the management of the Project and an offer of grant from the Heritage
Lottery Fund towards the work has been secured. The main archaelogical work
of the Project was scheduled to commence around April 2004 and the Project
was estimated to run over four years.
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It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the actions of the Director of
Sustainable Communities in supporting the development of the Dun Eistean
Archaeological Project be homologated;
(2)
the Comhairle authorise the Director of
Corporate Services to sign off agreements with the Heritage Lottery Fund and
Historic Scotland for the acceptance of grant money as detailed in the
Report, towards the Project; and
(3)
the Director for Sustainable
Communities, in consultation with the Chairman, be authorised to instruct
future work on an ad hoc basis as necessary, towards the support of the
Project, subject to any expenditure associated with this future work being
met from existing budgetary provision.
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Archaeological
Projects
DS20
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16
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report detailing possible future archaeological projects. The
potential benefits of these projects was outlined and the Report indicated
the outcome of those archaeological projects initiated by or managed through
the archaeological service over the previous five years.
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It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
note the proposed projects and their
potential benefits; and
(2)
authorise the Director for Sustainable
Communities, in consultation with the Chairman, to take such action as is
required for the development and management of future archaeological
projects, subject to no additional cost falling on the Comhairle.
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PERFORMANCE MONITORING
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Reports
Outstanding: Progress
PR33.01.12
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The Director of Corporate Services submitted
a Report detailing Reports Outstanding arising from decisions of the
Comhairle.
It was
agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.
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ADDITIONAL ITEM
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The Chairman ruled that in accordance with
the provision of Section 50(B) 4 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973,
the following item be considered as a matter of urgency in order to allow the
Committee to take a view on the matter, prior to its next meeting.
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Scottish
Crofters Foundation
DS09.05
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18
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The Director for Sustainable Communities
submitted a Report seeking approval to invite representatives of the Scottish
Crofters Foundation to address the Committee in relation to the provision of
professional advice on crofting matters to the Comhairle.
It was agreed to recommend that the Chief
Executive and an appropriate representative from the Scottish Crofters
Foundation be invited to address the Committee on 26 November 2003, with a
view to providing information upon which a decision on how best to proceed
can be made.
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