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LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE (LGFRC)

MINUTES OF TWELFTH MEETING: 23 JUNE 2005, ST. ANDREWS HOUSE, EDINBURGH

Present:

Committee
Sir Peter Burt, Chairman
Professor John Baillie, Member
Peter Daniels OBE, Member
Janet Lowe CBE, Member

In Attendance:
Kenneth McKay CBE, Specialist Adviser to the Committee
David Milne, Secretary to the Committee
Stewart Barrie, Assistant Secretary to the Committee
Councillor Pat Watters, President, COSLA*
Rory Mair, Chief Executive, COSLA*

(* for Item 3)



1. Minutes of Previous Meeting
1.1 The draft minutes of the meeting on 9 June were agreed.

2. Matters Arising
2.1 The Committee considered further the structure and content of the Report introduction. It was agreed that a paper outlining the key themes and issues should be drafted.

3. Courtesy Meeting with COSLA
3.1 The Committee welcomed Councillor Pat Watters and Mr Rory Mair of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). There were informal discussions that covered a range of issues; including the balance of funding for local authorities, local accountability, the delivery of local services, and the suitability of existing local domestic and business taxes.
3.2 COSLA noted the Committee's plans to hold oral evidence sessions and offered to advise on how the Committee might most effectively obtain the views of local authorities.

4. Oral Evidence: Detailed Arrangements
4.1 The Committee discussed in further detail arrangements for oral evidence sessions due to take place later in the Summer. It was agreed that oral evidence sessions should be held on some or all of the following dates:

• July: 18th;
• August: 25th, 26th and 31st;
• September: 1st, 15th, 19th and 21st; and
• October: 20th, 27 and 28th.

4.2 The Secretariat would develop proposed programmes, which identified possible venues and lists of interests to invite to particular sessions. In the meantime, Scottish Water should be invited to give oral evidence to the Committee at its meeting on 18 July.

5. Consultation Feedback Paper to Respondents
5.1 The Committee considered and approved a feedback paper to be issued to respondents to the recent consultation on local taxation in Scotland. This paper will provide brief summary of views emerging from the consultation and details of the next steps planned by the Committee.
5.2 It was agreed that the Secretariat should arrange for a press release, marking the publication of the feedback paper, to be produced.
5.3 The publication of the feedback report will coincide with the placing of a set of responses in the Scottish Executive Library. These will be available for public viewing at the beginning of July.

6. Summer/Autumn Work Programme
6.1 The Committee considered its work programme into the Autumn.

7. Any other Business
7.1 The Committee noted that the Secretariat was continuing to liaise with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about arrangements for a discussion with the Committee. The Committee was very keen that this should take place at its meeting on 7 July if at all possible.

Summary of action points:

• Secretariat to liaise with COSLA over arrangements for involving local authorities in oral evidence sessions;
• Committee to invite Scottish Water to give oral evidence on 18 July;
• Secretariat to develop proposed programmes for the oral evidence sessions;
• Secretariat to finalise and publish Feedback Report;
• Secretariat to arrange for the production of a press release to coincide with the publication of the Feedback Report;
• Secretariat to arrange for copies of responses to the consultation to be made available for public inspection in the Scottish Executive Library; and
• Secretariat to liaise further with HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs, with a view to arranging a discussion develop proposed programmes at the Committee's next meeting on 7 July.

Local Government Finance Review Committee
Secretariat
July 2005