Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Ross and Cromarty Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, High Street, Dingwall, on Wednesday, 3 February 2016, 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.  Appointment of Chair
Cur Cathraiche an Dreuchd

Nominations are invited for the post of Chair of the Ross and Cromarty Committee.

4.  Appointment of Vice Chair
Cur Iar-Chathraiche an Dreuchd

Nominations are invited for the post of Vice-Chair of the Ross and Cromarty Committee.

5.  Localism Action Plan
Plana Gnìomh Ionadaileachd

There is circulated Report No RC/001/16 dated 21 January 2016 by the Head of Policy and Reform.  The report highlights the new devolved powers for the Committee and the further powers likely to be devolved in 2016.  It provides an up-date of work with partners on local community planning arrangements which Members will be involved in during 2016.

The Committee is invited to:-

1. Note the new powers devolved to the Committee and the planned further devolution of powers subject to Council approval in March 2016, and that further changes are likely during 2016.
2. Note the work underway with partners to establish community planning arrangements.  An up-date from the CPP meeting on 2 February 2016 will be provided for Members at the meeting.

6.  Webcasting Options 
Roghainnean Craoladh-lìn

There is circulated Report No RC/002/16 dated 25 January 2016 by the Head of Revenues and Business Support  seeking a decision on whether the Ross and Cromarty Committee meetings should be webcast and, if so, the funding source/s of the additional costs that webcasting would incur.

The Committee is invited to:

1. note the current service demand for webcasting;
2. decide whether the Local Committee should be webcast;  
3. agree the preferred webcasting option if the wish is to have Local Committees webcast;
4. note that when the views of all local committees are obtained then where these views are that webcasting is to be undertaken, then approval for the capital funding will be submitted to Resources Committee at the earliest opportunity.
5. agree that where webcasting is to be undertaken the annual recurring cost of £4,800 is met by each Ward Discretionary budget providing £218 per annum.

7.  Police – Area Performance Summary 
Poilis – Geàrr-chunntas an Dèanadais Sgìreil

There is circulated Report No RC/003/16 dated 21 January 2016 by the Area Commander for Police which updates Members on progress with reference to the local priorities within the Highland 2014-2017 Policing Plan.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and discuss the progress report in relation to the 4 Priorities: Road Safety, Alcohol and Drugs Abuse/Misuse, Antisocial Behaviour and Dishonesty.

8.  West Highlands and Islands Local Development Plan Main Issues
Prìomh Chùisean Plana Leasachaidh Ionadail na Gàidhealtachd an Iar is nan Eilean 

There is circulated Report No RC/004/16 dated 25 January 2016 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure setting out the content of the Main Issues Report for the West Highlands and Islands Local Development Plan.

The Committee is invited to:

• note that the Main Issues Report (Appendix 2 – available in the members’ lounge at Council Offices, Dingwall) has been shaped by a series of appraisals, suggestions and discussions outlined in paragraphs 1.3 and 2.1 of this report;
• approve the Main Issues Report (also available in the members’ lounge at Council Offices, Dingwall), accepting that a number of minor presentational and typographical changes will be made prior to publication; and
• agree the approach to consultation outlined in paragraph 3.1 of the report.

9.  Education Scotland Report 
Sgrùdaidhean le Foghlam Alba

There is circulated Report No RC/005/16 dated 18 January 2016 by the Director of Care and Learning which provides details of Education Scotland’s inspection of Park Primary School and Nursery Class in Invergordon for Members’ scrutiny and monitoring.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and scrutinise and note this report on Education Scotland’s engagement with Park Primary School and Nursery.

10.  Street Naming – New Housing Developments
Ainmeachadh Sràide - Leasachaidhean Ùra Taigheadais ann Drochaid Sguideil, Alanais agus Baile Dhubhthaich

There is circulated Report No RC/006/16 and RC/007/16 dated 19 January and 25 January 2016 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 Reraig, Balmacara as Grant Road, and within the new development of 20 properties at Ness Gap, Fortrose.

The Committee is invited to:-

1. homologate the naming of the road in Reraig, Balmacara as Grant Road (RC/006/16) (pp 37); and
2. consider and approve the naming of the two new streets in Ness Gap, Fortrose as either Barclay Drive, Matheson Drive, Dolphin Drive or Fort George Walk (RC/007/16) 

11,  Common Good Funds 
Maoin Maith Choitchinn

There are circulated Reports Nos RC/008/16 – RC/012/16 dated 19, 20 and 25 January 2016 by the Head of Policy and Reform which provide information on the following Common Good Funds:-

1. Cromarty Common Good Fund RC/008/16 
2. Dingwall Common Good Fund RC/009/16
3. Fortrose and Rosemarkie Common Good Fund RC/010/16 
4. Invergordon Common Good Fund RC/011/16 
5. Tain Common Good Fund RC/012/16 

The Committee is invited to:

1. note the updated information provided in relation to each Fund;
2. delegate authority to officers to accept the highest bids received for the grazing lets in the Tain Common Good Fund; and
3. approve the Fund budgets for 2016/17 shown in Appendix 2 of each report.

12.  Minutes 
Geàrr-chunntas

There are circulated for noting Minutes of the Skye, Ross and Cromarty Area Committee held on 18 November 2015, which were approved by the Council on 17 December 2015.