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ANGUS COUNCIL

MINUTE of MEETING of the ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Thursday 17 April 1997 at 4.00 pm.

Present: Councillors JACK GIBB, BRIAN MILNE, GEORGE ALLAN, WILLIAM CROWE, Provost Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN, WALLIE LEASK and IAN MACKINTOSH.

Councillor GIBB, Convener, in the Chair.

1. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Committee resolved that the public and press be excluded during consideration of items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 below 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, paragraphs 6, 8, 9 and 10.

2. DENS ROAD, ARBROATH - LEASE OF UNIT 4

There was submitted Report No 408/97 by the Director of Law and Administration requesting authority to evict the tenant of Unit 4, Dens Road, Arbroath in respect of non-payment of rent.

The Committee agreed that the tenant be evicted.

3. BROOMFIELD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, MONTROSE

(a) Lease of Unit 2

There was submitted Report No 423/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development concerning the lease of Unit 2, Broomfield Industrial Estate, Montrose.

The Committee homologated the action taken by the Convener and Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development, in authorising the lease of Unit 2, Broomfield Industrial Estate, Montrose to the firm detailed in the Report, and to allow the early surrender of its lease of Unit 1B.

(b) Sale of 0.50 Hectare Site

There was submitted Report No 424/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development detailing a request by a company to purchase from the Council, a site extending to 0.50 hectare at Broomfield Industrial Estate, Montrose.

The Committee agreed to the sale of the land as specified above to the company referred to in the Report, and subject to the Council’s standard terms and conditions.

4. MONTROSE ROAD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, BRECHIN - LEASE OF UNIT 10

There was submitted Report No 425/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development concerning the proposed lease of Unit 10, Montrose Road, Brechin to a company referred to in the Report.

The Committee agreed to the lease of Unit 10, Montrose Road, Brechin to the company and on the terms and conditions detailed in the Report.

5. BRECHIN BUSINESS CENTRE - LEASE OF FOUR UNITS

There was submitted Report No 426/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development intimating that a request had been received from a company referred to in the Report for the lease of four units at the Brechin Business Centre, which was due for completion in late June 1997.

The Committee agreed to lease workshop numbers 1 and 2 and office numbers 1 and 2 at Brechin Business Centre to the company and on the terms and conditions detailed in the Report.

6. MILLGATE, ARBROATH - SALE OF YARD

There was submitted Report No 427/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development advising that the yard at Millgate, Arbroath, which was surplus to requirements, had been advertised for sale or lease in the local press and two offers for its purchase had been received.

The Committee agreed to sell the yard at Millgate, Arbroath to the firm submitting the higher offer, on the terms and conditions detailed in the Report.

7. CENTRAL CHALLENGE FUND - EDZELL REGENERATION

With reference to Article 7 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 16 January 1997, there was submitted Report No 421/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development advising of the updated position with regard to the joint bid for Central Challenge Fund support made with Aberdeenshire Council. It was noted that the support of the Edzell Task Force had been secured in respect of the priority projects in connection with the Edzell Regeneration Strategy which included various industrial, training and tourism projects.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the progress made on the projects in the Central Challenge Fund Bid; and

(ii) to part fund a consultancy study to develop a CNC Training Initiative, with the Council’s share not exceeding £400.

8. ANGUS COUNCIL TRAINING SERVICES - DELIVERY OF TEGS AND NRT INITIATIVES

There was submitted Report No 428/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development detailing the Training and Employment Grants Scheme (TEGS) and New Recruitment Training (NRT) initiatives and seeking approval to deliver these initiatives under contract to Scottish Enterprise Tayside.

The Committee agreed to the management and delivery of the TEGS and NRT initiatives under contract to Scottish Enterprise Tayside, as detailed in the Report.

9. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 27 February 1997 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.

10. ANGUS COUNCIL - THE FIRST YEAR

With reference to Article 3(b) of the minute of meeting of the Council of 27 March 1997, there was submitted Report No 360/97 by the Chief Executive setting out the main achievements of the Council over its first year in office.

The Committee noted the contribution of the Economic Development Section to these achievements during this period and congratulated the employees concerned.

11. UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS

There was submitted Report No 367/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development providing various statistics, graphs and charts showing unemployment rates by travel to work areas, numbers and ages of unemployed, duration of unemployment and number of vacancies in Angus and neighbouring authorities.

The Committee agreed to note the terms of the Report.

12. ANGUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROMOTIONAL BROCHURE

There was submitted Report No 429/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development outlining the need for the production of a good quality promotional brochure to provide information of a general nature about Angus. The brochure would serve to raise the profile of Angus and aid industrial promotion within the area.

The Committee authorised the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development to invite quotations for and thereafter to proceed with the production of the proposed brochure at a cost of approx £8,200, for the production of 3,000 copies.

13. EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COHESION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

There was submitted Report No 439/97 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development outlining proposals for the attendance of the Council’s European Services Manager at the European Commission’s Cohesion Forum to be held in Brussels on 28-30 April 1997.

The Committee homologated the decision taken by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development, in consultation with the Vice-Convener, to approve the attendance of the European Services Manager to represent the Council at the conference at a cost of approximately £710 including travel, accommodation and subsistence.