Agendas, reports and minutes

Minutes of Meeting of the Care, Learning and Housing Committee held in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 6 December 2018 at 10.05 am.

Present:

Mr A Baxter, Mr B Boyd, Mrs I Campbell, Mr A Christie, Mrs M Cockburn, Ms K Currie, Mr J Finlayson (Vice Chair), Mr A Graham, Mr T Heggie, Mr A Jarvie, Ms E Knox, Mr D Mackay, Mr W MacKay (video conferencing), Mr G MacKenzie, Mrs I MacKenzie, Mr D Macpherson, Mr R MacWilliam, Mrs B McAllister, Ms L Munro (Vice Chair), Mr D Rixson, Mrs F Robertson, Mr G Ross, Mr A Sinclair (Substitute), Ms N Sinclair
    
Religious Representatives:

Ms S Lamont    
    
Youth Convener:

Ms E Leitch    
    
Non-Members also present:

Mrs J Barclay, Mr R Bremner (video conferencing), Mr K Gowans, Mr R Laird, Mrs D Mackay, Mrs T Robertson
    
In attendance:

Ms S Campbell, Interim Director of Care and Learning
Mr W Gilfillan, Director of Community Services
Mr B Porter, Head of Resources, Care and Learning Service
Ms K Ralston, Interim Head of Children’s Services, Care and Learning Service
Dr J Vance, Interim Head of Education, Care and Learning Service
Mr D Goldie, Head of Housing and Building Maintenance, Community Services
Mr B Northedge, Sustainable Education in Highland Communities Programme Manager, Care and Learning Service
Mrs F Shearer, Education Quality Improvement Manager, Care and Learning Service
Mr B Cameron, Housing Policy and Investment Manager, Community Services
Mr M Mitchell, Finance Manager, Finance Service
Ms M Macleman, Principal Tenant and Customer Engagement Officer, Community Services
Ms J Douglas, Care and Learning Alliance (Third Sector)
Ms G Newman, Highland Children’s Forum (Third Sector)
Ms S Blyth, Highland Parent Council Partnership
Ms G Hainey, Tenant Representative
Mr A Tubb, Tenant Representative
Miss J Maclennan, Principal Administrator, Chief Executive’s Office
Miss M Murray, Committee Administrator, Chief Executive’s Office

Also in attendance:

Mr J McIntyre, Strontian Community School Building Ltd
Mr J Tait, Strontian Community School Building Ltd
Mr I Murray, Chief Executive, High Life Highland
Mrs A Mason, Highland Archivist, High Life Highland

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

Mr J Finlayson in the Chair

Preliminaries

Prior to the commencement of formal business, the Chair thanked former Chair, Mr A Baxter, for his service to the Committee and welcomed Ms S Campbell, Ms K Ralston and Dr J Vance to their first meeting of the Committee in their new roles as Interim Director of Care and Learning, Interim Head of Children’s Services and Interim Head of Education respectively.

In addition, he explained that it had been intended to bring a report on the work and impact of the third sector to today’s Committee.  However, it would now be presented in January 2019.  He went on to state that third sector commissioned children’s services had worked hard in a collaborative way to bring together information that highlighted their services and the positive impact they had on children and families, and recognition of the importance of third sector services would not be diminished by postponing the report to the January Committee.  In the meantime, there were stalls in the foyer where third sector representatives were available to discuss the services they provided and how they were working with the Council and other partners, including children and families themselves, to support and improve outcomes for children and families throughout Highland.

Business

1. Apologies for Absence
Leisgeulan

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Ms P Munro, Mr C Smith, Ms M Newdick, Prof H van Woerden and The Very Rev S Murray.

2. Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

The Committee NOTED the following declarations of interest:-

Item 3 – Mr A Christie and Mr D Rixson (both non-financial)
Item 4 – Mr D Rixson (non-financial)
Item 5 – Mr A Christie (financial)
Item 6 – Mr A Christie and Mr R MacWilliam (both non-financial)
Item 8 – Mr K Gowans, Mr A Jarvie, Ms E Leitch, Mr D Macpherson and Ms L Munro (all non-financial)

3. Homelessness: Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan
Dìth Dachaigh: Plana gus Dachaighean a Thoirt Seachad gu Luath

Declarations of Interest: Mr A Christie and Mr D Rixson declared non-financial interests in this item as General Manager of Inverness, Badenoch and Strathspey Citizens Advice Bureau and the Council’s appointee to Lochaber Housing Association respectively but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that their interests did not preclude their involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No CLH/55/18 dated 26 November 2018 by the Director of Community Services.

The Chair highlighted that it had been anticipated that initial Scottish Government funding to develop the Highland Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan would be between £30,000 and £40,000.  However, it had now been confirmed as £61,000.  That being the case, the Head of Housing and Building Maintenance recommended that, in addition to appointing an additional temporary post to lead on the development of the plan during calendar year 2019, the funding be used to carry out focussed work to try and find permanent housing solutions for the clients who had been in temporary accommodation the longest.

In addition, the Head of Housing and Building Maintenance highlighted that 25% of homeless applicants were in the 18-25 years age category, not 6% as stated in the report.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

• thanks were expressed to the Scottish Government for the Rapid Rehousing initiative which was hugely helpful in terms of working with local authorities to address homelessness;
• a concern was raised about drug misuse in Caithness and it was suggested that consideration be given to a multi-agency seminar on the issue.  It was further suggested that a representative of the Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership be invited to the Committee to discuss what was being done to address it.  The Head of Housing and Building Maintenance suggested that it would helpful to have further discussions locally.  Members added that, at a recent meeting of Caithness Community Partnership, it had been agreed to establish a multi-agency working group to address drug misuse and associated issues in Caithness, and all Local Members were entitled to attend the Community Partnership;
• the figures in the report were stark, and reflected how the UK-wide housing crisis was affecting Highland communities;
• minimising the number of under 21s in shared temporary accommodation had to be one of the principal aims of the Housing Service if it wanted to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty that many communities faced, and Members welcomed previous comments in that regard having been taken into account.  Linked to that was the need for more affordable housing in rural areas as, in addition to ensuring that rural communities were as sustainable as possible, it was necessary to keep young people within their own communities and support networks as much as possible to help them through the traumatic experience of homelessness;
• information was sought on how the Rapid Rehousing Plan would meet the needs of those who had a history of being unable to sustain a tenancy in the long term, often due to issues such as alcohol and/or drug dependency, poor mental health etc.  The need for a sustainable solution to ensure that they had the best chance to succeed in their lives, whilst at the same time ensuring the public sector was not incurring more costs than necessary, was emphasised.  In that regard, the Head of Housing and Building Maintenance highlighted that a feature of the Action Plan at Appendix 2 of the report was the establishment of a business case for developing Council-owned specialist accommodation for clients with high support needs;
• concern was expressed that there had been a significant increase in the number of people in employment presenting as homeless, and that the number would continue to increase as wages stagnated and interest rates rose;
• attention was drawn to the average weekly rent of various types of accommodation as set out in paragraph 7.2 of the report, and concern was expressed that someone in employment who was placed in a private sector HMO or B&B would have to pay £186.00 per week, thereby making it more difficult for them to maintain a job and find somewhere to live in the long term;
• where the Council relied on the private sector to provide temporary accommodation it was a profit-generating exercise for the landlords, and the Council and those in the accommodation were paying the price;
• the fact that families could expect to be in temporary accommodation for a year was cause for concern;
• the housing crisis was a consequence of a generation of failed housing policy and the biggest thing that could be done to address it was to build Council houses.  However, the Council was playing catch-up in that regard, and that would continue due to land constraints and infrastructure/education pressures;
• in relation to the housing need figures by housing market area in paragraph 2.6 of the report, Members did not agree with the inclusion of approximately 15,000 private rented sector homes.  It was contended that the private rented sector was a problem, not a solution, and should not be regarded in the same way as the social rent and owner/occupier sectors;
• information was sought, and provided, on the number of people currently on the Highland Housing Register;
• concern was expressed that although 25% of all new housing developments was affordable housing it might be several years before the houses were available as developers were prioritising their own properties, with affordable houses being left until the end of the scheme.  Information having been sought on what the Council could do to ensure that affordable houses were built at the same rate as other houses in the development, the Head of Housing and Building Maintenance explained that it was a matter for the Development and Infrastructure Service and undertook to liaise with the Head of Development and Regeneration;
• the high separation/divorce rate was adding to the need for more affordable homes;
• few young people nowadays had the opportunity to have their own home, and many were living at home with their parents into their thirties;
• voids resulted in a loss of rent and council tax, and speeding up the turnaround would create revenue that could be reinvested in housing for those most in need.  An example was cited of a housing association property not being re-let for a year due to a kitchen refurbishment, and the Head of Housing and Building Maintenance suggested that Mr D Macpherson liaise with him in that regard;
• reference was made to instances of estates changing hands and families who had lived in estate properties for generations being evicted.  Information having been sought on whether the Housing Service worked with estate owners to ensure they realised their commitment to their long-term tenants, the Head of Housing and Building Maintenance undertook to consider how the service might want to engage with estate owners who had housing to help them help the Council prevent homelessness;
• reference was made to a survey which had asked people how long they would last before they became homeless if they became unemployed tomorrow.  The answer was often until the next pay cheque, which demonstrated the fragility of many people’s housing situation;
• an event outwith the control of the Council, such as large scale redundancies, could create a wave of homelessness, and that was why the Scottish Government initiative was good as it was rapid and responsive;
• it was necessary to ensure that both the Council and tenants understood their responsibilities, and that appropriate infrastructure was in place to support more vulnerable tenants or those that led a chaotic lifestyle.  At present a small number of clients took up a disproportionate amount of time and if that could be addressed through a Housing First approach it would free up officer/agency time to address the bigger picture;
• the proposals were not simply about increasing the number of tenancies but doing things in a different way that sustained tenancies, helped people recover and gave hope back to those who had lost it, and Members looked forward to seeing the first reports that showed a difference had been made to people’s lives;
• many people who became homeless were simply victims of circumstance;
• Inverness South was one of the most affluent wards in Inverness but problems existed there too and Members were experiencing an increasing number of cases relating to Universal Credit.  An example was cited and information was sought, and provided, on how much the issue of homelessness was being exacerbated by the rollout of Universal Credit;
• in relation to the potential provision of accommodation in other areas of Highland for those currently in temporary accommodation in Inverness, concern was expressed that, where a couple had separated and there were children involved, moving one parent to another area would have a detrimental impact.  Further information was sought, and provided, in that regard;
• the proposed recruitment of three Rapid Rehousing Officers was welcomed;
• it was recognised that there were difficult choices to be made when balancing the needs of those who were homeless against those with particular medical needs;
• the fact that consideration was being given to developing specialist accommodation was welcomed as it could allow more flexibility in coping with temporary accommodation needs;
• clarification was sought, and provided, regarding the anticipated costs set out in Appendices 1 and 2;
• given that there were likely to be substantial job losses, information was sought, and provided, on whether there was some way of forecasting what the demand for housing was likely to be and what proactive steps the Council was taking to ensure that people did not have to be placed in HMOs or other temporary accommodation that did not meet their needs;
• the Tenant Advisor highlighted that, according to Inclusion Scotland figures, 50% of tenants in Scotland identified as having an impairment, and there were many more on the Highland Housing Register.  A hidden disability was not obvious to many people but affected housing and homelessness, and there were many people who were homeless at home as they could not obtain suitable social housing;
• providing support to enable people to develop and maintain their capacity to live independently was a positive step but it had to be put into practice and should apply to all tenants, as should access to the right type of housing and ensuring that housing support services focussed on achieving positive outcomes and sustainable solutions; and
• on the point being raised, it was confirmed that the potential development of Council-owned specialist accommodation would form part of the proposed further report to Committee.

Thereafter, the Committee:-

i.    APPROVED the first iteration of the Highland Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan and associated Action Plan, as attached at Appendices 1 and 2 of the report, for submission to the Scottish Government;
ii.    NOTED that initial Scottish Government funding to develop the plan in 2019 had been confirmed as £61,000;
iii.    AGREED that the initial funding allocation to Highland be used to appoint an additional temporary post to lead on the development of the Highland Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan during calendar year 2019, and that the balance be used to carry out focussed work to try and find permanent housing solutions for the clients who had been in temporary accommodation the longest; and
iv.    NOTED that a further report would be presented to Committee with details of progress when further information on phase 2 funding was anticipated in early 2019.

4. Tenant Participation and Engagement Update
Cunntas às Ùr mu Chom-pàirteachas Luchd-màil

Declaration of Interest: Mr D Rixson declared a non-financial interest in this item as the Council’s appointee to Lochaber Housing Association 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 his involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No CLH/56/18 dated 26 November 2018 by the Director of Community Services.

The Chair acknowledged the work of the Council’s Principal Tenant and Customer Engagement Officer, Mandy Macleman, and Tenant Participation Officers, Lorna Simpson, Joan Sutherland, Karin McKay and Kate MacLennan.

In introducing the report, the Head of Housing and Building Maintenance congratulated Lorna Simpson, Tenant Participation Officer, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, who had won the Tenant Participation Champion award at the Tpas Awards 2018, and had been shortlisted for a Highland Council Quality Award.  South Kessock Tenant and Residents Association had also won two Tpas awards.  He went on to present slides on a number of events that had taken place including Safe, Well and Connected events in Lochaber and Kingussie; Senior Safe Highland, Dingwall; Inverness Tenants Forum; Rate your Estate, South Kessock; and a visit by Orkney tenants to Wick Interested Tenants.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

• the report and the tenant participation activity taking place were welcomed;
• Members commended the Senior Safe Highlander event that had taken place in Caol, which had been well handled by the agencies involved, tackled serious issues without causing anxiety on the part of the elderly people present and been a source of useful information;
• reference was made to a Rate your Estate event in Hilton where there had been very little engagement by tenants, and information was sought, and provided, in terms of where there were areas of high tenant participation, what the difference was in those areas and how participation could be increased in Hilton;
• Members added their congratulations to those who had won Tpas awards;
• an update was sought, and provided, in relation to the four performance indicators where the Council had been in the bottom quartile of registered social landlords in 2017;
• information was sought on engagement with Elected Members regarding Rate your Estate events;
• Tenant Participation Officers were the approachable face of the Council and were hugely valued by communities.  Their approach to resolving issues was an example of best practice and it was suggested that, at a time when every officer hour was at a premium, consideration be given to how their skillset could be utilised more widely.  The Chair and Vice Chair undertook to raise the matter with the Leader of the Council;
• similar events to Rate your Estate had taken place in Tain and Balintore for a number of years, involving local Members, Tenant Participation Officers, Community Wardens, and housing and waste management representatives.  The events had resulted in a substantial clean-up operation in Mansfield Estate which had had a positive impact to the extent that a garden competition was now in operation.  However, disappointment was expressed regarding the level of weeds in Mansfield Estate and Balintore, and information was sought on the scrutiny that took place with regard to the funding paid by the Housing Service for the provision of amenity services.  In addition, information was sought on why the moss cleaning activity in Balintore had come to a halt and when it would resume.  The Director undertook to raise the issues with the service directly and respond to Mrs F Robertson;
• Members commended the Caithness, Sutherland and East Ross Tenants Forum and encouraged Members who had not yet attended a tenant group to go along, show their support and see the work being undertaken;
• each area had its own characteristics and it was not an easy process to get tenants involved;
• tenant representative, Mr A Tubb, described the remit of the Finance and Participation Working Group and explained that he hoped to be able to produce a report for the Committee, on behalf of the Working Group, in the first half of 2019; and
• it was important to learn from the areas where success was being achieved and continue to build on engagement with tenants.

The Committee otherwise NOTED the recent tenant engagement activities in Highland and the recognition of these by the Scottish Housing Regulator and the Tenant Participation Advisory Service.

5. NHS Highland Assurance Report
Aithisg Barantais NHS na Gàidhealtachd

Declaration of Interest: Mr A Christie declared a financial interest in this item as a Non-Executive Director of NHS Highland 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 his involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No CLH/57/18 dated 9 November 2018 by the Interim Director of Care and Learning.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

• it was important to note the work the Third Sector did with young people undergoing Speech and Language Therapy;
• Members commended the significant amount of work undertaken by Health Visitors to increase the uptake of 27-30 month surveillance contact, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to see 100% of referrals within 18 weeks;
• whilst breastfeeding rates were not where they needed to be there had been a significant improvement and it was important to recognise the work that had been undertaken in that regard;
• underpinning many of the statistics in the report was the work of the Third and Voluntary Sectors, which brought together groups of vulnerable people and provided an environment that encouraged them to be open to receiving other types of professional help.  As the next round of budget decisions approached, it was important to give due consideration to the structure that lay behind the report and the outcomes wanted for children and young people in Highland;
• an update was sought, and provided, on the work being undertaken by the Community Planning Partnership in relation to recruitment;
• a new cross-party working group had been established to consider IT issues and it was suggested that the numerous IT issues affecting access to NHS Highland systems be brought to its attention;
• information was sought, and provided, on whether the Child Health Commissioner had any concerns regarding the Assurance Report and the priorities that had been identified; and
• in relation to Speech and Language Therapy, on the point being raised, it was confirmed that the impact of the Scottish Attainment Challenge and Emerging Literacy work taking place would be reported to Committee in January 2019.

The Committee otherwise scrutinised and NOTED the data and issues raised in the report.

6. Presentation: Strontian Primary School Project
Taisbeanadh: Pròiseact Bun-Sgoil Shròn an t-Sìthein

Declarations of Interest: Mr A Christie and Mr R MacWilliam declared non-financial interests in this item as Directors of the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that their interests did not preclude their involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No CLH/58/18 dated 26 November 2018 by the Interim Director of Care and Learning.

The report introduced a presentation by Mr J McIntyre and Mr J Tait, representatives of Strontian Community School Building Limited, who had led on the funding, design and construction of the new Strontian Primary School, a community asset now leased to the Council.  Information was provided on the various stages of the project and their reflections on it, including the issues that had been experienced.  They paid tribute to local Member, Mr A Baxter, for his steadfast support, and the Head of Resources for his constructive and helpful approach.  In addition, it was highlighted that the school was recruiting for a new Head Teacher and Members were encouraged to promote the position to anyone who might be interested.

During discussion, the following issues had been raised:-

• Members congratulated the project team from Strontian for their achievements.  The project was a first, not only in Highland but in Scotland, and it was hoped that it would inspire other communities throughout the country, not necessarily to build a school but in terms of what could be achieved with the talent that existed in what was a relatively small community;
• the honest assessment of the challenges that had been faced was welcomed;
• the project had required a change of mindset within the Council, and thanks were expressed to officers for seeing what was potentially achievable and backing it.  It was necessary to continue with that change of mindset in terms of backing novel approaches, dealing with communities and how the Council went about project management on similar builds in the future;
• the project had been more challenging for the community than the Council and this had not been aided by the mismatch between Committees whereby the Care, Learning and Housing Committee effectively acted as the client and the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee had the relationship with developers and contractors.  This was mirrored in all school build projects and it was suggested that there was a need to review the arrangements and have responsibility for funding new schools and management of projects under the remit of a single Committee to allow proper scrutiny to take place;
• the need for a genuine independent review, not simply lessons learned, so that the issues experienced by both the community and the council could be identified was emphasised, and it was hoped that the Council’s Audit and Scrutiny Committee would examine the findings of the review in detail.  The Head of Resources confirmed that a review would be appropriate to capture the learning in detail and undertook to engage with community representatives in terms of how to take that forward, with a report being brought back to Committee at the appropriate time;
• whilst the model was not ideal, it was necessary to learn lessons from it, refine it, and encourage and enable other communities to utilise it, where appropriate;
• the cost of building schools had increased significantly but to build one for less than £1m was remarkable.  By way of perspective, it was highlighted that the cost of resurfacing the all-weather pitch at Charleston Academy had been £400k; and
• the fact that a local contractor had been used for the build had been central to the success of the project.  Reference having been made to difficulties in getting contractors to undertake projects in areas such as Skye, it was suggested that it was necessary to consider how to support local contractors to take on substantial projects.

The Chair having thanked Mr Tait and Mr McIntyre for their inspirational presentation, the Committee NOTED the report and presentation.

7. Sustainable Education in Highland Communities: Update
Foghlam Seasmhach ann an Coimhearsnachdan na Gàidhealtachd: Cunntas às Ùr

There had been circulated Report No CLH/59/18 dated 21 November 2018 by the Interim Director of Care and Learning.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

• the Management of Schools Programme Manager was about to retire and Members paid tribute to his hard work throughout his career;
• the innovative way of recruiting teachers, given the rural nature of Highland, was welcomed.  Tribute too was paid to Cluster Heads for their co-operation together with all the teaching and support staff involved;
• this was a vital piece of work and it was right to have taken time to pause and reflect at the start of the year;
• a consultation framework and a programme for the establishment of the reminder of the Associated School Groups (ASGs) was essential as it would give certainty to both teachers and parents;
• recognising the change and upheaval of the process it was important to also involve communities with discussions, particularly Community Councils, as in the long term this would save both time and resources.  Consultation had to be meaningful with all stakeholders fully engaged;
• each ASG had different needs so one model would not fit all;
• meetings had taken place to further develop plans for school office support and generic recruitment and information was sought as to what the outcomes of the meetings had been to allow Members to debate these; and
• a call was made for more substantial education items to be considered at  Committee.  The report made reference to proposed future consideration by Members but this needed to be as and when developments took place;

The Committee:-

i.    NOTED the progress on appointments to the Sustainable Education in Highland Communities Team;
i.    NOTED the change in Directorate responsibility for the Programme; and
ii.    AGREED to the development of an overall multi-year plan for the Programme covering all 29 Highland Associated School Groups, and that the associated report to Committee should include a consultation framework and timetable;
iii.    AGREED that reports on Sustainable Education in Highland Communities be provided as appropriate, rather than at alternate Committees; and
iv.    AGREED that, where reports made reference to meetings that had taken place to progress specific issues, information be provided on the outcome of those meetings.

8. High Life Highland 6-monthly Performance Update
Cunntas Coileanaidh 6-mìosail High Life na Gàidhealtachd

Declarations of Interest:

Mr A Jarvie, Mr D Macpherson and Ms L Munro declared non-financial interests in this item as Directors of High Life Highland but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that their interests did not preclude their involvement in the discussion.

Mr K Gowans declared a non-financial interest as his wife was an employee of High Life Highland 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 his involvement in the discussion.

Ms E Leitch declared a non-financial interest on the grounds that she had supplied some information for the report but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that her interest did not preclude her involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No CLH/60/18 dated 20 November 2018 by the Chief Executive, High Life Highland (HLH).

The Chief Executive reported that generally attendance figures at HLH facilities were up and he continued by detailing a number of major events which had taken place in the previous 6 months including the transfer of music tuition and the projects which the Youth Convenor was promoting.  Each of HLH’s update reports focused on a specific area and this time an overview was given to Members of the Archive Service, not only in relation to the facility in Inverness but throughout Highland, detailing the numerous programmes and activities which had taken place.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

• HLH was commended for the good work undertaken in the previous 6 months, particularly in relation to Music Tuition.  In Skye, the introduction of a new bagpiping instructor had had a huge positive impact and elsewhere the feedback had also been positive.  Overall, the number of pupils undertaking lessons had increased by 14% and details were sought, and received, as to how this could be attributed;
• assurances were sought, and received, that SQA Music students were still eligible for free instrumental tuition.  In this regard, it was also important that those families who might not be able to afford music tuition were not discriminated against;
• the positive benefits of HLH’s Leadership Programme were acknowledged.  Involvement with Programme enhanced the lives of young people and had helped to refocus a number of young people, some of whom had struggled with academic side of school;
• the Chief Executive was congratulated on his appointment as Chair of Community Leisure UK (Scotland);
• similar to other bodies HLH had needed to make savings but they were commended for achieving a significant proportion of this through its commercial side;
• the extension of hours at the Lochaber Archive Centre was welcomed.  It was suggested that to enhance attendance a newsletter could be produced.  The Wick Archive facility was also commended with attention drawn to its recent architectural award but, to increase footfall, it was suggested that improved additional signage was required;
• the digitisation of archive documents should be explored.  This would make these documents more widely available;
• the Archive Service now had an international reputation and good use was made by tourists, especially those from the United States of America who were eager to research their ancestry.  In addition, retired persons also were regular users;
• an update on progress was sought, and received, on the possibility of HLH adopting the future management of Caithness Horizons; and
• the future of Nucleus (The Nuclear and Caithness Archive) was under consideration, bearing in mind that it was mid-point in the lease period.  Ideally, HLH would like to expand the archive but this would be dependent on budget considerations.

The Committee:-

i.    NOTED progress against the outcomes expected in the Service Delivery Contract with the Council for the operating period to September 2018;
ii.    NOTED the general updates since the last report in May 2018; 
iii.    NOTED the range of services and programmes delivered by the staff in the four archive centres across Highland; and
iv.    AGREED that future reports would continue to highlight one specific area of service in more detail. 

9. Minutes
Geàrr-chunntas

The Committee NOTED the following Minutes:-

i.    Highland Violence Against Women Partnership Group – 15 August 2018;
ii.    Annual General Meeting of the Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers – 14 November 2018 (draft); and
iii.    Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers – 14 November 2018 (draft).

The meeting concluded at 1.25 pm.