WEST OF SCOTLAND ARCHAEOLOGY SERVICE JOINT COMMITTEE'SMINUTES.
By video conference, 25th February 2021.
West of Scotland Archaeology Service Joint Committee.
Present:Rhiannon Spear (Convener)
Rosie O’Neil
Ian Clarkson
Alistair Fulton
Iain McLaren

Glasgow City Council
East Dunbartonshire Council
North Ayrshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council
West Dunbartonshire Council

Apologies:

Alastair Redman
Iain Linton
Stewart Miller
Mags MacLaren
Brian McGinley
Diane Docherty
Lawrence Fitzpatrick

Argyll and Bute Council
East Ayrshire Council
East Renfrewshire Council
Renfrewshire Council
South Ayrshire Council
West Dunbartonshire Council
West Lothian Council

Also present:

Hugh McBrien

West of Scotland Archaeology
Service
East Ayrshire Council
East Dunbartonshire
Glasgow City Council
North Ayrshire Council
South Ayrshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council
West Lothian Council
West Dunbartonshire Council
Audit Scotland
Glasgow City Council

Rachel Hall
Laura McLetchie
Gillian Dick
James Miller
David Hearton
Gwen McCracken
Chris Alcorn
James Hall
Stephen O’Hagan
Maureen Hughes (Clerk)

Minutes approved.
1
The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Committee of 19th November 2020
were submitted and approved.

West of Scotland Archaeology Service – Audit Plan 2019/20 approved.
2With reference to the minutes of 19th November 2020 continuing
consideration of the West of Scotland Archaeology Service (WoSAS) annual audit
report 2019/20, there was submitted(1)

a covering letter and a draft annual audit report for 2019/20 by Audit Scotland;(2)

the WoSAS annual accounts for the year ended 31st March 2021; andGlasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU(3)a report by Glasgow City Council’s Head of Audit and Inspection detailing itsaudit report 2019/20.

After consideration, the Joint Committee(a)noted Glasgow City Councils audit report 2019//20; and(b)approved the(i)draft annual audit report for 2019/20 by Audit Scotland; and(ii)the WoSAS annual accounts for the year ended 31st March 2019.

Service Financial Programme 2021/22 – Proposed budget 2021/22 approved.
3
There was submitted a report by the West of Scotland Archaeology Service
Manager regarding the projected income and operating costs of the Service for thefinancial year 2021/22(1)

detailing the current financial position of the Service;(2)

setting out the future financial projections for the Service for 2021/22 together
with the proposed budget for 2021/22; and(3)confirming that(a)Member Council contributions to the costs of providing the Service
continued to be frozen at 2011 levels in recognition of the challenging
budgetary pressures on local authorities;(b)

until the resourcing of the preferred service delivery option had been
agreed, in the interim period a budget for the financial year 2021/22
only was proposed, as detailed in Annex 1 to the report; and(c)the proposed budget predicted a deficit of £13,564 for the next
financial year, which would be met from the Service’s retained
financial reserves.

After consideration, the Joint Committee(i)noted the report; and(ii)approved the proposed budget for 2021/22, as detailed in the Annex to thereport.

Reserves Policy Annual Review 2021 approved.

Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU

4With reference to the minutes of 19th November 2021 noting that a report
would be submitted to this meeting giving details of how the WoSAS reserves could
be utilised, there was submitted a report by the West of Scotland Archaeology
Service (WoSAS) Manager regarding a proposed level of financial reservesconsidered appropriate for the Service to hold following this year’s Annual Review ofthe WoSAS Reserves Policy, advising that(1)

the adopted Reserves Policy for WoSAS was closely linked to the Service
financial programme and was subject to annual review;(2)

the financial reserves of the Service at the end of 2019/20 was £149,797 andthat in addition to normal fluctuations resulting from minor budgetary
variations, the impact of COVID-19 had reduced service income received fromfees levied under the Service’s Access to Information and Charging Policyand that notwithstanding a temporary reduction in staffing costs the net effecthad been a modest operating deficit, with the revised level of retained
financial reserves of the service at the end of the current financial year
estimated at £147,480;(3)

taking account of the proposed financial projections for the 2021/22 financial
year, a reserve level of £92,000 was proposed; and(4)if the retention of the proposed level of financial reserves was approved, and if
the budget proposed for the financial year 2021/22 was agreed, then thecombined financial projections would indicate that action within the terms of
the WoSAS Reserves Policy would be required to reduce the level ofreserves.

After consideration, the Joint Committee approved the retention of the level offinancial reserves for 2021/22 in accordance with the WoSAS Reserves Policy.

Service continuity and succession planning noted – Recruitment agreed.
5
There was submitted a report by the West of Scotland Archaeology Service
Manager regarding a proposal to apply to Glasgow City Council’s Graduate
Recruitment programme to jointly fund the appointment of an assistant archaeologist
to the Service for a 2-year period, advising of(1)

the current staffing provision within the service;(2)

the impact of COVID-19 on the work of the service;(3)

the current situation with regard to the financial reserves of the service which
had now grown beyond the level recommended in the Service’s Reserves
Policy; and(4)the need to have some form of service continuity and succession planning inplace;

Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU(5)of the reasons for the proposed application to Glasgow City Council’s
Graduate Recruitment programme for the appointment of an assistantarchaeologist for a 2-year period, which would require an annual drawdown
form the service’s financial reserves of around £14,000 to £16,000.

After consideration, the Joint Committee(a)noted the report; and(b)agreed to support an application to recruit an assistant archaeologist throughGlasgow City Council’s Graduate Recruitment Programme.

Access to Information and Charging Policy – Update approved
6
There was submitted and approved revised wording to the Access toInformation and Charging Policy to reflect the provisions of the General Data
Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU