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ANGUS COUNCIL
MINUTE of MEETING of the ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE held in the Town and County Hall, Forfar on Thursday 5 March 1998 at 4.00 pm.
Present: Councillors JACK GIBB, BRIAN MILNE, GEORGE ALLAN, WILLIAM CROWE, PROVOST Mrs FRANCES E DUNCAN, IAN HUDGHTON, ROB MURRAY, KATHLEEN RITCHIE, DAVID SELFRIDGE, ALEX SHAND and SANDY WEST.
Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors IAN MACKINTOSH and GEORGE NORRIE.
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 and 6 below so as to avoid the disclosure of exempt information in terms of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9.
2. LEASES
(a) Unit 8, Montrose Road Industrial Estate, Brechin
There was submitted Report No 265/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development concerning the lease of Unit 8, Montrose Road Industrial Estate, Brechin to the company referred to in the Report.
The Committee agreed to note that the lease of Unit 8, Montrose Road Industrial Estate, Brechin had been agreed by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development under delegated powers.
(b) Units 12, 13 and 16, Arbroath Business Centre
There was submitted Report No 266/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development concerning the leases of Units 12, 13 and 16 at Arbroath Business Centre to the companies referred to in the Report.
The Committee agreed to note that the leases of Units 12, 13 and 16 at Arbroath Business Centre had been agreed by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development under delegated powers.
(c) Lease of Unit 10, Brechin Business Centre
There was submitted Report No 270/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development seeking authorisation to lease Unit 10, Brechin Business Centre to Mountwest 144 Limited, trading as J Mears.
The Committee agreed to approve the lease of Unit 10, Brechin Business Centre, on the terms outlined in the Report.
(d) Central Challenge Fund (Edzell Area Regeneration Strategy): Lease of Advance Factory Unit - Brent Avenue, Montrose
With reference to Article 3 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 20 November 1997 and Article 4 of the minute of meeting of 22 January 1998, there was submitted Report No 269/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development detailing the progress of negotiations with ABB Vetco Gray UK Ltd and proposing additional expenditure to fit out the factory.
The Committee agreed:
(i) to approve ABB Vetco Gray UK Ltd's request for fitting out of the industrial unit, on the terms and conditions contained in the Report;
(ii) to approve ABB Vetco Gray UK Ltd’s request for additional works to be carried out, on the terms and conditions contained in the Report; and
(iii) that expenditure on (i) and (ii) above be conditional on the company entering into legally binding guarantees to reimburse the Council for a lease for the premises.
3. ARBROATH ENTERPRISE PARK - PROPOSED SALE OF 0.2 ACRES OR THEREBY
There was submitted Report No 264/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development proposing the sale of a 0.2 acre site at Arbroath Enterprise Park at a transfer value of £8,500, with up to 50% of the sale value being available to augment the Council’s 1998/99 Capital Programme.
The Committee agreed to remit to the Directors of Planning, Transport and Economic Development and Property Services and other appropriate officers to conclude the sale of the land at a transfer value of £8,500.
4. CENTRAL CHALLENGE FUND (EDZELL AREA REGENERATION STRATEGY): INDUSTRIAL LAND ALLOCATION, BRECHIN
With reference to Article 4 of the minute of meeting of the Executive Sub-Committee of 24 July 1997, there was submitted Report No 267/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development outlining progress towards the acquisition of land for industrial development at Brechin, utilising finance approved through the Edzell Regeneration Central Challenge Fund.
The Committee agreed to note the current position regarding the possible acquisition of industrial land at Brechin.
5. ARBROATH SEA FEST
With reference to Article 10 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 9 October 1997, there was submitted Report No 271/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development seeking approval for the second Arbroath Sea Fest event to be held on 21, 22 and 23 August 1998.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to approve the programme for the second Arbroath Sea Fest to be held on 21 - 23 August 1998, as outlined in the Report; and
(ii) to approve a financial contribution of up to £4,000 towards this event.
6. PICTISH CENTRE - PROGRESS REPORT
With reference to Article 2 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 9 October 1997, there was submitted Report No 277/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development presenting the findings of the Pictish Centre Feasibility Study and making recommendations for implementation of the Project including completion of partner negotiations, conclusion of formal agreements including land purchase and funding, both Capital and Revenue.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the findings of the Pictish Centre Feasibility Study;
(ii) to note the decision of the Development Control Committee of 5 February 1998 to grant planning permission for the project and the requirement for a Section 75 Agreement regarding retail goods to be sold;
(iii) to note that partner capital contributions were provisionally in place (subject to a formal Development Agreement being signed) and that ERDF approval of £330,000 had been obtained;
(iv) to note that during discussions the broad terms of a "Heads of Agreement" for the project had been accepted in principle by Brechin Castle Centre Ltd (BCCL) and Scottish Enterprise Tayside;
(v) to note the proposals outlined in the Report regarding the proposed purchase or lease of the development site by the Council from BCCL.
(vi) to authorise appropriate officers to finalise negotiations with partners and to draw up and conclude formal agreements including funding contributions;
(vii) to authorise the Director of Finance to establish a Trading Account with contingency funding as outlined in (viii) below to cover the pre-trading operational costs of the Centre, prior to income being generated;
(viii) to note that it was expected that £30,000 would be available from the Economic Development budget in 1998/9 to meet the pre-trading operational costs of the Centre which would be kept under review and that the Committee would be advised if this position should change;
(ix) to agree (subject to conclusion of formal agreements) to an Angus Council capital contribution of £500,000;
(x) to agree that the Council retain Oliver & Robb Architects as the project architects (physical building works);
(xi) to agree that the Council retain Campbell & Co Design Consultants (Edinburgh) as the project designer/contractor (internal fit-out); and
(xii) to note that the Director of Property Services would undertake normal tendering procedures for contractual building works and project works monitoring.
7. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 22 January 1998 was approved as a correct record and signed by the Convener.
8. SCOTTISH TRAVEL FAIR: 22-23 APRIL 1998
With reference to Article 6 of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 27 February 1997, there was submitted Report No 268/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development proposing that Angus Council participate in the Scottish Travel Fair 1998.
The Committee agreed that Angus Council participate in the Scottish Travel Fair, to be held in Glasgow on 22-23 April 1998, in order to promote the "Carnoustie Country" theme.
9. UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS
There was submitted and noted Report No 236/98 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 numbers of vacancies in Angus and neighbouring authorities for the month of January 1998.
10. TRAINING SERVICES : REVENUE BUDGET 1997/98
There was submitted Report No 278/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development, detailing the projected outturn for the Training Services Revenue Budget for the 1997/98 financial year.
The Committee agree to note:-
(i) that there was a projected overspend in the Training Services Revenue Budget for the 1997/98 financial year of £103,000 and that it would be contained within the overall Planning, Transport and Economic Development Departmental budget allocations;
(ii) the reasons that had led to the current financial position, and the steps being taken to address the situation; and
(iii) that the Director of Personnel would address the issues highlighted in the Report and bring forward proposals to the Personnel and Property Services Committee based upon the 1998/99 budget to Training Services.
11. R M CONDOR, ARBROATH
There was submitted Report No 272/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development summarising the terms of a consultative document issued by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) regarding the proposed relocation of Royal Marines from RM Condor, with a view to the submission of Council representations on this matter. The Report concluded that, following on from the closure of RAF Edzell, the relocation would exacerbate the impact on the Angus economy, for which economic aid should be sought.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the terms of the MOD consultation exercise and the implications of the proposed relocation of personnel from RM Condor;
(ii) to submit representations to the MOD by no later than 23 March 1998; and
(iii) to submit representations to the Secretary of State.
12. PRODUCT AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
There was submitted Report No 273/98 by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development seeking homologation of the decision taken by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development, in consultation with the Convener, to engage consultants to review the Product and Process Support Network within Tayside and bring forward a strategy between Angus Council, Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise Tayside, together with the academic institutions.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the position with Product Development Tayside Ltd as outlined in the Report;
(ii) to approve the participation of the Council in the Product and Process Development Initiative as outlined in the Report; and
(iii) to homologate the decision taken by the Director of Planning, Transport and Economic Development, in consultation with the Convener, to make a financial contribution of £2,000 during 1997/98 towards a consultancy study being carried out jointly with Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Dundee City Council.