Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Skye, Ross and Cromarty Area Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, High Street, Dingwall, on Wednesday, 18 November 2015, 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. Tain Town Centre Action Plan
Plana-gnìomh Meadhan Baile Bhaile Dhubhthaich

There is circulated Report No SRC/046/15 dated 10 September 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure outlining responses to the public consultation on the Draft Tain Town Centre Action Plan and inviting Members to approve the finalised version at Appendix A. A summary of comments received and recommended responses are set out at Appendices B and C.

The Committee is invited to: 

• agree that the Tain Community Town Centre Action Plan at Appendix A becomes non-statutory planning guidance and is treated as a material consideration in determining planning applications;
• note the comments received during the consultation on the draft Tain Town Centre Action Plan and agree to the recommended Council responses presented in Appendices B and C; and
• note that the Plan reflects shared priorities for the future of the town centre, in particular projects that could be delivered should funding opportunities arise.

4. Deprived Area Funding 2016 to 2017
Maoin Sgìre Bochd 2014-15

There is circulated Report No SRC/047/15 dated 29 October 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure. The Deprived Area Fund is in its final year of a three year commitment in 2016-17. Most of the funding in SRC is being used to support activity for which it is considered there is an ongoing need and priority. There is therefore a need to either consolidate and sustain funding during 2016-17, or manage the closure of activity should that not prove possible. 

The Committee is invited to:

• agree the use of the Deprived Area Fund in 2015-16 as shown in Appendix 1; and 
• approve the 2016-17 grant awards noted in the report.

5. Education Scotland Reports
Sgrùdaidhean le Foghlam Alba 

There is circulated Report No SRC/048/15 dated 1 November 2015 by the Director of Care and Learning which provides details of Education Scotland’s inspections in Marybank Primary School and North Kessock Primary School for Members’ scrutiny and monitoring. 

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and monitor the Education Scotland reports through this report.

6. Housing Performance Report
Aithisg Dèanadais a thaobh Taigheadais

There is circulated Report No SRC/049/15 dated 4 November 2015 by the Director of Community Services which provides Members with information on how the Housing Section performed in relation to the Scottish Social Housing Charter and other performance indicators during 2014/15 and for the first half of 2015/16.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the information provided on housing performance in the period 1 April 2014 to 30 September 2015. 

7. Street Naming – New Housing Developments
Ainmeachadh Sràide - Leasachaidhean Ùra Taigheadais

There are circulated Report Nos SRC/050/15 and SRC/051/25 dated 9 October 2015 and 5 November 2015 by the Head of Policy and Reform concerning the creation of addresses, following consultation with the respective Community Councils and local Members, for new housing developments at Harrapool in Broadford, Alness and Nigg.

The Committee is invited to: 

(a) homologate the naming of an address for a 12 flat development at Harrapool in Broadford as Old School Square, the Gaelic translation for the agreed name being Ceàrnag na Seann Sgoile (SRC/050/15);

(b) approve an address for 3 streets in the Dalmore area of Alness being: Hugh Mackenzie Avenue, David Oag Grove; and David Ross Street SRC/051/15); and

(c) approve a development of 4 properties at Nigg in the name of Drumdell Park (SRC/051/15).

8.  Common Good Funds
Maoin Maith Choitchinn

There are circulated Reports Nos SRC/052/15 – SRC/056/15 dated 2, 4 and 9 November 2015 by the Head of Policy and Reform which provide information on the following Common Good Funds:-

a. Cromarty Common Good Fund SRC/052/15 
b. Dingwall Common Good Fund SRC/053/15
c. Fortrose and Rosemarkie Common Good Fund SRC/054/15
d. Invergordon Common Good Fund SRC/055/15
e. Tain Common Good Fund SRC/056/15

The Committee is invited to note the updated information provided in relation to each Fund.

9. Fortrose Common Good – The Caravan Site, Fortrose -
Lease Assignation
Math Coitcheann na Cananaich – An Làrach Charabhanaichean, a’ Chananaich – Gluasad Còir Fearainn 

There is circulated Joint Report No SRC/057/15 dated 28 October 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure and the Head of Policy and Reform inviting homologation of the decision to consent to the present tenants assigning their interest in the existing lease to a new tenant. 

The Committee is invited to homologate the decision taken to consent to the present tenants assigning their interest in the existing lease to a new tenant and for Legal Services progressing with the lease assignation accordingly.

10. Advice and Information Services: End of Year Monitoring
Seirbheisean Comhairle agus Fiosrachaidh: Sgrùdadh Deireadh Bliadhna

There is circulated Report No SRC/058/15 dated 7 August 2015 by the Director of Finance which explains that advice and information services are recognised as a critical approach in alleviating poverty in the Council’s Programme and Single Outcome Agreement. 

In this regard, the report provides Members with the end of year monitoring of advice and information services in Highland for 2014/15. 

The Committee is invited to consider:- 

i. the level of support provided to customers across Highland in 2014/15, the continued increase in demand for these services and the pressures associated in delivering the intensive resource required to resolve complex cases;

ii. the positive impact of the Mental Health Project in addressing issues presented by vulnerable clients which has current funding until the end of March 2016;

iii. the positive impact of the Reaching the Unreached service in preventing households being evicted and avoiding additional pressures on the Council’s homeless services. This service has Scottish Legal Aid Board funding until end of September 2016;

iv. the potential of the Midwifery project to support new and expectant mothers in the Highlands to maximise their incomes which has funding until end of May 2016; and

v. the outcomes being achieved in supporting Highland residents to mitigate the effects of poverty. 

11. Skye and Lochalsh Access Forum Membership
Ballrachd Fòram Cothruim an Eilein Sgitheanaich agus Loch Aillse

There is circulated Report No SRC/059/15 dated 26 October 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure. Following the resignation of a member of the Skye and Lochalsh Local Access Forum the Eilean a’ Cheo Members, at the Ward Business Meeting on Tuesday 13 October, approved the appointment of one new forum member to create a more representative Local Access Forum.

The Committee is asked to homologate the decision of the Eilean a Cheo Ward Members to appoint a new Local Access Forum member to the Skye and Lochalsh Local Access Forum.

12.  Minutes 
Geàrr-chunntas 

There are circulated for noting Minutes of the Skye, Ross and Cromarty Area Committee held on 5 August 2015 which were approved by the Council on 3 September 2015. 

13. Valediction
Soraidh