What we will do for Children and Families
What we will do for Communities and Older People | What we will do for the Economy
What we will do to make the Council more Effective and Efficient
What we will do for our Environment
Economic Downturn Action Plan Begins To Pay Dividends
The Council continues to give a top priority to tackling the impacts on Highland communities of the world-wide economic downturn. Our Economic Downturn Action Plan identifies a number of medium and long term measures that will help businesses, families and individuals. This includes paying bills promptly; accelerating our affordable housing programme and our capital programme with £70 million earmarked to be spent on projects in this financial year as well as supporting individuals to find jobs and assisting new business start-ups
One area of real impact is in maximising people's benefits. Over the first six months of this financial year, Council benefit maximisation staff were able to realise annual benefits to claimants of £785,000. Over the same period, money advice officers dealt with a total of 405 cases, involving a total debt of more than £3 million, completing interviews with 95.5% of cases within 10 days.
Business Gateway, the national business advice service, was successfully launched in April and has already dealt with 600 inquiries. 82 business start-ups have been assisted and 12 companies assisted with low cost financial support from the Highland Business Growth Fund, creating 66 new jobs. The Masterplan for reviving the oil facility at Nigg, Easter Ross, and creating new business opportunities has been submitted to Scottish Ministers.
UHI Campus
The Council is firmly behind the choice of Beechwood _ to the east of Inverness - for the site of a new, high-quality Inverness campus as an essential part of the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute (UHIMI). This aspiration is shared by a number of key public sector partners, including Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) who have a commitment in their Operating Plan to the creation of "a contemporary university campus in Inverness, attracting high-calibre staff and significant numbers of students, with particular linkages to the healthcare sector". The relocation of Inverness College from the current Longman Road site is seen as an important part of the first phase of development of the site.
Meanwhile, the Council is backing the proposed relocation of the UHI Centre for History within Dornoch to premises which will put the centre in a better position to meet the demand generated by successful degree courses now being taken by students through the prospective university of the Highlands and Islands.
The Council has pledged a £200,000 grant towards the cost of establishing a new centre headquarters within a redeveloped stable block at the Burghfield House Hotel, which was recently purchased by North Highland College UHI and transformed into a major training centre for the hospitality and tourism industries. The conversion of the stable block is part of the College's redevelopment plans for the six-acre site in Dornoch. Also planned is new student accommodation with 30 bedrooms and en-suite facilities.
Highland Development Plan
The Council is supporting economic growth by making the planning process more efficient and effective. A big part of this is the preparation of a new local development plan. The Highland wide Local Development Plan will put in place a clear and consistent planning framework, which will identify priority growth areas right across the area. The draft plan will be prepared in early 2010, and there will be a further chance to input to the debate. You can keep up to date with the work on the plan by visiting our blog at: www.hwldp.blogspot.com
The new local development plan is also being accompanied by new procedures for dealing with planning applications, including the introduction of e-planning. Taken together these improvements will lead to greater certainty and a quality service to companies and individuals wanting to invest in the Highlands.
Business Gateway
If you are thinking of becoming self employed, starting, or growing a business, you can now contact the Business Gateway service. Business Gateway offers informed, impartial and practical advice on every aspect of running and developing a business, whatever stage you are at. There is a programme of free training workshops, online tools, access to finance or one-to-one advice with a business advisor based in your area. You can contact us online: www.bgateway.com or by telephone: 01463 713889 or walk-in to the Business Gateway office, 81 Castle Street, Inverness, or if outwith Inverness, at one of the Council's network of 37 Service Points.
Swine Flu
The public are being urged to remain on their guard against the spread of H1N1 virus (swine flu).
Everyone is encouraged to consider the offer of vaccination and to follow the basic rules of good hygiene to help to reduce the spread of infection.
Regular hand washing throughout the day is the single most important thing you can do to help to reduce the spread of infections.
Always cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze, or cough, and dispose of your tissues regularly, by bagging and binning them.
NHS Highland's pandemic flu vaccination programme started with frontline health and social care workers in Highland being offered the vaccine. Anyone who is eligible for a swine flu jab is urged to take up the offer.
Anyone who is concerned about flu-like symptoms should continue to contact their GP for advice, or NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24.
Further information on the vaccine programme is available via the new Scottish Swine Flu Vaccination Helpline on 08000 28 28 16
Be Prepared
The Council is urging businesses to prepare business continuity plans so they can ensure they can operate in the event of an emergency, such as swine flu or severe weather, and recover in the quickest possible time. In developing a plan, businesses should identify the core business; assess the risks; produce a simple plan and keep monitoring the plan.
Euro Funding
The LEADER programme provides funding for communities to plan for and develop their own area. It is a `bottom up' form of rural development empowering communities to help themselves.
The Highland LEADER Programme 2007-13 is worth £14.26m and operates across the Highlands, excluding the urban area of Inverness. A separate LEADER Programme operates in the Cairngorms National Park.
Programme achievements to date:
- 11 local area partnerships established and/or supported, all meeting the necessary 50% public, 50% community/private composition.
- All local partnerships meeting on a two monthly basis to make decisions on project applications or issues arising in their area.
- 11 community development plans completed which identify local priorities for their area.
- 108 projects supported.
- £2.57m of LEADER project funds committed, which has been matched with £4.3m of public funds and almost £1m of private funds. This represents a total of £7.87m coming into the Highland economy. In addition £1m of `in kind' contributions from the private and public sector has been secured.
Further details and programme contacts can be found on: www.highlandleader.com
Nicole Wallace, Programme Development Manager, Highland Leader Programme 2007-13, Planning and Development, The Highland Council, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX
Tel: 01463 702524
Town Centre Regeneration
Work is progressing on a major facelift of Dingwall High Street. A grant of £462,000 from the Scottish Government is contributing towards a £947,000 package for town centre improvements. This includes the £766,000 streetscape project now underway and other measures for the improvement of signage, visitor information and the vennels adjoining the High Street.
Fort William and Nairn are also to benefit from Scottish Government funding for town centre regeneration projects. At Nairn, a further £1m is earmarked for High Street improvements which will continue the work recently completed at The Brae at a cost of £270,000.
At Fort William, £470,000 is set aside for environmental improvements to the west end of the High Street where a new focal point to mark the end of the West Highland Way will be established with the approval of Scottish Ministers. At the east end of the street it is proposed to make substantial improvements to the underpass which has been the subject of considerable criticism in recent years.
How do we perform?
- With the onset of recession a Recession Action Plan is in place which is regularly reported to Council.
- The business start up rate has dropped to 4.6 per 1,000 per population from a baseline of 5.7 in 2006/7.
- A new tourism Action Plan has been produced and the Council entered into a Partnership Agreement with Visit Scotland for 2008/9.
- The cumulative total number of affordable homes completed rose to 946 in 2008/9 against a target of 2000 by 2010/11.
- To date the Council has supported 911 people into work through grants and loans programmes to businesses this is set against a target of achieving 1000 by 2010/11.
- The % of jobs located outwith Council Headquarters is being maintained at 95.8% a target of 96.2% has been set for 2010/11.
- The number of people using the bus has increased from 6.5M in 2007/8 to 6.6M in 2008/9
- A 5% reduction in traffic volumes in core Inverness City streets has been achieved, target for 2010/11 is 10%. Figures for the use of public transport in and around Inverness have increased from 3m in 2007/8 to 4.7m in 2008/9.
- The number of new learners supported with English Language tuition has increased from 758 in 2007/8 to 1128 at the end of December 2008.