ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL MINUTES of MEETING of DEVELOPMENT & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE held in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, KILMORY, LOCHGILPHEAD on WEDNESDAY, 23 AUGUST 2000 Present: Councillor Robin Banks (In the Chair) Councillor Campbell Cameron Councillor Ellen Morton Councillor Paul Coleshill Councillor William Petrie Councillor John Findlay Councillor Bruce Robertson Councillor George Freeman Councillor Moyra Stewart Councillor Alison Hay Councillor Isobel Strong Councillor Ronald Kinloch Councillor Eric Thompson Councillor Stanley Latimer Councillor Sheila Wilson Councillor Allan Macaskill Councillor David Webster(did Councillor Archie McCallum not attend afternoon meeting) Councillor Alistair McKinlay Councillor Bruce Marshall Also Present: Councillor Douglas Currie Councillor Robert Macintyre Councillor Ian Gillies Councillor Donald MacMillan Councillor Donald McIntosh Councillor James McQueen Attending: George Harper, Director of Development & Environment Services Andy Law, Head of Amenity & Direct Services Angus Gilmour, Head of Development & Building Control Seamus Lalor, Head of Economic Development, Tourism & Leisure Stewart McGregor, Director of Finance Charles Reppke, Head of Democratic & Community Services Apologies: Councillor Elspeth McTaggart Councillor Len Scoullar 1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillor Banks declared an interest in item 6 (Landfill Tax Support To Environmental Bodies) and item 12 (Funding For Royal National Mod 2003 Oban- Centenary Mod) of the agenda. Councillor Petrie declared an interest in item 7 (Request by Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Interim National Park Committee to defer decision making on Forestry/Planting Consultative Applications), of the agenda. Councillor Hay declared an interest in item 21 (Mr & Mrs J Bevan – Demolition of Derelict Barn, Erection of 1½ Storey Dwellinghouse, Erection of Detached Garage and Oil Storage Tank at Barfad, Ardfern (Ref: 00/00535/DET) of the agenda. 2. NOTICE OF MOTION UNDER STANDING ORDER 14 The Chairman advised that in terms of Standing Order 14 the following Notice of Motion by Councillor Marshall, seconded by Councillor Douglas Currie had been received for consideration as a matter of urgency. The Council notes:- - That there has been a ban on trawling boats in the Holy Loch for at least 70 years - The River Echaig and Loch Eck remains one of the few river systems on the west coast with reasonable levels of salmon and sea trout breeding stocks - That the local economy benefits to excess of £150,000 per annum from recreational fishing on the Echaig In the interests of conserving these breeding stocks, and of the local tourism economy, the Council calls on the Scottish Executive Minister for Rural Affairs to co- ordinate with other relevant UK Government Departments, including the Ministry of Defence, in relation to their activities or interests in respect of marine access to the Holy Loch in order that the ban on access by trawling and netting boats within the limits of the Holy Loch after the current clean up operation of the loch has been completed is maintained. The Chairman ruled that he considered the Motion was urgent by reasons of the need to bring this matter to the Scottish Executive and other UK Government Departments including the Ministry of Defence’s attention. The Committee agreed to consider the Motion and this is dealt with at item 20 of this Minute. 3. MINUTE The Committee approved the Minute of their meeting of 24 May 2000 as a correct record subject to the item referred to in the last line of the first page being amended from 16 to 18. The Committee resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 9 of Part I of Schedule 7a to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 4. WASTE MANAGEMENT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP – FINAL SPECIFICATION AND TENDERING PROCESS The Head of Amenity Services submitted a report advising Members of the recommended items for inclusion in a Best and Final Offer specification to be issued to the contractor as the final tendering part of the Waste Management Public Private Partnership Contract. The report advised of a revision to the Council’s estimate of likely costs obtained by updating the Public Sector Comparator figures and examined consequential issues around the PPP process with regard to time-tabling of the work and budgetary implications. Decision: 1. To approve the broad terms of the specification of work to be carried out as outlined in appendix 1 of the Head of Amenity Services’ report dated 20 July 2000. 2. To note the potential change to the overall cost of the project and the Council’s affordability gap between current resources and the expected costs of the project outlined in appendix 2 of the Head of Amenity Services’ report dated 20 July 2000. 3. To note the potential effect on the Revenue Budget of the changes in service provision to the Islands of Coll and Colonsay and that the relevant Area Committees be appraised of the particulars of the service changes in due course. 4. To request the Head of Amenity Services to submit a report on costs to a future meeting of this Committee. (Reference: Report by the Head of Amenity Services dated 20 July 2000, submitted) The Press and Public re-joined the Meeting. 5. AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL BEST PRACTICE The Head of Amenity Services submitted a report dated 9 August 2000 advising that the Council had submitted an application for an Award Scheme run by the Green Organisation, which is sponsored by the Municipal Journal, EMP Contract Publishing and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. He advised that the Award Scheme for Environmental Best Practice was run on an nation wide basis and winners were given “Green Apple Awards”. Decision: 1. To note the award to the Council of the top prize for Scottish Local Authorities, a crystal Green Apple for its activities in conjunction with other partners in recycling. 2. The Chairman congratulated the Head of Amenity Services and his staff on their success and acknowledged the part played by the people of Argyll & Bute in committing themselves to recycling. Thereafter the Chairman accepted the Award on behalf of the Council. (Reference: Report by the Head of Amenity Services dated 9 August 2000, submitted). The Chairman having previously declared an interest in the following item due to his interest in the Waste Management Group, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory vacated the Chair and left the room and Vice-Chairman Latimer took the Chair. 6. LANDFILL TAX SUPPORT TO ENVIRONMENTAL BODIES The Committee had previously been advised that the Council is able to rebate up to 25% of its liability for Landfill Tax to approved Environmental Bodies (as defined in the guidance on the tax issues by HM Customs & Excise) for purposes linked to improvement of the environment. The Committee had previously considered the terms of the rebate provisions and instructed that reports be brought to this Committee following an advertising process to interested parties. The Head of Amenity Services submitted a report dated 14 July 2000 requesting the Committee to consider projects which have a council wide impact and advised the four Area Committees would consider projects with more localised issues. The Head of Services’ report made recommendations on awards of rebate and also considered the future payment of Landfill Tax should the Council enter into a contract under the Waste Management Public Private Partnership. Decision: 1. To agree to make the following payments from Landfill Tax Rebates generated during the current financial year:- Recipient – 2000/2001 Amount Campbeltown Waste Watchers £17,900 Group for Recycling In Argyll & Bute £25,250 Green Light Environmental £16,150 Loch Awe Improvement Association £2,000 The Argyll & Bute Trust £6,000 Waste Management Group, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory £9,198 2. It was agreed that the Head of Amenity Services would submit a report on Greenlight Environmental activities to Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee in October 2000. 3. To agree that the Award of Landfill Tax on an area basis be considered this financial year by all Area Committees except Helensburgh & Lomond where other arrangements are made with a private landfill site operator and where a report on the expenditure for Landfill Tax by that operator will be brought forward to that Committee. 4. To agree the Awards made in decision 1 above will be subject to a pro rata adjustment as the availability of rebate income due to over or under funding takes place. 5. To agree that the forthcoming Waste Management PPP should seek to ensure that environmental bodies operating in Argyll & Bute will gain as much benefit as possible from the continuation of rebate from Landfill Tax Awards. (Reference: Report by the Head of Amenity Services dated 14 July 2000, submitted). Councillor Banks resumed the Chair. Councillor Petrie having declared an interest in the following item left the room. 7. REQUEST BY LOCH LOMOND & THE TROSSACHS INTERIM NATIONAL PARK COMMITTEE TO DEFER DECISION MAKING ON FORESTRY/PLANTING CONSULTATIVE APPLICATIONS The Director of Development & Environment Services submitted a report dated 31 July 2000 advising that he had received a request from the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Interim Park Committee to consider deferring the Council’s role as Statutory Consultee on all significant forestry planting and felling application consultations to the Interim Committee. The effect and consequences of acceding to this request were considered in the Director’s report. Motion: To agree 1. That the Park Authority be consulted on all consultations received from the Forestry Commission, within the Park boundary. 2. That the Council give the Park Authority 14 days to respond to the consultation. If no written response is received within 14 days then it would be assumed the Park Authority had no objections 3.