Glasgow City Council Agenda - 13 May 2021, 11:00 Help

A meeting to be held at by video conference at 11:00 on 13 May 2021.

Number Item
1Minutes of Council meeting of 1st April 2021 (Print 1, pages 1 to 17). View Papers
2Print 6 - Committees' minutes - Consideration of paragraphs marked "C", remaining paragraphs being submitted for information and approval as a correct record only (page 18 onwards). View Papers
3Election of Depute Lord Provost. View Papers
4Changes to committees etc. View Papers
5Representation on outside bodies. View Papers
6Correspondence.
7Questions. View Papers
8Notice of motions:-
(a)By Councillor Feargal Dalton:-

"Glasgow City Council is a member of the UK & Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities and the Hiroshima-led Mayors for Peace; both of which have been working for 4 decades to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament.

NFLA and Mayors for Peace work with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work in encouraging over two thirds of United Nations members to agree to the International Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Council regrets that the Governments of the existing nuclear weapon states, including the UK, refuse to support the Treaty. Council fully supports the TPNW as one of the most effective ways to bring about long-term and verifiable multilateral nuclear disarmament and is pleased it has entered into force on 22nd January 2021.

The Council also calls on the United Kingdom Government to lead a global effort to prevent nuclear conflict by:

o renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first;
o cancelling the plan to replace its entire Trident nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons;
o actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals by supporting the Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons and the 'Good Faith' Protocols within the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the UK Government to inform them of this resolution and urge them to take account of it; and to ICAN to endorse their Cities Appeal supporting the TPNW."  View Papers
(b)By Councillor Archie Graham:-

"Council notes its decision on 10th December 2020 that all 171 Glasgow Life venues should re-open as soon as it is safe to do so, subject to sufficient funding from the Scottish Government; notes that Glasgow Life has indicated that only 90 venues are currently scheduled to re-open; that these facilities are managed by Glasgow Life on behalf of the Council; and further notes the significant community campaigns that have emerged across the City to protect valued Glasgow Life services and venues.

Council believes that continued uncertainty is contrary to Council policy as agreed on 10th December 2020; that the services provided by Glasgow Life venues are crucial for, in particular, the least well-off and most deprived communities in the City; that the venues themselves are important in supporting local high streets; that the development of any 'Community Hubs' must be based on genuine engagement with local communities, and with prepared plans for the future use of buildings and facilities, and that this has not happened in cases where decisions have been made to relocate services and close buildings.

Further, Council believes that all sports, arts and cultural venues are crucial to the City's recovery from the pandemic, in respect of: physical and mental health and wellbeing; vibrant local high streets; and providing crucial advice and support.

Therefore, Council resolves that all 171 venues should re-open as soon as funding and Scottish Government guidance allow; that any plans to close buildings and venues should be immediately halted; and resolves to write to the Scottish Government demanding further funding to protect these valued and necessary community facilities." View Papers
(c)By Councillor Thomas Kerr:-

"Council thanks all of the businesses who have worked hard over the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to provide key and essential services to our city and in particular recognises the important role which small business took on.

Many small businesses went above and beyond what was expected of them during the pandemic to ensure that the most vulnerable in their communities were supported by delivering and stocking a wider range of essential goods.

Council believes that as we begin to exit from the COVID-19 pandemic that we must all support our local high streets and businesses whenever we can. Council praises initiatives such as Small Business Saturday which aims to encourage people to make use of the retailers and services in their local area.

Council notes the ongoing relationships which it has with organisations such as the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Scotland and resolves to continue to work in partnership with businesses, industry associations and other relevant parties to support and strengthen Glasgow's businesses and economy more widely.

Council welcomes the recent publication of the 'State of Small Business Survey Report, April 2021' by the FSB. Council acknowledges the importance of small businesses to Glasgow's economy and notes feedback from the sector to include:

- only 1 in 5 believe the Scottish Government values the achievements of people running their own business;
- only 22% are optimistic about the future of small businesses in Scotland;
- 57% believe the current situation with Covid has made self-employment less attractive; and
- only one third feel they know enough about Scottish Government policy on the environment to know how it will impact their business.

More positively, respondents also reported:

- 60% believe self-employment is an attractive way to make a living;
- 74% think they will employ the same or higher number of staff 12 months from now; and
- The environment is important to a majority (57%) of small businesses.

Council notes the continuing impact of Coronavirus restrictions on businesses in Glasgow and that even on the current roadmap, a number of restrictions will remain in place for some time. Council expresses concern at reports that the night time economy in Scotland, a key driver of our city's cultural appeal, is on the verge of collapse - with the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) claiming that 24,000 jobs are at risk in a matter of weeks and that the majority of night time businesses could face permanent closure. Council notes that nightclubs and similar businesses are likely to remain closed or under significant restrictions for longer periods and therefore believes that these businesses must be able to access regular support payments until they are able to open up to a significant level.

Council also expresses concern in regard to the inequity of support for taxi and private hire drivers across Scotland. Council is dismayed at the slow rate of progress in addressing the inequity faced by Glasgow taxi drivers compared to their peers in other local authorities across Scotland. Council clearly states its support for the taxi and private hire trade in Glasgow and endeavours to ensure it is treated fairly and with due consideration of the significant financial impact that drivers have faced over the course of the pandemic.

Council understands that the Glasgow Economic Recovery Group (GERG) - established in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 - is due to formally wind down later this Spring, with actions being passed to the city's existing economic growth structures, including the Glasgow Economic Leadership Group and the Glasgow Partnership for Economic Growth.

Council therefore resolves the following:

(1) we urge all Glaswegians to support local businesses whenever possible and that the Council should utilise local businesses and services whenever possible in line with procurement processes and law;

(2) we will do all that we can to support Glasgow's Night Time Economy and instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture to make clear this Council's concern - as noted above - at the current situation faced by Night Time Industries and requests that the Scottish Government ensures that these businesses receive regular support payments until they are able to re-open in a significant manner;

(3) the inequity of support for taxi and private hire drivers between Glasgow and other local authorities must be addressed. Therefore, a report is to be brought to City Administration Committee at the earliest opportunity setting out how Glasgow will address this inequity and support the taxi and private hire industry in our city; and

(4) on the winding up of the GERG, a report is to be brought to City Administration outlining the work undertaken by this group and the actions which it has passed to existing economic growth structures." View Papers
(d)By Councillor Martha Wardrop:-

"Council notes that legal history has been made as for the first time air pollution was recorded as a cause in an individual death in the UK. Assistant Coroner Philip Barlow's investigation found air pollution from traffic emissions was a significant contributory factor in the death of 9-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah in February 2013. Council expresses its sympathy to Ella's family, and commends her mother, Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, on her long campaign to expose the environmental causes of Ella's death.

Council welcomes the recommendations of Mr. Barlow's Report to Prevent Deaths which states unambiguously that "delay in reducing the levels of atmospheric air pollution is the cause of avoidable deaths." As with the climate emergency, highly polluted communities are often those that are more socially and economically disadvantaged which means the health impacts fall on those least responsible for the crisis. Council notes a WHO report of 2017 found that PM2.5 particulate levels in Glasgow were higher than all other cities in the UK. Health Protection Scotland in 2018 found over 200 deaths, one in every 29 deaths, per year in Glasgow could be attributed to long-term exposure to PM2.5 air pollution.

Council agrees to bring forward proposals to increase awareness of information on local and national air pollution levels through the free app from Air Quality in Scotland, as well as investment in a wider network of air quality sensors to give the detailed information required by the public in Glasgow.

In the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Council supports measures to accelerate the reduction of air pollution across Glasgow. Council recognises the need for an urgent and comprehensive modal shift to cleaner, greener public transport, with a generational shift in active travel; therefore Council endorses the bike library scheme aiming to deliver bike access for every child in Glasgow, recognising the advantages of a universalist approach to avoid stigma and ensure the long term sustainability of the service." View Papers
(e)By Bailie Kyle Thornton:-

"The Sir John Stirling Maxwell school in Pollokshaws was officially opened in 1909 and was an educational establishment until its closure by this Council in June 2011.

This Council notes the role that the Sir John Maxwell School had in educating the local community and in particular notes its role as Glasgow's first Gaelic Unit for Primary Pupils in 1985 as well as being where noted socialist activist John Mclean taught night classes from 1908-1915.

Pollokshaws as an area is one which has seen significant redevelopment since the end of the Second World War. In 1957, it became a Comprehensive Development Area (CDA) and most of the area was demolished and rebuilt at this time. As Pollokshaws entered the 21st Century, it has again been placed into a period of redevelopment with most of the homes built under the CDA now being demolished and replaced.

In an area which has seen such a significant scale of redevelopment, this Council therefore believes that it is crucial that Pollokshaws built heritage is saved and maintained whenever possible and that buildings such as the Sir John Maxwell School form part of this heritage.

The building has been on the At Risk Register in 2012 and is currently in a poor state of repair having suffered a recent roof collapse.

This Council commends the work of the Save Sir John Maxwell School Trust who have worked tirelessly to save this building. This includes securing funds to carry out an architectural appraisal of the building, liaison with Historic Environment Scotland over the potential listing of the building, a drone survey of the roof, carrying out clean-ups in the school grounds and the work it has done to date with the Council, Elected Members, the communities of Pollokshaws and others to find a sustainable future for this building.

This Council resolves that it will do all it can to save the Sir John Maxwell school building recognising its historic connection to our city's education history, the importance of maintaining Pollokshaws built heritage and the positive benefits, to demonstrate that renovation and re-purpose of the building would bring to the wider community, city and the environment especially as Glasgow will be hosting COP 26 at the end of the year and commit to work with the Sir John Maxwell School Trust and others to explore all options for the future use of the building. View Papers
9Emergency motion by Councillor Laura Doherty:-

"Council expresses its deep regret and concern at the announcement that the Pladis McVitie's factory in Tollcross may close with the potential loss of almost 500 jobs. Council notes that this factory is one of the biggest employers in the area; has provided generations of jobs for local people in the east end; and that the potential loss of these jobs will have a devastating impact on the workers, their families and the local economy.

Council notes that the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Glasgow City Council have formed a taskforce to explore options for retaining these jobs and securing the future of the factory and the site. Council believes that Pladis has an obligation to the workers and the wider east end community to explore every option for securing a positive future for the factory and instructs the Leader of the Council to write to the Managing Director to urge the company to actively engage with the taskforce.

Council further instructs the Leader and Chief Executive of the Council to continue to work to try to retain these jobs and secure a sustainable future for the Tollcross site, and to work closely with local elected members in doing so." View Papers