A meeting of the Transport, Environmental and Community Services Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 10 April 2008 at 10.30 am.
You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.
Yours faithfully
Alistair Dodds
Chief Executive
Declarations of Interest – Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.
Business
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Good News
- More Than Recycling Conference – CRNS Awards (GREAN nominated)
3. Revenue Budget Monitoring – 1 April 2007 to 29 February 2008
There is circulated Report No TEC-18-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services setting out the revenue monitoring position for the period 1 April 2007 to 29 February 2008 and the projected year end position.
The Committee is invited to note the report and the attached monitoring statements which show the revenue monitoring position for the period 1 April 2007 to 29 February 2008.
4. Capital Expenditure Monitoring – 1 April to 2007 to 29 February
2008
There is circulated Report No TEC-19-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services setting out the capital expenditure monitoring position for the period 1 April 2007 to 29 February 2008 and the projected year end position.
The Committee is invited to note the capital expenditure monitoring position for the period 1 April 2007 to 29 February 2008.
5. Waste Management Strategy
There is circulated Report No TEC-20-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services advising Members on the Scottish Government’s new “Zero Waste” stragegy which was announced on 24 January 2008, and providing an update on the Council’s current waste management initiatives
The Committee is invited to note:-
i. the details of the Scottish Government’s strategy for “zero waste” which
was announced on 24 January 2008;
ii. progress on the various initiatives adopted as part of the Council’s waste
management strategy to meet the landfill allowance targets by limiting the
amount of biodegradable waste going to landfill by 2009/2010;
iii. that Moray Council has agreed the principle of sharing their surplus landfill
allowances with the Highland Council;
iv. that a specialist consultant has been employed to carry out a focused piece
of work to examine how the Council’s existing waste management strategy
fits with the Scottish Government’s strategy for zero waste, and to make
specific recommendations on the actions required by both Highland and
Moray to comply with the Government’s strategy and meet the new
targets;
and agree:-
i. that a letter be sent to Moray Council thanking them for agreeing the
principle of sharing their surplus landfill allowances.
6. Additional Funding to Improve Recycling and Landfill Diversion
There is circulated Report No TEC-21-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services supporting the Administration’s commitment to increase recycling to 40% by 2010 and setting out proposals for allocating the additional £1.662m for recycling identified within the Revenue Budget for 2008/09.
The Committee is invited to approve the:-
i. extension of the kerbside recycling service by providing five additional refuse
collection vehicles and creating 13 operational posts (5 drivers/8 loaders) to
carry out a monthly kerbside mixed dry recyclable (paper, card, cans,
plastics) collection, similar to a number of schemes already operating in
Scotland, to households in rural Highland;
ii. creation of four Waste Awareness Officer posts to assist in getting the
waste reduction and recycling message across to communities and
individuals in the long term, and in the first instance to support the roll out
of the rural kerbside service;
iii. provision of recycling facilities for plastic bottles in the main recycling centres
at Wick, Thurso, Alness, Inverness, Granish, Nairn, Fort William, Dingwall
and Tain; and
iv. continued funding of the Social Enterprise Network, which delivers waste
diversion services on behalf of the Council, for a further year at the funding
level provided through the Strategic Waste Fund in 2007/08.
7. Bulky Uplift Service: Proposed Amendment to Policy
There is circulated Report No TEC-22-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services seeking approval to amend the policy for the bulky uplift service for certain household wastes by removing black bag waste for the list of approved items. This proposal is designed to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and to support the Administration’s commitment to increase the amount of waste recycled in the Highlands to 40% by 2010.
The Committee is invited to agree that:-
i. the policy for the bulky uplift service for certain household wastes be
amended by removing black bag waste, with the consequence that the
bulky uplift service will be limited to household waste which falls into the
following categories:-
- any article which cannot fit into the normal domestic bin
- any article which weighs over 25kg; and
ii. the amended policy be introduced from 1 July 2008 to allow sufficient time
to advise the public of the changes.
8. Food Service Plan 2008/09
There is circulated Report No TEC-23-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services appending the Food Service Plan for 2008/09.
The Committee is invited to approve the Food Service Plan for 2008/09.
9. Dingwall General Traffic Order 2006
There is circulated Report No TEC-24-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services advising Members of an unresolved objection to the Dingwall General Traffic Order 2006 and recommending that the objection be overruled.
The Committee is invited to overrule the objection to the Dingwall General Traffic Order 2006 by the Highland Cycling Campaign on the grounds of road safety.
10. The Highland Council (Inverness – Central Consolidation)
(Variation No 3) Order 2007
There is circulated Report No TEC-25-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services advising Members of the representations received in relation to The Highland Council (Inverness – Central Consolidation) (Variation No 3) Order 2007 which is an essential part of the Inverness City Centre Streetscape and Transportation Improvements. Members are invited to approve the proposed adjustments, to overrule the one outstanding objection and to make the Order.
The Committee is invited to:-
i. approve the adjustments as detailed in the report;
ii. agree to overrule the objection from Mr W A E Fraser requesting four pay
and display parking spaces in Queensgate on the basis of the mitigation
measures described in the report and in order to minimise the penetration
of non-essential traffic into the core City Centre streets in the interests of
improving the experience for pedestrians and shoppers and maintaining the
smooth flow of public transport and taxis; and
iii. agree to make the The Highland Council (Inverness – Central Consolidation)
(Variation No 3) Order 2007.
11. The Future of Flood Risk Management in Scotland: A Consultation
Document
There is circulated Report No TEC-26-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services providing details of the proposed response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the future of Flood Risk Management in Scotland, which closes on 23 April 2008.
The Committee is invited to approve the response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the future of Flood Risk Management in Scotland.
12. Inquiry into Ferry Services in Scotland
There is circulated Report No TEC-27-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services providing details of the Council’s response to the Scottish Government following the Scottish Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee’s Inquiry into ferry services in Scotland. The closing date for responses was 31 March 2008.
The Committee is invited to homologate the Council’s written submission to the Scottish Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee’s Inquiry into ferry services in Scotland.
13. Scottish Road Safety Strategy Consultation
There is circulated Report No TEC-28-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services inviting Members to comment on the Council’s response to the Scottish Government’s recently published consultation document on Scottish Road Safety.
The Committee is invited to:-
i. comment on the draft response; and
ii. approve its submission as the Council’s response to the Scottish
Government’s consultation on Scottish Road Safety.
14. Consultation on Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport
There is circulated Report No TEC-29-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services providing details of the Council’s response to the Department for Transport’s Consultation on “Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport” which closed on 27 February 2008.
The Committee is invited to homologate the response to the consultation on “Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport”.
15. Glenelg and Kylerhea Slipways
There is circulated Report No TEC-30-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services updating Members on the Council’s involvement with the privately owned slipways at Glenelg and Kylerhea, which form the landing facilities for the community owned car and passenger ferry operating between the mainland and the Isle of Skye, and inviting Members to consider a request from the Ferry Community Interest Company to change the funding arrangements agreed by the TEC Services Committee on 27 September 2007 from a five year commitment to provide a basic level of maintenance to a “one off” contribution of £24,500.
The Committee is invited to approve the proposal to replace the previously approved funding arrangements for Kylerhea and Glenelg slipways, as agreed by the TEC Services Committee on 27 September 2007, with a lump sum contribution of £24,500, on the condition that the Highland Council lease for the Kylerhea slipway is successfully consigned to the Ferry Community Interest Company and that the financial support towards the operation and maintenance of both slipways by the Highland Council ceases.
16. Glen Nevis/Nevis Range Bus Service – Award of Contract
There is circulated Report No TEC-31-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services recommending an award of contract to replace a commercially operated bus service which has been withdrawn, and supporting the Administration’s commitment to enhance, develop and promote the bus network.
The Committee is invited to approve an award of contract for the Fort William to Glen Nevis and Nevis Range bus services to Martin’s Coaches at a cost of £47,500 per year.
17. Performance Management: Statutory and Internal Performance
Indicators – 3rd Quarter 2007/08
There is circulated Report No TEC-32-08 by the Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services providing details of Transport, Environmental and Community Services performance, as measured by Statutory Performance Indicators and Internal Performance Indicators, for the third quarter of 2007/08.
The Committee is invited to note the performance of Transport, Environmental and Community Services in relation to Service activities that are measured by Statutory Performance Indicators and Internal Performance Indicators.
18. Review of Taxi Tariff
There is circulated Report No TEC-33-08 by the Assistant Chief Executive advising the Committee of the recommendations of the Civic Government Licensing Working Group in relation to the taxi tariff review.
The Committee is invited to consider the recommendations of the Civic Government Licensing Working Group in relation to advertising the proposed introduction of a revised scale of maximum taxi fares in Highland, as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report.
19. Civic Government Scotland Act 1982 – Houses in Multiple
Occupation
There is circulated Report No TEC-34-08 by the Assistant Chief Executive advising the Committee of the recommendations of the Civic Government Licensing Working Group relative to a number of amendments to the conditions and standards in respect of the licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
The Committee is invited to approve the proposed amendments to the conditions and standards relating to HMO licences as detailed in the report.
20. Minutes
There are circulated for noting or approval as appropriate, Minutes of the:-
i. Ross Skye and Lochaber Licensing Committee of 21 August 2007 ;
ii. Ross Skye and Lochaber Licensing Committee of 4 September 2007;
iii. Ross Skye and Lochaber Licensing Committee of 20 November 2007;
iv. Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Srathspey Licensing Committee of
11 December 2007;
v. Ross Skye and Lochaber Licensing Committee of 18 December 2007;
vi. Ross Skye and Lochaber Licensing Committee of 15 January 2008;
vii. Resource Monitoring Working Group of 24 January 2008;
viii. Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey Licensing Committee of 29 January 2008;
ix. Fishery Harbours Management Board of 28 February 2008;
x. Civic Government Licensing Working Group of 28 February 2008;
xi. Civic Government Licensing Working Group of 18 March 2008.