Agendas, reports and minutes

A Special Meeting of the Highland Council will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday, 24 March 2016 at 2.00pm (or following the Audit & Scrutiny Committee meeting – whichever is the later).  

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. Calling of the Roll and Apologies for Absence
A’ Gairm a’ Chlair agus Leisgeulan

2. Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pairt

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. Re-design of the Highland Council
Ath-dhealbhadh Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd

There is circulated Report No. HC/16/16 dated 17 March 2016 by the Chief Executive which sets out proposals for leading and progressing the re-design of the Highland Council.

Members are asked to agree:-

(i) that there is a need for re-design of the Council given the financial position and outlook;
(ii) that a re-design process is inclusive of the views from a range of stakeholders with its purpose and scope as described in Sections 3 and 4 of the report;
(iii) that a Board is established to lead and oversee the work which would have a title and 16 Members throughout its term. Groups are asked to identify their Members as per the formula within one week;
(iv) that the work should start immediately to meet the first deadline for budget proposals in December 2016 and the second deadline of March 2017 for proposals on operations, public participation and staff development programme. Progress reports will be brought to each Council meeting over that period;
(v) that a budget of £150,000 should be drawn from the 2015/16 year end underspends and used to resource a small internal team and a range of external support for the Board; and
(vi)  that the Board should consider adopting the methods proposed in Section 6 of the report.

4. Membership of Committees, etc
Ballrachd Chomataidhean, is eile

Members are advised that Mr D Millar has confirmed that he has left the Highland Alliance and joined the Independent Group.

In addition, Mr D MacKay has confirmed that he has now joined the Highland Alliance.

On that basis, the political make-up of the Council is now as follows:-

Independent – 32/SNP – 20 /Liberal Democrat – 12 /Labour – 8/Highland Alliance – 5/Non Aligned - 3

The formula in respect of the number of places on Strategic Committees remains unchanged at 9/6/3/2/2.

Revised Committee membership lists will follow.