Agenda item

Consider report by Service Director Neighbourhood Services. (Copy attached.)

7.1       There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Neighbourhood Services seeking approval for proposed new Neighbourhood Small Schemes.  The following schemes had been put forward for consideration by the Eildon members:-installation of two dropped kerbs, Overhaugh St, Galashiels; purchase of defibrillator cases and contribution to installation, Ettrick & Yarrow area; extension of the footpath, Annay Road, Newstead; and the construction of a link footpath at Gunknowe Loch, Tweedbank.  The Neighbourhood Manager (Eildon) also asked for an additional scheme to be considered.  This was the extension of the existing gravel footpath in the Killie Holes area of Tweedbank  to complete the final 150 metres.  The cost would be £500 for materials and the work carried out by the Criminal Justice Team. With regard to the Small Schemes budget Members agreed to the proposal todelegate authority to the Neighbourhood Manager (Eildon) to allocate funds from the Small Schemes budget for suitable schemes, subject to consultation with and approval by at least five Members of the Eildon Area Forum by email. It was clarified that if agreement could not be reached by email the scheme(s) would be taken forward for discussion and a decision at the next meeting of the Area Forum. 

7.2.      With regard to the Quality of Life budget it was agreed that, as in 2014/15, the funding should be split equally, £6,666 each, between the 3 Wards – Galashiels and District, Leaderdale and Melrose, and Selkirkshire.  It was further proposed that, to allow projects to be approved between meetings of the Area Forum, Councillors could put forward schemes or projects, and authority to approve such schemes/ projects would be delegated to the Service Director Neighbourhood Services or a nominated officer from that section, once all Members of the relevant Ward had been consulted and indicated their agreement.    Should agreement not be reached, then the matter would be referred to the Area Forum for approval.  A list of schemes/projects approved under delegated authority would be provided to each meeting of the Area Forum.  If all Funding had not been spent/ committed in each Ward by the end of January 2016, then a report on any balance of Funds remaining would be brought to the Area Forum meeting scheduled for 18 February 2016, and consideration given at that meeting by all Ward Members of the Area Forum on how this money would be spent.  This was unanimously agreed.

DECISION

            AGREED:-

(a)          to approve the following new Neighbourhood Small Schemes for implementation:-

(i)            install two dropped kerbs, Overhough St, Galashiels;                £1800

(ii)          purchase five defibrillator cases and contribution to the

installation costs, various locations in the Ettrick and

Yarrow valleys;                                                                                 £1775

(iii)         extension to footpath, Annay Road, Newstead;                           £4050

(iv)         construct a link footpath, Gunknowe Loch, Tweedbank;           £3900

(v)          extend the existing gravel footpath in the Killie Holes area of Tweedbank.                                                                                         £ 500

(b)          to delegate authority to the Neighbourhood Manager (Eildon) to allocate the funds for the current financial year to Small Schemes, subject to consultation with all elected Members of Eildon Area Forum, and approval by at least five of those elected Members, by email; and

(c)          that with regard to the Quality of Life funding of £20,000 allocated to the Eildon Area Forum for the financial year 2015/16:-

(i)            the fund be split equally between each of the 3 Wards of Galashiels District, Leaderdale and Melrose and Selkirkshire, which would translate as £6,666 for each Ward;

(ii)          authority be delegated to the Service Director Neighbourhood  Services, or a nominated officer from that section, to approve schemes and projects put forward for this funding for each Ward, subject to consultation with and approval by all relevant Ward Members through email;

(iii)         a list of all schemes or projects approved under delegated authority be brought to the Area Forum for noting;

(iv)         should agreement not be reached by all relevant Ward Members during the consultation process to a particular scheme or project, then that scheme or project be referred to the Area Forum for final decision; and

(v)          any funding remaining unspent or uncommitted in each Ward by the end of January 2016 be pooled and a report brought to the Area Forum meeting scheduled for 18 February 2016 where a decision be made on how this could be spent.