• Agenda

Minutes of Meeting of the Inverness City Committee held in the Council Chamber, Town House, Inverness on Monday 13^th August, 2007 at 10.30 a.m.

 

Present

Officials in attendance:

• Mr W Gilfillan, Corporate Manager, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
• Mr D Haas, Inverness City Manager
• Mr B Robertson, Area Community Care Manager
• Ms K Birch, Area Children's Services Manager
• Ms F Palin, Head of Operations (CJS & Central Services)
• Ms M MacKintosh, Inverness City Partnership Officer
• Ms D Maguire, Greeninverness Partnership Officer
• Ms K Fairclough, City Centre Manager
• Mr Stefan Krause, BID Coordinator
• Mr H Robertson, Education, Culture & Sport Manager
• Mr D Wilby, Senior Community Learning and Leisure Officer
• Ms F Hampton, Director Highland 2007
• Mr M Cochrane, Area Housing and Property Manager
• Mrs A Graham, Assistant Area Housing Manager
• Mr G Rennie, Principal Project Manager
• Mr P Brown, Housing Development Officer
• Ms K Hamilton, Ward Manager, Inverness West and Inverness Ness-side
• Mr J Flint, Ward Manager, Inverness Central and Inverness Millburn
• Mr G Strachan, Ward Manager, Aird and Loch Ness
• Mr D Somerville, Area Solicitor/Clerk
• Ms C Robertson, Administrative Assistant

 

 Provost R Wynd in the Chair

 

The Provost reminded Members that the photo shoot for the new City Committee photograph would take place at 9.30am on 24th September, 2007.

 

 

Business

 

1.     Apologies for Absence

 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr P Corbett, Mr N Donald, Mr D Henderson, Mr D Hendry and Mr J MacDonald.

 

Apologies for absence for the afternoon session only were intimated on behalf of Mr R Balfour, Ms H Carmichael, Mr J Crawford, Mrs M Davidson, Mr J Finnie, Mr A Graham, Mrs B McAllister and Mr R Pedersen.

 

2.    Minutes of Previous Meeting

 

There had been circulated and were APPROVED the minutes of the Committee held on 25th June, 2007.

 

3.     Strategic Service Delivery Across City Wards – Update from Service Managers                    

The Service Managers from:-

• Social Work Services;
• Education, Culture and Sport and;
• Housing and Property Services

 

Each made a short presentation to the Committee, explaining how their Service was accommodating the need to recognise the challenges in providing a strategy for service delivery across the City Wards. 

 

Further to questioning by Members, Service Managers clarified the following points in relation to each Service:

 

Social Work Services

 

a) The Community Justice Authority was formed in April 2007, although it
    operated as a shadow Community Justice Authority from April 2006 – April
    2007.

b) At present there was no indicator which enabled the Criminal Justice Social
    Work Service to record re-offending levels. The Community Justice
    Authority was undertaking work in this area and this included consideration
    of information recorded by the police.

c) A Research & Evaluation post was to be established within Criminal Justice
    Social Work.

d) In terms of youth offending, statutory indicator figures were reported to
    the Scottish Executive and the Chief Executive.  These figures showed that
    the number of persistent youth offenders was successfully being reduced.

e) Future reports would give a more detailed structured analysis and
    consideration could be given to reporting information at a local level. 

f) Although the Ward boundaries and GP boundaries differed, this should cause
   no difficulties and Social Work Services were flexible in their working.

 

Education, Culture and Sport Service

 

a) Quality Assurance reports were public documents which Members could
    access.

b) For the 60 schools in this area, there were 3 Quality Improvement Officers,
    2 Educational Officers and the Education, Culture & Sport Manager.

c) A proportional approach was taken to monitor schools, with more
    intervention where schools had issues.

d) In terms of childcare provision, this was led by parent interest.  Historically
    the Council had relied on private and voluntary providers but a pilot
    programme was now being run at Inshes Primary School and the new Gaelic
    School where Highland Council provided childcare.

e) Except for Glen Urquhart HS and Kilchuimen Academy, there were no plans
    to formally link secondary schools as they were complex organisations
    already. However there is scope to link the delivery of courses where there
    was low uptake by pupils.

f) In terms of MP33 and the Highland Youth Work Strategy, there should be a
   Youth Worker for every Associated School Group by September 2007. 

g) In relation to the new Parent Councils, work was being done to encourage
    parents and information was being gathered about the number of Parent
    Councils that had been established to date.

h) Wraparound Care provision was provided if there was demand from a
    sufficient number of parents.  The aim was to extend provision and new
    projects were being investigated, including Drakies Primary School.

i) Work was being carried out with TEC Services to repair the pitches at Bught
   Park as soon as possible but the work was weather-dependent.  Meantime,
   assistance was being given to sporting clubs to help them find alternative
   venues.

 

Housing and Property Services

 

a) Homestake was a scheme in place at present which aimed to provide
    affordable housing.

b) The last Council housing built in this area was in 1996 but Right to Buy had
    continued until recently when the Pressurised Area Status (except in
    Merkinch and Hilton) had been introduced.  Council house sales had slowed
    but there was less turnover as people were not moving on.

c) Some owner occupiers had found they needed improvement grants to 
   enable them to maintain their properties.

d) Homelessness was often linked with other services such as Social Work
    Services and the Education, Culture and Sport Service.  Further:

 

(i)   Housing and Property Services ran hostels with 24 hour support
      which were always full but there was a limit to how long a person
      could stay. 

(ii)   A lot of good work was being carried out but the sheer volume of
      people made it difficult.

(iii)  250 people would be staying in B&B accommodation in the area
      tonight, 75% of which were single.

(iv)  It was now illegal for pregnant women and children to be
      accommodated in B&Bs.

(v)  Accommodation needed to be reviewed constantly to ensure it
      was appropriate.

 

Members NOTED the content of each presentation and that copies of the slides would be sent to them in due course. 

 

4.   Inverness City Vision “City’s Growth Fund – Report”

 

There had been circulated Report No. ICC04-07 dated 1st August, 2007 by the Inverness City Partnership Officer reporting on the current budgetary position on expenditure of the City’s Growth Fund monies allocated by the Council to the City Partnership.  This report also gave background information on the operation of the Partnership, along with a description of resources available (including staff) and an update on progress with the 15 City Vision themes.

 

The Inverness City Partnership Officer and Greeninverness Partnership Officer made a presentation to the Committee, in addition to the report.  In terms of the City’s Growth Fund, it was highlighted that details of the third phase of funding, including any attached conditions, would not be known until November 2007.  The Inverness City Partnership Officer advised that she could visit Members at Ward level or a City-wide Forum could be held to discuss plans.

 

Further to Members debate it was clarified that:

 

a) Meetings would be held with local Members to discuss issues in their Wards.

b) A meeting was arranged to discuss issues hoteliers had with a proposed
    road closure for the Car Free Day during Mobility Week.

c) Members wished the public to be involved more proactively and there was
    now an opportunity for Members to seek public and stakeholder opinion on
    ideas for the potential next round of City’s Growth Fund.

d) Officials had considered doing something with the river, such as a fountain,
    as part of the Six Cities design festival, but unfortunately they had not had
    time. 

e) TEC Services were investigating the installation of a barrier at the Castle to
    prevent young people driving around the monument in the evenings.

 

The Committee:

 

NOTED the status of the current budget, the progress being made on the 15 City Vision themes and that it was planned to carry out a Strategic Review of the implementation of the themes later this year; and

AGREED that the Inverness City Partnership Officer would go to Ward Business Meetings to seek ideas for projects which could make use of the third phase of City’s Growth funding.  The Inverness City Partnership Officer would then convene a City-wide Forum on this subject.

 

5.   City of Inverness – Business Improvement District

 

Mr K MacLeod, as a business owner in the area, declared a financial interest in this item and took no part during the discussion and voting. 

 

There had been circulated Report No. ICC05-07 dated 3rd August, 2007 by the City Manager detailing the Council’s involvement in an application by Inverness City Centre Management to achieve Business Improvement District Status for the City Centre. 

 

The City Manager summarised the report.  Further to discussion it was clarified that:

 

a) If businesses voted for this to go ahead they would form a uniformed
    group.

b) The programme would involve the upgrading and maintenance of buildings,
    with many buildings currently in multi-ownership.

c) At present the levy would create a sum of £300K but it was possible that
    the funding could be matched with potential for a much larger sum.

 

Members ENDORSED support for the Council’s involvement and NOTED the details of the proposals, the planned timetable and that final approval would be decided upon by the Planning, Environment and Development Committee.   

 

6.   Common Good Fund Revenue Monitoring Statement – 30th June, 2007

 

There had been circulated Report No.  ICC06-07dated 19th July, 2007 by the City Manager which set out the revenue monitoring position for the period to 30th June, 2007 and showed the actual expenditure to date.  It was intended to produce a monitoring statement for each City Committee for Members’ information. 

 

Members requested that they be provided with a more detailed breakdown of the information.  It was clarified that the full accounts were available for inspection.

 

The Committee NOTED the contents of the report and that a further breakdown of the information would be provided for future reports.

 

7.   Common Good Fund - Update on Plans for Hogmanay Event

 

There had been circulated Report No. ICC07-07  dated 27th July, 2007 by the Area Education, Culture and Sport Manager recommending a format for a Hogmanay Event to be held within the City Centre on 31st December, 2007. 

 

The City Manager summarised the report.  During discussion some Members supported the idea of a Hogmanay event stating that a growing city needed events of this scale; it would attract people to the city; it would be good for business and the wider economy; and an event on 12 January 2008 would round off the Highland 2007 celebrations.  Other Members felt that the money could go to a more worthwhile cause; the Common Good Fund was not set up for this type of event; public perception would be against it; and we should consider some sort of Winter Festival or smaller scale events instead.

 

Officials clarified that:

 

a)  An economic impact assessment had been carried out for Highland 2007 as
     a whole but an individual assessment for 12th January 2008 would be
     carried out.

b)  The event on 12th January was designed to be a legacy event and could
     be evaluated after the first year.

c)  The remit of the Common Good Fund did in fact cover this type of event
     and it would bring benefit to the people of Inverness. 

d)  The £250K contribution would be an agreement in principle and was
     dependent on other sources of funding. 

e)  If Members agreed to the recommendations in this report, the next report
     would structure the benefits to the town in detail and would include a
     detailed costed programme.

f)  4 years ago Members had been in debate over whether to invest in
    Highland 2007 but it was hoped that the outcomes of this year showed
    how important these events were. 

g)  Businesses had reported an increase in business from the event on 12
     January 2007.  There were lots of visitors in the town and it promoted the
     city.

 

The Chairman, seconded by Mr I Brown, moved the motion that the Committee agree the recommendations as detailed in the report with an additional recommendation that information about the structure of the programme for the winter festival and a fully costed programme for 12th January 2008 be tabled at the next committee.

 

Miss J Campbell, seconded by Mr A Graham, moved as an amendment that in principle the initial contribution from the Inverness Common Good Fund be £100K rather than £250K.

 

On the vote having been taken by a show of hands, the Chairman’s MOTION was carried by 12 votes to 7 and the Committee therefore agreed:

 

(i)    that an event to celebrate the new year; contribute to the
       closing programme of Highland 2007; and to launch the legacy of
       Highland 2007; takes place in the City of Inverness on 12 January
       2008,

(ii)   to ask Highland 2007 to act as managing agent for the event,
      including its scope, design and delivery,

(iii)   that Highland 2007 be asked to approach other partners to
       increase the budget,

(iv)   in principle an initial contribution from the Inverness Common
       Good Fund of £250K,

(v)   to receive a further report on the potential future scope and
       design of the event and the recommended budget contribution
       at a future meeting of the City of Inverness Committee,

(vi)  that an allowance be made within the overall budget for the event
      to be evaluated for its economic impact with a view to making a
      decision on whether or not to establish an event on 12 January 
      each year, at a future meeting of the City of Inverness Committee
      and     

(vii)  information about the structure of the programme for a winter
       festival and a fully costed programme for 12th January 2008 be
       tabled at the next Committee.

 

8.    Common Good Fund – City of Inverness Scheme of Winter Payments

 

There had been circulated Report No. ICC08-07 dated 3rd August, 2007 by the Inverness City Manager which invited Members to agree that Winter Payments should continue to be paid in 2007 to those eligible at the rates detailed in the report. 

 

Members requested that the payments and eligibility criteria be reviewed for 2008.

 

The Committee NOTED that those eligible aged over 60 would receive £27.00 each and all eligible persons with a disability would receive £17.00 each, in 2007 and AGREED that the payments and eligibility criteria would be reviewed for 2008.

 

9.   Appointments to Outside Bodies

 

In his absence, and on the condition of his agreement, Members NOMINATED Mr R Balfour to sit as Council representative on SABRE, an organisation which represented and supports Army Reservists.  

 

At the meeting of 25 June, 2007, Members were advised of the appointment of Mrs M Davidson to the Board of Destination Loch Ness, in a private capacity.  It was clarified that the request was made for Mrs M Davidson to sit as a Council representative.  Members AGREED the request, confirming Mrs M Davidson’s appointment in the capacity of Council representative. 

 

10.   Donations Working Group Minutes

 

The Committee APPROVED the minutes of the meeting of the Donations Working Group held on 7th August 2007, which were tabled at the meeting.

 

The meeting ended at 3.20pm having adjourned for lunch from 1.00pm to 1.30pm.