Chamber and committees

Agreement has been reached on the key elements of the transfer however there are continuing discussions around some of the detail of that transfer.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 monies have part funded the Bank of Scotland Midnight League, which took place over the winter months in 2007-08 with the finals held across the country during May. Most of the activities that we have announced under CashBack for Communities will take place in 2008-09 onwards.

The full local government settlement for Dumfries and Galloway is £1,010.4 million. This breaks down over this and the next two years as follows:

2008-09	£321.5 million
2009-10	£336.5 million
2010-11	£352.4 million

 

Funding for all commitments within the concordat, including the commitment on kinship care allowances, is included within this total funding settlement, which was negotiated and agreed with COSLA.

Funding agreed in the local government finance settlement is allocated to councils through a needs-based distribution methodology, agreed with COSLA.

We have made great progress with our project which aims to bring affordable broadband to all eligible Scottish businesses and households who notified us of an access problem. We have received state aid approval for our open procurement, which has now entered its final stage of discussions with a preferred supplier. We thus expect to sign a contract by June. Specific solutions and the timetable for individual areas, such as Ewes, will be clarified post-contract award but delivery should be completed by the end of this year.

From 1999-2007, no payments were available to kinship carers where the child was referred to as looked after or subject to a residency order. As part of the concordat, a kinship carer of a looked-after child and approved by the local authority will be eligible for receipt of a kinship care allowance.

A looked after child is subject to:

A supervision requirement made by a children''s hearing under section 70 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, or

A child accommodated by the local authority under section 25 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, or

An order made or authorisation or warrant granted by virtue of chapter 2, 3 or 4 of the Part II of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, or

A placement made by a local authority which has taken parental responsibility under section 86 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (to be repealed shortly under the Adoption and Children Act 2007).

To avoid turbulence, the changes in funding levels flowing from the NRAC recommendations will be phased in over a number of years. Implementation will start in 2009-10.

To avoid turbulence, no board will receive less funding than it does at present and changes flowing from the NRAC recommendations will be phased in over a number of years. All boards will receive a standard increase in funds each year with those boards currently below NRAC formula target given additional funds to move them towards their NRAC target share of resources.

Details of the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of local economic regeneration including the associated funding resources, are still under discussion with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. I expect this process to be concluded very shortly and intend that the details should be announced thereafter.

These matters are under discussion with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

These matters are under discussion with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.