Public Document Pack Argyll and Bute Council Comhairle Earra Ghaidheal agus Bhoid Corporate and Legal Services Director: Nigel Stewart Kilmory, Lochgilphead, PA31 8RT Tel: 01546 602127 Fax: 01546 604444 DX 599700 LOCHGILPHEAD e.mail –[email protected] 27 August 2002 NOTICE OF MEETING A meeting of ARGYLL & BUTE COUNCIL will be held in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, KILMORY, LOCHGILPHEAD on THURSDAY, 29 AUGUST 2002 at 11:00 AM, which you are requested to attend. Nigel Stewart Director of Corporate and Legal Services BUSINESS 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST (IF ANY) 3. MINUTES (a) Argyll & Bute Council 13 June 2002 (Pages 1 - 4) (b) Argyll & Bute Council 27 June 2002 (Pages 5 - 16) (c) Argyll & Bute Council 15 August 2002 (Pages 17 - 18) 4. MINUTES OF COMMITTEES (a) Strategic Policy Committee (Education) 20 June 2002 (Pages 19 - 22) (b) Strategic Policy Committee 20 June 2002 (Pages 23 - 30) (c) Mid Argyll, Kintyre & Islay Area Committee 24 June 2002 (Pages 31 - 32) (d) Public Services & Licensing Committee 25 June 2002 (Pages 33 - 34) (e) Bute & Cowal Area Committee 2 July 2002 (Pages 35 - 42) (f) Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee 2 July 2002 (Pages 43 - 50) (g) Oban, Lorn & The Isles Area Committee 3 July 2002 (Pages 51 - 60) (h) Mid Argyll, Kintyre & Islay Area Committee 3 July 2002 (Pages 61 - 68) (i) Public Services & Licensing Committee 4 July 2002 (Pages 69 - 72) (j) Bute & Cowal Area Committee 10 July 2002 (Pages 73 - 74) (k) Strategic Policy Committee 18 July 2002 (Pages 75 - 82) * (l) Audit Committee 26 July 2002 (Pages 83 - 86) (m) Bute & Cowal Area Committee 6 August 2002 (Pages 87 - 94) (n) Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee 6 August 2002 (Pages 95 - 106) (o) Mid Argyll, Kintyre & Islay Area Committee 7 August 2002 (Pages 107 - 112) (p) Oban, Lorn & The Isles Area Committee 7 August 2002 (Pages 113 - 120) (q) Public Services & Licensing Committee 14 August 2002 (Pages 121 - 124) (r) Commercial Operations Board 15 August 2002 (Pages 125 - 126) * (s) Strategic Policy Committee (Education) 15 August 2002 (Pages 127 - 132) * (t) Strategic Policy Committee 15 August 2002 (Pages 133 - 140) The above minutes are submitted to the Council for approval of any recommendations on the items which the Committee does not have delegated powers. These items are marked with a *. 5. CHARLES AND BARBARA TYRE TRUST - APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNORS Report by Director of Corporate & Legal Services (PAGES 141 - 142) 6. VACANCIES ON OUTSIDE BODIES Report by Director of Corporate & Legal Services (PAGES 143 - 144) 7. EDUCATION SERVICE - REVENUE BUDGET 2002/2003 Report by Director of Education (PAGES 145 - 152) COUNCIL ALL MEMBERS Contact: Sandra McGlynn Tel 01546 604401 Page 1 Agenda Item 3a MINUTES of MEETING of ARGYLL & BUTE COUNCIL held in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, KILMORY, LOCHGILPHEAD on THURSDAY 13 JUNE 2002 Present: Convener William Petrie (Chair) Councillor Robin Banks Councillor Gordon McKinven Councillor Campbell Cameron Councillor Donald MacMillan Councillor Robin Currie Councillor James McQueen Councillor George Freeman Councillor Bruce Robertson Councillor Ian Gillies Councillor Len Scoullar Councillor Bruce Marshall Councillor Moyra Stewart Councillor Allan Macaskill Councillor Dick Walsh Councillor Alistair MacDougall Councillor David Webster Councillor Duncan MacIntyre Councillor Robert MacIntyre Councillor Dugald MacKinnon Attending: James McLellan, Chief Executive Nigel Stewart, Director of Corporate & Legal Services Judy Orr, Finance Bruce West, Finance Apologies: Councillor Alasdair Blair Councillor Stanley Latimer Councillor Brian Chennell Councillor Ellen Morton Councillor Paul Coleshill Councillor Donald McIntosh Councillor Douglas Currie Councillor Alistair McKinlay Councillor John Findlay Councillor John Stirling Councillor Alison Hay Councillor Isobel Strong Councillor Donald Kelly Councillor Eric Thompson Councillor Ronald Kinloch Councillor Sheila Wilson 1. SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE:REPORT OF INQUIRY INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE The Council considered the Scottish Parliament Local Government Committee’s report on Local Government Finance. In that connection they also considered a discussion paper prepared for the Council by Professor Arthur Midwinter of Strathclyde University. Decision (1) The Council agreed to respond to the Local Government Committee’s report in the terms below: 1. The balance between central and local funding and the return of non-domestic rating to council control The Council is not convinced that shifting the present 80:20 balance of funding to Page 2 50:50 and the return of non-domestic rating to council control , is necessary. It felt this arrangement would also blur accountability, and is concerned to protect council tax payers from further increases to achieve such a balance. The Council supports the continuation of the present arrangements. 2. Council Tax Revision The Council recognises the need for revaluation to provide a robust basis for the council tax. It also supports the proposal to extend the range of bands, but wishes the system kept as simple as possible, based on clearly distinguishable and defensible bandings and those bandings at the top end should be extended further to recognise the growing number of highly valued properties in Scotland. The Council also supported the proposal that second homes should be fully subject to council tax. 3. Additional Sources of Revenue The Council agrees with the committee that land value taxation, local income tax, local sales tax and a service tax should not be introduced at this time. The Council also recommends the Parliament take full cognisance of the integration of council tax benefit with the national security system in its deliberation of alternatives in the future, if these are considered as replacements for council tax. 4. Grant Distribution The Council welcomes the recommendation for a review of grant distribution, with the intention of developing a simpler system. It has a few reservations regarding the grant proposals. Firstly, whilst supportive of the general principle of reducing specific grants, and ring fenced monies, there can be benefits in particular services, such as Gaelic, where the retention of specific grant could be crucial to ensuring the service develops. Secondly, the Council would dispute the need for yet another review of deprivation weightings in the grant system . There have been extensive reviews in recent years which have not suggested that deprivation is under resourced. Moreover, the methodology used is based on expenditure data and consistently fails to capture the distinctive feature of rural deprivation, in terms of accessibility of services, high living costs and low paid employment. 5. Capital Finance The Council is supportive of the principle of replacing Section 94 Consent with a system based on prudential rules, but could not support this change until it sees the implications for revenue support funding of capital expenditure. 6. Business Improvement Districts The Council is not convinced there would be any great interest in such a scheme within the business community. Page 3 7. Fees and Charges The Council supports the recommendation for extending the powers of councils to set fees and charges for discretionary services. (2) It was further agreed as an issue separate from the response that the Director of Finance submit a report to Council on issues concerning the taxing of sporting rights on large estates. (Ref. Report by Director of Finance submitted to Strategic Policy Committee on 18 April 2002, submitted, Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations of Local Government Committee Report, submitted, Report by Dr Arthur Midwinter, submitted) Page 4 Page 5 Agenda Item 3b ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL MINUTES of MEETING of ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL held in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, KILMORY, LOCHGILPHEAD on THURSDAY, 27 JUNE 2002 Present: Convener William Petrie (Chair) Councillor Campbell Cameron Councillor Duncan MacIntyre Councillor Brian Chennell Councillor Dugie MacKinnon Councillor Paul Coleshill Councillor Alastair McKinlay Councillor Douglas Currie Councillor Donald McIntosh Councillor Robin Currie Councillor Gordon McKinven Councillor John Findlay Councillor Donnie MacMillan Councillor George Freeman Councillor James McQueen Councillor Alison Hay Councillor Bruce Robertson Councillor Donald Kelly Councillor Len Scoullar Councillor Stanley Latimer Councillor Moyra Stewart Councillor Bruce Marshall Councillor John Stirling Councillor Ellen Morton Councillor Isobel Strong Councillor Allan Macaskill Councillor Eric Thompson Councillor Alistair MacDougall Councillor Dick Walsh Councillor David Webster Councillor Sheila Wilson Apologies: Councillor Robin Banks Councillor Ronald Kinloch Councillor Alasdair Blair Councillor Robert Macintyre Councillor Ian Gillies Attending: James McLellan, Chief Executive Nigel Stewart, Director of Corporate & Legal Services Stewart McGregor, Director of Finance Archie Morton, Director of Education Mike Geraghty, Head of Capital Funding, Education Bruce West, Head of Accounting Alan MacDonald, Head of Roads Andy Law, Head of Property & Facilities Management Seamus Lalor, Head of Economic Development, Tourism & Leisure Jane Brown (for item 13) Sandra Shanks (for item 13) Alexandra Montgomery (for item 13) The Convener accepted the gift of a picture presented to Councillor Bruce Marshall at the Clan Ewan Society Annual Gathering on 1 June 2002 in Hunter’s Quay. The Convener thanked Councillor Marshall and asked that the picture be