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.

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 Ordinary Meeting held on 17 February 2021 and the Special Meeting held on 4 March 2021 will be confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (copies 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 14 September 2020 - 12 March 2021. 

In terms of Standing Order 12, submit:-

“Beith is often described as the last outpost in North Ayrshire being less than 1 mile from the Renfrewshire border.

The town has suffered disproportionately from the closure of shops and businesses. On 31 January 2021 there were a total of 19 shops and other business premises which had been closed for some time.

It is not without significance that Beith, unlike its near neighbours Dalry and Kilbirnie and other North Ayrshire towns, has no North Ayrshire Council offices, other than the part-time library in Main Street, to help sustain and bolster the local economy.

Although the library is part-time, it is a valued local facility and houses many other voluntary services which benefit the community.

If current plans go through, as seems likely, it looks as if the library will be transferred to Beith Community Centre.

Removing this valued modern facility which is disabled-friendly throughout, from Main Street will be another nail in the coffin of Main Street.

The public are very disappointed at the prospect of losing the library, a valued community services from this central location and once again feel forgotten. I certainly don’t want our wonderful library building to become No. 20 in shop and business closures in Beith and neither do local residents.

 
Will the Leader and Cabinet colleagues consider the genuine economic plight of Beith; examine all possible ways of retaining this vital facility as the beating heart of Main Street; in so doing give the people of Beith and District some reassurance that North Ayrshire Council  is genuinely listening, caring and responsive to Beith’s social problems and the wishes of its people?"

“Can the Cabinet Member advise of the number of anti-social neighbour issues dealt with by the NAC Anti-social team in:

Kilbirnie, Dalry And Beith, during each of the two years viz: 2019 & 2020; also  if figures are readily available, how many of the anti-social neighbours were ultimately rehoused elsewhere during that same period.”

“Will the Leader provide Members with a breakdown of the unitary charge payment of 13,618,155 million pounds in respect of PPP funded schools as agreed in the budget of 2021/22 (the finance lease creditor payment, the finance lease creditor interest, the lifecycle maintenance profile, the contingent rentals and the cost of services)?

Will he also inform Members of the Lease interest as a percentage of the total unitary charge?”

"Pupil Equity Funding has provided targeted support for children and young people affected by poverty to achieve their full potential.  North Ayrshire Council has received Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) for five years from 2017 at approximately £4.5m per year and as a result has managed in some instances to reduce the Attainment Gap between pupils in SIMD 1&2 and SIMD 3-10. A welcome initiative. 

Given that this Academic year has been a lost year of schooling:

a. what proposals does the Portfolioholder have to ensure that the gains achieved by PEF  are not lost for pupils in SIMD 1&2; and  

b. what measures will be put in place to reverse the decline  in standards of  of literacy and numeracy for all pupils.”

“Can the Chair of Planning please explain why the planning permission for the Caisson Gates, Jetty Extension and Decommissioning Site at Hunterston Parc are not Null and Void?”

“What have North Ayrshire Council done to improve and protect the environment since declaring a Climate Change Emergency?”

“At the meeting of the full council on 4^th March 2021 I proposed that £285,000 was passed to the North Ayrshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership to enable them to establish a community based mental health initiative specifically to address the rise in mental health issues due to the Covid restrictions. However, my proposal was not supported and the money was allocated to the Investment Fund for some as yet undefined future project. At last week’s meeting of North Ayrshire’s Integration Joint Board we agreed the HSCP budget for the coming year. It was clear that the HSCP is very tight for money and will be using over £1million of its reserves to balance its budget, and it was clear that there was no spare money to bring forward a community-wide mental health initiative. Does the Member now regret his decision not to support the HSCP to develop its community mental health service that would address our current health crisis?”

In terms of Standing Order 13, submit:-

"North Ayrshire Council calls on the Marine Accident Investigation Branch/Health & Safety Executive to carry out a full investigation into the incident on Tuesday 2^nd February 2021 at Hunterston Parc where DS4 & DS8 broke free from their secure attachment to the Jetty.

Such an investigation should consider both the health & safety implications of the incident and the suitability of the Pier/Jetty and associated infrastructure for the permanent mooring of vessels of this size or type both now or in the future."

"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 the Council’s ability to provide important public services for our citizens both now and in the future. We note that Pauline McNeill, Scottish Labour’s local government spokeswoman, has pointed out that research shows that the Scottish Government has cut Council’s non-ringed revenue funding by £973.3m in real terms between 2013-14 and 2021-22

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.

The UK Treasury’s “broad shoulders” has meant that

a   an additional £13.3 Billion  had been delivered to support Scottish public services through the crisis. The UK Government’s furlough and self-employment support schemes had protected more than 930,000 Scottish jobs while some £3.4 Billion in loans had helped over 90,000 Scottish businesses

b. funding has enabled  the research and production of a number of vaccines which have enabled 2m Scots to be vaccinated – an amazing feat by scientists.  

c . a “Levelling up Fund” has been set up. This will enable structural funds to be distributed directly to Local Authorities - which would be devolution in its truest sense.

This last point was promoted by the Chancellor in the Budget when he announced the UK Government’s “Levelling Up Fund” whereby over the next 4 years there will at least £800m available for investment, in the devolved nations, in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities. This offers North Ayrshire Council a unique opportunity to fund regeneration and town centre investment.

Economic differences remain between different parts of the UK, including our cities, ex-industrial towns, and rural and coastal communities. These economic differences have real implications: they affect people’s lives through their pay, work opportunities, health and life chances. Tackling these economic differences and driving prosperity as part of ‘levelling up’ left behind regions of the UK.

Bids are welcome for regeneration schemes and town centre investment to upgrade eyesore buildings and dated infrastructure, acquire and regenerate brownfield sites, invest in secure community infrastructure and crime reduction, bring public services and safe community spaces into town centres and improve the public realm including high streets.

Therefore we move that the Council:

1. Regrets  that local government continues to be at the forefront of Scottish Government austerity;

2. 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;

3. Instructs  the Chief Executive to submit a Bid to the Regeneration and Town Centre Investment Fund section of the “Levelling up Fund” which welcomes bids to upgrade eyesore buildings and dated infrastructure, acquire and regenerate brownfield sites, invest in secure community infrastructure and crime reduction, and bring public services and safe community spaces into towns, maintaining, regenerating, or creatively repurposing to improve the public realm;

4. Requests that the local Members of Parliament supports any Bid that the Council makes.” 

Any other items which the Provost considers to be urgent.

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