Minutes: 02 November 2021

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee decided to take items 4 and 5 in private.

2. The Local Governance Review:

The Committee took evidence from, community groups, COSLA and the Deputy First Minister.

Rona Mackay, Community Council Member, Benbecula Community Council;

Alison Macleod , Society Secretary, Midsteeple Quarter;

Debbie Herron, Development Manager, Forres Area Community Trust;

Pauline Smith, Chief Executive, Connect Community Trust;

Philip Revell, Community board member, Sustaining Dunbar;

and then from—

Councillor Alison Evison, President and Simon Cameron,Chief Officer, Employers Team, COSLA ;

and then from—

John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for COVID Recovery, Brian Logan,Local Governance Review Policy Manager and Robin Haynes ,Head of Council Tax Unit, Scottish Government.

The following interests were declared—

Meghan Gallacher as a councillor in North Lanarkshire Council;

3. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered the following negative instrument— Town and Country Planning (Local Place Plans) (Scotland) Regulations 2021. 

The Committee agreed to make no recommendations in relation to the instrument.

4. The Local Governance Review:

The Committee reviewed the evidence heard earlier in the meeting. The Committee agreed to write to witnesses on the first panel, the Deputy First Minister and to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy seeking further information. In addition, the Committee agreed to return to the issue of the Local Governance Review in the early part of next year. 

5. National Planning Framework 4 :

The Committee considered its approach to the inquiry. The Committee agreed —

• to write to the Scottish Parliamentary Bureau and other Parliamentary Committees on its proposed approach to scrutiny;
• its proposed focus for scrutiny;
• the proposed timetable for consideration on NPF;
• to invite the Scottish Government to provide an advance briefing on development of the NPF4;
• to consider a proposed evidence session, engagement and communications strategy  for the inquiry at a later meeting;
• to consider evidence heard on the NPF4 in private at meetings;
• to consider any draft reports or correspondence as required in private; and
• to delegate authority to the Convener to seek approval for the payment of any witness expenses.