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EDI N BVRG H THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL Committee Minutes The City of Edinburgh Council Year 2007/2008 Meeting 3 - Thursday 28 June 2007 Edinburgh, 28 June 2007 - At a meeting of The City of Edinburgh Council. Present:- LORD PROVOST The Right Honourable George Grubb COUNCILLORS Elaine Aitken Louise Lang Ewan Aitken Jim Lowrie Robert C Aldridge Gordon Mackenzie Jeremy R Balfour Kate MacKenzie Eric Barry Marilyne A MacLaren David Beckett Elizabeth Maginnis Angela Blacklock Mark Mclnnes Mike Bridgman Stuart Roy Mclvor Deidre Brock Tim McKay Gordon Buchan Eric Milligan Tom Buchanan Elaine Morris Steve Burgess Joanna Mowat Andrew Burns Rob Munn Ronald Cairns Gordon J Munro Steve Cardownie tan Murray Maggie Chapman Alastair Paisley Maureen M Child Gary Peacock Jennifer A Dawe Ian Perry Charles Dundas Cameron Rose Paul G Edie Jason G Rust Nick Elliott-Cannon Conor Snowden Paul Godzik Marjorie Thomas Norma Hart Joanna Toomey Stephen Hawkins Stefan Tymkewycz Ricky Henderson Phil Wheeler Lesley Hinds lain Whyte Allan G Jackson Donald Wilson Alison Johnstone Norrie Work Colin Keir 2 The City of Edinburgh Council 28June2007 1 The Quality Standard Award The Lord Provost and members of the Council congratulated two schools in achieving the Quality Standard Award in the most recent round of applications. The award was a benchmark of the highest standards in school education. The Lord Provost presented the following schools with the award to recognise the schools’ success in each of their chosen areas: Name of School Why they Won the Award Calderglen Nursery School Community Links, Eco School and Physical Activity and Sport Kirkliston Nursery School Eco School, Enterprise Education and International Education (Reference - report no CEC/30/07-08/C&F by the Director of Children and Families, submitted.) 2 Deputations (a) Edinburgh Railway Action Group Harold Nicolson explained the reasons for the Group’s campaign for the reopening of the suburban railway line in Edinburgh. He urged the Council to reconsider the proposals for the tram network and to support a rail link to Edinburgh Airport The Council considered emergency motions on this matter later in the meeting (see item 43). Following questions from members, the Lord Provost thanked the deputation for its presentation. (Reference - letter dated 12 June 2007, submitted.) (b) Unite the Clubs for Better Sports Facilities for Our Youth The Unite the Clubs Forum had been formed to call for much-needed improvements in the standards of community-based sports facilities and pitches. A submission had been circulated to members of the Council which highlighted the Forum’s concerns. The deputation asked the Council to raise the priority of sports pavilions in the city and to consider appointing a ‘champion’ to oversee this issue. 3 The City of Edinburgh Council 28June2007 Following questions from members, the Lord Provost thanked the deputation for its presentation. (Reference - letter from Unite the Clubs dated 21 June 2007, submitted.) (c) Flora Stevenson Primary School Board - Building Work The Lord Provost ruled that the following item, notice of which had been given at the beginning of the meeting, be considered as a matter of urgency in order that it be considered timeously. The School Board explained that work on improvements to the school, which had been sought for over 15 years, had been put on hold. They had been advised that this was due to the Council’s strategic review of school provision and the fact that tenders received for the contract were over budget. The deputation urged the Council to complete the assessment of the tenders as a matter of urgency, to take the school out of the strategic review and to proceed with the building work. The School Board supported the emergency motion on the matter which would be considered later on the agenda (see item 44 below). Following questions from members, the Lord Provost thanked the deputation for its presentation. Reference - e-mail from the School Board dated 26 June 2007, submitted .) (d) UNISON - Budget Issues John Ross expressed the concern of all the trade unions representing Council staff on the proposals to address the overspend on the Council’s Revenue Budget 2007/08 (see item 14 below). This overspend, coupled with the Scottish Executive7sproposal not to increase Council Tax in 2008, had led to concern on how the Council would deal with pay increases, equal pay, single status, etc. There had been no discussion with the unions on the proposals and, whilst acknowledging that there were major issues surrounding budget pressures, the deputation asked the Council to recognise that the unions had a clear responsibility to look after their members and therefore to open dialogue with them before making decisions on this issue. Following questions from members, the Lord Provost thanked the deputation for its presentation. (Reference - e-mail from UNISON dated 27 June 2007, submitted.) 4 The City of Edinburgh Council 28 June 2007 (e) Canongate Community Forum The Lord Provost ruled that the following item, notice of which had been given at the beginning of the meeting, be considered as a matter of urgency in order that it be considered timeously. Julie Logan raised the Forum’s concerns over the proposed Caltongate development and asked the Council: 0 to review the sale of land at East Market Street, which included common good land; to review inter-divisional communication procedures in the City Development Department; and to abandon the new City Plan to allow input from the new Neighbourhood Partnerships in the development of new development plans. Following questions from members, the Lord Provost thanked the deputation for its presentation. (Reference - e-mail dated 28 June 2007, submitted.) 3 Questions Questions put by members to this meeting, written answers and supplementary questions and answers, are contained in Appendix 1 to this minute. 4 Minutes Decision 1) To approve the minutes of the meetings of the Council of 26 April and 17 May 2007, as submitted, as a correct record. 2) To approve the minute of the meeting of the Council of 24 May 2007, as submitted, as a correct record subject to adjustments to Appendix 3, as follows: Item 65, John Watson Trust - substitute Councillor Ewan Aitken (L) for Councillor Elaine Aitken (C). Note IO), National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection (Scottish Division) - substitute “seconded by Councillor Burgess” for “ se co nd ed by C o u nc i IIo r J oh nstone”. 5 The City of Edinburgh Council 28June2007 5 Appointments to Outside Bodies The Council was invited to make nominations to a number of outside bodies. (a) Edinburgh Community Health Partnership (ECHP) To nominate Councillor Buchanan. - moved by Councillor Dawe, seconded by Councillor Cardownie To nominate Councillor Hart. - moved by Councillor Ewan Aitken, seconded by Councillor Maginnis (on behalf of the Labour Group). Voting The voting was as follows: Councillor Buchanan - 33 votes Councillor Hart - 18 votes Decision To nominate Councillor Buchanan to ECHP (b) Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) - Appointment of Chair To appoint Councillor Aldridge. - moved by Councillor Dawe, seconded by Councillor Cardownie To appoint Councillor Maginnis. - moved by Councillor Ewan Aitken, seconded by Councillor Hart (on behalf of the Labour Group). Voting The voting was as follows: Councillor Aldridge - 32 votes Councillor Maginnis - 15 votes Decision To appoint Councillor Aldridge as Chair of EICC. 6 The City of Edinburgh Council 28 June 2007 (c) Waterfront Edinburgh Limited - Appointment of Chair Decision To appoint Councillor Cardownie as Chair of Waterfront Edinburgh Limited. (d) OneCity Limited - Advisory Committee Decision To nominate the Lord Provost and Councillors Dawe and Work to the Advisory Committee of OneCity Limited. (e) Pilton Partnership Decision To note that the Pilton Partnership had changed its constitution and no longer required elected members on its Board. (f) ED1 Limited Decision To nominate Councillor Balfour to ED1 Limited in place of Councillor Rose. (9) Pacific Shelf 825 Limited Decision To nominate Councillor Lowrie to Pacific Shelf 825 Limited. (h) SEStran - Depute Members Decision To agree that depute members of SEStran be nominated by the same party groups as the substantive members and to approve nominations as follows: Councillor Dundas Councillor Hawkins Councillor Munn Councillor Child Councillor Jackson 7 The City of Edinburgh Council 28June2007 (i) Torness Local Liaison Committee Decision To nominate Councillor Hawkins to Torness Local Liaison Committee. (i) Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian (SEE&L) The Council had been invited to nominate up to three members to Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian (SEE&L) from which SEE&L would choose one member. Motion To make only one nomination to SEE&L. - moved by Councillor Dawe, seconded by Councillor Cardownie Amendment To nominate up to three members to SEE&L. - moved by Councillor Ewan Aitken, seconded by Councillor Hart (on behalf of the Labour Group). Voting The voting was as follows: For the motion - 29 votes For the amendment - 29 votes There being an equal number of votes for the motion and the amendment, the Lord Provost used his casting vote in favour of the motion. Decision To approve the motion by Councillor Dawe Nomination to SEE&L To nominate Councillor Buchanan. - moved by Councillor Dawe, seconded by Councillor Cardownie 8 The City of Edinburgh Council 28 June 2007 To nominate Councillor Maginnis. - moved by Councillor Ewan Aitken, seconded by Councillor Hart (on behalf of the Labour Group). Voting The voting was as follows: Councillor Buchanan - 29 votes Councillor Maginnis - 15 votes Decision To nominate Councillor Buchanan to SEE&L. (References - Act of Council No 3 of 24 May 2007; report no CEC/09/07-08/CS by the Director of Corporate Services, submitted.) Declaration of Interests Councillor Buchan declared a financial interest in the above item (para (h)) as an employee of a company undertaking contracts for SEStran and left the Chamber during the debate on the matter.