Minutes: 07 March 2023

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 6 and 7 in private.

2. Community Planning Inquiry: Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Community Empowerment Act 2015:

The Committee took evidence from—

Shaw Anderson, Partnership & Development Manager and Bernadette Monaghan, Director of Community Empowerment and Equalities, Glasgow City Council;

Evonne Bauer, Executive Officer, Place and Community Planning, East Dunbartonshire Council;

Michelle Crombie, Corporate Strategy and Community Planning Manager, Aberdeen City Council;

Jennifer Lees, Business Partnership Manager, North Lanarkshire Council;

and then from—

Kevin Anderson, Service Lead for Policy, Performance and Community Planning, and Susan McCardie, Community Planning Lead Officer, South Ayrshire Council;

Lee Haxton, Community Planning Team Leader and Fiona Robertson, Head of Culture and Communities Services, Perth & Kinross Council;

Anna Whelan, Service Manager, Strategy and Partnership, Orkney Islands Council;

and then from—

Dr Oliver Escobar, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Edinburgh;

Mark McAteer, Member, Community Planning Improvement Board.

3. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee took evidence on the Non-Domestic Rates (Miscellaneous Anti-Avoidance Measures) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 from—

Tom Arthur, Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth, James Messis, Policy Team Leader and Stephen Rees, Solicitor, Legal Directorate, Scottish Government.

4. Subordinate legislation:

Tom Arthur, Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth moved—

S6M-07676— That the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee recommends that the Non- Domestic Rates (Miscellaneous Anti-Avoidance Measures) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 be approved.

The motion was agreed to.

5. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered the following negative instruments—

Council Tax (Discounts) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2023

Non-Domestic Rating (Valuation of Sites of Reverse Vending Machines) (Scotland) Regulations 2023

6. Community Planning Inquiry: Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Community Empowerment Act 2015 (in private):

The Committee agreed to postpone consideration of the evidence to a future meeting.

7. Subordinate legislation (in private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.