Meeting of Convention of Community Councils with Perth and Kinross Council

Monday 8 February 2010

Room 222, 2 High Street, Perth

In Attendance:Mr Michael Gallagher, Chairman, Convention of Community Councils

Mr Stan Bruce, Secretary, Convention of Community Councils

Mr Michael Cheesewright, Treasurer, Convention of Community Councils

Mr Jim Bradley, Perth and Kinross Area Representative, ASCC

Mrs Brenda Lackie, Team Leader (Community Councils), PKC

Miss Christine Grehan, Admin Assistant (Community Councils), PKC

Apologies:Mr Joe Richardson, Vice-Chairman, Convention of Community Councils

Mrs Gillian Taylor, Head of Democratic Services, PKC

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. / MINUTES OF MEETING OF 4 NOVEMBER 2009
The Minutes of Meeting held on 4 November 2009 were approved.
MATTERS ARISING
Item 2 – Planning
Michael Gallagher advised that he had still not received a copy of the presentation that Planning Aid provided to Community Councils that Gillian Taylor was to send to him. Link to the presentation to be sent to him.
Item 3(c) – Community Council Newsletters – PKC Funding
Brenda Lackie advised that a copy of the up to date matrix had still not been received.
Michael Cheesewright stated that he didn’t feel the solution for funding works as some Community Councils are more active than others. Brenda Lackie advised that the administrative grant was for operating costs and therefore Community Councils entitled to be treated in an equitable basis. We couldn’t give one Community Council £1,000 grant and another £200. Community Council memberships change constantly. Whilst a Community Council isn’t active under one membership it may be more active under another. Brenda Lackie advised that the model documents refer to grant calculated on population basis but we are proposing to continue to base on electorate as the only way to gauge population is through the census, which was 10 years ago.
Michael Gallagher asked if it would be possible to have a grant plus, if Community Council’s need additional funding for consultations etc they could apply to the Council for money from a contingency fund. Brenda Lackie explained that, like all organisations we have a budget and we have to contain our spending accordingly and that Perth and Kinross Council does not have the resources for Community Councils to be given access to unlimited funds.
It was noted that the Convention has concerns re funding. The additional £100 is not sufficient to pay for hire of schools/halls for meetings.
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT REVIEW OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS – CONSULTATION ON IMPLEMENTATION OF MODEL DOCUMENTS
Michael Gallagher referred to our proposals to have 12 ward meetings with Local Authority Councillors and Community Councils within each ward and asked if we could meet first with the ASCC and Convention before the Community Councils as to the proposals. Brenda Lackie advised that as the Convention doesn’t represent all Community Council’s within the Perth and Kinross Council area and that the members of the Convention are all Community Councillors, who would be involved or part of the consultation exercise, we propose meeting with the Community Councils first and then discuss outcomes of these meetings with the Convention and the ASCC.
AOCB
Michael Cheesewright advised that he proposed to tender his resignation as Treasurer at the next meeting of the Convention being held on 28 March.
Brenda Lackie thanked Mike on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council for all the work he had carried out on behalf of the Convention since he took office in 1997. Mike also advised it was intention to stand down from Pitlochry Community Council next year after 20 years as a Community Councillor.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The date of the next meeting to be arranged. The next Convention meeting is Sunday 28 March 2010 but would like to meet before then. / ACTION BY
GAT
ACTION BY
CG

1

C:\Documents and Settings\Michael\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\9PXEBHC0\Convention Minutes - 08-02-10.doc