East Ayrshire Council
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84 EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL MINUTES OF MEETING OF COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY 29 JUNE 2017 AT 1000 HRS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS, LONDON ROAD, KILMARNOCK PRESENT: Provost Jim Todd and Councillors Ellen Freel, Gordon Jenkins, John McFadzean, John McGhee, Helen Coffey, Ian Grant, Maureen McKay, Tom Cook, Lillian Jones, Iain Linton, Douglas Reid, Fiona Campbell, John Campbell, Barry Douglas, John Knapp, Clare Maitland, Sally Cogley, George Mair, Elena Whitham, Depute Provost Claire Leitch, Councillors Neil McGhee, Jim Roberts, Alyson Simmons, Billy Crawford, Jim McMahon, Jacqui Todd, Walter Young, John Bell, Elaine Dinwoodie and Drew Filson. ATTENDING: Fiona Lees, Chief Executive; Alex McPhee, Depute Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer: Economy and Skills; Chris McAleavey, Depute Chief Executive: Safer Communities; Eddie Fraser, Director of Health and Social Care Partnership; Susan Taylor, Head of Children's Health, Care and Justice Services; David Mitchell, Chief Governance Officer; Joe McLachlan, Corporate Accounting Manager; Julie Jamieson, Group Finance Manager; David McDowall, Operations Manager: Building Standards and Development Management; Craig Iles, Development Management Team Leader; Caroline Gordon, Communications Officer; and Julie McGarry, Administration Manager. APOLOGY: Councillor Jon Herd. CHAIR: Provost Jim Todd, Chair. PROVOST'S OPENING REMARKS 1. The Provost welcomed to the Council meeting Cara Teven, a second year Law student from Strathclyde University who was on work experience within Legal Services. PROVOST'S REMARKS 2. The Provost began the Council meeting by expressing his heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Council in respect of the terrorist attacks which had taken place since the last Council meeting at the Manchester Arena and in London, and the Grenfell Tower blaze. He advised that the Council had observed a minute's silence and had flown the flags at half-mast to mark these tragic events. The Provost expressed his condolences from the Council and that our thoughts were with those affected. The Provost opened his remarks by congratulating Grange Academy pupil, Billy Gilmour aged 15, who was swopping school life for the bright lights of London after signing for Premier League title winners, Chelsea. The Provost advised that Billy, who was from Ardrossan, had been with Grange Academy's School of Football Performance team since first year and had successfully balanced school work and football training from a very young age. The Provost expressed his pleasure that the Scottish Junior Cup was staying in East Ayrshire again, the home of Junior football and the Provost congratulated the well- deserved winners, Glenafton Athletic. The Provost stated that season 2016/17 had proven to be a momentous year for Glenafton Athletic, after being crowned West Region Super League Champions for the first time in the club's history, they had gone 85 on to defeat Auchinleck Talbot in the Scottish Junior Cup final to lift the trophy for the second time in the club's history. The Provost then stated that they had completed the treble after defeating Glasgow Perthshire in the season's end final of the Evening Times League Champions Cup. The Provost then commiserated with Auchinleck who had been pipped in both the Scottish Cup and the League, where they had been going for a remarkable five league wins in a row, by Glenafton. The Provost remarked that this was an incredible achievement and he looked forward to providing Civic recognition for Glenafton at a future stage. The Provost then expressed his pleasure to have joined the Provosts and Chief Executive Officers of all of the Councils in Scotland at the Opening of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on 20 May for the procession from the City Chambers in Edinburgh to the Assembly Hall, The Mound where the incoming Moderator Designate, Rev Dr Derek Browning, had made everyone very welcome. The Provost then thanked the Killie Trust, KFCSA and Young Kilmarnock who had invited him to take part in the commemorations and 20th Anniversary celebrations of Kilmarnock winning the Scottish Cup and advised that it had been great to meet the Kilmarnock players and staff of Kilmarnock Football Club at the Grand Hall on 20 May. The Provost then advised that that he had welcomed the MGF Wind Band and friends from Kulmbach, Germany on a twinning visit to Onthank Primary School and Cumnock Academy. The Provost remarked that a special highlight had been the musical performance of Highland Cathedral played jointly by students from Kulmbach, Cumnock and Auchinleck Academies. The Provost went on to express his delight in attending 327 (Kilmarnock) Squadron's Summertime Ball on Saturday 10 June at the Park Hotel, Kilmarnock. The Provost stated that the main purpose of the Ball was to raise much needed funds for the Squadron and that it had been lovely to see everyone as it provided the opportunity for 327 to engage with the wider Squadron community and celebrate their success in this year, the 80th Anniversary of the Squadron. The Provost then referred to Roon the Toon and stated that, leaving the Ayrshire Athletics Arena, competitors raced through the town centre and surrounding countryside over a very fast course on 11 June. The Provost advised that an invitational wheelchair race had taken place just before Roon the Toon and inspirational Paralympian Sammi Kinghorn had completed the 10k course in just 25 minutes. The Provost said that he had been delighted to welcome visitors to Kilmarnock, especially Meg and Bruce from Syracuse, New York who had been in Scotland to celebrate Meg's 50th birthday and that he had presented Meg with a special Roon the Toon birthday cake and a Burns book to mark her big day. The Provost congratulated the Kilmarnock Harriers and in particular Ian Gebbie and Matt Dodds who had organised this wonderful event. The Provost then advised that this month all schools throughout East Ayrshire were holding their annual prize giving ceremonies and that 13 June saw the last prize giving ceremony to be held in Kilmarnock Academy. The Provost further advised that it had been an honour to present the prizes on this momentous occasion and it had been lovely that Frank Donnelly, the former Rector of Kilmarnock Academy, had been the guest speaker for the evening, which had been very fitting. The Provost then went on to advise that he had been invited by HRH, the Duke of Rothesay, to attend the re-opening of the Tamar Manoukian New Cumnock Swimming 86 Pool on 14 June. The Provost stated that it had been a joyous occasion as Rio 2016 double silver medallist Duncan Scott dived in as local schoolchildren jumped into the water to celebrate the re-opening of the pool. The Provost further stated that, built in 1966, the swimming pool had been saved from demolition by the community run group, Afton Water Leisure, and had undergone significant improvement work following funding from the Dumfries House Outreach Programme. The Provost advised that HRH had been joined in unveiling the plaque by Georgette Fulton who had worked at the pool when it opened, starting as a cleaner and ending up as head lifeguard and that her name was also on the plaque alongside that of the Prince. The Provost then stated that the East Ayrshire Support Team, in conjunction with the Psychological Service had invited him to attend the Dyslexia Friendly Schools Awards presentations at The Pavilion, Dumfries House, Cumnock on Thursday 22 June. The Provost further stated that it had been a privilege to present the awards to representatives from each school, including the teachers and pupils as the event had celebrated the ways in which practice, ethos, culture and policy combined to enable all learners to be the best they could be. The Provost then remarked that it had been an honour to welcome serving personnel, veterans and Cadet forces to Council Headquarters on 23 June to mark Armed Forces Day and to have been given the opportunity to show our support and recognition. The Provost went on to thank the Rev Ross McMahan of Cumnock Congregation Church for agreeing to host the Kirkin' of the Council on Sunday 25 June, to mark the beginning of our new Council and expressed his thanks to the Depute Provost and those Councillors and officers who had attended the ecumenical mass. The Provost remarked that the parishioners of Cumnock Congregational Church had extended a warm welcome to the Council and Rev McMahan's readings had been very well received. The Provost advised that His Royal Highness, the Earl of Wessex, had visited Centrestage, Kilmarnock on 28 June. The Provost remarked that it had been a pleasure to have joined him and the Provost was happy to report that he had found the same admiration we all shared for the excellent commitment, drive and enthusiasm Centrestage provided for our communities. The Provost further advised that the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh, Mr Dariusz Adler and the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region of Poland, Mr Całbecki, under the patronage of His Excellency, the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the UK, had very kindly invited him to attend the programme of Chopin's region - the heritage of Szafarnia, with a piano recital by Rafał Blechacz on 28 June at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh. The Provost stated that he and the Depute Provost had thoroughly enjoyed the performances, which had been outstanding. The Provost advised that he had invited Mr Całbecki to visit East Ayrshire to showcase what we have on offer. The Provost then referred to the Queen's Birthday Honours List and expressed his delight on hearing that Her Majesty had chosen to recognise - Frank McHugh of 33rd Ayrshire Scouts, Dalmellington with a British Empire Medal for services to scouting and the community; Mrs Jeanette Gilchrist Gordon, Higher Executive Officer, Department for Work and Pensions with an MBE for services to DWP and the community in East Ayrshire; John Wallace Howie with an MBE for services to Business and the Economy (Kilmarnock, Ayrshire and Arran) and Lauren Currie originally a local lass and daughter of one of our own colleagues, Garry Currie from Housing Asset Services who received 87 an OBE for serve to design and diversity.