Agenda Contents
North Ayrshire Council · 29 March 2023
Back to North Ayrshire Council — 29 March 2023 and its agenda
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE North Ayrshire Council A Meeting of North Ayrshire Council will be held in the Council Chambers, Ground Floor, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE on Wednesday, 29 March 2023 at 14:00 to consider the undernoted business. Meeting Arrangements - Hybrid Meetings This meeting will be held on a predominantly physical basis but with provision, by prior notification, for remote attendance by Elected Members in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 2003. Where possible, the meeting will be live-streamed and available to view at https://north-ayrshire.public- i.tv/core/portal/home. 1 Apologies 2 Declarations of Interest Members are requested to give notice of any declarations of interest in respect of items of business on the Agenda. 3 Previous Minutes The accuracy of the Minutes of the (i) Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on 15 February 2023 and (ii) the Special Meeting of the Council held on 1 March 2023, will be confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 4 Provost's Report Submit report by the Provost for the period covering 6 February 2023 - 19 March 2023 (copy enclosed). 5 Leader's Report Submit report by the Leader of the Council for the period covering 6 February 2023 - 19 March 2023 (copy enclosed).
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE 6 Minute Volume (issued under separate cover) Submit, for noting and for approval of any recommendations contained therein, the Minutes of Meeting of committees of the Council held in the period 8 December 2022 - 8 March 2023. 7 North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board: Minutes of Meeting held in March 2023 Submit report by the Executive Director (Communities and Education) on the Minutes of the Community Planning Partnership Board held on 13 March 2023 (copy enclosed). 8 Appointments to Committee The Council is invited to note that, following his appointment as Depute Leader of the Conservative and Unionist Group, Councillor Inglis replaces Councillor T. Ferguson on the Staffing and Recruitment Committee and Appeals Committee. 9 Appointment to Outside Body The Council is invited to consider a nomination to appoint Councillor Donald Reid to serve on the North Ayrshire Fair Trade Zone Steering Group. 10 Questions In terms of Standing Order 14, submit:- (1) a question by Councillor McLean to the Cabinet Member for the Economy and Climate Change in the following terms: "Can the Member give an update on the Council’s Renewable Energy strategy for home heating in North Ayrshire?” (2) a question by Councillor Kerr to the Leader of the Council in the following terms: “At the time of writing, the last published Minute of an Ardrossan Taskforce meeting was on the 29 November 2022 for the meeting which took place on the 28 June 2022. My understanding is there has been at least two task force meetings since then. Given that it is taking several months for the task force to publish public minutes, can the leader of the Council, as co-chair of the said task force, advise us what has been discussed since 28 June 2022 and what progress has been made?”
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE (3) a question by Councillor Marshall to the Cabinet Member for the Economy and Climate Change in the following terms: “Recently the Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur welcomed the new East Coast Forth and Cromarty Green Freeports stating that the aim was for them to become “an internationally competitive cluster of excellence” and offering them various tax reliefs to boost the process. Noting that the recent UK Government's Budget is planning to kickstart economic growth across the UK by offering secure grants and tax cuts worth £80 million for over five years to each hub to enable Scotland to set up enterprise hub , will the Cabinet Member be proactive in supporting the claim for North Ayrshire as an area of economic deprivation on the West Coast to be offered such an opportunity.” (4) a question by Councillor McDonald to the Cabinet Member for Education in the following terms: “The Cabinet Member for Education has announced a delay in the construction of a new primary school and early years centre in Montgomerie Park via a press interview. He will be aware that new homes are currently being built at Montgomerie Park and the existing school catchment area has been dealing with capacity issues for many years, resulting in the investment in additional space at Annick Primary. Can the Cabinet Member tell us what impact the delay on a new primary school will have on existing school rolls?” (5) a question by Councillor Inglis to the Cabinet Member for Education in the following terms: “To ask the Cabinet Member for Education for an update on the shocking news that toilets are being locked in Greenwood Academy and St Matthew's Academy restricting pupils from using the toilet?” (6) a question by Councillor Bell to the Cabinet Member for Finance in the following terms: "At the Council’s budget meeting on 1 March, the SNP proposed no additional funding for road maintenance, the Tories proposed an additional £1m subject to the 2022-23 year-end financial position and Labour proposed an additional £2m. Can the Cabinet Member for Finance confirm what parties’ proposal she incorporated after the recess at the budget meeting on 1 March?" (7) a question by Councillor Marshall to the Cabinet Member for the Economy and Climate Change in the following terms: “Given the completion date for the Glen Sannox as the Arran replacement ferry is now five years late and still indeterminate, the failure to agree on economic package to adapt the berthing arrangements at Ardrossan to allow for the new ferry to dock, the plan by CalMac to move the mainland port to Troon, what will be the economic impact on Ardrossan and the wider North Ayrshire economy by such a change of port and what plans do the Administration have to mitigate such?”
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE (8) a question by Councillor Foster to the Cabinet Member for Finance in the following terms: “Your recent budget paper included a £4m jobs cut fund under the guise of workforce planning, how many employees are you planning on leaving due to this decision within the next financial year?” (9) a question by Councillor Inglis to the Cabinet Member for Finance in the following terms: “To ask the Cabinet Member for the number of workers currently working from home?" (10) a question by Councillor Donald Reid to the Cabinet Member for Finance in the following terms: “To ask the Cabinet Member for Finance whether continued support for community Christmas Lights was included in the SNP budget proposals on 1 March at 2.15pm or the Conservatives’ Budget proposal which she incorporated in her revised motion at 4pm on 1 March?” (11) a question by Councillor McLean to the Cabinet Member for the Economy and Climate Change in the following terms: “Can the Member give me an update on the tenant housing consultation for this year, with specific reference to public consultation on the allocation system?” (12) a question by Councillor Sweeney to the Leader of the Council in the following terms: "There have been reports of ambulances queued outside Ayr and Crosshouse hospitals over many months. I am led to believe that this was a particular issue on Monday 13 March 2023 when, at one point every ambulance serving our area was parked outside Crosshouse hospital for several hours. As the Council representative on NHS Ayrshire and Arran, what reassurances can the Council Leader provide that with such a circumstance, our health board will be able to respond to an emergency call, for example a cardiac arrest call?” (13) a question by Councillor McLean to the Leader of the Labour Group in the following terms: “The Labour group has made a public stand against what it has described as ‘re-mortgaging’ of school PFI deals undertaken by the Council’s Finance Department and confirmed in the budget for 23-24. Can the Leader of the Labour Group please tell me how much they believe the value of this re-mortgage loan to be, the associated interest rate and financial risk to the authority?” (14) a question by Councillor McDonald to the Leader of the Council in the following terms: “As the Council’s representative on NHS Ayrshire and Arran, can the Council Leader tell us what funding gap Scotland’s Health Secretary has left the health board facing in 2023/24?”
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE (15) a question by Councillor Kerr to the Cabinet Member for the Economy and Climate Change in the following terms: “In 2019, Councillor Gurney opposed the Council introducing advertising on council-owned assets, such as roundabouts. Earlier this month he said “The high demand and participation of local businesses in local advertising and sponsorship opportunities has been clearly demonstrated across North Ayrshire. We will always aim to provide affordable opportunities that will be of benefit to our local businesses and residents.” Can the now Cabinet Member for Place explain his U-turn?” (16) a question by Councillor Foster to the Cabinet Member for Finance in the following terms: “To ask the Cabinet Member for Finance what impact in her opinion will balancing the Council budget with £970k from HSCP debt repayment have on HSCP services in 23/24?” 11 Motions In terms of Standing Order 15, submit:-
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE (1) a motion by Councillor McDonald, seconded by Councillor Kerr, in the following terms: "Council expresses its disgust at the UK Government’s ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ which is effectively a ban on the victims of war, torture and modern slavery from claiming asylum in the UK due to the lack of safe and legal routes to claim asylum here. Council notes: (1) the Bill may not be compatible with the UN Refugee Convention as it will remove the right to claim asylum in the UK (2) that the UK Government’s previous hardline policies such as the Nationality and Borders Act and the Rwanda policy have not acted as a deterrent, with the number of refugees crossing in small boats reaching a record high since the Rwanda policy was announced. Council is proud to have welcomed hundreds of Ukrainians to North Ayrshire since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Council understands that no Ukrainian has had to pay a people smuggler to cross the channel in a small boat with the UK Government offering them Safe Passage. Council believes that offering Safe Passage to refugees in Calais is the kinder, compassionate and more effective alternative to the UK Government’s hardline anti-refugee policies. Council resolves that the Chief Executive write to the Home Secretary outlining our opposition to the Illegal Migration Bill and calling for the UK Government to adopt a policy of Safe Passage for refugees as the means to end small boats, put people smugglers out of business and save lives.” (2) a motion by Councillor Collier, seconded by Councillor Robertson, in the following terms: "That North Ayrshire Council: 1. acknowledges the increasing impact of the sale of single use Nicotine Vaping Products (NVPs) on the health of children and young people and the environment, and 2. agrees to instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Scottish and Westminster Governments expressing North Ayrshire Council’s support for a proposed ban on single use vapes, and to support measures to ban their sale, or to the extent that is not legally possible to effectively reduce their harmful impacts.”
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE (3) a motion by Councillor Macaulay, seconded by Councillor Johnson, in the following terms: “In recognition of the Council’s commitment to the Promise and our responsibility as corporate parent to take positive action to improve the lives of care experienced children and create communities where all children have the right to grow up loved, safe and respected, Council agrees: 1. to support adding “Care Experienced” to be treated as a protected characteristic in North Ayrshire’s Equality impact assessments to ensure all decisions made by Council give specific focus on how we can improve the lives of care experienced young people; and 2. to request that a report is brought to Cabinet to outline the next steps, including the Equalities Impact Assessments required, to implement this policy” 12 Urgent Items Any other items which the Provost considers to be urgent. Webcasting Please note: this meeting may be filmed/recorded/live-streamed to the Council's internet site and available to view at https://north-ayrshire.public- i.tv/core/portal/home, where it will be capable of repeated viewing. At the start of the meeting, the Provost/Chair will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed/recorded/live-streamed. You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Act 2018. Data collected during the webcast will be retained in accordance with the Council’s published policy, including, but not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available via the Council’s internet site. Generally, the press and public seating areas will not be filmed. However, by entering the Council Chambers, using the press or public seating area or (by invitation) participating remotely in this meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and consenting to the use and storage of those images and sound recordings and any information pertaining to you contained in them for webcasting or training purposes and for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available to the public. If you do not wish to participate in a recording, you should leave the meeting. This will constitute your revocation of consent. If you have any queries regarding this and, in particular, if you believe that use and/or storage of any particular information would cause, or be likely to cause, substantial damage or distress to any individual, please contact dataprotectionofficer@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE North Ayrshire Council Sederunt John Bell Timothy Billings Marie Burns Eleanor Collier Joe Cullinane Scott Davidson Anthea Dickson Stewart Ferguson Todd Ferguson Robert Foster Scott Gallacher John Glover Tony Gurney Alan Hill Cameron Inglis Margaret Johnson Amanda Kerr Christina Larsen Shaun Macaulay Jean McClung Nairn McDonald Matthew McLean Louise McPhater Davina McTiernan Tom Marshall Jim Montgomerie Ian Murdoch Donald Reid Donald L Reid Chloe Robertson Ronnie Stalker Angela Stephen John Sweeney Chair: Apologies: Attending: