Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting date: Friday, August 21, 2020

Official Report 546KB pdf

Decision on Taking Business in Private

Good morning. I welcome everyone to the 18th meeting in 2020 of the Local Government and Communities Committee. I thank the broadcasting office for their help in organising the meeting, and I ask everyone to ensure that their mobile phones are on silent.

We have received apologies from Annabelle Ewing. I welcome the Scottish National Party substitute, David Torrance, back to the committee.

I also welcome Alexander Stewart, who has rejoined the committee after a brief hiatus. Graham Simpson and Jeremy Balfour have moved on. I put on record our thanks to Graham and Jeremy for their services to the committee.

As Alexander Stewart has been with the committee previously, he does not need to formally re-declare his interests, but I remind him of the requirement to declare interests, as per the usual procedure, when the committee discusses any relevant issues.

Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking agenda items 5 and 6 in private. Item 5 is consideration of evidence on the third sector and Covid-19 that will be heard at the meeting. Item 6 is consideration of our approach to the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.

As we are meeting virtually, instead of asking whether everyone agrees to take those items in private, I will ask whether anyone objects. If there is silence, I will assume that you are content. Does anyone object?

The committee is content to take agenda items 5 and 6 in private.