Department of Corporate and Community Services
Deputy Chief Executive: Caroline Innes BSc (Hons)
Council Headquarters, Eastwood Park, Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, G46 6UG
Phone: 0141 577 3000 Fax: 0141 577 3834
website: www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk
Date:19 June 2020
When calling please ask for: Eamonn Daly (0141-577-3023)
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

TO:
Provost Fletcher; Depute Provost Cunningham; and Councillors Aitken, Bamforth, Buchanan, Convery, Devlin, Gilbert, Grant, Ireland, Lafferty, Macdonald, McLean, Merrick, Miller, O’Kane, Swift and Wallace.

EAST RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL

A meeting of the East Renfrewshire Council will be held
on Wednesday 24 June 2020 at 2.00 pm.

The agenda of business is as listed below.

Please note this is a virtual meeting

Yours faithfully
Caroline Innes
C INNES
DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

PROGRAMME OF BUSINESS
1. Report apologies for absence.

2. Declarations of Interest.

3. Submit for approval as a correct record and signature the Minute of meeting of the Council held on 27 February 2020.

4. Submit for approval as a correct record and signature the Minute of meeting of the Council held on 23 March 2020.

5.Submit for approval as a correct record the Minutes of meetings for the period 28 February to 23 June 2020.

6. Statements by Conveners/Representatives on Joint Boards/Committees.

7. Audit & Scrutiny Committee: Appointment of Replacement Member – Report by Deputy Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 5 - 6).

8. Provost’s Engagements – Report by Deputy Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 7 - 8).

9. Estimated Revenue Budget Outturn 2020/21 – Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer)(copy attached, pages 9 - 40).

10.General Fund Capital Programme – Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer)(copy attached, pages 41 - 66).

11.Housing Capital Programme – Joint Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer) and Director of Environment (copy attached, pages 67 - 72).

12. East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure Trust: Confirmation of Financial Support – Report by Head of Accountancy (Chief Financial Officer)(copy attached, pages 73 - 78).

13. Strategic End Year Council Performance Report 2019/20 – Report by Deputy Chief Executive (copy attached 79 - 104).

14. Proposed Local Development Plan 2: Response to Representations – Report by Director of Environment (copy attached, pages 105 - 382).

15. COVID-19 Actions: Update – Report by Chief Executive (copy attached, pages383 - 392).

16. Family Leave for Elected Members – Report by Deputy Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 393 - 398).

17. Calendar of Meetings 2021 - Report by Deputy Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 399 - 404).

18.Amendment to Contract Standing Orders to Support COVID-19 Construction Recovery – Report by Chief Executive (copy attached, pages 405 - 408)

You can read Agendas/Minutes/Papers here -

www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2356&go=Go

Cllr David MacDonald would appear to be back via facebook and posted on his facebook page -

Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people
24 June at 06:53 ·

We are holding the first full council meeting on Microsoft Teams today.

This is something I called for back at the March meeting of the full council.

I am glad the council have adopted video conferencing going forward.

It's just a shame this could not have been implemented much sooner rather than disbanding democratic representation for 3 months. Better late than never I guess.

It is good to have democratic elected representation back working in East Renfrewshire once again.

I am advised that by August there will be a facility provided so the public will be able to review recorded meetings. Live Webcasting will be later in the year.

++++++
He has not posted any update regarding what transpired at the meeting.
++++++

Published The Extra On Line -

1/7/2020

News Politics Council

By Drew Sandelands
Wednesday, 1st July 2020, 8:42 am

East Renfrewshire Council calls for government funding to meet £8.5m shortfall

More Government funding is needed to plug a “sizeable” budget gap caused by the coronavirus pandemic, East Renfrewshire’s council leader has said.

Tony Buchanan said the local authority will continue to work with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) to lobby both the Scottish and UK governments for more money.

Almost £4.5m has already been allocated to the council by the Scottish Government but the cost of responding to the pandemic, and a drop in income due to lockdown restrictions, mean a shortfall of £8.55m has been forecast by the end of the financial year.

Speaking at a digital meeting of the full council, Mr Buchanan said: “Our position is similar to all councils and we’re working on a daily, almost hourly basis, to update any figures that we have.

“Reserves and savings measures alone would be insufficient to address the sizeable gap for the council.

“Therefore, we will continue via COSLA, as well as our own mechanisms, to lobby the Scottish and the UK Government for additional grant funding and borrowing powers.

“I would add those borrowing papers need to extend not just for councils but for the Scottish Government, in order to try and alleviate some of the pressures that we know both us, as local government, and the public sector in general are likely to face.

“Due to the level of uncertainty nationally, it is recommended that we set a single year budget for 2021/22, rather than adopt a three-year approach as originally planned.”

Councillors agreed to use part of an extra £1.875m in grant money from the Scottish Government, which was confirmed in late February after the government set its budget, to cover £1.28m of unallocated savings.

They also ruled all council departments should be instructed to stop all non-essential spending with immediate effect.

Council directors will work over the summer on proposals to deal with the anticipated shortfall.

Published Barrhead News On Line -

1/7/2020

News

4 hrs ago

By Drew Sandelands Local Democracy Reporter

East Renfrewshire Council pay tribute to remember coronavirus victims

A MOMENT of silence to remember the victims of coronavirus in East Renfrewshire was held during the first digital full council meeting.

Provost Jim Fletcher asked all councillors to pause in memory of those who have died.

He later thanked the 1500 volunteers who have spent time supporting the vulnerable during the pandemic.

"Like communities across the country and indeed across the world, East Renfrewshire has suffered severely from the impact of this terrible virus," Mr Fletcher said.

"Lives have been lost, people whose relatives have died have not been able to spend as much time with their loved ones as they would have in normal times, and even the act of mourning has been curtailed by the restrictions necessary to curb the spread of infection.

"Our sizeable elderly population has borne the heaviest toll, with deaths in care homes both public and private and our caring services stretched to new limits."

He added: "There will be few, if any, people in East Renfrewshire who will have not been directly affected by coronavirus whether it be their health, work or education and many of us taking part in today’s meeting will know someone who has suffered the ultimate loss of a loved one."

Mr Fletcher also said those who have been part of a "tremendous" community response to the crisis should be recognised.

"It has brought people closer together, whether it be out in your street clapping for the NHS or helping neighbours with their shopping," he said.

"It was genuinely heartening to hear that 1500 people in East Renfrewshire had volunteered to help their fellow residents and that - day in, day out - they have been delivering shopping, picking up prescriptions and working in the council’s own Humanitarian Food Hub.

"We know our community here in East Renfrewshire Council is diverse and we have seen people of all faiths and none come together to help residents across the area.

"This strength of spirit will serve us well as we and the rest of the country continue to recover and emerge from lockdown – and I also believe this emboldened community resolve will serve East Renfrewshire well for many years to come."