Minutes of Meeting of the Gaelic Committee held in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday, 21 May 2009 at 2.00 pm
Present:
Mr H Fraser, Mrs I Campbell, Mr G Farlow, Mr G M Smith, Mr W Mackay, Mr J McGillivray, Dr A Sinclair, Ms M Smith, Mrs M E Paterson, Mr A M Millar, Mr E Hunter, Mr F Parr, Mr K MacLeod, Mr J Holden, Mr R Pedersen, Mr T Prag, Ms J Douglas, Mr D Cameron, Dr M E M Foxley
Non-Members also present:
Mr J Rosie, Mr W Fernie, Dr D Alston, Mr D Fallows
Officials in attendance:-
Mr H Fraser, Director of Education, Culture and Sport
Mr R MacKenzie, Head of Support Services, Education, Culture and Sport
Mr D MacNeill, Gaelic Development Manager, Education, Culture and Sport
Ms J Menabney, Principal Cultural Officer, Education, Culture and Sport
Mr J Allison, Principal Administrator, Chief Executive’s Office
Miss M Murray, Administrative Assistant, Chief Executive’s Office
Representatives of Gaelic Cultural or Development Organisations:-
Mr A MacLean, Chief Executive, Comunn na Gàidhlig
An asterisk in the margin denotes a recommendation to the Council. All decisions with no marking in the margin are delegated to the Committee.
Mr H Fraser in the Chair
Business
Preliminaries
The Chairman welcomed the new Members of the Gaelic Committee, Mr Willie Mackay and Mr Thomas Prag, to the meeting.
The Chairman also asked that the best wishes of the Committee be conveyed to Mr Craig Fraser for his early recovery from his recent illness.
Valedictories
The Chairman advised that this would be the last meeting attended by Mr John Allison, Principal Administrator, who would be retiring on 30 June 2009. On behalf of the Committee, he thanked Mr Allison for his contribution as Clerk to the Gaelic Select Committee and, subsequently, the Gaelic Committee, and wished him well for his retirement. Mr Allison responded accordingly.
The Chairman also expressed thanks to Fiona MacKenzie for her contribution to the Màiri Mhòr Gaelic Song Fellowship.
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr C Fraser, Mr A Graham, Miss J Campbell, Mr J Finnie and Mr A S Park.
2. Gaelic Language Initiatives
There was circulated Report No G-13-09 dated 11 May 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport advising that Gaelic Language Initiatives were on the point of being rolled out to several areas within Scotland, including three within the Highland Council area. They were built on the successful Welsh “Menter Iaith” model where community enterprises had been established over the last 20 years and where they had played a significant role in the local revival of the Welsh language.
In this regard, the Chairman welcomed Mr Archie MacLean, Chief Executive of Comunn na Gàidhlig, the body overseeing the introduction of the Initiatives in Scotland, who undertook a presentation at the meeting and confirmed that Gaelic Initiatives were part of the National Plan for Gaelic and Comunn na Gaidhlig was working closely with Bord na Gaidhlig, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the Council to identify specific areas to develop the Gaelic language, the first being Lochaber, where an initial meeting to launch the Initiative had been held. Initiatives would also be launched in North Skye and North West Sutherland in the near future. The aims were to increase the number of Gaelic speakers within the community and the opportunities to use the Gaelic language and each area would have a dedicated officer and Steering Group, starting with Lochaber where interested people were being identified. Mr MacLean thanked the Committee for the opportunity to promote Gaelic Initiatives and emphasised the importance of the Council's co-operation in rolling out the Initiatives in the Highland area.
In discussion, the following comments were made:-
• the introduction of Gaelic Initiatives was welcomed and it was hoped that
they would be rolled out to other areas in Highland;
• the North West Sutherland and Assynt Initiative should be extended to
include the Coigach Peninsula where there was considerable community
interest in Gaelic development;
• the Fionan Steering Group, which had existed in the early 1990s, comprised
representatives of the Council, HIE and other bodies who had discussed
local issues and shared examples of best practice. It had been a positive
learning experience for those involved and it was suggested that Gaelic
Initiative Steering Groups be established on a similar basis; and
• Gaelic community names should be used, where applicable, in Gaelic
Committee reports.
Thereafter, the Committee:-
i. NOTED the report and the accompanying presentation;
ii. AGREED that Council officers should work alongside Comunn na Gàidhlig
and local Steering Groups to take the proposals forward; and
iii. AGREED that Gaelic Community names be used, where applicable, in future
Gaelic Committee reports.
3. Revenue Budget Monitoring – 1 April 2009 to 30 April 2009
There was circulated Report No G-14-09 dated 13 May 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out the revenue budget monitoring position for the period 1 April 2009 to 30 April 2009 and the projected year end position.
The Committee NOTED the report and monitoring statements as circulated.
4. Highland Council Gaelic Language Plan – Draft Annual
Implementation Statement 2008/09
There was circulated Report No G-15-09 dated 11 May 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport advising that the Council’s Gaelic Language Plan had been approved by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, in May 2008 and had given a commitment to the preparation of an annual report on its implementation and progress towards targets. In this regard, the Plan’s actions and targets were appended to the report with a “traffic light” analysis which highlighted progress.
In discussion, the following comments were made:-
• a column should be added to the table of the Plan’s actions and targets for
comments and proposals regarding the various issues;
• it was important to progress the Schools Gaelic Careers Conference and to
improve the promotion of careers in Gaelic in schools and the wider
community;
• there were deficiencies in the current provision for Gaelic medium childcare
and pre-school education which required to be addressed and the Council
must engage in the review process;
• Local Members should be involved in discussions regarding progress to date
with the proposed new stand alone Gaelic medium primary schools in
Greater Fort William and Portree; and
• in terms of the discussion at previous meetings regarding Gaelic medium
teacher recruitment when urgent action had been requested, it was
suggested that a meeting be held to discuss a range of issues, including
bursaries for Gaelic teacher training, housing incentives and financial
incentives such as “golden hellos” and the phased repayment of student
loans. Thereafter, a meeting should be arranged with Bòrd na Gàidhlig and
the Scottish Government to discuss the implementation of a scheme of
incentives.
In response to questions, the Director advised that the Gaelic specific grant received from the Scottish Government was provided to support Gaelic provision and development. All of the grant funding was utilised for current provision and teacher costs accounted for much of it. It was therefore suggested that a detailed report on the Gaelic specific grant be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.
With regard to Gaelic signage within the Annual Implementation Monitoring Statement, some Members requested that an additional sentence be added to the effect that the Chief Executive was in negotiation with Bòrd na Gaidhlig and the Council was awaiting the outcome of those negotiations.
Conversely, other Members considered that such an addition was unnecessary as the Monitoring Statement was an update for Bòrd na Gàidhlig who were aware of the ongoing discussions.
Following discussion, during which it was highlighted that the issue of Gaelic Signage would be debated by the full Council on 25 June 2009, the Chairman confirmed that the Monitoring Statement would not be amended but Members’ comments would be recorded and the Minutes of the meeting made available to Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
Thereafter, the Committee:-
i. NOTED the terms of the report as circulated;
ii. APPROVED the submission of the Annual Implementation Monitoring
Statement to Bòrd na Gàidhlig, subject to the inclusion of Members’
comments;
iii. AGREED that a scheme of incentives be prepared to attract Gaelic medium
teachers to the Highlands and that a meeting be arranged with
representatives of Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the Scottish Government to discuss
the implementation of such a scheme; and
iv. AGREED that a detailed report on the utilisation of the Gaelic specific grant
received from the Scottish Government should be submitted to a future
meeting of the Committee.
5. Fas/Sabhal Mòr Ostaig – Partnership Agreement in Return for
Council Support
There was circulated Report No G-16-09 dated 7 May 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out the detail of a proposed agreement with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to collaborate with the Council on a number of projects in return for the assistance the Council provided to Fàs, the Centre for Creative and Cultural Industries, which was sited on the College Campus.
In discussion, the following comments were made:-
• there were a considerable number of Fèis tutors who were experienced in
working with school age pupils and it was suggested that the potential for
them to undergo further training at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to become Classroom
Assistants or Gaelic medium teachers should be investigated;
• with regard to the proposal to reserve places for Council staff on the
College programme of short courses, it was suggested that this be
extended to include Members if possible; and
• increasing the discount offered to school and youth groups would
encourage more young people to visit the College.
Thereafter, the Committee:-
i. APPROVED the proposals for the initial year of the Partnership Agreement,
subject to the inclusion of Members’ comments;
ii. AGREED that the possibility of Fèis tutors being encouraged to undergo
further training to become Classroom Assistants or Gaelic language teachers
should be investigated; and
iii. AGREED that the possibility of the reserved places on the College
programme of short courses being extended to include Members be
investigated.
6. Local Mods
It was noted that, at the meeting of the Gaelic Committee on 7 August 2008, a report was requested on local Mods held within Highland. In this regard, there was circulated Report No G-17-09 dated 11 May 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining the current situation regarding local Mods and the aspirations of An Comunn Gàidhealach for their future sustainability and expansion.
In discussion, Members suggested that, rather than relying on local volunteers, all Council Services should be encouraged to support local Mods to become more significant events and to encourage economic activity and tourism in the areas concerned. Reference was also made to the Royal National Mod Fringe and it was suggested that Council officials work with communities to establish local fringe festivals.
Thereafter, the Committee:-
i. APPROVED the approach outlined in the report;
ii. AGREED that officers should seek ways in which to support local Mods; and
iii. AGREED that all Council Services be encouraged to support local Mods to
become more significant events and to encourage economic activity and
tourism in the areas concerned.
7. Gaelic Language Training for Highland Council Staff
There was circulated Joint Report No G-18-09 dated 11 May 2009 by the Assistant Chief Executive and Director of Education, Culture and Sport seeking approval of a proposal to run two pilot Ùlpan Gaelic language courses for Highland Council staff and to support 20 staff through Ùlpan courses delivered by other providers.
In discussion, the following comments were made:-
• Scottish Union Learning Fund (SULF) and Scottish Trades Union Congress
(STUC) representatives had experience in sourcing funding for this type of
course; and
• Members would benefit from the courses and it was suggested that,
following completion of the pilot, consideration be given to continuing and
extending the scheme.
Thereafter, the Committee AGREED:-
i. the proposal to run two pilot Ùlpan courses for Highland Council staff,
including the arrangements for funding and staff time;
ii. to support up to 20 Highland Council staff from outwith Inverness through
20 Ùlpan units delivered by other providers;
iii. that the availability of funding from the Scottish Union Learning Fund and
the Scottish Trades Union Congress to support Gaelic language training be
investigated; and
iv. that, following the completion of the pilot, the continuation and extension
of the courses be considered.
8. Gaelic Development Manager’s Update
There was circulated Report No G-19-09 dated 7 May 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport providing an update on various issues of interest to the Gaelic Committee and advising that the Council was undertaking a number of projects focused on targets within the Gaelic Language Plan with financial assistance from Bòrd na Gàidhlig. These included:-
• Translation Unit
• Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis Community Development Post
• “Outward Bound”
• Ainm is Àite (Schools/Community Place Name Project)
• An Sgàilean Ùr (Film Project)
• Progressive Language Classes
• Staff Training and Awareness
• Fèis Spòrs
• Web 2.0 Training
• Spors Mors
• Schools Drama
• Sgrìobh sa sgìre (Gaelic Literature)
In this regard, the Gaelic Development Manager gave a presentation in amplification of the projects.
In discussion, the following comments were made:-
• the Gaelic Awareness Day on Friday, 8 May 2009 had been an enjoyable,
productive and thoroughly well organised event. All those involved in
organising the event were commended and it was suggested that all
Members be encouraged to attend future Gaelic Awareness Days; and
• reinstating the shortcut to the Gaelic Toolkit on the Council’s website
homepage would allow easier access.
Thereafter, the Committee:-
i. NOTED the terms of the report as circulated; and
ii. AGREED that the possibility of reinstating the shortcut to the Gaelic Toolkit
on the Council’s website homepage to allow easier access be investigated.
9. Change of Date of Gaelic Committee
The Chairman referred to the meeting of the Committee held on 15 January 2009 when it had been agreed that consideration should be given to holding a meeting of the Gaelic Committee in Wester Ross or West Sutherland to examine the difficulties being experienced in recruiting Gaelic medium teachers and the expectation of parents regarding the provision of Gaelic medium education in the area.
In this regard, it was proposed that this meeting should be held in Ullapool on Friday 25 September 2009.
* The Committee AGREED TO RECOMMEND to the full Council that the
date of the Gaelic Committee meeting in September 2009 should be
changed from Thursday, 17 September to Friday, 25 September and that
the meeting should be held in Ullapool.
The meeting concluded at 4.05 pm.