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ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of ANGUS COUNCIL held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Thursday, 15 May 1997 at 4.00 pm.
Present: Provost Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN, Councillors BRIAN MILNE, GEORGE ALLAN, IAN ANGUS, WILLIAM CROWE, WILLIAM DOIG, FRANK ELLIS, JACK GIBB, IAN HUDGHTON, ALEXANDER KING, WALLIE LEASK, IAN MACKINTOSH, WILLIAM MIDDLETON, STEWART MOWATT, ROB MURRAY, GEORGE NORRIE, KATHLEEN RITCHIE, DAVID SELFRIDGE, RICHARD SPEIRS, SHEENA WELSH and THOMAS I N YOUNG.
Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors HELEN ANGUS, Mrs RENATE LAMONT, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, ALEXANDER SHAND and SANDY WEST.
Provost Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN, in the Chair.
1. GEORGE BUCKMAN - FORMER CONVENER, TAYSIDE REGIONAL COUNCIL
The Provost paid tribute to George Buckman, former Convener of Tayside Regional Council who had died on 14 May. After standing in silent tribute, it was agreed that the Provost convey the Council’s sincere condolences to Mrs Buckman and her family.
2. MINUTES
(a) Angus Council
The minute of meeting of the Council held on 27 March 1997 was submitted, approved as a correct record and signed by the Provost.
(b) Housing Committee
The minute of meeting of the Housing Committee held on 8 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(c) Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee
The minute of meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee held on 8 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(d) Civic Licensing Committee
The minute of meeting of the Civic Licensing Committee held on 8 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(e) Development Control Committee
The minute of meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 10 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(f) Social Work Committee
The minute of meeting of the Social Work Committee held on 15 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(g) Contract Services Committee
The minute of meeting of the Contract Services Committee held on 15 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(h) Economic Development Committee
The minute of meeting of the Economic Development Committee held on 17 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(i) Recreation and Cultural Services Committee
The minute of meeting of the Recreation and Cultural Services Committee held on 17 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(j) Education Committee
The minute of meeting of the Education Committee held on 22 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(k) Planning and Transport Policy Committee
The minute of meeting of the Planning and Transport Policy Committee held on 24 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(l) Roads Committee
The minute of meeting of the Roads Committee held on 24 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(m) Personnel and Property Services Committee
The minute of meeting of the Personnel and Property Services Committee held on 29 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(n) Finance and Information Technology Committee
The minute of meeting of the Finance and Information Technology Committee held on 29 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(o) Civic Licensing Committee
The minute of meeting of the Civic Licensing Committee held on 29 April 1997 was submitted and approved.
(p) Policy and Resources Committee
The minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 6 May 1997 was submitted and approved.
(q) Development Control Committee
The minute of meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 6 May 1997 was submitted and, subject to the following, approved.
With reference to Article 3(iv), Councillor Mrs Ritchie referred to new information which had now come to light in relation to Application 01/96/1784, following which the Council unanimously agreed that the application be approved, subject to
(i) the nine conditions recommended by the Director in Report No 392/97;
(ii) the applicant signing a S50 Agreement agreeing to the removal of both residential caravans situated on the application site, this S50 Agreement to be amended to cover the removal of the applicant’s own residential caravan only in the event of the applicant submitting by 11 June 1997 acceptable documentary evidence to the Council of the other caravan, occupied by the applicant’s brother, having been on site for over ten years; and
(iii) the Development Control Committee reconsidering the application on 12 June in the event of the applicant failing to supply the necessary evidence.
(r) Education Committee
The minute of meeting of the Education Committee held on 8 May 1997 was submitted and approved.
3. GENERAL BUSINESS
(a) Coverage of Angus Council Business in the Dundee Edition of the "Courier and Advertiser"
With reference to Article 3(a)(ii) of the minute of meeting of the Council held on 27 March 1997, there was submitted Report No 502/97 by the Chief Executive on the outcome of his approach to the Editor of the "Courier and Advertiser" concerning coverage of Angus Council business in the Dundee Edition.
The Council agreed, on the motion of Councillor Leask, seconded by Councillor Young, to note the Chief Executive’s report and the comments of the Editor of the Courier and to request that the Public Relations Section continue to monitor coverage of Angus Council business in the Dundee and Angus editions of the Courier.
(b) Computer Based Property Management System
There was submitted Report No 535/97 prepared jointly by the Director of Property Services and the Director of Information Technology seeking approval to replace the current Property Services computer based property management system (PREMISYS) with a new and more cost effective system.
The Council agreed:-
(i) to approve the replacement of PREMISYS currently utilised by the Property Services Department with a new system based upon a Norsk Data/ArcView software combination running on PCs at a projected setting up cost of £51,500 and an annual running cost of £21,500;
(ii) to undertake the procurement by the selective purchasing of elements through the Information Technology Department; and
(iii) to note that the costs could be contained within the provisions of the Property Services Department Revenue Budget over 2 years and with the support of funding established within the Information Technology Renewal and Repairs Fund for 1997/98.
(c) Members’ Allowances
There was submitted Report No 534/97 by the Director of Finance summarising the allowances and expenses paid to Councillors from 1 April 1996 to 31 March 1997 and informing the Council of revised General Guidelines on the Members’ Allowances Scheme to operate from 1 April 1997. There was also submitted Report No 539/97 drawing attention to the decision contained in Article 2 of the minute of meeting of the Finance and Information Technology Executive Sub-Committee of 26 July 1996 which had not been included in the revised Guidelines attached to Report No 534/97.
The Council agreed:-
(i) to note the Councillors’ allowances and expenses as shown in the Appendix to Report No 534/97;
(ii) to approve the two amendments to the Guidelines regarding public transport and solo motorcycles as set out in the Report and to ask the Director of Finance to clarify with the Scottish Office the methodology in the setting of the nationally agreed solo motorcycle allowance; and
(iii) to note the revised Members’ Allowances Scheme General Guidelines (amended as detailed in Report No 539/97) for the year to 31 March 1998.
(d) Council Tax and Community Charge Collection
There was submitted Report No 536/97 by the Director of Finance updating members on the collection of Council Tax and Community Charge to the end of March 1997.
The Council noted and accepted the contents of the Report.
(e) Bad Debts - Write Off
There was submitted Report No 537/97 by the Director of Finance seeking authority from the Council to write off the amounts detailed in the Report as bad debts in respect of Domestic/Non Domestic Rates, Community Charge and Council Tax.
The Council agreed to write off £627,754 - Community Charge debts from 1989/90 to 1992/93 considered uncollectable; £179,432 - Council Tax debts from 1993/94 to 1995/96 considered uncollectable; and £199,711 - Non Domestic Rate debts from 1986/87 to 1995/96 considered uncollectable, together with a small sum, under £3,000, in respect of Council House Rates outstanding since 1988/89 and regarded as bad debts.
In approving the foregoing, the Council noted that although accounts may be written off, the files would not be closed and every effort would be made to collect the debts if circumstances changed.
4. ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS
The Angus Council (Variation of Waiting Restrictions) Order 1997
With reference to Article 11(b) of the minute of meeting of the Roads Committee held on 24 April 1997, there was submitted Report No 538/97 by the Director of Law and Administration outlining the background to the above Order and reporting the views expressed at the public meeting held in Arbroath on 7 May.
Having heard Councillor King, the Council agreed:-
(i) to make the above Order as drafted in respect of certain streets in Arbroath, Carnoustie, Brechin, Montrose and Forfar, and amended in respect of Seagate, Arbroath to the extent that the proposed length of no daytime waiting restrictions be reduced to that of 30 metres from its junction with High Street, a reduction of approximately 65 metres; and
(ii) to ask the Director of Roads to report to the Roads Committee on the other suggestions for improving traffic management and road safety in the Fit o’ the Toon area of Arbroath which were made at the public meeting on 7 May 1997.
5. INTEGRATED CCTV SCHEME IN ANGUS - LIST OF CONTRACTORS
There was submitted Report No 567/97 by the Director of Property Services on contractors expressing an interest in the contract to install a fully monitored and managed integrated CCTV Scheme in the 7 burghs of Angus, including the upgrading of the present system in Carnoustie.
The Council agreed that the 6 contractors recommended in the Report be invited to tender, subject to any financial assessments deemed to be necessary by the Director of Finance in consultation with the Director of Property Services.