Agenda item

Consider report by Executive Director (Corporate Improvement & Economy).  (Copy attached.)

9.1  With reference to paragraph 6 of the Minute of 25 September 2020, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Executive Director, Corporate Improvement and Economy, proposing some changes to the Implications section of committee reports to take account of UN Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Change, and also to include a new statement around Data Protection compliance.  The report explained that at its meeting on 25 September 2020, Scottish Borders Council had decided that the ‘implications’ section of Council reports would be reviewed and updated generally, with a specific objective of addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  This review and updating was to be overseen by the Sustainable Development Committee and a report on the proposed changes was approved by that Committee at its meeting on 4 December 2020.  The implications section of committee reports covered a number of specific areas:  Financial, Risk and Mitigations, Integrated Impact Assessment, Acting Sustainably, Carbon Management, Rural Proofing, and changes to the Schemes of Administration and Delegation.  The paragraphs which were being reviewed were the ones relating to Acting Sustainably and Carbon Management.  To ensure officers took account of the UN Sustainable Development Goals when drafting reports, it was proposed that a checklist was completed and details were given in a new section, “Sustainable Development Goals”, on the specific UN goals which were being impacted.  A checklist was attached as Appendix A to the report.  The intention was that report writers completed the checklist and drew the most salient issues into a brief narrative in the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ section of the report, explaining relevance and (where appropriate) how the recommendations in the report supported progress against the Sustainable Development Goals.  While ‘taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts’ is a UN SDG (SDG 13), it was recognised that national legislation, the Scottish public policy context (e.g. the Programme for Government 2021-2022), and Scottish Borders Council’s own commitments manifested in the Responding to the Climate Emergency Report of 25 September 2020 required specific reference to be made to the Council’s efforts and progress in this area.  Accordingly, it was proposed that a paragraph in the implications section was retained under the title ‘Climate Change’ with report writers setting out details of the impact of the report in this area, and (where appropriate) how the recommendations in the report supported progress against Climate Change objectives.  A checklist to this effect for officer use was attached as Appendix B to the report.  Guidance and training for report writers would be provided to ensure they understood and took account of the new requirements. 

9.2  The Council had obligations under Data Protection legislation and non-compliance could result in substantial fines.  If a proposal included any new processing of personal data, or any change to the way personal data was currently processed, then officers must be able to evidence that the potential impact on the privacy of citizens had been fully considered and that any risk around the process had been identified and mitigated appropriately.  It was therefore proposed that a new paragraph was added to the Implications section of committee reports covering Data Protection.  The Clerk to the Council in presenting the report added a further recommendation (d) that the above changes be reviewed after 12 months and a report brought to Council on the outcome.  Members welcomed the report and suggested that training for Members might also be helpful.  Councillor Aitchison commented on training he had received from “Keep Scotland Beautiful” and advised that they would be offering further sessions.

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)  to approve the following changes to committee reports:

(i)      the amendment of the Acting Sustainably and Carbon Management sections of committee reports to reflect the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Change;

(ii)     that updated guidance/checklists and further training was provided to report writers to ensure they understood and took account of the new requirements; and

(iii)    a Data Protection Impact Statement be added to committee reports to ensure that compliance with Data Protection legislation was confirmed,  with further guidance on this provided to report writers and support given by the Data Protection Officer as required. 

(b)     that the above changes be reviewed after 12 months and a report brought to Council on the outcome.