Agenda and minutes

Consider Minute of meeting held on 16 February 2016. (Copy attached),

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the Meeting held on 17 November 2015.

DECISION

APPROVED the Minute for signature by the Chairman.  

MEMBER

Councillor Cranston joined the meeting.

Consider request from Ancient Order of Mosstroopers (Copy attached).

There had been circulated copies of a letter from Mr Telfer, the Honorary Secretary of the Ancient Order of Mosstroopers, requesting permission to hold their annual Junior Gymkhana on Hawick Moor on the area beyond the paddock on Sunday, 5 June 2016.  Permission was also sought to hold their annual Race Meeting on Saturday, 25 June 2016 on Hawick Moor. 

DECISION

AGREED to grant permission to the Ancient Order of Mosstroopers in accordance with the usual terms, for use of Hawick Moor on Sunday, 5 June 2016 for their annual Junior Gymkhana and Saturday, 25 June 2016 for their annual Race Meeting. 

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 the Minute on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

Consider the private section of the Minute of Meeting held on 16 February 2016  (Copy attached).

Members approved the private section of the Minute of 16 February 2016.

To consider private report by Service Director Commercial Services (Copy attached)

To consider a private briefing report by the Service Director Commercial Services.

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, to keep Members informed. 

Mr Scott informed the Sub-Committee that SEPA had taken over responsibility for reservoirs and had categorised Willestruther Reservoir as a high risk reservoir with an annual fee of £355.00 payable from 1 April 2016.    In answer to a question Mr Scott advised that there was a difference of approximately £200 to £300 between low and high risk categories.  He further advised that he would investigate if a fee was payable to Scottish Borders Council and, if so, the amount payable.  

DECISION

AGREED to request the Property Officer present a further update on Willestruther Reservoir at the May meeting of the Hawick Common Good Fund Sub-Committee.

(Note: Following the meeting Mr Scott advised that the cost of £355 was the cost to lodge an appeal.  The cost to SEPA for managing a reservoir designated as high risk was £419 for 2016/17.  The cost for medium risk was £282 and low risk £172.  Therefore, there was £247 per year difference between high and low risks.   This fee to SEPA was an additional cost to the Common Good since Scottish Borders Council did not charge for this duty in previous years when they were regulatory authority).