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 congratulated Tracey Biggs, Galashiels Academy School Canteen Manager, on winning the Scottish School Cook of the Year and re-presented her trophy.

 

DECISION

AGREED to endorse the comments of the Convener.

 

2.

Minute pdf icon PDF 129 KB

Consider Minute of Scottish Borders Council held on 30 August 2018 for approval and signing by the Convener.  (Copy attached.)

 

Minutes:

The Minute of the Meeting held on 30 August 2018 was considered. 

 

DECISION

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

 

3.

Committee Minutes pdf icon PDF 22 KB

Consider Minutes of the following Committees:-

 

(a)     Executive                                                           21 August 2018

(b)     Audit & Scrutiny                                                 23 August 2018

(c)     Innerleithen Common Good Fund                     23 August 2018

(d)     Lauder Common Good Fund                             27 August 2018

(e)     Peebles Common Good Fund                           29 August 2018

(f)      Planning & Building Standards                           3 September 2018

(g)     Executive                                                           4 September 2018

(h)     Galashiels Common Good Fund                       12 September 2018

(i)      Selkirk Common Good Fund                             12 September 2018

(j)      Jedburgh Common Good Fund                         12 September 2018

(k)     Kelso Common Good Fund                               12 September 2018

 

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

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the following Committees had been circulated:-

Executive                                                                     21 August 2018

Audit & Scrutiny                                                           23 August 2018

Innerleithen Common Good Fund                               23 August 2018

Lauder Common Good Fund                                      27 August 2018

Peebles Common Good Fund                                     29 August 2018

Planning & Building Standards                                    3 September 2018

Executive                                                                     4 September 2018

Galashiels Common Good Fund                                 12 September 2018

Selkirk Common Good Fund                                      12 September 2018

Jedburgh Common Good Fund                                  12 September 2018

Kelso Common Good Fund                                         12 September 2018

        

DECISION

APPROVED the Minutes listed above.

 

4.

Our Service for you: Scottish Borders Council's Strategy for our Customers 2018-2023 pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Consider report by Service Director Customer & Communities.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Customer and Communities proposing a new Customer Strategy for Scottish Borders Council for the period 2018 – 2023 which re-focused Scottish Borders Council’s (SBC) approach to designing and delivering services, putting the customer at the heart of what the Council did and making the most of current and emerging digital technology.  For a variety of reasons, including changing customer expectations, reducing resources, increasing demand for services and developments and investment in digital technology, the need had been identified for a new strategic approach to dealing with customers across SBC services.  In a large rural area, and across a large organisation, there were a number of challenges to overcome including changing the way customers contacted SBC, improving and streamlining business processes and ensuring consistently excellent customer care across all services.  There were also some cultural challenges within SBC due to, for example, departmental “silo” structures.  Against the context of SBC’s new Corporate Plan (Our Plan and your part in it) and the #yourpart campaign that underpinned it, SBC had now developed a new customer strategy that put the customer at the heart of service design and delivery, as contained in Appendix 1 to the report.  It articulated SBC’s vision for the future, how it would be delivered and how SBC would measure success, including gathering customer views on satisfaction and measuring how customers contacted and interacted with SBC, and how this changed over time.  As technology would play a key part in SBC’s future customer facing arrangements, SBC had established a Digital Customer Steering Group (DCSG) as part of the Digital Transformation Programme, chaired by the Service Director, Customer and Communities.  Although established to ensure that both staff and communities had the skills necessary to maximise the investment that SBC was making in digital technology, DCSG had the membership to ensure it could oversee the implementation of the new Customer Strategy.  Members generally welcomed the report but emphasised the need to cater for those who could not engage electronically.  .

 

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Customer Strategy as contained in Appendix 1 to the report.

5.

Barclay Review Implementation - Consultation Response pdf icon PDF 112 KB

Consider report by Chief Financial Officer.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Financial Officer seeking approval for the draft response to ‘Barclay Implementation: A consultation on non-domestic rates reform’.  The report explained that the Consultation raised a number of issues, which might affect the business of and resources available to the Council.  Most significantly, the consultation proposed moving from 5 yearly revaluations for non-domestic rates to 3 yearly revaluations from 2022, and charging rates on ‘commercial activity on current exempt parks and Local Authority land vested in recreation at the same level as similar activity elsewhere’.  The Consultation was appended to the Report as Appendix A and the Scottish Borders Council response had been prepared which addressed these and the other proposals contained within the Consultation.  The Consultation Response was appended to the report at Appendix B.  Member agreed to support the proposed response.

 

DECISION

AGREED to approve the draft Consultation response contained in Appendix B to the report.

 

6.

Scottish Borders Council Final Reports and Accounts 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 999 KB

Consider the following:-

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by Audit Scotland, the Council’s Auditors, together with a report by the Chief Financial Officer and a copy of the Annual Accounts 2017/18.  The Chief Financial Officer’s report explained that this was the second year of Audit Scotland undertaking the external audit of the Council’s Annual Accounts.  They also covered the Council’s related charities but KPMG continued to provide the external audit of SB Cares, SB Supports and Bridge Homes.  KPMG had concluded their audit and had raised no issues.  Audit Scotland had now completed the audit of the Council’s 2017/18 Annual Accounts and had provided an unqualified independent audit opinion.  The Annual Audit Report summarised Audit Scotland’s conclusions, including:

·                An unqualified audit opinion

·                They concurred with management’s accounting treatment and judgements;

·                They concluded positively in respect of financial management, financial sustainability, governance and transparency and value for money.

Audit Scotland had identified eight recommendations requiring action and these had been accepted by management and would be enacted within the agreed timescales.  As required under the Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014, the audited Annual Accounts for Scottish Borders Council, Scottish Borders Council’s Pension Fund, SBC Common Good Funds, the SBC Charitable Trusts, Bridge Homes LLP, SB Support and SB Cares - copies of which had also been circulated - had been presented to the Audit & Scrutiny Committee the day before and no issues had been raised.  Mr Robertson answered Members’ questions on Brexit and the Pensions Fund.

DECISION

AGREED to approve the following audited accounts:-

(a)     the Scottish Borders Council’s audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(b)     the Scottish Borders Council Common Good Funds’ (Charity SC031538) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(c)     the SBC Welfare Trust (Charity SC044765) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(d)     the SBC Education Trust (Charity SC044762) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(e)     the SBC Community Enhancement Trust (Charity SC044764) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(f)      the Ormiston Trust for Institute Fund (Charity SC019162) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(g)     the Scottish Borders Council Charity Funds’ (Charity SC043896) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(h)     the Bridge Homes LLP audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(i)      the SB Supports audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018;

(j)      the SB Cares audited Annual Accounts for the year to the 31 March 2018; and

(k)     the Scottish Borders Council’s Pension Fund audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2018.

7.

Annual Treasury Management Report 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 108 KB

Consider report by Chief Financial Officer.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph13 of the Minute of 21 December 2017, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Financial Officer presenting the annual treasury management activities undertaken during the 2017/18 financial year.  The report explained that the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management in the Public Services (the Code) required an annual report on treasury management to be submitted to Council following the end of each financial year.  This report highlighted the Council’s treasury activity undertaken in the year ended 31 March 2018 and the performance of the Treasury function.  Appendix 1 contained the annual report of treasury management activities for 2017/18 and provided an analysis of performance against targets set in relation to Prudential and Treasury Management Indicators.  The performance comparisons reported were based on the revised indicators agreed as part of the mid-year report approved on 21 December 2017.  The Appendix showed the Council’s borrowing requirement to fund the capital investment undertaken during 2017/18, how much the Council actually borrowed against the sums budgeted and the level of external debt within approved limits.  During the year the Council had again, where possible, deferred borrowing using surplus cash rather than undertaking new borrowing.  However, the Council did undertake short term borrowing for cash flow purposes and additional long term borrowing for capital purposes during the year, amounting to £5m and £10m respectively.  Treasury management activity for the year had been undertaken in compliance with approved policy and the Code. The Council remained under-borrowed against its Capital Financing Requirement (CFR) at 31 March 2018.

 

DECISION

NOTED that treasury management activity in the year to 31 March 2018 was carried out in compliance with the approved Treasury Management Strategy and Policy as detailed in the report.

 

8.

SESPLAN Governance Ratification pdf icon PDF 94 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 proposed changes to the SESplan governance arrangements.  The report explained that the revised SESplan governance arrangements which were proposed followed an internal audit by Fife Council in March 2018 of the existing Governance arrangements.  The audit made five recommendations, three of which required amendments to the SESplan Constitution and Financial Rules.  These related to the organisation’s complaints procedure, the timing of budget approvals by the Joint Committee and Member Authorities, and the procedure for submitting financial monitoring reports.

 

DECISION

AGREED to ratify the revised SESplan Governance arrangements set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

 

9.

Committee Membership

Consider appointment of member of the Pension Fund Committee.

Minutes:

Councillor Haslam, seconded by Councillor Mountford, moved that Councillor Carol Hamilton be appointed to the Pension Fund Committee and this was unanimously approved.

 

DECISION

AGREED to appoint Councillor Carol Hamilton to the Pension Fund Committee.

 

10.

A Proposal for a Single Public Authority in the Scottish Borders pdf icon PDF 147 KB

Consider report by Chief Executive.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Executive seeking approval for the ‘Proposal for a Single Public Authority in the Scottish Borders’, as detailed in the appendix to the report, and its submission to the Local Governance Review jointly announced by Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) in December 2017.  The report explained that with the aim of driving a step change in outcomes for the citizens and communities of the Scottish Borders, the proposal advanced a vision for a single service delivery vehicle, encompassing the Council and NHS Borders in the first instance.  The proposal also examined intermediate practical steps which might be taken to progress this model, and considered how citizens and communities could have ‘more say about how public services in their area were run.’  In response to concerns that there had been no discussion with Members in advance of this report being presented to Council, the Chief Executive advised that there had been numerous conversations over months with senior Councillors and partners, and the draft response had been taken to a Members Sounding Board meeting on 29 August 2018, with Members asked to discuss it confidentially within their Groups.  The Chief Executive then clarified that this was only a proposal to be explored, not a decision to create a single public authority, but a response to a Government consultation, which may or may not lead to this being considered further.  Members discussed the proposal at length with a number of views both for and against the proposal being expressed, along with further options for consideration.

 

VOTE

 

Councillor Haslam, seconded by Councillor Aitchison, moved that the Council:-

(a)     Agrees that the document ‘A Proposal for a Single Public Authority in the Scottish Borders’ (Appendix A) should be submitted to the Local Governance Review.

 

(b)     Further agrees that:-   

          (i)     The Members Political Sounding Board shall continue to work with Officers in developing the Proposal for Single Public Authority in the Scottish Borders, including how best to engage and consult with the public of the Scottish Borders and other stakeholders and in considering other proposals which emerge during engagement and consultation on the Proposal; and

 

          (ii)      The Members Political Sounding Board shall provide regular feedback to Elected Members.

 

Councillor H. Anderson, seconded by Councillor Moffat, moved as an amendment that the wording of the synopsis of the submission be replaced with “this paper considers the potential formation of a single public authority as one possible means of delivering a step change in outcomes for citizens and communities of the Scottish Borders.  This paper seeks permission to commence initial consultation with elected members and stakeholders and to ensure these consultations also explore and evaluate alternative approaches, such as a lead agency model or enhanced IJB option, to enable the robustness of the single public authority option to be fully tested.”

 

Councillor Robson, seconded by Councillor Chapman, moved as a further amendment “that this Council notes the draft submission to the Scottish  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal pdf icon PDF 165 KB

Consider report by Executive Director.  (Copy to follow.)

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph 7 of the Minute of 30 August 2018, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Executive Director (Mr R. Dickson) setting out the next steps in developing a Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal proposition.  It sought agreement to submit the Deal documentation to the UK and Scottish Governments as a basis for negotiations in order to secure funding that will support economic growth across the Borderlands region.  Alongside four partner Councils, the Council had been progressing work on the development of a Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal proposition.  This work had involved close liaison with both UK and Scottish Governments in order to develop a small number of strategic programmes and projects.  It would be essential that these programmes and projects complemented the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency proposals and support the inclusive growth agenda.  A Deal overview document and associated strategic outline business cases had now been drafted and it was proposed that they were submitted to the UK and Scottish Governments by the end of September 2018.  Following submission of the Deal documentation, there was expected to be a period of negotiation with UK and Scottish Governments.  At this stage, there was no guarantee that a Deal would be agreed and therefore the financial information relating to the Deal was being treated as confidential by all the partners until such time as there was greater financial certainty in relation to the negotiations.  Members expressed appreciation for the work carried out by officers and supported the proposals.

 

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)     to approve the submission of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal proposal to UK and Scottish Governments from Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Northumberland County Council and Scottish Borders Council;

 

(b)     to note the ongoing arrangements and need for continued negotiation with both UK and Scottish Governments;

 

(c)     that Dumfries and Galloway Council would be the accountable body for the Scottish authorities and noted that Northumberland County Council would be the accountable body for the Deal on behalf of the English authorities; and

 

(d)     that further reports updating Members on the progress of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal negotiations, and making any necessary decisions, would be presented to the Council at appropriate times.

 

12.

Open Questions pdf icon PDF 63 KB

Minutes:

The questions submitted by Councillors Penman, Ramage, H. Anderson and Laing were answered. 

 

DECISION

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

 

13.

Urgent Business

Minutes:

Under Section 50B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the Convener was of the opinion that the item dealt with in the following paragraph should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency, in view of the need to make an early decision.

 

14.

Champion for the Deaf Community

Minutes:

The Convener advised that it was proposed to appoint Councillor Thornton-Nicol as the Champion for the Deaf Community and this was unanimously agreed.

 

DECISION

AGREED to appoint Councillor Thornton-Nicol as the Champion for the Deaf Community.

 

15.

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

 

16.

Minute

Consider private Section of Minute of Scottish Borders Council held on 30 August 2018.  (Copy attached.)

Minutes:

The private section of the Council Minute of 30 August 2018 was approved. 

17.

Committee Minute

Consider private Section of the Minutes of the Selkirk Common Good Fund Sub-Committee held on 12 September 2018.  (Copy attached.)

Minutes:

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

 

18.

Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal

Consider report by Executive Director.  (Copy to follow.)

Minutes:

Members noted the confidential proposal document.

 

 

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