Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Lochaber Area Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Lochaber House, High Street, Fort William on Thursday, 22 May 2014 at 10.30 am.

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the Internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully

Michelle Morris
Depute Chief Executive/
Director of Corporate Development

1. Apologies for Absence
    Leisgeulan

2. Declarations of Interest
    Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

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.

3. Helicopter Landing Sites in Lochaber
    Raon-laighe Heileacoptair ann an Loch Abar

The very rural geography of Lochaber with the inclusion of four islands leads to a scattered and fragile area which presents challenges to all emergency responders and partner agencies.  In this connection, there is circulated Report No. LA-14-14 (26kb pdf) dated 12 May 2014 by the Acting Head of Community and Democratic Engagement introducing a presentation by Mr A Knox and Mr R Dalziel, Scottish Ambulance Service which outlines their response to these challenges.

The Committee is invited to consider and welcome the advances being made by the Scottish Air Ambulance Service in providing a more adaptable emergency response.

4. Community Challenge Fund – Area Update
    Maoin Dùbhlan Coimhearsnachd – Fios às Ùr dhan Sgìre

There is circulated Report No.LA-15-14 (45kb pdf) dated 17 April 2014 by the Depute Chief Executive which provides Members with an opportunity to consider the interest in the Community Challenge Fund, launched in January 2013, at a local level and also to discuss how the Fund could best be promoted and utilised within the local area.

The Committee is asked to:

i. note the take up of the Fund to date in Lochaber;
ii. note the changes made to the Fund and the approach to promoting the
    Fund agreed at Council in March 2014;
iii. consider what other potential services Members could envisage
    communities taking on locally; and
iv. consider how best the Community Challenge Fund could be promoted and used to best effect within the Lochaber area.

5. Rural Poverty – Research Briefing
    Bochdainn Dùthchail - Brath Rannsachaidh

There is circulated Report No. LA-16-14 (36kb pdf) dated 10 April 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform which provides Members with a summary of the methodology and findings of two research studies considering rural poverty published in 2013: A Minimum Income Standard for Remote Rural Scotland and Local Incomes and Poverty in Scotland.

The Committee is asked to note:

i. the findings of both research papers; and
ii. that a rural proofing tool has been drafted, assisted by the findings of these
    research studies, for whose use there will be opportunities in 2014.

6. Carbon CLEVER
    Càrbon CIALLACH

There is circulated Report No. LA-17-14 (44kb pdf) dated 6 May 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform which provides Members with an update on the Carbon CLEVER initiative and asks Members to consider how the initiative can be further developed in Lochaber.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. agree that the Climate Change Team work with local organisations,
    stakeholders and community groups to gain an insight into local
    opportunities and priorities to inform the Carbon CLEVER Action Plan, and to
    discuss how this could best be achieved;
ii. discuss how to effectively promote the Carbon CLEVER Declaration to
    businesses and organisations in Lochaber; and
iii. note the progress to date on the Smart Towns project and agree that a
    conceptual project outline is brought to a future meeting of this
    committee.

7. Ardnamurchan High School Associated School Group Overview
Sealladh Coitcheann air Buidhnean Sgoiltean Co-cheangailte Àrd-sgoil Àird nam Murchan

There is circulated Report No. LA-18-14 (305kb pdf) dated 12 May 2014 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which provides an update of key information in relation to the schools within the Ardnamurchan High School Associated School Group and provides useful updated links of further information in relation to these schools.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and note the content of the report.

8. Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets Programme
    Prògram Rothaireachd, Coiseachd agus Sràidean nas Sàbhailte

There is circulated Report No.LA-19-14 (61kb pdf) dated 7 May 2014 by the Director of Community Services which invites Members to approve the projects delivered through the Scottish Government funding for Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets for the Lochaber area, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. approve the Safer Route to Schools Project listed in Appendix 1 to the
    report; and
ii. note that the Road Safety Unit will continue to work with schools to
   develop further Safer Route to Schools Projects for future years.

9. Housing Performance Report – 1 April 2013-31 March 2014
Aithisg Dèanadais a thaobh Taigheadais – 1 Giblean 2013 – 31 Màrt    2014  

There is circulated Report No. LA-20-14 (189kb pdf) dated 8 May 2014 by the Director of Community Services which provides information on housing performance indicators for the year 2013/2014.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the information provided on housing performance in the period 1 April to 31 March 2014.

10. Ballachulish Depot Road (U1716) Proposed Deletion
      Rathad Depot Bhaile a’ Chaolais (U1716) Moladh Dubhadh Às

There is circulated Report No. LA-21-14 (221kb pdf) dated 6 May 2014 by the Director of Community Services regarding the proposal to delete the U1716 Ballachulish Depot Road, Ballachulish from the Council’s List of Adopted Roads, as part of the process of downsizing the Ballachulish depot, and its inclusion in the sale of the depot.

The Committee is invited to agree to the deletion of the Old Ballachulish Depot access road (U1716) in order to allow it to be sold as part of the depot, thereby releasing the council from the maintenance liability once the depot is sold.

11. Minutes
Geàrr-chunntas

There is circulated, for noting, Minutes of Meeting of the Lochaber Area Committee held on 27 February 2014, which were approved by the Council on 13 March 2014.