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MINUTES
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Minute of
Meeting of 2 November 2004
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1
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The Minute of
Meeting of 2 November 2004 was approved.
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Declarations
of Interest
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2
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There were no
declarations of interest.
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BIODIVERSITY AND COUNTRYSIDE
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Strategic
Review of Scottish Natural Heritage
DS61
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3
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The Director
for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report in respect of the Scottish
Executive’s Strategic Review of Scottish Natural Heritage. The Scottish
Executive have issued a set of 26 questions relating to the three main areas
under consideration and a draft response to the questions on behalf of the
Comhairle was detailed.
It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1) authorise the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman, in consultation with the Director for Sustainable Communities
to respond to the Scottish Executive's Strategic Review of Scottish Natural
Heritage on the basis of Appendix 1, taking on board the views expressed by
the Committee with the inclusion of a preamble in the response; and
(2) authorise the Chairman, and
Vice-Chairman, Convener and Vice-Convener to meet representatives of Scottish
Natural Heritage at an early opportunity.
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DEVELOPMENT
PLANS
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It was agreed
that the public, including the press, be excluded from the Meeting during
consideration of Item 4 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, information relating to any terms proposed by or to the
Comhairle under any particular contract for the acquisition of property or
the supply of goods or services.
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Stornoway
Regeneration PER
DS40.01.18
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4
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With reference
to Item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of 21 April 2004 the Director for
Sustainable Communities submitted a Report updating the Committee on the
deliberations of the Stornoway Regeneration Group and seeking approval of a
Project Evaluation Report in respect of the Comhairle’s contribution to the
development stages of the Stage 2 bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund Townscape
Heritage Initiative within Stornoway and the Comhairle’s contributions to the
first two years of the scheme. The PER was appended to the Report.
It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
approve the proposed Stornoway
Regeneration Group ‘Heads of Agreement’ presented at Appendix 1, subject to
approval by partner organisations;
(2)
approve the Stornoway Regeneration PER
focused on the proposed Stornoway Townscape Heritage Initiative as presented
at Appendix 2; and
(3)
authorise the Director of Corporate
Services, in consultation with the Director for Sustainable Communities to
engage Consultants to undertake development work required for the Stornoway
Townscape Heritage Initiative and related matters in terms of the Comhairle's
Contract Regulations by competitive tender with the exception of the
consultancy work for West Harbour which be not tendered for in terms of
Contract Regulation 7(f), for reasons set out in paragraph 5.8 of the Report,
including grounds of specialist nature of the work and achievement of value
for money to the Comhairle and that the Director for Sustainable Communities
be authorised to directly appoint Halcrow to undertake West Harbour case
development.
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Stornoway
Bulk Goods Import – Future Options: Study Findings
T01
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5
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The Director
for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report detailing the findings of the
study into the future options for bulk cargo import to Stornoway. The Report
indicated that, of the options identified within the study, the relocation of
bulk import facilities to West Harbour, near Arnish Point was identified as
the preferred option following assessment against operational, strategic land
use, regeneration/economic potential and cost criteria.
It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
welcome the study findings as outlined
in the Report; and
(2)
authorise the Director for Sustainable
Communities to work with the key partners and operators to take forward
detailed assessment of West Harbour.
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RENEWABLE ENERGY
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Proposed
Western Isles Connection: 400KV Overhead Transmission Line
DS21.26
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6
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The Chief
Executive submitted a Report inviting comments on the draft Comhairle
response to the Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd (SHETL) consultation
on the proposed transmission corridors for a Western Isles grid connection.
It was intimated in the Report that in August 2003 the Comhairle had
submitted its comments on a consultation on behalf of Scottish and Southern
Energy Plc on a proposed 275KV pylon route to service renewable energy
proposals in the Western Isles. It was further stated in the Report that on
12 October 2004 a further “preliminary consultation” had been received from
Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd which identified similar routes to
those submitted in 2003. It was pointed out that it was now proposed that
the overhead lines should have a capacity of 400KV on 50 metre high pylons.
A draft response to the latest consultation received from Scottish Hydro
Electric Transmission Ltd was detailed at Appendix 2 of the Report and it was
intimated that the proposed response also considered some of the strategic
and technical issues associated with a Western Isles grid connection.
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It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle agree that the draft consultation
response appended to the Report form the basis of the Comhairle's formal
response to SHETL’s consultation on the proposed Western Isles transmission
connection, together with the views expressed by the Committee.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Programme and Progress
PR33.01.12
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7
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Programme and Progress Report in respect of
properties held on the Sustainable Development account.
It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note the Report.
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Apprenticeship and Enterprise Scheme
Update
DS01
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8
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The Director
for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report detailing the current position
in relation to the Apprenticeship and Enterprise Scheme. Student summer
Placement Grants had proved to be very successful and the Comhairle had
provided placements for 18 skillseekers to date. The Report indicated that
Western Isles Enterprise were actively encouraging training providers to seek
employed status placements for trainees and that this may have implications
for the Comhairle. The Report further indicated that discussions were
ongoing in order to investigate the options for providing a pay scale for
non-craft employed trainees within the Comhairle.
It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
combine the Start-up Grants and
Increased Skillseeker Allowance measure into one measure entitled Modern
Apprenticeship Scheme;
(2)
approve the use of up to £1,000 for
promotion and marketing;
(3)
extend the provision of Start-up Grants
for the current financial year to other employers; and
(4)
refer the additional funding
requirements for a Modern Apprenticeship Fund, from April 2006, to the
Finance Working Party.
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FISHING
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A Strategy for Scotland’s Coast and Inshore Waters – Consultation
DS40.01.02
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9
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The Director
of Technical Services and the Director for Sustainable Communities submitted
a joint Report concerning a consultation paper from the Scottish Executive
entitled “A Strategy for Scotland’s Coast and Inshore Waters”.
It was
agreed to recommend that the Comhairle authorises the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman, in consultation with the Director for Sustainable Communities
and the Director of Technical Services to finalise the response to the
Scottish Executive on the basis of Appendix 3 to the Report.
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Extending Planning Controls to
Marine Fish Farming
DS21.01
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10
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The Director
for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report referring to a consultation
paper entitled “Extending Planning Controls to Marine Fish Farming” which had
been issued by the Scottish Executive. It was intimated in the Report that
the consultation paper identified a number of broad planning policy and
operational issues that required further consideration before regulations
were issued to govern these new planning powers. It was suggested that the
comments as detailed at Appendix 1 of the Report should form the basis of the
Comhairle’s response to the consultation document.
It was
agreed to recommend to the Comhairle that:
(1) Appendix 1 of the
Report form the basis of a Comhairle response to the Scottish Executive; and
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(2)
the views of the local aquaculture
industry on the proposal be taken into account and incorporated in the
Comhairle's response, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman.
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It was agreed
that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during
consideration of item 38 below on the grounds that exempt information as
defined in Paragraphs 8 and 9 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government
(Scotland) Act 1973 would be disclosed, namely information relating to the
amount of any expenditure proposed to be incurred by the Comhairle under any
particular contract for the acquisition of property or the supply of goods or
services and 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 or services.
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Kallin Harbour
– Appointment of Consultants
T07.02.23
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11
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The Director of Technical Services submitted
a Report seeking approval to appoint Consultants to progress the design and
supervision of the construction of additional berthing facilities at Kallin Harbour, North Uist.
It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1) the work be not tendered in terms of
Contract Regulation 7(f) for the reasons set out in paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of
the Report; and
(2) it be delegated to the Director of
Corporate Services, in consultation with the Director of Technical Services
and subject to the Comhairle securing FIFG funding for the project, to appoint
Consulting Engineers Arch Henderson to progress the design and supervise the
construction of additional berthing facilities at Kallin Harbour.
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ARCHAEOLOGY
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Dun Eistean: Request to Sub
Contract out Archaeological Project
AL09.01.15
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12
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The Director
for Sustainable Development Communities submitted a Report detailing
proposals by the Dun Eistean Project Committee to appoint an Archaeological
Company to take over day to day operational work on the project, including
excavation and survey work.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Comhairle approve the proposal of the Dun Eistean Project Committee to
commence a tendering process to appoint an archaeological company to
undertake operational work on the Dun Eistean Archaeological Project, under
the management of the Western Isles Archaeologist.
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The Chairman
ruled in terms of Standing Order 64 that the following matter be considered
as there had been a material change of circumstances, namely, that it would
be more appropriate to place the Archaeological Interpretation project as a
composite project within the Capital Programme.
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PER Archaeological Interpretation
AL09.01.14
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13
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The Director
for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report outlining the proposed use of
capital funds to enhance archaeological interpretation throughout the Western
Isles. The relevant Project Evaluation Report to enable inclusion of the
project as a composite element within the Capital Programme was appended to
the Report
It was agreed to recommended that the
Comhairle approve the project as outlined for inclusion in the Capital
Programme 2004 – 08 in line with the Project Evaluation Report at Appendix 1
to the Report.
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