Councillor Moir (East Dunbartonshire Council), Councillor Colm Merrick (East Renfrewshire Council), Councillor Allan Stubbs (North Lanarkshire Council) and Councillor Jim Paterson (Renfrewshire Council). 

 

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

 

There were submitted the Minute of the meeting of this Joint Committee held on 12 June 2023 and the Minute of the special meeting of this Joint Committee held on 28 June 2023.

DECIDED: That the Minutes be approved.

Under reference to item 3 of the Minute of the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 12 June 2023, there was submitted a report by the Treasurer relative to the Annual Audit Report on the Annual Accounts 2022/23. 

The report intimated that The Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014 required the audited accounts to be approved for signature no later than 30 September each year. Section 10 of the Regulations required the Joint Committee to consider any report made by the appointed auditor before deciding whether to sign the audited accounts. 

Gary Devlin, Audit Partner, Azets, provided detail to members as to the reason that the Audited Annual Accounts 2022/23 had not been finalised and submitted to the Joint Committee for approval in terms of the agreed timescales and apologised to members for the inconvenience this had caused.

The Convener and members of the Joint Committee expressed their concerns as to the lateness that this issue had been brought to their attention and sought assurances that the Joint Committee wouldn’t be in this position in coming years.

The Convener proposed that a special meeting of the Joint Committee be held remotely on MS teams in the week commencing 25 September 2023 to consider the Audited Annual Accounts 2022/23 and that members be advised of the date and time of the special meeting when known. This was agreed.

DECIDED: That a special meeting of the Joint Committee be held remotely on MS teams in the week commencing 25 September 2023 to consider the Audited Annual Accounts 2022/23 and that members be advised of the date and time of the special meeting when known.

There was submitted a revenue budget monitoring report by the Treasurer for the period to 18 August 2023. 

The report intimated that by 31 March 2023, the forecast position for Clydeplan was a projected underspend of £73,000 and further detail was provided in section 4 of the report.

The report noted that there had been no budget adjustments since the start of the financial year.

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Development Officer relative to the resources required for delivery of the Green Network ‘Blueprint’, the production of a Regional Spatial Strategy and the provision of support to partners.

The report intimated that at the meeting of the Joint Committee on 13 September 2021, the use of £95,000 from Clydeplan Useable Revenue Reservices had been approved to fund a two-year fixed term Green Network Development Officer post to support delivery of the Green Network Blueprint. The officer had been appointed in April 2022 and the fixed-term contract would end in March 2024. 

The report provided detail on the progress to date and future work. The report proposed that in order to support ‘Blueprint’ delivery, the development of the Regional Spatial Strategy and support partners in meeting the requirements of NPF4, that circa £47,000 of the Useable Revenue Reserves held by Clydeplan be utilised to extend the Green Network Development Officer fixed-term post until 31 March 2025. It was noted that Clydeplan Reserves were currently estimated at £443,000.

The report advised that if the transition to the Glasgow City Region PMO happened within that timeframe, then only a proportion, or none, of that sum would be required.

DECIDED: That the Green Network Development Officer’s fixed-term contract, which currently ended on 31 March 2024, be extended for a maximum of one year, or until such times as Clydeplan and Green Network staff transition to Glasgow City Region PMO.

Kevin Rush, Director of Regional Economic Growth, Glasgow City Region, gave a presentation to members on the next steps towards a Regional Spatial Strategy.

DECIDED: That the presentation be noted.

DECIDED: 

(a) That it be noted that a special meeting of the Joint Committee would be held remotely on MS teams in the week commencing 25 September 2023 and that members be advised of the date and time of the special meeting when known; and

(b) That it be noted that the next scheduled meeting of the Joint Committee would be held at 11.15 am on 11 December 2023 and that members be advised if this meeting would be held remotely using MS teams or would be an ‘in person’ meeting.