Agenda and minutes

The Convener advised that the Chief Executive would be returning to the office on a phased basis and on behalf of the Council welcomed her back.

DECISION

NOTED.

The Convener welcomed Mr Gordon Brown, the Head of Volunteer Centre Borders, to the meeting to give a presentation to Members.  Mr Brown advised that his aim was to inspire people to become volunteers and that he wanted the Borders to become the volunteer capital.  He needed to change perceptions and, with the help of funding from the National Lottery, was organising a celebration of volunteering which would be entitled “Love Volunteering” and held in Ednam House Hotel, Kelso on Valentine’s Day.  This event would recognise all types of volunteering.  He encouraged the Council to release staff for volunteering and commented on his work with the Council’s Emergency Planning to provide emergency volunteers.  He was also planning to increase the number of young people volunteering and all High Schools in the area would be appointing a volunteer ambassador.  He had been involved in finding volunteers to help the Syrian refugees who had come to the area.  In response to a question on the number of volunteers in each area, he advised that better information was needed and he had a long term project underway to construct a comprehensive picture of volunteering in the Borders.  He asked Members to get in touch with him to discuss any issues in their own areas.  He acknowledged that the vetting and training often required before someone could become a volunteer was challenging but training could often be a transferrable skill and he always tried to emphasise the positives.  An event on PVG registration had been organised at the Burnfoot Hub to help de-mystify the process for people.  The Convener thanked Mr Brown for his presentation.

DECISION

NOTED.

Consider Minute of Scottish Borders Council held on 29 June 2016 for approval and signing by the Convener.  (Copy attached.)

The Minute of the Meeting held on 29 June 2016 was considered. 

DECISION

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

Consider Minutes of the following Committees:-

(a)     Peebles Common Good Fund                           25 May 2016

(b)     Tweeddale Area Forum                                     25 May 2016

(c)     Jedburgh Common Good Fund                         1 June 2016

(d)     Kelso Common Good Fund                               1 June 2016

(e)     Cheviot Area Forum                                           1 June 2016

(f)      Police, Fire & Rescue and Safer Communities

          Board                                                                  3 June 2016

(g)     Community Planning Strategic Board               9 June 2016

(h)     Civic Government Licensing                              10 June 2016

(i)      Pension Fund                                                     16 June 2016

(j)      Pension Board                                                    16 June 2016

(k)     Planning & Building Standards                           27 June 2016

(l)      Audit & Risk                                                        28 June 2016

(m)    Jedburgh Common Good Fund                         29 June 2016

(n)     Peebles Common Good Fund                           29 June 2016

(o)     Local Review Body                                            18 July 2016

(p)     Planning & Building Standards                           18 July 2016

(q)     Civic Government Licensing                              22 July 2016

(r)      Lauder Common Good Fund                             2 August 2016

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

The Minutes of the following Committees had been circulated:-

Peebles Common Good Fund                                                        25 May 2016

Tweeddale Area Forum                                                                  25 May 2016

Jedburgh Common Good Fund                                                     1 June 2016

Kelso Common Good Fund                                                            1 June 2016

Cheviot Area Forum                                                                       1 June 2016

Police, Fire & Rescue and Safer Communities Board                   3 June 2016

Scrutiny                                                                                           9 June 2016

Civic Government Licensing                                                          10 June 2016

Pension Fund                                                                                  16 June 2016

Pension Board                                                                                16 June 2016

Planning & Building Standards                                                       27 June 2016

Audit & Risk                                                                                    28 June 2016

Jedburgh Common Good Fund                                                     29 June 2016

Peebles Common Good Fund                                                        29 June 2016

Local Review Body                                                                         18 July 2016

Planning & Building Standards                                                       18 July 2016

Civic Government Licensing                                                          22 July 2016

Lauder Common Good Fund                                                         2 August 2016

DECISION

APPROVED the Minutes listed above.

The questions submitted by Councillors McAteer, Marshall, Fullarton, Scott, Turnbull and Ballantyne were answered. 

DECISION

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

Consider report by Depute Chief Executive People.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Depute Chief Executive People providing a summary of the key findings of the Care Inspectorate report on the joint inspection of services for children and young people in the Scottish Borders, identifying key strengths along with areas for improvement and how those improvements would be delivered. The joint inspection of Services for Children and Young People in the Scottish Borders took place between December 2015 and February 2016, covering a wide range of partners and services across the Scottish Borders Community Planning Partnership who had a role in providing services for children, young people and families.  This was the first such inspection that had taken place in the Scottish Borders, covering all service areas involved in children and young people from voluntary agencies delivering play and youth facilities through to domestic violence, education, health and child protection.  Measured against a range of quality indicators, a number of strengths were identified as well as areas for improvement which were detailed in the report.  The Children & Young People’s Leadership Group had examined the findings and had developed an improvement action plan which was being actively progressed.  The improvement action plan, contained in Appendix 1 to the report would be presented to the Scottish Borders Community Planning Partnership Board for approval and monitoring, and was being presented to Council for noting as it contained information on a number of key Council services. Members welcomed the report.

DECISION

NOTED:-

(a)     the key strengths and the improvement work that was being progressed to address the key findings of the Care Inspectorate Report on the Joint Inspection of Services for Children and Young People in the Scottish Borders;

(b)     that an update on the progress of the inspection improvement plan would be brought back to a Council meeting within 12 months; and

(c)     that the inspection report and improvement plan would also be considered at the next meeting of the Community Planning Partnership Strategic Board on 8 September 2016.

Consider report by Corporate Transformation and Services Director.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Corporate Transformation and Services Director on a proposed response to the Scottish Government’sEnterprise and Skills Review, encompassing the services provided by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, and the Scottish Funding Council.  The report explained that a call for evidence had been issued by the Scottish Government on 15 July 2016 asking for evidence on how the present system could be improved and also seeking examples of good practice.  The proposed responses to the consultation questions were set out in Appendix 2 to the report.  The responses covered the positive work that the Agencies had been undertaking in relation to the Borders Railway Economic Blueprint and the South of Scotland Alliance’s Rural Regional Economic Development Programme.  However, the response also highlighted the fundamental limitations for the Scottish Borders of national bodies that did not prioritise regional equity as part of their existing strategic approach.  Members welcomed the response that emphasised the need for regional equity.

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)     the response to the Scottish Government’s Enterprise & Skills Review, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report; and

(b)    that the Corporate Transformation and Services Director report, in due course, on the outcome of the Review and how it would affect the delivery of economic development in the Scottish Borders.

Consider report by Chief Officer Audit & Risk.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Officer Audit and Risk providing Members with the Audit and Risk Committee Annual Report 2015/16, a copy of which was appended to the report, which incorporated its annual self-assessment using the CIPFA Audit Committees Guidance.  Councillor Ballantyne, Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee, thanked the Members of the Committee for their input.  She noted that one of the external members had now left and that a new appointment would not be made as the Committee would continue with the remaining two at present.  She was unable to say if an additional external member had helped the committee as they had not been in post long enough, but they were very enquiring and having external members gave a range of diversity. 

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)     to approve the Audit and Risk Committee Annual Report 2015/16, as contained in Appendix 1 to the report, which incorporated its self-assessments using the CIPFA Audit Committees Guidance; and

(b)     that the Audit and Risk Committee Annual Report 2015/16 should be published on the Council’s website.

Consider and approve the Health & Social Care Plan for 2016-19.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of Health and Social Care Strategic Plan 2016-19.  The Chief Officer Health & Social Care Integration explained that the Strategic Plan underpinned the Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board; it was a commissioning plan and there was a wide consultation with stakeholders and service users.  The key themes and challenges related to the demographic changes over the next few years which would see an increase in the number of people living longer with multiple conditions and result in this area having the highest percentage of elderly population in Scotland.  Services would require to be delivered in a different way with the aim of reducing institutional care and keeping people in their own homes as long as possible.  The importance of early intervention to try and reduce hospital admissions was highlighted. 

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Health & Social Care Strategic Plan 2016-19.

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

Councillor Davidson, seconded by Councillor Ballantyne, moved that:-

“Scottish Borders Council congratulates Team GB on their tremendous success at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. All competitors gave their best for themselves, their clubs, coaches, families and the country.  The Council also conveys our best wishes to the GB Team about to take part in the parallel Paralympic event and looks forward to watching them in action.  Both Teams GB epitomise the Olympic spirit of taking part in the event and showing our country at its best and, in particular, we celebrate the participation of the eight Borders athletes in both Games.  Mark Robertson, Dan Wallace, Grant Ferguson and Chris O’Hare have already competed with distinction and we wish the greatest success to Libby Clegg, Stephen Clegg, Samantha Kinghorn and Patrick Wilson in the Paralympics in two weeks time.”

Councillor Davidson and Councillor Ballantyne both spoke in support of the Motion which was unanimously approved.

DECISION

AGREED to approve the above Motion.

It was reported that replacements for Councillors Gillespie and Torrance required to be appointed to the Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board.  Councillor Parker, seconded by Councillor Edgar, moved that Councillors Aitchison and Garvie be appointed.

DECISION

AGREED that Councillors Aitchison and Garvie be appointed to the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board.

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.”

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

Consider private Section of Minute of Scottish Borders Council held on 29 June 2016.  (Copy attached.)

The private section of the Council Minute of 29 June 2016 was approved. 

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

(a)     Peebles Common Good Fund                           25 May 2016

(b)     Cheviot Area Forum                                           1 June 2016

(c)     Civic Government Licensing                              10 June 2016

(d)     Planning & Building Standards                           27 June 2016

(e)     Planning & Building Standards                           18 July 2016

(f)      Civic Government Licensing                              22 July 2016

(Please see separate Supplement containing private Committee Minutes.)

The private sections of the Committee Minutes as detailed in paragraph4 of this Minute were approved.