COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Thursday 16 December 2010 at 5.00pm

PRESENT Mr Alex A MacDonald (Convener) Mr Angus Campbell (Leader) Mr Keith Dodson Mr David Blaney Mr Neil Campbell Mr Archie K Campbell Mr Roddie Mackay Mr Uisdean Robertson Mr Iain Mackenzie Mr Philip R McLean Mr Murdo Macleod Mrs Annie MacDonald Mr John A Maciver Mr Norman A MacDonald Mr Kenneth A Maciver Mr Norman M Macleod Mrs Catriona Stewart Mr Donald I Nicholson Mr John Mackay Mr Donald John Macsween Mr Iain Morrison Mr Charlie Nicolson Mr Kenneth M Murray Mr Angus McCormack Mrs Agnes Rennie

APOLOGIES Mr Donald Manford Mr Martin C Taylor Mr Gerry Macleod Mrs Morag Munro Mr Peter Carlin Catherine Macdonald

Prayer The Meeting was opened in prayer led by Mr John Mackay

TRIBUTES

BT Alba Debate The Convener paid tribute to the Debate Team from the Nicolson Institute on reaching and winning the final of the BT Alba Debate. He indicated that the winning team had been Christina L Macleod and Iain M Macmillan and that Christina had also obtained the title for best speaker. He advised that, with over 20 team from throughout Scotland competing in the completion, this was an achievement of which those concerned could be extremely proud.

On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener congratulated the winning team and wished them every success for the future.

Mrs Isobel The Convener paid tribute to Mrs Isobel Conning of Stornoway who currently resided in Conning Dun Eisdean, Stornoway. He referred to the Comhairle’s recent recognition of Mrs Conning’s contribution to the communities in Lewis and Harris by presenting her with a framed letter of recognition. He indicated that Mrs Conning had for many years provided a highly valued service to the community which had gone far beyond her obligation as a provider.

On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener thanked Mrs Conning for her extensive service provision to the communities of Lewis and Harris.

Trad Awards The Convener paid tribute to Islanders who had been presented with awards at the Trad 2010-12-20 Awards 2010. He stated that, in the category of Best Album, Julie Fowlis had once again triumphed with her album “Uam” being voted as the best album of the year.

On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener congratulated Julie on this achievement.

He further indicated that Iain Morrison from Back, Isle of Lewis had been voted Composer of the Year. He indicated that Iain was well known for his complex piping tunes and that in this he had followed in his father’s footsteps.

On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener congratulated Iain on this achievement.

He then referred to the Gaelic singer of the year category where Eilidh Mackenzie had been successful in receiving the award. He advised that Eilidh was originally from Back, Isle of Lewis and was a former Mod gold medallist.

On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener congratulated Eilidh on this achievement.

Uig Community The Convener paid tribute to the Uig Community Shop which had been established in Shop 2004 and had recently won the “Place” category in the SURF Awards for Best Practice In Community Regeneration. Place was one of four categories of award and the Uig Shop had been successful from a field of 30 contenders.

On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener congratulated all of those involved in the Uig Community Shop and wished them every success for the future.

Comunn The Convener paid tribute to Comunn Eachdraidh Nis who had recently been awarded Eachdraidh Nis accredited museum status by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. The accreditation scheme set nationally agreed standards for museums and this award verified that the Comunn Eachdraidh had achieved this standard.

On behalf of the Comhairle, the Convener congratulated Comunn Eachdraidh Nis on this achievement.

MINUTES

Minute of 1 The Minute of Meeting of 4 November 2010 was approved. Meeting of 4 November 2010

Declaration of 2 Mr Philip McLean declared an interest in Item 15 of the Environment and Protective Interest Services Committee Decision Report (Strategic Investment Programme) as the Architect to four potential projects.

QUESTIONS

Written 3 Mr Kenneth A Maciver had submitted a written question as follows: Questions to the Convener and “What mechanism will the Comhairle introduce to make sure that Comhairle decisions the Chairmen of are fully implemented?” Committees The Convener responded as follows:

“There are a number of methods, both formal and informal, for monitoring the implementation of Comhairle decisions. Lists of outstanding reports, with details as to author and time of submission, are issued with the agendas of each Committee, at each series of meetings. Following each series of meetings, detailed action sheets are produced by Democratic Services, which set out the action to be taken in respect of every part of every recommendation, with named officers (not just department) against each task. The Chief Executive and Head of Executive Office also review the agendas before these are issued, and will attempt to ensure that all reports which were asked for, together with any necessary new reports, are included with the agendas for the relevant series.

Finally, Members themselves are an excellent double check on whether actions have been taken, how they have been taken and how quickly, and that is one of the key roles of Elected Members; it is not Elected Members’ duty to ensure that action is taken, that being the duty of the Chief Executive and his colleagues but Members’ assistance is very helpful as a double check in this regard.”

OUTSIDE BODIES

Care and Repair 4 With reference to Item 11 of the Minute of Meeting of 21 June 2007 the Chief Executive and Tighean submitted a Report seeking the appointment of a Comhairle representative to serve on Innse Gall the Tighean Innse Gall Management Committee and the Western Isles Care and Repair Board: Sub Committee following the recent resignation of Mr Neil Campbell. The Report Appointment of indicated that there were six meetings of the Tighean Innse Gall Management Committee Representative and four meetings of the Care and Repair Sub Committee each year. C02 It was agreed to appoint Mr Norman M Macleod as a Comhairle representative on the Tighean Innse Gall Management Committee and Western Isles Care and Repair Sub Committee.

TIMETABLE

64 being that the October 2011 school holidays had been rescheduled to enable the Comhairle to consider the following item.

Timetable of 5 With reference to Item 4 of the Minute of Meeting of 2 September 2010 the Chief Committee/Com Executive submitted a Report seeking formal approval of a revision to the approved hairle Meetings programme of Committee and Comhairle meetings for 2011 as the dates of the October 2011 school holidays in 2011 had been revised to coincide with the National Mod. It was Public and Local proposed that the October Committee and Comhairle series of meetings now be held in Holidays 2011 the weeks beginning 3 October and 10 October 2011 respectively. A revised Comhairle C01.09 year planner for 2011 including the proposed amendments was appended to the Report.

It was agreed to approve the revised timetable for Committee and Comhairle meetings at detailed in the Appendix to the Report.

COMMITTEES

Committee 6 The Committee Decision Reports were submitted as undernoted. Decision Reports: The Comhairle approved the recommendations in the Committee Decision Reports unless otherwise indicated.

(a) Environment and Protective Services Committee – 7 December 2010

In moving the Committee Decision Report the Chairman of the Environment and Protective Services Committee indicated in relation to Item 19 that further information had been submitted by the applicant since the date of the Committee in the form of an undertaking that, in the event that planning permission was granted, HHP would implement phase 1 only of the Ripley Place Development. Any further development of the Ripley Place site would be resubmitted to the Comhairle for its consent.

The Chairman therefore suggested that the Committee Decision Report be approved subject to it being delegated to the Director of Development to impose an additional planning condition to enforce the terms of the said undertaking insofar as legally possible.

Mr Keith Dodson seconded by the Convener moved as an amendment that planning consent for the proposed development be refused as it would be out of character with the townscape due to its height.

Mr Archie Campbell, Mr David Blaney, Mr Donald I Nicholson and Mr Neil Campbell declared non pecuniary interests as Comhairle appointees to HHP and indicated that they did not intend to take part in the debate nor to vote on the matter.

On the matter being put to the vote the motion received the majority of the votes cast and became the finding of the meeting.

(b) Education and Children’s Services Committee – 7 December 2010

With reference to Item 18 of the Committee Decision Report that this be amended to read as follows:

“Delete the words “Headteacher – 4 Elected Members normally including the Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman and a Member in whose ward the school is situated” and insert the words “Headteacher – 4 Elected Members normally including the Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman and a Member representing all or part of a catchment area of the school”.

With reference to Item 1 of the Minute of the reconvened meeting Mr Donald John Macsween seconded by Mr Donald I Nicholson moved as an amendment that the School be named Sgoil an Rubha.

The Chairman with the consent of her seconder, Mr Angus McCormack and the Committee, accepted this amendment which therefore became the finding of the meeting.

(c) Transportation Committee – 8 December 2010

The Committee Decision Report was approved subject to Item 5 being amended to conform to Item 19 of the Policy and Resources Committee Decision Report.

(d) Sustainable Development Committee – 8 December 2010

(e) Environment and Protective Services Committee– 14 December 2010

The Clerk sought and obtained the Convener’s permission to withdraw this item.

(f) Audit and Scrutiny Committee – 15 December 2010

(g) Policy and Resources Committee – 16 December 2010

Notice of Motion 7 There were no Notices of Motion.

URGENT ITEM

The Chairman ruled that, in accordance with the provisions of Section 50(B) 4 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the following item be considered as a matter of urgency in order to allow the Comhairle to take a view on the matter prior to the next series of Meetings.

Consultation on 8 The Chief Executive submitted a Report to advise the Comhairle, as a matter of urgency, Proposals for of a consultation exercise by UK Government on the future of the Coastguard service. Modernising the The Report indicated that the Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Transport, Mike Coastguard Penning MP, had earlier that day launched a consultation document entitled Service “Modernising the Coastguard Service”, some of the proposals in which would have serious implications for marine safety in and around the Outer Hebrides and other areas of the north and west of Scotland as well as the potential loss of the Stornoway Coastguard office.

The Report sought authority to establish a task group with the aim of resisting these proposals, firstly to ensure that the seas around the Outer Hebrides were adequately resourced and protected, particularly to take account of maritime incidents and that a long established coastguard service was retained with a base in and for the Outer Hebrides.

It was agreed that the Comhairle:

(1) seek to resist the proposals set out in the UK Government’s consultation on Proposals for Modernising the Coastguard Service, to reduce the coastguard service presence in the Outer Hebrides and the Northern Isles;

(2) agree to establish a Task Group, comprising the Leader, Convener, Chairman of Environment and Protective Services and Transportation Committees, Councillors Iain Mackenzie, Norman M Macleod and Kenneth M Murray and such officers as the Chief Executive should nominate and that the membership of that Group be as detailed in the Report with the addition of the British Port Authority and NHS Western Isles; and

(3) seek to arrange in conjunction with Shetland Islands Council, a meeting with the Under Secretary of State for Transport at the earliest possible opportunity.

2011 The Convener then referred to the events scheduled to take place during 2011, which was expected to be a particularly busy year in the Outer Hebrides. In April the Celtic Media Festival would be returning to the Western Isles after a thirty year interval, the first festival having being held in Uist in 1980.

Also in April, as part of their tour of Scotland, the Lewis Chessmen would be welcomed back to the Islands. The exhibition named “Lewis Chessmen – Unmasked” was to open in Museum Nan Eilean in Stornoway on 15 April 2011 and the Chessmen would remain in Stornoway until September 2011.

The Year of Scotland’s Islands would also begin in earnest and it was expected that a number of major projects would emerge which would build strong links between Scotlands Islands. In particular the Convener expressed a hope that the young people of the Island’s would get an opportunity to work with their contemporaries on other islands exchanging skills and learning about cultural variations.

The Royal National Mod would also return to the Outer Hebrides and attract visitors to the Islands extending the normal tourism season and enhancing the islands’ economy.

The Convener expressed the aspiration that 2011 would be a successful year for the Outer Hebrides.