Dumfries and Galloway Council

Minute / 9 February 2012 / Minute
Minute / Minute

dumfries and galloway council

Meeting of Thursday 9 February 2012

at 10.30am in Council Offices, English Street, Dumfries

Present

Members

Patsy Gilroy (Convener) / - / Dee
Ivor A Hyslop (Leader) / - / Lochar
Graham J Bell / - / North West Dumfries
Ian Blake / - / Abbey
Richard J Brodie / - / Annandale South
Ted Brown / - / Annandale North
Ian B Carruthers / - / Annandale South
John A Charteris / - / Lochar
Brian Collins / - / Castle Douglas and Glenkens
Rob Davidson / - / Abbey
Jim Dempster / - / Mid and Upper Nithsdale
Iain W Dick / - / Stranraer and North Rhins
John Dougan / - / Stranraer and North Rhins
Archie Dryburgh / - / Annandale East and Eskdale
Peter Duncan / - / Castle Douglas and Glenkens
Gill Dykes / - / Mid and Upper Nithsdale
Grahame Forster / - / Wigtown West
Alistair Geddes / - / Mid Galloway
Allan Graham / - / Annandale East and Eskdale
Roger B Grant / - / Annandale North
Jack Groom / - / Nith
Robert J Higgins / - / Wigtown West
Thomas Jacques / - / Dee
Jeff Leaver / - / Lochar
Ian Lindsay / - / Annandale East and Eskdale
Thomas A McAughtrie / - / Abbey
Sandra McDowall / - / Mid Galloway
Lorna J McGowan / - / Lochar
Gail MacGregor / - / Annandale North
David J McKie / - / North West Dumfries
Jane Maitland / - / Dee
Denis R Male / - / Annandale East and Eskdale
Sean W Marshall / - / Annandale South
John Martin / - / Nith
Graham Nicol / - / Mid Galloway
Ronnie Nicholson / - / North West Dumfries
Ronnie Ogilvie / - / Annandale South
Willie Scobie / - / Stranraer and North Rhins
Colin Smyth / - / Nith
Doug Snell / - / North West Dumfries
Davie Stitt / - / Abbey
John Syme / - / Mid and Upper Nithsdale
Roberta Tuckfield / - / Wigtown West
Alastair Witts / - / Nith
Andrew S Wood / - / Mid and Upper Nithsdale

Apologies

Michael Dickie / - / Annandale North
George N Prentice / - / Castle Douglas and Glenkens

Alex Haswell

Director Chief Executive Service

1. Prayer – Reverend Maurice Bond, Minister at St Michael’s Church, Dumfries

2. SEDERUNT AND APOLOGIES

45 Members present, 2 apologies

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

NONE declared

REPORTS

4. COUNCIL TAX AND COMMUNITY CHARGES - RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING – Report by Director Chief Executive Service

Decision

NOTED the provisions of Section 112 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 which placed the onus of disclosure on the individual Member and removed a Member’s voting rights on Council Tax and Community Charge matters in certain specified circumstances.

5. THE BUDGET AND COUNCIL TAX 2012/13 – Report by Head of Finance and Technology

5.1 MOTION - The Leader of the Council, Ivor A Hyslop, presented and tabled a budget on behalf of the Administration of the Council which made provision for no increase in Council Tax levels (Appendix 1). The proposal was formally seconded by Sandra McDowall.

5.2 ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING – The meeting adjourned at 10.55am to enable Members to consider the proposal and reconvened at 11.15am with 45 Members present being:-

Patsy Gilroy, Ivor A Hyslop, Graham J Bell, Ian Blake, Richard J Brodie, Ted Brown, Ian B Carruthers, John A Charteris, Brian Collins, Rob Davidson, Jim Dempster, Iain W Dick, John Dougan, Archie Dryburgh, Peter Duncan, Gill Dykes, Grahame Forster, Alistair Geddes, Allan Graham, Roger B Grant, Jack Groom, Robert J Higgins, Thomas Jacques, Jeff Leaver, Ian Lindsay, Thomas A McAughtrie, Sandra McDowall, Lorna J McGowan, Gail MacGregor, David J McKie, Jane Maitland, Denis R Male, Sean W Marshall, John Martin, Graham Nicol, Ronnie Nicholson, Ronnie Ogilvie, Willie Scobie, Colin Smyth, Doug Snell, Davie Stitt, John Syme, Roberta Tuckfield , Alastair Witts and Andrew S Wood.

5.3 AMENDMENT - The leader of the Labour Group, Ronnie Nicholson, presented and tabled an alternative budget proposal for consideration which made provision for no increase to Council Tax Levels (Appendix 2). This was formally seconded by Jeff Leaver.

5.4 ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING – The meeting adjourned at 11.35am to enable Members to consider the proposal and reconvened at 11.50am with 45 Members present being:-

5.5 COUNTER AMENDMENT - The leader of the SNP Group, Rob Davidson, presented and tabled an alternative budget proposal for consideration which made provision for no increase to Council Tax Levels (Appendix 3). This was formally seconded by Robert J Higgins;

5.6 ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING – The meeting adjourned at 12.10pm to enable Members to consider the proposal and reconvened at 1.00pm with 44 Members present being:-

Patsy Gilroy, Ivor A Hyslop, Graham J Bell, Ian Blake, Richard J Brodie, Ted Brown, Ian B Carruthers, John A Charteris, Brian Collins, Rob Davidson, Jim Dempster, Iain W Dick, John Dougan, Archie Dryburgh, Peter Duncan, Gill Dykes, Grahame Forster, Alistair Geddes, Allan Graham, Roger B Grant, Jack Groom, Robert J Higgins, Thomas Jacques, Jeff Leaver, Ian Lindsay, Thomas A McAughtrie, Sandra McDowall, Lorna J McGowan, Gail MacGregor, David J McKie, Jane Maitland, Denis R Male, Sean W Marshall, John Martin, Graham Nicol, Ronnie Nicholson, Ronnie Ogilvie, Willie Scobie, Colin Smyth, Doug Snell, Davie Stitt, Roberta Tuckfield , Alastair Witts and Andrew S Wood.

5.7 The Section 95 Officer confirmed that each of the tabled budgets was legal and that he had prepared a comparison table mapping the three budget proposals (Appendix 4).

5.8 ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING – The meeting adjourned at 1.02pm (to include lunch) and reconvened at 2.30pm with 45 Members present being:-

5.9 The Director Schools Services provided clarification to Members on the savings options relating to Schools – All Sectors – Reduction in staff due to falling School rolls; Primary Sector – Reduce All School staff levels to DSM formula; and Secondary Sector – Removal of historical staffing anomalies.

5.10 ADJOURNMENTS OF MEETING – After 2 more adjournments, the meeting reconvened at 3.45pm with 45 Members present being:-

Patsy Gilroy, Ivor A Hyslop, Graham J Bell, Ian Blake, Richard J Brodie, Ted Brown, Ian B Carruthers, John A Charteris, Brian Collins, Rob Davidson, Jim Dempster, Iain W Dick, John Dougan, Archie Dryburgh, Peter Duncan, Gill Dykes, Grahame Forster, Alistair Geddes, Allan Graham, Roger B Grant, Jack Groom, Robert J Higgins, Thomas Jacques, Jeff Leaver, Ian Lindsay, Gail MacGregor, Thomas A McAughtrie, Sandra McDowall, Lorna J McGowan, David J McKie, Jane Maitland, Denis R Male, Sean W Marshall, John Martin, Graham Nicol, Ronnie Nicholson, Ronnie Ogilvie, Willie Scobie, Colin Smyth, Doug Snell, Davie Stitt, John Syme, Roberta Tuckfield , Alastair Witts and Andrew S Wood

5.11 In response to a question from Willie Scobie, the Leader of the Council confirmed receipt of a letter from Mr Affleck, Coronation Park Day Centre, Stranraer, affirming their intention to submit an application for financial assistance; further the Leader confirmed that Nith Valley Day Centre had not submitted an application for financial assistance, but had been provided with advice.

5.12 Rob Davidson confirmed that the Counter Amendment proposing the SNP Group’s budget proposals detailed in Appendix 3 had been withdrawn.

5.13 Ronnie Nicholson that confirmed the Amendment proposing the Labour Group budget proposals detailed in Appendix 2 had been withdrawn.

5.14 Ivor A Hyslop confirmed that the Motion proposing the Administration budget proposals Appendix 1 had been withdrawn.

5.15 MOTION - The Leader of the Council, Ivor A Hyslop presented and tabled an alternative budget which made provision for no increase in Council Tax levels (Appendix 5). The proposal was formally seconded by Sandra McDowall.

5.16 AMENDMENT - The leader of the Labour Group, Ronnie Nicholson, presented and tabled an alternative budget which made provision for no increase in Council Tax levels (Appendix 6). The proposal was formally seconded by Jeff Leaver.

5.17 The Section 95 Officer confirmed the legality of both Budget proposals.

VOTE

5.18 Motion by Ivor A Hyslop seconded by Sandra McDowall that the budget as presented, which provided for a 0% increase in Council Tax, be adopted (Appendix 5).

5.19 Amendment by Ronnie Nicholson seconded by Jeff Leaver that the budget as presented, which provided for a 0% increase in Council Tax, be adopted (Appendix 6).

5.20 On a vote being taken by roll call, Members voted as follows:-

Motion – 30 votes being:-

Patsy Gilroy, Ivor A Hyslop, Graham J Bell, Ian Blake, Richard J Brodie, Ian B Carruthers, John A Charteris, Brian Collins, Rob Davidson, Iain W Dick, John Dougan, Peter Duncan, Gill Dykes, Alistair Geddes, Allan Graham, Roger B Grant, Jack Groom, Robert J Higgins, Thomas Jacques, Ian Lindsay, Gail MacGregor, Sandra McDowall, Lorna J McGowan, Jane Maitland, Denis R Male, Graham Nicol, Doug Snell, Roberta Tuckfield , Alastair Witts and Andrew S Wood

Amendment - 15 votes being:-

Ted Brown, Jim Dempster, Archie Dryburgh, Grahame Forster, Jeff Leaver, Thomas A McAughtrie, David J McKie, Sean W Marshall, John Martin, Ronnie Nicholson, Ronnie Ogilvie, Willie Scobie, Colin Smyth, Davie Stitt and John Syme

Decision

5.21 NOTED that the Section 95 Officer had confirmed that the budget was legal and the assurances on the process for impact assessment in conjunction with the Equal Opportunities Commission; and

5.22 AGREED the budget for 2012/13 which provided for a 0% increase in Council Tax (Appendix 5).