Local Government and Communities Committee

1. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether to take items 4 and 7 in private. 2. Scottish local government elections and voting: The Committee will take evidence from— Andy O'Neill, Head, Electoral Commission, Scotland; Alan Armstrong, Strategic Director, Education Scotland; Mary Pitcaithly, Convener, and Chris Highcock, Secretary, Electoral Management Board for Scotland; Ian Milton, Grampian Electoral Registration Officer and Chair, Electoral Registration Committee, Scottish Assessors Association; and then from— Joe FitzPatrick, Minister for Parliamentary Business, and Roddy Angus, Elections Policy Adviser, Scottish Government. 3. Subordinate legislation: The Committee will consider the following negative instruments— The Valuation for Rating (Decapitalisation Rate) (Scotland) Regulations 2016 (SSI 2016/402); The Community Empowerment (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2016 (SSI 2016/411); The Town and Country Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional Saving Provision) (Scotland) Order 2016 (SSI 2016/421). LGC/S5/17/2/A 4. Payments to returning officers in Scotland: The Committee will consider a draft report. 5. Consideration of evidence (in private): The Committee will consider the evidence heard at agenda item 2. 6. Consideration of evidence (in private): The Committee will consider the evidence heard at its meeting on 11 January 2017 from the Scottish Housing Regulator and the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. 7. Implications for Scottish local government of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union: The Committee will consider draft letters to the Scottish Government and COSLA.