Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the City of Inverness Area Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Town House, Inverness on Thursday, 29 August 2019 at 10.00am.

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

Queen’s Birthday Honours
Urraman Co-là-breith na Banrigh

The Provost will invite Members to congratulate and otherwise note those persons who have a link to the City and Area upon whom Her Majesty The Queen bestowed an Honour in Her Majesty’s Birthday Honours List.

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. Recess Powers
Cumhachdan Fosaidh

The Committee is asked to note that the recess powers granted by the Council at its meeting on 27 June 2019 did not require to be exercised in relation to the business of the City of Inverness Area Committee.

4. Presentation – Inverness Castle Project Update
Taisbeanadh – Cunntas às Ùr mu Phròiseact Caisteal Inbhir Nis

The project team will provide Members with information relating to this City-Region deal project to transform Inverness Castle and the surrounding area into a major visitor attraction for City and the Highlands. 

5. Police – Area Performance Summary Report
Poileas – Geàrr-aithisg Coileanadh Sgìreil

There is circulated Report No. CIA/35/19 dated 14 August 2019 by the Chief Inspector Colin Gough, Area Commander.

The Committee is invited to note progress made against the objectives set within the Highland and Islands Local Policing Plan 2017-2020 Year 2 and first quarter of Year 3, attached as Annex A to this report, for the period covering 1 April 2018- 30 June 2019.

6. A9/A82 Longman Junction Improvement scheme – Preferred option consultation Summer 2019
Sgeama Leasachaidh Ceann-rathaid an Longman A9/A82 – Co-chomhairle mun roghainn as fheàrr, Samhradh 2019

There is circulated Report No. CIA/36/19 dated 14 August 2019 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure.

The Committee is invited to note and welcome Transport Scotland’s progress with preparation of the A9/A82 Longman Junction Improvement scheme and to homologate the Council’s response to the recent consultation that was held on the preferred option.

7. Investing in Inverness and Area – Capital Projects
Tasgadh ann an Inbhir Nis agus a Sgìre – Pròiseactan Calpa 

There will follow Report No. CIA/37/19 by the Head of Corporate Finance. 

8. Housing Performance Report – 1 April to 30 June 2019
Aithisg Dèanadais Taigheadais – 1 Giblean gu 30 An t-Òg mhios 2019

There is circulated Report No. CIA/38/19 dated 14 August 2019 by the Interim Chief Officer Resources (Community Services).

The Committee is invited to note the information provided on Housing Performance for the period 1 April 2019 to 30 June 2019.

9. Winter Maintenance Plan 2019/20
Plana Obair-gleidhidh Geamhraidh 2019/20

There is circulated Report No. CIA/39/19 dated 14 August 2019 by the Interim Chief Officer Resources (Community Services).

The Committee is invited to approve the Winter Maintenance Plan for the Inverness Area, which includes the priority road lists and maps presented in Appendices B & C, subject to the amendments in 5.8 and 5.9 as detailed in the report.

10. Remote Mower Options
Roghainnean Lomaire-feòir Cèin

There is circulated Report No. CIA/40/19 dated 17 July 2019 by the Interim Chief Officer Resources (Community Services).

The Committee is invited to:-

i.     note the health and safety concerns associated with the cutting of steep banks including the Castle and River banks;
ii.    approve the funding from the Common Good Fund for the 2019 season contractor costs of £14,430; and
iii.   agree to Option 3 as detailed in the report, being the recommendation to part fund the purchase of a remote mower for the ongoing cutting of the Castle and River banks as well as other areas of steep banks and a contribution cost from the Common Good Fund of £20,000.

11.    Inverness Common Good Fund
Maoin Math Coitcheann Inbhir Nis

a) Review of Priorities 
Ath-sgrùdadh Phrìomhachasan

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/41/19 dated 16 August 2019 by the Head of Corporate Finance and Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.     note the progress to date of the Strategy agreed in 2014;
ii.    consider existing expenditure commitments;
iii.   agree to instruct officers to develop a draft Action Plan for the Inverness common Good Fund, for consideration by CIAC, in terms of the report;
iv.    note that Members will be engaged, through the process utilising the workshop format;
v.     agree that the Committee instruct the Inverness City Area Manager to prepare a Feasibility Study at a cost of no more than £5k into the future use of the Town House based on the objective of ensuring that it continues to be used for the principal benefit of the Residents of the Burgh, with a focus on retaining the Town House as a Civic Hub for the City. All under the scrutiny of the ICGF Sub Committee, with a report on the outcome being brought back to this Committee in due course; and
vi.    note that annual Budget Setting reports will be utilised to keep the strategy for the Inverness Common Good Fund (ICGF) under review.

b) Discretionary Scheme for Winter Payments 2019/20     
Sgeama fo Ùghdarras airson Phàighidhean Geamhraidh 2019/20

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/42/19 dated 19 August by Acting Head of Revenues and Customer Services and Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

i.     the level of the single tier award (currently £82) to be made to those applicants that satisfy the eligibility criteria for the 2019/20 scheme;
ii.    provide an overall budget which recognises any increase in the single tier award to take into account the demand from ongoing welfare reforms and energy costs; 
iii.   that the criteria utilised for the 2018/19 scheme, as set out in paragraphs 7.2 to 7.6, shall be used as the basis for the 2019/20 scheme; 
iv.    this discretionary scheme is to be made available to residents in the City of Inverness and the Landward areas of the seven City Wards; and   
v.     promote payment by BACS for this discretionary scheme as this is the most secure method of payment for recipients of the payment and the Council alike.

c) Common Good Fund Sub Committee – Annual Report 2018/2019
Fo-Chomataidh na Maoin Maith Choitchinn – Aithisg Bhliadhnail 2018/19

There is circulated Report No. CIA/43/19 dated 9 August 2019 by the Inverness City Area Manager. 

The Committee is invited to note and scrutinise the work of the ICGF Sub Committee as described within the report.

d) Victorian Market Annual Report - Action Plan – Annual Review
Margaid Bhictòrianach – Plana Gnìomha – Ath-sgrùdadh Bliadhnail

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/44/19 dated 16 August 2019 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure and the Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.     agree to the continued development of the ‘Branding’ of the Victorian Market as described within the report to include, Marketing, Signage, Naming at Appendix 3;
ii.    agree the Business Case for the redesign of the Market Hall at Appendix 4;
iii.   note that the proposal referred to at ii above will be detailed in a separate report recommending a redesign of the Market Hall and the Fish Hall and that further reports will be presented to the City of Inverness Area Committee to progress the project programme as required; and
iv.    agree the updated Action Plan Summary as endorsed by the Victorian Market Stakeholder Group at Appendix 5. 

e) Victorian Market –Market Hall Redesign Inverness
Margaid Bhictòrianach, Ath-dhealbhadh Talla na Margaid, Inbhir Nis

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/45/19 dated 14 August 2019 by Director of Development and Infrastructure and Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to agree that work is done to process to tender for the Refurbishment, as outlined in this report, at a total estimated project cost of £1,500,000 and carry out further investigation into third party funding.

f) Inverness Events and Festivals - Review of 2019-20 to date and proposals for 2020-21                                                                                    
Tachartasan agus Fèisean Inbhir Nis- Ath-sgrùdadh 2019-20 gu ruige seo agus molaidhean airson 2020-21

There is circulated Report No. CIA/46/19 dated 16 August 2019 by the Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.     note the 2019/20 update;
ii.    note the research undertaken into Hogmanay and budget cutting;
iii.   approve the 2020/21 Events and Festivals Action Plan;
iv.    approve the 2020/21 Budget of £275,000 (Appendix 3) subject to the addition of a 10% contingency (£25,000) noting that the agreement of the City of Inverness Area Committee will be required prior to the contingency being allocated against expenditure ; and
v.     agree that Officers support the Events and Festivals Working Group to work with partners to deliver a programme of events in Northern Meeting Park to generate the additional income required to deliver the agreed programme; subject to ensuring that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure that any current users who may suffer detriment are given advice and support where appropriate. 

g) Financial Monitoring and Capital Projects     
Sgrùdadh Ionmhasail agus Pròiseactan Calpa

There is circulated Report No. CIA/47/19 dated 12 August 2019 by the Inverness City Area Manager. 

The Committee is invited to:-

i.     consider the financial monitoring report to 31 July 2019 and note that overall expenditure is within agreed budgets; and
ii.    scrutinise the current status of capital projects

h) Grants Applications over £10,000
Iarrtasan Tabhartais thar £10,000

There is circulated Report No. CIA/48/19 dated 8 August 2019 by the Inverness City Area Manager. 

In this connection, there is circulated separately a copy of supporting documentation as Booklet A.

The Committee is invited to consider the applications for funding.

12. Homologation of new Street Names
Aontachadh Ainmean Sràide ùra

There is circulated Report No CIA/49/19 dated 8 July 2019 by the Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to Homologate the naming of new streets for;

• New commercial development, Inverness Airport
• New housing development, Tornagrain, Inverness 
• New Housing development, Milton of Leys, Inverness

13. Minutes
Geàrr-chunntas

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

i.     City of Inverness Area Committee held on 30 May 2019 for noting;
ii.    Victorian Market Stakeholder Management Group held on 14 May 2019 and 9 July 2019 for noting; 
iii.   Inverness Events and Festivals Working Group held on 3 June 2019 for approval; and 
iv.    Inverness Common Good Fund Grants Sub-Committee held on 5 August 2019 for approval.

14. Exclusion of the Public
Às-dùnadh a’ Phobaill

The Committee is asked to resolve that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

CONFIDENTIAL PAPERS – PART 5

15. Inverness Common Good Account Sites and Premises Transaction Report
Aithisg Gnothachais Làraich agus Togalaichean Chunntasan Maoin Math Choitcheann Inbhir Nis  

There is circulated to Members only Joint Report No CIA/50/19 dated 9 August 2019 by the Head of Development and Regeneration and the Property Manager (Estates).

The Committee is invited to note the recommendations as detailed in the report.