Leader Report: 08 March – 01 April 2005 SPC 13 April 2005

1. FUNDING FOR LAND REFORM AND ACCESS CODE 1.1 Further to my meeting last year with Ross Finnie MSP, as reported on 7th October 2004 Strategic Policy Committee, I continue to lobby both COSLA and the Minister for action on this matter. A draft report has been compiled by COSLA which argues for additional resources to be made available to Local Authorities to meet the statutory duties placed on us by the Land Reform () Act which came into force earlier this year. It further recommends that the matter be placed within the workplan for the COSLA 3 Year Settlement Group to review distribution arrangements.

1.2 We received a GAE allocation of £162,000, when our estimate for work arising from our statutory duties, based on the basic minimum for 2005/06, is £412,000. This does not include the cost of any works to implement core paths either prior to or post adoption of the plan.

1.3 After raising the matter with George Lyon MSP, he also is pressing the Minister for a reconsideration of the distribution mechanism. I will seek confirmation of the timescales around the COSLA report when I meet with Corrie McChord (Vice President) and Rory Mair (Chief Executive) on Tuesday 5th April.

2. KILMARTIN HOUSE MUSEUM 2.1 Following the Council’s decision on 10th February 2005 to award Kilmartin House Museum £10,000 per annum contribution towards core running costs I have written to MSP, Minister for Tourism, Media and Sport, requesting match funding from the Scottish Museums Council to be released.

2.2 The Council received only £23,000 within its GAE allocation (2004/05) for Museums and uses this to support one council owned museum and 12 other Registered Museums.

3. CALEDONIAN MACBRAYNE FERRY STRIKE 3.1 Following the Council meeting on 18th March I wrote to MSP, Bob Crow (RMT) and Harold Mills (Caledonian MacBrayne) expressing our concern about the proposed implications of the then proposed industrial action on 23rd March.

3.2 Following negotiations between Caledonian MacBrayne and the Union later that week the proposed industrial action was called off, allowing island communities and ferry users to travel over this period with certainty. I understand that the proposals for tendering the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services will not be taken further, if indeed at all, until the outcome of the current discussions with the European Commission have been completed and the Minister has reported back to the .

4. ADVERTISING PLANNING PROPOSALS 4.1 I have written to the First Minister, Jack McConnell MSP, asking him to revisit the statutory duty placed on Local Authorities to advertise certain planning proposals in the Edinburgh Gazette. It makes no sense that we must continue to spend resources in advertising in this journal which does little to add to the effectiveness or efficiency of the planning system in Scotland.

4.2 The Scottish Office commissioned research in 1999 into this matter and the Report from James Barr Planning Consultants detailed that “planning authorities contacted were unanimous in their view that advertising in the Edinburgh Gazette does not provide good value for money.” Given that some time has elapsed since this research recommended, “the requirement to advertise proposals in the Edinburgh Gazette should be removed”, I have asked what action he intends taking to remove this redundant statutory duty.

5. CAMPBELTOWN / BALLYCASTLE FERRY SERVICE 5.1 Nicol Stephen MSP, Minister for Transport announced on Wednesday 30th March that the Scottish Executive is to renew efforts to reinstate the Campbeltown – Ballycastle ferry service. Members will be well aware that the Councils, the local communities and business

1 interests in Kintyre and in Moyle have lobbied for the reintroduction of the service since the previous operator on the route stopped in 1999.

5.2 The tender will be based on similar terms to the previous 2002-2003 competition. The maximum amount of subsidy which will be available to support the service will be £1m per annum for five years. I shall urge the Minister to enter into an early tender process for the route so as to provide the best opportunity to secure a full operation for 2006.

6 COUNCIL RESERVES 6.1 Both The Herald and The Scotsman ran articles on Wednesday 30th March following the publication of Audit Scotland’s Overview of Local Authority Audits 2004. Whilst the report shows Argyll and Bute Council as having a high level of General Fund Reserve this raw presentation does not take account of the committed sums included in the total General Fund Reserve and the use of the General Fund Reserve approved as part of the 2005/06 budget. Our Council Tax increase in 04/05 was 3.96%, not 4% as reported in The Herald.

6.2 The Council’s General Fund Reserve at 31 March 2004 amounted to £12.1934 million, however after adjusting for the committed sums the “free” General Reserve Fund stood at £5.849 million. This represented 3.29% of Net Operating Expenditure. The projected “free” General Reserve Figure for 1st April 2005 is £4214 million, representing 2.27% of Net Operating Expenditure, meaning we are well on our way to our target level for 31st March 2006 for a “free” General Fund Reserve of 2% of our Net Operating Expenditure.

FORTHCOMING MEETINGS:

Date Meeting Key Agenda Items 05 April Cllr Corrie McChord, Vice COSLA President Rory Mair, Chief Executive 11 April North Ayrshire Councillors and Special Purpose Vehicles Officers 11 April Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire Special Purpose Vehicles 14/ 15 April COSLA Convention Governance 21 April AIE Board Meeting 22 April NHS Argyll and Clyde Community Development Programme 9 May Mary Dickson, Rail provision First Scotrail 16 May Peter Peacock MSP Education matters

Date: 31 March 2005 Councillor Allan Macaskill, Leader

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