Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the People Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 19 October 2017 at 10.05 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

Stewart Fraser
Head of Corporate Governance 

Business

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. Outstanding Achievements
Coileanaidhean Air Leth

Members will be informed about outstanding achievements by people and groups, to be noted and commended by the Committee.

4. Local Housing Strategy
Ro-innleachd Taigheadais Ionadail

There is circulated Report No PEO/26/17 dated 6 October 2017 by the Director of Community Services.

The Committee is invited to approve the Council’s Local Housing Strategy 2017-2022.

5. Review of the Housing Repairs Service
Ath-sgrùdadh air Seirbheis Càraidh an Taigheadais

There is circulated Report No PEO/27/17 dated 6 October 2017 by the Director of Community Services.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the overall principles and actions being taken to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and customer focus of the housing repairs service;
ii. agree amendments to the staffing structure to create additional management capacity by creating a new post of Principal Repairs Officer and rationalising layers of management to deliver a more efficient, streamlined and effective service; and
iii. note the work taking place to develop further changes to staff roles to achieve greater integration and efficiency, subject to staff and trade union consultation.

6. Improving Tenant Participation and Engagement
A’ Leasachadh Com-pàirteachas Luchd-màil

There is circulated Report No PEO/28/17 dated 4 October 2017 by the Director of Community Services.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the recent progress in improving tenant participation in Highland and the recognition of this by the Scottish Housing Regulator;
ii. note the legislative requirements concerning the management of the Housing Revenue Account; and 
iii. agree that two tenant representatives, nominated by tenants themselves, should be invited to attend the People Committee as advisors and the People Committee Policy Development Group in relation to housing items.

7. Presentation: Eden Court
Taisbeanadh: Cùirt Eden

Katyana Kozikowska and Lucy McGlennon, Eden Court Creative Managers, will give the annual presentation regarding activities at Eden Court, with a focus on the Creative Learning Programme.  

The Committee is invited to note and comment on the presentation.

8. Statutory Consultation – Establishment of a new primary school for Ness Castle/Ness-side
Co-chomhairle Reachdail – Steidheachadh bun-sgoil ùr airson Caisteal Nis/Taobh Nis

There is circulated Report No PEO/29/17 dated 9 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to agree to proceed to statutory consultation on the proposal set out in Appendix 1 of the report to establish a new primary school to serve the Ness Castle housing development, with a consequential amendment to the catchment area of Holm Primary School.

9. Children's Services - Performance Report
Seirbheisean Chloinne – Aithisg Choileanaidh

There is circulated Report No PEO/30/17 dated 9 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. scrutinise and comment on the performance information; and
ii. note the information provided on quality improvement.

10. Children’s Services - Assurance Report
Seirbheisean Chloinne – Aithisg Barantais

There is circulated Report No PEO/31/17 dated 3 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. scrutinise the data and issues raised in the report; and
ii. note that comments will be incorporated into a report to NHS Highland as part of the revised governance arrangements.

11. Management of Schools
Rianachd Sgoiltean

i. Mallaig Associated School Group
Buidheann Sgoiltean Co-cheangailte Mhalaig

There is circulated Report No PEO/32/17 dated 6 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to approve the revised plan for Mallaig High Associated School Group, as set out in section 6 of the report.

ii. Update
Cunntas às Ùr

There is circulated Report No PEO/33/17 dated 6 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to approve:-

i. the key stakeholder engagement process;
ii. the list of Associated School Groups to be progressed in phase 2; and
iii. an amendment to the current Devolved School Management guidance regarding nursery rolls, as set out in paragraph 13.2 of the report.

12. Closing the Attainment Gap
A’ Dùnadh na Beàirn Buileachaidh

There is circulated Report No PEO/34/17 dated 6 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and note the progress in the use of additional resources provided by the Scottish Government through Scottish Attainment Challenge funding and the Pupil Equity Fund.

13. Education of Looked After Children
Foghlam Chloinne a Tha air an Coimhead às an Dèidh

There is circulated Report No PEO/35/17 dated 9 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. endorse the strategy described in the report; and
ii. agree that an updated improvement plan should be prepared for the next meeting of the People Committee.

14. Joint Transition Service for Young People aged 14 to 25 years
Co-sheirbheis Eadar-ghluasaid do Dhaoine Òga aois 14 gu 25

There is circulated Report No PEO/36/17 dated 6 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to agree the implementation plan as set out in the report.

15. Care and Learning Service Workforce Plan 2017 - 2021
Plana Sgioba-obrach Seirbheis a’ Chùraim agus an Ionnsachaidh 2017-2021

There is circulated Report No PEO/37/17 dated 9 October 2017 by the Director of Care and Learning.

The Committee is invited to agree to endorse the Care and Learning Service Workforce Plan 2017 – 2021.

16. Socio-economic Duty consultation
Co-chomhairle Dleastanas Sòiseo-eaconamaich

There is circulated Report No PEO/38/17 dated 12 September 2017 by the Acting Head of Policy.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

i. to homologate the consultation response submitted on 12 September 2017 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report; and
ii. that as further information is received from the Scottish Government on the requirements of the duty, this will be considered by the People Committee’s policy development group.

17. Minutes
Geàrr-chunntas

The following Minutes are circulated for noting or approval as appropriate:-

i. Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership Strategy Group – 14 February 2017 (for noting);
ii. Highland Violence Against Women Partnership Group – 21 March 2017 (for noting);
iii. Highland Violence Against Women Partnership Group – 6 June 2017 (for noting);
iv. Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership Strategy Group – 13 June 2017 (for noting);
v. Welfare Reform Working Group – 20 September 2017 (for approval);
vi. Adult Services Development and Scrutiny Sub-Committee – 5 October 2017 (for approval) (to follow)

18. Review of Debt Advice and Related Services
Ath-sgrùdadh air Comhairle Fhiachan agus Seirbheisean Co-cheangailte

There is circulated Report No PEO/39/17 dated 5 October 2017 by the Director of Corporate Resources.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

i. that the post-April 2018 service delivery contract should as minimum meet the Council’s statutory obligations and only if and when they are fully achieved, the Council should seek to fund non-statutory services which are not adequately provided by other bodies;
ii. that the contract will provide that customer accessibility requirements will be met;
iii. that targeted support for customers accessing midwifery and mental health services will be a key element of the standard service delivery contract from April 2018 onwards;
iv. that the current service to support young people will also be incorporated into the standard service delivery contract from April 2018 onwards to enable the annual funding of £20,000 to be re-directed within Children Services. Section 4.1 of the report refers;
v. that the standard service delivery contract should make provision for financial education to prepare young people for the world of work. This preventative measure should be included, where appropriate, within schools and delivered by advice services to enhance financial awareness amongst learners;
vi. to support the introduction of a new Performance Management Framework as outlined in section 9.3 of this report;
vii. to adopt the changes to governance of the Advice and Information (A&I) service delivery contract from April 2018 as described in section 9.4 of the report;
viii. to note that the budget for procured advice and information services from April 2018 will be to a maximum of £1.150m delivering the £0.130m budget saving from 2018/19 as agreed by Council in December 2014;
ix. to identify and implement means to significantly increase the awareness of the available A&I services;
x. to review support for Council tenants impacted by Universal Credit; and
xi. that the provider of the service delivery contract from April 2018 take steps to attain the Disability Confident Employer Status within 12 months of the commencement of the contract.