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ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of the ANGUS COUNCIL held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Thursday, 27 June 1996 at 4.00 pm.
Present: Provost Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN, Depute Provost BRIAN M C MILNE, Councillors GEORGE P ALLAN, IAN J ANGUS, WILLIAM G CROWE, WILLIAM DOIG, FRANK ELLIS, JOHN C GIBB, IAN HUDGHTON, ALEXANDER KING, Mrs RENATE LAMONT, IAN MACKINTOSH, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, WILLIAM MIDDLETON, ROB J MURRAY, GEORGE NORRIE, KATHLEEN M RITCHIE, ALEXANDER W SHAND, RICHARD B SPEIRS, SHEENA M WELSH, SANDY WEST and THOMAS I N YOUNG.
Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors HELEN M W ANGUS, GEORGE LAMONT, WALLIE B LEASK and STEWART N MOWATT.
Provost Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN in the Chair.
1. BIRTHDAY HONOURS
The Provost referred to a number of recipients of awards in the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours List who had Angus connections and after naming the individuals and the work for which they had been recognised, she offered the Council's congratulations.
2. MINUTES
(1) Contract Services Committee
The minute of the special meeting of the Contract Services Committee held on 15 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
(2) Angus Council
The minute of the meeting of the Council held on 16 May 1996 was submitted, approved as a correct record and signed by the Provost.
(3) Housing Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Housing Committee held on 21 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
(4) Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee held on 21 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
With reference to Article 4 thereof, Councillor Ellis criticised the statement earlier that week by the Scottish Office Minister, Raymond Robertson, MP, regarding the funding of work on refurbishment of the Strathairlie Housing Estate, Arbroath. He felt that the statement had been misleading and gave no recognition to the work which had been done by the former Angus District Council.
(5) Civic Licensing Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Civic Licensing Committee held on 23 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
(6) Development Control Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 23 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
(7) Contract Services Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Contract Services Committee held on 28 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
(8) Social Work Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Social Work Committee held on 28 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
(9) Recreation and Cultural Services Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Recreation and Cultural Services Committee held on 30 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
(10) Economic Development Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Economic Development Committee held on 30 May 1996 was submitted and approved.
(11) Education Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Education Committee held on 4 June 1996 was submitted and approved.
(12) Roads Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Roads Committee held on 6 June 1996 was submitted and approved.
With reference to Article 17 regarding the Government's intention to advance the timetable for the reintroduction of Roads Maintenance CCT, Councillor West informed the Council that the Scottish Office had now announced that CCT for Roads Maintenance would not be reintroduced as of 1 January 1997 and that discussions were continuing with COSLA about the timetable under which it might be reintroduced.
The Council noted the Scottish Office's re-consideration of the matter.
(13) Planning and Transport Policy Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Planning and Transport Policy Committee held on 6 June 1996 was submitted and approved.
(14) Finance and Information Technology Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Finance and Information Technology Committee held on 11 June 1996 was submitted and approved.
(15) Personnel and Property Services Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Personnel and Property Services Committee held on 11 June 1996 was submitted and approved.
With reference to Articles 10 and 14, the Provost offered the Council's congratulations to the Director of Personnel and the Director of Property Services on their respective appointments.
(16) Civic Licensing Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Civic Licensing Committee held on 13 June 1996 was submitted and approved.
(17) Development Control Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Development Control Committee of 13 June 1996 was submitted and, subject to the following, approved.
(a) Application 01/96/1023
With reference to Article 2(vi)(b) regarding a retail development at Guthrie Port, Arbroath and the Committee’s recommendation that the above application be approved subject to an additional condition preventing vehicular through traffic within the car park, Councillors King and Milne indicated that, having discussed the matter further with planning officers since the meeting, they did not wish to pursue the additional condition. Accordingly, on the motion of Councillor Mrs Ritchie, the Council agreed to approve the application, subject to the conditions set out in the Director's Report to the Development Control Committee.
(b) Application 01/95/0043
With reference to Article 4 regarding a Section 50 Agreement to prevent the sale of certain goods in connection with the above application for a mixed commercial development at Guthrie Port/Burnside Drive, Arbroath, the Council agreed, after hearing Councillors Mrs Ritchie and Milne, that the Agreement be amended to exclude the sale of clothing and footwear - other than protective or safety footwear, headgear and clothing.
(18) Contract Services Committee
The minute of the special meeting of the Contract Services Committee held on 17 June 1996 was submitted and approved.
(19) Policy and Resources Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 18 June 1996 was submitted and approved.
With reference to Article 13 regarding the Third Statutory Review of Electoral Arrangements the Chief Executive advised that the Council had now been asked to prepare and submit to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland, a draft scheme of representation for the Angus Council area based on 3,000 electors per ward which would result in a Council of 29 members.
It was agreed that the Chief Executive should submit proposals for such a scheme to the next meeting of the Council on 19 September 1996.
3. APPOINTMENTS
(a) Development Control Committee
It was reported that Provost Mrs Frances E Duncan and Councillor George Lamont had resigned from the Development Control Committee and the Council agreed that Councillors Hudghton and Mrs Renate Lamont be appointed to fill the consequential vacancies on the Committee.
(b) Civic Licensing Sub-Committee
With reference to Article 2 of the minute of meeting of the Civic Licensing Committee of 13 June 1996, the Council agreed that the Sub-Committee on taxi matters comprise Councillors Crowe, Mrs Renate Lamont, Doig, Ellis, King, William Middleton and Mowatt.
(c) Sports Centres Advisory Committees
It was reported that the Sports Centres at Arbroath High School, Montrose Academy and Webster's High School (Kirriemuir) each had an Advisory Committee made up of various representatives including staff, users and a Councillor.
The Council agreed that the undernoted representatives be appointed on an interim basis to these Advisory Committees, but that the Chief Executive report on the most appropriate arrangements for all such Centres within Angus.
| Arbroath High School | Councillor Ian Angus |
| Montrose Academy | Councillor Crowe |
| Webster's High School | Councillor Doig |
(d) Montrose Basin Local Nature Reserve - Substitute Members
With reference to Article 10 of the Policy and Resources Committee of 20 March 1996, it was reported that the Council had been asked to nominate substitute members to deputise in the absence of the Council's nominees (Councillors Crowe and Mrs Ritchie).
The Council agreed that Councillors West and Norrie be appointed as the substitute members.
(e) Dalhousie Day Care Centre, Brechin
With reference to Article 17 of the minute of the meeting of the Social Work Committee held on 28 May, the Council agreed that Councillor Mowatt be appointed its representative on the Dalhousie Day Care Centre Committee.
(f) Montrose Training Centre
The Montrose Training Centre Ltd, a charitable company associated with the oil industry’s Montrose Fire and Emergency Centre had sought the nomination of a Montrose Councillor to be a member of the charity's Board.
COUNCILLOR HUDGHTON, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR KING, MOVED THAT COUNCILLOR MRS RITCHIE BE APPOINTED.
Councillor Doig, seconded by Councillor Speirs, moved as an amendment that Councillor Norrie be appointed.
After a ballot vote in terms of Standing Order 18(3)(ii) Councillor Mrs Ritchie received 15 votes and Councillor Norrie received 6 votes. Accordingly, Councillor Mrs Ritchie was duly appointed.
(g) Member/Officer Group on Decentralisation
Following the success of the series of meetings held in all burghs on decentralisation-related matters, it was agreed that the Member/Officer Group which the Council had previously established be now appointed to consider the points raised at these meetings and frame proposals for the authority’s decentralisation scheme.
The Council agreed that Councillors Murray, Helen Angus, Ritchie, Leask and Doig be nominated to serve on this particular Member/Officer Group.
4. MEMBERSHIP OF OTHER ORGANISATIONS
(a) Scottish Constitutional Convention
It was reported that a letter, addressed to all Scottish local authorities had been received from the Scottish Constitutional Convention outlining the Convention's aims and urging the Council to subscribe to membership at a cost of £2,000 per annum.
COUNCILLOR HUDGHTON, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR WILLIAM MIDDLETON MOVED THAT THE COUNCIL DECLINE THE INVITATION TO SUBSCRIBE, OR TO PROMOTE THE WORK OF THE CONVENTION.
Councillor Speirs, seconded by Councillor Doig, moved as an amendment that the Council subscribe and participate in membership of the Convention.
On a vote being taken, the members voted:-
For the motion:
Provost Mrs Duncan, Depute Provost Milne, Councillors Allan, Ian Angus, Crowe, Ellis, Gibb, Hudghton, King, Mrs Renate Lamont, Glennis Middleton, William Middleton, Murray, Norrie, Ritchie, Shand, Welsh and West (18).
For the amendment:
Councillors Doig and Speirs (2).
No vote:
Councillors Mackintosh and Young (2).
The motion was declared carried and became the finding of the meeting.
(b) Nuclear Free Authorities
The Council considered an invitation from the National Steering Committee of Nuclear Free Local Authorities to subscribed to membership at a cost of £1,003.
The Council agreed to note the correspondence and take no action on the invitation.
5. CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE STAFFING - PARTNERSHIP FUNDING OFFICER
There was submitted Report No 543/96 by the Chief Executive seeking the Council's approval to create an additional post of Partnership Funding Officer and to fill the post at the earliest possible date.
The Council noted the terms of the Report and agreed to approve the establishment of a post of Partnership Funding Officer (SCP42-45), on a fixed term appointment basis and that the position be reviewed in three years.
6. SCOTTISH OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
There was submitted Report No 531/96 by the Chief Executive, Director of Finance and Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development outlining the opportunities presented by the Scottish Open Golf Championship to promote the interests of Angus principally for economic development.
The Council noted the opportunities presented by the Scottish Open Golf Championship at Carnoustie and agreed to the hospitality arrangements as set out in the Report.
7. "ENVITOUR"
There was submitted Report No 545/96 prepared jointly by the Directors of Planning, Transport and Economic Development, Roads and Recreation Services (the "ENVITOUR" Project Team) on the European Union sponsored Experience Exchange Programme which had as one of its areas of study the environmental impacts of tourism development in historic centres of towns.
After noting the details and funding of the programme, the Council agreed:-
(i) to the continued participation of the Angus "Project Team" in the project; and
(ii) to the next meeting of the Envitour Project taking place in Angus in the autumn of 1996 on the basis of the draft programme attached to the Report.
(Councillor Gibb left the meeting at this stage.)
8. PRIVATE FINANCE INITIATIVE - PRESENTATION
The Provost welcomed Mr Mike Nevin (PFI Unit of the Scottish Office) and Mr Jim Gallacher (Scottish Office Finance Division) and Mr Sam Craig (COSLA) who addressed the Council on contract procurement under private finance initiatives.
The background to private finance initiatives (PFIs), the types and the criteria to be met were all outlined before members engaged in a question