Meeting Details

North Ayrshire Council
29 Mar 2023 - 14:00 to 18:00
Occurred
Meeting open to the public.
  • Documents
  • Members Attending
  • Others Attending
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Agenda Items
Meeting Arrangements - Hybrid Meetings

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

1 Apologies
2 Declarations of Interest

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 (i) Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on 15 February 2023 and (ii) the Special Meeting of the Council held on 1 March 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 6 February 2023 - 19 March 2023 (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Leader of the Council for the period covering 6 February 2023 - 19 March 2023 (copy enclosed).

6 Minute Volume (issued under separate cover)

Submit, for noting and for approval of any recommendations contained therein, the Minutes of Meeting of committees of the Council held in the period 8 December 2022 - 8 March 2023. 

Submit report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) on the Minutes of the Community Planning Partnership Board held on 13 March 2023 (copy enclosed).

The Council is invited to note that, following his appointment as Depute Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Group, Councillor Inglis replaces Councillor T.  Ferguson on the Staffing and Recruitment Committee and Appeals Committee.

The Council is invited to consider a nomination to appoint Councillor Donald Reid to serve on the North Ayrshire Fair Trade Zone Steering Group.

10 Questions

In terms of Standing Order 14, submit:-

"Can the Member give an update on the Council’s Renewable Energy strategy for home heating in North Ayrshire?”

“At the time of writing, the last published Minute of an Ardrossan Taskforce meeting was on the 29 November 2022 for the meeting which took place on the 28 June 2022. My understanding is there has been at least two task force meetings since then. Given that it is taking several months for the task force to publish public minutes, can the leader of the Council, as co-chair of the said task force, advise us what has been discussed since 28 June 2022 and what progress has been made?”

“Recently the Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur welcomed the new East Coast Forth and Cromarty Green Freeports stating that the aim was for them to become “an internationally competitive cluster of excellence” and offering them various tax reliefs to boost the process. 

 

Noting  that the recent UK Government's Budget is planning to kickstart economic growth across the UK by offering secure grants and tax cuts worth £80 million for over five years to each hub to enable Scotland to set up enterprise hub , will the Cabinet Member be proactive in supporting the claim for North Ayrshire as an area of economic deprivation on the West Coast to be offered such an opportunity.”

“The Cabinet Member for Education has announced a delay in the construction of a new primary school and early years centre in Montgomerie Park via a press interview. He will be aware that new homes are currently being built at Montgomerie Park and the existing school catchment area has been dealing with capacity issues for many years, resulting in the investment in additional space at Annick Primary. Can the Cabinet Member tell us what impact the delay on a new primary school will have on existing school rolls?”

“To ask the Cabinet Member for Education for an update on the shocking news that toilets are being locked in Greenwood Academy and St Matthew's Academy restricting pupils from using the toilet?”

"At the Council’s budget meeting on 1 March, the SNP proposed no additional funding for road maintenance, the Tories proposed an additional £1m subject to the 2022-23 year-end financial position and Labour proposed an additional £2m. Can the Cabinet Member for Finance confirm what parties’ proposal she incorporated after the recess at the budget meeting on 1 March?"

“Given the completion date for the Glen Sannox as the Arran  replacement ferry is now five years late and still indeterminate, the failure to agree on economic package to adapt the berthing arrangements at Ardrossan to allow for the new ferry to dock, the plan by CalMac to move the mainland port to Troon, what will be the economic impact on Ardrossan and the wider North Ayrshire economy by such a change of port and what plans do the Administration have to mitigate such?”

“Your recent budget paper included a £4m jobs cut fund under the guise of workforce planning, how many employees are you planning on leaving due to this decision within the next financial year?”

“To ask the Cabinet Member for the number of workers currently working from home?"

“To ask the Cabinet Member for Finance whether continued support for community Christmas Lights was included in the SNP budget proposals on 1 March at 2.15pm or the Conservatives’ Budget proposal which she incorporated in her revised motion at 4pm on 1 March?”

“Can the Member give me an update on the tenant housing consultation for this year, with specific reference to public consultation on the allocation system?”

"There have been reports of ambulances queued outside Ayr and Crosshouse hospitals over many months.  I am led to believe that this was a particular issue on Monday 13 March 2023 when, at one point every ambulance serving our area was parked outside Crosshouse hospital for several hours.  As the Council representative on NHS Ayrshire and Arran, what reassurances can the Council Leader provide that with such a circumstance, our health board will be able to respond to an emergency call, for example a cardiac arrest call?”

“The Labour group has made a public stand against what it has described as ‘re-mortgaging’ of school PFI deals undertaken by the Council’s Finance Department and confirmed in the budget for 23-24. Can the Leader of the Labour Group please tell me how much they believe the value of this re-mortgage loan to be, the associated interest rate and financial risk to the authority?”

“As the Council’s representative on NHS Ayrshire and Arran, can the Council Leader tell us what funding gap Scotland’s Health Secretary has left the health board facing in 2023/24?”

“In 2019, Councillor Gurney opposed the Council introducing advertising on council-owned assets, such as roundabouts. Earlier this month he said “The high demand and participation of local businesses in local advertising and sponsorship opportunities has been clearly demonstrated across North Ayrshire. We will always aim to provide affordable opportunities that will be of benefit to our local businesses and residents.” Can the now Cabinet Member for Place explain his U-turn?”

“To ask the Cabinet Member for Finance what impact in her opinion will balancing the Council budget with £970k from HSCP debt repayment have on HSCP services in 23/24?”

11 Motions

In terms of Standing Order 15, submit:-

 

"Council expresses its disgust at the UK Government’s ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ which is effectively a ban on the victims of war, torture and modern slavery from claiming asylum in the UK due to the lack of safe and legal routes to claim asylum here.

 

Council notes:

 

(1)       the Bill may not be compatible with the UN Refugee Convention as it will remove the right to claim asylum in the UK

 

(2)       that the UK Government’s previous hardline policies such as the Nationality and Borders Act and the Rwanda policy have not acted as a deterrent, with the number of refugees crossing in small boats reaching a record high since the Rwanda policy was announced.

 

Council is proud to have welcomed hundreds of Ukrainians to North Ayrshire since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Council understands that no Ukrainian has had to pay a people smuggler to cross the channel in a small boat with the UK Government offering them Safe Passage.

 

Council believes that offering Safe Passage to refugees in Calais is the kinder, compassionate and more effective alternative to the UK Government’s hardline anti-refugee policies.

 

Council resolves that the Chief Executive write to the Home Secretary outlining our opposition to the Illegal Migration Bill and calling for the UK Government to adopt a policy of Safe Passage for refugees as the means to end small boats, put people smugglers out of business and save lives.”

 

"That North Ayrshire Council:

 

1. acknowledges the increasing impact of the sale of single use Nicotine Vaping Products (NVPs) on the health of children and young people and the environment, and

 

2. agrees to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Scottish and Westminster Governments expressing North Ayrshire Council’s support for a proposed ban on single use vapes, and to support measures to ban their sale, or to the extent that is not legally possible to effectively reduce their harmful impacts.”

 

“In recognition of the Council’s commitment to the Promise and our responsibility as corporate parent to take positive action to improve the lives of care experienced children and create communities where all children have the right to grow up loved, safe and respected, Council agrees:

 

1.   to support adding “Care Experienced” to be treated as a protected characteristic in North Ayrshire’s Equality impact assessments to ensure all decisions made by Council give specific focus on how we can improve the lives of care experienced young people; and  

 

2.   to request that a report is brought to Cabinet to outline the next steps, including the Equalities Impact Assessments required, to implement this policy”

Any other items which the Provost considers to be urgent.

Webcasting

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.

Sederunt
North Ayrshire Council

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

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
Councillor Joe Cullinane11(1)Employee of refugee charityPersonalLeft the chamber and took no part in the determination of this motion

Others Attending

In Attendance

C. Hatton, Chief Executive; C. Cameron, Director (Health and Social Care Partnership); R. McCutcheon, Executive Director (Place); A. Sutton, Executive Director (Communities and Education); M. Boyd, Head of Service (Finance); F. Walker, Head of Service (People and ICT); and A. Craig, Head of Service, R. Lynch, Senior Manager (Legal Services); M. McColm, Senior Manager (Communications), M. Anderson, Senior Manager (Committee and Member Services) and D. Mccaw and S. Wilson, Committee Services Officers (Democratic Services).

Webcast



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