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:

There were no Convener’s remarks this month.

 

DECISION

NOTED.

 

2.

Minute pdf icon PDF 128 KB

Consider Minute of Scottish Borders Council held on 25 September 2018 for approval and signing by the Convener.  (Copy attached.)

 

Minutes:

The Minute of the Meeting held on 25 September 2018 was considered. 

 

DECISION

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

 

3.

Committee Minutes pdf icon PDF 23 KB

Consider Minutes of the following Committees:-

 

(a)     Hawick Common Good Fund                            21 August 2018

(b)     Police, Fire & Rescue & Safer Communities

         Board                                                                  31 August 2018

(c)     Pension Fund Committee                                  13 September 2018

(d)     Pension Fund Board                                           13 September 2018

(e)     Local Review Body                                            17 September 2018

(f)      Major Contracts Governance                            18 September 2018

(g)     Civic Government Licensing                              21 September 2018

(h)     Audit & Scrutiny                                                 24 September 2018

(i)      Peebles Common Good Fund                           25 September 2018

(j)      Planning and Building Standards                       1 October 2018

(k)     Executive                                                           2 October 2018

 

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

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the following Committees had been circulated:-

Hawick Common Good Fund                                               21 August 2018

Police, Fire & Rescue & Safer Communities Board             31 August 2018

Pension Fund Committee                                                     13 September 2018

Pension Fund Board                                                              13 September 2018

Local Review Body                                                               17 September 2018

Major Contracts Governance                                               18 September 2018

Civic Government Licensing                                                 21 September 2018

Audit & Scrutiny                                                                    24 September 2018

Peebles Common Good Fund                                              25 September 2018

Planning and Building Standards                                          1 October 2018

Executive                                                                              2 October 2018

        

DECISION

APPROVED the Minutes listed above.

4.

Committee Minute Recommendations pdf icon PDF 106 KB

Consider the recommendations made by the following Committees:-

 

(a)  Audit & Scrutiny Committee 23 September 2018

(b)  Executive Committee 2 October 2018

 

(Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

4.1    Audit & Scrutiny Committee

         With reference to paragraph 3 of the Minute of 24 September 2018, it was recommended that items for the Scrutiny Work programme for 2018/19 be approved.

 

         DECISION

         AGREED to approve the Scrutiny Work Programmefor 2018/19, as contained in the appendix to the Minute of 24 September 2018.

 

4.2    Executive Committee

         With reference to paragraph 2 of the Minute of 2 October 2018, it was recommended that the new Dyslexia Policy 2018 be approved.

 

         DECISION

         AGREED to approve the new Dyslexia Policy 2018.

 

5.

Scottish Borders Council BSL Plan 2018-2024 pdf icon PDF 103 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Customer and Communities seeking approval for the Scottish Borders Council British Sign Language (BSL) Plan 2018-2024, complying with the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015.  A signer was at the meeting to assist with the presentation of this item.  The report explained that the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 now required public bodies in Scotland to publish plans every six years showing how they would promote and support BSL. The overall aim of the Act was to make Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, learn, work and visit.  The Council had taken a holistic approach to developing its BSL plan, with a focus on embedding BSL within its approach to customer services, communication, and training, and working with relevant Community Planning Partners including the local See Hear Group and the local BSL community and online consultation.  Two videos showing both the engagement process and the resulting action plan were shown.  Both Councillor Mountford and Councillor Thornton-Nicol spoke in support of the plan, with Councillor Thornton-Nicol signing part of her support, and thanked the officers for their work on this policy.  The Plan received unanimous support.

.

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Scottish Borders Council British Sign Language (BSL) Plan 2018-2024, as contained in Appendix 1 to the report.

6.

Motion by Councillor Anderson

Consider Motion by Councillor Anderson in the following terms:-

 

“Given the significant role farmers and food producers play within our rural economy and the current uncertainty they are facing, we ask SBC to convene an early meeting with key stakeholders in farming and rural civic society to explore both the important contribution they can make towards improving local prosperity and to identify potential barriers they may face. 

It would be hoped that such a meeting would also strengthen the Council’s understanding of the key contribution these stakeholders can make towards the success of the South of Scotland Economic Agency and the potential Borderland Initiative.”

 

Minutes:

Councillor H. Anderson, seconded by Councillor Miers, moved the Motion as detailed on the agenda in the following terms:-

“Given the significant role farmers and food producers play within our rural economy and the current uncertainty they are facing, we ask SBC to convene an early meeting with key stakeholders in farming and rural civic society to explore both the important contribution they can make towards improving local prosperity and to identify potential barriers they may face. 

It would be hoped that such a meeting would also strengthen the Council’s understanding of the key contribution these stakeholders can make towards the success of the South of Scotland Economic Agency and the potential Borderland Initiative.”

 

Councillor Anderson spoke in support of her motion which was unanimously approved.

 

DECISION

AGREED the Motion as detailed above.

7.

Cheviot Area Partnership

Consider appointment of Chairman for the Cheviot Area Partnership to replace Councillor Mountford.

Minutes:

It was reported that Councillor Mountford wished to stand down from being the Chairman of the Cheviot Area Partnership.  Councillor Mountford, seconded by Councillor S. Scott, moved that Councillor S. Hamilton be appointed and this was unanimously approved.

 

DECISION

AGREED to appoint Councillor S. Hamilton as the Chairman of the Cheviot Area Partnership

 

8.

Open Questions pdf icon PDF 118 KB

Minutes:

The questions submitted by Councillors C. Hamilton, Richards, S. Hamilton, Ramage, Paterson, Thornton-Nicol, H. Anderson, Bell, Laing, Moffat, A. Anderson and H. Scott were answered.  The Convener also allowed Councillor Ramage to ask a question at the meeting.

 

DECISION

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

 

9.

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

 

10.

Minute

Consider private Section of Minute of Scottish Borders Council held on 25 September 2018.  (Copy attached.)

Minutes:

The private section of the Council Minute of 25 September 2018 was approved. 

11.

Committee Minutes

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

 

(a)     Hawick Common Good Fund                            21 August 2018

(b)     Pension Fund Committee                                  13 September 2018

(c)     Major Contracts Governance                            18 September 2018

(d)     Civic Government Licensing                              21 September 2018

(e)     Executive                                                           2 October 2018

 

(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.

 

 

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Scottish Borders Council

Council Headquarters Newtown St. Boswells Melrose TD6 0SA

Tel: 0300 100 1800

Email:

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