Agenda and minutes

The Chairman varied the order of business as shown on the agenda and the Minute reflects the order in which the items were considered at the meeting.

Consider Minute of meeting held on 16 August 2016.  (copy attached),

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the Meeting held on 16 August 2016.

DECISION

APPROVED the Minute for signature by the Chairman.  

Consider applications for financial assistance from:-

The Sub-Committee considered applications for financial assistance from the following:-

Hawick Honorary Provosts Council

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Hawick Honorary Provosts Council requesting £2,000 towards their running costs.

DECISION

AGREED to award a grant of £2,000 towards the running costs of Hawick Honorary Provosts Council.

Hawick Reivers’ Association

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Hawick Reivers’ Association requesting £2,500 towards the overall running costs of the Festival. Ms Catherine Elliott, Hawick Reivers’ Association Chairman, was in attendance.  Ms Elliott acknowledged that the Association applied for funding every year and explained that they had secured £12k from other sources for the Festival. However, the difficulty was that such funding was given for a specific purpose and it was proving difficult to secure funding for the day to day running costs of the Festival.  The Committee discussed the application and it was agreed to grant £2,500 towards the running costs of the Festival.

DECISION

AGREED to award a grant of £2,500 toward the overall running costs of the Festival.

Hawick Royal Albert FC

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Hawick Royal Albert Football Club for £500.00.  The grant would be used to off-set the cost of bus hire to Elgin to enable the Club to participate in the 3^rd round of the Scottish Cup.  Mr Borthwick was in attendance representing the Football Club (FC).  In answer to a question he confirmed that the FC were also receiving assistance from the Scottish Football Association towards transport costs.   The Sub-Committee congratulated the Football Club on their achievement and wished them success in their match against Elgin.  

DECISION

AGREED to award a grant of £500 to Hawick Royal Albert Football Club for transport costs to enable their participation in the 3^rd round of the Scottish Cup. 

The Heart of Hawick Children’s Book Award

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from the Heart of Hawick Children’s Book Award for the purchase of sets of books to donate to schools.  The grant would also assist costs associated with the 10^th Anniversary Awards Ceremony. Ms Scott, was in attendance and explained that although the initiative was based in schools, it was run by Heart of Hawick in collaboration with the library. The books chosen were not on the school curriculum, but chosen to stimulate the interest of reluctant readers and encourage reading for enjoyment.  As well as providing schools with books, Heart of Hawick carried out workshops in schools.   Ms Scott advised that they had carried out fundraising events and that many local businesses supported the initiative. The funding was important to ensure that they could plan for next year’s event.   In answer to a question, Ms Smith advised that with regard to the Awards Ceremony, they provided authors with funding for one night’s accommodation in the town.  After discussion, it was unanimously agreed to award the grant.

DECISION

AGREED  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To consider application from K Stuart Family Fun Fair. (Copy attached).

With reference to paragraph 6 of the Minute of 17 November 2015, an application had been received by K Stuart, Family Fun Fair, requesting permission to lease part of the Common Haugh on two weekends, in March and April 2017 for a Fun Fair.  Members discussed the application and Mr Stuart, Fairground Proprietor, who was in attendance, responded to questions.  Members agreed the application and the early start time of 6.00 pm but refused the request for the Sunday opening. 

DECISION

AGREED

To grant a lease of the Common Haugh, to K Stuart, Family Fun Fair, as follows:

(a)        Thursday       23 March 2017           6.00 pm to 9.30 pm

Friday 24 March 2017           6.00 pm to 10.00 pm

Saturday        25 March 2017           1.00 pm to 10.00 pm

(b)       Thursday       30 March 2017                       6.00 pm to 9.30 pm

Friday             31 March 2017                       6.00 pm to 10.00 pm

Saturday        1 April 2017    1.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

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

With reference to paragraph 3 of the Minute of 16 August, there had been circulated a report by the Chief Financial Officer providing details of the income and expenditure for the Hawick Common Good Fund for the six months to 30 September 2016 and full year projected out-turn for 2016/17 and projected balance sheet values as at 31 March 2017.   Appendix 1 to the report provided the actual income and expenditure. This showed a surplus of £18,504 for the year.   Appendix 2 provided a balance sheet value to 31 March 2017. It showed a projected decrease in the reserves of £21,088.  Appendix 3 provided a breakdown of the property portfolio showing projected rental for 2016/17 and actual property expenditure to 30 September 2016.   Appendix 4 showed the value of the Newton Fund to 30 September 2016.  Mr Yallop, Senior Finance Officer, was in attendance and advised that the £18,504 surplus was significantly less than anticipated due to increased spending at the Common Haugh and Pilmuir Farm.  Correspondingly this had caused a decrease in the reserve to £21,088.  Mr Yallop further advised that given the financial assistance awarded above, the budget allocated to grants was now overspent.  He therefore suggested an increase of £5k to £10k to the grants budget to cover the shortfall and also provide some budget capacity for further grant awards for the remainder of 2016-17.

Councillor Smith, seconded by Councillor Turnbull, moved that the Grants & Other Donations budget be increased by £2,300 to cover the current budget shortfall.

Councillor McAteer, seconded by Councillor Marshall moved as amendment that the budget be increased by £5k.

VOTE

On a show of hands Members voted as follows

Motion             -           2 votes

Amendment     -           3 votes

The amendment was accordingly carried.

Mr Yallop further advised that the Newton Fund was performing well, despite the turmoil in the markets due to Brexit and the US Election.  The cash reserve held by the Common Good was currently £152k; he suggested that an amount of the cash reserve could be further invested in the Newton Fund.  The Committee discussed the proposal and it was agreed that an update would be provided by Mr Yallop containing a proposed further investment amount.

DECISION

(a)        AGREED:-

(i)         The projected income and expenditure for 2016/17 as shown in Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii)        To increase the Grants and Other Donations budget by £5,000;

(iii)       To receive an update from the Senior Finance Officer in the form of a proposed amount for further investment in the Newton Fund.

 (b)      NOTED:-

(i)         The actual projected balance sheet value as at 31 March 2017 in Appendix 2 to the report;

(iii)       The summary of the property portfolio in Appendix 3 to the report; and

(iv)       The current position of the investment in the Newton Fund in  Appendix 4

To consider report by Depute Chief Executive, People.  (To follow).

With reference to paragraph 5 of the Minute of 25 May 2015, there had been circulated copies of a report summarising the potential Common Good ownership of heritage objects held in Hawick Museum and Hawick Town Hall.  The report also updated Members as to research carried out over 2016 and made a number of recommendations where ownership should be reclassified to Hawick Common Good rather than Scottish Borders Council (SBC).  Following concern that there were potential omissions in the Hawick Common Good Moveable Asset Register, the Council’s (now Live Borders) Museum Service had agreed to undertake a review of heritage collections and some civic collections held by Scottish Borders Council to see if any items held in Hawick Museum and Hawick Town Hall should be reclassified as belonging to Hawick Common Good.  The report listed the assumptions used and the collections reviewed.  Based on evidence available the report concluded that there were 14 items in the fine art collection, one museum item and 22 items in the Town Hall which should be classified.   Mr Ian Brown, Cultural Services Manager and Ms Shona Sinclair, Area Curator, Live Borders, were in attendance.   The Sub-Committee thanked Mr Brown and Ms Sinclair for their work in preparing the Inventory.  Following discussion, Councillor McAteer, seconded by Councillor Marshall proposed that the Moveable Assets Inventory should be shared with key local stakeholder organisations, to seek their agreement that the list reflected, to their best belief and understanding, the relevant assets belonging to Hawick Common Good.  That upon agreement of the stakeholders this information be forwarded to the Sub-Committee to make a recommendation to Council to add the said removal items to the Hawick Common Good Moveable Asset Inventory.    This was unanimously agreed by the Sub-Committee.  

DECISION

(a)        NOTED the suggested reclassification of those moveable items listed in the report and in Appendix 2 to the report, as assets belonging to Hawick Common Good.

(b)       AGREED:-

(i)         To consult with stakeholder organisations to seek their agreement that the Moveable Asset Inventory reflected, to their best belief and understanding, the relevant assets belonging to Hawick Common Good;

(ii)        That upon agreement of the stakeholders, this information be presented to the Hawick Common Good Sub-Committee to make a recommendation to Council, to add the said removal items to the Hawick Common Good Moveable Asset Inventory; and

(iii)       To commission a valuation report on the items so listed in the report.

The next meeting of Hawick Common Good Fund Sub-Committee was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 21 February 2017. 

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 ad defined in paragraph 9 of Par 1 of Schedule 7A to the aforementioned Act”.

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.

SUMMARY OF PRIVATE BUSINESS

Consider the private section of the Minute of the meeting held on 16 August 2016. (Copy attached.)

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

The Sub-Committee considered and approved verbal reports by the Property Officer.

Consider private report by Service Director Assets & Infrastructure.  (Copy attached).

The Sub-Committee considered and approved a report by Service Director Asset & Infrastructure

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 keep Members informed

The Sub-Committee noted a verbal update from the Managing Solicitor.

The Sub-Committee discussed Hawick Market and agreed an update on progress at the February meeting.

The Sub-Committee considered and agreed a verbal report from Property Officer.