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The Provost welcomed Councillor Anne Horn to her first meeting of the Council following her election as a Councillor to Ward 2 – Kintyre and the Islands on 19 July 2024.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Daniel Hampsey, Willie Hume, Jennifer Kelly and Iain Shonny Paterson.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Council gave consideration to a report providing an update on the progress with the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the key implications of the Bill as it now stands and the next steps the Council would need to take should it make a formal decision to introduce one.

Decision

The Council –

1.     noted the content of the report and agreed the next steps the Council needed to take as summarised in Table 1;

2.     approved the Council’s intention to introduce a Visitor Levy and undertake a public consultation as noted in Table 1;

3.     agreed to establish the Visitor Levy Short Life Working Group (VLSLWG) with terms of reference as set out at paragraph 3.8 of the report;

4.     agreed that the membership of the VLSLWG will be Cllr Jim Lynch (Chair); Cllr Ross Moreland (Vice Chair); Cllr Julie McKenzie; Cllr Anne Horn; the Council’s Chief Executive and two Executive Directors (supported by other officers as appropriate); and invited the Leader of the TALIG Opposition Group to nominate two further elected members who would join the Group (Cllr Gary Mulvaney and Cllr Peter Wallace nominated); and

5.     approved the proposal to establish a Shadow Visitor Levy Forum at local level to provide advisory support for the pre-consultation work prior to the establishment of the formal Visitor Levy Forum, as outlined in Table 1; and agreed to delegate this to the Executive Director with responsibility for Economic Development in consultation with the Leader, Depute Leaders and Leader of the TALIG Opposition Group.Ìý

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 1 August 2024, submitted; and Motion by Councillor Jim Lynch and seconded by Councillor Ross Moreland, tabled)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Council gave consideration to a report providing an update on the Levelling Up Partnership process.

Decision

The Council –

1.     noted the update provided in the submitted report and approved the updated list of projects included in Table 1 of the report to be discussed with new UK Government officials; and

2.     agreed to request that officers seek confirmation from the UK Government that the Levelling Up Partnership monies previously announced were still available to ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵapp.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated July 2024, submitted)