WEST OF SCOTLAND ARCHAEOLOGY SERVICE JOINT COMMITTEE'SMINUTES.
Glasgow, 28th March 2019.
West of Scotland Archaeology Service Joint Committee.

Present:

Rhiannon Spear (Convener)
Stewart Miller
Ian Clarkson
Natalie Don
Alistair Fulton
Iain McLaren

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

Apologies:

Iain Linton
Gordon Jenkins
Brian McGinley
Diane Docherty
Lawrence Fitzpatrick
Damian Timson

East Ayrshire Council
East Ayrshire Council
South Ayrshire Council
West Dunbartonshire Council
West Lothian Council
West Lothian Council

Also present:

Hugh McBrien

West of Scotland Archaeology
ServiceEast Renfrewshire Council
Glasgow City Council
North Ayrshire Council
South Ayrshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council
Audit Scotland
Audit Scotland
Glasgow City Council

Matt Greenen
Gillian Dick
Jim Miller
Neil Feggans
Sheila Alderson
Gwen McCracken
Gordon McAllister
Eilidh Nelson
Maureen Hughes (Clerk)

Minutes approved.
1
The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Committee of 20th September 2018
were submitted and approved.

Service Delivery Review Recommendations - Verbal update noted etc.
2
There was heard a verbal update by the Manager of the West of Scotland
Archaeology Service regarding progress on consultation with member authorities on
future service delivery options for the Service, advising(1)

that the 1st stage of the proposals had now been agreed with member
authorities and a Service Level Agreement (SLA) was currently under

Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU

discussion with the WoSAS Steering Group with a view to being finalised in
the near future;(2)of the possible implications of the new Planning Bill in relation to the SLA andthe Service; and(3)once the SLA had been finalised a new Minute of Agreement would be drawn
up for member authorities.

After consideration, the Joint Committee noted(a)the report; and(b)that an updated report on the matter would be submitted to the next meetingof the Joint Committee.

Reserves Policy Annual Review 2019 approved.
3
There was submitted a report by the Manager of the West of Scotland
Archaeology Service (WoSAS) 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 2017/18 was £105,318 andthat income received from East Dunbartonshire Council to the Service and atemporary reduction in staffing costs had resulted in an operating surplus withthe revised level of retained financial reserves of the service at the end of thecurrent financial year estimated at £123,434;(3)

taking account of the proposed financial projections for the 2019/20 financial
year, a reserve level of £82,000 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 2019/20 was agreed, then thecombined financial projections would indicate that no immediate remedialaction within the terms of the WoSAS Reserves Policy was required.

After consideration, the Joint Committee approved the retention of the level offinancial reserves for 2019/20 in accordance with the WoSAS Reserves Policy.
Service Financial Programme 2019/20 – Proposed budget 2019/20 approved.
4There was submitted a report by the Manager of the West of Scotland
Archaeology Service regarding the projected income and operating costs of theService for the period 2019/20

Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU(1)detailing the current financial position of the Service;(2)

setting out the future financial projections for the Service for 2019/20 together
with the proposed budget for 2019/20;(3)advising that until an updated service delivery option was formally agreed,
any associated alterations to the financial arrangements for delivery of theservice could not be implemented and that current funding arrangements
would remain in place;(4)

advising that East Dunbartonshire Council had agreed membership terms in
relation to the Service and to provide a budget contribution for the current
financial year; and(5)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)that until the resourcing of the preferred service delivery option had
been agreed, in the interim period a budget for the financial year
2019/20 only was proposed, as detailed in Annex 1 to the report; and(c)a review of financial performance over recent years suggested thatthe predicted deficit funding of the Service of £5,271 for the next
financial year was acceptable until possible revisions to the council
membership of the Joint Committee and levels of financial
contributions had been finalised for the medium to long-term deliveryof the Service.

After consideration, the joint committee(i)noted the report; and(ii)approved the proposed budget for 2019/20, as detailed in the Annex to thereport.

West of Scotland Archaeology Service – Audit Plan 2018/19 noted.
5
There was submitted a report by Audit Scotland regarding the 2018/19 auditof the financial statements of the West of Scotland Archaeology Service.
After consideration, the Joint Committee noted the risks and planned work of theService together with details of the audit work and audit timetable as detailed in thereport.

Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU

Date and time of next meeting.
6It was agreed that the next meeting of the Joint Committee would take placein the City Chambers, Glasgow at a date in September 2019 and would be agreed
with the Convener and circulated to members.

Glasgow City Council, City Chambers, Glasgow G2 1DU