Printed minutes
Argyll and Bute Council · 15 April 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute Council — 15 April 2024 and its agenda
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MINUTES of SPECIAL MEETING of ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL held BY MICROSOFT TEAMS on MONDAY, 15 APRIL 2024 Present: Councillor Dougie Philand (Chair) Councillor John Armour Councillor Gordon Blair Councillor Jan Brown Councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess Councillor Garret Corner Councillor Maurice Corry Councillor Robin Currie Councillor Audrey Forrest Councillor Kieron Green Councillor Amanda Hampsey Councillor Daniel Hampsey Councillor Graham Hardie Councillor Fiona Howard Councillor Willie Hume Councillor Mark Irvine Councillor Andrew Kain Councillor Jennifer Kelly Councillor Paul Donald Kennedy Councillor Reeni Kennedy-Boyle Councillor Jim Lynch Councillor Luna Martin Councillor Tommy MacPherson Councillor Ian James MacQuire Councillor Liz McCabe Councillor Dougie McFadzean Councillor Julie McKenzie Councillor Yvonne McNeilly Councillor Ross Moreland Councillor Gary Mulvaney Councillor Iain Shonny Paterson Councillor Gemma Penfold Councillor Alastair Redman Councillor William Sinclair Councillor Andrew Vennard Councillor Peter Wallace Attending: Pippa Milne, Chief Executive Douglas Hendry, Executive Director Kirsty Flanagan, Executive Director David Logan, Head of Legal and Regulatory Support Shona Barton, Governance Manager 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE There were no apologies for absence intimated. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest intimated. 3. UPDATE TO COUNCIL FUNDING FOR 2024-25 The Council gave consideration to a report providing information on additional funding for financial year 2024-25 provided by the Scottish Government, and as a result, inviting the Council to re-consider the previous decision in relation to Council Tax rates for 2024-25. Motion Agree the recommendations in paragraphs 3.1.(a) to (d), note the advice from the Chief Financial Officer in regard to the level of Council Tax for 2025-26 and agree that advice, updated as appropriate in the course of this financial year will be part of Members’ considerations in setting the Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2025-26.
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Moved by Councillor Jim Lynch, seconded by Councillor Audrey Forrest. Amendment Agree the recommendations at a) to d) per the report with the addition of the following: e) Note the financial modelling in the report and request that officers continue to develop budget outlook and projections for 2025/2026 and beyond, using a range of scenarios and estimates for income (including council tax) and expenditure, with members regularly updated. f) Commends the dedication, hard work and resilience of the former Council Leader, Robin Currie and his ‘TALIG’ administration in successfully securing extra money from the Scottish Government. g) Request the new Council Leader write to the First Minister in the following terms: i) To thank his government and ministers for their engagement post 22 February 2024 and the subsequent additional money provided to Argyll and Bute Council, allowing us to freeze the council tax today. ii) To reiterate our support that the Verity House agreement be upheld and respected by the Scottish Government, in that there is mutual respect between national and local government; the default position is no ringfencing of resources; and that council budgets and council tax are determined by local government. iii) That the Scottish Government engages with COSLA to ensure there is full funding for local government services that are communities rely upon, and there is no further unilateral council tax freeze or caps applied in the life of this parliament. Moved by Councillor Gary Mulvaney, seconded by Councillor Yvonne McNeilly. As the meeting was being held on a remote basis, the vote required to be taken by calling the roll, and Members voted as follows – Motion Amendment Councillor John Armour Councillor Garret Corner Councillor Gordon Blair Councillor Maurice Corry Councillor Jan Brown Councillor Robin Currie Councillor Math Campbell Sturgess Councillor Amanda Hampsey Councillor Audrey Forrest Councillor Daniel Hampsey Councillor Kieron Green Councillor Graham Hardie Councillor Fiona Howard Councillor Paul Donald Kennedy Councillor Willie Hume Councillor Liz McCabe Councillor Mark Irvine Councillor Yvonne McNeilly Councillor Andrew Kain Councillor Ross Moreland Councillor Jennifer Kelly Councillor Gary Mulvaney Councillor Reeni Kennedy Boyle Councillor Gemma Penfold Councillor Jim Lynch Councillor Alastair Redman Councillor Luna Martin Councillor Willaim Sinclair Councillor Tommy MacPherson Councillor Andrew Vennard Councillor Ian James McQuire Councillor Peter Wallace Councillor Dougie McFadzean
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Councillor Julie McKenzie Councillor Ian Shonny Paterson Councillor Dougie Philand Decision The Motion was carried by 20 votes to 16 and the Council resolved accordingly. (Reference: Report by Section 95 Officer dated 8 April 2024, submitted)