AGENDA ITEM NO 14

REPORT NO 801/09 ANGUS COUNCIL - 5 NOVEMBER 2009

REVIEW OF SCHEME OF ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS

REPORT BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

ABSTRACT

This report proposes amendments to the draft revised Scheme of Establishment of Community Councils and reports on the next steps in the process.

1. RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Council:-

(i) Approve the draft revised Scheme as amended following public consultation and discussion by the Joint Working Group of Elected Members and community council representatives annexed as Appendix 1 to this Report; (ii) Give public notice of the amendments to the draft revised scheme and invite members of the public, within a period of not less than four weeks from the date of the notice, to make representations to the Council in respect of these subsequent amendments; and (iii) Approve the amalgamation of Fowlis, Liff and Balruddery Community Council with , Muirhead and Birkhill Community Council to form a new Community Council which shall be renamed Muirhead, Birkhill and Liff Community Council.

2. BACKGROUND

A review of the existing Community Council Scheme is currently underway. The initial twelve week public consultation process has now ended and the Joint Working Group met on 6 October 2009 to consider the representations received. After due consideration it is recommended that the Council amends the draft revised Scheme as highlighted in Appendix 1.

The majority of comments received during the public consultation process were in respect of Schedule 2 of the draft Scheme, the draft revised boundaries for Community Councils. Representations were received regarding the proposals for the following eight community council areas:-

Aberlemno & Craig Hillside, Dun & Logie Pert Inveresk Lundie Muirhead & Birkhill

The Joint Working Group re-considered the draft boundaries for each of these areas and it now proposes amendments to the draft revised boundaries for five of these areas. Maps for , Hillside, Kirriemuir, Lundie, Muirhead and Birkhill and Tealing, highlighting the proposed amendments to the draft boundaries are attached for information. It is recommended that no further amendments should be made in respect of the draft proposals for the Ferryden & Craig and Inverarity areas.

The Joint Working Group also considered oral representations made in respect of the boundary between Inveresk and The City of & District but no conclusion was drawn. Subsequent to the meeting of the group and in light of further information being received which should have been considered as part of the consultation process, it is proposed that the boundary be amended as shown in the map attached. In respect of the proposals for the Lundie, Muirhead & Birkhill area it should be noted that the Council has not received audited accounts from the community council of Fowlis, Liff & Balruddery since 2006. We have received no minutes from them since 2000 and have no evidence of their meeting in the past six months. In the circumstances it is proposed that the area served by Fowlis, Liff and Balruddery Community Council is amalgamated with Lundie, Muirhead and Birkill Community Council and re-named Muirhead, Birkhill and Liff Community Council.

3. CONCLUSION

In order to conclude the review of the Scheme it is proposed that the Council give public notice of the amendments to the proposals outlined in this Report and a further invitation to make representations to the Council within four weeks of the date of the notice. Thereafter a final report detailing the final draft Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils will be presented to the Council for approval on the 11th February 2010..

4. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no financial implications arising from this Report.

5. HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS

There are no human rights implications associated with this Report.

6. EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

The issues dealt with in this Report have been the subject of consideration from an equalities perspective (as required by legislation). An equalities impact assessment is not required.

7. SINGLE OUTCOME AGREEMENT

This Report contributes to the following local outcome(s) contained within the Single Outcome Agreement for Angus.

We have strong, resilient and supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others

8. CONSULTATION

The Director of Corporate Services, the Head of Finance and the Head of Law and Administration have been consulted on the terms of this Report.

DAVID S SAWERS CHIEF EXECUTIVE

NOTE: No background papers, as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government () Act 1973 (other than any containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to a material extent in preparing the above report.

RG

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