MINUTES of MEETING of STIRLING COUNCIL Held in the COUNCIL CHAMBERS, OLD VIEWFORTH, STIRLING on THURSDAY 19 MAY 2011 at 6.30 Pm
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STIRLING COUNCIL MINUTES of MEETING of STIRLING COUNCIL held in the COUNCIL CHAMBERS, OLD VIEWFORTH, STIRLING on THURSDAY 19 MAY 2011 at 6.30 pm Present: Provost Fergus WOOD (in the Chair) Councillor Neil BENNY Councillor Graham LAMBIE Councillor Alistair BERRILL Councillor Alasdair MacPHERSON Councillor Margaret BRISLEY Councillor Corrie McCHORD Councillor Ian BROWN Councillor Colin O’BRIEN Councillor Callum CAMPBELL Councillor Paul OWENS Councillor Scott FARMER Councillor Steven PATERSON Councillor Tony FFINCH Councillor Graham REED Councillor Colin FINLAY Councillor Andrew SIMPSON Councillor David GOSS Depute Convenor Jim THOMSON Councillor John HENDRY Councillor Violet WEIR Councillor Graham HOUSTON In Attendance: Donald Balsillie, Land Services Team Leader (Countryside), Roads, Transport & Open Space Jim Boyle, Chief Accountant, Finance & Procurement Michael Boyle, Business Support Manager, Education Tony Cain, Head of Housing Claire Dunbar, Committee Officer, Governance Liz Duncan, Acting Solicitor to the Council (Clerk) Lynne Gibbons, Service Manager (Adult Learning & Culture), Communities & Culture Bob Gil, Head of Assets, Property & Facilities Management Les Goodfellow, Head of Roads, Transport & Open Space Janice Hewitt, Assistant Chief Executive (Care, Health & Wellbeing) Bob Jack, Chief Executive Linda Kinney, Assistant Chief Executive (Learning, Empowerment & Citizenship) Rebecca Maxwell, Assistant Chief Executive (Sustainability, Economy & Environment) Katy Oliver, Team Leader (Marketing & Communications), Chief Executive’s Office Kevin Robertson, Head of Planning, Regulation & Waste Robert Ruthven, Library & Archives Service Manager, Communities & Culture Willie Watson, Head of Finance & Procurement Apologies: Apologies for absence had been received on behalf of Hazel McMorrow, Head of Governance & Clerk to the Council, John Risk, Head of Improvement & Customer Service and Kathleen Taylor, Head of Communities & Culture. Prior to the formal commencement of proceedings, the Provost, on behalf of the Council, congratulated members of staff from the Chief Executive’s Office who had been awarded a CoSLA Excellence Bronze Award jointly with Fife and Clackmannanshire Councils for their Corporate Performance Management System Procurement project. He also congratulated the Adult Learning Team who had been awarded an Adult Learners’ Week Award, along with colleagues from Portugal, Spain and Austria, for their project on breaking down personal, social and cultural barriers to learning and who had been commended by Scotland's Learning Partnership for the innovative and progressive nature of the project. S683 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillor Alasdair MacPherson took advice from the Clerk and it was noted that as a member of CND he did not require to declare an interest in Agenda Item 7 (Mayors for Peace). Councillors Paul Owens and Steven Paterson declared an interest in Item 10 (Stirling District Tourism Limited etc) as they had been appointed by the Council as Directors of the SDT Board. This was noted. Councillors John Hendry, Graham Reed and Jim Thomson declared an interest in Item 12 (Investing in New Affordable Housing – Innovation and Investment Fund Bid) as they had been appointed by the Council as Directors of Raploch URC. This was also noted. Councillor Graham Lambie declared an interest in Item E16 (Land Acquisition at Kildean, Stirling) as he was an employee of STEP and agreed to leave the Chambers during consideration of this item. Councillors Scott Farmer and Callum Campbell also declared an interest in Item E16 as they had been appointed by the Council as Directors of SDA. Councillor John Hendry declared an interest as he had been appointed by the Council as a Director of CSBP. These declarations of interest were noted. SC684 URGENT BUSINESS There was no urgent business. SC685 MINUTES The following Minutes were submitted for approval:- a. Stirling Council – 17 and 18 March 2011 Decision The Minutes of the Meeting of Stirling Council held across 17 and 18 March 2011 were approved as a correct record of the proceedings. b. Appeals Panel – 26 April 2011 Decision The Minutes of the Meeting of the Appeals Panel held on 26 April 2011 were approved as a correct record of the proceedings. c. Local Review Body – 21 April 2011 Decision The Minutes of the Meeting of Local Review Body held on 21 April 2011 were approved as a correct record of the proceedings. SC686 WRITTEN QUESTIONS One written question had been received in terms of Standing Order 36. The question and answer are attached at Appendix 1 to these Minutes. The Member who had put the written question was allowed one supplementary question and the supplementary question and answer are also included in Appendix 1. S687 QUESTION TIME In terms of Standing Order 43, Members had the opportunity to put questions to the Provost, the Leader of the Council, any Executive Member with relevant responsibility or Scrutiny Committee Chair or Chair of any other Committee or Panel as appropriate regarding any business included in the Volume of Minutes circulated with the agenda for the meeting. The following question was put:- Volume Page 118153, Minutes of Special Meeting of the Petitions Panel held on 17 March 2011, Item PT22 (Petitions Update – Allotments Consultation) Councillor Ian Brown advised that the person charged with taking the Allotments Project forward within Braehead & District Community Council had now resigned along with some other members of the Community Council and he was anxious to ensure that the monies granted by Scottish Government for the project were not lost. The Portfolio Holders for Empowerment & Citizenship and Environment & Sustainability shared Councillor Brown’s concern and agreed to try to ensure that the monies allocated to Braehead & District Community Council to work on the allotment proposal would not be lost as a result of the recent resignations from the Community Council. SC688 MAYORS FOR PEACE At a special meeting of the Petitions Panel held on 17 March 2011 (PT21 refers) a valid Petition entitled “Mayors for Peace”, which was supported by citizens, had been submitted for the Panel’s consideration. The Petition called on the Council to join and participate in the international network Mayors for Peace, which expressed the solidarity of cities across the world that sought the abolition of nuclear weapons. It was reported that there were different levels of participation in the organisation and that Mayors for Peace worked closely with the United Nations and had approximately 4,500 members across 150 countries, including a number of Scottish local authorities. There was no financial obligation to members of the organisation. After considering the petition and the representations from the Principal Petitioner and representatives from Stirling CND, the Panel had agreed: 1. to recommend to the Council meeting scheduled for 19 May 2011 that Stirling Council joins the Mayors for Peace organisation; 2. subject to the approval of decision 1 above, that it be remitted to the Provost’s Panel to manage any communication received with regard to media coverage and any request for the Council’s notepaper to include reference to nuclear free Stirling. Motion “That the Council approves recommendation 1, i.e. that Stirling Council joins the Mayors for Peace organisation, but does not approve recommendation 2.” Moved by Councillor Corrie McChord, seconded by Councillor Colin O’Brien Amendment Councillor Alistair Berrill, seconded by Councillor Tony Ffinch moved the Direct Negative On the roll being called the Members present voted as follows:- For the Motion (19) Councillor Neil Benny Councillor Margaret Brisley Councillor Ian Brown Councillor Scott Farmer Councillor Colin Finlay Councillor David Goss Councillor John Hendry Councillor Graham Houston Councillor Graham Lambie Councillor Alasdair MacPherson Councillor Corrie McChord Councillor Colin O’Brien Councillor Paul Owens Councillor Steven Paterson Councillor Graham Reed Councillor Andrew Simpson Depute Convener Jim Thomson Councillor Violet Weir Provost Fergus Wood Against the Motion (3) Councillor Alistair Berrill Councillor Callum Campbell Councillor Tony Ffinch Decision The Motion was carried by 19 votes to 3 and accordingly the Council agreed that Stirling Council would join the Mayors for Peace organisation. (Reference: Extract from Minutes of Special Meeting of the Petitions Panel held on 17 March 2011, submitted). SC689 HOGMANAY The Executive at its meeting on 21 April 2011 had considered a report by the Head of Communities & Culture which set out proposals to develop a best value approach to the delivery of the Hogmanay event until 31 December 2014, highlighting ways in which it might be possible to increase income from the event and maximise benefits to the local economy, stressing the importance of early decision making and recognising the importance of the Hogmanay events in the celebrations for 2014. The Executive had agreed to refer the report to the Council for decision. The Provost advised that he had today received a, as yet unverified, petition from over 400 local citizens and a letter from a brewery with 7 licensed premises around the city centre supporting the retention of the Hogmanay event. In debating this issue, Members considered:- • The cost of running the event • The need to get accurate statistics on its impact on tourism and the local economy • Whether local businesses would be prepared to provide sponsorship Motion “That the Council agrees:- 1. to approve the