Committees

A meeting of Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee will take place in the Ben More Assynt Room, Council Offices, Drummuie, Golspie on Monday, 20 August 2012 at 10.30am.

 

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the Internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

 

A note of the business to be transacted at the meeting is appended.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Michelle Morris
Assistant Chief Executive

 

1.  Apologies for Absence
Leisgeulan

 

2.  Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pairt

 

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from officers prior to the meeting taking place.   

 

3.  Election of Leader of the Area 
Taghadh Ceannard na Sgire

 

Nominations are invited for the post of Leader of the Area who will chair the Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee.

 

4.  Member Appointments
Cur Bhall an Dreuchd

 

Any nominations received will be tabled at the meeting.

 

(i) Highland Disability Sport

 

Highland Disability Sport co-ordinate all activities in sport and leisure in the Highlands for individuals with physical, learning or sensory disabilities. They arrange all the sporting activities Highland wide and encourage people to participate and compete, regardless of their ability or age, in various sports such as athletics, badminton, boccia, bowling, football, golf, swimming and ten-pin. 

 

The Committee is asked to appoint 1 Members

 

(ii) Local Access Forums

 

The Council has a statutory duty under Section 25 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to establish Local Access Forums for its area. There are currently six Local Access Forums in the Highland area which meet twice during the year and advise on matters in relation to the exercise of access rights, the existence of delineation of rights of way or the drawing up and adoption of the Core Path Plan. In addition, they also offer and give assistance to parties in terms of the resolution of any disputes in this respect.

 

The Committee is asked to appoint to the following Local Access Forums:

 

Caithness Local Access Forum – 2 Members from the Caithness Wards
Sutherland Local Access Forum – 2 Members from the Sutherland Wards.

 

(iii) Sutherland Partnership

 

The Sutherland Partnership is a Company Limited by Guarantee with a
Partnership Board comprising 20 members from the public agencies, voluntary
sector and community and including all six Sutherland Highland Council Members.

 

The Committee is asked to appoint 6 Members of the Sutherland Wards

 

5. Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership – Progress Report
Ath-nuadhachadh Ghallaidbh is Cheann a Tuath Chataibh – Aithisg Adhartais

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-01-12 (73kb pdf) dated 9 August 2012 by the Director of Planning and Development which reviews the activities and achievements of the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership over the past five years, reports on current issues and sets out recommendations to support the delivery of Partnership priorities in the coming years.

 

The Committee is invited to consider the report and:-

 

i. note that the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership has 
  continued to make good progress over the last twelve months;
ii. agree that the Council will continue to work with HIE and other partners to
   ensure the successful delivery of the Pentland Firth’s renewable energy
   potential;
iii. agree that the Council and other partners will continue to work with the
   Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the Babcock Dounreay Partnership
   (BDP) to maximise the impact of their respective socio-economic activities in
   Caithness and North Sutherland, including the early development of the
   NDA’s National Nuclear Archive project for Wick and inward investment
   opportunities through BDP’s corporate partners;
iv. agree the Partnership continues to work with HIE to ensure that the area’s
    important business potential is recognised through settlements in Caithness
    and North Sutherland being priorities for early connection to superfast
    broadband through the HIE-led Next Generation Access (NGA) project;
v. agree the Partnership works with partners and with harbour authorities to 
    support the positioning of key local ports as hubs for employment in marine 
    and offshore energy, and in oil and gas developments;
vi. recommends the production of a business development plan for Wick
    airport;
vii. note the value of the administrative support contributed by Council to the
    Partnership and consider options for such support beyond April 2013; and
viii. agree to write to Highlands and Islands Enterprise to invite a presentation
     to the Committee’s next meeting.

 

6.  Wick Office Rationalisation Project
Sgioblachadh Oifis Inbhir Uige

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-02-12 (29kb pdf) dated 8 August 2012 by the Depute Chief Executive and Director of Housing and Property which provides an update on the progress of the Wick Office Rationalisation Project and details the arrangements that will be made for staff and customers.

 

The Committee is invited to note:-

 

i. progress and the revised programme for this project;
ii. arrangements in place for customers of the Service Point; and
iii. arrangements in place for staff to keep them informed and manage the
    move to decant accommodation. 

 

7.  Further Educational and Community Facility Provision in Wick
Program Sgoiltean Inbhir Uige

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-03-12 (151kb pdf) dated 3 August 2012 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which provides an update on progress with the Wick Community Campus project and also with the new Primary School to be built north of the River Wick.

 

The Committee is invited to note:-

 

i. progress with the Wick Community Campus project and the new Primary
  School to be constructed north of the River Wick;
ii. the detailed requirements of the Design Build Finance and Maintain contract
   and the timescales for each stage in the process;
iii. the actions being taken to ensure that there is maximum community 
   benefits realised in Caithness during the construction phase;
iv. that the project will be phased in such a way that the new schools and
    community facilities will open in August 2015;
v. the actions being taken in relation to the disposal of the buildings being
   vacated as a result of the new provision;
vi. the commitment to communicate on a regular basis with the local
    community; and,
vii. the commitment to identify funding from with-in the overall project budget
    to provided back-fill to free up Head Teacher time during the planning and 
    construction phases.

 

8. Capital Projects to 30 June 2012
Program Calpa airson Ghallaibh agus Chataibh

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-04-12 (57kb pdf) dated 1 August 2012 by the Director of Finance showing the annual budget, expenditure to end of June 2012 and projected year end position for 2012/13 for Caithness and Sutherland projects included in the Council’s capital programme.

 

The Committee is invited to note the terms of the report as circulated.

 

9. Winter Maintenance Plan for 2012/13
Plana Gleidheadh Geamhraidh 2012/13

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-05-12 (592kb pdf) dated 26 July 2012 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services inviting approval of the Winter Maintenance Plan for Caithness and Sutherland for 2012/13.

 

The Committee is invited to approve Winter Maintenance Plan for Caithness and Sutherland 2012/13 as outlined in Appendix B to the report.

 

10. Maintenance Programme for Road and Bridge Works
Program Gleidhidh airson Rathaidean agus Dhrochaidean

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-06-12 (164kb pdf) dated 26 July 2012 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services which outlines the context for road maintenance programmes and describes the consultation process with Members which has agreed the existing programmes at Ward level. The 2012/13 programmes are provided and the proposed process for developing and approving future programmes is also set out in the report.

 

The Committee is invited to:-

 

i. note the existing 2012/13 programmes for Surface Dressing, Structural
   Maintenance and Bridge Maintenance which have been produced following
   consultation at Ward Business Meetings and which are provided as
   Appendices 2, 3 and 4 to the report; and
ii. agree the proposals for developing and agreeing future Road Maintenance
   programmes.

 

11. Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets Programme
Slighean nas Sabhailte dhan Sgoil

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-07-12 (120kb pdf) dated 9 August 2012 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services inviting approval of the projects delivered through the Scottish Government funding for Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets for the Caithness and Sutherland area as set out in Appendix 3 to the report.

 

The Committee is invited to:

 

i. approve the 5 Safer Routes to School Projects for the Caithness and 
  Sutherland Area, as listed in Appendix 3; and
ii. note that the Road Safety Team will continue to work with schools to
   develop further Safer Routes to School Projects for future years.

 

12. Housing and Property Services Performance Report – 1 April to 30 June 2012
Deanadas Taigheadais na Sgire

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-08-12 (47kb pdf) dated 8 August 2012, by the Depute Chief Executive/Director of Housing and Property which provides information on how the Housing and Property Service performed in relation to Performance Indicators during the first quarter of 2012/13.

 

The Committee is invited to note the information provided on performance as detailed in the report.

 

13. Partnership Working in Caithness and Sutherland
Obrachadh Com-pairteach

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-09-12 (58kb pdf) dated 8 August 2012 by the Corporate Manager which provides an outline of local partnership working involving Highland Council in Caithness and Sutherland and seeks Members’ views on how the Committee can best engage and enhance the partnerships in the future and on future reporting cycles.

 

The Committee is invited to:-

 

i. note the good partnership working in place in Caithness and Sutherland as
  described in the report;
ii. consider how best to engage and enhance the partnerships in the future;
   and
iii. agree that annual updates on each of the partnerships should be provided.

 

14. Door Entry for Licensed Premises Operating after 1 am
Inntrigeadh Dorais airson Thogalaichean le Ceadachd as deidh 1m 

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-10-12 (271kb pdf) dated 2 August 2012 by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services inviting consideration of the response to the Highland Licensing Board Consultation on Door Entry Policy in respect of Licensed Premises Operating after 1 am.

 

The Committee is invited to consider the response to the consultation as detailed.

 

15.  Dornoch Common Good Fund – Annual Report 2011/12
Maoin Math Coitcheann Dhornaich 

 

There is circulated Report No. CS-11-12 (26kb pdf) dated 6 July 2012 by the Corporate Manager which provides information on the status of the Dornoch Common Good Fund as at 31 March 2012.  

 

The Committee is invited to note the terms of the report as circulated.