Falkirk Council Agenda - 30 April 2008, 10:30 
A meeting to be held at Municipal Buildings, Falkirk at 10:30 on 30 April 2008.
| Number | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | MINUTES AND INFORMATION BULLETIN Submit:- |
| (a) | Minute of Meeting of Falkirk Council held on 5 March 2008; View Papers |
| (b) | Minute of Special Meeting of Falkirk Council held on 17 March 2008; View Papers |
| (c) | Minute of Special Meeting of Falkirk Council held on 23 April 2008; View Papers |
| (d) | Volume of Minutes - Volume 1 2008/2009; and |
| (e) | Information Bulletin - Volume 1 2008/2009. |
| 2 | FAIRER SCOTLAND FUND (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 11 March 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Joint Report by Directors of Community, of Corporate and Commercial, of Education and of Housing and Social Services submitted to the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 11 March 2008. View Papers |
| 3 | TOWN CENTRE STRATEGY: BO'NESS INITIATIVE (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 11 March 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Community Services submitted to the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 11 March 2008. View Papers |
| 4 | PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING GRANT - ADDITIONAL FUNDING (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Coleman, MacDonald, McNally and Meiklejohn) Submit:- |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Housing and Social Services Committee held on 1 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Corporate and Commercial Services submitted to the meeting of Housing and Social Services Committee held on 1 April 2008. View Papers |
| 5 | TENDER FOR EXTERNALLY PURCHASED "CARE AT HOME" SERVICES (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Coleman, MacDonald, McNally and Meiklejohn) Submit:- |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Housing and Social Services Committee held on 1 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Housing and Social Services submitted to the meeting of Housing and Social Services Committee held on 1 April 2008. |
| 6 | POST OFFICE LTD NETWORK CHANGE PROGRAMME (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Chief Executive submitted to the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008. View Papers |
| 7 | PROCUREMENT - SCOTLAND EXCEL (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Corporate and Commercial Services submitted to the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008. View Papers |
| 8 | NATIONAL AND REGIONAL FACILITIES STRATEGY (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Community Services submitted to the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008. View Papers |
| 9 | REFERRALS FROM COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE - 18 MARCH 2008 - LOCAL HEALTHCARE BILL - CONSULTATION PAPER (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Corporate and Commercial Services submitted to the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008. View Papers |
| 10 | REFERRALS FROM EDUCATION AND LEISURE COMMITTEE - 25 MARCH 2008 - EARLY YEARS DEVELOPMENT (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Education Services submitted to the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008. View Papers |
| 11 | REFERRALS FROM EDUCATION AND LEISURE COMMITTEE - 25 MARCH 2008 - CULTURAL CO-ORDINATORS (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Education Services submitted to the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008. View Papers |
| 12 | REFFERAL FROM HOUSING AND SOCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE - 1 APRIL 2008 LOCAL HOUSING STRATEGY - DRAFT HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY 2008 - 13 (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Alexander and Kenna) Submit:- ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 8 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Corporate and Commercial Services submitted to the meeting of Housing and Social Services Committee held on 1 April 2008. View Papers |
| 13 | REFERRAL FROM ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE - 9 APRIL 2008 FALKIRK COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN - SUMMARY OF REPRESENTATIONS AND PROPOSED RESPONSES Submit:- |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Special Meeting of the Environment and Heritage Committee held on 9 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Development Services submitted to the meeting of the Environment and Heritage Committee held on 9 April 2008. View Papers |
| 14 | REFERRAL FROM ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE - 15 APRIL 2008 - SMARTER CHOICES, SMARTER PLACES (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Coleman, J Constable and McNally) Submit:- |
| (a) | Report by the Director of Development Services; View Papers |
| (b) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Environment and Heritage Committee held on 15 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (c) | Report by Director of Development Services submitted to the meeting of the Environment and Heritage Committee held on 15 April 2008. View Papers |
| 15 | REFERRAL FROM ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE - 15 APRIL 2008 PROGRESS REPORT ON DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE FORMER RSNH SITE, LARBERT (This item has been called in to Council in terms of the Scheme of Delegation by Councillors Coleman, J Constable and McNally) Submit:- ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL |
| (a) | Extract of Minute of Meeting of the Environment and Heritage Committee held on 15 April 2008; and View Papers |
| (b) | Report by Director of Development Services submitted to the meeting of the Environment and Heritage Committee held on 15 April 2008. View Papers |
| 16 | FALKIRK COMMUNITY STADIUM LTD - SHAREHOLDER UPDATE Submit Report by Director of Community Services. View Papers |
| 17 | TO SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT'S CLIMATE CHANGE BILL: CONSULTATION RESPONSE Submit Report by Director of Development Services. ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL View Papers |
| 18 | CONVENTION OF SCOTTISH LOCAL AUTHORITIES: MEMBERSHIP Submit Report by Acting Director of Law and Administration Services. ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL View Papers |
| 19 | FLAG FLYING AT MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS, FALKIRK Submit Report by Acting Director of Law and Administration Services. ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL View Papers |
| 20 | NOTICES OF MOTION - CONTINUED FROM FALKIRK COUNCIL - 5 MARCH 2008 ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL |
| (a) | (c) Alcohol Misuse "Council welcomes the commitment of the Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill, to tackle the problems of alcohol misuse. The ethos of drinking to get drunk is one of the main contributions to anti-social behaviour, crime and health issues within our communities. Council agree to work with the Justice Secretary to tackle this growing problem by taking the lead locally by: 1. Arranging a local conference of stake holders including representatives of the drink industry, health, police and community groups to begin the process of developing a strategy for the changing of the public attitude. 2. Regular updates at Community Health & Safety of the development of the strategy and its implementation. 3. Instructs Officers to prepare a report for Community Health and Safety on how the policy direction above can be implemented. Proposed by Councillor G Thomson |
| (b) | (e) Forth Ports Plc "This Council welcomes the decision taken by Forth Ports PLC not to proceed with controversial plans to allow ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Firth of Forth. Faced with such unanimous opposition to the proposals, which would have had a devastating environmental impact on the Forth shoreline and marine habitats, Forth Ports had no option but to take the decision they now have. This Council also welcomes the strong stance taken by the Environment Minister Richard Lochhead and the SNP Government against the ship-to-ship oil transfer proposal, which made clear that any assessments completed by Forth Ports would be subject to an independent review, which clearly had a bearing on the decision not to proceed. However, Council notes with concern the ludicrous situation still in place since the privatisation of Forth Ports Authority by the previous Conservative UK Government which allows Forth Ports PLC to act as judge and jury as the local Harbour Authority as well as a private company whose aim is to maximise profits for shareholders. This Council therefore resolves to approach UK and Scottish Ministers with a view to scrapping the anomaly and conflict of interest that currently exists under Forth Ports". Proposed by Councillor A MacDonald |
| (c) | (f) Post Office Network "Falkirk Council notes with great disappointment the decision of the Post Office Network to reject the balanced submissions made by and on behalf of the seven communities who will suffer the loss of a Post Office Service in their area as part of the UK Government's latest cut backs. Falkirk Council believes that the Post Office Network should operate as a service and not as a business and expresses extreme concern for the future of the remaining network given the stated criteria outlined by the Westminster Labour Government for its future maintenance. Falkirk Council therefore believes that the Post Office Network would be safer in the hands of the Scottish Government and their Westminster colleagues and calls on politicians in both parliaments to begin the process of transferring both responsibility and current funding from London to Edinburgh. Proposed by Councillor D Alexander |
| (d) | (g) Housing and Social Services Committee "Council believes that openness, honesty, transparency and the need to demonstrate best value be key principles in the management of our services and should be at the core of the political administration of the Council. Council therefore notes with disappointment the lack of these qualities in recent matters pertaining to the Housing and Social Work Committee. The appointment of a private sector consultant within the Housing Department and the subsequent announcements have damaged the image of the department and demonstrated a failure to meet the qualities outlined below. "Openness - This decision to appoint a consultant not referred to Committee thus denying the Members of Falkirk Council the opportunity to scrutinise the decision "Honesty - The Convener of the Housing and Social Services Committee was quoted in the Falkirk Herald November 2007 denying the £700 per day figures for payment claiming it was less. Correspondence from the Director of Housing and Social Works confirms the accuracy of the amount. "Transparency - Members were denied the opportunity to set a remit for the appointment "Paying three times the recommended salary for a temporary appointment does not represent best value for Falkirk Council Council therefore resolves to:- 1. Agree that in future all recommendations to appoint consultants must be reported to Committee for authority to proceed. 2. Any such recommendation must become part of a report to Members outlining the cost of the appointment, remit for the consultant and set of objectives. 3. Any Convener in future making false statements to the Council/Committee/ Media will be asked by Council to explain their actions and may face removal from their positions if they have been found to have misled Members. Proposed by Councillor J McNally |
| 21 | NOTICE OF MOTION ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL Bo'ness Town Centre - Parking Charges "Council recognises the legitimate concerns of Bo'ness Town Centre users and traders and agrees with them that the introduction of car parking charges would be a crippling imposition on the already fragile town centre economy. Council further recognises that the imposition of such charges in car parks in the other outlying town and village shopping centre would be significantly damage trade in those other centres to the detriment of local businesses and the local community Council therefore resolves that under no circumstances will parking charges be applied to car parks in any of the outlying town and village centres during the remainder of the of this Council terms of office". Proposed by Councillor J Constable. |
| 22 | EXECUTION OF DEEDS Submit Report by Acting Director of Law and Administration ITEM CONTINUED TO RE-CONVENED MEETING OF FALKIRK COUNCIL View Papers |