template for minutes

COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Thursday 12 February 2004 at 9.30am

PRESENT	Mr Angus Campbell (Chairman)
	Mr Norman A Macdonald (Vice-Chairman)
	Mr Alexander A Macdonald	Mr Norman M Macleod
	Mr Malcolm J Graham	Mrs Morag Munro
	Mr Angus Nicolson	Mr Archie K Campbell
	Mr Murdo Macleod	Mr Donald Maclean
	Mr Norman L Macdonald	Mr Donald Manford

Tribute: Mr Donald Macleod		The Chairman referred to Donald Macleod, Finance Department, who had passed the second part of the CIPFA professional exams. The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, congratulated him on becoming a finalist, which meant that he had only one more set of exams to pass before becoming a fully qualified Accountant.
Tribute: Mrs Anne Macleod		The Chairman referred to Mrs Anne Macleod, Finance Department, who had passed her final CIPFA professional exam and is now fully qualified as a CIPFA Accountant. The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, congratulated Anne on this special achievement and presented her with her Certificate of Passing the final examination.
Minute of Meeting of 4 December 2003	1	The Minute of Meeting of 4 December 2003 was approved.
		Mr Norman L Macdonald declared an interest and left the meeting during consideration of the following item.
Minutes of Meetings of Human Resources Committee of 19 December 2003 and 5 February 2004 PR01.02	2	The Minutes of Meetings of the Human Resources Sub-Committee of 19 December 2003 and 5 February 2004 were noted. Arising out of consideration of Item 13 of the Minute of Meeting of 5 February 2004 it was agreed to recommend that Audit and Scrutiny Committee be asked to review the policy and procedural issues arising from this matter.
Minute of Meeting of Local Government Employee Joint Consultative Committee of 12 December 2003 PR13.05.21	3	The Minute of Meeting of the Local Government Employee Joint Consultative Committee of 12 December 2003 was noted, and the recommendations were approved.
Minute of Meeting of Housing Stock Transfer Sub-Committee of 21 January 2004 PR01.02	4	The Minute of Meeting of the Housing Stock Transfer Sub-Committee of 21 January 2004 was noted, and the recommendations were approved.
Minute of Meeting of ICT Sub-Committee of 5 February 2004	5	The Minute of Meeting of the ICT Sub-Committee of 5 February 2004 was noted, and the recommendations were approved.
		The Vice-Chairman took the chair during consideration of the following item to enable the matter to be discussed in Gaelic.
		CONSTITUTION
Mod nan Eilean Siar 2005 AL05.05	6	The Acting Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning a request from the Local Committee of Mòd nan Eilean Siar 2005 to establish a Joint Sub-Committee with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, to consider matters such as catering and transportation. A letter from the Chairman of the Mòd nan Eilean Siar Committee 2005 was appended to the report.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the Director of Corporate Services be authorised to establish a Joint Sub-Committee with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Mòd nan Eilean Siar Local Committee; (2) the following members be nominated to serve on the Joint Sub-Committee: Convener Mr Norman A Macdonald Mr Iain Morrison Mr Malcolm J Graham; and Mr Donald Manford (3) the Sub-Committee would be established for a limited life-time, until the conclusion of the Mòd in October 2005.
		FINANCE
Treasury Policy Statement PR120.06	7	With reference to item 9 of the Minute of Meeting of 10 March 2003 the Director of Finance submitted a Report setting out the Comhairle’s approach to all treasury operations. The Treasury Policy Statement which was approved by the Comhairle on 19 February 2002 was appended to the Report. It was indicated in the Report that there had been no changes to the Comhairle’s approach to treasury operations since then.
		It was agreed to recommend that the Treasury Policy adopted in February 2002 be continued for 2004/2005.
Treasury Management Strategy PR120.06	8	With reference to item 6 of the Minute of Meeting of 12 June 2003 the Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning the borrowing and investment strategy and polices to be adopted in 2004/2005. The legislative framework and code of practice requirements to adopt a Treasury Management Strategy were outlined in the Report. The Treasury Management objectives, the current position, the prospects for interest rates were also detailed.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the strategy options identified in paragraph 9 be noted; (2) the total variable rate funds borrowed do not exceed 40% of Loans Pool Debt; (3) the existing policy permitting borrowing in anticipation of the requirement outlined in paragraph 10.4 be continued; (4) the institutions to which the Director of Finance may lend be those given at Appendix A; (5) the maximum that may be lent to any approved institution be £5 million unless it is a Building Society on the approved list other than the top two in which case the maximum be £1 million; and (6) the time limit for investing in credit rated institutions is 364 days and 6 months for an approved building society not in the top three.
		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 information relating 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.
Treasury Consultancy Services PR31.08	9*	With reference to item 13 of the Minute of Meeting of 26 August 2002 the Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning the outcome of the Treasury Consultancy tender process. It was indicated in the Report that five tenders for Treasury Consultancy Services had been received of which two were competent and assessed. Details of the areas where the services offered differed were appended to the Report.
		It was agreed to recommend that the contract for Treasury Consultancy Services be awarded to Sector at an annual cost of £14,000, £14,700 and £15,435 for the financial years 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07 respectively.
Prudential Indicators PR43.06	10	With reference to Item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of 4 September 2003 the Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning Prudential Indicators for 2004 – 2007. It was indicated in the Report that a set of Prudential Indicators must be set at the beginning of a financial year for the forthcoming financial year and the subsequent two years.
		It was agreed to recommend that the Prudential Indicators set out in paragraphs 4.1 to 12.6 be approved for the forthcoming year, 2004/05, and the two subsequent financial years be noted as planning assumptions and that progress reports be brought back to the Committee at six monthly intervals.
General Fund Capital Monitoring 1 April 2003 – 31 December 2003	11	With reference to item 5 of the Minute of Meeting of 4 September 2003 the Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning progress on changes in the Capital Programme as at 31 December 2003.
PR110.01		It was agreed to recommended that Members approve the Forecast Out-turn as the Revised Approved Programme and specifically: (1) the transfer of £100k from the 2003/04 Conditional Programme to the Main Programme to meet the cost of the Hydro Electric work required on the Spinal Route; (2) the transfer of £14k from the 2004/05 Conditional Programme to meet the cost of design work and land acquisition on the Spinal Route (South);
		(3) the transfer of the £385k currently in the Conditional Programme for Roads to Communities to the Main Programme for 2004/05; (4) slippage in the Education Capital Programme of £32k on the Lochs Community School, £54k on the Nicolson Institute, £19k on Castlebay School and £28k on General Water Services; (5) slippage of £5k on the work required to St Brendan’s kitchen; (6) slippage of £125k on the Leverburgh Overnight Berthing project. The cost of this is being met by Capital Grant, which will consequently slip also; (7) slippage of £32k of income due from HISTP for the Ardmhor Road and Breakwater; (8) slippage of £308k on Modernising Local Government. This is being funded by CFCR, which has also slipped to 2004/05; (9) acceleration of £20k of renovation works at the Marybank Depot; (10) an overspend of £4k on the DLO IT system and £9k on DLO vehicles; (11) the advancement of any underspend on the Communities Scotland Capital Grant to Tighean Innse Gall (TIG) for private sector related expenditure; (12) slippage in the Arts & Leisure Capital Programme of £114k of expenditure on work to Pointers, £585k on the Stornoway Sports Centre, £76k on the Town Hall and £30k on two Community Projects, Croileagan a Chinn a Deas and the Lochboisdale Amenity Trust; (13) the reinstatement of £400k of income from WIE for the Stornoway Sports Centre and the slippage of £727k of income from Sport Scotland for the same project; (14) the acceleration of £320k of expenditure for the Broadband project. This brings the total funds available for this project in the current year to £788k; (15) the overspend in the Development Services Capital Programme of £1k on the Comhairle Network Improvements and £5k on the abattoir; and (16) the reinstatement of £127k of income from WIE for the Castlebay Development Project.
Capital Programme 2004 – 2005 PR110.01	12	The Director of Finance submitted a Report seeking approval for setting the Capital Programme for 2004-2005 on the basis of the data currently available. It was agreed to recommend that the initial net Capital Programme for 2004/05, detailed in Appendix A, be approved.
Capital Programme 2004 – 2008 PR110.01	13	The Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning the outcome of the APER scoring exercise and seeking approval to move to the next stage in setting the Capital Programme for 2004 – 08.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the new projects detailed in Appendix A and the new renovation/composite programmes in Appendix B proceed to full project evaluation, being the next stage in setting the Capital Programme 2004 – 08;
		(2) the Director for Sustainable Communities bring a report on the ACE grant scheme to the Environmental Services and the Policy and Resources Committees in April; and (3) a report be submitted to the April 2004 series of meetings to consider the management of the process of including items in the Capital Programme 2004-08. It was further agreed to recommend to dispense with the requirement to produce a full Project Evaluation Report for the Spinal Route, in order that a HISTP application can be made for the March round for the full scheme if the resources are provided.
Third Quarter Revenue Forecast Outturn 2003/2004	14	The Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning the Comhairle’s forecast revenue outurn for 2003/04 at the end of the third quarter. It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the report be noted; and (2) the use of £17,215 Housing carry forward from 2002/03, as detailed in section 10.1 of this report be approved.
Child Protection Case: Update on Costs SW02	15	With reference to item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of 4 December 2003 the Acting Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning additional expenditure in relation to child protection matters, as agreed at the last meeting of the Committee. It was indicated in the Report that £87,486 had been earmarked from contingency for the current financial year and it was not anticipated that the sum would be exceeded and that there was provision in the forthcoming year’s budgets for a further £118,000.
		It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.
Budget Book 2004/2005	16	The Director of Finance submitted a Report detailing the Comhairle’s proposed revenue budget for 2004/2005.
		It was agreed to recommend approval of the recommendations detailed in the Report, insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned.
Rural Rate Relief Scheme PR100.03.01	17	With reference to item 35 of the Minute of Meeting of 26 March 2001 the Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning changes to the Rural Rate Relief Scheme and amendments to the Comhairle’s discretionary provisions. It was indicated in the Report that the Rate Relief Scheme provided for rating relief to be granted in respect of certain non-domestic premises in rural areas and that mandatory relief amounting to 50% of the rates payable be granted to qualifying shops and post offices. It was further indicated that the scheme had been extended to cover public houses/hotels and petrol stations with a rateable value of £9,000 or less and small food shops and former agricultural premises with a rateable value of £6,000 or less. It was therefore purposed that the Comhairle's policy for awarding discretionary rates relief be amended to take account of these changes.
		It was agreed to recommend that discretionary rate relief be granted for properties in rural areas on the following basis: (a) 50% discretionary relief in respect of premises which qualify for mandatory relief; and (b) 100% discretionary relief in respect of schools and associated premises; libraries; museums; refuse dumps; public conveniences; piers; harbours and associated waiting rooms and car parks; community halls and meeting rooms; community workshops; council offices and associated stores. It was further agreed that the Director of Finance bring a Report to the next meeting of the Committee outlining the terms of the relevant Statutory Instrument.
		Mr Norman L Macdonald and Mr Norman M Macleod declared an interest in the following item and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.
Significant Trading Operations CB011	18	The Director of Finance submitted a Report concerning the classification of Significant Trading Operations. The Report indicated that the services provided by each Comhairle department were considered in line with the Guidance Note issued by CIPFA to determine whether a service was a significant trading operation. Detailed results for each Department were appended to the Report. It was further indicated in the Report that there were six significant trading operations within the Comhairle’s operations.
		It was agreed to recommend that the following operations be classified as Significant Trading Operations: (a) Technical Services Fuel – piers (b) Social Work Residential Homes (c) Existing DSO/DLOs Refuse Collection (d) Existing DSO/DLOs Building Maintenance (e) Existing DSO/DLOs Highways (f) Existing DSO/DLOs Buses
		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 information relating 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.
Western Isles Credit Union PR43.01	19*	With reference to item 23 of the Minute of Meeting of 4 September 2003 the Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report regarding proposals for the establishment of a Western Isles Credit Union. The background to the matter was detailed in the Report. The Report indicated that an application for project funds had been made to the Scottish Executive under the Scottish Credit Union Competitive Grant Fund in February 2003 and that this bid had been unsuccessful, due in part to the high levels of similar applications received from within the Highlands and Islands. The Comhairle had been advised that it could resubmit a bid for development funding and details of this submission were appended to the Report.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) it be noted that an application to the Scottish Credit Union Competitive Grant Fund had been made; (2) the development of a Western Isles Credit Union continues to be supported; (3) the Comhairle agree the establishment of a Western Isles Credit Union in principle; and (4) in the event that it were not appropriate to utilise additional Scottish Executive funding for this purpose, the Director for Sustainable Communities and the Director of Finance be authorised to identify match funding from within the Sustainable Communities budget.
		HOUSING
Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme 2003/2004: Progress Report	20	With reference to item 10 of the Minute of Meeting of 12 June 2003 the Director of Housing submitted a Report concerning expenditure in respect of the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme 2003/2004 and detailing progress on individual projects. A progress update, details of the Balivanich Regeneration Programme 2003/2004 and an expenditure profile were appended to the Report.
PR110.01		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the Housing Capital Programme 2003/2004 be revised as detailed at Appendix 1 to take account of project variations; and (2) the expenditure profile shown at Appendix 3 be noted.
Housing Revenue Account Financial Plan 2004/05 – 2006/07 PR110.05	21	With reference to item 11 of the Minute of Meeting of 12 June 2003 the Assistant Director of Housing submitted a Report concerning the Housing Financial Plan 2004/2005 – 2006/2007. The Housing Financial Plan 2004/2005 – 2006/2007 was the strategic investment profile based on assumptions of forthcoming resources under the new prudential regime and was appended to the Report. It was agreed to recommend that the Housing Revenue Account Financial Plan 2004/2005 – 2006/2007 be approved on the basis that the annual capital programme for 2004/2005 be reported for approval when the level of available funding had been finally determined.
Housing Revenue Account 2004/2005 PR110.05	22	With reference to item 9 of the Minute of Meeting of 4 September 2003 the Assistant Director of Housing submitted a Report concerning the Housing Revenue Account estimates for 2004/05 and detailed the rent level required to balance the Housing Revenue Account. It was indicated in the Report that the Comhairle was required to set a balanced budget and rent level for its Housing Revenue Account each year and required to submit an estimate of income and expenditure for the following year to Scottish Ministers. If was also indicated that four weeks notice in writing is required to be given to tenants before an increase in rent took place and that if a transfer were to be made from a Reserve Fund, other than from the Housing Revenue Account Reserve Fund, the permission of Scottish Ministers was required.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the Housing Revenue Account Estimates for the financial year 2004/05 as shown at Appendix 1 be approved; (2) a rent increase of £1.54 per week be applied, giving an average weekly rent of £45.61 for 2004/05; and (3) £175,000 Capital Funded from Current Revenue be drawn from Housing Revenue Account Reserves to be applied to “spend to save” projects to be undertaken in 2004/05.
		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 information relating 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.
		Mr Murdo Macleod, Mr Norman M Macleod and Mr Archie K Campbell declared an interest in items 23 and 24 below and left the meeting during consideration of these matters.
Housing Stock Transfer: Signing Off of Valuation H01.18	23*	With reference to item 15 of the Minute of Meeting of 10 March 2003 the Chief Executive submitted a Report concerning the signing off of the independent valuation and the submission of the valuation to the Scottish Executive. As part of the Comhairle’s stock transfer initiative an independent valuation of the housing stock had been carried out, in line with Scottish Executive guidance. The purpose of the Valuation was to produce an indicative projected value of the Comhairle’s housing assets and to inform the purchase price an acquiring landlord would be expected to pay for taking over the ownership and management of the Comhairle’s houses. The Comhairle commissioned DTZ Pieda Consulting to carry out the valuation, which was completed in December 2003. The final valuation had been presented to the Housing Stock Transfer Sub-Committee on 21 January 2004.
		It was agreed to recommend that the recommendation of the Stock Transfer Sub-Committee of 21 January 2004 be endorsed, namely that: (1) the valuation should be signed off and submitted to the Scottish Executive for their scrutiny in terms of the agreed independent valuation process and passed to the Hebridean Housing Partnership as the benchmark for their Business Plan; and (2) the Hebridean Housing Partnership should be asked to provide further evidence and analysis relating to the robustness and viability of the RPI plus 1% rental stream assumption in developing their business plan, in line with the Scottish Executive (Community Scotland) Guidance.
		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 Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would be disclosed, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the Comhairle), 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.
Housing Stock Transfer: Affordability Research H01.18	24*	With reference to item 5 of the Minute of Meeting of 10 March 2003 the Assistant Director of Housing submitted a Report concerning approval for further research to be carried out, funded by the Housing Revenue Account reserves, in order that the viability of Hebridean Housing Partnership could be assured if ownership of the Comhairle’s housing stock were passed to them. It was indicated in the Report that the valuation of the housing stock was submitted to the Housing Stock Transfer Sub-Committee on 21 January 2004 and that the Sub-Committee recommended that further research into the affordability and future rent levels be undertaken as a precondition of acceptance of the valuation.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the Assistant Director of Housing be authorised to commission research into rental affordability in the Western Isles and to seek competitive tenders for this research from the select list of tenderers detailed at paragraph 5.2 of the report, in terms of Contract Regulation 8(c); (2) the results of the affordability research be shared with Hebridean Housing Partnership, to enable the Business Plan to take account of rent affordability in the Western Isles; and (3) the research be funded from HRA Reserves, subject to a maximum cost of £35k; and (4) the recommendations detailed at Items 4 and 23 of this Minute should be amended accordingly.
		BUILDINGS
Programme and Progress PR33.01.12	25	With reference to item 16 of the Minute of Meeting of 9 October 2003 the Director of Technical Services submitted a Report concerning programme and progress of properties held on the Policy and Resources account.
		It was agreed to recommend that the report be noted.

		POLICY
Equality of Treatment and Access Policy M06.01	26	With reference to item 19 of the Minute of Meeting of 4 September 2003 the Acting Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning the Comhairle’s Equality of Treatment and Access Policy. The draft Policy, which the Comhairle had approved for external consultation on 4 September 2003, was appended to the Report. It was indicated in the Report that the draft policy had been circulated to a number of external stakeholders, including the local Access Panels, members of the Community Wellbeing Forum and Community Councils for comment. As a result of this consultation exercise, several amendments were made to the draft Policy and these amendments were shown in bold type.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the Equality of Treatment and Access Policy be approved, subject to the amendments detailed at Appendix 1; and (2) the amended Policy be approved for implementation from Monday 16 February 2004.
Smoking at Work Policy PR11.07	27	With reference to item 170 of the Minute of Meeting of 6 December 1994 the Acting Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning proposed revisions to the Comhairle’s Smoking at Work Policy. The revised Smoking at Work Policy was appended to the Report.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the revised Smoking at Work Policy be approved; and (2) the Director of Corporate Services be authorised to continue to monitor the legal position regarding Smoking at Work.
		PERSONNEL
Time Off for Trade Union Duties M06.12	28	The Acting Director of Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning a Policy for time off for trade union duties. It was indicated in the Report that this Policy reflected the ACAS Code of Practice and that the Trade Unions covered by this agreement would be all Trade Unions recognised by the Comhairle, apart from those relating to teaching staff.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the Policy on Time Off for Trade Union Duties, as detailed at Appendix A to the report by the Acting Director of Corporate Services, be approved; and (2) further consideration be given to the secondment of Trade Union Officers through the JCC, in the first instance.
		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 1 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would be disclosed, namely information relating to a particular employee, former employee or applicant to become an employee of, or a particular office holder or former office holder, or applicant to become an office holder under the Comhairle.
Commercial Operations Unit – Consultation on Proposed Restructuring SS02.05	29*	With reference to item 26 of the Minute of Meeting of 18 February 2002 the Chief Executive submitted a Report concerning proposed changes to the structure of the Commercial Operations Unit. Detailed proposals were outlined in the Report and a draft Structure Chart for the Commercial Operations Unit was appended to the Report. Details of the new Management Information System, financial implications, additional considerations and interim arrangements for Bus na Comhairle were also outlined in the Report.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the Chief Executive be authorised to proceed to consultation with staff and trade unions on the basis outlined in the Report subject to the following amendments:- (a) that the post of Head of Resources – Commercial Operations be advertised internally; (b) that the post of Transport Operations Officer be at a grade to be determined by the Director of Corporate Services; (c) that an additional option be included at paragraph 3.1(a)(xiii)(c) that three additional foreperson posts be established on the basis of ring-fenced recruitment to existing Chargehands/Squad members and the successful applicants’ posts be disestablished; and (d) that clerical/administrative support at Market Stance be further investigated.
		(2) the interim arrangements in respect of the Bus Operation be agreed subject to the inclusion of daily checking of log books by the Transport Operations Officer at paragraph 11.1.6; and (3) the Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Director of Corporate Services ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place for financial monitoring in any restructuring finally agreed.
		ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) Consultation CH03.01	30	The Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report concerning the Comhairle’s response to the Scottish Executive Consultation Paper on proposed legislative measures to introduce Strategic Environmental Assessment in Scotland. A summary of the Consultation Paper and the draft Comhairle response were appended to the Report.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) Appendix 2 of the report by the Director for Sustainable Communities form the basis of the Comhairle’s response to the Scottish Executive’s Strategic Environmental Assessment Consultation Paper; and (2) a covering letter from the Convener accompany the Comhairle’s response, expressing the Committee’s concerns, and a copy of this letter be sent to the First Minister.
		APPOINTMENT OF CONSULTANTS
		Mr Norman M Macleod declared an interest in the following item and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.
Bulk Cargoes Import to Stornoway – Future Options Study T01	31	The Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report concerning a study of the future options of bulk cargoes (including oil and gas) import to Stornoway and related development issues. The Report indicated that an Officer Steering Group of key partner agencies had been established and had prepared a remit for the Study. It was further indicated that funding contributions had been provisionally identified by Stornoway Pier and Harbour Commission and Stornoway Trust and that funding was also being sought from the Comhairle’s Department for Sustainable Communities revenue estimates 2004/05 budget. This funding would enable appointment of consultants and progress to be made on this matter. The study findings would be reported to a future meeting of the Committee and to the Community Planning Partnership with recommendations for future action.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) a funding contribution of up to £7,500 from the Comhairle’s Sustainable Communities Marketing and Promotions budget estimates 2004/05 to enable a study into the future options of bulk cargoes import to Stornoway and related development issues be approved; and (2) the Director for Sustainable Communities be given delegated authority to co-ordinate on behalf of the Community Planning Partnership, the appointment of Consultants to undertake the study, and submit a Report concerning the findings.
		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 information relating to 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.
Proposed Update of the 1997 Regional Accounts Study PR53.01.07	32*	The Director for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report concerning an update of the 1997 Regional Accounts study of the Western Isles. The Report indicated that this study had been extremely successful and had been continually used as a source of reference by the Comhairle and other agencies, since its completion in 1999.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) a Comhairle contribution of up to a maximum of £17,500 towards the cost of the study from sources identified in paragraph 9.2 of the Report be approved; (2) the work be not tendered for in terms of clause 7(f) of the Comhairle’s Contract Regulations, for the reasons set out in paragraph 5.2 of the Report, including the grounds of the specialist nature of the work and the achievement of Best Value to the Comhairle; and (3) it be delegated to the Director for Sustainable Communities to directly approach Dr Deborah Roberts of the Arkleton Institute to undertake the study, on the basis detailed in the Report.
		The Vice-Chairman declared an interest in the following item and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.
Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme: Revisions to Bids Previously Submitted and Proposals for the Approval of Submission to the March 2004 Round PR81.01	33	With reference to items 13 and 14 of the Minute of Meeting of 4 September 2003 the Chief Executive submitted a Report concerning the outcome of the Comhairle bids to the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme (HISTP) September 2003 round. Bids submitted by the Comhairle to HISTP at the September 2003 round, details of applications submitted to the European Social Fund and the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance were listed in the Report. A summary on Comhairle led HISTP projects was also outlined in the Report. It was agreed to recommend that: (1) the actions of the Director for Sustainable Communities, in revising the bids approved in September 2003, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be homologated; (2) the action taken by the Director for Sustainable Communities in approving the match funding for the bid re-submitted on behalf of Studio Alba, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be homologated; (3) it be delegated to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the European Structural Funds Member Officer Working Group, to formally approve Comhairle match funding to actual HISPTP bids to the March 2004 round, including any additional HISTP bids to the March 2004 round, and to consider any requests to act as Project Sponsor for bids to the March 2004 round.
		CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
		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 Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would be disclosed, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the Comhairle), 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.
Tenders for Provision of Asbestos Management System PR31.07	34*	The Director of Technical Services submitted a Report concerning tenders for the provision of an asbestos management system. It was indicated in the Report that regulations 4 and 20 of the Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002, which come into force on 21 May 2004 require the provision of Asbestos Management Software. It was further indicated that the system would be built to specification and that the software was only available from a sole supplier.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) exemption from advertising tenders for the provision of an Asbestos Management System be approved; and (2) an invitation be issued to the sole supplier in line with the Comhairle’s Contract Regulations on Competitive Tendering (Regulation 8C).
		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 6 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would be disclosed, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the Comhairle).
Tender List for South Uist Care Development PR31.07	35*	With reference to item 4 of the Minute of Meeting of 4 September 2003 the Director of Technical Services submitted a Report concerning the tender list for the South Uist Care Development. The Report detailed that the estimated contract value was £3.075 million, which was below the EC advertising threshold but above the upper limit of the Comhairle’s Standing Approved Lists. It was proposed in the Report that, in order to achieve best value, an initial approach be made to the tenderers identified in the Report and in the order listed to establish the tender list for this project. It was indicated that if there was a lack of sufficient interest to produce sufficient competition, the normal practice of open public advertisement would be adopted.
		It was agreed to recommend that: (1) exemption from advertising tenders for the construction of the South Uist Care Development be approved; and (2) invitations be issued to selected tenderers as detailed in paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2 of the Report in line with the Comhairle’s Contract Regulations on Competitive Tendering (Regulation 8C).
		MEDIA
Media – Outcome of Trial Period of Advertising

Mr Murdo Macleod, Mr Norman M Macleod and Mr Archie K Campbell declared an interest in items 23 and 24 below and left the meeting during consideration of these matters.