Meeting Details

Moray Council
7 Aug 2019 - 09:30
Occurred
  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Public Items
1 Sederunt
2 Declaration of Group Decisions and Members Interests *
2.

In terms of Standing Order 20 and the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, there were no declarations from Group Leaders or Spokespersons in regard to any prior decisions taken on how Members will vote on any item on the agenda or any declarations of Member’s interests in respect of any item on the agenda.

 

 

3.

The minute of the special meeting of Moray Council dated 27 June 2019 was submitted and approved.

Report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure)

 

6.

A report by the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) advised the Council that all Local Authorities have a statutory duty to prepare a Food Growing Strategy by 1 April 2020 and asked the Council to agree a draft strategy for public consultation.

 

Following discussion whereby all Members were in favour of the strategy, Councillor Leadbitter proposed a motion to amend recommendation (iv) of the report to delegate responsibility to Policy and Resources Committee rather than Planning and Regulatory Services Committee, as Policy and Resources Committee had the full range of Committee Chairs in attendance to allow better scrutiny.

 

In response Councillor Feaver moved an amendment that the reporting on the Food Growing Strategy should be with Moray Council to allow all members the opportunity for scrutiny and not just Committee Chairs.

 

Councillor Leadbitter further added that the consultation response would come back to Moray Council for consideration and approval and the ongoing scrutiny would be delegated to Policy and Resources Committee. 

 

In order to clarify the position with reporting, the Convener proposed an adjournment to allow further discussion. 

 

On the resumption of the meeting, Councillor Leadbitter withdrew his motion and Councillor Feaver withdrew her amendment and Council agreed:

 

i) to note the statutory requirement to prepare a Food Growing Strategy by 1 April 2020;
   
ii) to note the content of the draft Food Growing Strategy;
   
iii) to approve the draft strategy set out in Appendix 1(subject to the addition of graphics) and issue for public consultation for an 8 week period.
   
iv) to decide on the delegation responsibility for Section 119 and 120 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 - Food Growing Strategy following consideration of the next report to Moray Council following the 8 week public consultation.
   
v) that responses to the consultation be reported to a future meeting of Moray Council along with the final Food Growing Strategy for approval. 

Report by the Chief Executive

 

7.

A report by the Chief Executive was submitted and sought approval of the revised Performance Management Framework.

 

Following consideration, Council agreed to:

 

i)  note the issues identified with the current approach to Performance Management;
   
ii) approve the new Performance Management Framework, guidance and templates produced as Appendix A to this report;
   
iii) agree that training for elected members on their role in effective performance management be provided;
   
iv) note that training and development for officers on this subject will also be provided; and
   
v) note that the Corporate Management Team (CMT) will review self-evaluation activity.

Report by the Corporate Director (Corporate Services)

 

8.

A report by the Corporate Director (Corporate Services) was submitted to provide Council with a copy of the External Auditor's management report for 2018/19.

 

During consideration Councillor Coy raised concerns about the withdrawal from the European Union (EU) and the implications that this may have on Moray.  Councillor Coy asked whether the Council's Brexit Task Force Group had recommenced meeting again.

 

In response, the Chief Executive confirmed that the Brexit Task Force Group had been in abeyance and it will be re-starting as guidance starts coming through from the Scottish Government via Police Scotland and the guidance is based on a set of risk criteria set out on page 117/118 of the papers.  The Chief Executive further advised that the Council will be re-assessing those risks against the potential for the 31 October 2019 deadline.

 

Councillor Coy further requested an update report to the next meeting of Moray Council on the work being carried out.  In response, the Chief Executive confirmed that a report will be presented to the Special Meeting of Moray Council on 25 September 2019.  To give further assurance, the Chief Executive confirmed that if the situation deteriorated then a further special meeting of Moray Council would be convened, however there were no indications currently that this would happen.

 

Following consideration the Council noted the contents of the External Auditor's Management Report for 2018/19.

 

7 Question Time ***

Consider any oral question on matters delegated to the Committee in terms of the Council's Scheme of Administration. 

 

9.

Under reference to paragraph 14 of the Minute of Moray Council dated 27 June 2019, Councillor Alexander sought an update on the Business Support Officer post.

 

In response, the Chief Executive confirmed that the recruitment process had started and the post had been advertised but was unclear as to the current status of the post and agreed to seek an update from Education and Social Care and get back to Councillor Alexander following the meeting.

 

Under reference to paragraph 14 on the Minute of the Moray Council dated 27 June 2019, Councillor Warren sought an update in relation to fresh food processing certification in the event of a no deal Brexit and whether extra Environmental Health Officers would be employed to ensure the required certification could be processed to ensure fresh food processing would not be affected in the event of a no deal Brexit.

 

In response, the Chief Executive advised that the update was covered in the earlier response to Councillor Coy’s question regarding the guidance received from the Scottish Government in terms of risks as this was a risk identified in the national framework and the Council have responded to that.

 

Under reference to paragraph 14 of the Minute of the Moray Council dated 27 June 2019, Councillor Ross sought an update on the Essential Skills and ESOL services.

 

In response the Chief Executive advised that members had asked a number of questions with regards to the Essential Skills and ESOL services which there are now answers too and the response was given to Group Leaders as a matter of courtesy.  A report to the next meeting of Moray Council will now follow.

 

The Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) further added that a compendium report on the issues will be presented to the September meeting of Moray Council.

 

Councillor McLean asked the Chief Executive if he could circulate his response to all Councillors regarding the update on the Business Support Officer vacancy.

In response the Chief Executive said he was happy to update all Councillors.

 

Councillor Brown requested a response on what steps the Council are taking, if any, to mitigate the cessation of the 340/341 Bus Service run by Deveron Coaches in September 2019.

 

In response the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) confirmed that she has asked officers for a response to the issue and is awaiting a detailed response.  She further added however, that her understanding is that the Council does not subsidise from its own funding streams, commercial bus routes and from memory this bus route was under threat previously but developer obligation funding could be diverted to resume the service and that if the developer obligation funding have now been exhausted then the Council would revert to the previous policy decision and the bus service would be withdrawn and the Dial a Bus network would take effect.

 

Councillor Alexander sought an update on the provision of a pedestrian crossing on the Orchard Road and St Catherines Road junction in Forres.

 

In response the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) stated that there is a potential funding gap for the works at that junction but indicated that an update would be sought from the Transportation Manager on the works.

 

Councillor Ross asked whether the Council could sustain transport services in Moray.

 

In response the Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure) stated that officers are working hard within the financial constraints to provide a transport infrastructure in Moray and some of the solutions within that lie at a national level and some lie at an individual level.

Chair
1.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Shona Morrison.

 

Private Items

Supplementary Agenda

Public Items
3a Written Questions **
Private Items

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.

Visitors

Also in attendance at the above meeting were the Chief Executive, Corporate Director (Corporate Services), Corporate Director (Economic Development, Planning and Infrastructure), Head of Development Services, Head of Financial Services, Head of Legal and Democratic Services and the Strategic Plan and Development Manager.

 

Also in attendance was Maggie Bruce, External Auditor.

 




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