Comhairle SNP Group leader budget speech and how your councillor voted

 

“Thank you convenor. I would like to sincerely thank senior accountant Norman Macdonald, Robert Emmott, Malcolm Burr and Derek Mackay for their assistance in drafting this amendment.

Lots of emails have been exchanged and I thank them for giving up their time so freely.

I'd like to also thank the Scottish government for giving the Comhairle an increase in funding.”

Unadopted Roads

1)   the SNP Scottish Government is providing special funding for the replacement Bernera Bridge, and it is therefore proposed that any of the £450,000 of funding, previously allocated by Comhairle for replacing the Bernera Bridge but no longer required due to the special funding, be reallocated on a ring- fenced basis to surface dressing of unadopted roads; with this being allocated on a 60:40 split (L&H:U&B).     

“Unadopted roads is a much-neglected part of our infrastructure. I have seen in the minutes of many a community council spanning our islands, the issue of road maintenance and unadopted roads being raised time and time again.

This amendment would address these issues and thus help meet the aspirations of communities across all our islands.

There is a clear need here identified by many of the people we represent and we should help them by meeting this need today.

Stornoway Primary All Weather Pitch

2) to meet the undisputed need for school children to participate in outdoor exercises and sports activities all year round and to provide a much needed community resource, the council provide an all weather pitch at Stornoway Primary at a cost of £350,000 to be financed by a) mainland placement underspend (100k/100k) and, should the mainland placement underspend not be realised, that the £100k (or part thereof) be funded from balances and b) Saving on Loan Charges (250k/350k)

“We have all now been briefed to the fact that Stornoway Primary is the third biggest primary school in Scotland.

However, the facilities for such a size of school fall way short of the standard I’m certain we would all wish to provide – this has been acknowledged by many members of the council on several occasions, over a number of years.

So many of our children have gone through primary, year upon year, playing on sloping, unmarked tarmac, in muddy patches of ground resulting in children sitting in wet, dirty clothes during lessons - this is not acceptable anymore!

The money has been identified. Now let us act today and allow our children at Stornoway primary to play on a decent surface and participate in organised sports.

Children who haven't had it easy over the last few months.

Children who deserve a chance tom play outside and realise all the benefits that sport and play can offer them.”

Dental Provision

3) to provide a dental chair in Taigh Cridhe Uille Naobh, to make a ring-fenced contribution to the IJB Budget specifically for TCUN Dental facility within the surgery space at Taighe Cridhe Uille Naobh, to establish local provision of dental care. To embed dental provision within the care home at the Health and Well-being Hub in Daliburgh, ring fenced provision to IJB of £50,000 to be financed by allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (50k/350k), such funding only to be available for this purpose and otherwise reverting to the Comhairle.

“With regards to the dental chair, a very important, hugely important issue.

The communities in Uist on this issue, I believe, have been severely let down.

I'm sure every member here would like to show their support for the communities in UIst who have identified a reasonable need - that they should have the dental provision they deserve. Evem from Stornoway, I recognise that.

Surely we want to would getting bogged down in a bureaucratic argument about budget process, again I say to you, members, we have the opportunity to act positively today and we should seize that opportunity.”

Concessionary Fares

4) to meet the vital need to provide a long stated aim of the council to link all of the Western Isles for all those living and working in the Western Isles that the Comhairle reinstate the concessionary fares in the sound of Barra and sound of Harris crossings at a cost of £10,000 financed by allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (10k/350k).

Abbatoirs in Uist and Barra

5) to support abattoirs in Uist and Barra to assist the quality assured production of local supply into the food chain to facilitate producers in Uist and Barra having a croft to customer product, provision of £40,000 financed by the allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (40k/350k).

“In terms of abbattoirs, I'd like to address the proposalk to support the abbattoirs in Uist and Barra.

We all know that there will be challenges ahead. We need resilience in the crofting communities to enable them to provide the local produce we need, our communities need, safely and efficiently.

Given all the uncertainty surrounding Brexit our crofters will want us to show we understand the difficulties they could face, and take the necessary action to support them.

This is our chance to reassure our crofting communities in Uist and Barra that we are listening to them.”

 

“I don't want to get involved today in arguments of the process about the setting of the budget - I feel that demeans the debate.

What we all know is that the council is setting its budget for the next financial year. Every member must be allowed to have a say today, all those who put us here expects it.

To reduce this to a bureaucratic argument serves no purpose other than  avoid debate.

Yesterday, Monday, the council leader said there was virtue in this amendment, and I couldn't agree more - I agree wholeheartedly.

That's why I am moving this amendment and I urge you, members, to support this amendment.

Let's do the right thing, by our communities, they are waiting to hear from us, that's for sure.”

Voted for amendment

Cllr Gordon Murray (Stornoway North)

Cllr Calum Macmillan (South Uist, Barra, Vatersay and Eriskay)

Cllr Donald Manford (South Uist, Barra, Vatersay and Eriskay)

Cllr Grant Fulton (Harris and South Lochs)

Cllr John Mitchell (Harris and South Lochs)

Cllr Ranald Fraser (Uig, Bernera and North Lochs)

Cllr Charlie Nicolson (Stornoway South)

Cllr Rae Mackenzie (Stornoway South)

Cllr Calum Maclean (Locha Tuath)

Cllr John A Maciver (Loch a Tuath)

Cllr Kenny Macleod (Ness and West Side)

Cllr John Norman Macleod (Ness and West Side)

Voted against amendment

Cllr Norman Macdonald -m Convenor (Uig, Bernera and North Lochs)

Cllr Roddie Mackay - Leader (Stornoway North)

Cllr Alasdair Macleod (Point)

Cllr Norman Macdonald (Point)

Cllr Finlay Stewart (Point)

Cllr Keith Dodson (Stornoway Soutb)

Cllr Angus McCormack (Stornoway South)

Cllr Iain M Macaulay (Stornoway North)

Cllr Neil Mackay (Stornoway North)

Cllr Donald Crichton (Loch a Tuath)

Cllr Kenny John Macleod (Ness and West Side)

Cllr John Mackay (Ness and West Side)

Cllr Paul Finnegan (Harris and South Lochs)

Cllr Uisdean Robertson (North Usit and Benbecula)

Cllr Roddy Mackay (North Uist and Benbecula)

Cllr Iain M Macleod (North Uist and Benbecula)

Cllr Paul Steele (South Uist, Barra, Eriskay and Vatersay)

Cllr Iain Macneil (South Uist, Barra, Eriskay and Vatersay)

Cllr Angus Morrison (Uig, Bernera and North Lochs)

 

Attempts at dental chair for Daliburgh foiled

 The Scottish Government’s Oral Health Improvement Plan 2018 makes provision for ensuring that residents of care homes also continue to receive regular effective dental care. Domiciliary care arrangements should enable an accredited practitioner to be assigned to a care home to provide routine preventative oral health care to care home residents.

Sadly our attempts to provide an appropriate chair for Tigh Chridhe Uile Naomh was voted down on this occasion. However it did emerge that appropriate chairs may exist in storage in the Western Isles.
We will continue to investigate to secure Oral Health Improvement for where it is most needed.

Finalised SNP amendment ruled legally and financially competent

 The following amendment has been filed legally and financially competent - it is now up to councillors whether they will be supportive of it - we ask for their support to make a difference and vote for this amendment 

SNP GROUP AMENDMENT

1)   the SNP Scottish Government is providing special funding for the replacement Bernera Bridge, and it is therefore proposed that any of the £450,000 of funding, previously allocated by Comhairle for replacing the Bernera Bridge but no longer required due to the special funding, be reallocated on a ring- fenced basis to surface dressing of unadopted roads; with this being allocated on a 60:40 split (L&H:U&B).      

2) to meet the undisputed need for school children to participate in outdoor exercises and sports activities all year round and to provide a much needed community resource, the council provide an all weather pitch at Stornoway Primary at a cost of £350,000 to be financed by a) mainland placement underspend (100k/100k) and, should the mainland placement underspend not be realised, that the £100k (or part thereof) be funded from balances and b) Saving on Loan Charges (250k/350k)

3) to provide a dental chair in Taigh Cridhe Uille Naobh, to make a ring-fenced contribution to the IJB Budget specifically for TCUN Dental facility within the surgery space at TaigheCridhe Uille Naobh, to establish local provision of dental care. To embed dental provision within the care home at the Health and Well-being Hub in Daliburgh, ring fenced provision to IJB of £50,000 to be financed by allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (50k/350k), such funding only to be available for this purpose and otherwise reverting to the Comhairle.

4) to meet the vital need to provide a long stated aim of the council to link all of the Western Isles for all those living and working in the Western Isles that the Comhairle reinstate the concessionary fares in the sound of Barra and sound of Harris crossings at a cost of £10,000 financed by allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (10k/350k).

5) to support abattoirs in Uist and Barra to assist the quality assured production of local supply into the food chain to facilitate producers in Uist and Barra having a croft to customer product, provision of £40,000 financed by the allocation of Savings on Loan Charges (40k/350k).

 

 

SNP group propose amendment to Comhairle budget 2020-21

The SNP group proposes the following amendment to the budget 2021-22

1) increase roads maintenance allocation to counter the reduction in budgets of previous years, to maintain the road capping to shed moisture, to protect carriageway substrata, to allocate these additional monies on a 60:40 (Lewis and Harris/Uist and Barra) basis of a provision of £300,000 to be financed by £300,000 of money saved on loan charges in 2020-21.

 
2) to meet the undisputed need for school children to participate in outdoor exercises and sports activities all year round and to provide a much needed community resource, the council provide a MUGA at Stornoway Primary at a cost of £350,000 to be financed by prudential borrowing from the mainland travel budget underspend.

3)to provide a dental chair in Taigh Cridhe Uille Naobh by making a ring-fenced contribution to the IJB Budget specifically for TCUN Dental facility within the surgery space at Taighe Cridhe Uille Naobh, to establish local provision of dental care and to embed dental provision within the care home at the Health and Well-being Hub in Daliburgh, ring fenced provision to IJB of £50,000 to be financed by money saved on loan charges in 2020-21

 
4) to meet the vital need to provide a long stated aim of the council to link all of the Western Isles for all those living and working in the Western Isles that the Comhairle  reinstate the concessionary fares in the sound of Barra and sound of Harris crossings at a cost of £10,000 financed from savings made on the mainland travel budget of 2020-21

5) to support abattoirs in Uist and Barra to assist the quality assured production of local supply into the food chain to facilitate producers in Uist and Barra having a croft to customer product, provision of £40,000 financed from savings made on the mainland travel budget of 2020-21

6) to allow carers at Ardseileach more time to support the residents with special needs by freeing them of domestic cleaning duties that financial provision be provided by allocating £50,000 to employ additional staff to undertake cleaning duties at Ardseileach to be financed by savings from the building cleaning contracts of 2020-21

7) to allow the council to facilitate good communication with its employees particularly on health and safety matters at this difficult time the council not proceed with the cut of Union representation at £17,000 to be financed by underspends in the staff budget of 2020-21

Proposer : Cllr Gordon Murray

Seconder : Cllr Calum Macmillan

Council refuse fresh debate on controversial executive heads debate

 

Stornoway South SNP Councillor, Rae Mackenzie made another effort to overturn the decision of the Comhairle to impose executive head teachers on primary schools in the Western Isles.

In order to reconsider the matter and possibly change the decision, Cllr Mackenzie sought to overturn Standing orders so that it could be revisited.

However, this attempt was thwarted by the convenor who ruled against any debate on the matter.

After the meeting, Cllr Mackenzie stated: “ Obviously I am disappointed that the Council have agreed to proceed with Executive Heads for Primary Schools."

"The Council overwhelmingly voted to refuse Executive Heads for Secondary but illogically  accepted them for Primary.

Some councillors seemed to confuse Shared Heads with Executive Heads. I accept that it is understandable that where two or  more small schools with falling roles and within reasonable distance  can share a Head Teacher."

"The prospect of the ‘Broadbay’  area from Tiumpan to Tolsta including over 1000 pupils including Early Years, and incorporating the THIRD LARGEST Primary in Scotland, under one Executive Head is not at all desirable.

This is also a widely held view judging by representations made to me."

Scottish Government thwarts council bid to raise tax to the maximum level

 Comhairle nen Eilean Siar SNP Group have welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to freeze the council tax giving monies to councils to plug the funding gap.

Group leader, Cllr Gordon Murray stated: “ We really welcome this decision by the Scottish Government to give a reprieve to families who are struggling in these exceptionally tough and challenging circumstances.

“It was our intention to put forward a council tax freeze at the budget setting meetings at the end of this month and we are absolutely delighted that the government have ensured that this will happen. The leader of the council and his chairs group were planning to impose a maximum council tax rise and this filled us with anxiety at the impact a decision would make on household budgets that are already struggling due to rising prices, difficult economic uncertainty and the increasing concern of a pandemic.”

“ I have sent a message of thanks to Kate Forbes, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, on behalf of the Western Isles.”

Proposals for enhancing respite policy dismissed by council - how your councillor voted

 A bid by a number of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar councillors to enhance a proposed respite policy was dismissed at full council on Wednesday 3^rd February. Having had many representations from parents and carers, changes were sought to stop the capping of respite, encourage support plans to be drawn up in partnership with families and also to take into consideration travel when making financial assessments for respite.

Those supporting representations from the most vulnerable in our community were the SNP Group , Alliance Group and Cllrs Iain M Macaulay, Grant Fulton and Neil Mackay.

Cllr Gordon Murray (SNP), Stornoway North who proposed the changes, said: “Have us work together in partnership with those who are directly impacted by this policy.”

Cllr Rae Mackenzie (SNP), Stornoway South, who seconded the amendment, said : “We are talking about the most vulnerable in our community – we are representing things that have been put to us.”

Cllr Calum Macmillan (SNP), Barra, Vatersay, Eriskay and South Uist stated: “We must develop policy otherwise we like nodding donkeys in the paddock. We, as councillors, have to be in charge of policy making."

Councillors opposed to making changes were reluctant to give any more time to the policy using terms like “crack on” or if more time was allowed to include these representations from parents and carer groups , the council would  “not being adept at pushing through policies”

Cllr Charlie Nicolson (Alliance Group), Stornoway South, stated: “This is about the families, this is about getting it right.”

Cllr Calum Maclean (Alliance Group), Loch a Tuath, stated: This year is the Hebridean Year of Care 2021, I appeal to councillors on behalf of those who most of us meet from day to day. They are needy people and it’s just a little bit of time in this year of care.”

“Let us give these people an opportunity, they deserve it. We don’t deal, I don’t deal with what these parents and carers are dealing with every day of their life, 24/7 – if this (the amendment) enhances this in a little bit then surely we could give a little time."

Summing up in the debate, Cllr Murray stated: “This is feedback from the most vulnerable and I’m putting it to you in this way so we can out it into the policy, so we can move on together.”

Councillors who voted for changes to policy based on representations from parents and carers

Cllr Gordon Murray (SNP)

Cllr Rae Mackenzie (SNP)

Cllr Charlie Nicolson (Alliance)

Cllr Calum Maclean (Alliance)

Cllr John Norman Macleod (Alliance)

Cllr Calum Macmillan (SNP)

Cllr John Mitchell (SNP)

Cllr Kenny Macleod (SNP)

Cllr Grant Fulton (Independent)

Cllr Neil Mackay (Independent)

Cllr Iain M Macaulay (Independent)

Cllr Ranald Fraser (Alliance)

 

Councillors who voted for no changes

Cllr Norman Macdonald (Convenor)

Cllr Roddie Mackay (Leader)

Cllr Finlay Stewart

Cllr Donald Crichton

Cllr Paul Steele

Cllr Roddy Mackay

Cllr Iain M Macleod

Cllr Uisdean Robertson

Cllr Paul Finnegan

Cllr John Mackay 

Cllr Angus McCormack

Cllr Keith Dodson

Cllr Norman T Macdonald

Cllr Alasdair Macleod

Cllr Kenny John Macleod

Cllr Angus Morrison