STIRLING COUNCIL

 

MINUTES of SPECIAL MEETING of STIRLING COUNCIL held in the COUNCIL
CHAMBERS, VIEWFORTH, STIRLING on THURSDAY 12 MARCH 2020 at 2.00 pm

 

Present:

Provost Christine SIMPSON (in the Chair)

 

Councillor Maureen BENNISON
Councillor Neil BENNY
Councillor Alistair BERRILL
Councillor Margaret BRISLEY
Councillor Robert DAVIES
Councillor Douglas DODDS
Councillor Martin EARL
Councillor Scott FARMER
Councillor Bryan FLANNAGAN
Councillor Danny GIBSON
Councillor Graham HOUSTON

Councillor Chris KANE
Councillor Graham LAMBIE
Councillor Alison LAURIE
Councillor Alastair MAJURY
Councillor Jeremy MCDONALD
Councillor Susan MCGILL
Councillor Ross OXBURGH
Councillor Jim THOMSON

Councillor Alasdair TOLLEMACHE
Councillor Evelyn TWEED

 

In Attendance

 

Carol Beattie, Chief Executive

Annemargaret Black, Chief Officer – Clackmannanshire & Stirling Health & Social Care Partnership/Integration Joint Board

Anne Booth, Senior Accountant
Jim Boyle, Chief Officer – Finance

Stephen Clark, Chief Officer - Housing

Martin Dalziel, Team Leader – External Communications
Geraldine Donald, Team Leader – Project Delivery

Lesley Gallagher, Service Manager – Regeneration & Inclusive Growth
Kristine Johnson, Chief Officer – HR & OD

Kevin Kelman, Chief Operating Officer – People/Chief Education Officer
DrewLeslie, Senior Manager - Infrastructure

Lisa Macaulay, Senior Accountant
Wendy McKitterick, Team Leader

Islay Moore, Support Officer, Governance
George Murphy, Accounting Operations Manager

Stuart Oliver, Senior Manager – Economic Development & Communities
Bruce Reekie, Senior Manager – Environment & Place

Brian Roberts, Chief Operating Officer – Infrastructure & Environment
Scott Ross, Portfolio & Business Manager

Angela Sneddon, Service Manager Vulnerable Children
Marie Valente, Senior Manager/Chief Social Work Officer
Julia McAfee, Chief Officer – Governance (Clerk)

Louise McDonald, Committee Officer (Minutes)

SC284 APOLOGIES‌‌

 

Apologies were received on behalf of Councillor Alasdair MacPherson.

 

SC285 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

SC286 REVIEW OF FOSTER CARER PAYMENTS

 

The purpose of the report was to share the findings of a review of foster carer fees and allowances that aimed to achieve compatibility with the recognised family group of local authorities and to simplify the current payment system.

 

The proposal had previously been considered at Children & Young People
Committee held on 9 January 2020, where it was agreed that it should be deferred to full Council for determination.

 

Delegated authority was not exercised in this instance due to the extensiveness of the review. Delegated authority would be exercised for future reviews.

 

Motion

 

“Council agrees to:

1. approve the proposed payment structure for foster carers, in Appendix 3.”
Moved by Councillor Susan McGill, seconded by Councillor Christine Simpson

Amendment

 

“Council agrees to:

 

Delete recommendation 1 and replace with the following:

 

Council approves the proposed payment structure for foster carers as follows.

 

Foster carers will be paid a fee. Foster cares will be paid an additional allowance element over and above the fee to cover expenses incurred as a result of looking after a child.

 

Allowances

Allowances will be increased by 5% to the following rates.

 

Fees

Fees will be increased by 5% to the following rates.

All Foster carers who are currently paid at Level 1 will in future be paid at Level 2. The ability to progress from Level 2 to Level 3 will be retained in accordance with existing requirements.

 

Short Breaks Fees and Holidays

Changes to existing arrangements for payment of allowances and fees for short breaks and holidays will be deferred pending full consultation with foster cares, and a report will be brought to the Children and Young People Committee for approval.

 

Additional Payments

The following additional payments will be paid.

 

Equipment

The service will support the purchase of equipment as required.

 

Post Placement Retainers

The following post placement retainers will be paid.

 

Where a series of placements have been made which are overlapping, continuous or nearly continuous, they shall be considered, for the purpose of payment of retainers, to constitute a single placement. Agreement will be reached with foster carers, following consultation, as to how retainer payments will be applied.

 

Mileage

Mileage will be paid at 45p per mile, in order to achieve parity with the rate paid to council staff and councillors. “

 

Moved by Councillor Alistair Berrill, seconded by Councillor Martin Earl
On the roll being called the Members present voted as follows:-

For Amendment (9)

 

Councillor Neil Benny
Councillor Alistair Berrill
Councillor Robert Davies
Councillor Douglas Dodds
Councillor Martin Earl
Councillor Bryan Flannagan
Councillor Alistair Majury
Councillor Jeremy McDonald
Councillor Ross Oxburgh

Against Amendment (12)

 

Councillor Maureen Bennison
Councillor Margaret Brisley
Councillor Scott Farmer
Councillor Danny Gibson
Councillor Graham Houston
Councillor Chris Kane
Councillor Graham Lambie
Councillor Alison Laurie
Councillor Susan McGill
Councillor Christine Simpson
Councillor Jim Thomson
Councillor Evelyn Tweed

 

Not Voting (1)

 

Councillor Alasdair Tollemache

 

The Amendment fell by 12 votes to 9 with 1 Member not voting.
For Motion (12)

Councillor Maureen Bennison
Councillor Margaret Brisley
Councillor Scott Farmer
Councillor Danny Gibson
Councillor Graham Houston
Councillor Chris Kane
Councillor Graham Lambie
Councillor Alison Laurie
Councillor Susan McGill
Councillor Christine Simpson
Councillor Jim Thomson
Councillor Evelyn Tweed

 

Against Motion (10)

 

Councillor Neil Benny
Councillor Alistair Berrill
Councillor Robert Davies
Councillor Douglas Dodds
Councillor Martin Earl
Councillor Bryan Flannagan
Councillor Alistair Majury
Councillor Jeremy McDonald
Councillor Ross Oxburgh
Councillor Alasdair Tollemache

 

The Motion was carried by 12 votes to 10.

Decision

 

Council agreed the proposed payment structure for foster carers.

 

(Reference: Report by Senior Manager, Children and Families, CSWO, dated 3
March 2020, submitted)

 

Information/Advice from officers on Budget Proposals and Amendments had been tabled prior to the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 47, and this is attached as Appendix C to these minutes.

 

SC287 GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET 2020/21

 

The purpose of the report was to provide Council with details of the 2020/21 General Fund Revenue Budget along with indicative financial plans for the following four financial years 2021/22 to 2024/25.

 

The report included a full suite of documents which provided Members with an
integrated view of the Council’s position for the coming five years. The report dealt only with the setting of the Budget for 2020/21; Council set the level of Council Tax at its meeting on 27 February 2020.

 

Following a Member query it was agreed that a breakdown of savings that could not be delivered in 2020/21 was to be provided to Councillor Earl.

Following discussion of the Revenue Budget Proposals it was agreed that officers were to continue to carry out additional work for accepted savings 19EP30 and 19IN16 to ensure that, taking into account savings, the Council would continue to meet the Catering Mark Standards. If this was not achievable then savings were to be sought elsewhere by the service.

 

The Members commended and thanked the Chief Officer – Finance and his team for the good financial management and work entailed in the process of the budget.

 

Budget Proposal

 

“That Council approves the Administration Revenue Budget Proposal published in accordance with Standing Orders 44 – 49.”

 

Moved by Councillor Margaret Brisley, seconded by Councillor Alison Laurie

 

Amendment

 

“That Council approves the Opposition Revenue Budget Proposal published in
accordance with Standing Order 22 – 29.”

 

Moved by Councillor Neil Benny, seconded by Councillor Alistair Berrill

On the roll being called the Members present voted as follows:-
For Amendment (8)

Councillor Neil Benny
Councillor Alistair Berrill
Councillor Douglas Dodds
Councillor Martin Earl
Councillor Bryan Flannagan
Councillor Alistair Majury
Councillor Jeremy McDonald
Councillor Ross Oxburgh

 

Against Amendment (13)

 

Councillor Maureen Bennison
Councillor Margaret Brisley
Councillor Scott Farmer
Councillor Danny Gibson
Councillor Graham Houston
Councillor Chris Kane
Councillor Graham Lambie
Councillor Alison Laurie
Councillor Susan McGill
Councillor Christine Simpson
Councillor Jim Thomson
Councillor Alasdair Tollemache
Councillor Evelyn Tweed

 

Not Voting (1)

 

Councillor Robert Davies

 

The Amendment fell by 13 votes to 8 with 1 Member not voting.
For the Budget Proposal (13)

Councillor Maureen Bennison
Councillor Margaret Brisley
Councillor Scott Farmer
Councillor Danny Gibson
Councillor Graham Houston
Councillor Chris Kane
Councillor Graham Lambie
Councillor Alison Laurie
Councillor Susan McGill
Councillor Christine Simpson
Councillor Jim Thomson
Councillor Alasdair Tollemache
Councillor Evelyn Tweed

Against the Budget Proposal (8)

 

Councillor Neil Benny
Councillor Alistair Berrill
Councillor Douglas Dodds
Councillor Martin Earl
Councillor Bryan Flannagan
Councillor Alistair Majury
Councillor Jeremy McDonald
Councillor Ross Oxburgh

 

Not Voting

 

Councillor Robert Davies

 

Decision

 

The Motion was carried by 13 votes to 8, with 1 Member not voting, and accordingly the Council agreed to approve the Administration Revenue Budget 2020/21 as set out as Appendix A to these minutes.‌‌‌

 

(Reference: Report by Chief Finance Officer, dated 4 March 2020, submitted)

 

At 4.10pm the Committee agreed to adjourn in terms of Standing Order 74

 

The Meeting reconvened at 4.30pm with all Elected Members (previously noted) present

 

SC288 PROPOSED GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2020/21 TO 2022/23

 

The purpose of the report was to provide Council with details of the proposed
2020/21 General Services Capital Programme, along with an indicative programme for the following two financial years.

 

The report set out the proposed projects for financial year 2020/21, along with
assumed resource availability. The report took account of the provisional capital budgets, as approved by the Council on 21 February 2019, and as varied by any decisions made by Council since that point.

 

Capital Proposal

 

“That Council approves the Administration Capital Budget Proposal published in accordance with Standing Orders 44 – 49.”

 

Moved by Councillor Margaret Brisley, seconded by Councillor Alison Laurie

 

Amendment

 

Councillor Neil Benny moved the direct negative in accordance with Standing Order 55, seconded by Councillor Alistair Berrill.

In accordance with Standing Order 69 and on the roll being called the Members present voted as follows:-‌‌‌‌‌

 

For the Capital Proposal (13)

 

Councillor Maureen Bennison
Councillor Margaret Brisley
Councillor Robert Davies
Councillor Scott Farmer
Councillor Danny Gibson
Councillor Graham Houston
Councillor Chris Kane
Councillor Graham Lambie
Councillor Alison Laurie
Councillor Susan McGill
Councillor Christine Simpson
Councillor Jim Thomson
Councillor Evelyn Tweed

 

Against the Capital Proposal (9)

 

Councillor Neil Benny
Councillor Alistair Berrill
Councillor Douglas Dodds
Councillor Martin Earl
Councillor Bryan Flannagan
Councillor Alistair Majury
Councillor Jeremy McDonald
Councillor Ross Oxburgh
Councillor Alasdair Tollemache

 

Decision

The Motion was carried 13 votes to 9, and accordingly the Council agreed to approve the Administration Capital Budget Proposal as set out as Appendix B to these minutes.

(Reference: Report by Chief Operating Officer – Infrastructure & Environment, 2 March 2020, submitted)

 

The Provost declared the Meeting closed at 4.50pm

 

Appendix C

 

SPECIAL MEETING of the STIRLING COUNCIL to be held in the COUNCIL CHAMBERS,
OLD VIEWFORTH, STIRLING on THURSDAY 12 MARCH 2020

 

Budget Proposals and Amendments in terms of Standing Orders 44 to 49
Information/Advice from Officers

1. Budget Proposals Submitted by the Administration

 

1. General Fund Revenue Budget 2020/21 (proposed Councillor Margaret
   Brisley, seconded Councillor Alison Laurie)

    

   Detailed Officer advice and information on the Revenue Budget is set out in the reports submitted with the agenda.

    

   If adopted, this Motion would allow the Council to set a legal and competent General Fund Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2020/21. The budget to be set as a result of this Motion would be within available resources. The policy priority spending options set out in Appendix 3 to the Motion, have been split between ongoing core commitments and commitments that would require to be reviewed in setting the 2021/22 budget. The delivery of the 2020/21 and subsequent years’ budgets will be influenced by the successful achievement of savings previously approved on prior financial years, as well as the new budget reduction options recommended for approval as set out in Appendix 2a and 2b to the Motion.

    

   Appendix 4 sets out the multi-year impact of the savings and policy growth items set out in the Motion. The Motion recognises that policy growth items to the value of £0.552M will have a funding implication for 2021/22 and beyond and that this commitment will need to be recognised in the financial planning for those years.

    

   Although the Motion provides the means for the Council to set a balanced budget for 2020/21, it also sets out the considerable financial challenge facing the Council in the coming years. In order that the Council can sufficiently address this challenge, using the existing set of planning assumptions, it is crucial that previous savings, and those proposed as part of this Motion are delivered as per previous decisions and the decisions sought in this Motion.

   In order to address this considerable financial challenge, the measures to be considered will have to be deeper transformational options, rather than a large number of smaller value options.

    

   The Council will also have to work closely with its partners in the
   Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health & Social Care Partnership to ensure that the resources proposed for transfer by all three partners for 2020/21 will enable the partnership to continue to deliver essential services. It is being proposed in this Motion that the additional health and social care funding confirmed in the Local Government Finance Settlement in February 2020 be passed over in full by the Council, and from that respect the Council is complying with the terms of the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, dated 6 February 2020.

    

   Officer advice has already been provided in the preparation of this Motion and officers are satisfied that the Motion takes due account of the information as set out in the report submitted with the agenda.

2. Proposed General Services Capital Programme 2020/21 to 2022/2023

   (proposed Councillor Margaret Brisley, seconded Councillor Alison Laurie)

    

   Detailed Officer advice and information on the Capital Programme is set out in the report submitted with the agenda.

    

   If adopted, this Motion would allow the Council to set a legal and competent General Services Capital Programme for 2020/21, and provisional programme for 2021/22 to 2022/23. The costs of financing the prudential borrowing of £4.2M identified in the provisional programme resources has been recognised in the Revenue Budget proposals in that Motion. Officer advice has already been provided in the preparation of this Motion and officers are satisfied that the Motion takes due account of the information as set out in the report submitted with the agenda.

   SPECIAL MEETING of the STIRLING COUNCIL to be held in the COUNCIL CHAMBERS, OLD VIEWFORTH, STIRLING on THURSDAY 12 MARCH 2020

    

   Budget Proposals and Amendments in terms of Standing Orders 44 & 49
   Information/Advice from Officers

   1. Budget Amendment Submitted by the Opposition

    

3. General Fund Revenue Budget 2020/21 (proposed Councillor Neil Benny,
   seconded Councillor Alistair Berrill)

    

   Detailed Officer advice and information on the Revenue Budget is set out in the reports submitted with the agenda.

    

   If adopted, this Amendment would allow the Council to set a legal and
   competent General Fund Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2020/21. The budget to be set as a result of this Motion would be within available
   resources. The policy priority spending options set out in Appendix 3 to the Amendment, have been split between ongoing core commitments and commitments that would require to be reviewed in setting the 2021/22 budget. The delivery of the 2020/21 and subsequent years’ budgets will be influenced by the successful achievement of savings previously approved on prior financial years, as well as the new budget reduction options recommended for approval as set out in Appendix 2a, 2b and 2d to the Amendment.

    

   The savings that have been introduced in Appendix 2d would require
   additional discussion between officers and Members to establish exactly how the required savings target of £0.25M from the reprofiling of Council priorities would be met for 2020/21. In addition, the proposal to end automatic pay progression would require discussion and negotiation with the workforce and would require an implementation scheme to be developed, and these processes would take time to progress.

    

   Appendix 4 sets out the multi-year impact of the savings and policy growth items set out in the Amendment. The Amendment recognises that policy growth items to the value of £1.7M will have a funding implication for 2021/22 and beyond and that this commitment will need to be recognised in the financial planning for those years.

    

   Although the Amendment provides the means for the Council to set a
   balanced budget for 2020/21, it also sets out the considerable financial
   challenge facing the Council in the coming years. In order that the Council can sufficiently address this challenge, using the existing set of planning assumptions, it is crucial that previous savings, and those proposed as part of this Amendment are delivered as per previous decisions and the decisions sought in this Amendment. In order to address this considerable financial challenge, the measures to be considered will have to be deeper transformational options, rather than a large number of smaller value options.

    

   The Council will also have to work closely with its partners in the
   Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health & Social Care Partnership to ensure that the resources proposed for transfer by all three partners for 2020/21 will enable the partnership to continue to deliver essential services. It is being proposed in this Amendment that the additional health and social care funding confirmed in the Local Government Finance Settlement in February 2020 be passed over in full by the Council, and from that respect the Council is complying with the terms of the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, dated 6 February 2020.

    

   Officer advice has already been provided in the preparation of this
   Amendment and officers are satisfied that the Amendment takes due account of the information as set out in the report submitted with the agenda.

    

4. Proposed General Services Capital Programme 2020/21 to 2022/2023

(proposed Councillor Neil Benny, seconded Councillor Alistair Berrill)

 

Detailed Officer advice and information on the Capital Programme is set out
in the report submitted with the agenda.

 

If adopted, this Amendment would allow the Council to set a legal and
competent General Services Capital Programme for 2020/21, and provisional
programme for 2021/22 to 2022/23. The costs of financing the prudential
borrowing of £6.2M identified in the provisional programme resources has
been recognised in the Revenue Budget proposals in that Amendment.

Officer advice has already been provided in the preparation of this
Amendment and officers are satisfied that the Amendment takes due account
of the information as set out in the report submitted with the agenda.