Scottish Borders Council

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conducted by remotely by Microsoft Teams

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

Link: link to live meeting

Items
No. Item

1.

Minute pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Consider Minute of Meeting held on 26 February 2020.  (Copy attached.)

Minutes:

The Minute of the Meeting of Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee held on 26 February 2020 had been circulated.

 

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Minute.

 

2.

Financial Monitoring to 31 March 2020 pdf icon PDF 167 KB

Consider report by Executive Director, Finance and Regulatory. (Copy attached.)

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Executive Director, Finance & Regulatory providing details of the income and expenditure for the Peebles Common Good Fund for the year 2019/20 including balance sheet values as at 31 March 2020 and the proposed budget for 2020/21.  Appendix 1 to the report provided the actual Income and Expenditure position which showed a surplus of £13,952 for the year which varied from the projected surplus figure previous provided due to essential repairs carried out at the Band Hall.   Appendix 2 to the report contained the Balance Sheet to 31 March 2020 and projected an increase in the reserves of £26,399 due to the revaluation of properties offset slightly by unrealised loss on the Kames Investment Fund.  Appendix 3 to the report detailed the breakdown of the property portfolio showing the effect of the revaluation.   Appendix 4 to the report showed the value of the Kames Capital Investment Fund to 31 March 2020.     The Pension and Investments Manager, highlighted the main points and answered Members questions.   In response to a question regarding the Kames Investment she advised that no other funds were performing any better in the current climate.  Members would have the opportunity to put questions to Kames at the annual meeting later in the year.  The reduction in available funding for grants was noted and that the budget would be reviewed on a quarterly basis.

 

DECISION

AGREED:-

 

(a)       To note the actual income and expenditure for 2019/20 in Appendix 1 to the report;

 

(b)       the proposed budget for 2020/21 as shown in Appendix 1 to the report;

 

(c)       to notes the final balance sheet value as at 31 March 2020 in Appendix 2 to the report;

 

(d)       to notes the summary of the property portfolio in Appendix 3 to the report; and

 

(e)       to note the current position of the investment in the Kames Capital Investment Fund in Appendix 4 to the report.

 

3.

Application for Funding - Tweed Wheels pdf icon PDF 83 KB

Consider additional information in support of application for funding.  (Copy attached.)

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph 4.1 of the Minute of 26 February 202, copies had been circulated of the additional information requested to allow Members to consider the request for funding of £10,000 towards the purchase of a new minibus.  Lorna McCullough joined the meeting and answered Members questions.  She advised although the estimated maximum cost was £40,000 the final cost would be dependent on the specification.  She also clarified the budget position which related to the Bridge as a whole not just the Tweed Wheels Project.  The minibus could be used by other voluntary groups in the area so long as they joined the Bridge, the cost of which was only £15.  Members were supportive of the application but felt given the reduced budget available that £10,000 was more than they could grant.

 

VOTE

Councillor Haslam, seconded by Councillor Small, moved that a grant of £2,000 be given.

 

Councillor Anderson, seconded by Councillor Bell, moved as an amendment that a grant of £5,000 be given

 

On a show of hands Members voted as follows:-

Motion             -           2 votes

Amendment     -           4 votes

The amendment was accordingly carried.

 

DECISION

DECIDED to give a grant of £5,000 to Tweed Wheels towards the purchase of a new minibus.

 

4.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Councillor Tatler declared an interest in the following item of business in terms of Section 5 of the Councillors Code of Conduct and left the meeting during the discussion.  Councillor Anderson took the Chair in his absence.

 

5.

Eastgate Theatre Loan pdf icon PDF 96 KB

Consider request from the Board of Eastgate Theatre to extend the repayment period for their loan.  (Copy letter attached.)

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph 3.6 of the Minute of 29 May 2019, the had been circulated copies of a request from the Eastgate Theatre Board asking that the date of repayment of their loan of £20,000 be extended from December 2020 for a period of up to 12 months.  Ron Inglis, Chairman of the Board joined the meeting and gave Members details of the Theatres current financial position and their plans for the gradual reopening of the facility.  He explained the issues around the payment of the Leader Grant of £75,000 which it was hoped would be resolved to allow payment in August.  Mr Inglis answered Members questions and advised that Live Borders continued to support the Theatre.  In response to a question from Councillor Bell, the Pensions and Investments Manager advised that it was a decision for the Sub-Committee but a one year extension could be given.  Members discussed the matter and agreed that as the loan was not repayable until December a decision did not need to be made immediately and agreed that consideration be deferred until their November meeting when the financial position of the Theatre would be clearer.

 

DECISION

AGREED to defer consideration of the request for a loan extension until the meeting of the Sub-Committee in November,

 

6.

Peebles Golf Club pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Consider request from Peebles Golf Club regarding future rental payments.  (Copy attached.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

            There had been circulated copies of a request from Peebles Golf Club for the following in respect of their rental payments:-

             

·       Waiver of the next two quarterly payments (due July and October 2020).

·       A reduction in the annual charge as follows: -

o   2021 – 20% reduction

o   2022 – 15% reduction

o   2023 – 10% reduction

 

            Alan Frain, Club Secretary joined the meeting to explain the reasons for the request and answered Members questions.  Councillor Tatler referred to previous communication with Members regarding rental and moved that rent be waived for a period of 3 months.  There was no seconder so this proposal fell.  In response to a question from Councillor Haslam, the Pensions and Investments Manager explained what granting the request would mean in real terms of loss of income to the Common Good and that this would be treated as a grant to the Golf Club.  She further highlighted the issue of granting one group a rent free period and not others.  The Council’s approach for all of those renting property had been to defer rental payments rather than waive.  Members discussed the request and agreed that there current funding position did not allow it to be supported.  It was suggested that the Golf Club be put in touch with Business Gateway and South of Scotland Enterprise to see if any other form of assistance was available.

 

            DECISION

            AGREED to refuse the request from Peebles Golf Club for a waiver and reduction of rental payments.

 

7.

Any Other Items Which The Chairman Decides Are Urgent.

Minutes:

            Under Section 50B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the Chairman 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.

 

8.

Haylodge Park

Minutes:

            The Property Services Manager advised that a request had been received to hold a wedding in Haylodge Park on 1 August 2020.  An Officer Group had been set up to deal with such applications but as the Park was owned by the Common Good Fund he was seeking Members approval.  Members noted that any requirements required to meet Covid-19 regulations would be attached to the permission.  A check would also be made to ensure it did not clash with a Parkrun.

 

            DECISION

            AGREED to give permission in principle subject to the applicant’s acceptance of any conditions required by the Property Services Manager.

 

9.

Items Likely to be Taken in Private

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 the Appendix to this Minute on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 7A to the Act.

 

 

SUMMARY OF PRIVATE BUSINESS

 

10.

Minute

Consider the private section of the Minute of the meeting held on 26 February 2020.  (Copy attached.)

Minutes:

Approved the private section of the Minute of the meeting held on 26 February 2020.

 

11.

Jedderfield Farm

Consider report by Service Director Assets & Infrastructure.  (Copy to follow.)

Minutes:

The Sub-Committee considered a report by the Property Services Manager on the future of Jedderfield Farm and agreed that a further report be provided once the required information had been received..

12.

Urgent Business

Minutes:

11.       Urgent Business

            Under Section 50B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the Chairman 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.

 

12.       Other Property Matters

Members considered an item of urgent business regarding other property assets held by the Common Good Fund and agreed to receive further information.

 

13.       Date of Next Meeting

            Agreed to hold the next meeting of the Sub-Committee on 7 October 2020 at 2 p.m.

 

 

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