Minutes of Meeting of the Inverness City Committee held in the Council Chamber, Town House, Inverness on Monday, 28 April, 2008 at 10.30 a.m.
Present:
Provost R Wynd, Mr R Balfour, Mr I Brown, Miss J Campbell, Ms H Carmichael, Mr P Corbett, Mr J Crawford, Mrs M Davidson, Mr N Donald, Mr J Ford, Mr A Graham, Mr J Gray, Mr D Henderson, Mr D Hendry, Mr J Holden, Mr D Kerr, Mr K MacLeod, Mrs P Munro, Mr F Parr, Mr R Pedersen, 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/Clerk, Mr D Somerville, Area Solicitor, Mrs F MacBain, Senior Administrative Assistant, Miss C Robertson, Administrative Assistant, Mr M MacLeod, Development Plans Manager, Mr C Kemp, Integrated Transport Manager, TEC Services, Ms M MacKintosh, Inverness City Partnership Officer, Mr D Wynd, Safer City Centre Co-ordinator, Ms A MacNeil, Senior Public Relations Officer, Ms K Fairclough, City Centre Manager, Mr S Krause, BID Co-ordinator, Mr J Flint, Ward Manager, Mr B MacKinnon, SIP Manager
Provost R Wynd in the Chair
Business
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies were submitted on behalf of Mr J Finnie, Mrs B McAllister, Mr J MacDonald and Mr T Prag.
2. Minutes
The Committee NOTED the minutes of the Inverness City Committee held on 17 March 2008 and APPROVED the minutes of the Kirking Working Group Kirking Working Group held on 27 March 2008.
3. Inverness Beechwood Campus - Update on Progress
There had been circulated Report No. ICC-29-08 dated 14 April 2008 by the Director of Planning and Development informing Members that the Administration Programme set out under “A Skilled and Confident Highlands”, the following commitment:
“We will work with the UHI Millennium Institute and Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) to complete the University of the Highlands and Islands Project and secure the development of a high quality campus.”
The Development Plans Manager summarised the report and explained that HIE were leading a project to bring forward a campus site to the east of Inverness at Beechwood. As well as being a site for the relocation of Inverness College, the site also offered opportunities for other uses including Research & Development spin-off activities, student accommodation and sports facilities. The Council had been involved in the project team guiding this project and the purpose of this report was to ensure Members were aware of current progress and key Council inputs.
Members voiced support for the project and commented as follows:
i. it was important that infrastructure was put in place at an early stage; and
ii. colour site plans would be helpful to more easily identify green spaces.
In response to questions from Members it was explained that discussions on the inclusion of a rail halt were at an early stage but the potential for a rail halt had been included in the A96 Corridor Masterplan.
The Committee thereafter AGREED:
i. to support the progress on the delivery of the Beechwood Campus site;
ii. that regular updates on progress be referred to the Committee as
appropriate;
iii. that further consideration should be given to the rail halt.
4. Inverness City Centre Streetscape and Transportation Project
There had been circulated Report No ICC-30-08 dated 21 April 2008 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services updating Members on progress and issues associated with the Inverness City Centre Streetscape and Transportation project.
The Integrated Transport Manager summarised the report and in response to questions from Members he explained that:
i. work on Ness Walk would start towards the end of 2008 and would be co-
ordinated with utilities and flood alleviation work;
ii. City Centre work was scheduled to finish in Nov/Dec 2008; and
iii. consultants had been asked to consult the disability access panel about
disabled parking kerb levels.
The Committee thereafter AGREED to support progress with the Project.
5. Stakeholder Engagement on the City Centre Streetscape & Traffic ManagementProgramme
There had been circulated Report No. ICC-31-08 dated 18 April 2008 by the City Partnership Officer providing an update to Members on the current status of the actions being undertaken in relation to the Traffic Management element of the works currently underway in the City Centre. It further reported on discussions with the Assessor and Highland Council Finance Service regarding the conditions required for the consideration of business rates relief.
The City Partnership Officer summarised the report and in response to Members’ questions it was explained that:
i. investigation was being undertaken into applying time restrictions on Disabled
Parking Bays, as they were currently being used by disabled commuters
which restricted their use by disabled shoppers and other City Centre
visitors;
ii. the police were being asked to monitor vehicles making illegal right-turns into
Station Square. The use of vehicle registration recognition technology had
significant cost and resource implications; and
iii. businesses who felt that their custom had been adversely affected by the
Streetscape work could apply to seek relief or help with their rates from the
Council or from the Assessor.
Members further commented that:
i. it was disappointing that business rates relief was subject to such stringent
restrictions;
ii. consideration required to be given to drop-off points in the City Centre for
cruise liner coaches; and
iii. some large refuse bins in the City Centre were not being emptied frequently
enough, becoming unsightly and smelly.
The Committee thereafter AGREED:
i. that the City Manager would convene a meeting to discuss cruise liner coach
drop off points;
ii. that consideration be given to increasing the frequency of refuse bin
collections in the city centre; and
iii. to support the content of the report.
6. Business Improvement District (BID) – Proposals for the City of Inverness
There had been circulated joint Report No. ICC-32-08 by the Inverness City Manager, the BID Coordinator and the BID Business Liaison Manager detailing the ballot results and the proposed management structure and budget that would progress the Business Improvement District (BID) business plan. A system of regular reporting to the City Committee was planned.
In response to questions from Members, it was explained that:
i. the baseline Service Level Agreement between TEC Services and the BID
company had been circulated to Members;
ii. the terms of the levy agreement for 2008/09 and for future years were on
the point of being finalised;
iii. the BID company would take over the delivery of floral displays from
Inverness Project during the course of the coming three years;
iv. the BID Board structure and membership would be subject to democratic
elections at its AGM on 15 May 2008;
v. some BID businesses had provided in-kind benefits, such as the Eastgate
Centre’s provision of the use of Falcon Square, which had reduced the cash
levy payment required from them; and
vi. businesses who had voted against the BID could not now opt-out.
The Committee thereafter AGREED to:
i. further reports being provided, giving details on progress at the next
appropriate City Committee meeting; and
ii. include the Farmers Market in the regular programme of City Centre events
and support the progress of the BID company.
7. Presentation: Town House Virtual Tour and Am Baile Website
This item was DEFERRED to a future meeting.
8. Request to Support Polish Consulate in Inverness City
There had been circulated Report No. ICC-33-08 dated 17 April 2008 by the Inverness City Manager informing Members that because of the number of Polish nationals living in Inverness, there was pressure within the community for the Polish Government to recognise this by setting up a consulate within the City. A request had been made to the Provost for formal support from the Council for this.
Following discussion the Committee AGREED to support the request in principle, however with no recommendation being made for any individual to be appointed as the Honorary Consul, NOTING that the final decision would be taken by Full Council.
9. CCTV: Arrangements for City Centre
There had been circulated joint Report No. ICC-34-08 dated 17 April 2008 by the Inverness City Manager and the Safe Inverness Coordinator detailing the extent of the CCTV system in Inverness, its effectiveness and plans for bringing forward an improvement plan.
Further to commenting on the current operation of CCTV in the City, the Committee AGREED that Officers:
i. undertake a comprehensive review of the Inverness City CCTV systems as
part of the review of Highland CCTV and report back with a strategic
improvement plan, noting that the quality of image should be included in the
review; and
ii. bring a further report on the technical options and costs for the installation
already approved for Ness Islands.
It was further NOTED that the Northern Constabulary Data Protection Manager could provide information to Members on CCTV legislation and signage requirements, including for cameras installed on private property.
10. Inverness Common Good Fund Monitoring
There had been circulated Report No. ICC-35-08 dated 16 April 2008 by the Inverness City Manager detailing the revenue monitoring position for the period to 29 February 2008 and actual expenditure to date.
The Committee NOTED the revenue monitoring position for the period to 29 February 2008 and actual expenditure to date and AGREED that:
i. an explanation be included for any budget monitoring variances over £5,000;
and
ii. a further report be tabled about how the Common Good Fund was
acknowledged in publicity and events supported by the fund.
The Committee RESOLVED in terms of Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that public be excluded from the meeting for Item 11 to consider items contained on pages 55 – 60, and for Item 12, on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 4, 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.
11. Common Good Funding Requests
There had been circulated Report No. ICC-36-08 dated 21 April 2008 by the Inverness City Manager inviting the Committee to consider a request for funding from the Inverness Common Good Fund from the 2008/09 budget for the Northern Constabulary Pipe Band for £15,000. This funding would be put towards the cost of purchasing additional Band uniforms, outfitting all Band members in waistcoats and upgrading, refurbishing, replacing and/or augmenting Band instruments and equipment. There had been circulated, to Members only, a copy of supporting documentation.
Having NOTED that Northern Constabulary had agreed to provide £7,500 match funding, the Committee thereafter APPROVED a contribution from the Common Good Fund of £7,500. It was also AGREED that consideration be given to including the word ‘Inverness’ in the pipe band’s name and that the Common Good Fund be appropriately acknowledged by the band.
12. Emergency item: Grant Street Park
With the agreement of the Chairman this item was included on the agenda on the grounds that an urgent decision was required in response to a letter received from Clachnacuddin Football Club’s solicitor.
Mr K MacLeod, as a shareholder in Clachnacuddin Football Club 1990 Ltd, and Mr P Corbett, being a close relative of a shareholder, declared financial interests in this item and left the room during the discussion.
There was circulated to Members only Report No ICC37/08 dated 28 April 2008 by the City Manager reminding Members that at the meeting of the City Committee held on 17th March 2008, it had been noted that the current tenant, Clachnacuddin Football Club (1990) Ltd., had voluntarily renounced the lease of the football pitch and ground upon which the stand sat at Grant Street Park to the Inverness Common Good Fund. Attached to the report was a copy of a letter sent to the Council’s Area Solicitor on Friday 25 April 2008 from solicitors acting for the tenant which called into question the tenant’s decision (this was in contrast to a separate letter received from the tenant, addressed to the Council, where the tenant had indicated they wished to voluntarily renounce the lease). The consequential recommendation was to proceed with termination of the lease initiated by the Council’s Area Solicitor.
Having NOTED the terms of the letter and the advice contained in the report, the Committee AGREED to instruct the Area Solicitor to commence proceedings in the Sheriff Court for immediate recovery of possession of the land currently occupied under the terms of the lease agreed between the Trustees of the Inverness Common Good Fund and Clachnacuddin Football Club (1990) Ltd.
The meeting ended at 1.00pm.