Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received by Councillors Robert Macintyre, Dick Walsh and Jimmy McQueen.

The Chair ruled and the Committee agreed that the business dealt with at item 15 of this Minute be dealt with as a matter of urgency by reason of the Dunoon five-a-side current arrangements running out in September 2015 and to allow Roads and Amenity Services to carry out a consultation exercise with all users of the sporting facility to meet this timescale.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

The Minute of the Bute and Cowal Area Committee held on 7 April 2015 was approved as a correct record.

The Minute of the Bute Community Safety Forum held on 17 April 2015 was noted.

Councillor Breslin raised a query in relation to the 11^th August 2014 Cowal Community Safety Forum meeting where there was a specific request into a concern about Argyll and Bute Council and other partnership calls being blocked as they withhold their number and advised this is not customer friendly.  The Area Committee Manager agreed to look into this and it was agreed that this issue would be on the next Bute and Cowal Community Safety Forums.

No public or Councillor questions were raised at this point.  The Chair confirmed that he would allow time for further public or Councillor question time after item 14, Traffic and Parking issues, as members of the public had specific questions relating to that item.

The Committee considered a report containing the Area Scorecard for FQ4 2014-2015.

Decision

The Committee noted the exceptional performance presented on the Scorecard.

(Ref: Report by IOD Programme Manager dated 2 June 2015, submitted).

The Chair welcomed Julie Fisher, the new Head Teacher for Rothesay Joint Campus to the meeting and congratulated her on her new position.  Ms Fisher provided the Committee with a report which outlined the school’s performance during the 2014/2015 academic year along with updates on learning-centered activities that have taken place.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

(Ref: Report by Acting Head Teacher dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

The Area Education Officer for Bute and Cowal took the Committee through the annual Bute and Cowal primary schools report, which provided a statistical breakdown of performance measures as well as information on various school initiatives that have taken place in the Bute and Cowal area.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

(Ref: Report by Head of Education dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

The Area Manager for Adult Care provided the Committee with an ongoing update on the home care service provided in Bute and Cowal.  The report highlights recent developments in improving the service and Bute and Cowal current service provision activity.  It also shows the number of service users awaiting services and the review activity to date.

Decision

The Committee:

1.    Noted the contents of the report; and

2.    Noted that a new revised report template be provided at future Area Committee meetings to provide a much broader view of Adult Care services.

(Ref: Report by Area Manager – Adult Care dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

The Learning Disability Manager and the Acting Unit Manager for the Assist and Phoenix centres provided the Committee with a further progress report of the Bute and Cowal Learning Disability day services, ASIST in Dunoon and Phoenix in Bute, as well as including information on the standardisation of all learning disability and other day services.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the report and congratulated the Learning Disability Manager and the Acting Unit Manager and her staff for all their hard work.

(Ref: Report by Unit Manager dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

A report updating the Committee on the issue of improving health and social care provision for older people on the island of Bute, following on from earlier reports of June 2014 and October 2014, was considered.

Decision

The Committee:

1.    Noted the commencement of, and progress on the initial options appraisal discussions within Improving Care on Bute Group; and

2.    Agreed the future work programme of this Group, as set out in 3.3 and 3.4 of the report.

(Ref: Report by Interim Services Manager – Adult Care dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

A report updating the Committee on the progress of SURF, who were engaged in October 2014 by HIE, to produce a feasibility study to assess the potential for developing a sustainable ‘Alliance for Action’ regeneration initiative focussed on the town of Rothesay, was considered. 

Decision

The Committee:

1.    Noted the contents of the report; and

2.    Agreed to take this report at the August Area Committee when an Officer will be present.

(Ref:  Report by the Projects and Renewables Manager dated 2 June 2015, submitted).

A report providing the Committee with an update on the preparation of the Bute and Cowal Economic Development Action Plan (EDAP) for 2015/16, was considered.

Decision

The Committee:

1.    Noted the contents of the report; and

2.    Agreed to take this report at the August Area Committee when an Officer is present.

(Report by the Economic Development Manager dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

The Public Transport Officer provided the Committee with a report detailing information on development work which is ongoing in relation to the supported bus network in Cowal including services 477/478/479 which serve West Cowal, Dunoon, Portavadie and Rothesay, also service 489 which runs between Toward and Glenfinart and service 480 which runs between upper Kirn and Dunoon Ferry Terminal.

Decision

The Committee:

1.    Noted the progress on the changes already agreed; and

2.    Agreed to consider a further report once the options for service 480 have been evaluated.

(Ref: Report by Public Transport Officer dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

A report providing the Committee with a summary of the various issued raised by Members at the parking review workshop held earlier this year, was considered.  The report also provides an overall programme for the parking review and consultation process.

The Amenity Services Performance Manager, in response to a public question, advised that the report set out plans for public consultation and that views from stakeholders would be welcomed also at that stage.

The Amenity Services Performance Manager advised that Committee that if they have comments they wished flagged up in relation to the consultation document, to contact the Head of Roads and Amenity Services.

Decision

The Committee:

1.    Noted the contents of the report; and

2.    Agreed that a consultation document be amended in the next few weeks and if Members had anything else they wish to put forward then to contact the Head of Roads and Amenity Services, and then issued to Community Councils and Stakeholders.

(Ref: Report by Head of Roads and Amenity Services dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

A report providing further details to the Committee with regards to options for operating the five-a-side all weather pitches and other facilities at Dunoon Stadium was considered.

Decision

The Committee:

1.    Noted the contents of the report; and

2.    Agreed to a consultation exercise being carried out to work towards a holistic management arrangement for the facility as a whole.

(Ref:  Report by the Head of Roads and Amenity Services dated May 2015, was considered).

Members of the Bute Community Group provided the Committee with their take on what could be achieved at the Westchurch site along with potential ideas they would like further investigated.

Decision

The Committee noted the information provided.

(Ref: Presentation by Bute Community Group dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

The Committee resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 8&9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

The Committee considered a report updating them on the progress with West Kirk, Rothesay.

Decision

The Committee:

1. Noted the contents of the report; and
2. Noted that a further report come back to the August Area Committee or September Business Day.

(Ref: Report by Built Heritage Conservation Officer dated 2 June 2014, submitted)

A report advising the Committee of the offers of purchase received in respect of the former public convenience at Kilmun Pier, Kilmun, was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed the recommendations at 3.1 of the report.

(Ref: Report by Estates Surveyor dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

The Regeneration Project Manager took the Committee through a report which provided an update on the Dunoon Queens Hall.

Decision

The Committee agreed the recommendations at 3.1 of the report.

(Ref: Report by Regeneration Project Manager dated 2 June 2015, submitted)

The Regeneration Project Manager took the Committee through a report which provided a progress update on the phase 1A and phase 1B works on the Dunoon Wooden Pier.

Decision

The Committee:

1.    Noted the recommendations at 3.1.1 and 3.1.2 of the report; and

2.    Noted that a further update report be brought back to a future Area Committee.

(Ref: Report by Regeneration Project Manager dated 2 June 2015, submitted)