Agenda and minutes

Consider Minute of meeting held on 30 June 2020. (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the meeting held on 30 June 2020.

DECISION

AGREED to approve the Minute for signature by the Chairman.

Consider report by Director Finance & Corporate Governance. (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Director, Finance and Corporate Governance providing the details of the assets held by the Coldstream Common Good Fund as at 31 March 2021, a full year revenue out-turn for 2020/21 and projected balance sheet values as at 31 March 2022.  Appendix 1 to the report provided an Income and Expenditure account for the year to 31 March 2021 and Appendix 2 provided an actual balance sheet as at 31 March 2021.  It showed a decrease in the reserves of £10,177 due to the revaluation of the properties but was offset by a contribution from the Revaluation Reserve so had no actual impact.

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)       to note the actual income and expenditure for 2020/21 in Appendix 1 to the report;

(b)       the proposed budget for 2021/22 as shown in Appendix 1 to the report;

(c)       to note the final balance sheet value as at 31 March 2020 and projected balance sheet value as at 31 March 2022 as shown in Appendix 2 to the report; and

(d)     to note the summary of the property portfolio as shown in Appendix 3 to the report.

Consider report by Principal Solicitor.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Principal Solicitor seeking approval of the draft Common Good Registers for the former Burgh of Coldstream and to advise on the next steps in the process for consultation and publication under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.  The report explained that under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 the Council was required to establish and maintain a register of property which was held by the authority as part of the Common Good (“a Common Good Register”). Before establishing a Common Good Register, the Act required the Council to publish a list of property that it proposed to include in the Register and consult the public on this list.  Council approved the process for compliance with the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 on 31 January 2019, and since that date work had been ongoing in consolidating all information held in respect of heritable and moveable Common Good assets. From the work carried out, a draft list of assets considered to be a complete list of heritable and moveable assets held by the Coldstream Common Good had been prepared, and was appended to the report.  The Chairman mention a portrait of General Monk which was currently displayed in a room outside the Registrars Marriage Room.  There was a dispute as to whether or not it was owned by the Coldstream Guards or the Community.  Mrs MacLeod advised that more investigation would be required before it could be claimed by the Common Good Fund and suggested that the consultation process might elicit more information regarding its ownership.  Councillor Rowley highlighted the need for good communications to raise awareness of the consultation process and was assured that notification would be advertised in the local press.  Mrs MacLeod also advised that the outcome of the consultation was not the end of the process and items could continue to be added to the Register in the future if they were identified as belonging to the Common Good Fund.

DECISION

AGREED to:-

(a)       approvethe contents of the draft list of heritable and moveable property assets held by the Council within the former Burgh of Coldstream;

(b)       approve the publishing of the draft list to be made available for public consultation for a period of at least twelve weeks;

(c)     note that following the period of consultation all comments would be brought to the Common Good Fund Sub-Committee for their consideration.