SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL MINUTE of MEETING of the SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL held in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS, NEWTOWN ST. BOSWELLS on 24 January 2008 at 10:00 a.m. --------------------------------- Present:- Councillors A. H. Hutton (Convener), R. Smith, S. Aitchison, W. Archibald, C. Bhatia, J. Brown, N. Calvert, M. J. Cook, V. M. Davidson, Z. Elliot, J. A. Fullarton, G. H. T. Garvie, K. Gunn, B. Herd, J. B. Houston, J. Hume, T. Jones, F. K. J. Lackenby, G. Logan, S. Marshall, J. G. Mitchell, D. Moffat, A. J. Nicol, D. Parker, J. Paton-Day, D. Raw, F. Renton, C. Riddell-Carre, G. Turnbull, N. Watson, T. Weatherston, L. Wyse Apologies:- Councillors D. Paterson, S. Scott In Attendance:- Chief Executive, Director of Corporate Resources, Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, Director of Planning and Economic Development, Director of Technical Services, Head of Corporate Administration, Head of Legal Services, Head of Housing and Social Work Strategy. ---------------------------------------- CONGRATULATIONS 1. The Convener offered the Council’s congratulations to :- (a) Eilidh Hunter, Glendinning Primary School for winning the Chinese New Year Dragon Festival Poster Competition and Callum McGuire of Balmoral Primary School and Kaitlin Borthwick of Drumlanrig St. Cuthberts Primary School who were second and third respectively ; (b) the Social Care and Health Section of Social Work for achieving Investors in People; and (c) Michelle Ballantyne, Fiona Nicholson and Jean Robertson for the award of £524,066 from the Big Lottery to support teenagers in the Borders with drug misuse and alcohol problems. DECISION AGREED that congratulations be passed to those concerned. MINUTE 2. The Minute of the Meeting of 13 December 2007 was considered. DECISION (a) NOTED that in Appendix II the reply to the second question from Councillor Moffat had been “yes” to part one and “no” to part two and that the reply contained in the Minute had been to a supplementary question. (b) APPROVED and signed by the Convener. COMMITTEE MINUTES 3. The Minutes of the following Committees had been circulated:- Eildon Area 19 November 2007 Teviot & Liddesdale Area 20 November 2007 Teviot & Liddesdale Area 3 December 2007 Education Executive 4 December 2007 Executive 4 December 2007 Scrutiny 6 December 2007 Planning and Building Standards 10 December 2007 Audit 17 December 2007 Eildon Area 17 December 2007 Tweeddale Area 17 December 2007 Executive 18 December 2007 Scrutiny 20 December 2007 DECISION APPROVED the Minutes and the recommendations contained therein. OPEN QUESTIONS 4. The questions submitted by Councillors Brown, Gunn and Watson were answered DECISION NOTED the replies as detailed in Appendix I to this Minute. GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC STRATEGY 5. There had been circulated copies of a report by the Director of Planning and Economic Development outlining the key elements of the recently published Government Economic Strategy and how these might affect Scottish Borders Council. With reference to this and the two subsequent reports on the Agenda, the Chief Executive emphasised that economic development was a corporate issue for the whole Council, rather than for Planning and Economic Development alone. The report explained that the Strategy was a major policy statement from the new Scottish Government which made sustainable economic growth the central purpose of all public sector activity. It recognised the importance of a wide range of government activities in supporting economic development and made it clear that local authorities were to take forward economic development at a local level. DECISION AGREED:- (a) to note the publication of the Government Economic Strategy; and (b) that further consideration be given on how to reflect the Government’s purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth in appropriate Council plans and programmes. STRATEGIC CHANGES TO SCOTTISH ENTERPRISE AND VISITSCOTLAND 6. There had been circulated copies of a report by the Director of Planning and Economic Development on the recently announced strategic changes to the Scottish Enterprise Network and VisitScotland. The report explained that the Scottish Government had announced that both bodies would be reorganised on a regional basis from 1 April 2008. The current 13 Local Enterprise Company areas were to be replaced by 5 regions, with the Scottish Borders being part of the South of Scotland Region along with Dumfries and Galloway Council area, and Scottish Enterprise would be represented locally by a Regional Office rather than the LEC. The report outlined the key changes in terms of the provision of services, some of which would become the responsibility of the Council, and the issues involved. However, it was unclear at present what exactly would transfer from Scottish Enterprise, as the details were still being negotiated at a national level, with local authorities being represented by COSLA. VisitScotland was also to be reorganised on a similar basis. The report concluded that these changes would result in the loss of two key Scottish Borders entities that had played a significant role in developing and supporting the local economy, and would lead to a reduction in support for economic development in the area and a diminished profile for the Scottish Borders. It was crucial that adequate resources were transferred, as well as responsibilities, if the Council’s existing services were not to be adversely affected. It was noted in particular that these changes would make local authorities responsible for local economic development. VOTE Councillor Davidson, seconded by Councillor Riddell-Carre, moved that the recommendations contained in the report be approved. Councillor Mitchell, seconded by Councillor Brown, moved as an amendment that recommendation (b) “that the Council record its concern over the poor communication and lack of clarity following the ‘change’ announcement” be deleted. On a show of hands Members voted as follows:- MOTION - 26 AMENDMENT - 6 The Motion was accordingly carried. DECISION DECIDED:- (a) to note the proposed changes in relation to Scottish Enterprise and VisitScotland and make strong representations to the Scottish Government in relation to the impact on the economy of the Scottish Borders; (b) that the Council record its concern over the poor communication and lack of clarity following the ‘change’ announcement; (c) to note the requirement for the Council to take on new responsibilities and that a further report would be presented once the details of the new responsibilities and financial implications were available; and (d) that a report be prepared on the future strategic options for the Council. CORPORATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 7. There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Executive on the proposed establishment of a Scottish Borders Council Economic Development Programme in response to the Government Economic Strategy and the strategic changes to the Scottish Enterprise Network and VisitScotland. The report explained that in light of the significant changes that were taking place in relation to economic development in the Scottish Borders, the preparation of a formal Economic Development Programme would leave the Council in a better position to deal with the challenges this presented. The appendix to the report set out how the Programme Board would operate and its scope. The Chief Executive again emphasised the importance of economic development being dealt with on a corporate basis by all departments. VOTE Councillor Davidson, seconded by Councillor Riddell-Carre moved that the recommendations in the report be approved and that membership of the Member/Officer Group be restricted in the first instance to members of the Administration. Councillor Watson, seconded by Councillor Moffat, moved as an amendment that membership of the Group should be from all parties. On a show of hands Members voted as follows:- MOTION - 24 AMENDMENT - 8 The Motion was accordingly carried. DECISION DECIDED:- (a) to establish a corporate Economic Development Programme; (b) to establish a Member/Officer Working Group to facilitate strategic input from elected Members into the proposed programme; (c) that this Group be chaired by Councillor Davidson with Councillor Riddell-Carre as Vice-Chairman, with the remaining members being drawn from the Administration in the first instance. MOTIONS BY COUNCILLOR MOFFAT 8. The first Motion lodged by Councillor Moffat and detailed on the agenda in the following terms was moved by Councillor Moffat and seconded by Councillor Herd:- “This Council believes that with Gas and Electricity Prices set to rise by 27% and Scottish Borders Council being at the forefront of promoting health and wellbeing in the Borders, that this Council should give a commitment to Support B.R.E.S.T. in Duns, Berwickshire in providing a first-class service to our community, and that Scottish Borders Council give B.R.E.S.T. funding for the coming financial year totalling £40,000. This increase of £15,000 would give the Trust stability required to continue providing a valued service.” Councillor Moffat spoke in support of his motion. Councillor Garvie, seconded by Councillor Calvert, moved as an amendment that this matter be continued until the meeting of the Council on 14 February 2008 when all budgetary matters would be discussed. Councillor Bhatia, seconded by Councillor Cook, moved “that the question be now put”. This was unanimously approved and the debate was then closed. VOTE It was agreed that the vote