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ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of the ANGUS COUNCIL held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Thursday, 4 April 1996 at 5.45 pm.
Present: Councillors Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN, BRIAN M C MILNE, ALEX KING, RICHARD B SPEIRS, ALEXANDER W SHAND, GEORGE A LAMONT, HELEN M W ANGUS, SHEENA M WELSH, IAN J ANGUS, MRS RENATE LAMONT, GLENNIS H MIDDLETON, WILLIAM MIDDLETON, IAN HUDGHTON, WILLIAM G CROWE, SANDY WEST, GEORGE NORRIE, KATHLEEN M RITCHIE, WILLIAM DOIG, IAN MACINTOSH, STEWART N MOWATT, GEORGE P ALLAN, THOMAS I N YOUNG, FRANK ELLIS and ROBERT J MURRAY.
1. WELCOME
Councillor Mrs Frances E Duncan, Convener, opened the meeting by welcoming those present to this, the first meeting of Angus Council since vesting date and thereafter handed over to Mr A B Watson, Chief Executive who invited nominations for Provost.
2. ELECTION OF PROVOST
Councillor Hudghton, seconded by Councillor Murray, moved that Councillor Mrs Frances E Duncan be elected Provost. There being no other nomination, Councillor Mrs Duncan was duly elected Provost. After receiving congratulations from fellow Councillors, Provost Mrs Duncan thanked all those who had assisted Angus Council in preparing for reorganisation.
3. PRESBYTERY OF ANGUS
The Chief Executive reported receipt of a letter from the Deputy Clerk of Angus Presbytery, copies of which had been tabled, conveying the greetings of Angus Presbytery to members and staff of Angus Council.
4. NATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY - PRESENTATION OF BIBLE
Mr James Stewart, National Bible Society presented the Provost with a Bible which was then passed round for members to sign.
5. ELECTION OF DEPUTE PROVOST
Councillor Hudghton, seconded by Councillor Murray, moved that Councillor Brian M C Milne be elected Depute Provost. There being no other nominations, Councillor Milne was duly elected Depute Provost.
6. MINUTES
(1) Contract Services Committee
The minute of the special meeting of the Contract Services Committee held on 5 March 1996 was submitted and approved.
(2) Angus Council
The minute of the meeting of the Council held on 5 March 1996 was submitted, approved as a correct record and signed by the Provost.
(3) Civic Licensing Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Civic Licensing Committee held on 13 March 1996 was submitted and approved.
(4) Social Work Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Social Work Committee held on 13 March 1996 was submitted and approved.
(5) Housing Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Housing Committee held on 13 March 1996 was submitted and approved.
(6) Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee held on 13 March 1996 was submitted and approved.
(7) Education Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Education Committee held on 13 March 1996 was submitted and approved.
(8) Angus Council
The minute of the special meeting of Angus Council held on 13 March 1996 was submitted, approved as a correct record and signed by the Provost.
(9) Personnel and Property Services Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Personnel and Property Services Committee held on 20 March 1996 was submitted and approved.
(10) Policy and Resources Committee
The minute of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 20 March 1996 was submitted and approved.
With reference to Article 10 (Representation on Outside Bodies) and the appointment of Councillor Shand as the Council’s representative on the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board, the Council nominated Councillor West as his substitute.
(11) Angus Council
The minute of the meeting of Angus Council held on 20 March 1996 was submitted, approved as a correct record and signed by the Provost.
(12) Personnel and Property Services Committee
The Director of Law and Administration advised the Council that the Personnel and Property Services Committee, which had met immediately prior to the Council, had recommended approval of Report No 178/96 regarding Conditions of Service and Report No 179/96 on Early Retirement/Voluntary Redundancy. The Council adopted the recommendations.
7. STANDING ORDERS
With reference to Article 6 of the minute of the meeting of the Council held on 13 April 1995, there was submitted, and approved, a set of Standing Orders for Angus Council to come into effect from 4 April 1996.
8. ORDER OF REFERENCE OF COMMITTEES
With reference to Article 2 of the minute of the meeting of the Council held on 30 August 1995, there was submitted and approved the Order of Reference of Standing Committees of the Council.
9. SCHEME OF DELEGATION TO OFFICERS
There was submitted Report No 180/96 by the Director of Law and Administration on a Scheme of Delegation to Officers.
The Council agreed:-
(I) to approve the draft Scheme of Delegation to Officers appended to the report;
(ii) to remit to the Director of Law and Administration to make any necessary amendments to ensure that the Scheme corresponded with the provisions of Financial Regulations; and
(iii) to remit to the Director of Law and Administration to ensure that any further decisions of the Council with regard to delegated powers were included in the Scheme.
10. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
There was submitted Report No 181/96 by the Director of Finance with a draft of Financial Regulations covering the Council’s financial activities. Councillor King advised the Council that seven Regulations were still under discussion in the Management Team and given the fundamental importance of having robust Financial Regulations in place, it was considered appropriate to allow time for further discussions to take place.
After authorising minor textual amendments to the draft, the Council agreed:-
(i) to note that a number of Financial Regulations were still the subject of discussion at officer level;
(ii) to approve the draft Financial Regulations as now presented; and
(iii) to remit to the Director of Finance to conclude officer discussions and present a completed document to the Finance and Information Technology Committee at an early date.
11. UTILISATION OF CAPITAL FROM CURRENT REVENUE (CFCR)
1996/97 EXPENDITURE LIMITS
There was submitted Report No 185/96 prepared jointly by the Chief Executive and the Director of Finance seeking Council approval for utilisation of the £1.25m CFCR expenditure limit for 1996/97.
The Council agreed:-
(i) to allocate £1.15m CFCR to be utilised as part of the Council’s total capital expenditure in 1996/97;
(ii) to allocate £100,000 CFCR to the 1996/97 Revenue Budget to be utilised on special initiatives which were to be established with a view to pump priming capital expenditure by accessing additional funds from other public and private sector sources;
(iii) to note that a further report regarding the proposed 1996/97 Capital Expenditure Programme would be brought to the Council as soon as possible; and
(iv) to note that individual reports concerning special initiatives to pump prime capital expenditure would be reported in due course.
12. BANKING - DIRECT DEBITS
There was submitted Report No 187/96 by the Director of Finance on a formal resolution required in connection with the Council’s participation in the Bank’s Direct Debiting Scheme.
After noting the standard indemnity which was required to be given and which was appended to the Report, the Council resolved "that Angus Council participates as an Originator in the Direct Debiting Scheme operated by certain members of the Association for Payment Clearing Services and that Mr A B Watson, Chief Executive, and Mr D S Sawers, Director of Finance, are hereby authorised to execute a Form of Indemnity worded in the standard form required by those members".
13. OVERSEAS TRADE PROMOTIONS FOR 1996/97
OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE - 6-9 MAY 1996
With reference to Article 3 of the minute of the Economic Development Committee held on 17 January 1996, there was submitted Report No 195/96 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development seeking detailed approval for representation at the Houston Offshore Technology Conference and at other events as detailed in the Report.
After noting the total costs, which could be met from the Departmental Revenue Budget, the Council resolved that Angus Council send two officer representatives (to be nominated by the Director in consultation with the Convener of the Economic Development Committee) to participate on the Dundee and Angus Oil Venture Group stands at the Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas and at other overseas promotional events, subject to Dundee and Angus Oil Venture Group and local company attendance and to Secretary of State approval where appropriate.
The Council also asked that the Economic Development Manager bring forward proposals for promotional literature for distribution at such events.