APPROVED Minutes of Meeting
West Dunbartonshire Council · 18 December 2024
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 18 December 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL At a Hybrid Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 18 December 2024 at 4.01 p.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Jim Bollan, Ian Dickson, Diane Docherty, Fiona Hennebry, Gurpreet Singh Johal, David McBride, Jonathan McColl, Michelle McGinty, Lawrence O’Neill, Lauren Oxley, Chris Pollock, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Hazel Sorrell and Clare Steel. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Alan Douglas, Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration (Legal Officer); Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources, and Section 95 Officer; Beth Culshaw, Chief Officer – Health & Social Care Partnership; Peter Barry, Chief Officer – Housing and Employability; Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Lesley James, Head of Children’s Health, Care and Justice Services (Chief Social Work Officer), Gail Macfarlane, Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood; Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Carol Alderson, Finance Manager; Lauren Crooks, Strategic Communication, Culture and Performance Manager; Michelle Lynn, Asset Manager; Gillian McNamara, Economic Development Manager; and Carol-Ann Burns, Senior Democratic Services Officer. Also Attending: Tom Reid, Audit Director, and Caleb Oguche, Senior Manager, Forvis Mazars. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Daniel Lennie, James McElhill, June McKay, John Millar, Gordon Scanlan and Sophie Traynor. Provost Karen Murray Conaghan in the Chair STATEMENT BY CHAIR Provost Murray Conaghan advised that the meeting was being audio streamed and broadcast live to the internet and would be available for playback.
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillor Oxley made a transparency statement in relation to this item under the heading ‘Financial Update’. URGENT ITEM OF BUSINESS EMERGENCY MOTION BY COUNCILLOR LAUREN OXLEY – FAIR COMPENSATION FOR WASPI WOMEN The Provost advised that she had accepted a request from Councillor Oxley for an emergency motion concerning fair compensation for WASPI women. The Provost advised that this item would be considered at the end of the meeting. NIGEL ETTLES, PRINCIPAL SOLICTOR Having heard Councillor O’Neill, the Council acknowledged the untimely passing of Nigel Ettles, Legal Officer at the Council for over 40 years. Provost Murray Conaghan, on behalf of the Council, paid tribute to Nigel’s’ loyal service to West Dunbartonshire Council, and extended her condolences to Mr Ettles’ family. RECORDING OF VOTES The Council agreed that all votes taken during the meeting would be carried out by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meetings of West Dunbartonshire Council held on 28 October 2024 were submitted and approved as a correct record. OPEN FORUM The Council noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. RESULTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY-ELECTION HELD ON 28 NOVEMBER 2024 AND VACANCIES ON COMMITTEES AND OTHER BODIES A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration providing an update on the result of the Local Government by-election held in the Kilpatrick Ward on 28 November 2024 and seeking approval of the filling of the vacancies shown in the Appendix to the report.
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The Chief Executive congratulated Councillor William Rooney and welcomed him to the meeting and West Dunbartonshire Council. In response, Councillor William Rooney stated that he looked forward to representing the constituents in his ward. After discussion and having heard the Chief Executive and Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed:- (1) to note that the vacancy detailed in the report for the Corporate Services Committee was an error and should not be considered as a vacancy; (2) to note the result of the by-election held on 28 November 2024 as detailed in paragraph 4 of the report below; (3) that in due course Elected Members would be nominated by the political groups to serve on the committees and other bodies detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and this minute and the role of Veterans’ Champion, previously notified to the meeting; and (4) to accept the nomination of Councillor Dickson to the Highland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. CHIEF SOCIAL WORK OFFICER ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 A report was submitted by the Head of Children’s Health, Care and Justice Services (Chief Social Work Officer) providing the Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report for 2023-24 (Appendix 1 to the report) which details information on the statutory work undertaken on the Council’s behalf, including a summary of governance arrangements, service delivery, resources and workforce. After discussion and having heard the Head of Children’s Health, Care and Justice Services (Chief Social Work Officer) in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed to approve the content of the Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023-24 and its submission to the Office of the Chief Social Work Advisor to the Scottish Government. GLASGOW CITY REGION CITY DEAL – UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration providing an update on the Exxon Infrastructure Project, and matters being discussed by Glasgow City Region. The Council agreed to note:- (1) the update on the Exxon Infrastructure Project; and
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(2) the progress of the Glasgow City Region programme. FINANCIAL UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources:- (a) providing an update on the financial challenges facing the Council, the estimated 2025/26 to 2029/30 revenue budget gaps and presenting the first tranche of saving options for Members’ consideration to help the Council deliver a balanced 2025/26 budget; and (b) seeking agreement to expand the number of shared posts within the Audit and Fraud shared service. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, Councillor Martin Rooney moved:- The Council thanks the Chief Officer of Resources for the Financial Update Report and agrees the recommendations at 2.1 of the report, namely: - (1) to note that the Council’s estimated 2025/26 revenue budget gap had increased from £10.273m as at October 2024 to £10.472m; (2) to approve the £0.052m, rising to £0.061m by 2027/28, of saving options requiring political consideration to contribute toward agreeing a balanced 2025/26 budget and assist with future projected budget gaps; (3) to note the £0.564m, rising to £0.691m by 2027/28, of management adjustments which would contribute to agreeing a balanced 2025/26 budget and assist with future projected budget gaps; (4) to approve an assumed annual increase of 5% on all sales, fees and charges that the Council has authority to set whilst agreeing that Council retains the option to set a different increase on a collective or individual basis when agreeing the annual revenue budget; and (5) to expanding the number of shared Internal Audit posts with Inverclyde Council and notes the ongoing discussions at officer level with a third council regarding a potential larger Internal Audit shared service. However, the recently introduced Brown Bin Charge will not be increased next year. However, Council is disappointed that the level of uncommitted funding is expected to be around £5 million of recurring revenue which falls well short of our needs and our expectations if we want to achieve financial sustainability and to avoid bankruptcy.
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The Council report shows the revised estimated funding gaps for futures years as follows: • 2025/26 £9.856 million • 2026/27 £20.753 million • 2027/28 £30.420 million Council notes that the underlying funding deficit is much higher as a previous Council decision had already applied £5.332 million of reserves in each financial year from 2024/25 to 2027/28 to help us to manage the significant financial challenges faced by the Council. Council notes that the UK Government has allocated £3.4 Billion to the Scottish Government for 2025/26 with £2.8 Billion of Revenue and £600 million of Capital. If the Scottish Government replicated the UK Government anti-austerity budget and passed on our share of the full UK consequentials then we would be expecting £14 million: • Local Government: £5 million • Education: £5 million. • Social Care £3 million • Other: circa £1 million A distribution on this basis would end austerity. However, that is not what will happen. Instead, the Scottish Government made a political choice to continue its austerity measures on Local Government in Scotland affecting local services, local jobs, and our local communities in West Dunbartonshire. The 2025/26 increase to the Scottish Government budget equates to a 3.4% cash uplift. So even if the Scottish Government only passed on the cash uplift, this reduced share would have amounted to £7.7 million extra for West Dunbartonshire. This would go a long way towards closing the 2025/26 budget gap and it would set the council on a course of achieving financial sustainability. But they have chosen not to pass this uplift on. Unfortunately, despite having a £10.472 million general services funding gap, early indications are we are more likely to receive around £5 million of uncommitted funding – a figure that will likely reduce once the details of the financial settlement are analysed. In addition the West Dunbartonshire HSCP is facing a funding gap of £5.8 million in relation to social care. They also have a funding gap in Health of £4.6 million for financial year 2025/26.
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As an amendment, Councillor Dickson, moved:- Council notes that the charges in WD for allotments are very low and is in agreement that a rise may be appropriate. However, the EIA shows that there is a lack of data and therefore we must carry out a proper survey of our users before increasing prices lest we cause an equality issue. The planned increase of >500% in a 3-year period may well cause hardship to users on a fixed income who use their plots to grow food. Turning to the special uplift charges, users advise that they currently must give notice of what is to be uplifted and therefore the narrative around the changes is bemusing. This increased charging model needs further exploration and a model which caters for more than 5 items at a time. WDC has a lesser than average car ownership and many residents have no option but to use this service, it therefore needs to work for us all. Council therefore agrees the following recommendations at 2.1 of the report: (a) note that the Council’s estimated 2025/26 revenue budget gap has increased from £10.273m as at October 2024 to £10.472m (c) note the £0.564m, rising to £0.691m by 2027/28, of management adjustments which will contribute to agreeing a balanced 2025/26 budget and assist with future projected budget gaps, with the exception of CCF13 Removal of Telephone survey as this removes a layer of meaningful consultation and feedback from citizens. (d) approve an assumed annual increase of 5% on all sales, fees and charges that the Council has authority to set whilst agreeing that Council retains the option to set a different increase on a collective or individual basis when agreeing the annual revenue budget (e) agrees to expanding the number of shared Internal Audit posts with Inverclyde Council and notes the ongoing discussions at officer level with a third council regarding a potential larger Internal Audit shared service. Council does not agree with 2.1 (b) to approve the saving options requiring political consideration and defers decision on these until the 2025/26 budget setting meeting in 2025. Councillor McBride then seconded Councillor Martin Rooney’s motion and Councillor Pollock seconded Councillor Dickson’s amendment. Councillor Bollan, having failed to find a seconder for a proposed second amendment asked for his dissent to be recorded in respect of this item. On a roll call vote being taken 6 Members voted for the amendment, namely Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Dickson, Docherty, McColl, Oxley and Pollock,
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and 9 Members voted for the motion, namely Councillors Hennebry, Singh Johal, McBride, McGinty, O’Neill, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Sorrell and Steel, and 1 Member abstained, namely Councillor Bollan. The motion was accordingly declared carried. 2022/23 ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources:- (a) presenting to Members and the Controller of Audit the 2022/23 Annual Audit Report, for the Council and the Trusts administered by the Council, prior to approving the 2022/23 Audited Annual Accounts for both the Council and the charities administered by the Council; and (b) providing an update on the external audit of the Annual Accounts of the Council and the charities administered by the Council for the year ended 31 March 2023. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources and Audit Director, Forvis Mazars, in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed to note the Annual Audit Report to Members and the Controller of Audit 2022/23 for the Council and the Charities administered by the Council (Appendix 1 to the report). 2022/23 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an opportunity for Members to scrutinise and approve the 2022/23 Audited Annual Accounts for the Council and the charities administered by the Council. Having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation, the Council agreed:- (1) to note that the audit was substantially complete and Forvis Mazars had advised the Council they were expecting to issue an unqualified opinion on the Council’s Accounts and the Accounts of the charities administered by the Council for the year ended 31 March 2023; and (2) to approve the information provided within the Audited Annual Accounts 2022/2023 - covering the Council and the charities administered by the Council (Appendices 2 and 3 to the report).
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GENERAL SERVICES REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the 2024/25 Revenue Budget position at 31 October 2024 and the forecast position of the General Fund Reserve as at 31 March 2025. After discussion, the Council agreed to note a current projected annual underlying adverse variance on the revenue account of £2.122m (0.73% of total budget). GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT 2024/25 TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the General Services capital financial performance to 31 October 2024. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation, the Council agreed:- (1) to note the current position of the 2024/25 General Services capital budget; (2) to approve additional capital budget of £0.133m in respect of Posties Park; (3) to approve the revised completion dates detailed in Appendix 3 to the report; (4) to note an in-year variance of (£6.308m) due to reprofiling and additional funding made available by Scottish Government; (5) to approve £1.000m capital budget for a new financial ledger system and the associated £0.028m per annum revenue costs to cover the interest on the prudential borrowing over 20 years of the life of the asset; and (6) to grant delegated authority to the Chief Officer Resources to award the contract in relation to the new financial ledger project following market testing, using an appropriate procurement route. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update of the 2024/2025 HRA revenue budget position on 31 October 2024 and the forecast position of the HRA reserves as of 31 March 2025. The Council agreed:- (1) to note the HRA revenue account was forecasting an adverse variance of £1.317m. and that, if required, the adverse variance would be offset by using
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HRA reserves of £0.968m and a General Fund reserve contribution of £0.349m; (2) to note the HRA would be expected to develop a repayment plan to replenish the HRA reserves to meet the prudential target and reimburse the General Fund for any contribution made towards the HRA deficit; and (3) to note that work would continue to identify efficiencies across all areas of the HRA revenue account budget to minimise the adverse variance. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 (PERIOD 7) A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the HRA capital programme to 31 October 2024. The Council agreed:- (1) to note the current position of the 2024/2025 HRA capital budget and the HRA capital plan; (2) to note that in-year financial performance was monitored against a 2024/2025 capital expenditure budget of £73.664m and a 2024/2025 capital income budget of £10.003m, a one-year borrowing requirement of £63.661m; (3) to note that project life performance was monitored against a five-year project life expenditure budget of £319.738m and a project life income budget of £54.577m, a five-year borrowing requirement of £265.161m; (4) to note that there are eighteen projects reporting off track with an anticipated over / under spend against their 2024/2025 budgets, with a forecast net underspend of £2.918m in 2024/2025; and (5) to note that all projects were currently on track to achieve their planned completion dates and to deliver within their respective five-year project life budgets. 2023/24 TREASURY MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on Treasury Management during 2023/24. The Council agreed:- (1) to note the Treasury Management Annual Report, as appended to the report; and,
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(2) to note the Treasury Management Annual Report had been presented to the Audit Committee on 4 December 2024. TREASURY MANAGEMENT MID-YEAR REPORT 2024/2025 A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on Treasury Management to 30 September 2024. The Council agreed:- (1) to note the Treasury Management stewardship information within the appendix to the report; (2) to approve the 2024/25 revised estimates of treasury and prudential indicators as advised within the appendix to the report (Tables A, B, C, D, E, F, H, L and N); and (3) to note that the appendix to the report would be referred to the Audit Committee for further scrutiny. UPDATE ON WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities providing further detail and explanation in relation to two specific Strategic Plan Performance indicators within the West Dunbartonshire Council Annual Performance Report 2023/24 which was presented to Council on 30 October 2024. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed to note the content of the report. Note: Councillor Docherty left the meeting at this point. MAID OF THE LOCH TRUST A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration seeking agreement of changes to the status and constitutional documents of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company and the dissolution of the Maid of the Loch Trust. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed:- (1) to agree the proposed change of status of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company from a Company Limited By Guarantee to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation;
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(2) to appoint three officers as trustees to the Maid of the Loch Trust, but that if the Trust’s constitution required Trustees to be Elected Members then nominations would be made by the political groups; (3) to request the Trustees and the Directors appointed by the Trust to agree to the dissolution of the Trust and the former Limited Company and to approve the transfer of the Maid of the Loch and other assets to the new Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation; and (4) assuming the approval of the same by the Trustees, to agree to the transfer of the Maid of the Loch and other assets to the new Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. URGENT ITEM OF BUSINESS EMERGENCY MOTION BY COUNCILLOR LAUREN OXLEY – FAIR COMPENSATION FOR WASPI WOMEN Councillor Oxley moved:- Council notes with disappointment yesterday’s announcement from the Labour UK Government that they will not pay any compensation to women unfairly affected by the lack of notice to changes to pension age, WASPI women. This is despite recommendations from an independent report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman stating that affected women should be paid financial recompense of between £1,000 and £2,950 per individual, and Scottish Labour parliamentarians, including West Dunbartonshire MP Douglas McAllister, showing public support for the WASPI campaign. Therefore, the Leader of the Council should urgently write to the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions to demand that this outrageous betrayal of WASPI women here in West Dunbartonshire and across the UK is reversed, and that they are rightly and fairly compensated. ADJOURNMENT At this point in the meeting Councillor McBride requested an adjournment of the meeting to allow consideration of the emergency motion. The Provost agreed to a short adjournment. The meeting resumed at 6.15 p.m. with all those Members listed in the sederunt present, with the exception of Councillor Docherty. Councillor McColl asked Councillor Oxley if she would accept the following addendum to her motion:-
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Council notes that the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman made clear recommendations to the UK Government following its findings that there had been several historic breaches of the Civil Service Code of Conduct, leading to women born in the 1950s not receiving appropriate notice of changes to State Pension Age, the knock-on effect to National Insurance contributions and several other related issues. The Ombudsman recommended that the UK Government compensate each individual woman with a one-off payment of at least £1,000 and no more than £2,950. The Pensions’ Minister, Liz Kendall MP has responded by saying the bill would be too high for the public purse and therefore the UK Government are rejecting the recommendations. Council notes that the ombudsman’s findings were the result of a long and wide-ranging investigation into past practice and based on evidence given by Parliament Officials and former Government Ministers. In spite of this, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP in a statement to Sky News this morning said that she believes most WASPI Women did in fact know the pension age was changing and so compensation is not needed. The report from the Ombudsman was printed by order of the House of Commons on March 21st 2024. This means that all political parties were aware of the recommendations before the General Election was held the following July. Council condemns the Labour Party for campaigning on this issue when it is now clear that this is yet another broken promise in a long list of broken promises to the electorate whom they have deliberately misled. The Labour Party has long claimed to be a supporter of the WASPI campaign while in opposition, with Sir Keir Starmer [pictured here] in 2021 at the Labour Party Conference, signing a pledge demonstrating his support for “fair and fast compensation for 1950s women”. Before that we have [a video from] Jackie Baillie MSP from April 2019, again pledging her support for WASPI compensation and blaming the Tory Government of the time for what she describes as a “scandal” Council agrees that while it could easily be argued that almost four years have passed since then, and a lot can change in that time, the Labour Party’s public support for WASPI Women has continued. A number of parties campaigned during the UK General Election on a promise to provide compensation to WASPI women, with local and national figures scrambling to be photographed with WASPI groups or demonstrate their support through public statements. [Left is] Anas Sarwar during the election campaign, pictured with WASPI campaigners. Even following the election, we have our new MP [pictured below], joining the All Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality and meeting the WASPI Campaign at a drop in session on the Parliamentary Estate.
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Council agrees that it’s time for the Labour Party at all levels, local, national and in Government, to deliver the promises they have been making to the WASPI campaign for so many years. Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the UK Pensions Minister expressing our shock and opposition to the UK Government’s decision to deny compensation in line with the Ombudsman’s recommendations and asking them to reconsider in the interests of justice. Council further instructs the Chief Executive to write to our local MP and MSP, expressing this Council’s view that the Ombudsman’s recommendations should be upheld and followed, and asking them to make representations to the UK Government expressing the same. Council invites the Leader of the Council, who has long been publicly supportive of the WASPI Campaign to consider co-signing these letters to give extra weight to them. Council asks that copies of these letters and any replies received be circulated to elected members by email.1 Councillor Oxley confirmed her acceptance of the addendum. As an amendment, Councillor McBride, moved:- Council notes with disappointment yesterday’s announcement from the Labour UK Government that they will not pay any compensation to women unfairly affected by the lack of notice to changes to pension age, WASPI women. This is despite recommendations from an independent report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman stating that affected women should be paid financial recompense of between £1,000 and £2,950 per individual, and Scottish Labour parliamentarians, including West Dunbartonshire MP Douglas McAllister, showing public support for the WASPI campaign. Council notes the 2024 Labour Manifesto made no commitment to compensation and further notes since the election the UK Government has uncovered a £22 billion deficit left by the Tories. Therefore, the Leader of the Council should urgently write to the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions to outlining our concerns and disappointment. Councillor Pollock then seconded Councillor Oxley’s motion, with addendum, and Councillor Martin Rooney seconded Councillor McBride’s amendment. On a roll call vote being taken 9 Members voted for the amendment, namely Councillors Hennebry, Singh Johal, McBride, McGinty, O’Neill, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Sorrell and Steel and 6 Members voted for the motion, namely 1 Text within square brackets refers to images and video not included in the text of the minute.
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Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Bollan, Dickson, McColl, Oxley and Pollock. The amendment was accordingly declared carried. VARIATION IN ORDER OF BUSINESS After hearing Provost Murray Conaghan, the Council agreed to vary the order of business as hereinafter minuted. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS Having heard the Provost and following discussion, the Legal Officer advised that a roll call vote would require to be held to determine the suspension of Standing Order 29(l) in order that a proposed motion by Councillor Jonathan McColl on the Political Balance of the Council could be considered. On a roll call vote being taken 9 Members voted not to agree to the suspension, namely Councillors Hennebry, Singh Johal, McBride, McGinty, O’Neill, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Sorrell and Steel and 6 Members voted in favour of the suspension, namely Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Bollan, Dickson, McColl, Oxley and Pollock. The suspension was accordingly declined and therefore the proposed motion was not considered. NOTICE OF MOTION (a) Motion by Councillor Fiona Hennebry – Voluntary Work in West Dunbartonshire West Dunbartonshire Council notes the tremendous work of the thousands of volunteers across our area and the ongoing support they give to individuals, families, and our communities. The work they do covers all interests, and all age ranges, from volunteers supporting youth organisations, to those who provide help for elderly, and disabled people. Our volunteers help raise funds, they directly provide services, and they often take on responsibility for management and control of associated- facilities, such as football pitches, and community buildings. Our volunteers are out in all weathers, they work anti-social hours, and they often give up their nights and weekends to help others. The most recent biennial census of volunteers by Community Volunteer Service (CVS) was conducted in 2022 and showed the following: There were approx. 9,000 adults regularly volunteering (volunteering at least monthly over a 6 month period) – giving around 39,200 activity hours per week. • 48% of volunteers gave up to 2 hours per week;
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• 30% gave 2-4 hours a week; • 16% committed to between 4-8 hours per week; • 5% of volunteers worked 8-12 hours per week and volunteered daily. • While 4 out of 10 volunteers were male and 6 out of every ten were female volunteers. • The financial value of volunteering to the local authority area was estimated at £24.908 million. However, the real value of our volunteers isn’t the money they save, it’s the difference that they can make to the lives of our local people. At this time of year, our army of volunteers are working even harder, often going the extra mile to try to bring joy to others and to make the festive season special for others. This Council, recognises the fantastic contribution that all our volunteers make and it’s right – particularly at this time of year - that we take time to thank them. The Council agreed the motion. COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON Before closing the meeting, Provost Murray Conaghan wished everyone a happy Christmas and good new year. The meeting closed at 6.47 p.m.