Item 6 Draft Minutes of Meeting 26.03.25
West Dunbartonshire Council · 23 April 2025
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 23 April 2025 and its agenda
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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, 26 March 2025 at 4.03 p.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Jim Bollan, 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; Alan Douglas, Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration (Legal Officer); Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources, and Section 95 Officer; Peter Barry, Chief Officer – Housing and Employability; Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Gail Macfarlane, Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood; Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology; Carol Alderson, Finance Manager; James Gallacher, Service Manager – ICT; Lauren Crooks, Strategic Communication, Culture and Performance Manager; Michelle Lynn, Asset Manager; Julie Slavin, Chief Financial Officer; and Carol-Ann Burns, Senior Democratic Services Officer. 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. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Councillor Hennebry made a transparency statement in relation to Item 14(b) – Notice of Motions under the heading ‘Motion by Councillor Lauren Oxley – Five Years of The Promise’. 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. ITEM 6
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MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS The Minutes of Meetings of West Dunbartonshire Council held on 18 December 2024 and 5 March 2025 (Budget meeting) 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. TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND ANNUAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources seeking approval of the proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy, and the indicators contained within. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed:- (1) to approve the proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy and the indicators contained within; (2) to approve the continued use of the Asset Life Method (using either annuity or equal instalment) for the repayment of loan fund advances with the exception of spend to save schemes where the funding/income profile method could be used; (3) to approve the ability to continue to use countries with a sovereign rating of AA- and above; (4) to note the removal of Lender Option Borrowing Option as an approved source of borrowing; and (5) to note the report will be referred to Audit Committee for further scrutiny. GENERAL SERVICES REVENUE BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 JANUARY 2025 (PERIOD 10) A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the 2024/25 Revenue Budget position at 31 January 2025 and the forecast position of the General Fund Reserve as at 31 March 2025. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration and Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed:-
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(1) to note a current projected annual underlying adverse variance on the revenue account of £3.454m (1.22% of total budget); (2) to approve any procurement and contract award of projects related to Central Repairs Account recurring budget to be made by the Chief Officer – Resources in consultation with the Procurement Manager, if the contract cost is within the approved budget and the tender is in line with normal tender parameters; and (3) to grant delegated authority to Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood to award contracts in relation to the procurement of replacement tyres if the contract cost is within the approved budget and the tender is in line with normal tender parameters. GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT 2024/25 TO 31 JANUARY 2025 (PERIOD 10) A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources providing an update on the General Services Capital financial performance to 31 January 2025. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed:- (1) to note the current position of the 2024/25 General Services capital budget; (2) to note the project life total is currently on track; (3) to note appendix 2 and 3 to the report which detail the changes between period 7 and 10 including changes agreed at the Council meeting on 5 March 2025; (4) to grant delegated authority to Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood, in consultation with the Procurement Manager, to award contracts in relation to vehicle replacement, using appropriate procurement routes; and (5) to grant delegated authority to Chief Officer – Resources, in consultation with the Procurement Manager, to award any procurement and contract awards for projects related to Building Upgrades recurring budget using appropriate procurement routes. HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT TO 31 JANUARY 2025 (PERIOD 10) A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources providing an update of the 2024/2025 HRA Revenue Budget position on 31 January 2025 and the forecast HRA reserves position on 31 March 2025.
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The Council agreed:- (1) to note the HRA revenue account forecasts an adverse variance of £0.723m which would reduce the HRA reserve to under the prudential target; (2) to note the HRA would need to replenish its reserves to meet its prudential target; and (3) to note work continues 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 JANUARY 2025 (PERIOD 10) A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources providing an update of the HRA Capital programme to 31 January 2025. 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 is 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 is monitored against a five-year project life expenditure budget of £319.740m and a project life income budget of £54.576m, a five-year borrowing requirement of £265.164m; and (4) to note that there are thirty-two projects reporting off track with an anticipated over/under spend against their 2024/2025. DUMBARTON COMMON GOOD BUDGET UPDATE 2025/2026 A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources providing an update of the forecast position for the Dumbarton Common Good Fund as at 31 March 2025 and seeking approval for the revised 2025/26 Dumbarton Common Good budget. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Council agreed:- (1) to note a projected 2024/25 Dumbarton Common Good deficit of £157,805; and (2) to approve the revised 2025/26 Dumbarton Common Good budget of £468,224 expenditure against projected income of £376,000 representing a budgeted deficit of £92,224 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.
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Note: Councillor June McKay left the meeting. FEASIBILITY REPORT RE: ALTERNATIVES TO THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT UNIT FRAMEWORK IT HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration providing an update on the feasibility of the move away from the Scottish Government Procurement Unit Framework, for the supply of IT hardware as proposed in the motion agreed by Council at the meeting of 30 October 2024. After discussion, Councillor Martin Rooney moved:- That the Council agrees:- (1) to note the contents of the report, and, (2) to the continued utilisation of the Scottish Government Procurement Unit frameworks for the supply of hardware and associated software where in the professional opinion of the Chief Officer –People and Technology, this represents the Best Value solution for the Council. As an amendment, Councillor Bollan moved:- Move to go to open tender, and with the results of the open tender being submitted to the Tendering Committee for a final decision. Councillor McBride then seconded Councillor Martin Rooney’s motion and Councillor Lennie seconded Councillor Bollan’s amendment. On a roll call vote being taken, 8 Members voted for the amendment, namely Provost Murray Conaghan and Councillors Bollan, Dickson, Lennie, Oxley, Pollock. Scanlan and Traynor and 11 Members voted for the motion, namely and Councillors, Hennebry, Singh Johal, McBride, McColl, McGinty, Millar, O’Neill, Martin Rooney, William Rooney, Sorrell and Steel. 1 Member abstained from voting, namely Councillor Docherty. The motion was accordingly declared carried. NOTICE OF MOTIONS (a) Motion by Councillor Sophie Traynor – Y-Sort It Council congratulates Y-Sort It on their 25th anniversary and thanks them for their dedication to providing youth work to the communities of West Dunbartonshire. Council recognises the years of support to local young people that this organisation has provided and the incredible impact that this work has had.
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Council request that the Provost hosts a civic reception to mark this milestone for the organisation. The motion was unanimously agreed by the Council. (b) Motion by Councillor Lauren Oxley – Five Years of The Promise Council acknowledges the five-year anniversary of The Promise, a commitment made in 2020 following the Independent Care Review, which set out clear actions to improve the lives of Care Experienced children, young people, and families in Scotland. On this milestone, Council reaffirms its commitment to The Promise, recognising the progress made both locally and nationally. Council further commits to continuing its work with Care Experienced children, young people, their families, and local organisations to ensure that every child in West Dunbartonshire is supported to grow up feeling loved, safe, and respected. To support this, Council requests that a report be brought to the next Full Council meeting which assesses our progress in implementing The Promise in West Dunbartonshire, detailing achievements, challenges, and areas for improvement to ensure ongoing accountability and development. The motion was unanimously agreed by the Council. The meeting closed at 5.33 p.m.