Approved Minutes of Requisitioned Meeting
West Dunbartonshire Council · 11 February 2026
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 11 February 2026 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL At a Requisitioned Hybrid Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 11 February 2026 at 4.03 p.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan, and Councillors Jim Bollan, Kevin Crawford, Ian Dickson, Diane Docherty, Fiona Hennebry, Gurpreet Singh Johal, Daniel Lennie, David McBride, Jonathan McColl, Michelle McGinty, June McKay, John Millar, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Chris Pollock, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Gordon Scanlan, Hazel Sorrell, Clare Steel and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources, and Section 95 Officer; Alan Douglas, Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration (Legal Officer); Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Beth Culshaw, Chief Officer – West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership; Julie Slavin, Chief Financial Officer; Lesley James, Head of Children's Health, Care and Criminal Justice, and Chief Social Work Officer; Fiona Taylor, Head of Health and Community Care; and Carol-Ann Burns, Senior Democratic Services Officer. Provost Karen Murray Conaghan in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING Provost Murray Conaghan advised that the meeting was being audio streamed and broadcast live to the internet and would be available for playback. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillor Lennie made a transparency statement, being employed as a career in Glasgow. Councillors Martin Rooney and McColl made transparency statements, each having a relative employed by Care at Home. ‘CARE AT HOME’ REDESIGN It was noted that, in terms of Standing Order No.3(b), Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Jim Bollan, Kevin Crawford, Ian Dickson, Lauren Oxley, Chris Pollock, Gordon Scanlan and Sophie Traynor had submitted the following:-
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Please find attached a request signed by six [sic] members, asking you to call a special meeting of WDC under Standing Order 3b. The item for discussion is as noted below. “Given the concerns of Homecare Staff, Clients who are our Constituents, Council agrees to immediately pause the implementation of the current ‘redesign’ programme taking place to allow meaningful engagement with our staff via their Trade Unions to come up with a model which both parties can sign off on. Any agreement reached should ensure no detriment for Homecare Staff.” In this respect there was submitted a report by the Chief Officer – Health and Social Care Partnership providing an update on the redesign process, including consultation, implementation and governance. Following discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Health and Social Care Partnership in explanation of the report and in answer to Members’ questions, Councillor Bollan moved:- Given the concerns of Homecare staff and Clients of the service, Council agrees to immediately pause the implementation of the current ‘redesign’ programme taking place to allow meaningful engagement with our staff via their Unions to attempt to get a compromise model suitable for both parties. Homecare staff currently facing detriment need to be the priority in any agreement reached. Having heard the Legal Officer, the Council noted his advice that the motion, as currently stated, was not competent because the Council was obliged by legislation to implement the decisions taken by the HSCP to allow the delivery of its services. Councillor McColl asked Councillor Bollan if he would accept the following addendum to his motion:- Add after ‘both parties’, ‘that allows the HSCP to meet the ever-changing needs of service users.’ Councillor Bollan confirmed his acceptance of the addendum. ADJOURNMENT The Provost adjourned the meeting for a short recess. The meeting reconvened at 5.09 p.m. with all those listed in the sederunt present. Councillor Bollan then informed the Council that he would revise his motion in the following terms:-
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Given the concerns of the Home Care staff and clients of the service, Council urges the HSCP to immediately pause the implementation of the current redesign programme taking place to allow meaningful engagement with our staff via their unions in an attempt to get a compromised model suitable for both parties that allows the HSCP to meet the ever-changing needs of the client. Home Care staff currently facing detriment need to be the priority in any agreement reached. The Legal Officer then confirmed that, in its revised form, the motion was competent and confirmed its wording with Councillor Bollan. As an amendment, Councillor Martin Rooney moved:- That the Council agrees to note the progress made to date and the actions taken to agree variations to meet service demand. The Legal Officer was then heard in answer to Members’ questions. Councillor Traynor then seconded the motion and Councillor McBride seconded the amendment. On a roll call vote being taken, 10 Members voted for the amendment, namely Councillors Hennebry, Singh Johal, McBride, McGinty, Millar, O’Neill, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Sorrell and Steel, and 12 Members voted for the motion, namely Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Bollan, Crawford, Dickson, Docherty, Lennie, McColl, McKay, Oxley, Pollock, Scanlan and Traynor. The motion was accordingly declared carried. The meeting closed at 5.36 p.m.