Document Pack - Council 25 09 24 (Bookmarked)
West Dunbartonshire Council · 25 September 2024
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 25 September 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Agenda Requisitioned Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council Date: Wednesday, 25 September 2024 Time: 14:00 Format: Hybrid meeting Contact: Carol-Ann Burns Email: carol-ann.burns@west-dunbarton.gov.uk committee.admin@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Dear Member Please attend a requisitioned meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council as detailed above. Members will have the option to attend the meeting remotely or in person at the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton. The business is shown on the attached agenda. Yours faithfully PETER HESSETT Chief Executive Page 1
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Distribution:- Provost Karen Murray Conaghan Councillor June McKay Councillor James Bollan Councillor John Millar Councillor Ian Dickson Councillor Lawrence O’Neill Councillor Diane Docherty Councillor Lauren Oxley Councillor Fiona Hennebry Councillor Chris Pollock Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal Councillor Martin Rooney Councillor Daniel Lennie Councillor Gordon Scanlan Councillor David McBride Councillor Hazel Sorrell Councillor Jonathan McColl Councillor Clare Steel Councillor James McElhill Councillor Sophie Traynor Councillor Michelle McGinty Chief Executive Chief Officers Date of issue: 19 September 2024 Audio Streaming Audio recordings of the meeting (including the attendance or contribution of any party participating or making a contribution) will be published on the Council’s website and the Council’s host’s webcast/audio stream platform. You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the General Data Protection Regulation. Data collected during this audio stream will be retained in accordance with the Council’s Privacy Notice* and Retention Schedules including, but not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available via the Council’s internet site. Page 2
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2024 AGENDA 1 STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING 2 APOLOGIES 3 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Members are invited to declare if they have an interest in any of the items of business on the agenda and the reasons for such declarations. 4 RECORDING OF VOTES The Council is asked to agree that all votes taken during the meeting will be done by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. 5 POLITICAL ADMINSTRATION In terms of Standing Order No.3(b) Councillors Fiona Hennebry, Gurpreet Singh Johal, David McBride, Michelle McGinty, John Millar, Lawrence O’Neill, Martin Rooney, Hazel Sorrell and Clare Steel have submitted the following:- We the undersigned request that a requisitioned meeting be called to debate the following motion:- At the Council on Wednesday 28th August the SNP Alliance demonstrated their majority at Council by electing an SNP Provost, creating the circumstances where they would hold the casting vote which could be used to prevent a future Labour budget from being approved, and potentially putting the long term financial sustainability of the Council into question. As a result, the Labour Councillors resigned the Leadership and Senior Councillor positions to allow them to take control of West Dunbartonshire Council so that they could set the political direction of the council and would have sufficient time to work on their proposals to set a balanced budget for 2025/26; 2026/27; and 2027/28 budgets. Page 3
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In accordance with Standing Order 3 (b) we the undersigned call on the Chief Executive to set a Special Council Meeting to discuss the following urgent matters of business:- (1) to hear from the SNP Alliance of their intentions to take over the administration of West Dunbartonshire Council; (2) to receive a report from the Chief Executive Officer setting out the vacant positions in Council, Committee, Joint Committee, Constituted Bodies and External Bodies and Organisations; and (3) to fill these positions in accordance with Standing Order 1 and Standing Order 29(l). 6 VACANCIES ON COUNCIL COMMITTEES, ETC.– SEPTEMBER 2024 5 – 8 Submit report by the Chief Officer – Regulatory & Regeneration requesting the Council to fill the current list of vacancies on council committees, senior councillor positions, working groups and outside bodies as a result of recent resignations by Elected Members. Page 4
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration Requisitioned Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council: 25 September 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Vacancies on Council Committees, etc.– September 2024 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to request the Council to fill the current list of vacancies on council committees, senior councillor positions, working groups and outside bodies as a result of recent resignations by elected members. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Council nominates elected members to fill the various vacant positions listed in the appendix to this report. 3. Background 3.1 In the past month, the Chief Executive has been notified of a number of resignations by individual members of the Council which has resulted in a number of vacancies on committees and working groups. In addition, at the meeting of Council held on Wednesday, 28 August 2024, the Council Leader informed the Council that the Labour Administration intended to resign, which would result in a number of senior councillor positions becoming vacant including the Leader of Council, Depute Leader of Council and Depute Provost. This was subsequently confirmed in writing following the Council meeting. 4. Main Issues 4.1 It is important that all vacancies are filled as soon as possible to ensure the effective running of Council. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no direct implications for employees of this Council. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 There are no financial or procurement implications arising from this report. ITEM 6 Page 5
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7. Risk Analysis 7.1 There is a risk of reputational damage if the Council does not fill these positions, especially those which are senior councillor positions. In the absence of any political direction, senior officers will continue to deliver services based on existing policies and direction but this is not desirable in the long term. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 There are no impacts on equalities groups arising from the recommendations of this report. 9. Consultation 9.1 Officers from legal and finance have been consulted on the content of this report. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 This report does not have a direct impact on the Council’s Strategic priorities but the non-filling of senior councillor positions could have a detrimental impact on the delivery of those priorities in the longer term. Alan Douglas Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration Date: 18 September 2024 Person to Contact: George Hawthorn, Manager of Democratic and Registration Services, Council Offices, Garshake Road, Dumbarton. Telephone 01389 737204 or e-mail: george.hawthorn@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: List of vacancies on council committees, etc., on 16 September 2024. Background Papers: EIA screening. Wards Affected: All Page 6
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West Dunbartonshire Council Vacancies as of September 2024 APPOINTMENT NO. COMMENTS Depute Provost 1 Resignation of Cllr Millar Leader of the Council 1 Resignation of Cllr Rooney Depute Leader of the Council 1 Resignation of Cllr McGinty CONVENERS AND DEPUTE CONVENERS Appeals Committee – Convener 1 Senior Councillor Resignation of Cllr Hennebry Alexander Cross Cameron Bequest Committee – Member 1 Resignation of Cllr McAllister. Members should be from ward 4, 5, & 6 Corporate Services Committee – Convener and Spokesperson 1 Senior Councillor Resignation Cllr McGinty Cultural Committee – Depute Convener 1 Resignation of Cllr McKay Educational Services Committee - Convener and Spokesperson Member 1 1 Senior Councillor. Resignation of Cllr Steel. Member - Resignation of Cllr McAllister Housing & Communities Committee - Convener and Spokesperson 1 Senior Councillor Resignation Cllr Singh Johal Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee – Convener and Spokesperson 1 Senior Councillor, Resignation Cllr McBride CONVENERS AND DEPUTE CONVENERS Licensing Board – Depute Convener* 1 Cllr Millar was the depute, now the convener, as agreed at Licensing Board mtg - 03.09.24 APPENDIX 1 Page 7
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Licensing Committee – Convener** 1 Senior Councillor resignation Cllr O’Neill Planning Committee and Local Review Body – Convener** Member 1 1 Senior Councillor resignation Cllr O’Neill Member - Resignation of Cllr McAllister Tendering Committee – Depute Convener 1 Resignation of Cllr McKay *Any nomination made in respect of this position would be a recommendation to the Licensing Board as it is for the Board to determine and not Council. ** The Convener of Licensing Committee and Planning Committee is currently one senior councillor position. COUNCIL WORKING GROUPS AND TRUSTS Working Group Vacancies Gaul Trust (2) (Must be Provost and Depute) 1 x Depute Provost Member/Officer Cost of Living Working Group 2 x Resignation by SNP members. JOINT BOARDS / COMMITTEES AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Partnership Vacancies Glasgow City Region City Deal Leader of Council plus substitute OUTSIDE BODIES Organisation Vacancies Dunbritton Housing Association - Management Committee 1 x opposition member Lomond and Clyde Care and Repair 2 x subs opposition members West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau 1 (Resignation of Cllr McAllister) Page 8