Falkirk Council Agenda - 20 September 2017, 09:30 
A meeting to be held at Council Chambers, Municipal Buildings, Falkirk at 09:30 on 20 September 2017.
| Number | Item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sederunt |
| 2 | Declarations of Interest Members should declare any financial and non-financial interests they have in any item of business at the meeting, identifying the relevant agenda item and the nature of the interest. |
| 3 | Minutes and Information Bulletin |
| (a) | Minute of Meeting of Falkirk Council held on 28 June 2017; View Papers |
| (b) | Volume of Minutes - Volume 1 2017/18, and View Papers |
| (c) | Information Bulletin - Volume 1 2017/18. View Papers |
| 4 | Questions Questions submitted in accordance with Standing Orders will be published in advance of the meeting. |
| 5 | Rolling Action Log View Papers |
| 6 | Corporate Plan and Service Plans Report by the Director of Corporate and Housing Services. View Papers |
| 7 | Council of the Future Report by the Director of Corporate and Housing Services. View Papers |
| 8 | Annual Report of the Chief Social Work Officer 2016 - 2017 Report by the Chief Social Work Officer. View Papers |
| 9 | Programme of Meetings 2018 Report by the Director of Corporate and Housing Services. View Papers |
| 10 | Execution of Deeds Report by the Director of Corporate and Housing Services. View Papers |
| 11 | Notices of Motion Notices of motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order 29 are set out below. Motions that refer to matters within the remit of the Executive, or Education Executive, will stand referred to the appropriate body, without discussion, unless:- (1) special circumstances exist which, in opinion of the Provost (having consulted with the Council Leader and the Leader of the Opposition) requires an exception to be made; (2) two thirds of the members present vote in favour of the matter being discussed; or (3) the motion raises an issue with significant impact on the Council area which the Provost, having consulted with the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition, considers suitable for debate at Council. The following motions are reserved to Council:- |
| (a) | Council agrees that in future all meetings of the Executive and the Education Executive should be recorded and the recordings made available in the same way as the recordings of Council meetings. Proposed by Councillor Goldie |
| (b) | Council agrees that the Provost on behalf of Falkirk Council and the whole Falkirk community sends a letter of congratulation to Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on the impending birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child. As a young family they will appreciate all the well wishes that they receive. Proposed by Councillor Kerr |
| (c) | Council agrees to form a Falkirk Area Youth Council to enable better communication with the 14-25 age group in our area and to encourage their involvement in Council decisions. Council directs Officers to report to the December meeting of Council with proposals for the formation of the Youth Council, following consultation with MSYPs, youth groups, schools and other interested groups and individuals, with a view to implementation on 1 April 2018. Proposed by Councillor Reid |
| (d) | In recognition that Scotland is a wonderfully diverse country with its unique heritage and culture that should be celebrated, Falkirk Council would wish to support our colleagues in Dundee City of Culture 2023. Falkirk has much to offer with our strategic geographical location and iconic attractions, therefore in order to demonstrate our support, officers be requested to make contact with Dundee City Council indicating our willingness to work with them should their bid be successful. Proposed by Councillor Meiklejohn |
| (e) | Council agrees to establish a Provost's Award to recognise acts of outstanding public bravery by its citizens. The Chief Executive is instructed to bring back a report to the next meeting setting out a draft scheme for a Provost's Award. Proposed by Councillor Goldie |
| (f) | The following motions stand referred to the Executive or Education Executive unless otherwise determined by the Provost, having consulted with the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition. All Councillors will be aware of the problem created by anti social behaviour in our communities. Over the years the situation has become worse due to, I believe, the lack of any direct action to deal with it. These individuals make their neighbours lives a misery and the elderly are the most vulnerable. I don't know how many people over the years who have contacted me because they simply cannot take anymore of this anti social behaviour and have given up their homes to live in peace and quiet. I recall holding a public forum on this issue in Bonnybridge Community Centre with local MP Dennis Canavan and the Police were also present. It came as a great shock to us all when an old lady said she wished she was dead as she had had enough of the misery created by these thoughtless individuals she said she wanted out of it as she had to put up with this misery for many years. Drunks, partying, fighting you name it and nothing done to get her the peace she so badly wanted. It has not changed because our communities are still blighted by this anti social behaviour they are still amongst us causing misery. So we must put legislation in place to deal with this as the present legislation is totally inadequate and is simply no good enough, we must toughen up on legislation and protect our communities and residents. Therefore I would ask that we, as a Council, contact our Justice Minister and demand that legislation be brought in to protect our citizens and enable those he represents to have protection from these bullies and that they be allowed to live their life without the scourge of anti social behaviour and that Michael Matheson bring legislation before the Scottish Parliament to put an end to this anti social behaviour. Enough is Enough Proposed by Councillor Buchanan |
| (g) | The former Bonnybridge hospital site was sold off to developers for, I believe, £1.2 million. On hearing this I contacted the NHS demanding that the money to be invested into local projects. 1. Bonnybridge Health Centre sits in off Larbert Road, Bonnybridge. It is enclosed with Hope Park, sheltered housing complex and Balhousie Wheatlands Care Home. As you know Bonnybridge and the surrounding area has grown rapidly over the past decade bringing a major increase in the population and bringing tremendous pressure on the Health Centre and it is not just the pressure on the staff that work there but the parking issue can only be summed up in a few words, horrendous and dangerous. The situation is desperate and because of the close proximity to Hope Park and Wheatlands Care Home these two areas are really adversely affected by indiscriminate parking. There is an opportunity at the back to increase the parking and part of the money from the hospital sale should be invested here. 2. Larbert Forth Valley Royal Hospital build at a cost of £300 million opened in 2010 and is one of the most modern and well equipped Hospital in Europe which has been built to the very highest on standards except for one very important area for staff, patients and visitors alike and that is parking or should I say the lack of it. Anyone who has been to this hospital for whatever reason will tell you of their difficulties in finding somewhere to park, it is a total nightmare and the stories I have heard over the years are dreadful. The stress of trying to get parked for an appointment or visit, beggars belief and nobody, especially if you are ill should have to go through this endurance of finding a parking space. We also have to look at the effects on the local community whose lives have changed dramatically with all arterial streets and roads being used as overspill car parks. Let's just keep this simple, they have made a huge mistake and did not listen to the advice given to them in provision of car parking spaces and we all know that. It has had an adverse effect on staff, patients, visitors and a major adverse effect on the local area so let us sort it out. The site is 70 acres and has plenty space for additional car parking, so initially once the upgrading of the Health Centre in Bonnybridge is completed then what is left from the 1.2 million (which will be |
| (h) | Council deplores the decision by the Scottish Government not to launch a national campaign to raise awareness of Sepsis. Council agrees that the Chief Executive should write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health to convey the Council's view. Proposed by Councillor Harris |
| (i) | Council notes with concern the Scottish Governments intention to take control of Education away from Local Authorities, and put it in the hands of new Regional Boards. It is anticipated that this Board will report direct to a Scottish Government Minister taking local control of Education out of the hands of locally elected and accountable members. This Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Depute First Minister/Education Secretary to raise Councils concerns regarding the accountability of such a structure being put in place and to seek assurances that Local elected members will form the majority of places on the Regional Boards. Proposed by Councillor Nimmo |
| (j) | Council notes the decision of the Education Executive "to explore being part of a Regional Partnership with Clackmannanshire Council, Stirling Council and West Lothian Council". Council does not support the establishment of Regional "collaboratives" (which will become Boards) because they are another layer of bureaucracy, they add further centralisation and avoid acceptance of where Local Council responsibility lies. Proposed by Councillor Patrick |
| (k) | It is exactly one hundred working days today since this Council was elected. We call on the Administration to bring forward a full report to the next Full Council detailing their achievements to date. Proposed by Councillor Goldie |
| 12 | Police Scotland Local Policing Plan 2017 - 2020 Report by the Chief Executive. View Papers |
| 13 | Appointment to Champions Board Report by the Director of Corporate and Housing Services. View Papers |