Executive heads for primary but not secondary

At the special meeting on executive heads, there were two amendments 

1) not to implement executive heads in primary and secondary 

Proposer : Rae Mackenzie

Seconder: gordon Murray 

This lost 16-13

Those who voted for the amendment :

Grant Fulton

John Mitchell

Ranald Fraser

Norrie T Macdonald

Finlay Stewart

Rae Mackenzie

Charlie Nicolson

Neil mackay 

Gordon Murray

John A Maciver

Calum maclean

John norman macleod

Kenny Macleod

Voted against amendment

Convenor

Roddie Mackay 

Iain A MacNeil

Paul Steele

Roddy Mackay

Iain Macleod

Uisdean Robertson

Paul Finnegan

Angus morrison

Alasdair macleod

Keith Dodson

Angus McCormack

Iain Macaulay

Donald Crichton

John Mackay

The second amendment was as follows

Ensure implementation of the recommendations within the Robertson Report.

Ensure that a School Improvement Framework as suggested in the Robertson Report be produced and agreed as a starting point before any changes are made to Leadership Structures within the Education, Skills and Children’s Services Department.

Ensure that the roll out of the Executive Headteacher positions within the secondary sector as currently proposed be ceased with immediate effect.

Proposer John Mitchell 

Seconder Roddy mackay Uist 

The amendment won 21-7

Voted for amendment 

Roddie Mackay 

Iain A MacNeil

Paul Steele

Roddy Mackay

Iain Macleod

Uisdean Robertson

Grant Fulton

John Mitchell

Ranald Fraser

Angus morrison

Norrie T Macdonald

Finlay Stewart

Rae Mackenzie

Charlie Nicolson

Neil mackay

Gordon Murray

John A Maciver

Calum Maclean

John Norman Macleod

Kenny MacLeòid

Kenny John Macleod

Voted against amendment

Convenor

Paul Finnegan

Alasdair Macleod

Keith Dodson

Angus McCormack

Donald Crichton

John Mackay 

Sadly it looks like EH fir stornoway primary,

Best wishes,

Gordon 

Crofting and care charges - SNP invites contributions to debate

 Comhairle nan Eilean SNP Group seek to change Comhairle policy on the home care charge costs and croft tenancies issue to comply with Legislation and resolve the current situation. The SNP Group invite Croft Tenants, elected Comhairle councillors and The Crofting Commission to contribute to this debate so that Comhairle Policy can be changed to comply with Legislation.

Care Homes costs are regulated by The National Assistance (Assessment of resources) Regulations 1992 and Schedule 4 capital to be disregarded, item 18 is very clear that :

 ‘The value of any premises occupied in whole or in part by a third party where the local authority consider it would be reasonable to disregard the value of those premises.‘ 

This establishes quite clearly, that Crofts and croft houses which are premises occupied in whole or part by a third party are to be disregarded. Crofts and the permanent improvements to croft land, which are houses, steadings, roads, drains, fences and ameliorations, are occupied by the landowner but leased to Croft Tenants though the Government regulated statutory conditions leases guaranteeing heritable security of tenure to Crofters and their families.

The Comhairle must comply with existing Government legislation and Comhairle Policy must be established to ensure that this is the case. There is currently a lack of Comhairle policy on many aspects of home care charge costs and croft tenancies which has been the cause of much disquiet.

Care Home charge costs are a personal debt to the individual receiving care as set out in the 1992 Regulations. It would be inconceivable to operate by making personal debt heritable and yet the Comhairle’s lack of policy allows this and it must cease continuing to make the personal debt of care home costs a heritable debt.