Minutes of Meeting of the Inverness City Committee held in the Council Chamber, Town House, Inverness on Monday 24th September 2007 at 10.00 a.m.
Present
Provost R Wynd
Mr R Balfour
Mr I Brown
Miss J Campbell
Ms H Carmichael
Mr J Crawford
Mrs M Davidson
Mr N Donald
Mr J Finnie
Mr J Ford
Mr A Graham
Mr D Henderson
Mr D Hendry
Mr D Kerr
Mrs B McAllister
Mr J MacDonald
Mr K MacLeod
Ms P Munro
Mr F Parr
Mr R Pedersen
Mr T Prag
Mrs G Sinclair
Mr H Wood
Officials in attendance:
Mr W Gilfillan, Corporate Manager, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey
Mr D Haas, Inverness City Manager
Mr D Somerville, Area Solicitor/Clerk
Mrs F MacBain, Senior Administrative Assistant
Ms M MacKintosh, Inverness City Partnership Officer
Mrs D Maguire, Greeninverness Partnership Officer
Mr I Wallace, Area Roads and Community Works Manager
Ms A MacNeil, Senior Public Relations Officer
Mr D Wilby, Senior Community Learning and Leisure Officer
Ms F Duffy, Ward Manager, Aird and Loch Ness
Mr J Flint, Ward Manager, Inverness Central and Inverness Millburn
Mr C Stephen, Ward Manager, Inverness South and Culloden & Ardersier
Mrs K Hamilton, Ward Manager, Inverness West and Inverness
Also in attendance:
Ms K Fairclough, Inverness BID Business Liaison Manager
Mr Stefan Krause, BID Co-ordinator
Mrs F Hampton, Director Highland 2007
Provost R Wynd in the Chair
Business
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr J Holden, Mr J Gray
and Mr P Corbett.
2. Inverness Common Good Fund – Revenue Monitoring Statement 31 July 2007
There had been circulated Report No ICC09-07 dated 12th September, 2007 by the City Manager detailing the current position and including additional information as requested by Members.
During discussion Members:
a) queried why the expenditure ‘Culture and Leisure Events’ had increased
from £24k in June 07 to £61k in July 07 and why the Bowling Green was no
longer appearing as a budget heading; and
b) requested a briefing on the Common Good Fund.
It was clarified that the £350k for City Centre Transport Improvements was the 3rd year of funding from the Common Good Fund toward the total £6m cost of the Streetscape project.
The Committee thereafter NOTED the report and AGREED that:
a) the requested budget information be reported to the relevant Member;
and
b) a briefing be arranged on the Common Good Fund.
3. Greeninverness – City of Inverness Greenspace Strategy and Action Plan 2007- 2009
There had been circulated Report No. ICC10-07 dated 10th September, 2007 by the Greeninverness Partnership Officer providing details of responses received during the consultation period which had been written into the final version of the City of Inverness Greenspace Strategy and Action Plan 2007-2009.
Mrs Maguire explained that the Action Plan was not a conclusive list of projects and that she would be working with the Ward Managers to identify realistic projects to take forward. It was anticipated that the final Strategy would be ready for distribution by mid-November 2007.
In response to questions from Members it was explained that the Ward Management Team were working with TEC Services to ensure the roles and responsibilities of TEC Services in relation to green space maintenance were clarified. In relation to the provision of CCTV on the Ness Islands, a balance was required between public privacy and security.
Members further commented that it was important to consider the needs of both local residents and visitors. Future revisions should include consideration of factoring arrangements for new housing developments, to include investigation into the possibility of either the Council or community/residents’ groups taking ownership of communal land, and an explanation of the 40 times the annual maintenance multiplier – this being noted as a strategic matter.
The Committee thereafter NOTED the comments received during the consultation period and AGREED to adopt the final version of the Strategy and Action Plan, with consideration being given to future revisions as detailed above.
4. Strategic Service Delivery Across City Wards – Update from Service Managers
Mr Ian Brown was in the Chair for Item 4 only
The Area Roads and Community Works Manager from Transport, Environmental and Community Services made a short presentation to the Committee, explaining how the Service was accommodating the need to recognise the challenges in providing a strategy for service delivery across the City Wards.
Mr Wallace outlined the statutory duties undertaken by TEC Services as follows:
a) Waste collection and disposal.
b) Fortnightly inspection and maintenance of Play Areas.
c) Annual inspection of every mile of road (of which there were approximately
800 in Inverness), with some City streets being inspected monthly.
d) Bi-annual inspection and maintenance of 342 bridges.
e) Annual inspection of every water course associated with flooding of
properties.
f) Street-cleaning including litter-picking and dog-fouling.
g) Statutory consultee for the Planning Service.
h) Winter Maintenance.
i) Burials and cremations, and maintenance of cemeteries.
TEC Services also had discretionary powers to maintain parks, floral displays, car and lorry parks, public conveniences and to service special events, of which there were a growing number in Inverness.
The Service Manager responded to questions from Members as follows:
a) The recruitment of 3 Operations Managers was being presented to
Resouces Committee for approval and it was hoped they would be
operational within 3-4 months, with each of them allocated a support team.
b) Staff were being lost to the private sector on a regular basis.
c) Consideration would be given to a scheme for Apprentices, to help create a
workforce for the future.
d) Service contacts welcomed direct contact from Members when appropriate.
e) A system of realistic, timescaled feedback in response to Members’ queries
was being worked on with the Corporate Manager, City Manager and Ward
Managers. While the CRM Members’ portal was being rebuilt, Members
should, as an interim measure, direct their TECS queries through their Ward
Managers. Realistic feedback would also be given to Members by TEC
Services via the Ward Management Team as part of the interim measure.
f) TEC Services Director would be asked to investigate the growing issue of
community or Council ownership of communal land in new housing
developments
Members further commented that it would be beneficial if Ward Managers could view Members’ CRM queries and that it would be helpful if the recruitment process could be streamlined.
The Committee thereafter NOTED the presentation and the various points raised above.
5. Business Improvement District (BID) – Proposals for the City of Inverness
There had been circulated a joint Report No. ICC11-07 dated 13th September, 2007 by the City Manager, BID Co-ordinator and the BID Business Liaison Manager detailing the key objectives of the draft Business Improvement District Business Plan, along with some of the current initiatives funded by the City Common Good Fund.
It was explained that a Service Level Agreement was being drawn up which would establish the base-line of Council Services and ensure the BID project would create added value. To go ahead the businesses in the BID area would have to vote in favour of the BID proposals. For the vote to be carried, there had to be a minimum of 25% turnout, and, of those voting, over 50% by number as well as over 50% by rateable value had to vote in favour. The levy would be on property owners as well as tenants, as both would benefit from the added value that would be created by the BID. Scottish BIDs enabling legislation differed from English BIDs in allowing the involvement of, and levy on, property owners. The Scottish Property Federation was supportive of the BIDs initiative as a way of raising values in BID areas.
Members commented that businesses would require persuasion that the additional cost would add sufficient extra value.
The Committee thereafter NOTED the report and ENDORSED the BID proposal in principle.
6. Inverness New Year Celebrations
There had been circulated a joint Report No. ICC12-07 dated 12th September, 2007 by the City Manager and Senior Community Learning and Leisure Officer detailing the proposed structure of the Winter Festival along with an update on the plans for the Highland 2007 closing event set for 12th January, 2008.
An outline of the proposal by Unique Events for the celebrations was circulated, and Members discussed the proposals, including what support there was for them among local businesses and what economic benefits they might or might not bring to the City. Specifically some Members spoke in favour of the proposal as follows:
a) The Highland 2007 opening event on 12 January 2007 had been popular
and well-received.
b) It was important that to create a legacy event that would attract people
and put the City of Inverness on the map.
Other Members spoke against the proposal as follows:
a) It was unfair that the burden of costs for the events was to fall to the
Council, and that the burden of costs for the Highland 2007 event was to
fall to the City of Inverness in particular when the event was the closure of
a Highland-wide celebration.
b) The proposal was unsuitable because many people would not enjoy the
procession due to cold January weather, the proposed Peter Pan theme
was not appropriate for a Highland event, there was insufficient opportunity
for participation in the event and not everyone would be in a position to
benefit.
c) The proposal was not in keeping with the spirit of the Common Good Fund.
In response to the above and further questions from Members it was explained that:
a) The budget at this stage was only indicative, with relatively large
‘miscellaneous’ costs, because several agencies, such as the Emergency
Services, had not provided detailed costs and would not be able to do so
until the Committee had given a firm indication of their support for the
proposal. A detailed budget would be drawn up if and when the
Committee had approved of the proposal.
b) Likewise, sponsorship from private and other organisations could not be
sought until the Committee had indicated its support.
c) The closing event on 12 January would not be in competition with other
Hogmanay events therefore would benefit from a wider choice of artists,
equipment and media coverage.
d) The previous Inverness Area Committee had, as a result of the success of
the Highland 2007 opening event on 12 January 2007, requested that
proposals be drawn up for a similar event to mark the end of Highland 2007,
as was now being tabled.
e) The Festival was proposed to be called ‘Winter’ rather than ‘Christmas’
because it could encompass more events and attract a wider range of
funding.
f) Local staff would be used wherever possible for the events.
g) Highlands and Islands Enterprise - IEH had agreed to fund an economic
impact assessment to establish whether the project would be viable for
future years.
h) An event did not have to take place within the boundary of the burgh of
Inverness to benefit from the Common Good Fund, it simply had to be of
benefit to the citizens. The proposal was an appropriate use of the Fund.
Small charities and voluntary organisations could also apply for funding
through the Donations Working Group.
i) The Trunk Road Authority had responded positively to a preliminary enquiry
about the use of the Kessock Bridge for the closing event.
Following further discussion, the Provost seconded by Mr D Hendry moved that the Committee:
a) agree an Inverness Common Good Fund allocation to the Highland 2007
closing event on 12 January 2008 in the Inverness City centre of £250,000,
with the CGF contribution reducing in relation to other contributions and
sponsorship received
a) agree that Highland 2007 deliver the proposed major event as outlined at
the meeting and continue to work up the detail of the event programme
and its delivery;
b) note the progress which the business sector is making in the development of an Inverness Winter Festival; and
c) agree to underwrite the business-led Winter Festival from the Inverness
Common Good Fund up to a maximum of £20,000.
Mr D Henderson seconded by Mrs J Campbell moved as an amendment that any contribution to the Highland 2007 closing event from the Inverness Common Good Fund be limited to a maximum of £60k, and that no further action be undertaken to promote an annual Inverness Winter Event funded from the Common Good Fund.
On a division and the vote having been taken by a show of hand, the result was 8 votes for Mr Henderson’s amendment and 13 votes for the Provost’s MOTION, which became the finding of the Committee as detailed above.
7. Kirking of the Council
There had been circulated Report No.ICC13-07 dated 12th September, 2007 by the City Manager updating Members on the outcome of this year’s Service and giving options for providing a broader support basis with a recommendation that a small working group be convened to consider the options.
The Provost explained that the profile of the 2007 Kirking had been helped by the invitation of the Army, Sea and Airforce cadets and Royal British Legion Pipe Band. Historically, the Kirking had been an annual event because Council membership had changed annually. However, when Council elections had been changed to take place every 4 years, the Kirking had not been changed so that it had no longer been an event to mark the inauguration of the ‘new’ Council. Attendance at the Kirking ceremony had dwindled in recent years and the proposals were an attempt to re-invigorate the event.
During discussion Members voiced support for the Kirking ceremony becoming ecumenical and for the creation of a working group as proposed. However some Members voiced concern that the Provost had spoken publicly about proposed changes prior to the matter being discussed by the City Committee.
In response to questions in relation to the Provost’s speech at the Kirking Service, the City Manager explained that he had informed the High Church that the Provost would be writing his own speech for the Kirking Service. Shortly before the start of the ceremony the traditional speech had, nevertheless, been presented to the Provost to read. It had been explained again that the Provost had earlier indicated his intention to read his own words. The Provost refuted the suggestion that he had used the Kirking ceremony to make a political speech.
The Committee thereafter APPROVED the creation of a working group consisting of the Provost, 3 other Members (one from Labour, one from Lib Dems and one from Independent group) and the City Manager to formulate proposals for future Kirking Services
8. Inverness City Committee Dates 2008
The Committee APPROVED following dates of meetings for 2008. All meetings would start at 10.00 am:
-
4 February
-
17 March
-
28 April
-
9 June
-
4 August
-
15 September
-
27 October
-
8 December
9. City Centre Streetscape & Traffic Management Programme
There had been circulated Report No. ICC14-07 dated 13th September 2007 by the City Manager detailing the current status of the actions being undertaken in relation to the Streetscape and Traffic Management works currently underway in the City Centre.
The Committee NOTED the report.
The meeting ended at 12.55pm