Agendas, reports and minutes

Minutes of Meeting of the City of Inverness Area Committee held in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Friday, 1 July 2016 at 10.30am.

Present:
Mrs H Carmichael, Mr I Brown, Mr R Balfour, Mrs C Caddick, Miss J Campbell, Mr A Christie, Mrs M Davidson, Mr N Donald, Mr J Ford, Mr K Gowans, Mr J Gray, Mr D Kerr, Mrs B McAllister, Mr K MacLeod, Mr F Parr, Mr G Ross, Ms J Slater, Mrs K Stephen,

Officials in attendance: 
Mr D Haas, Inverness City Area Manager 
Ms S Blease, Principal Solicitor (Regulatory Services), Corporate Development Service
Mr J Kelman, Principal Project Manager, Development and Infrastructure Service
Mr S Carr, Principal Policy Officer – Climate Change, Chief Executive’s Office
Ms R Cleland, Corporate Communications Manager, Chief Executive’s Office
Miss J MacLennan, Democratic Services Manager, Corporate Development Service
Miss J Green, Administrative Assistant, Corporate Development Service 

Also in attendance:-
Ms C Shankland, Exhibitions Officer, High Life Highland
Professor J Mooney, Artists Evaluation Panel

An asterisk in the margin denotes a recommendation to the Council.  All decisions with no marking in the margin are delegated to Committee.

Mrs H Carmichael in the Chair

Prior to the commencement of the formal business, the Chair thanked the Members who attended the Commemoration of the Battle of the Somme which had been held at Cavell Gardens earlier that morning.

Business

1. Apologies for Absence    
Leisgeulan

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr J Crawford, Dr J Davis, Mr A Duffy, Mr A Graham, Mr R Laird, Mr T Prag, Mrs G Sinclair and Mr H Wood.

2. Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

The Committee NOTED the following declarations of interest:-

Item 3 – Mr G Ross (non-financial) and Mr K Gowans (financial)

3. Inverness City Arts – River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme Public Art Project Progress Report 
Prògram Pròiseact Ealain Baile Inbhir Nis

Declarations of Interest – 

Mr G Ross declared a non-financial interest in this item on the basis that a family member was a local artist but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that his interest did not preclude him from taking part in the discussion.

Mr K Gowans declared a financial interest in this item as an employee of UHI but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that his interest did not preclude him from taking part in the discussion.   

There had been circulated Report No CIA/33/16 dated 23 June 2016 by the Inverness City Area Manager which detailed the progress of the River Connections Project Programme with a focus on the governance applied by the City of Inverness Area Committee to the Inverness City Arts Working Group to date, funding, application by the Working Group of its delegated powers, project progress/next steps, community engagement (public consultation) and analysis of economic benefit.

During discussion, Members raised the following issues:-

• it was important to take account of public opinion in relation to this project which appeared to suggest that the majority of people did not want anything to spoil or detract from the appearance or the enjoyment of this area along the riverside; 
• there should perhaps be further public consultation before any firm decisions were made in regard to this project;
• thanks should be conveyed to the Working Group for the work which had been undertaken to date but it was felt that it was now appropriate to cease any further discussion on the Tilting Pier aspect of the Gathering Place project;
• whilst the Tilting Pier had undoubtedly found favour with some sections of the public, it was felt that this was perhaps a case of ‘the wrong place at the wrong time’;
• the Minutes of the Working Group meetings (which had highlighted progress with this project) had been submitted to the City Committee on fourteen separate occasions and had been approved on each occasion, As such, it was disappointing that issues were only now being raised;
• there were concerns about reputational damage and loss of funding if the project did not progress;
• the key issue throughout had been public consultation and, although this had been fully undertaken for previous site options, it was felt that this had not been the case for the current proposal for location at this particular section of the riverside;
• there were ongoing concerns in regard to maintenance of public art across the City and these had to be taken into account as projects progressed, including the source of funding for such maintenance in the future; and
• a brief adjournment was now required to give Members time to consider all options to be taken forward.

Following a short adjournment, the Inverness City Area Manager highlighted the risk implications detailed within the report with particular attention to the need to continue to meet grant conditions.

Thereafter, Mrs H Carmichael, seconded by Mr G Ross, MOVED that a public consultation should be undertaken on the Gathering Place, administered by an outside body, and that the Council would abide by the result.

As an AMENDMENT, Miss J Campbell, seconded by Mr K Gowans, moved that the Committee should agree not to progress with the Tilting Pier project forthwith in favour of an alternative project for the Gathering Place which complied with the original Artist’s Brief.

On a vote being taken, the MOTION received 7 votes and the AMENDMENT received 10 votes, with 1 abstention, and the AMENDMENT was therefore CARRIED, the votes cast having been as follows:-

For the Motion:
Mrs H Carmichael, Mrs M Davidson, Mr J Ford, Mr J Gray, Mr G Ross, Mrs B McAllister and Mr F Parr.

For the Amendment:
Mr I Brown, Mrs C Caddick, Miss J Campbell, Mr A Christie, Mr N Donald, Mr J Gowans, Mr D Kerr, Mr K MacLeod, Ms J Slater and Ms K Stephen

Abstention:
Mr R Balfour

The Committee therefore AGREED not to progress with the Tilting Pier project forthwith in favour of an alternative project for the Gathering Place which complied with the original Artist’s Brief.

4. Minutes of Meetings – Inverness City Arts Working Group
Geàrr-chunntas

There had been circulated the Minutes of Meetings of the Inverness City Arts Working Group held on 14 April, 28 April and 13 May 2016 - which were APPROVED - subject to the decision taken at Item 3 on the agenda as detailed above.

The meeting ended at 12.50 pm.