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ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of ANGUS COUNCIL held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Thursday, 19 February 1998 at 4.00 pm.
Present: Provost Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN, Councillors BRIAN MILNE, GEORGE ALLAN, HELEN ANGUS, IAN ANGUS, FRANK ELLIS, JACK GIBB, ALEXANDER KING, Mrs RENATE LAMONT, STEWART McGLYNN, IAN MACKINTOSH, GLENNIS MIDDLETON, WILLIAM MIDDLETON, STEWART MOWATT, ROB MURRAY, GEORGE NORRIE, KATHLEEN RITCHIE, DAVID SELFRIDGE, ALEXANDER SHAND, SHEENA WELSH and THOMAS I N YOUNG.
Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors WILLIAM CROWE, IAN HUDGHTON, SANDY WEST and RICHARD SPEIRS.
Provost Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN in the Chair.
1. MINUTES
(a) Angus Council
The minute of meeting of the Council held on 18 December 1997 was submitted, approved as a correct record and signed by the Provost.
(b) Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee
The minute of meeting of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Committee held on 13 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(c) Housing Committee
The minute of meeting of the Housing Committee held on 13 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
With reference to Article 8 of the minute, Councillor Norrie indicated that he had been approached by users of the garages at Condor Crescent, Montrose raising concerns over the lack of consultation on their future.
Councillor Ellis indicated that, given the condition of the garages, the Housing Committee had decided to proceed with their demolition and that consultations would shortly be taking place with the appropriate interested parties.
(d) Civic Licensing Committee
The minute of meeting of the Civic Licensing Committee held on 13 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(e) Development Control Committee
The minute of meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 15 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(f) Social Work Committee
The minute of meeting of the Social Work Committee held on 20 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(g) Contract Services Committee
The minute of meeting of the Contract Services Committee held on 20 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(h) Economic Development Committee
The minute of meeting of the Economic Development Committee held on 22 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(i) Recreation and Cultural Services Committee
The minute of meeting of the Recreation and Cultural Services Committee held on 22 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(j) Education Committee
The minute of meeting of the Education Committee held on 27 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
With reference to Article 6 of the minute, Councillor McGlynn sought an assurance that there would be no diminution in provision of out-of-school care facilities in Monifieth.
Councillor Milne indicated that the Education Committee, at its meeting on 27 January 1998, had confirmed that undertaking.
(k) Housing Committee
The minute of meeting of the Housing Committee held on 29 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
With reference to Article 3(iii) of the minute, Councillor Ellis asked whether there had been any response from the Scottish Office to the Director of Housing's letter requesting that the policies on housing be reviewed.
The Council, having heard from the Director of Housing that no response had been received as yet, agreed that the response from the Secretary of State, when received, should be reported to the next scheduled meeting of the Housing Committee.
(l) Planning and Transport Policy Committee
The minute of meeting of the Planning and Transport Policy Committee held on 29 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(m) Roads Committee
The minute of meeting of the Roads Committee held on 29 January 1998 was submitted and approved.
(n) Personnel and Property Services Committee
The minute of meeting of the Personnel and Property Services Committee held on 3 February 1998 was submitted and approved.
(o) Finance and Information Technology Committee
The minute of meeting of the Finance and Information Technology Committee held on 3 February 1998 was submitted and approved, subject to the insertion at Article 9(vii) of "provisionally" before "planned".
(p) Civic Licensing Committee
The minute of meeting of the Civic Licensing Committee held on 3 February 1998 was submitted and approved.
(q) Development Control Committee
The minute of meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 5 February 1998 was submitted and approved.
(r) Policy and Resources Committee
The minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 10 February 1998 was submitted and approved.
Carnoustie Hotel Development: Progress Report
With reference to Article 21 of the minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 10 February 1998, the Council noted and approved the terms of the Report (190/98) and its Appendix which addressed issues relating to the Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee, its objects and powers, its relationship with the Council and the commitment given to the hotel development.
2. MOTION - WATER CHARGES
The Council considered the undernoted motion, notice of which had been given in terms of Standing Order 24.
Councillor Selfridge, seconded by Councillor Mowatt, moved that the Council:-
(i) condemns the Water Quango - North of Scotland Water Authority - for the swingeing increases in water charges forced on Angus householders over the past two years of 39.6% and 38% respectively;
(ii) condemns the New Labour Government for adopting Tory policies of removing Revenue Support Grants for sewerage services over the past two years;
(iii) calls on the government to apply benefit entitlement to water and sewerage charges to assist householders on Income Support etc; and
(iv) calls on the government to scrap the Water Quangos and return the service to local democratic control.
Various members, including Councillor Selfridge, Mowatt, Ellis and King, spoke in support, after which the Council agreed unanimously to adopt the motion.
3. GENERAL BUSINESS
(a) Angus in China Initiative - Proposed Trade Mission to China
There was submitted Report No 92/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development seeking approval to support a trade mission to China in April 1998 and to explore the possibility of securing an economic link with Yantai in the Shan Dong Province of China.
The Council agreed:-
(i) to support an employer led trade mission to China in April 1998 during which the possibility of seeking an economic link with Yantai in the Shan Dong province of China be investigated, and cultural and economic links with Shenzhen in the Guandong Province be explored;
(ii) to seek to work in conjunction with the China-Britain Trade Group to assist a group of local companies to develop a China market entry strategy and to arrange a schedule of meetings in Yantai and other key destinations aimed at developing appropriate contacts;
(iii) to be represented at elected member level by the Provost and Convener of the Economic Development Committee and at officer level by the Chief Executive and the Economic Development Manager; and
(iv) to approve expenditure of £8,000 to finance the Angus in China initiative on the basis that costs would be met from the Economic Development Revenue budget in 1998/99.
(b) Public Consultation on Proposed Millennium Bank Holiday
There was submitted letter from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to the Chief Executive dated 30 January 1998, seeking the Council’s views on a government proposal to mark the Millennium by announcing a one-off additional bank holiday on 31 December 1999.
Having heard Councillor Rob Murray who expressed his concerns regarding the problems an additional bank holiday might create, especially in relation to waste collection, the Council agreed, in principle, to support the proposal for an additional bank holiday to mark the year 2000 and to note that such a holiday would fall on Friday 31 December 1999.
(c) Employee Benefits Package
There was submitted Report 196/98 by the Director of Personnel setting out proposals for the introduction of an employee benefits package.
The Council agreed to refer the matter to the Personnel and Property Services Committee for consideration.
(d) Westhaven Memorial
There was submitted Report No 203/98 by the Director of Roads outlining a proposal for providing a permanent Westhaven Memorial, and setting out the preferred option for the Council making a contribution to such a memorial.
The Council agreed to approve a contribution of 50% of the cost, up to a maximum of £2,000 from the Arbroath Common Good Fund, as detailed in the Report, for the provision of a permanent Westhaven Memorial within Arbroath Harbour.
(e) Committee of the Regions
The Council noted that Councillor Ian Hudghton had been appointed by COSLA to serve on the Committee of the Regions; that, in accordance with Standing Order No 40, he was authorised to attend all meetings and conferences etc necessarily arising out of the appointment; and that the cost of meetings outwith the UK would not fall on Angus Council.
4. ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS
(i) Revocations - Closing Orders
With reference to Article 5 of the minute of meeting of the Housing Committee of 13 January 1998, the Council agreed to revoke the Closing Orders on the 24 properties listed in the minute, the works having been undertaken to bring them up to the "tolerable standard" as described in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.
(ii) Montrose Basin Local Nature Reserve Byelaws
With reference to Article 7 of the minute of meeting of the Recreation and Cultural Services Committee of 9 October 1997, the Council resolved to make the byelaws for the regulation of Montrose Basin Local Nature Reserve.
5. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS
The Council resolved that the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following item so as to avoid the possible disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, Paragraph 9.
6. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
There was submitted Report No 197/98 by the Chief Executive referring to the policy of the Council that economic development be given a high corporate priority, and recommending the transfer of the Economic Development Unit, including the European Services Section, to the Chief Executive's Department and the Training Development Services Section to the Personnel Department.
The Council agreed:-
(i) that the Economic Development Unit, including the European Services Section, be transferred to the Chief Executive's Department, with effect from 1 April 1998, with the Economic Development Manager reporting direct to the Chief Executive;
(ii) that the Training Development Services Section be transferred to the Personnel Department, with effect from 1 April 1998;
(iii) that the minutes of the Economic Development Committee be submitted through the Policy and Resources Committee; and
(iv) that a review of the operational effects of the transfer of the Economic Development Unit to the Chief Executive's Department and the Training Development Services Section to the Personnel Department, be undertaken within a period of 12 months.
7. PRESENTATIONS
(a) Problem Orientated Policing
Chief Superintendent Scott Robertson, Divisional Commander, Eastern Division, gave a presentation on problem orientated policing and the role he envisaged that elected members would have in these proposals.
After Chief Superintendent Robertson had answered a number of questions from members, the Provost thanked him for his presentation.
The Council agreed that the Chief Executive prepare a Report for submission to the next meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee, on the implications of problem orientated policing for Angus Council.
(b) Dovetail Enterprises
Mr James Ogg, General Manager, Dovetail Enterprises, gave a presentation on the work of Dovetail Enterprises, outlining its work and history and its principal aim of employing disabled people, detailing the difficulties in employing disabled people and outlining the financial support the Council contributed towards its work.
After Mr Ogg had answered a number of questions from members, the Provost thanked him for his presentation.