- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 13 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the impact on the perception of the independence of the Lanarkshire Valuation Appeal Committee of the fact that the council tax banding appeals process takes place in the assessor’s office at Cadzow Street in Hamilton.
Answer
In its recent report on Valuation Appeal Committees in Scotland, the Scottish Committee of the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council recommends, among other things, that Valuation Appeal Committees use venues which are independent of local authorities. The Scottish Government endorses this recommendation.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 13 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the fact that people wishing to contest the fairness of a decision on their council tax banding by the Valuation Appeal Committee must do so via the Court of Session and at a cost.
Answer
An appeal to the Court of Session on the decision of a Valuation Appeal Committee may only be made on a point of law and not on the fairness of that decision. Individuals considering bringing a case to the Court of Session may be eligible for legal aid through the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 13 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether individuals seeking to appeal a decision taken by the Valuation Appeal Committee may do so via a class action, thus minimising the cost incurred by each person.
Answer
The Scottish Government is not aware of valuation appeals being progressed in the form of a class action, and it would seem only to be rarely that such an approach might be considered given that appeal is on a point of law only. Ministers are currently considering the recommendation in the Scottish Civil Courts Review, carried out by Lord Gill, the Lord Justice Clerk, that there should be a form of special multi-party court procedure in Scotland.
Individuals seeking to appeal to the Court of Session may be eligible for legal aid through the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 19 October 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what cultural, trade or other links it has had with Cuba since 1999.
Answer
Contacts between the governments of Scotland and Cuba have, to date, been limited, but the Scottish Government is aware of the work of the Cross Party Group on Cuba to promote links between the respective Parliaments. As the then Minister for the Environment, I hosted a dinner for a delegation of parliamentarians from Cuba on 14 November 2007, and I remain open to supporting efforts to promote understanding between our peoples.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides direct funding to the Association of Scottish Community Councils, the Association of Scottish Community Councils Ltd or both.
Answer
The Association of Scottish Community Councils is a longstanding body first established in 1993. It is the national representative body for community councils throughout Scotland and any formally recognised community council may join them.
The Scottish Government, like previous Scottish administrations, provides direct funding to the Association of Scottish Community Councils.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the remit of the Association of Scottish Community Councils and how this group differs from the Association of Scottish Community Councils Ltd.
Answer
The Association of Scottish Community Councils is a longstanding body first established in 1993 and is the national representative body for community councils in Scotland. The Association has recently added a Company Limited by Guarantee to its existing structure to carry out its operational work.
The Scottish Government consider the remit of the Association of Scottish Community Councils Ltd to be the same as prior to its addition of a Company Limited by Guarantee.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, since the formation of the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC), what responsibility the ASCC has for transparency of financial reports and due process with regard to both the general public and the community councils that it represents.
Answer
The Association of Scottish Community Councils is a longstanding body first established in 1993 as the national representative body of community councils throughout Scotland.
Since the beginning of this financial year, the Scottish Government have required the following:
Minutes of the ASCC Board of Directors meetings to be published on the website within 14 days of the meeting taking place.
Completed ASCC annual accounts to be made available to all member community councils and the Scottish Government on request.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the success of the urban and rural pilot schemes involving community councils.
Answer
The urban and rural pilots being undertaken by Langside, Battlefield and Camphill Community Council (Glasgow City Council), and Arran Community Council (North Ayrshire Council) are currently on-going and an update will be provided on their completion.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Association of Scottish Community Councils and the Association of Scottish Community Councils Ltd have an obligation to hold and report on AGMs.
Answer
The Association of Scottish Community Councils is the national representative body of community councils in Scotland. The Scottish Government has no involvement in its day-to-day business.
The obligation to hold and report on their AGM is outlined in the Association''s Constitution.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 23 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what outcomes it hopes to achieve following the establishment of the Association of Scottish Community Councils Ltd.
Answer
The Association of Scottish Community Councils is a longstanding body first established in 1993. The association has recently added a company limited by guarantee to its existing structure to carry out its operational work.
We recognise the important role that community councils can play in local life and we will continue to work with key partners, including the Association of Scottish Community Councils Ltd, as the recognised national representative body for community councils in Scotland, to give every community council in Scotland the opportunity to further develop effective engagement in an open, transparent manner alongside other community organisations, in line with the on-going community empowerment agenda.
