Chamber and committees

Section 13 of the Building (Scotland) Act 1959 allows local authorities to take action requiring the repair, securing or demolition of buildings found to be dangerous. 

Local authorities have powers under Section 87 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 to require the rectification of defects in buildings which they consider to be in need of repair.

Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 gives planning authorities powers to require that specified steps be taken to deal with the injury to amenity caused by the ruinous or dilapidated condition of any building in their district or caused by the derelict, waste or neglected condition of any land in their district.

The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 gives local authorities the power to advance the well-being of their area or the people in it. This is a broad enabling measure allowing local authorities the freedom to work in a more innovative and creative way in responding to the need of their communities. Well-being is dependent on many factors but may include environmental factors.

No. The next water investmentprogramme, Quality and Standards III, will be based upon an eight-year timeframe,2006 to 2014. This is being done to facilitate better business planning, securecompliance with longer term legislative requirements, and assist Scottish Waterto plan and deliver the investment programme more efficiently. Local authority developmentplans, on the other hand, are based upon different timeframes which are driven bythe broader requirements of the planning process and the particular circumstancesof local areas. However, the investment requirements for Quality and Standards IIIare being informed by the development requirements identified by planning authorities.

I intend to lay before the Parliament this autumn Scottish Statutory Instruments that will address the transfer of assets.

However, the project to developthe new network is exploring mechanisms to ensure that assets built up locally byarea tourist boards can be in general retained for use in that area under the new network.

Assistance to new tourism businessesfor help with the costs of “brown signs” is a matter for local authorities. In certaincases, local enterprise companies can also provide assistance as part of the start-upcosts of a new business.

I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

Unless a previously agreed fundingarrangement is in place, Registered Social Landlords who have received council housing through stock transfer can access Housing Association Grant which is the mainmechanism used by Communities Scotland to fund the provision of low-cost affordable housing.

My officials, along with officialsfrom VisitScotland and senior staff from area tourist boards, are in the processof meeting all Scottish local authorities to explain the background to the new tourismnetwork, to secure their support for our overall tourism ambition and its deliverylocally, and to discuss any views which local authorities have about the plans.Meetings have taken place with 22 authorities. Those with the remaining 10 authorities,including Dumfries and Galloway, will take place during June, mostly in council offices.

There is no consultationrequirement in respect of a bridge scheme promoted under s.75 of the Roads (Scotland)Act 1984. However, notice of the making of the scheme (and a copy of the schemeand any relevant map or plan) must be served on every navigation authorityconcerned with or having jurisdiction over the waters affected by the scheme,and on Scottish Water.

There are no alternativeprocedures to be followed if the organisations in question have ceased to exist.However, Scottish ministers must be satisfied that the reasonable requirementsof navigation have been taken into account when considering such schemes.

Any additional powersrequired by a harbour authority beyond those in the original establishing legislationof the port would be conferred by a Harbour Order under the Harbours Act 1964. Suchan order would be required for the purposes of reconstituting a harbourauthority.

Navigable waters arereferred to in the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 as such navigable waters (whether the sea,a river or other waters) as may be specified in a particular order or scheme.

The proposed cycle andfootbridge is part of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Dumfries Southern SectorAccess Strategy project, which was awarded an overall total of £1.785 million in2001 from the Public Transport Fund. Estimates at the time indicated that thebridge would cost £650,000. As is the case for all projects supported by thePublic Transport Fund, discussions will need to be held with the Council ifindividual elements are delayed or unable to be implemented.