Cunninghame House, Irvine. 27 March 2014 North Ayrshire Council You are requested to attend a Meeting of North Ayrshire Council to be held in the Council Chambers, Cunninghame House, Irvine on WEDNESDAY 2 APRIL 2014 at 2.00 p.m. to consider the undernoted business. Yours faithfully Elma Murray Chief Executive 1. Apologies The Provost will invite notification of any apologies for absence. 2. Declarations of Interest Members are requested to give notice of any declarations of interest in respect of items of business on the Agenda. 3. Minutes (Page 7) The accuracy of the Minutes of (a) the ordinary meeting of the Council held on 19 February 2014; and (b) the special meeting of the Council held on 26 March 2014 will be confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (copies enclosed). North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE 4. Referral from Cabinet: Brodick Harbour Redevelopment (Page 25) Submit report by the Chief Executive on proposals by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited to implement a comprehensive redevelopment of Brodick Harbour and requesting consideration of a recommendation by the Cabinet on the Council's financial contribution to the project (copy enclosed). 5. Leader's Report The Leader of the Council will report. 6. Committee Minutes (11 February to 20 March 2014) Submit for noting, the minutes of meetings of committees of the Council held in the period 11 February to 20 March 2014 (issued under separate cover). 7. Questions In terms of Standing Order No. 12 submit (a) a question by Councillor Marshall to the Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Support and Housing in the following terms: "A report to the Corporate Health and Safety Group on 6 February 2014 recorded 296 incidents of Aggression and Violence within the Education and Skills Service for the nine months to December 2013 – an annualised figure of some 400. How many of these incidents were reported to the Police and what remedial action is being taken to reduce the incidence of such aggression and violence to staff and pupils?" (b) a question by Councillor Marshall to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration in the following terms: "It was reported in February 2014 that Argyll and Bute Council had been successful in their application for £18.9M from the Scottish Government’s Tax Incremental Finance (TIF) Scheme. The funds will be used in the Oban and Lorn area, the Lorn Arc, to promote economic growth. It is noted that NAC’s bid for TIF in August 2011 for £15.2M for Irvine was unsuccessful. Can we have an assurance that North Ayrshire Council will emulate Argyll and Bute Council in seeking to apply for any future TIF funding to promote economic growth in the North Coast Tourist areas?" North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE 2 (c) a question by Councillor Reid to the Cabinet Member for Community and Culture Policy and Service in the following terms: "The Council endorsed free swimming across North Ayrshire last summer which was reported as a great success and certainly made the pools across Ayrshire considerably busier. A recent campaign during the Winter Olympics resulted in increased attendance at the ice skating in the Auchenharvie rink. This promotion reduced the cost of attendance by a small margin resulted in four fold increase in attendance at very small increase in costs to North Ayrshire Leisure. Can the Cabinet Member advise me if they can investigate the possibilities of extending free skating or reduced price skating for North Ayrshires young people during the school holiday periods when attendance in past has been very low? This would have health benefits and benefit the wider sporting community like the swimming promotion has?" (d) a question by Councillor Bell to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration in the following terms: "Since 2007 the claimant unemployment rate has doubled. What steps has the administration taken to attempt to improve the situation?" (e) a question by Councillor Cullinane to the Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Support and Housing in the following terms: "How many agency staff are employed by the Council?" (f) a question by Councillor Gallagher to the Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Support and Housing in the following terms: "How much has been spent by the Council, how much has been committed in contracts and how much is projected to be spent on purchasing and preparing the land at Longbar for the proposed new Garnock Academy and from which budgets?" 8. Treasury Management Strategy Report (Page 105) Submit report by the Corporate Director (Finance and Corporate Support) on the proposed Strategy for Treasury Management activities within the Council for the financial year 2014/15 (copy enclosed). 9. Revenue Estimates 2014/15 - Common Good and Trusts (Page 143) Submit report by the Corporate Director (Finance and Corporate Support) on annual income and expenditure in respect of the Common Good Funds and Trusts administered by North Ayrshire Council, and the proposed levels of grant funding to be made available for disbursement in 2014/15 (copy enclosed). North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE 3 10. Election/Referendum Policies on Display of Campaign Posters on Council Property (Page 167) Submit report by the Chief Executive on the revised policy on display of campaign posters on Council property (copy enclosed). 11. Urgent Items Any other items which the Provost considers to be urgent. North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE 4 North Ayrshire Council Sederunt: Joan Sturgeon (Provost) Attending: Robert Barr (Depute Provost) John Bell Matthew Brown John Bruce Marie Burns Ian Clarkson Joe Cullinane Anthea Dickson John Easdale John Ferguson Alex Gallagher Willie Gibson Tony Gurney Jean Highgate Alan Hill Apologies: John Hunter Elizabeth McLardy Alex McLean Catherine McMillan Peter McNamara Ronnie McNicol Ruth Maguire Tom Marshall Jim Montgomerie Meeting Ended: Alan Munro David O'Neill Irene Oldfather Donald Reid Robert Steel North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE 5 6 Agenda item 3(a) North Ayrshire Council 19 February 2014 IRVINE, 19 February 2014 - At a Meeting of North Ayrshire Council at 2.00 p.m. Present Joan Sturgeon, Robert Barr, John Bell, Matthew Brown, Marie Burns, Ian Clarkson, Anthea Dickson, John Easdale, John Ferguson, Alex Gallagher, Willie Gibson, Tony Gurney, Alan Hill, John Hunter, Elizabeth McLardy, Alex McLean, Catherine McMillan, Peter McNamara, Ronnie McNicol, Ruth Maguire, Tom Marshall, Alan Munro, David O'Neill, Irene Oldfather, Donald Reid and Robert Steel. In Attendance E. Murray, Chief Executive; I. Colvin, Director (North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership); L. Friel, Corporate Director (Finance and Corporate Support); C. Kirk, Corporate Director (Education and Skills); C. Hatton, Corporate Director and A. Savage, Housing Officer (Development and Environment); A. Fraser, Head of Service (Democratic and Administration); C. Andrew, Senior Legal Services Manager; L. McEwan, Communications Manager and A. Woodison, Communications Officer; and M. McKeown, Committee and Members Services Manager (Chief Executive's Service). Chair Provost Sturgeon in the Chair Apologies for Absence Councillors John Bruce, Joe Cullinane, Jean Highgate and Jim Montgomerie. 1. Apologies for Absence Apologies were intimated on behalf of Councillors John Bruce, Joe Cullinane, Jean Highgate and Jim Montgomerie. 2. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest in terms of Standing Order 16 and Section 5 of the Councillors' Code of Conduct. 3. Previous Minutes The accuracy of the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the Council held on 18 December 2013 was confirmed and the minutes signed by the Provost in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. Page 1 7 4. Referral from Planning Committee & Cabinet: Scheme of Delegation for High Hedges Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Development and Environment) on a referral from the Planning Committee and the Cabinet, seeking Council agreement to a change to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers to allow Officers to determine applications in terms of High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013. The Council agreed to approve the amendment to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers to delegate to the Corporate Director (Development & Environment) the determination of any application in respect of the High Hedges (Scotland) Act 2013. 5. Leader's Report The Leader of the Council reported on the following matters:- the official opening on 16 January 2014 of the refurbished sheltered housing units in Currie Court, Ardrossan, which have been specifically designed for 21st Century living; the success of one of the Council's apprentices, Martin Elder, in reaching the finals in the APSE Scottish Housing and Building Maintenance Apprentice of the Year awards, the results of which are awaited; the attendance of the Leader, together with Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, at a briefing on the progress of i3, Irvine's Enterprise area, and the success of the enterprise area in increasing employment by 160 in the first year of designation, with the potential of up to 1,500 more jobs as companies take advantage of the financial incentives, infrastructure and premises available. During the visit the Leader and the Minister had a tour of Oricom, a cutting edge