Meeting Details

North Ayrshire Council
17 Feb 2021 - 13:00 to 20:00
Occurred
Meeting open to the public.
  • Documents
  • Members Attending
  • Others Attending
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Agenda Items
Arrangements in Terms of COVID-19

In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting will be held remotely 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.  In the event that live-streaming is not possible, a recording of the meeting will instead be available to view at this location.

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 Meeting held on 16 December 2020 will be confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Provost covering the period 7 December 2020 - 7 February 2021 (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Leader of the Council covering the period 7 December 2020 - 7 February 2021 (copy enclosed).

Submit, for noting and for approval of any recommendations contained therein, the Minutes of Meetings of committees of the Council held in the period 14 September 2020 - 9 February 2021.

Submit report by the Executive Director (Communities) on the Minutes of the meeting of the North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership Board held on 2 December 2020 (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Chief Executive on the appointment of a new Director on the Board of North Ayrshire Ventures Trust Ltd (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Director (Growth and Investment) on an update in respect of progress with the redevelopment of Ardrossan Harbour (copy enclosed).

Submit report by the Head of Democratic Services on the application of some provisions within the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils during the current COVID-19 pandemic (copy enclosed).

11 Questions

In terms of Standing Order 12, submit:-

"In the light of high levels of social isolation and loneliness experienced by many since the beginning of the Corona pandemic which began in March 2020, can the Leader (or relevant cabinet member) advise of the number of suicides in North Ayrshire which occurred between 1 January - 31 December 2019 and (if figures are currently available) for the period 1 January – 31 December 2020 (or to period in 2020 for which figures are available) and are any special measures currently in place to support those at risk of committing suicide?"

“Can the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care provide an update on the number of planned operations which have been cancelled at Crosshouse University Hospital between 1 April 2020 and 31 December 2020 due to the Covid pandemic; and what actions are being taken to reduce the operations backlog?”

"Can the Cabinet Member for Green New Deal and Sustainability provide Elected Members with an update on progress with the 2020/21 Roads Repair programme, with particular reference to roads in the Garnock Valley area included in that programme?”

"The report by Derek Feeley on the independent review of adult social care in Scotland was published this month. Amongst other recommendations it suggested the formation of a National Care Service. 

 

Does the portfolio holder agree that:

 

a. the Scottish Government’s overhaul of Social Care 5 years ago, which was supposed to integrate Council community support services with the NHS through the setting up of Integrated Joint Boards, has failed?

 

b. the formation of a National Care Service is yet another example of the Nationalist Government pursuing its Central Command and Control Policies to the exclusion of Local Councils?”

"Can the Chair of Planning please confirm how many people have formally asked in writing to speak at the Planning Committee when it considers the Rigghill Wind Farm Application and confirm the date they were received?”

"Can the Leader of the Council please confirm what action North Ayrshire Council has taken regarding the incident at Hunterston Jetty on Tuesday 2nd February 2021 involving DS4 & DS8 Drilling Ships and will there be a full investigation?”

"In my Ward, I noticed electric car charging points have been installed in car parks in West Kilbride and Dalry. Can I ask the Leader who paid for these installations?"

“What percentage of goods and services paid for by NAC actually comes from businesses or suppliers with their headquarters or place of business within North Ayrshire?”

“During the discussion on setting the Hunterston DEPZ (Detailed Emergency Planning Zone), you said, “I have read the papers and listened for a year now to the advice we are getting and don’t see how we, within the framework that’s set for us as a Council, can make any other decision than the one that is recommended within the paper.” Does the Leader of the Council think that the whole process of being given the responsibility and then making the decision was fair and unrestricted and is he happy with the outcome?”

12 Motions

In terms of Standing Order 13, submit:-

"Over 10 years ago plans to enable a phased replacement of Scotland's subsidised ferries, including for the Arran route, were drawn up. Over 6 years ago at a public meeting in Brodick we were told there would be a new ferry for the Arran route coming into service in 2018 and that it would be designed to cope with Ardrossan harbour. Now in 2021 with over £150 million already spent, we are still waiting for that ferry that is in no way designed to cope with Ardrossan.

 

The cross-party Scottish parliamentary Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee enquired into what has happened to Arran's ferry, and published their report in December 2020. The report identified 'catastrophic' failings by those involved including the SNP Scottish government and the publicly owned ferry procurement company. The report includes recommendations to remedy the errors made. However, in response to the report the Scottish Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, Mr Wheelhouse, said in effect that the report is wrong, that the Scottish government is not at fault and that it did all it could to procure the Arran ferry.

 

If the Minister, Mr Wheelhouse, thinks that wasting £100s of millions of tax payers money to produce the shells of two ferries already over 3 years late is a good use of time and money, one does wonder what he is thinking about. Parliamentary committees are there to scrutinise the actions of the government, and the government is accountable to parliament. When errors are made, they must be recognised and changes made to make improvements. Otherwise further waste will result and it is our communities and economy that suffer.

 

I therefore move that North Ayrshire Council:

 

a. agrees that the Scottish Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands must accept the findings of the ferry enquiry's report, and must establish new systems of working for the future procurement of ferries that take account of the report's recommendations so as to address the failings of the current processes; 

 

and

 

b. directs North Ayrshire Council's Chief Executive to write to the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands informing him of the Council's opinions; reminds the Minister of the harm that is being caused to North Ayrshire's island communities due to the inadequate ferry services and asks the Minister to how he intends to address the issues raised in the report so that future ferry procurement processes are fit for purpose and produce ferries in a timely and cost effective manner."

"The Council  delivery plan which forms part of our strategic planning approach has helped to lay the foundations to counter the centralising approach of the Scottish Government towards local government, which has resulted in North Ayrshire being one of the lowest funded councils over the last decade.

 

We are concerned that this ongoing situation is having a detrimental impact on its ability to provide important public services for our citizens both now and in the future.

 

In order  to look at alternatives to ensure North Ayrshire can reach its full potential we suggest that the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Scotland asking him if the UK government would consider dealing directly with COSLA and North Ayrshire Council in considering allocating grant funding, to ensure that North Ayrshire Council receives its fair share of funding.

 

We note the existence of  the Scottish Government’s document “Scottish Shared Prosperity Fund” and the UK Government’s decision, announced in the Spending Review, to use its replacement for EU Structural Funds to work in partnership with local authorities and communities right across Scotland to ensure local accountability.

 

 We move that the Council

 

1.   agrees Devolution is the settled will of the Scottish people;

 

2.   agrees Devolution has been beneficial for Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom;

 

3. regrets that local government continues to be at the forefront of SNP austerity;

 

4. instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Scotland asking him if the UK government would consider dealing directly with COSLA and North Ayrshire Council in considering allocating grant funding, to ensure that North Ayrshire Council receives its fair share of funding; and

 

5. instructs the Chief Executive to write to COSLA confirming that North Ayrshire Council supports the UK Government’s localised approach which would allow North Ayrshire Council to spend our share of future UK Shared Prosperity Funding in line with the Council Delivery Plan which supports the Local Outcome Improvement Plan."

13 Urgent Items

Any other items which the Chair considers to be urgent.

Webcasting - Virtual Meeting

Please note: this meeting may be recorded/live-streamed to the Council's internet site, where it will be capable of repeated viewing.  At the start of the meeting, the Provost will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being 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.

 

If you are participating in this meeting by invitation, 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 the them live-streaming/recording 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 'virtual meeting'.  This will constitute your revocation of consent.

 

If you have any queries regarding this, please contact dataprotectionofficer@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.

 
Sederunt
North Ayrshire Council
Ian Clarkson (Provost)
Robert Barr (Depute Provost)
John Bell
Timothy Billings
Joy Brahim
Marie Burns
Joe Cullinane
Scott Davidson
Anthea Dickson
John Easdale
Todd Ferguson
Robert Foster
Scott Gallacher
Alex Gallagher
Margaret George
John Glover
Tony Gurney
Alan Hill
Christina Larsen
Shaun Macaulay
Jean McClung
Ellen McMaster
Ronnie McNicol
Louise McPhater
Davina McTiernan
Tom Marshall
Jimmy Miller
Jim Montgomerie
Ian Murdoch
Donald Reid
Donald L Reid
Angela Stephen
John Sweeney

Members Attending

Name
No other member attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Sending Apology
Councillor Tom MarshallUnable to attend
Councillor Louise McPhaterUnable to attend
NameReason for Absence
No absentee information has been recorded for the meeting.

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.

Others Attending

In Attendance

C. Hatton, Chief Executive; R. McCutcheon, Executive Director (Place); A. Sutton, Executive Director (Communities and Education); K. Yeomans, Director (Growth and Investment); C. Cameron, Director (Health and Social Care Partnership); and M. Boyd Head of Finance, A. Fraser, Head of Democratic Services, A. Craig, Senior Manager (Legal Services), M. McColm, Senior Manager (Communications), H. Clancy, E. Gray and A. Little, Committee Services Officers and M. Anderson, Senior Manager (Committee and Member Services) (Chief Executive's Service).

Webcast



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