250902 - Cabinet Minute
North Ayrshire Council · 30 September 2025
Back to Cabinet — 30 September 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Cabinet 2 September 2025 At a Meeting of the Cabinet of North Ayrshire Council at 2.00 p.m. involving a combination of participation by remote electronic means and physical attendance within the Council Chambers, Irvine Present (Physical Participation) Marie Burns, Alan Hill, Christina Larsen, Shaun Macaulay and Chloe Robertson, and for consideration of Education Authority Business Elizabeth Turbet and Jacqui McKenzie. Present (Remote Participation) *Tony Gurney (Attended later in the meeting). In Attendance C. Hatton, Chief Executive; S. Anson, Executive Director, A. McClelland, Head of Service, K. McCormick, Executive Manager and L. Kayes, Policy and Performance Officer (Child Poverty) (Education); D. Hammond, Executive Director and R. Leith, Head of Service (Connected Communities) (Communities and Housing); R. McCutcheon, Executive Director, L. Kirk, Head of Economic Development, Growth and Regeneration and L. Cree, Head of Service (Sustainability, Transport and Corporate Property) (Place); E. Stewart, Head of Service (Children, Families and Justice) (Health and Social Care Partnership); M. Boyd, Head of Finance, D. Forbes, Senior Manager (Strategic Business Partner), J. McCallum, Senior Manager (Audit, Fraud, Safety, Risk and Insurance) and J. Walls, Team Manager (Health and Safety) (Finance); J. McNeil, Senior Manager (ICT) and G. Alston, Team Manager (ICT and Cyber Security) (People and ICT); A. Craig, Head of Democratic Services, R. Lynch, Senior Manager (Legal Services), I. Hardy, Senior Manager (Policy, Performance and Democracy) and L. Lewis, Information Governance and Data Protection Manager, J. Hutcheson, Senior Communications Officer (Media and Internal Communications) and C. Stewart, Committee Services Officer (Democratic Services) (Corporate Services). Chair Marie Burns in the Chair. 1. Chair’s Remarks Prior to commencing with the business of the meeting, Councillor Burns, Chair, advised Cabinet that Councillor Johnson had recently stepped down from her position as Cabinet Portfolio holder for the Health and Social Care Partnership, and Councillor Chloe Robertson had replaced her as the new Cabinet Portfolio holder for the Health and Social Care Partnership. Councillor Burns took the opportunity to thank Councillor Johnson for all her hard work and diligence during her time as Cabinet Portfolio holder for the Health and Social Care Partnership and warmly welcomed Councillor Robertson to her first meeting of Cabinet as her replacement.
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2. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest by Members in terms of Standing Order 11 and Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors. 3. Minutes The Minutes of the Meeting of the Cabinet held on 3 June 2025 were confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 4. Education Service Standards and Quality Report 2024-25 Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Education) on publishing the Standards and Quality Report (SQR), attached at Appendix 1 to the report, highlighting key progress towards the Education Service improvement priorities and the National Improvement Framework priorities made during session 2024-25. Officers responded to Members’ questions and the Cabinet noted the content of the report and agreed to approve the publication of the Standards and Quality Report attached at Appendix 1 to the report in accordance with statutory requirements. 4. Education Authority Annual Service Improvement Plan 2025-26 Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Education) seeking approval for publication of the Education Authority’s annual Service Improvement Plan for 2025-26 attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Officers responded to Members’ questions and Cabinet agreed to (a) approve the Service Improvement Plan for 2025-26, noting its alignment with the Council Plan priorities and the National Improvement Framework (NIF) priorities; and (b) otherwise note that, following approval, the Plan would be published and submitted to Scottish Ministers, in line with statutory requirements. 5. North Ayrshire Council (NAC) Education Service - Ayrshire Growth Deal tool Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Education) on the development of the Education Service’s Ayrshire Growth Deal tool for use by education establishments (learners and staff). Cabinet received a demonstration on the operation of the tool. Officers responded to Members’ questions and Cabinet agreed to (a) note the content of the report; and (b) endorse the purpose, use and further development of the tool within NAC educational establishments. 6. Child Poverty Action Plan Progress Report 2024-25 Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Education) on the Child Poverty Action Plan Progress Report 2024-25 attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Cabinet agreed to the publication of the Child Poverty Action Plan Progress Report 2024-25 attached at Appendix 1 to the report and its submission to the Scottish Government in accordance with statutory requirements.
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7. Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 Submitted a report by the Head of Democratic Services providing an update on the Council’s use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 (RIPSA). Officers responded to Members’ questions and Cabinet agreed to note the measures in place to secure compliance with RIPSA and the use the Council has made of the Act since the previous report on the matter. 8. Generative AI Policy Submitted a report by the Head of Democratic Services introducing a policy that defined the procurement and acceptable use of ‘generative artificial intelligence’ enabled technologies within North Ayrshire Council environment. The draft policy and business case were attached at Appendices 1 and 2, respectively, to the report. Officers responded to Members’ questions and Cabinet agreed to approve the policy to ensure employees and Members were aware of the scope and acceptable use of AI-enabled technologies. 9. Our Council Plan Year End Progress Reporting including LGBF Analysis Submitted a report by the Head of Democratic Services for approval of the Council Plan Year End Progress Reporting. The Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) - Analysis of June 2025 Data Release, the six-monthly Council Plan 2023-28 Progress Update, Year End 2024/25 and the Annual Performance Report 2024/25 were attached at Appendices 1-3, respectively, to the report. Officers responded to Members’ questions and Cabinet agreed to (a) note (i) progress within the LGBF Report as at June 2025 attached at Appendix 1 to the report, (ii) Cabinet approval related to the content of the report, not the layout or media used to ensure future flexibility for production of accessible format reports, and (iii) the report would be presented to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee for consideration at its meeting on 2 October 2025; and (b) approve (i) Our Council Plan Six Monthly Progress Report 1 October to 31 March 2025 attached at Appendix 2 to the report, and (ii) Our Council Plan Annual Performance Report attached at Appendix 3 to the report. Note: Councillor Gurney joined the meeting during consideration of the above item. 10. Health and Safety Annual Report 2024/25 Submitted a report by the Head of Finance providing Cabinet with an annual report on the Health and Safety performance within Council Services during 2024/25. The Corporate Health and Safety Annual Report and 3 Year Statistical Comparison was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Cabinet agreed to note the Annual Health & Safety Performance update for 2024/25 and the statistics covering a 3-year period. 11. Revenue Budget 2025/26: Financial Performance to 30 June 2025 Submitted a report by the Head of Finance on the financial performance for the Council at 30 June 2025.
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Officers responded to Members’ questions and the Cabinet agreed to (a) note (i) the information and financial projections outlined in the report, and (ii) the latest financial projection for the Health and Social Care Partnership highlighted at section 2.6 of the report; and (b) approve the virements detailed in Appendix 8 to the report. 12. Capital Programme and Treasury Management Performance to 30 June 2025 Submitted a report by the Head of Finance on progress in delivering the Capital Investment Programme 2025/26 and the associated Treasury Management performance to 30 June 2025. Officers responded to Members’ questions and Cabinet agreed (a) to approve the virement proposal noted within the HRA programme detailed in Appendix 2 to the report; (b) note (i) the revisions to budgets outlined in the report; (ii) the General Services and HRA revised budgets at 30 June 2025 and the forecast expenditure to 31 March 2026; and (iii) the estimated performance against the Prudential Indicators set out in the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy. 13. Call for Views on the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill Submitted a report by the Director (North Ayrshire HSCP) providing a draft response from North Ayrshire Council on the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill, for consideration and further feedback. Cabinet agreed to note the initial response submitted to the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee and the position that any additional response or comment could, thereafter, be supplied to that Committee separately. Cabinet further requested that updates would be brought as appropriate. 14. Proposals for Community Investment Fund (CIF) Expenditure Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Communities and Housing) to determine applications by Locality Partnerships to allocate CIF funding to proposed projects. An application from the North Coast and Cumbraes Locality Partnership by Friends of Kirktonhall Glen was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Having reviewed the application in line with the CIF criteria, the Cabinet agreed to approve the application in relation to Friends of Kirktonhall Glen attached at Appendix 1 to the report. 15. B714 Upgrade Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Place) on the progress of the B714 Upgrade. Officers responded to Members’ questions and Cabinet agreed (a) to approve the submission of the Final Business Case to the UK Government for approval attached as Appendix 1 to the report; (b) subject to approval of the Final Business Case and funding allocation by UK Government, that Services progress land acquisition and delivery of the project; and (c) otherwise to note the progress made to date on the project.
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16. Urgent Items There were no urgent items. 17. Exclusion of the Public – Paras 8 & 9 Cabinet resolved in terms of Section 50(A)4 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude from the Meeting the press and the public for the following item of business on the grounds indicated in terms of Paragraphs 8 & 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act. Non Disclosure of Information In terms of Standing Order 21 (Disclosure of Information), the information contained within the following report is confidential information within the meaning of Section 50A of the 1973 Act and shall not be disclosed to any person by any Member or Officer. 18. Exempt Report: Irvine - Proposed Sale of land Submitted a report by the Executive Director (Place) on the above. Officers responded to Members’ questions and Cabinet agreed to approve the recommendation as detailed in the report. The meeting ended at 4:15 p.m. The full meeting proceedings can be viewed at https://north-ayrshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home