This meeting will be held on a predominantly physical basis but with provision, by prior notification, for remote attendance by Elected Members in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 2003.  Where possible, the meeting will be live-streamed and available to view at https://north-ayrshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home. 

Members are requested to give notice of any declarations of interest in respect of items of business on the Agenda.

The accuracy of the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 17 May 2023 will be confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Submit report by the Provost for the period covering 8 May - 11 June 2023 (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Leader of the Council for the period covering 8 May - 11 June 2023 (copy enclosed).

Submit, for noting and for approval of any recommendations contained therein, the Minutes of Meeting of committees of the Council held in the period 2 December 2022 - 7 June 2023. 

Council is invited to (a) note the resignation of Councillor Scott Davidson as the Council's representative on the COSLA Environment and Economy Board, effective from 13 June 2023; (b) consider a nomination, duly proposed and seconded, for Councillor Gurney to fill this vacancy; and (c) consider any further nominations intimated prior to 12 noon on 21 June 2023, in terms of Standing Order 8.4.

Submit report by the Head of Service (Democratic) on the Boundaries Scotland’s 2023 Review of Scottish Parliament Constituency Boundaries (copy enclosed),

Submit report by the Chief Executive on the requirement to review the Scheme of Integration between North Ayrshire Council and NHS Ayrshire and Arran (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the unaudited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2023 (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the unaudited Trustees' Annual Report for the year to March 2023, for approval by the Council as trustees (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the Treasury Management and Investment Annual Report and Prudential Indicators for 2022/23 (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) on options in response to the Council motion of 17 May 2023 to "scrap all school meal debt by the start of the 2023/24 school year" (copy enclosed).

In terms of Standing Order 14, submit:-

“According to the Corporate Health and Safety Group Meeting dated 25 May 2023, Appendix 1 records Aggression and Violence Incidents in NAC Secondary Schools in Quarter 3 as 52 compared to 31 last year a rise of almost 70% in a comparable quarter. How many of these incidents involve teaching staff and what steps are being taken to address this problem?”

"The Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy made a strong and robust argument in favour of Town Centre parking charges back in February, despite the campaign waged against them by local businesses and residents. Given his and the SNP Administrations unequivocal vote to impose parking charges on people shopping in North Ayrshire Towns, does the Cabinet Member believe it is fair that he has claimed parking costs on his Council expenses?”

“According to recently released Public Health Scotland statistics, between 2017 and 2021 there were 111 deaths by suicide in North Ayrshire. Can the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care please give an update on what work has been undertaken by NAC to reduce the number of deaths by suicide?”

“Pre-Inspection bully surveys have highlighted issues with bullying in Greenwood Academy and the lack of confidence parents and carers have in the school to handle any problems that have been raised by a child. What can the Cabinet Member do to reassure all parents in North Ayrshire that all schools and staff are equipped to deal with bullying in schools?”

"NHS Ayrshire and Arran has not set a balanced budget for 2023/24. As the Council’s representative on the local health board, what assurances can the Council Leader give that the health board has a plan to sustain and indeed improve health services for the people of North Ayrshire?"

“With the resignation of the sixth Transport Minister to have held the position since the reformation of the Ardrossan task force in 2017, does the Council Leader believe the appointment of a seventh will have any impact on the Ardrossan Harbour project?”

“To ask the Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy if the Council has been in contact with the owners of Rankins pub in Stevenston to ask what their intentions with the building are as it is a blight on Stevenson town centre?”

To ask the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care what impact the NHS Ayrshire and Arran budget deficit will have on the IJB?”

“In May 2023, the Accounts Commission published the report ‘Local Government in Scotland – Overview 2023. The report contained some dire warnings about the fragility of local services in Scotland and made a number of very challenging recommendation on how to mitigate the effects of under-funding of local authority services and the staffing difficulties we are currently experiencing. What approach does North Ayrshire Council’s Administration intend to take to implements the Account Commission’s recommendations?”

“In 2022, it was agreed to pilot on Arran the use of self-employed carers for people choosing self-directed care. Please could the Cabinet Member provide an update on this pilot, including the number of self-employed carers that the service makes payment to and the number of residents making use of this service?”

“Does the Cabinet Member believe that the current funding allocated the roads budget is sustainable, considering the recent report the Irvine Locality Partnership showing that there is a backlog of carriageway maintenance that is currently 7 times the annual roads budget allocated in 23/24?”

“To ask the Portfolio holder for Green Environment and Economy to:

a. Visit and sit for 30 minutes on the newly installed black seating benches either on the Seafront in Largs or in Ardrossan and rate their comfort on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being uncomfortable and 10 being comfortable.

b. State the cost of one bench.

c. State who placed the order for such and what other options were considered.

d. Confirm that the benches meet relevant safety standards.”

"To ask the Cabinet Member how many cases of Japanese knotweed have been reported in Irvine in the past 2 years?"

In terms of Standing Order 15, submit:-

“Council:

1.  Notes the use of zero-hour contracts has risen over the last decade, meaning there is an increasing number of workers who do not have a guaranteed number of working hours each week
   
   
2. Does not accept the rhetoric that zero-hour contracts provide ‘flexibility’ both for the worker and the employer, and instead notes that such contracts nearly always provide one-sided flexibility in favour of the employer.
   
   
3. Notes workers on zero-hour contracts face financial insecurity as a result of:
   
   • the insecurity of not knowing how many hours they are working from week-to-week and, sometimes, from day-to-day
   • getting too few hours to financially make ends meet spending money to be able to work and then being out-of-pocket when hours are cancelled (travel costs, childcare costs etc.);
   • getting hours at the last minute and having to make urgent arrangements for childcare or other caring responsibilities, or cancel social plans
   • the fear of refusing hours lest it results in fewer hours being offered or bullying and harassment from the employer.
     
   
   
4. Recognises any one of these issues can result in the interference and employer control of the worker’s life outside of working time. This can result in debt, health issues because of household poverty and mental anguish and anxiety. This can not only affect the worker themselves, but the whole family unit.
   
   
5. Further notes:
   
   • that despite the government promising on numerous occasion new legislation to provide better security for workers on zero-hour contracts, it has failed to do so.
   • Zero-hour contracts are not only used in the private sector and some local authorities directly employ workers on such contracts.
     
     
6. Is proud to be a local authority that does not and will not use zero-hour contracts
   
   
7. Supports the work of Zero Hours Justice, an organisation which seeks to end exploitative zero-hours contracts by providing help for workers on such contracts, and supporting businesses and other organisations that either do not use zero-hours contracts or only do so in accordance to minimal criteria
   

This Council resolves to lead by example, and to reaffirm our commitment to providing security to our workers by applying to the Zero Hours Justice Accreditation Scheme, and thus to become an employer that does not both directly employ our workers on zero-hour contracts, and indirectly employ workers on zero-hour contracts via agency or any third-party contractor.”

Any other items which the Provost considers to be urgent.

Please note: this meeting may be filmed/recorded/live-streamed to the Council's internet site and available to view at https://north-ayrshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home, where it will be capable of repeated viewing.  At the start of the meeting, the Provost/Chair will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed/recorded/live-streamed.

You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Act 2018.  Data collected during the webcast will be retained in accordance with the Council’s published policy, including, but not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available via the Council’s internet site.

Generally, the press and public seating areas will not be filmed. However, by entering the Council Chambers, using the press or public seating area or (by invitation) participating remotely in this meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and consenting to the use and storage of those images and sound recordings and any information pertaining to you contained in them for webcasting or training purposes and for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available to the public. If you do not wish to participate in a recording, you should leave the meeting.  This will constitute your revocation of consent.

If you have any queries regarding this and, in particular, if you believe that use and/or storage of any particular information would cause, or be likely to cause, substantial damage or distress to any individual, please contact dataprotectionofficer@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.

John Bell
Timothy Billings
Marie Burns
Eleanor Collier
Joe Cullinane
Scott Davidson
Anthea Dickson
Stewart Ferguson
Todd Ferguson
Robert Foster
Scott Gallacher
John Glover
Tony Gurney
Alan Hill
Cameron Inglis
Margaret Johnson
Amanda Kerr
Christina Larsen
Shaun Macaulay
Jean McClung
Nairn McDonald
Matthew McLean
Louise McPhater
Davina McTiernan
Tom Marshall
Jim Montgomerie
Ian Murdoch
Donald Reid
Donald L Reid
Chloe Robertson
Ronnie Stalker
Angela Stephen
John Sweeney