Committees
Minutes of Meeting of the Planning, Development, Europe and Tourism Committee held in the Council Chamber, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday 6 April 2005 at 10.30 a.m.
Present
Mr A S Park, Mr A I MacDonald, Mr R Saxon, Mr J H Green, Mr G M Smith, Mr F R M Keith, Mr D Allan, Mr R Durham, Mr R MacIntyre, Mr E C Mackinnon, Mrs V MacIver, Mr M Macmillan, Mr B Barclay, Mr I MacDonald, Mr W Fulton, Mr J Laing, Mr S J Shiels, Mr J T MacDonald, Mr R Lyon, Mr A Milne, Mrs K G Matheson, Mr R Wynd, Mr A Gordon, Mr B M S Dunlop, Mr B Clark, Dr M E M Foxley, Mrs O J Macdonald, Mr A R McFarlane Slack.
Non-Members also Present: Mr D W Briggs, Mrs M E Paterson, Mr J Ford, Mr T Jackson.
Officials in attendance:
Mr J D Rennilson, Director of Planning and Development
Ms C McDiarmid, Head of Policy
Mr M Greaves, Head of Economy and Regeneration, Planning and Development Service
Mr G Robson, Head of Environment, Planning and Development Service
Mr G Hamilton, Natural Resources Manager, Planning and Development Service
Mr G Summers, Principal European Officer, Planning and Development Service
Mrs R Moir, Principal Administrator, Corporate Services
Ms L Lee, Senior Administrative Assistant, Corporate Services
Mr A S Park in the Chair
Business
An asterisk in the margin denotes a recommendation to the Council.
All decisions with no marking in the margin are delegated to the Committee
Preliminaries
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mrs A Magee, Mr R Durham, Mr N Donald and Mrs L MacDonald.
2. Staff Changes
The Committee NOTED a briefing by the Director of Planning and Development on a number of recent staff changes.
3. Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2005
The Committee NOTED that the Highland Council had been awarded a prize in the annual Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning for its Pultneytown project and that the Council’s entry for the Applecross project had also been commended.
4. Scottish Natural Heritage – Presentation
The Committee NOTED that:
(a) Mr Jeff Watson, Director of Strategy and Operation (North), Scottish
Natural Heritage (SNH), had been invited to make a presentation to the
Committee on the role of SNH in the planning process;
(b) this meeting of the Committee having been postponed by two weeks, Mr
Watson had been unable to attend on the revised date; and
(c) it was hoped that Mr Watson could instead attend a future meeting of
the Committee.
5. Revenue Expenditure Monitoring Statement
There had been circulated and NOTED Report No. PDET14/05 by the Director of Planning and Development on Revenue Expenditure for the Planning and Development Service for the period to 28 February 2005.
6. Capital Expenditure Monitoring Statement
There had been circulated and NOTED Report No. PDET15/05 dated 16 March, 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development on Capital Expenditure for the Planning and Development Service for the period to 4 March 2005.
7. European Regional Policy Post-2006
At its meeting held on 24 March 2004, the Committee had agreed that a report on the development of EU Regional Policy post-2006, and in particular progress on the case for Objective 1b status for the Highlands and Islands, be brought to each future meeting of the Committee. In this connection, there had been circulated Report No. PDET16/05 dated 8 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development updating Members as to the activity undertaken by the Council in pursuing its objectives concerning the European Union’s proposals for a Regional Policy 2007-13.
The Committee heard that the meeting with Douglas Alexander, Minister of State for Trade and Industry on 8 February 2005 had appeared to go well, with the Minister confirming his support for the exclusion of extra-region GDP from calculation of regional GDP figures, which could bring the region below the 75% eligibility threshold for full Convergence funding (Objective 1 status). This matter was due to be discussed in Brussels the following week. Officials were of the view that, given current statistical trends the region, eligibility for Convergence funding remained a distinct possibility. However, much remained to be agreed and the British rebate would be an important factor in deciding the form of the final agreement. The meeting had also provided an opportunity for the Council to re-emphasise its view that there should be no re-nationalisation without appropriate spatial policies and to strengthen ties with other Authorities holding similar views.
The Committee was also advised that representatives from the European Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development had visited the region in March and had experienced the effects of sparsity and remoteness at first hand; it was believed that this had enhanced their understanding of the difficulties faced by peripheral areas.
The Committee NOTED the progress made in the development of the EU Regional Policy and the activity undertaken by the Council in pursuing its interests in this matter.
8. ‘A Smart, Successful Scotland’ – the Highlands and Islands
Dimension
There had been circulated Report No. PDET17/05 dated 16 March, 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development informing Members that Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) had commenced consultation on the Highlands and Islands Dimension to the refreshed Scottish Executive document ‘A Smart, Successful Scotland’. The report outlined a proposed response to the consultation document.
The Committee NOTED:
(i) the key points of “A Smart, Successful Scotland”, welcoming in particular
the recognition that economic development prospects were not only
dependent on the level of support for business and lifelong learning but
very crucially on factors such as infrastructure (particularly transport), the
availability of services and quality of environment;
(ii) the emphasis placed on community planning in “A Smart, Successful
Scotland” to deliver sustainable economic development;
(iii) that the enterprise network was expected to have a key role in area-
based regeneration programmes and projects; and
(iv) that policy on retaining rural schools, raised during debate, was a matter
for discussion at the Education, Culture and Sport Committee rather than
this Committee.
After discussion, the Committee also AGREED:
(a) that the draft response to the consultation document be amended:
(i) to remove the ranking as to how HIE should focus its resources and to
respond on this issue rather with comment;
(ii) to emphasise the need to spread growth throughout the area by
reiterating this point in the concluding comments; and
(iii) to include reference to the need for innovative solutions for affordable
housing in pressured rural areas; and
(b) to seek reassurance from HIE that in developing its Highlands and Islands
dimension it would:
(i) take full account of the commitments made in the current Community
Plan for Highland;
(ii) re-affirm its commitment to participating in community planning at
Highland and Area level; and
(iii) continue to work with other community planning partners to seek
out more efficient and effective ways of working in partnership.
9. Rural Development – Publication of Scottish Executive Policy
Documents
There had been circulated Report No. PDET18/05 dated 9 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development regarding three rural development documents published by the Scottish Executive on 7 February 2005, these being:-
Scottish Planning Policy 15 – Planning for Rural Development
Planning Advice Note 72 – Housing in the Countryside
Planning Advice Note 73 – Rural Diversification
In the course of discussion, Members requested that the following points be given due weight when reviewing the Council’s Housing in the Countryside Policy:
- the need to clarify the definition of “hinterland,” and in particular to
recognise the scope for the use of common sense where applications were
marginally within the hinterland boundary or where land had been provided
at low cost or gifted to provide affordable housing for local people wishing
to remain in the area;
- the need to avoid being over-prescriptive in defining acceptable housing
locations;
- the importance of young families to the sustainability of rural areas;
- the potential for differentiation between rural and urban areas with regard
to the standards required for access and drainage;
- the need for clarification of the requirement to adduce land management
needs;
- the impact of anticipated revisions to crofting legislation regarding the
subdivision of larger farms to crofting units;
- the need to retain the rural character of rural areas, notwithstanding the
foregoing points;
- the need to reconcile constraints on housing in the countryside with the
possibility of permission being given to intrusive infrastructure, such as the
large pylons proposed for the Beauly-Denny grid upgrade.
In answer to questions raised, officials confirmed that the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust was working with the Council towards a scheme where individual houses could be provided in the countryside specifically for local people, which would remain available for local people and could not be used as speculative investments. Overall, the Planning Guidance was intended to give clear advice as to where development could and could not take place.
Thereafter, the Committee AGREED that the Director of Planning and Development prepare an amended Development Plan Policy Guideline – Housing in the Countryside to reflect the guidance contained in Scottish Planning Policy 15 – Rural Development and taking on board the comments made at this Committee; and that a draft design guide for Housing in the Countryside be brought to a future meeting of this Committee for consideration.
10. Renewable Energy Strategy Working Group: Update
At its meeting held on 26 January 2005, the Committee had appointed a Renewable Energy Strategy Working Group to steer, with participation from outside organisations, the preparation of a strategic comprehensive Highland renewable energy strategy for final discussion and approval at the meeting of the Committee to be held on 17 August 2005.
There had been circulated Report No. PDET19/05 dated 8 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development on the work programme and consultation procedures to be followed by the Working Group.
It was stressed that the urgent requirement for a strategy to be in place had to be balanced against the need for full consultation with the public and other bodies. Full compliance with the statutory Environmental Assessment procedures was also required. The Director updated Members with regard to matters that would impact on the development of the strategy, including (i) that the BABTIE report had recently been published and was available and (ii) that the application for the upgrade to the Beauly-Denny power-line had not yet been submitted. A further meeting of the Working Group would be held on 13 April 2005 with representatives from interested groups being invited to give presentations thereto. In discussion, caution in the move towards renewable energy was advocated, on the basis of arguments including:
- this industry was dependent on Government subsidy, which could be
withdrawn
- renewables provided an inconsistent, unreliable supply of power
- export of energy along lengthy power-lines caused wastage through leakage.
The Committee NOTED the ongoing work programme and AGREED that the Director of Planning and Development negotiate a broader contract with Aquatera Ltd to cover Strategic Environmental Assessment and related processes.
11. Glensanda Liaison Group
There had been circulated Report No. PDET20/05 dated 11 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development recommending the re-establishment of the Glensanda Liaison Group and its proposed remit.
The Committee AGREED:
(a) the re-establishment of the Glensanda Liaison Group and its proposed
remit;
(b) an invitation to Scottish Natural Heritage to participate; and
(c) the appointment to the Group of the Chairman, Depute Chairman
(Planning), Lochaber Area Planning Committee Chairman, local Member,
Mr R McIntyre and Mr B M S Dunlop; and
(d) the appointment of Mr M Macmillan as an alternate member of the Group.
12. Audit Scotland Statutory Performance Indicators for
Development and Building Control
There had been circulated Report No. PDET21/05 dated 11 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development on the Development and Building Control Performance Indicator returns for the third quarter of the current financial year, October to December 2004 inclusive, with reference to the Audit Scotland performance targets.
Having heard that, although the overall speed of processing applications in Highland was less than hoped for, staff were in fact handling an increasing volume of applications, had a larger than average proportion of non-householder applications and, overall, had the highest caseloads in Scotland. It was not fully understood why Highland had experienced such an increase in applications, although numbers were increasing Scotland. Approval had been given to use additional fee income for additional staff recruitment, but it had proved difficult to attract personnel, in part due to a shortage of qualified people. In-house training was being used to upgrade the skills of existing staff wherever possible, but problems remained. An increase in the number of hearings was being suggested in the context of the debate on introducing wider rights of appeal, which, if taken forward, would further add to workloads.
Similar issues of volume and speed of processing were occurring in Building Control, with a noticeable improvement in the speed of dealing with Completion Certificates.
Members thanked staff for their efforts and expressed concern that employees could be at risk through stress. However, a service had be provided to the public. A number of actions were suggested to help alleviate the situation, including:
- consistent decision-making by Members, as a perception of inconsistency
could encourage more speculative applications
- recruitment direct from schools and careers fairs
- modifications to the Scheme of Delegation so that less contentious items
were determined by officials, in conjunction with the Chairman and Local
Member.
The Committee otherwise NOTED the terms of the report.
13. Local Access Forums
There had been circulated Report No. PDET22/05 dated 11 March, 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development outlining the proposed operation and function of Local Access Forums and how the new advisory bodies should deliver their service.
The Committee AGREED that:
(a) the proposed model outlined in the report be used as the basis for the
operation of the six Local Access Forums in Highland and that their
operation be reviewed after a period of 12 months; and
(b) the Local Member, as a democratically elected representative of the
community, be permitted to attend and speak at Local Access Forum
meetings.
14. Support for Political Party Conferences
There had been circulated Report No. PDET23/05 dated 9 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development outlining the current scheme for supporting political party conferences at Eden Court Theatre and recommending a revised scheme, which would make Eden Court’s conference subvention available to other conference venues in the Highlands for the duration of the closure of the Theatre. The report also recommended that support to other venues be continued after the Theatre alterations were completed. Members commented both for and against this latter recommendation, with the view expressed that consideration of this proposal should be deferred until the Theatre was again available.
Following discussion, the Committee AGREED:
(a) that the conference subvention currently offered to Eden Court Theatre
to help attract political party conferences be made available to other
venues while the theatre was closed for refurbishment; and
(b) that a further report on the issue of continued funding to other venues
be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.
15. EMIRES Programme – Transport to Employment Project
At its meeting held on 29 May 2002, the Committee had agreed that the Council participate in the EMIRES Project, part of the Information Society Technologies Programme of the European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme, which looked at ways of complementing the Council's activities regarding demand-responsive transport services.
There had been circulated Report No. PDET24/05 dated 4 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development on the EMIRES Transport to Employment Project. A successful project in Sutherland was coming to an end, but two further pilot projects were proposed, assisting around 40 persons. It was hoped that a long term commitment of £180,000 over 18 months would be forthcoming for future projects.
The Committee AGREED:
(a) that the Council participate in the EMIRES Transport to Employment
Project, designed to remove transportation barriers to employment and
training opportunities in remote communities; and
(b) to approve a financial commitment of up to a maximum of £18,000 from
the EMIRES head of the Planning and Development Service budget, to
allow the six month pilot project to proceed.
16. Request for Financial Assistance – Moray Firth Partnership
There had been circulated Report No. PDET25/05 dated 9 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development recommending approval of a request from the Moray Firth Partnership for core funding of £4,000 in support of the development of a portfolio of projects and the management of the Partnership, to be met from the Planning Policy and Europe head of the Planning and Development Service budget.
The Committee NOTED that a decision on this matter had been required before the revised date for this meeting and AGREED to homologate the action taken in approving this request and making payment accordingly.
17. Request for Financial Assistance – North of Scotland Industries
Group
There had been circulated Report No. PDET26/05 dated 3 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development recommending approval of a request from the North of Scotland Industries group for funding of up to £15,000 over two years towards a specialised business information service to assist the Highland manufacturing and engineering sector, to be met from the Employment Initiatives head of the Planning and Development Service budget.
The Committee NOTED that a decision on this matter had been required before the revised date for this meeting and AGREED to homologate the action taken in approving this request and making payment accordingly.
18. Request for Financial Assistance – European Business Services
There had been circulated Report No. PDET27/05 dated 3 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development recommending approval of a request from European Business Services for funding of £15,000 towards the implementation of their “Shaping Procurement for a Sustainable Highlands and Islands” Programme, to be met from the Employment Initiatives head of the Planning and Development Service budget.
The Committee NOTED that a decision on this matter had been required before the revised date for this meeting and AGREED to homologate the action taken in approving this request and making payment accordingly.
19. Scottish Executive Relocation Procedures
There had been circulated Report No. PDET28/05 dated 9 March 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development summarising the changes proposed in the Scottish Executive’s Relocation Procedures.
Three initiatives were proposed by SE: identification of situations where sections of larger businesses or office units in cities could be split off and relocated to smaller places; relocation of larger enterprises on expiry of their lease; and the creation of a team to ensure transparency of decision-making and fairness. Members were advised, however, that, if average statistics for the whole of the Council area were used, areas in greater need would be likely to lose out. It was therefore important that figures from geographically separate areas within Highland were considered individually.
The Committee welcomed the proposed changes and AGREED:
(a) to highlight to the Executive the deficiencies in the statistics proposed to
be used in considering the socio-economic benefits of a relocation; and
(b) to work with Highlands and Islands Enterprise to complete the
forthcoming Executive pro forma seeking information on potential sites, to
be circulated to all Local Authorities and Local Enterprise Companies
20. Strathpeffer Pump Room – Service Level Agreement
Declaration of Interest
Mr D W Briggs, although not a member of the Committee, declared a non-financial interest in relation to this item and left the room during the item.
There had been circulated and NOTED Report No. PDET29/05 dated 11 March, 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development informing Members of action taken by the Head of Environment to conclude a Service Level Agreement with Strathpeffer Pump Room Limited in relation to the Strathpeffer Pump Room.
21. Northern Periphery Programme - External Timber Cladding in
Maritime Conditions Project
Members were advised that the Highland Council was lead partner in the External Timber Cladding in Maritime Conditions Project, part of which necessitated convening a series of meetings of the trans-national partners. The first meeting had been held in Edinburgh in 2003, with a further meeting held in Norway during September 2004.
In this connection, the Committee APPROVED the attendance of Councillor Ian Ross, in his position as Chairman of the trans-national Steering Committee, at the next and last meeting of the Steering Committee to be held in the Faroe Islands from 9-13 June, 2005.
22. Exclusion of the Public
The Committee RESOLVED that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act, the relevant Paragraphs being shown.
23. Award of Contract – Somerled Square, Portree
Paragraphs 8 & 9
There had been circulated Report No. PDET30/05 dated 7 March, 2005 by the Director of Planning and Development on an award of contract made in relation to the Somerled Square Regeneration, Somerled Square, Portree, Isle of Skye.
The Committee AGREED to homologate the action taken by the Director of Planning and Development in consultation with the Chairman, as outlined in the report.