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Contact: Hazel MacInnes Tel: 01546 604269
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Minutes: There were no apologies for absence. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Minutes: Councillor Audrey Forrest noted that references to Live Argyll were made throughout the agenda pack of papers and therefore declared a non-financial interest by virtue of her Council appointment to the Live Argyll Board. She advised that as this was a Council appointment she would be claiming the benefit of the dispensation contained at Section 5.18(2) of the Standards Commission’s Guidance and Dispensations Note dated July 2018 to allow her to speak and vote on the items of business that made reference to Live Argyll. Councillor Jim Findlay noted that references to Rothesay Pavilion were made throughout the agenda pack of papers and therefore declared a non-financial interest by virtue of his Council appointment to the Rothesay Pavilion Charity Board. He advised that as this was a Council appointment he would be claiming the benefit of the dispensation contained at Section 5.18(2) of the Standards Commission’s Guidance and Dispensations Note dated July 2018 to allow him to speak and vote on the items of business that made reference to Rothesay Pavilion. |
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Policy and Resources Committee held on 12 August 2021 Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 12 August 2021 were approved as a correct record. |
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FINANCIAL REPORTS MONITORING PACK – 31 AUGUST 2021 PDF 3 MB Report by Section 95 Officer Minutes: The Committee gave consideration to a report
providing a summary of the financial monitoring reports as at the end of August
2021. There were six detailed reports
setting out the position as at 31 August 2021 which were summarised in the
submitted report and which included the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report,
Monitoring of Policy Savings Options, Monitoring of Financial Risks, Capital
Plan Monitoring Report, Treasury Monitoring Report and Reserves and Balances. Decision The Policy and Resources Committee – 1.
Noted the revenue budget monitoring report as at 31
August 2021 and noted the comments in respect of the Health and Social Care
Partnership. 2.
Noted the progress with the policy savings options
as at 31 August 2021. 3.
Noted the financial risks for 2021-22. 4.
Noted the capital plan monitoring report as at 31
August 2021 and approved the budget accelerations outlined in Appendix 4 of
that report. 5.
Noted the treasury monitoring report as at 31
August 2021. 6.
Noted the reserves and balances report as at 31 August
2021. 7.
Agreed to recommend to Council that the revenue
virements over £0.200m during July and August 2021 be approved. (Reference: Report by Section 95 Officer dated 10
September 2021, submitted) |
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DISCRETIONARY / HARDSHIP FUND UPDATE PDF 121 KB Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth Minutes: The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the Council’s Hardship Fund which was an extension of the Discretionary Fund first reported to the Policy and Resources Committee on 10 December 2020, with a further update reported to the Policy and Resources Committee on 12 August 2021. Decision The Policy and Resources Committee approved that £98,000
of funding be made available from the Council’s Recovery and Renewal Fund to
make Hardship Awards to 27 businesses who met the minimum criteria for an award
but were rejected as their applications were received after the fund was fully
disbursed. (Reference:
Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and
Economic Growth dated 7 October 2021, submitted) |
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BUDGET OUTLOOK 2022-23 TO 2026-27 PDF 528 KB Report by Section 95 Officer Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update to the budget outlook 2022-23 to2026-27 reported to the Policy and Resources Committee on 12 August 2021. Decision The Policy and Resources Committee noted the current estimated budget outlook position for the period 2022-23 to 2026-27. (Reference: Report by Section 95 Officer dated 22 September 2021, submitted) |
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UPDATE ON COVID-19 FINANCIAL POSITION PDF 506 KB Report by Section 95 Officer Minutes: The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the projected impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Council’s revenue and capital budgets in the current year (2021/22) and future years, the current position of the Covid funding and an update on the latest discussions in respect of the financial flexibilities made available by the Scottish Government. Decision The Policy and Resources Committee – 1. Approved that the funding uploaded into the 2021/22 budget for Covid related cost pressures that is no longer required (£2.117m) is removed from the 2021/22 budget and transferred into the unallocated Covid funding that is currently held within earmarked reserves. 2. Approved that the cost pressures identified in relation to capital contract increases, £2.646m as noted in paragraph 3.5.2, is agreed to be added to the capital plan and funded from the £2.5m provision in addition to using a further £0.146m from the unallocated Covid funding in earmarked reserves. 3. Noted that the current estimate of the 2022/23 Covid revenue cost pressures is £0.697m. 4. Noted that it is highly likely that there will be further capital contract increases identified that relate to Covid that will require to be funded. 5. Noted that there remains Scottish Government Covid Funding of £1.684m and £5.400m from the Loans Fund Principal Repayment Holiday (if required) which would be ringfenced for Covid purposes as outlined in para 3.8.2 of the submitted report. 6. Agreed to delegate decision in respect of the allocation of Covid Funding for the potential winter opening of 6 additional toilet facilities (Ganavan, Crinan, Ulva, Kilchattan Bay, Glen Morag and Sandy Beach) for one year only, to the Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure in consultation with the Leader, Depute Leader and Leader of largest opposition group. (Reference: Report by Section 95 Officer dated 1 October 2021, submitted) |
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CAPITAL STRATEGY - UPDATE PDF 295 KB Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services Minutes: The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the development of the Council’s Capital Strategy that would be ready for consideration and adoption early in the life of the new Council in 2022. Decision The Policy and Resources Committee – 1.
Noted the update report. 2.
Agreed the high level
principles and timeline of the emerging Capital Strategy as outlined at
Paragraph 4.2 of the submitted report for further development and subsequent
submission to the Committee, and to the Council for approval. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with
responsibility for Commercial Services dated 23 September 2021, submitted) |
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Councillor Aileen Morton left the meeting at this point. |
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ICT - REVISED ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY PDF 284 KB Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee gave consideration to a report presenting a revised ICT Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) which reflected the extended range of technologies now at the disposal of Council users and which ensured the information presented was fully up to date. Decision The Policy and Resources Committee – 1.
Agreed the revised ICT AUP as attached at Appendix
1 to the submitted report and recommended approval to the Council. 2.
Noted that all members and officers of the council
would be required to read and confirm their acceptance of the revised policy
and to comply with the provisions therein. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with
responsibility for Customer Support Services dated 5 October 2021, submitted) |
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ADDRESSING OUR POPULATION CHALLENGES PDF 335 KB Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee gave consideration to a report presenting two possible options in relation to responding to population challenges in Argyll and Bute with the preferred option to pursue a themed approach focused on housing. Decision The Policy and Resources Committee – 1.
Agreed
that a pilot project is taken forward based on taking a thematic approach to
addressing our population challenges with a focus on addressing our overall
housing needs across Argyll and Bute. This pilot project will be
resourced with a settlement officer post for a period of year jointly funded by
HIE and Argyll and Bute Council from existing resources identified within the
Development and Economic Growth Service. 2.
Agreed
to advise the Convention of the Highlands and Islands (COHI) that the
population zones identified for Argyll and Bute are: ·
Rosneath
Peninsula (Helensburgh and Lomond) ·
Kintyre (Tarbert to Southend) (Mid Argyll, Kintyre
and the Islands) ·
Tiree
and Coll –(Oban, Lorn and the Isles) ·
Bute
(Bute and Cowal) 3.
Noted
that these population zones have been identified for research purposes looking
at a full range of factors affecting population levels. No additional funding has been identified as
yet by the Scottish Government in relation to these zones but their
identification will allow the council to continue to take an active part in
developing this area of work working alongside the Western Isles, Highland and
North Ayrshire Council who have also identified zones within their own
respective Local Authority areas. 4.
Highlighted
to COHI the urgent population issues across all of Argyll and Bute and not just
in the population zones identified and look for more to be done at pace. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 30 September 2021, submitted; and Notice of Motion by Councillor Robin Currie, seconded by Councillor Gary Mulvaney, tabled) |
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POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE WORKPLAN PDF 303 KB Minutes: The Policy and Resources Committee Workplan was
before the Committee for noting. Decision The Policy and Resources Committee noted the
content of the workplan as at October 2021. (Reference: Policy and Resources Committee Workplan
dated October 2021, submitted) |