Scottish Borders Council

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Newtown St. Boswells

Contact: Louise McGeoch Tel 01835 825005  email  lmcgeoch@scotborders.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Convener's Remarks.

Minutes:

The Convener advised that Council meeting scheduled for 8 February would now be held on 20 February for budget setting.

 

The Convener congratulated Catherine Lothian (known as Irene) who had been employed as a cleaner at Duns Primary School for 50 years, which was an outstanding achievement.  Catherine had received a voucher from the Council and had been invited to attend, as one of the Council’s guests, this year’s Garden Party at Holyrood. 

 

DECISION

AGREED that congratulations be passed to Catherine Lothian. 

 

2.

Minute pdf icon PDF 147 KB

Consider Minute of Scottish Borders Council held on 21 December 2017 for approval and signing by the Convener.  (Copy attached.)

 

Minutes:

The Minute of the Meeting held on 21 November 2017 was considered. 

 

DECISION

AGREED that the Minutes be approved and signed by the Convener.

 

3.

Committee Minutes pdf icon PDF 22 KB

Consider Minutes of the following Committees:-

 

(a)     Chambers Institution Trust                                 29 November 2017

(b)     Peebles Common Good Fund                           29 November 2017

(c)     Pension Fund Board                                           4 December 2017

(d)     Lauder Common Good Fund                             13 December 2017

(e)     Civic Government Licensing                              15 December 2017

(f)      Local Review Body                                            18 December 2017

(g)     Planning & Building Standards                           8 January 2018

 

(Please see separate Supplement containing the public Committee Minutes.)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the following Committees had been circulated:-

 

Chambers Institute Trust                                             29 November 2017

Peebles Common Good Fund                                     29 November  2017

Pension Board                                                             4 December 2017

Lauder Common Good Fund                                      13 December 2017

Civic Government Licensing                                       15 December  2017

Local Review Body                                                      18 December  2017

Planning Building Standards                                        8 January 2018

         

DECISION

APPROVED the Minutes listed above.

 

4.

Open Questions pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Minutes:

The questions submitted by Councillors Laing, Marshall and Paterson were answered. 

 

DECISION

NOTED the replies as detailed in Appendix I to this Minute.

 

5.

Education Governance Review - Next Steps pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Consider report by Service Director Children and Young People.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Convener advised that items 5 and 6 below would be approved together.  He advised that as there had already been discussion between the various political groups in the preparation of the consultation response that these items would not be further debated at the meeting.  Councillor Robson’s dissent was noted.

 

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director, Children and Young People updating on the position of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland in response to the “Governance Review: Next Steps paper published in June 2017 by the Scottish Government, copies of which were appended to the report.  The report provided a proposal regarding Regional Collaboration produced by the South East Alliance in response to the Next Steps paper “South East Alliance: South East Improvement Collaborative: Collaboration to Deliver Excellence and Equity” as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report. The Scottish Government published its Education Governance: Next Steps paper in June 2017 in response to the Delivery Plan and Consultation document “Empowering Teachers, Parents and Communities to Achieve Excellence and Equity in Education”. Scottish Borders Council submitted an extensive response to this consultation contained in Appendix 4 to the report. At the heart of this response was a clear statement of the Borders’ identity as a region in its own right, the importance of local partnership working in delivering education and the statutory responsibility of Scottish Borders Council to provide education and be accountable for the outcomes delivered for children and young people. This response also highlighted the importance of the partnership agenda in localities and communities and highlighted why services for children and young people must be part of local government governance, as the school existed within a wider concept of service delivery and could not be separated out from the range of service provision and partnerships available locally if the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) principles were to be realised. This submission was very much in accordance with the submissions made by Headteachers through their local Associations and Trade Unions, who all declared nationally that improving the quality of education was not about new structures and the centralising of education. 

 

DECISION

NOTED the South East Improvement Collaborative proposal as detailed in Appendix 3, to the report, and Scottish Borders Council’s continued role in the South East Improvement Collaborative.

 

6.

Empowering Schools - A Consultation on the Provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill pdf icon PDF 130 KB

Consider report by Service Director Children and Young People.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Children & Young People seeking approval on the Council’s response to the “Empowering Schools: A consultation on the Provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill, attached at Appendix 1 to the report.  Linked to this response a separate connected report was being considered as a separate item on this Agenda “Education Governance Review: Next Steps” which outlined the work of the South East Regional Improvement Collaborative and sought approval for Scottish Borders Council’s continued role within this Regional Improvement Collaborative. The consultation sought responses on key aspects of Education Governance: the role of Scottish Government, Local Authorities, Regional Improvement Collaboratives, Education Workforce Council, Education Scotland, Headteachers, parents/carers and young people.  The Council’s response, as contained in the amended Appendix 3 which had been circulated, was very clear in that within statute the Local Authority was accountable for the provision of education and outcomes for children and young people in the Scottish Borders and this must be recognised in all aspects of Governance.  It was important to note that a school or Headteacher had no legal entity in respect of accountability linked to Education provision.  There were many aspects of the Consultation that the Council was supportive of, but there were some areas where the Council had suggested amendments.  The Council had expressed in its response concern regarding some areas of responsibility in the new Headteachers’ Charter, improvement planning and the newly established Regional Collaboratives. The goals of the provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill 2018, to improve the outcomes of children and young people, were very much at the heart of the Council’s response.  There were a number of responses that the Council was fully supportive towards: the changes which looked to increase the participation and inclusion of parents/carers and young people in improving Education and the establishment of the “Education Workforce Council. 

 

DECISION

AGREED the Council’s response to ‘Empowering Schools, A Consultation on the Provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill’, as detailed in the amended Appendix 3 to the report.

 

7.

SESplan: Finance Ratification pdf icon PDF 116 KB

Consider report by Service Director Regulatory Services.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Regulatory Services seeking ratification of SESplan proposals for 2018/19.  The SESplan operating budget for 2018/19 was proposed to be set at £183,248 with each authority expected to contribute £10,000 and the remainder of the operating budget taken from existing SESplan reserves.  Councillor Bell, former Chair of SESplan Joint Committee, advised that Scottish Government’s planned legislation could result in the activities of SESplan being taken over by a wider regional partnership and therefore SESplan would cease to exist.  However, it there was a delay in the introduction of this legislation SESplan would continue and there might be a requirement to provide further in future.  Councillor Miers, on behalf of the Council, thanked Councillor Bell for his time as Chairman of SESplan.  

 

DECISION

AGREED to ratify the SESplan budget proposals for 2018/19

 

8.

Tweedbank Masterplan and Spatial Framework pdf icon PDF 158 KB

Consider report by Service Director Assets and Infrastructure.  (Please see separate supplement.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Assets & Infrastructure updating on the development of the outline masterplan and spatial framework which had been developed for Tweedbank following on from the last Council report on 21 December 2017.   The development of the masterplan, by Proctor Matthews Architects, was the starting point against which the Council could begin to fulfil its commitment within the Borders Railway Blueprint and City Deal to maximise the full economic potential of the Borders Railway and comprised a mixed-use development, primarily focused on the delivery of residential and Class 4, 5 and 6 business space.  There remained significant work to be undertaken that would include commencing the formal planning process to adopt the masterplan as Supplemental Planning Guidance, developing a communications and branding strategy which would attract private sector investment through an agreed delivery mechanism, development of business cases for individual projects as they come forward, analysis of risk and detailed costed proposals for the comprehensive development of the area.  A parallel report on the Galashiels masterplan would also be brought to Council but it should be noted these provided and demonstrated fundamentally different approaches.  Galashiels was an established urban centre, therefore the masterplan focused on opportunities for regeneration.  The Tweedbank masterplan was seen as a significant expansion to the existing Tweedbank settlement as well as repositioning the current Tweedbank Industrial Estate as a new Borders Innovative Park.  The masterplan was intended as a ‘vision’ document that demonstrated one architect’s proposals and architectural language for how the area could be developed.  As more formative proposals, and detailed planning applications were brought forward, these would be subject to change and likely to reflect private developer’s aspirations for the site, particularly in relation to the proposed residential development sites.  In response to members questions, the Service Director clarified that there were four Masterplans covering Tweedbank, Galashiels and two from Midlothian, along the length of the railway corridor.  The timeline for the project was anticipated at 15-20 years and it was hoped to attract as much private funding as possible.   The Executive Member for Business and Economic Development welcomed Members’ support for the masterplan and emphasised that this was an opportunity to build on the success of the Borders Railway and attract investors and visitors to the Scottish Borders.  

 

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)     to note the contents of the Tweedbank masterplan document;

 

(b)    that the Service Director Regulatory Services ensured the masterplan was now used to inform the preparation of a statutory Supplementary Planning Guidance to support the planned future development at Tweedbank;

 

(c)     that further reports would be brought to Council in respect of the                     development opportunities at Tweedbank outlining:

 

(i)      how development proposals would strengthen planned investment to deliver strategic outcomes;

 

(ii)     how the masterplan would be publicised to leverage private sector interest and investment in both the residential element and the Borders Innovation Park; and

 

(iii)    the most appropriate public/private sector delivery vehicle.

 

9.

Galashiels Masterplan (Regeneration Framework) pdf icon PDF 164 KB

Consider report by Service Director Assets and Infrastructure.  (Please see separate supplement.)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Assets & Infrastructure   updating on the development of the outline masterplan which had been developed for Galashiels to support the wider regeneration of the town centre.  The development of the masterplan, by Stallan Brand Architects, was also the starting point against which the Council could begin to fulfil its commitment within the Borders Railway Blueprint to maximise the full economic potential of the Borders Railway and comprised a variety of mixed use proposals, primarily focused on the delivery of residential retail, business space and regeneration led activities.  There remained significant work to be undertaken that would include updating the Local Development Plan to incorporate appropriate masterplan proposals, developing a communications and branding strategy in conjunction with partners such as Energise Galashiels or as part of the Galashiels BID (Business Improvement District), which would attract private sector investment through agreed delivery mechanisms, development of business cases for individual projects as they came forward, analysis of risk and detailed costed proposals for the comprehensive development of the area.   With reference to the parallel report on the Tweedbank masterplan detailed above it was noted these provided and demonstrated fundamentally different approaches.  Galashiels was an established urban centre, therefore that masterplan focused on opportunities for regeneration.   The Tweedbank masterplan was seen as a significant expansion to the existing Tweedbank settlement as well as repositioning the current Tweedbank Industrial Estate as a new Borders Innovation Park.  The masterplan was intended as a ‘vision’ document that demonstrated one architect’s proposals and architectural language for how the area could be developed.  As more formative proposals, and detailed planning applications were brought forward, those would be subject to change and likely reflect private developer’s aspiration for individual sites or proposals.  Officers were currently managing the 2nd stage application for TCRG (Regeneration Grant) funding for GToS Visitor Attraction.  This bid had positioned the GToS building as Phase 1 of a wider Galashiels Regeneration proposal.  The masterplan document was intended therefore to support the identification, development and delivery of second and subsequent phases of future regeneration projects.  Members commended the masterplan and the prospect of attracting both the public and private sector into Galashiels.  In response to a question on education provision the Service Director advised that the architects had previous involvement with the Schools Estates’ Review and an assessment of education provision in Galashiels and that the Service Director Children and Young People was currently reviewing the need for investment in the High School estate.

 

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)     NOTED the contents of the Galashiels masterplan document;

 

(b)    that the Service Director Regulatory Services gave due consideration to the adoption of appropriate components of the masterplan in the production of the new Local Development Plan;

 

(c)     that the Executive Director bring forward a report to a future Economic Development themed Executive meeting outlining:

 

(i)      how the masterplan proposals could best be utilised to strengthen         existing activities;

(ii)     publicised to leverage private sector interest and investment in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Amended Calendar of Meetings pdf icon PDF 136 KB

Consider amendments to Calendar of Meetings from January to June 2018.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph 17 of the Minute of 21 December 2017, there had been circulated copies of an amended calendar of meetings.  The Convener reminded Members that a further change was required to move the Special Council meeting to deal with the budget from 8 February to 20 February 2018.

 

DECISION

APPROVED the amended calendar of meetings as contained in Appendix II.

 

11.

Motion by Councillor Tatler

Consider Motion in the following terms:-

 

“Scottish Borders Council, as a fully committed living wage employer, will seek to establish and lead a Living Wage Group. The Scottish Borders Living Wage Group will include representatives from employers currently paying the Living Wage, Unions, business groups such as the Federation of Small Businesses and the voluntary sector. Its single aim will be to reverse the scourge of low wages in the Scottish Borders by encouraging all employers based in the Scottish Borders to pay all their employees the recognised Living Wage, currently £8.75.”

Minutes:

Councillor Tatler seconded by Councillor Laing, moved the Motion as detailed on the agenda in the following terms:-

 

“Scottish Borders Council, as a fully committed living wage employer, will seek to establish and lead a Living Wage Group. The Scottish Borders Living Wage Group will include representatives from employers currently paying the Living Wage, Unions, business groups such as the Federation of Small Businesses and the voluntary sector. Its single aim will be to reverse the scourge of low wages in the Scottish Borders by encouraging all employers based in the Scottish Borders to pay all their employees the recognised Living Wage, currently £8.75.”

 

Councillor Tatler spoke in support of his motion which was unanimously approved.

 

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Motion as detailed above.

 

12.

Private Business

Before proceeding with the private business, the following motion should be approved:-

 

“That under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the aforementioned Act.”

Minutes:

DECISION

AGREED under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the business detailed in  Appendix II to this Minute on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 6, 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A to the Act.

         

         

      SUMMARY OF PRIVATE BUSINESS

 

13.

Minute

Consider private Section of Minute of Scottish Borders Council held on 21 December 2017.  (Copy attached.)

Minutes:

The private section of the Council Minute of 21 December 2017 was approved. 

 

14.

Committee Minutes

Consider private Sections of the Minutes of the following Committees:-

 

(a)     Peebles Common Good Fund                           29 November 2017

(b)     Civic Government Licensing                              15 December 2017

(c)     Planning & Building Standards                           8 January 2017

 

(Please see separate Supplement containing private Committee Minutes.)

Minutes:

The private sections of the Committee Minutes as detailed in paragraph3 of this Minute were approved.

 

15.

Tweedbank Future Development Opportunities

Consider report by Service Director Assets and Infrastructure.  (Copy attached)

Minutes:

Members approved a private report by the Service Director Assets and Infrastructure on future development opportunities at Tweedbank.

 

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