Councillors B Brown, Murrin, Perrie, M Devine, Grady, Lawson, Mylet, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, T Kelly, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, Williams, E Devine, Glen, Mack, McGurk, Henry, M Macmillan, McCartin, Caldwell, Hood, McGee, I McMillan, Bibby, Andy Doig, Gilmour, Clark, Audrey Doig, Provost Hall, Councillors Noon, M Brown, Holmes, J MacLaren, Harte, McQuade and Nicolson.

S Black, Chief Executive; M Crearie, Director of Development & Housing Services; P MacLeod, Director of Children's Services; S MacDougall, Director of Community Resources; A Russell, Director of Finance & Resources; D Leese, Chief Officer Designate (Renfrewshire Health & Social Care Partnership); K Graham, Head of Corporate Governance, M Conaghan, Legal & Democratic Services Manager, L Belshaw, Democratic Services Manager, and P Shiach, Committee Services Officer (all Finance & Resources).

Provost Hall intimated that there was an emergency motion by Councillors M Macmillan and Holmes, in relation to the earthquake in Nepal which had not been included in the notice calling the meeting. The Provost being of the opinion that the subject matter of the motion, which is dealt with at item 1 below, should be considered by the Council as a matter of urgency, authorised its consideration.

There was submitted a motion by Councillors M Macmillan and Holmes in the following terms:

“The Council wishes to express sympathy and support to the people of Nepal and to everyone affected by the catastrophic earthquake on 25 April 2015. The Council is asked to agree to make a donation of £10,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee to fund its members’ UK-based activities in recognition of the considerable strain which the effects of the natural disaster in Nepal has placed on the resources of a number of UK-based charities and that a supplementary estimate of £10,000 for this donation be approved.

Councillor M Macmillan, seconded by Councillor Holmes, then moved the motion, which was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the Council expresses sympathy and support to the people of Nepal and to everyone affected by the catastrophic earthquake on 25 April 2015, makes a donation of £10,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee to fund its members UK-based activities in recognition of the considerable strain which the effects of the natural disaster in Nepal has placed on the resources of a number of UK-based charities and that a supplementary estimate of £10,000 for this donation be approved.

Councillor Williams re-entered the meeting prior to the following item of business.

The meeting adjourned at 11.35 am and reconvened at 11.45 am.

Councillor Caldwell left the meeting prior to consideration of the following item.

Councillor McCartin left the meeting prior to consideration of the following item of business

Councillors Cameron McEwan and Mullin.

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

There were submitted the Minutes of meetings of the following Council, Boards and Panels on the dates specified.

Council 26 February, 2015
Special Council 26 February, 2015
Special Council 26 February, 2015
Social Work, Health & Well-being Policy Board 3 March, 2015
Regulatory Functions Board 4 March, 2015
Education Policy Board 5 March, 2015
Sport, Leisure & Culture Policy Board 5 March, 2015
Housing & Community Safety Policy Board 10 March, 2015
Planning & Property Policy Board 10 March, 2015
Environment Policy Board 11 March, 2015
Finance & Resources Policy Board 11 March, 2015
Personnel Appeals & Applied Conditions of Service Appeals Panel 12 March, 2015
Economy & Jobs Policy Board 18 March, 2015
Audit, Scrutiny & Petitions Board 30 March, 2015
Leadership Board 1 April, 2015
Regulatory Functions Board 2 April, 2015
Regulatory Functions Board 23 April, 2015

DECIDED: That the Minutes be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Head of Corporate Governance relative to a complaint made to the Commission for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland alleging that Councillor Andy Doig had potentially breached the Councillors’ Code of Conduct (the code) by making remarks which were disrespectful to the Chair of the Planning & Property Board, suggesting that he had made up his mind on a planning application in advance of due process having been completed, in contravention of the code.

The report advised that the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland, (the Commissioner) had conducted an investigation into the complaint and concluded that Councillor Andy Doig had contravened the code. The Commissioner had subsequently submitted a report to the Standards Commission for Scotland (the Commission) on the outcome of his investigation.

The report indicated that the Commission, following receipt of the Commissioner’s report had decided to hold a hearing in relation to the complaint. This had taken place on 11 March, 2015 and the Hearing Panel had now submitted its written decision, which set out the reasons for the decision that a breach of the code had been proven and the factors taken into account in deciding on the sanction imposed. A copy of the decision was appended to the report.

The report intimated that in terms of the Ethical Standards in Public Life (Scotland) Act 2000 a council receiving a copy of findings from the Standards Commission requires to consider those findings within 3 months of receiving them (or within such longer period as the Commission may specify).

DECIDED: That the Council, having considered the findings in accordance with the terms of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Act 2000, noted the findings of the Standards Commission on the complaint.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources advising that the Local Government Boundary Commission was currently undertaking its Fifth Review of Electoral Arrangements in Scotland.

The report advised that in 2014, the Commission completed that part of its Review dealing with the number of councillors for each council area. The Commission had now issued its proposals for consultation in relation to the ward boundaries within Renfrewshire Council local authority area and these were set out in the report.

The main points noted were that the number of wards was increased from 11 to 13; none of the wards remained unaltered; there would be nine wards each electing three members and four wards each electing four members; Johnstone had its own single ward and Paisley was given two additional wards which, if Gallowhill was included, would be divided into seven wards, all of which would be three-member wards.

The report provided information on the detailed proposals put forward by the Commission, and the opportunity to consider the Council’s response to the consultation. However, the report indicated that the consultation document did not provide a great deal of information and was insufficient to enable the Council to determine all that had been taken into account by the Commission when creating the proposals for the new wards.

Councillor Macmillan, seconded by Councillor Sharkey moved that the report be approved subject to the following additional recommendation:

“Under the terms of Section 19 (1) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the Council calls on the Boundary Commission to hold a local inquiry into the impact on Renfrewshire of the Review of Electoral Arrangements. This was agreed.

DECIDED:

(i) That it be agreed that a response to the consultation be sent to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland making the points set out in Section 4 of the report;

(ii) That it be noted that a 12 week public consultation would take place later in 2015; and

(iii) That it be agreed that under the terms of Section 19 (1) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the Council call on the Boundary Commission to hold a local inquiry into the impact on Renfrewshire of the Review of Electoral Arrangements.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to remuneration arrangements for elected members.

The report advised that remuneration of elected members was in accordance with prevailing Scottish Government regulations, and that the current arrangements were approved by the Council on 17 May, 2012.

The report intimated that amendments to the regulations were laid before the Scottish Parliament on 16 January, 2015 and came into force on 1 April, 2015. As a result of the amended regulation, an increase of 1% in councillors’ remuneration had been implemented from 1 April, 2015.

DECIDED:

(i) That the 1% increase in remuneration levels mandated by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (Remuneration and Severance Payments) Amendment Regulations for the Leader of the Council and elected members other than the Leader, the Provost and Senior Councillors be noted; and



(ii) That the decision to apply a 1% increase from 1 April, 2015 for the Provost and Senior Councillors i.e. Policy Board Conveners, Regulatory Board Conveners and the Leader of the Opposition, be homologated.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the Council’s agreement to the Community Asset Transfer of surplus land adjacent to Clippens School to Linwood Community Development Trust.

The report indicated that Linwood Community Development Trust (LCDT) was a company limited by guarantee with charitable status established in 2011. Its goal was to preserve the recreational, cultural, social-networking, educational and personal welfare resources of Linwood. The Trust had raised £300,000 for a number of projects in Linwood, had undertaken a community consultation with over 2,200 residents, and had developed a Community Action Plan to improve Linwood based on the consultation findings.

The report advised that LCTD had identified the surplus site at Clippens School as an opportunity to develop a 3G synthetic sports pitch to serve the local community and had applied for the transfer of the fields to the Trust in terms of the Council’s Community Asset Transfer Policy. A plan of the site was appended to the report.

DECIDED:

(i) That the transfer of the surplus site as indicated on the plan attached to the report to Linwood Community Development Trust, subject to the terms and conditions detailed within the report be approved;

(ii) That the Head of Corporate Governance be authorised to conclude, on the satisfaction of the terms and conditions, the transfer of the site to Linwood Community Development Trust in terms of the Council’s Community Asset Transfer Policy;

(iii) That it be noted that should the Linwood Community Development Trust be unable to secure the necessary funding for this project or necessary statutory consents, then the ground would remain with the Council on its surplus list; and

(iv) That it be agreed that, if the Trust was successful in securing stage 1 funding from the Big Lottery to support a full stage 2 funding submission that the Council committed to make available match funding of £50,000 to the Trust to assist in meeting the cost of developing the project proposals and stage 2 submission.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to a consultation by the Scottish Government on changes to the public procurement rules in Scotland.



The report indicated that the changes arose from three new EU Directives concerned with Public Procurement, Concessions and Utilities contracts which required to be implemented into Scottish Regulations by 18 April, 2016. The consultation also considered elements of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014. It was noted that some of the changes were mandatory but there were some elements where the Scottish Government had a choice whether to, or how best to, implement further change and these were the main focus of the consultation. A copy of the proposed response was appended to the report

DECIDED: That the response to the consultation as appended to the report, be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to proposed changes to the timetable of meetings to take account of the Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014.

In addition, there had been a request to reschedule certain meetings of the Procurement Sub-Committee.

DECIDED:

(i) That it be agreed that the meeting of the Council scheduled to be held at 9.30 am on Thursday 8 October, 2015 be rescheduled to 9.30 am on Thursday 24 September, 2015 and that the meeting of the Regulatory Functions Board scheduled to be held on that day be rescheduled to 10.00 am on Thursday 17 September, 2015; and

(ii) That it be agreed that the meetings of the Procurement Sub-Committee which were currently scheduled for 3.00 pm following the Finance & Resources Policy Board be rescheduled to 2.30 pm or at the conclusion of the Policy Board, whichever was the later.

There was submitted a notice of motion by Councillors Lawson and Andy Doig in the following terms:-

“Renfrewshire Council notes the publication in March 2015 of a joint report by six Churches and religious bodies examining the impact of benefits sanctions on the lives of those sanctioned.

The report found that in the UK approximately 100,000 children were affected by sanctions in a single year, and every day over 100 sanctions are imposed on people who have been medically assessed as unfit to work as a result of mental health problems.

Council records its deep concern that these figures are likely to increase significantly with the extension of Universal Credit and that Renfrewshire has one of the highest levels of benefit sanctions across the UK.

Council supports the key recommendations of the report, namely


• an immediate suspension of sanctions where these affect households with children

• an immediate suspension of sanctions against anyone with a mental illness

• the immediate removal of the two week waiting period before “non vulnerable” people can be considered for hardship benefit”.

Councillor Lawson, seconded by Councillor Andy Doig, then moved the motion.

Councillor Holmes, seconded by Councillor Grady, moved as a first amendment that the Council notes the refusal of the Scottish Government to fully fund the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) that supports those in greatest need in Renfrewshire. Council notes that this helps families in crisis including those affected by benefit sanctions and that the council has allocated additional monies in each of the years the SWF has been in operation to support those with the greatest levels of need. Council calls on the Scottish Government to reimburse the Council for this additional expenditure and allocate sufficient in future years to meet the claims of all those categorised as having a medium level of need or greater.

Councillor McCartin, seconded by Councillor Mack, moved as a second amendment that paragraph 3 of the motion be amended to read

“Council records its deep concern that Renfrewshire has one of the highest levels of benefit sanctions across the UK.

Council therefore welcomes the eventual extension of Universal Credit which will help support people and will STOP the sanctions from the DWP”.

On the roll being called between the motion and the first amendment the following members voted for the first amendment: Councillors B Brown, Murrin, M Devine, Grady, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, Kelly, Williams, E Devine, Glen, Henry, M Macmillan, Caldwell, Hood, I McMillan, Bibby, Gilmour, Clark, Provost Hall, Councillors Holmes and Harte.

The following members voted for the motion: Perrie, Lawson, Mylet, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, McGurk, McGee, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Noon, M Brown, J MacLaren, McQuade and Nicolson.

The following members abstained: Councillors Mack and McCartin.

21 members having voted for the first amendment, 14 members having voted for the motion and 2 members having abstained, a vote was then taken between the first amendment and the second amendment.


SEDERUNT

Councillor Williams left the meeting prior to the roll being called.


On the roll being called, the following members voted for the second amendment: Councillors Mack, McCartin and J MacLaren.



The following members voted for the first amendment: Councillors B Brown, Murrin, M Devine, Grady, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, Kelly, E Devine, Glen, Henry, M Macmillan, Caldwell, Hood, I McMillan, Bibby, Gilmour, Clark, Provost Hall, Councillors Holmes and Harte.

The following members abstained: Councillors Perrie, Lawson, Mylet, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, McGurk, McGee, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Noon, M Brown, McQuade and Nicolson.

3 members having voted for the second amendment, 20 members having voted for the first amendment and 13 members having abstained, the first amendment was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: That the Council notes the refusal of the Scottish Government to fully fund the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) that supports those in greatest need in Renfrewshire. Council notes that this helps families in crisis including those affected by benefits sanctions and that the council has allocated additional monies in each of the years the SWF has been in operation to support those with the greatest levels of need. Council calls on the Scottish Government to reimburse the council for this additional expenditure and allocate sufficient in future years to meet the claims of all those categorised as having a medium level of need or greater.

There was submitted a notice of motion by Councillors Perrie and M MacLaren in the following terms:-

“VAT Payments

Council calls on the Westminster Government to exempt Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service from the payment of VAT"

Councillor Perrie, seconded by Councillor M MacLaren, then moved the motion.

Councillor Holmes, seconded by Councillor Grady moved as an amendment, that Council regrets that the centralisation of the police and fire services has resulted in Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service now being unable to reclaim VAT under Section 33 of the VAT Act. Council notes that the Scottish Government were made aware of the additional costs of £22million to Police Scotland and £4million to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service if the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 were to be passed yet continued the process. Council believes in devolution of powers to and through the Scottish Parliament and considers the centralisation of the Police and Fire and Rescue Services to be retrograde steps.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors B Brown, Murrin, M Devine, Grady, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, Kelly, Williams, E Devine, Glen, Henry, M Macmillan, McCartin, Caldwell, Hood, I McMillan, Bibby, Gilmour, Clark, Provost Hall, Councillors Holmes, J MacLaren, and Harte.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Perrie, Lawson, Mylet, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, Mack, McGurk, McGee, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Noon, M Brown, McQuade and Nicolson.

23 members having voted for the amendment and 14 members having voted for the motion, the amendment was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: That Council regrets that the centralisation of the police and fire services has resulted in Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service now being unable to reclaim VAT under Section 33 of the VAT Act. Council notes that the Scottish Government were made aware of the additional costs of £22million to Police Scotland and £4million to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service if the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 were to be passed yet continued the process. Council believes in devolution of powers to and through the Scottish Parliament and considers the centralisation of the Police and Fire and Rescue Services to be retrograde steps.

There was submitted a notice of motion by Councillors K MacLaren and Mylet in the following terms:-

“Resignation from the Health Board

Renfrewshire Council calls on the council’s representative on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, Councillor Mark Macmillan, to resign his post immediately.

Councillor Macmillan has recently taken part in a publicity stunt alleging an apparent “RAH A&E Crisis”. As the council’s representative on the health board Councillor Macmillan should have addressed any concerns over the RAH A&E department at the health board but failed to do so and has therefore failed in his duty to represent the council effectively on the health board.

Councillor K MacLaren, seconded by Councillor Mylet, then moved the motion.

Councillor I McMillan, seconded by Councillor Bibby, moved as an amendment that Council would like to thank the staff of the UK’s National Health Service for the work they do in promoting good health and in supporting those in need of care. The creation of the NHS is to be celebrated as the greatest achievement of the post-war Labour Government. Council notes that health is a devolved matter and, as such, is the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament. Council notes that the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport is a member of the Scottish Government and the SNP.

Council calls on her to consider her position given that under 8 years of SNP control, waiting times and standards have continued to worsen, cancer waiting times targets have been missed, accident and emergency waiting times have not been met for more that 2,000 days and over a quarter of our nurses tell us they do not have sufficient resources to do their jobs properly.

Council welcomes the commitment of the Labour Party to use unallocated health consequential and UK-wide Mansion Tax to pay for an additional 1,000 nurses in Scotland.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors B Brown, Murrin, M Devine, Grady, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, Kelly, Williams, E Devine, Glen, Henry, M Macmillan, Caldwell, Hood, I McMillan, Bibby, Gilmour, Clark, Provost Hall, Councillors Holmes and Harte.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Perrie, Lawson, Mylet, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, Mack, McGurk, McCartin, McGee, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Noon, M Brown, J MacLaren, McQuade and Nicolson.

21 members having voted for the amendment and 16 members having voted for the motion the amendment was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: Council would like to thank the staff of the UK’s National Health Service for the work they do in promoting good health and in supporting those in need of care. The creation of the NHS is to be celebrated as the greatest achievement of the post-war Labour Government. Council notes that health is a devolved matter and, as such, is the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament. Council notes that the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport is a member of the Scottish Government and the SNP.

Council calls on her to consider her position given that under 8 years of SNP control, waiting times and standards have continued to worsen, cancer waiting times targets have been missed, accident and emergency waiting times have not been met for more that 2,000 days and over a quarter of our nurses tell us they do not have sufficient resources to do their jobs properly.

Council welcomes the commitment of the Labour Party to use unallocated health consequential and UK-wide Mansion Tax to pay for an additional 1,000 nurses in Scotland.

There was submitted a notice of motion by Councillors Andy Doig and Cameron in the following terms:-

“This Council believes that the election of another Tory led Westminster Government would be detrimental to the well being of Renfrewshire’s children, and looks forward to SNP MP’s representing Renfrewshire who will promote positive action to improve the position of Renfrewshire’s children by

• Pushing for child tax credits and child benefit to be uprated instead of frozen as the Conservatives plan.

• Promoting action that supports in-work families by calling for an increase in the minimum wage to £8.70 by the end of the next parliament.

• Supporting an increase in the work allowance – helping those in work benefit from their earnings.

• Delivering an end to austerity and oppose the renewal of nuclear weapons to help fund a further expansion of childcare.



• The SNP Government has already extended free childcare provision to 600 hours and has pledged that if re-elected at the next Holyrood election, childcare provision will be extended further still to 1,140 hours per year”.

In terms of Standing Order 20, Councillor Andy Doig, seconded by Councillor Lawson, then moved the motion.

Councillor Holmes, seconded by Councillor Grady, moved as a first amendment that Council notes that Full Fiscal Autonomy as favoured by the SNP would mean a £7.6billion deficit in Scotland’s finances. If Scotland were to be fully fiscally autonomous today this would result in a minimum cut of 11.4% available for child tax and child benefit, resources available to support in-work families including resources available to uprate the minimum wage and the work allowance and in the funding available to provide childcare provision. Council notes it would also require further additional cuts of £30million from the services we provide including education, social work, roads and other important matters.

Councillor McCartin, seconded by Councillor J MacLaren, moved as a second amendment that Council recognises the hypocrisy of the SNP in saying they will support childcare provision in a Westminster context, when their record in Holyrood has been of appalling neglect of support for children and young people. The SNP in Holyrood took over two years, after they had received millions of pounds in funding from the Westminster Government to start to provide extra pre-school hours; and to provide free school meals for all P1-3 year olds. There is as yet no action on the “Pupil Premium” which supports every individual child from a deprived background, and which has been so successfully rolled out in England, but instead we are now getting an “attainment fund” where not one penny is coming to Renfrewshire, even although it has some of the most deprived areas in Scotland.

Council further recognises the damage done by the SNP in slashing places at local colleges for those students, many from very underprivileged backgrounds, which has prevented many such young people from progressing a career in further education.

SEDERUNT

Councillor Mylet left the meeting prior to the roll being called.

On the roll being called, between the motion and the first amendment, the following members voted for the first amendment: Councillors B Brown, Murrin, M Devine, Grady, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, Kelly Williams, E Devine, Glen, Henry, M Macmillan, Caldwell, Hood, I McMillan, Bibby, Gilmour, Clark, Provost Hall, Councillors Holmes, J MacLaren and Harte.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Perrie, Lawson, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, McGurk, McGee, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Noon, M Brown, McQuade and Nicolson.

The following members abstained: Councillors Mack and McCartin.

22 members having voted for the first amendment, 12 members having voted for the motion and 2 members having abstained, a vote was then taken between the first amendment and the second amendment.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the second amendment: Councillors Mack, McCartin and J MacLaren.

The following members voted for the first amendment: Councillors B Brown, Murrin, M Devine, Grady, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, Kelly, Williams, E Devine, Glen, Henry, M Macmillan, Caldwell, Hood, I McMillan, Bibby, Gilmour, Clark, Provost Hall, Councillors Holmes and Harte.

The following members voted for the second amendment: Councillors Mack, McCartin and J MacLaren.

The following members abstained: Councillors Perrie, Lawson, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, McGurk, McGee, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Noon, M Brown, McQuade and Nicolson.

21 members having voted for the first amendment, 3 members having voted for the second amendment and 12 members having abstained, the first amendment was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: Council notes that Full Fiscal Autonomy as favoured by the SNP would mean a £7.6billion deficit in Scotland’s finances. If Scotland were to be fully fiscally autonomous today this would result in a minimum cut of 11.4% available for child tax and child benefit, resources available to support in-work families including resources available to uprate the minimum wage and the work allowance and in the funding available to provide childcare provision. Council notes it would also require further additional cuts of £30million from the services we provide including education, social work, roads and other important matters.

There was submitted a notice of motion by Councillors M Brown and McEwan in the following terms:-

“This Council recognises that the SNP Government has already taken strong action in government to protect the interests of Renfrewshire’s pensioners – including investing in free personal care and the concessionary travel scheme, and looks forward to SNP MP’s representing Renfrewshire who will campaign for

• The retention of the Triple Lock to ensure that the state pension increases every year either by inflation, in line with wages or by 2.5 per cent – whichever is the higher.

• A Single Tier Pension rate of at least £160 to lift pensioners out of means tested benefits.

• A guarantee that there should be no further increase in the state pension age in Scotland while life expectancy still lags behind the rest of the UK and Europe.

• Opposition to any attempts to end the Winter Fuel Allowance which so many pensioners rely on”.

In terms of Standing Order 20, Councillor M Brown, seconded by Councillor Lawson, then moved the motion.

Councillor Holmes, seconded by Councillor Grady, moved as an amendment that Council notes that free personal care and concessionary travel were introduced over 10 years ago by the previous Labour-led Scottish Executive. Council notes that Full Fiscal Autonomy as favoured by the SNP would mean a £7.6billion deficit in Scotland’s finances. If Scotland were to be fully fiscally autonomous today this would result in a minimum cut of 11.4% available to protect state pensions, protect the state pension age, protect the Winter Fuel Allowance and create a single tier pension rate that lifted our pensioners out of means tested benefits. Council believes the proposal for Full Fiscal Autonomy is “stupidity on stilts”.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors B Brown, Murrin, M Devine, Grady, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, Kelly, Williams, E Devine, Glen, Henry, M Macmillan, McCartin, Hood, I McMillan, Bibby, Gilmour, Clark, Provost Hall, Councillors Holmes, J MacLaren and Harte.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Perrie, Lawson, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, Mack, McGurk, McGee, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Noon, M Brown, McQuade and Nicolson.

22 members having voted for the amendment; 13 members having voted for the motion, the amendment was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: Council notes that free personal care and concessionary travel were introduced over 10 years ago by the previous Labour-led Scottish Executive. Council notes that Full Fiscal Autonomy as favoured by the SNP would mean a £7.6billion deficit in Scotland’s finances. If Scotland were to be fully fiscally autonomous today this would result in a minimum cut of 11.4% available to protect state pensions, protect the state pension age, protect the Winter Fuel Allowance and create a single tier pension rate that lifted our pensioners out of means tested benefits. Council believes the proposal for Full Fiscal Autonomy is “stupidity on stilts”.

There was submitted a notice of motion by Councillors K MacLaren and Lawson in the following terms:-

“Weapons of Mass Destruction



Renfrewshire Council believes that weapons of mass destruction have no place in a modern civilised society and no place on the shores of the Clyde, less than an hour’s drive from this chamber.

Renfrewshire Council calls upon any party in government after 7th May to immediately cease plans to renew Trident and to decommission the UK’s nuclear weapons at the earliest opportunity”.

Councillor K MacLaren, seconded by Councillor Lawson then moved the motion.

Councillor J Sharkey, seconded by Councillor Gilmour, moved as an amendment that Council condemns the hypocrisy of the SNP in their use of the Nuclear Weapon for their own party purposes.

Council believes that every level of government should be building support for global multilateral nuclear disarmament as the existence of a nuclear terror threatens this whole planet.

On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors B Brown, Murrin, M Devine, Grady, J Sharkey, M Sharkey, Kelly, Williams, E Devine, Glen, Henry, M Macmillan, Hood, I McMillan, Bibby, Gilmour, Clark, Provost Hall, Holmes, J MacLaren and Harte.

The following members voted for the motion: Councillors Perrie, Lawson, K MacLaren, M MacLaren, Mack, McGurk, McGee, Andy Doig, Audrey Doig, Noon, M Brown, McQuade and Nicolson.

21 members having voted for the amendment and 13 members having voted for the motion, the amendment was accordingly declared carried.

DECIDED: Council condemns the hypocrisy of the SNP in their use of the Nuclear Weapon for their own party purposes.

Council believes that every level of government should be building support for global multilateral nuclear disarmament as the existence of a nuclear terror threatens this whole planet.

The Council resolved that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public were present, there could be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 12 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.