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MINUTES
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Mr Norman M
Macleod declared an interest in the following item and left the meeting
during consideration of the matter.
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Minute of
Meeting of 29 June 2005
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1
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The Minute of
Meeting of 29 June 2005 was approved.
Arising out
of consideration of the Minute it was agreed to recommend that, in light of
the information received from the housing association in relation to the
difficulties that the implementation of recommendation 27(3) of the Minute
would present, the sale price for these sites be at the District Valuer’s
valuation less 50%, in line with previous disposals of land to Registered
Social Landlords, subject to any necessary statutory approvals being sought
and obtained.
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Minute of
Meeting of Human Resources Sub-Committee of 2 September 2005
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2
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The Minute of
Meeting of the Human Resources Sub-Committee of 2 September 2005 was noted
and the recommendations at item 10 were approved.
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Declaration
of Interest
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3
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Mr Norman M
Macleod declared an interest in item 1 and left the meeting during
consideration of the matter.
Mr Norman A
Macdonald declared an interest in item 7 and left the meeting during
consideration of the matter.
Mr Archie
Campbell declared an interest in item 30 and left the meeting during
consideration of the matter.
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FINANCE
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General
Fund First Quarter Capital Monitoring 2005/06
PR110.03
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4
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With reference
to item 7 of the Minute of Meeting of 9 September 2004 the Director of
Finance submitted a Report which provided an update on the progress of the
Capital Programme as at 30 June 2005. It was indicated in the Report that in
2005/06 Prudential Borrowing of £488k had been approved to date and the
breakdown of this was detailed at Appendix 1 to the Report.
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It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the Revised Programme for 2005/06 be
approved;
(2)
it be noted that the Director of
Finance was developing an improved system for monitoring; and
(3)
Directors be required to highlight to
the Director of Finance, as part of the second quarter monitoring, any
anticipated difficulties in delivering projects so that he may address any
issues arising in his second quarter monitoring report.
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General
Fund First Quarter Revenue Monitoring 2005/06
PR110.03
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5
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With reference
to item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of 9 September 2004 the Director of
Finance submitted a Report detailing the Comhairle’s forecast revenue outturn
for 2005/06. A summary of the financial performance to the end of June 2005
was appended to the Report and it was indicated that the forecast outturn at
the end of the first quarter showed a net saving of £472k.
It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the Report be noted;
(2)
the 2004/05 Social Work overspend of
£135k be funded from balances;
(3)
the Director of Social Work be
required, in consultation with the Director of Finance, to bring forward a
detailed analysis of the Social Work budgets and performance to the October
meeting of the Social Work Committee to enable the Committee to consider
options for controlling the Social Work budget;
(4)
£70k be added to the Match Fund for the
OFTTI Project and £30k (being the guarantee provision in respect of a Mod
boat which was no longer required) be added to the Match Fund for Cothrom
Learning Centre, should the HISTP bids be successful; and
(5) the use of the 2004/05 Ionmhas carry
forward for external audit fees be approved.
Arising out
of consideration of this item it was agreed to recommend that it be noted
that definite proposals regarding subsistence rates for staff would be
submitted to the October series of meetings.
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Efficiencies
Exercise 2005/06
PR110.01
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6
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The Director
of Finance submitted a Report which sought approval of the proposals
submitted as part of the initial efficiencies exercise for 2005/06 and
subsequent years. Details of efficiency savings identified from 2005/06
onwards by most departments were detailed at Appendix A to the Report. It
was indicated that savings of £280k in 2005/06 and a recurring saving of
£463k were created as a result of the efficiency savings identified by
departments.
It was
agreed to recommend that the efficiency savings proposed in Appendix 1 to the
Report be approved.
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Mr Norman A
Macdonald declared an interest in the following item and left the meeting during
consideration of the matter.
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Budget
Strategy 2006-08
PR110.01
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7
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With reference
to item 9 of the Minute of Meeting of 9 September 2004 the Director of
Finance submitted a Report which proposed a framework for the Comhairle’s
budget strategy for 2006-08. It was indicated in Appendix A to the Report
that the Comhairle was facing a recurrent budget deficit of £1,759k in
2007/08 and beyond 2007/08 there is uncertainty about the next three year
settlement. Section 4 of the Report outlined how savings of at least £2,952k
required to be identified and proposals recommended to achieve these savings
were set out in section 5.
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It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1) Heads of Service be required to
identify, as part of the budget setting for 2006-08, the links between the
Corporate Strategy and service budgets;
(2) the Director of Finance be required
to develop an approach to budget strategy, reflecting Corporate Strategy, for
submission to the next Council;
(3)
the proposals detailed in section 5 of
the Report be implemented on the basis that the Director of Finance, in
consultation with the Chief Executive and other relevant Directors, would
report on progress to the next meeting of the Committee; and
(4) the timetable outlined in Section 6
of the Report for setting the 2006/07 budget be approved.
Arising out
of consideration of this item it was agreed to recommend that representations
be made to CoSLA and the Finance Minister requesting additional revenue for
all local authorities in Scotland in light of the recent rises in fuel prices
and resultant increases in heating and transport costs.
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Quality
of Life Funding 2006 – 2008
PR11.18
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8
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The Director
of Finance submitted a Report which proposed a framework for the Comhairle’s
budget strategy for 2006-08. It was indicated in the Report that the
Comhairle had been allocated £431k for 2003/04, £504k for 2004/05 and £580k
for 2005/06 for Quality of Life and the Scottish Executive indicated that
they wished the funding to be spent on projects that either increased
opportunities for children and young people or improved the local
environment. Details of the allocation of this funding were appended to the
Report and details of further allocations for the years 2006/07 and 2007/08
were also detailed in the Report.
It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the Director of Social Work be required
to draft a proposal in relation to community wellbeing in particular in
respect of the elderly and that the detail of this proposal be considered by
the Finance Working Party;
(2)
following discussion at the Finance
Working Party, the Chief Executive be authorised to consult with Community
Planning Partners; and
(3) the Director of Finance be required
to submit a Report, to the next meeting of the Committee, detailing the
outcome of consultations with Community Planning Partners and making detailed
proposals and recommendations in relation to community well being with
particular reference to services to the elderly, existing projects funded by
Quality of Life and those identified at the Arts and Leisure Committee
meeting on 30 August 2005.
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Use of
2004/05 Year End Surplus
PR110.01
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9
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With reference
to item 13 of the Minute of Meeting of 10 February 2005 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report detailing the planned use of revenue
funding totalling £152,260 carried forward from 2004/05. The Report
indicated that the carry forward equated to 1.7% of the total controllable
revenue budgets and detailed proposals for the expenditure.
It was agreed to recommend that the allocation of revenue funds
carried forward from the financial year 2004/05 as detailed in the Report be
approved subject to the provision in relation to Stornoway War Memorial
Maintenance and Office Equipment – Desks/PCs/Software each being reduced by
£10k and that the resultant saving of £20k be put towards the Townscape
Heritage Initiative Public Realm Proposals discussed at the Transportation
Committee on 30 August 2005 on the basis that this funding would be earmarked
for carry forward to 2006/07, if necessary, in terms of the timescale for the
THI Project.
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Arising out of consideration of this item it was agreed to note
that the Director of Technical Services would seek to ensure that appropriate
repair and reinstatement works to roads and footpaths were carried out in
Stornoway Town Centre prior to the Mod taking place in October 2005.
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Recommendations
for Write-Offs of Certain Council Tax, Sundry Debt and NDR Debts
PR100.07
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10
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With reference to item 6 of the Minute of Meeting of 27 April 2005
the Director of Finance submitted a Report recommending that certain debts in
excess of £1000 be written off in the current financial year 2005/06.
It was agreed to recommend that the debts itemised in Appendix A
to the Report be written off.
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CAPITAL
PROGRAMME
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Hydrogen
Energy Innovation Project Phase 1: PER Application
DS61.18
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11
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With reference
to item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of the Sustainable Development Committee
of 15 June 2005 the Director of Technical Services submitted a Report seeking
approval for phase 1 of the Hydrogen Energy Innovation Zone Project as part
of the implementation of the Outer Hebrides Hydrogen Strategy. The Report
stated that the long term aim of the project was to establish Hydrogen
Infrastructure and skills base to enable local capacity building for the long
terms transition to a hydrogen economy.
It was agreed to recommend that the project, as outlined for
inclusion in the 2004-08 Capital Programme, in line with the Project
Evaluation Report at Appendix 1 to the Report be approved.
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It was agreed that, under the terms of
Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public,
including the press, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the
following item on the ground that exempt information as defined in paragraph
9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act 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 or services.
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Community
Fishing Quota Scheme – Project Evaluation Report
DS40.04.49
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12
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The Director
for Sustainable Communities submitted a Report in relation to proposals to
establish a Community Fishing Quota Scheme for the Western Isles. The Report
proposed that the Comhairle would buy quota through an appropriate producer
organisation which would hold and manage that quota on behalf of the
Comhairle. The producer organisation would be responsible for negotiating
the purchase of quota, managing the quota in accordance with UK Fishery
Department rules, leasing quota to appropriate parties and ensuring that the
Comhairle optimised the return of its quota holding.
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It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the Project Evaluation Report attached
to the Report be approved and this project be transferred from the
Provisional Capital Programme for 2004-08 to the Capital Programme;
(2)
West of Scotland nephrops Fixed Quota
Allocation (FQA) be purchased through Orkney Fish Producers Organisation in
the first instance on such terms and conditions as the Director of Corporate
Services, in consultation with the Director for Sustainable Communities shall
deem appropriate including, for the avoidance of doubt, appropriate economic
linkage conditions and any arrangements with a quota trading company;
(3)
the net income from the operation of
the scheme be used to fund the Capital Programme; and
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(4)
the Director for Sustainable
Communities be authorised, in consultation with the Community Fishing Quota
Scheme Member/Officer Working Group, to monitor the operation of the scheme
and report back to the Sustainable Development and Policy and Resources
Committees in December 2006 evaluating the operation of the scheme in
economic development and financial terms.
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Roads to
Communities B8060 Habost to Kershader Road Improvement: PER Application
T08.01
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13
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With reference
to item 10 of the Minute of Meeting of the Transportation Committee of 3
November 2004 the Director of Technical Services submitted a Report seeking
the inclusion of the B8060 Habost to Kershader Road Improvement Project
within the Capital Programme 2004-08. The Report stated that the Scheme was
the highest priority project within the Comhairle's Roads to Communities
Programme and would lead to the improvement of 2.2 kilometres of road at an
estimated cost of £1.5million. An application for funding assistance through
the Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme would be made in
respect of the Project.
It was
agreed to recommend that the B8060 Habost – Kershader Road be included in the
Improvement Project in the 2004-08 Capital Programme.
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Capital
Programme: Dun Berisay Phase 1
SW04
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14
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With reference
to Item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of 2 February 2005 the Director of
Technical Services and the Director of Social Work submitted a joint Report
concerning the anticipated overspend on the Capital Programme for the
construction of the South Uist Care Development. The background to the
matter was outlined together with the consequences of potential savings.
It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the outline capital programme be
revised for 2004-2008 to substitute the development of a dementia unit within
Dun Berisay in place of the proposal for the development of extended day care
services; and
(2)
it be noted that this proposal would
come to the Comhairle at a later date as a full Project Evaluation Report
prior to any decision to proceed.
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HOUSING
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Housing
Revenue Account Capital Programme 2005/06: Progress Report
PR110.01
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15
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The Head of
Housing Services submitted a Report concerning the Housing Revenue Account
Capital Programme for 2005/2006. The Report gave information on expenditure
within the Programme which has been set within the Prudential Framework for
borrowing and was based on Year 1 of the current three year Housing Financial
Plan 2005/2006 – 2007/2008.
It was agreed to recommend that:
(1) the Housing Capital Programme 2005/06 be revised, as
detailed at Appendix 1 to the Report, to take account of project variations;
and
(2) the expenditure profile detailed at Appendix 2 to 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 as amended the following item be considered as a matter of urgency in
order to allow the Committee to take a view on the matter.
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Local
Housing Strategy Update – July 2005
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15a
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With reference to item 28 of the Minute of Meeting of 29 June 2005
the Head of Housing Services submitted a Report concerning the submission of
the updated Local Housing Strategy. Changes made to the strategy under
delegated authority following approval of the draft document at the Housing
Committee meeting on 14 June 2005 were detailed in the Report. It was
indicated in the Report that the final Local Housing Strategy Review and
Update document together with the Western Isles Fuel Poverty Strategy were
submitted to Communities Scotland by the required deadline of 1 July 2005.
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It was
agreed to recommend that the finalised Local Housing Strategy Review and
Update document dated July 2005 be noted.
It was further agreed to recommend
that:
(1) in light of the urgent need for land
for varied housing development in the Stornoway/Broadbay area that the
Comhairle enter into negotiation with the Stornoway Trust as the landowners
and the common grazing shareholders as occupiers with a view to acquiring the
following areas of land:
(a)
Land to the east of the Newmarket/Tolsta Road from the point near to the junction of the Newmarket/Tolsta Road to
the Blackwater River;
(b)
The area of land adjacent to Sandwick School Playing Field; and
(c)
The area of land between Lower Sandwick and Holm.
(2) the expenditure required to purchase
the land and to undertake the necessary accommodation works should be met
from the monies available from the Housing Regeneration Fund or other funding
available from Communities Scotland;
(3)
any developments should be planned on
the basis of provision for housing for social rent, affordable housing for
sale, private developments and serviced sites;
(4)
the matter should be pursued as matter
of urgency and a Member/Officer Working Group comprising the Chairs and
Vice-Chairs of Housing and Policy and Resources Committees and the local
Members and officers to be determined by the Chief Executive be established
to progress the matter and consideration be given to the Council using its
powers of compulsory land acquisition if necessary, on the basis that the
necessary approvals be sought and obtained from Communities Scotland by the
Director of Finance, in relation to the use of the Housing Regeneration Fund
for this purpose; and
(5)
it be delegated to the Chief Executive,
in consultation with the Member/Officer Working Group, to take this matter
forward and also to report back to the Committee on any other sites
identified during discussions to seek the Comhairle’s view on their
acquisition.
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Arising out
of consideration of this matter in light of the urgent need for socially
rented housing within the Stornoway area and the scarcity of suitable land
for that purpose, it was agreed to recommend that, in the event that a
proposal to develop the site for social rented housing in accordance with the
draft finalised local plan does not come forward, the Comhairle seek to
acquire the old Macrae Hostel site and that the Director of Corporate
Services be authorised to institute the compulsory purchase procedure for the
acquisition of the site of the old Macrae Hostel, in the event that agreement
cannot be reached with the landowner, and that the Director of Corporate
Services be authorised to negotiate a settlement with the landowner in
accordance with the District Valuer’s valuation at any point prior to, or
during, the compulsory purchase process and that any financial implications
arising as a result of this course of action be met from within the monies
allocated to the Council for Housing Regeneration or other funding available
from Communities Scotland, subject to the necessary approvals being sought
and obtained from Communities Scotland by the Director of Finance, in
relation to the use of the Housing Regeneration Fund for this purpose.
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POLICY
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Draft
Home to School Travel Policy
E05.01
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16
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With reference
to Item 27 of the Minute of Meeting of 27 April 2005 the Director of Education
submitted a Report concerning the outcome of consultation on a Draft Home to
Scholl Travel Policy and to seek approval of implementation of the policy.
It was agreed to
recommend, insofar as the interests of the Committee were concerned, that the
Comhairle approve the Home to School Travel policy set out at Appendix 1 as
the Comhairle's policy and authorise the Director of Education to implement
the policy with effect from 12 September 2005.
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BUILDINGS
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Capital
Works: Programme and Progress
PR33.01.12
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17
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With reference
to item 32 of the Minute of Meeting of 29 June 2005 the Director of Technical
Services submitted a Report detailing programme and progress in relation to
properties on the Policy and Resources Account.
It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.
Arising out of consideration of this item it was agreed to
recommend that a breakdown of the costs of £50k (which costs would include
estimates where costs had not been finalised) in respect of alterations to
the Council Chamber be issued to all Members.
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Premises
Security Installations
LB38.16
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18
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report concerning revised contractual
arrangements in respect of security installations at various premises. It
was indicated in the Report that the Comhairle had a significant number of
security installations in its various premises which were maintained under ad
hoc arrangements. The Report stated that this could result in a number of
visits by different firms to the same building to service this equipment and
it was considered that better value could be obtained by reducing the number
of different firms visiting these premises.
It was agreed to recommend that the establishment of a Term
Maintenance Contract for Premises Security Installations, on the basis
outlined in the Report, be approved and that a further Report be submitted to
the Committee in relation to the feasibility of such a contract and that that
Report would address the aspiration of the Committee that locally based contractors
would be given the opportunity to bid for such a contract in partnership with
mainland companies, if necessary.
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CONTRACTUAL
MATTERS
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Schools
Public Private Partnership Project – Inclusion of Balivanich Primary School Further Consultancy Work
E01
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19
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With reference
to item 12 of the Minute of Meeting of 29 June 2005 the Director of Education
submitted a Report concerning the Education Minister’s decision to provide
financial support to extend the scope of the Public Private Partnership Project
to include the provision of a new school for Balivanich. The background to
the matter was summarised in the Report.
It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the extension of the PPP Project to
include a new Primary School for Balivanich be noted and welcomed; and
(2)
further consultancy work be
commissioned as follows;
(a)
Harley Haddow be commissioned to carry
out site investigation and other survey works for a new school in Balivanich
to assess site suitability;
(b)
JM Architects be commissioned to carry
out a desktop study in relation to options for The Nicolson Institute; and
(c)
this further consultancy work be not
tendered for in terms of Contract Regulation 7(f) for the reasons detailed in
paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 of the Report respectively.
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It was agreed that, under the terms of
Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, 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 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act would be disclosed, namely,
information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular
person, other than the Comhairle 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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Winter Maintenance: Ice Cast System
Upgrade
T08.05.04
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20
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It was
agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the Vaisala Ice Cast Stations be
upgraded over a period of up to ten years at an average cost of £15k per site
and that the supplies and works be procured from Vaisala TMI in terms of
Contract Regulation 7(f) and not be competitively tendered due to their
specialist nature and the success of the specific equipment at the sites
where it currently operates; and
(2)
an infill station with a webcam be
installed on the Clisham near Maaruig road end at an estimated cost of £11k
and that the supplies and works be procured in terms of Contract Regulation
7(f) and not be competitively tendered due to their specialist nature.
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It was agreed
that, under the terms of Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland)
Act 1973, 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 5 and 12 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the
Act would be disclosed, namely, information relating to the adoption, care,
fostering or education of any particular child or relating to the supervision
or residence of any particular child in accordance with the supervision
requirement made in respect of that child under the Social Work (Scotland)
Act 1968 and any instructions to Counsel and any Opinion of Counsel (whether
or not in connection with any proceedings) and any advice received,
information obtained or action to be taken in connection with (a) any legal
proceedings by or against the Comhairle; or (b) the determination of any
matter affecting the Comhairle (whether, in either case, proceedings have
been commenced or are in contemplation).
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Children’s
Services – Appointment of Consultants
SW02
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21
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The Director
of Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning arrangements put in place
to address particular issues in relation to certain “looked-after” children
to propose the engagement of consultants to assist the Comhairle in relation
to the modernisation of Children’s Services. Details of the proposed work
together with the financial implications were given in the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the support arrangements that have been
put in place as detailed in paragraph 2.2 of the Report;
(2)
the review of training needs, policies
and procedures in relation to Child Protection and Children’s Services, as
detailed in section 4 of the Report, be approved;
(3)
specialist consultants be engaged to
support this work and that these works be not competitively tendered in terms
of Contract Regulation 7(f) for the reasons given in section 4.2 of the
Report; and
(4)
the work be funded from the relevant
service budgets and any consequences for these budgets be reported in the
quarterly revenue monitoring.
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Appointment
of Sub-Consultants
PR31.08
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22
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report updating Members on the current
sub-consultancy appointments for work through Technical Services. A revised
sub-consultancy list, as at August 2005, and a summary of the sub-consultant
appointments for the period December 2004 onwards was also appended to the
Report and an update provided on recent appointments following the December
2004 report.
It was agreed to recommend that:
(1) the action of the Director of Technical Services in
adding CASA Design Architects, dma.design and Island Surveying Services to
the Comhairle’s Standing List of Sub-Consultants be homologated and the list
at Appendix 1 to the Report be approved; and
(2)
the January to June 2005 Sub-Consultant
appointments as listed at Appendix 2 to the Report be noted.
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Application
for Inclusion in Standing Lists of Approved Contractors
PR31.07
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23
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With reference
to item 36 of the Minute of Meeting of 9 September 2004 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report detailing further applications for
inclusion in the various standing lists of approved contractors. The list of
applications and details of individual lists were appended to the Report.
It was
agreed to recommend that the Contractors detailed at Appendix 1 to the Report
be included in the Standing Lists of Approved Contractors as detailed in the
said appendix.
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HUMAN
RESOURCES
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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 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.
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Commercial
Operations Unit – Proposed Restructuring Report
CB011
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24
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With reference
to item 29 of the Minute of Meeting of 12 February 2004 the Director of
Corporate Services submitted a Report seeking approval for the proposed
restructuring of the Commercial Operations Unit. Several changes below Head
of Service level were proposed in the Report. It was indicated in the Report
that the restructuring would not create any additional posts and recruitment
to any higher graded posts would be restricted to Commercial Operations Unit
staff. It was also indicated that there were no plans to restrict the number
of posts. The proposed organisation structure and revised job descriptions
were appended to the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that:
(1) the revised officer structure of the Commercial
Operations Unit as detailed in Appendix 1 to the Report be approved and that
the existing Corporate Services Commercial Operations Unit Officer structure
be replaced;
(2)
the new post of Office Manager be
filled by internal advertisement restricted to existing Commercial Operations
Unit officers;
(3)
the new post of Purchasing, Stores and
Transport Manager (Commercial Operations Unit) be filled by the employee
named in the Report, on his existing grade and his current post be deleted
under the new arrangements;
(4)
the post of Garage, Street Lighting and
Facilities Officer be filled by the employee named in the Report, under
matching arrangements;
(5)
the new post of Foreperson (grade
EC578) based in Market Stance be filled by the employee named in the Report,
and his current post be deleted under the new arrangements;
(6)
the new post of Roads Squad Chargehand,
Uist, be created and the employee named in the Report be appointed to this
post and his existing post of Roadworker be deleted;
(7)
the employee named in the Report, be
offered a permanent contract as a joiner; and
(8)
the new four posts of Chargehands
(Electrical and Plumbing, Joinery, Painting and Wet Trades) be filled by
internal advertisement restricted to existing Commercial Operations Unit
operatives and the existing posts of the successful applicants be deleted.
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LEGISLATION
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Response
to Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland: Provisional Proposals
C43
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25
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With reference
to item 39 of the Minute of Meeting of 29 June 2005 the Director of Corporate
Services submitted a Report detailing responses received from consultees in
relation to the provisional proposals published by the Local Government
Boundary Commission for Scotland. It was indicated in the Report that the
Comhairle had been given, at the last series of meetings, details of the
Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland’s provisional proposals to
divide Na h-Eileanan an Iar into nine multi-member wards in advance of the
next local government elections. The proposed wards and ward names were
detailed in the Appendix to the Report.
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It was recommended in the Report that:
(1)
the Director of Corporate Services be
authorised to advise the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland
that the Comhairle is of the view that the whole of the existing Lochs ward
should form part of Ward 4 and to ender into discussions with the Commission
to achieve the best solution for the Kinloch area in terms of the relevant
legislation; and
(2)
the views expressed in relation to the naming
of Wards 7 and 8 by Local Residents’ associations be noted and the names of
all the wards be considered for formal submission to the Local Government
Boundary Commission for Scotland.
It was agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the Director of Corporate Services be
authorised to advise the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland
that, for the reasons detailed in the options paper submitted to the
Committee, the Comhairle was of the view that the Kinloch area (Keose, Keose
Glebe, Laxay, Balallan, Airidhbhruaich, Seaforth Head, Eishken and Aline)
should be added to Ward 4 as detailed in the Local Boundary Commission for
Scotland’s provisional proposals, bringing the electorate for that Ward to
2417 and amending the electorate of Ward 9, as detailed in the said
proposals, to 2000;
(2)
given the travelling distances for
Members of the said Ward 4 (for the avoidance of doubt referred to as Ward 3
in paragraph 25(3) below) representations be made to have it designated a 4
member ward thus increasing the number of elected members for na h-Eileanan
an Iar to 32; and
(3)
a formal submission be made to the
Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland that the names of the
wards, from south to north, be as follows:
Ward Ward Name Electorate
Number (approximate)
1 Barraigh, Bhatarsaigh, Eirisgeidh agus
Uibhist a’Deas 2,430
2 Beinn na Foghla agus Uibhist a Tuath 2,260
3 Na Hearadh agus Ceann a Deas nan Loch 2,417
4 Sgir’ Uige agus Ceann a Tuath nan Loch 2,000
5 Sgir’ an Rubha 1,890
6 Steornabhagh a Deas 3,080
7 Steornabhagh a Tuath 3,080
8 Loch a Tuath 1,960
9 An Taobh Siar agus Nis 2,620
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Project
Initiation Document for the Departmental Best Value Review of Corporate
Communications
PR33.01.13
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26
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The Director
of Corporate Services submitted a Report seeking approval of the Project
Initiation Document for the Corporate Services Departmental Review of
Corporate Communications. It was indicated in the Report that the proposed
terms of reference for the review would be to analyse, evaluate and recommend
improvements to the methods, processes and policies used by the Comhairle to
communicate with the public. It was indicated that the review would be
carried out using the Best Value Review Toolkit which had been approved by
the Comhairle in April 2005 and that the planned completion date for the
review was April 2006, when a service improvement plan would be presented to
Management Team and Policy and Resources Committee for approval.
It was agreed to recommend that the Project Initiation Document
for the Departmental Best Value review of Corporate Communications be
approved.
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Best
Value Audit: Short Life Group
PR33.01.13
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27
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With reference
to item 41 of the Minute of Meeting of 29 June 2005 the Chief Executive
submitted a Report which sought agreement for the formation of a short life
Working Group to agree audit reports as the Best Value progresses. It was
indicated in the Report that the Comhairle would undergo an audit of Best
Value and Community Planning which would start on 17 October 2005 and last
for 20 weeks. The audit would assess the extent to which the Comhairle was
meeting its duties as set out in the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003.
It was agreed to recommend that it be delegated to the Chief
Executive, in consultation with a short life Working Group comprising the
Convener, Vice-Convener, Vice-Chair of Policy and Resources Committee and
Chairs of Committees, to agree the Best Value Audit report findings as the
Best Value audit progresses.
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RELATED
MATTERS
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Letting
of Comhairle Premises
LB06.01
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28
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The Head of Legal and Democratic Services sought and obtained the
Chairman’s permission to withdraw this item.
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Establishing
a Database of Comhairle Policies
PR10
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29
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With reference
to item 47 of the Minute of Meeting of 29 June 2005 the Chief Executive
submitted a Report which sought approval for the development of a database of
Comhairle policies. It was indicated in the Report that the Comhairle
approved the establishment of a database of Comhairle policies in June 2005 and
it was proposed that part of this process would be for the Comhairle to
consider whether there should be a cut off date before the policies were no
longer valid. It was considered that the approval of a cut off point may
exclude some important decisions from the database and ultimately from
Comhairle policy.
It was agreed that a cut off point be not introduced at this stage.
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Mr Archie K
Campbell declared an interest in the following item and left the meeting
during consideration of the matter.
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Proposed
Comhairle, Comhairle Led and Third Party HISTP Bids (in which the Comhairle
has an interest) to the September 2005 HISTP Round
PR80.01
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30
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The Chief
Executive submitted a Report which sought approval of bids to the September
2005 HISTP round which the Comhairle was either leading or in which the
Comhairle had a third party interest. The Comhairle’s financial contribution
to each project was detailed in the Report and summarised in the Appendix.
It was agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the following HISTP bids be submitted
in September 2005, subject to all other funding and statutory consents being
in place:
(i)
Roads to Communities (Habost –
Kershader);
(ii)
Western Isles Rural Opportunities
(subject to the revised figures reported to the Committee, namely, a total
project cost of £231,400, with the Comhairle requested to contribute £78,302,
consisting of £55,602 from revenue and £25,700 coming from the match fund);
(iii)
OFTTI (subject to the revised figures
reported to the Committee, namely, a total project cost of £374,484, with the
Comhairle contributing £155,742 from the Social Work Revenue Budget and ESF
funding of £155,742 is sought); and
(iv)
GreenSpace VirtualCPD;
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(2)
the following HISTP bids where the
Comhairle was acting as project sponsor be submitted in September 2005,
subject to all other funding and statutory consents being in place and a
third party agreement being agreed prior to the commencement of the project;
(i)
Balivanich Community Centre; and
(ii)
Cothrom Learning Centre;
(3)
the following third party bids be submitted
in September 2005:
(i)
Lews Castle College: Hydrogen R & D and Teaching Facility
Laboratory; and
(ii)
Urachadh Uibhist;
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