Agenda
West Dunbartonshire Council · 26 April 2023
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 26 April 2023 and its agenda
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Agenda West Dunbartonshire Council Date: Wednesday, 26 April 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Time: 16:00 ___________________________________________________________________ Format: Hybrid meeting ___________________________________________________________________ Contact: Carol-Ann Burns, Senior Democratic Services Officer Email: carol-ann.burns@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Dear Member Please attend a 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
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Distribution:- Provost Douglas McAllister Councillor Michelle McGinty Councillor James Bollan Councillor June McKay Councillor Karen Conaghan Councillor John Millar Councillor Ian Dickson Councillor Lawrence O’Neill Councillor Diane Docherty Councillor Lauren Oxley Councillor Craig Edward 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 Chief Executive Chief Officers Date of issue: 13 April 2023 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.
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, 26 APRIL 2023 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 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS Submit, for approval as correct records, the undernoted Minutes of Meetings of West Dunbartonshire Council:- (a) Ordinary meeting – 31 August 2022*; and 9 – 25 (b) Ordinary meeting – 29 March 2023 27 – 42 *Note: Council is requested to note that the Minutes of the Ordinary meeting held on 31 August 2022 were previously approved as a correct record by Council at its meeting on 26 October 2022 and that they are now being resubmitted for approval in view of the earlier version having omitted the final item of business, ‘Urgent Item of Business: Motion by Councillor Clare Steel – Let of Clydebank Town Hall to Clydebank Musical Society and the Mummers Theatre Group’. This item of business has been included in this updated version of the Minutes, which is being submitted for approval as a correct record.
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6 MINUTES OF OTHER COMMITTEES Submit for approval as correct records, the Minutes of Meetings of the following Committees:- (a) Cultural Committee held on 29 June 2022; 43 – 44 (b) Community Alliance held on 29 August 22; and 45 – 46 (c) Dumbarton Trust Committee held on 15 March 2023. 47 – 48 7 OPEN FORUM The Council is asked to note that no open forum questions have been submitted by members of the public. 8 SHARED SERVICES UPDATE To Follow Submit report by the Chief Officer – Roads & Neighbourhood (Shared Services) in relation to the above. 9 NOTICE OF MOTIONS (a) Motion by Councillor David McBride – Utility Companies Protocol for Emergency & Planned Works This Council is extremely concerned about the emergency works by utility companies and the effects this has on the traffic on our local road networks. Whilst emergency work by its very nature, is necessary and can have limited planning time, the utility companies need to ensure there is effective management of emergency works so that they can react to traffic congestion throughout the period of the emergency work. Cardross Road Dumbarton is a vital artery road which is the only road available for thousands of residents in Dumbarton West to get to and from their home. Over the last three years, there have been at least twelve occasions, where Cardross Road was subject to emergency work by utility companies. The most recent emergency works in February, March and again in April, resulted in traffic chaos. Over the recent Easter holiday weekend, the Scottish Power emergency works, caused gridlock over the busy holiday weekend affecting local residents and holiday traffic. From an elected member perspective, there appears to be limited engagement by utilities, this leads to ineffective traffic management plans and
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often no flexibility during the work, even when it is perfectly clear the traffic management arrangements are failing. In addition, the utility companies contractors have failed to provide staff for specific traffic management duties. There appears to be no effective communication channels outside of normal working hours, to cater for when utility companies are carrying out emergency or planned works. Given the above the Council agrees the following: 1. To ask the Chief Officer for Roads & Neighbourhood Services to draft a Road Works Protocol for Traffic Sensitive Locations, in line with the Coordination of Road Works Code of Practice, to be agreed with utilities, when works are proposed in these locations to ensure awareness of responsibilities. 2. This protocol should be applied for any road works which have to be undertaken on our defined traffic sensitive locations and should incorporate protocols for emergency works. 3. The protocol should take into account: Minimal traffic management proposals, Discussions on how this will work in tandem with traffic lights in nearby junctions etc. Communication channels throughout the works; and An assurance that work will take place every day of the traffic management to ensure the length of disruption is minimised. The protocol should also include the escalation, intervention and enforcement process where Statutory Undertakers fail to deliver agreed mitigation measures to minimise traffic disruption. (b) Motion by Councillor David McBride – Banning of Single use Disposable Vapes This Council notes that in the UK, 14 million single use vapes are bought each month and 5.4 million are thrown away each week. It is estimated that in Scotland this would account for around £432k of these. This is an economic issue with 10 tonnes of lithium being discarded each year which is the equivalent to the batteries inside 1,200 electric cars. This is valuable material that is lost which could have instead been recycled. This is also a public health issue as discarded vapes present a leak risk of toxic chemicals and micro plastics which are harmful to children, pets and water systems. Council notes that a number of Scottish Councils have already passed a motion in support of banning the sale of single use vapes.
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Council further notes that the Scottish Government is working on a refreshed Tobacco Action Plan which will be published in autumn, 2023, which will consider a range of interventions with an emphasis on reducing smoking and vaping among children and young people. In addition, the Scottish Government is carrying out an urgent review on the impact of disposable vapes on our environment in Scotland. Given the above, the Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater, MSP expressing our support for a ban on the sale of single use vapes and improved recycling of vapes and other Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment by the sector. (c) Motion by Sophie Traynor – Lyme Disease Council notes that May marks Lyme Disease awareness month. Lyme Disease UK run an annual campaign called “Wake Up To Lyme” to raise awareness for the disease. Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection that is acquired from the bite of an infected tick. Referrals for this disease have increased across the world in recent years. Scotland has a high percentage of the UK Lyme referrals, with over 1/4 of the 8000 cases per year being diagnosed here. Council recognises the need to raise awareness and increase education about Lyme Disease. Therefore, this motion calls on the Council to use the resources being offered from charities, such as the Lyme Resource Centre - Scotland, to implement awareness of Lyme Disease and the prevention of ticks into the school curriculum. (d) Motion by Councillor Clare Steel – Online Surgeries for Elected Members This Council agrees that it is important that elected members are accessible to constituents. The traditional method of surgeries has been to book a meeting room in a school, Community Centre, library or other suitable building. Council agrees that this tried and tested method should continue. However, the world has changed significantly since the creation of West Dunbartonshire Council, the way that the public interact with one another has changed and the advances in technology particularly over the past few years has made on-line communications much faster and can be more effective. On-line meetings have a number of advantages, they save in travel time, they cut emissions, they don’t require buildings to be opened or staffed, and they
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can be quicker to organise and reduce potential risks to elected members. On-Line surgeries could also be advertised on the council website, Facebook and Twitter page at no additional cost. Given the above, the Council agrees that as well as traditional surgeries, there is merit in developing the option for on-line surgeries for elected members. The Council requests that a report be brought to a future meeting for consideration. (e) Motion by Councillor Karen Conaghan – Dementia Awareness This Council agrees to mark Dementia Awareness Week which this year will run from the 29th of May until the 4th of June. Council recognises the impact dementia has on the day to day lives of not only the individual themselves, but also the lives of their families and friends. Through greater awareness and education it is possible to live well with dementia but finding the right support is crucial. Council therefore agrees to raise awareness by using our social media channels to highlight the ways in which individuals living with dementia and their families can find support, and to communicate how we might all better support those living with dementia. Council recognises the positive links that have previously been made within our communities to assist those living with Dementia and agrees to work with partners to explore what more we can do and in particular the possibility of establishing a dementia friendly community here in West Dunbartonshire. (f) Motion by Councillor Lauren Oxley – Pride Month Council agrees to mark Pride Month 2023, which begins on the 1st of June. Pride Month is recognised every year by LGBTI people and their allies through various global events that celebrate, support, and empower members of the community. Acknowledges that as well as being a month-long celebration, Pride is also an opportunity to peacefully protest and raise awareness of current issues that are facing the LGBTI community, both at home and abroad. Notes that whilst we have seen significant progress and advancements in LGBTI equality in Scotland over the last 20 years, recent reports have found that a rising number LGBTI people believe that homophobia and transphobia are on the rise, and that biphobia remains a problem. Asks West Dunbartonshire Council to show solidarity with the LGBTI community by recognising Pride Month through the annual flag-raising ceremony, and on our social media channels, highlighting the importance of
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the month and why we must continue to support our LGBTI family members, friends, colleagues, and constituents.