Agendas, reports and minutes

A Meeting of the Highland Council will be held REMOTELY on Thursday, 30 July 2020 at 10.35am.

Please note that Time for Prayer and Reflection will be undertaken by Mr A Rhind at 10.30am for those who wish to be in attendance.

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. Calling of the Roll and Apologies for Absence
Gairm a’ Chlàir agus 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. Membership of the Council – By-Election
Ballrachd na Comhairle

The Council is advised that a By-Election for Ward 12 (Aird and Loch Ness) has been arranged and will be held on Thursday, 5 November 2020.

4. Confirmation of Minutes  
Daingneachadh a’ Gheàrr-chunntais
                                                               
There are submitted for confirmation as a correct record the Minutes of Meeting of the Council held on 12 March 2020 and of the Special Meeting held on 25 June 2020 as contained in the Volume which has been circulated separately.

5. Minutes of Meetings of Committees
Geàrr-chunntasan Choinneamhan Chomataidhean

There are submitted for confirmation as correct records, for information as regards delegated business and for approval as appropriate, the Minutes of Meetings of Committees contained in Volume circulated separately as undernoted:-

Black Isle, Dingwall & Seaforth Committee - 25 February
Nairnshire Committee - 11 March
Corporate Resources Committee - 3 June
Lochaber Area Committee - 29 June
Economy & Infrastructure Committee - 1 July
Education Committee - 2 July
Caithness Committee - 6 July
Badenoch &Strathspey Area Committee - 7 July
Black Isle, Dingwall & Seaforth Committee - 7 July 
Health, Social Care & Wellbeing Committee  - 8 July
Sutherland County Committee - 9 July 
Wester Ross, Strathpeffer & Lochalsh Committee - 9 July

6. Tourism Committee      
Comataidh na Turasachd

There are circulated Minutes of Meeting of the Tourism Committee held on 16 July 2020 for approval.

7. Recovery Board     
Bòrd Ath-shlànachaidh

There are circulated Minutes of Meeting of the Recovery Board held on 18 June and 15 July 2020 for approval.

8. Membership of the Council/Committees, etc
Ballarachd Chomataidhean, msaa

The Council is advised that Mr Andrew Baxter has confirmed that he is no longer a member of the Independent Group. On that basis, he wishes to be referred to as a Real Independent with immediate effect.   

Membership of the Council is therefore now as follows:-

Ind – 26/SNP- 21/Cons – 10/Lib Dem – 9/Labour – 3/Green –1/Sutherland Independent – 1/Real Independent- 1/Non-Aligned – 1/Vacant - 1

The formula in respect of the number of places on Strategic Committees remains unchanged at 7/5/3/3. 

Members are also asked to agree the following:-

Gaelic Committee – Mr C Munro to replace Miss J Campbell

Wellbeing Joint Sub Committee – revised membership – will be tabled.

Items 9 and 10 below will be considered at 2.00pm

9. Question Time 
Àm Ceiste                                                                                             

The following Questions have been received by the Head of Corporate Governance –

(i) Mr A Baxter

To the Leader of the Council 

“What discussions did the Council have with high street retailers and other business organisations before the re-introduction of charges in council-owned car parks? Please publish the economic assessment the Council undertook on the likely impact on our high streets as they begin the current recovery phase following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions”.

The response will follow.

Mr Baxter will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Leader.

(ii) Mr A Baxter

To the Leader of the Council

What discussions have you had with Government Ministers and Officials as to how the revenue allocated to the Highland Council from the Scottish Crown Estates is to be used to bring benefit to our coastal communities and when will the Council publish the plan for the allocation of funds and what criteria will it be based on?”.

The response will follow.

Mr Baxter will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Leader. 

(iii) Mr A Baxter

To the Leader of the Council

“What criteria do you use when considering whether an individual item of Council expenditure is value for money for the Council taxpayer?”

The response will follow.

Mr Baxter will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Leader.

(iv) Mr S Mackie

To the Leader of the Council    
 
“Will you outline the following: What guidance was used to determine the Council’s omission from the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Furlough) and whether dialogue and / or confirmation was sought from HMRC, Scottish Government and COSLA on scheme eligibility? And whether this decision was reviewed by either Officer or Political Gold, in light of public announcements from across the UK that Councils were actively pursuing and successfully furloughing staff in the months of May, June and July?”

The response will follow.

Mr Mackie will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Leader. 

(v) Mr S Mackie

To the Budget Leader/Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee 

“Can you outline the Highland Council’s annual financial contribution to the Caithness and North Sutherland Partnership (CNSRP) programme per year since the creation of the partnership in 2007?”

The response will follow.

Mr Mackie will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Budget Leader/Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee.

(vi) Mr R MacWilliam

To the Leader of the Council

“How many times have Highland Council employees availed of the whistle-blowing procedure in the past 12 months?”

The response will follow.

Mr MacWilliam will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Leader. 

(vii) Mr P Saggers

To the Budget Leader/Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee

“Many Wards are finding a low number of applications to their Supporting Community Resilience funds.  Has consideration been given to changing the criteria and the maximum sums available for awards under the scheme and what is the final destination of any unspent money when the scheme closes?”

The response will follow.

Mr Saggers will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Budget Leader/Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee. 

(viii) Mr P Saggers

To the Budget Leader/Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee

“The UK Government has made significant sums of money available to Scotland as a result of the Barnet formula.  How much of this money has been received by the Highland Council to date, how much has been spent and on what and how much more is expected to be received as a result of measures already announced by the UK Government?”

The response will follow. 

Mr Saggers will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Budget Leader/Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee.

(ix) Mr A Jarvie

To the Leader of the Council  

“Can you provide details of benchmarking against the enaction, use, scope and broader Member involvement of emergency powers and strategic decision making between the first Gold meeting on 19/03/20 and resumption of political governance on 25/06/20?”

The response will follow.

Mr Jarvie will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Leader.

(x) Mr A Jarvie

To the Budget Leader/Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee 

“What assessment has been undertaken to ascertain the number of employees whose salary or costs are either wholly or partially met by revenue which is not from the core Government grant?”

The response will follow.

Mr Jarvie will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Budget Leader/Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee.

(xi) Mr A Jarvie

To the Chair of the Education Committee 

“What plans are in place to continue education provision to children who either now, or with any possible future restrictions, are medically unable to return to school?”

The response will follow.

Mr Jarvie will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Chair of the Education Committee.

(xii) Mrs I MacKenzie

To the Chair of the Education Committee

“Approximately 60 Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) and Recently Qualified Teachers (RQTs) in the Highlands, who were apparently guaranteed substantive posts, are stuck with temporary posts or left on the supply list at best. The Depute First Minister announced on 23 June that the Government would work with Councils to ensure NQTs and RQTs had secure jobs this year. When will the Council offer this security to these Teachers?”

The response will follow.

Mrs MacKenzie will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Chair of the Education Committee.

(xiii) Mr J Bruce

To the Leader of the Council 

“What plans does the Council have in place should there be a localised flare up of Covid-19 within the Highlands and what is its role as a lead public agency partner in implementing any area specific lockdowns?”

The response will follow.

Mr Bruce will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Leader.

(xiv) Mr J Bruce

To the Chair of the Communities and Place Committee

“Across the Highlands, the vast majority of recycling centres are now open with the notable exception of Grantown and Kingussie. These appear to be the only sites which do not have a target reopening date. What is the particular issue in reopening these sites and is a target date available?”

The response will follow.

Mr Bruce will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Chair of the Communities and Place Committee.

(xv) Ms M Smith

To the Leader of the Council

“Will you agree that any monies left over from the individual Ward COVID 19 budgets should continue to be spent locally, decided by Local Members, to aid the economic recovery?”

The response will follow.

Ms Smith will be entitled to ask a supplementary question which will be answered by the Leader.   

10. Notices of Motion 
Brathan Gluasaid                                                                                 
                                                                                                   
The following Notices of Motion have been received by the Head of Corporate Governance – 

(i) As a result of its unique remoteness and scattered population the Highlands have suffered a low incidence of Covid 19, with fortunately fewer fatalities than other areas of mainland Scotland.  However, our fragile economy is likely to suffer disproportionately as a result of lockdown restrictions that are aimed at heavily populated areas.  
Council calls on the Administration to consult urgently with NHS Highland, the Scottish Government and COSLA so in future Councils and local NHS Boards have more responsibility for deciding how lockdowns are managed, and tailoring measures appropriate to local circumstances. 

Signed: Mr G Adam, Mr A Christie

(ii) Parking Charges
Council notes the struggles businesses of all sizes across the Highlands continue to face as they gradually and safely reopen. Any measures which improve accessibility and attractiveness to our now fragile High Streets and Town Centres will make a pivotal difference to their future contribution to Highland’s economy and the jobs which depend on them. 

Active travel isn’t an option for many people due to either distance or ability. Looking collectively at the geography and needs of the Highlands, Council agrees to suspend parking charges and to keep suspension under continual review. Flexibility on this approach will be available to existing, high use on street bays and long term parking permits where it is agreed by the Area Committee membership.

Signed: Mr A Jarvie, Mr A Baxter, Mr S Mackie, Mr L Fraser
 
(iii) That Highland Council agrees to contract the services of an external provider for the purposes of employee whistle-blowing.

Signed: Mr R MacWilliam, Ms K Currie

(iv) Many areas of the Highlands are being adversely affected by a huge increase in uncontrolled camping. This may or may not improve with the opening of camp sites. Future demand from "staycationers" may well outstrip any possible supply of campsite spaces. 
 
The public health risks from this increase in camping during a pandemic must be addressed with urgency. Steps that may be taken to reduce public health risks include increase waste collections, better traffic management, restrictions on alcohol consumption, and financial support for beach or countryside wardens, temporary toilet and handwashing facilities.  Highland Council commits to use its resources where practicable and affordable to support such steps and calls on the Scottish Government and its agencies to work with us. 

Signed: Mr B Thompson, Mr A Baxter, Mr J Finlayson, Mr C Munro

(v) The Corona Virus Crisis has highlighted the inequality in our communities around broadband provision.  As Leader, I have written to Mr Wheelhouse, the Minister for Energy and Connectivity and urged the Government to reach a final position on their R100 role out.  However, we need to be far more ambitious for the Highlands and as a vital part of our recovery, I am proposing we move forward by exploring and encouraging a joint UK Government and Scottish Government and Highland Council project to bring fibre to premises broadband to all of Highland. This will fit our region for the 21st Century.

Cross Chamber support will strengthen our case and demonstrate the importance of the project 

In the meantime, it is proposed that we also encourage Scottish Government to make its new voucher scheme available as soon as possible so that communities can at least make the best interim arrangements while they wait.

Signed: Mrs M Davidson, Mrs T Robertson

11. Employee Engagement and Wellbeing Survey                                  

There is circulated Report No. HC/14/20 dated 17 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Resources and Finance. 

The Council is asked to:- 

(i)   note the headline messages from the Employee Engagement Wellbeing Survey;
(ii)  note the proposed engagement strategy; and
(iii) agree that action plans be reported to the next Corporate Resources Committee meeting.

12. Review of COVID-19 Services    
Ath-sgrùdadh air Seirbheisean COVID-19

a) Humanitarian Assistance and Food Supply 
Taic Daonnachd agus Solar Bìdh

There is circulated Report No. HC/15/20 dated 21 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Communities and Place. 

Members are asked to:-

(i)   note the scale and reach of the Council’s humanitarian assistance to date and the important contribution made by community bodies; 
(ii)  note that the Scottish Government has made an offer of grant of £651k to enable ongoing support;
(iii) agree that there needs to be a managed withdrawal of key staff from current arrangements and a move to a more sustainable model of assistance designed around the principles of: targeting support to those who need it most; supporting our place-based approach; and helping people to help each other and helping people to do more;
(iv)  note the new arrangements set out in Paragraph 6.9 and that these will be reviewed towards the end of September when there should be clarity on any further Government funding and the Council’s budget position; and
(v)   note the ongoing engagement and involvement planned with community bodies, third sector representatives and community planning partners.

b) Review of Keyworker Childcare Provision in Highland
Cùram-chloinne do Phrìomh Luchd-obrach

There is circulated Report No. HC/16/20 dated 20 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Education and Learning. 

Members are asked to:-

(i)   note the current position regarding Council keyworker hub provision;
(ii)  note the context as set out within the report and the latest Scottish Government directions regarding provision;
(iii) note the proposed next steps with regard to provision and ongoing review; and
(iv)  note that any review would await further clarity from the Scottish Government, and the return of schools in August to allow assessment of implications.

13. Budget Impact of COVID-19 – Understanding the Gap    
COVID-19 – Buaidh Ionmhasail agus a’ Tuigsinn a’ Bheàirn sa Bhuidseat

There is circulated Report No. HC/17/20 dated 15 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Resources and Finance. 

The Council is asked to note the revised budget gap figures as reported to COSLA in June 2020.

14. Recovery Action Plan: Progress Report to 30 June 2020     
Plana-gnìomha Ath-shlànachaidh – Aithisg Adhartais gu 30 Ògmhios 2020

There is circulated Report No. HC/18/20 dated 16 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Transformation and Economy. 

Members are asked to note the progress of the Council’s Recovery Action Plan to 30 June 2020.

15. Update on Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing (OHSW) Policy and Guidance     
Slàinte agus Sàbhailteachd

There is circulated Report No. HC/19/20 dated 15 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Resources and Finance. 

The Council is asked to approve the updated policy and plan which can be found at Appendices 1 and 2 respectively.

16. Decision of Standards Commission for Scotland - Hearing     
Toradh Choimisean nan Inbhean

There is circulated Report No. HC/20/20 dated 16 July 2020 by the Head of Corporate Governance/Monitoring Officer.  

The Council is asked to consider and note the decision of the Standards Commission of Scotland as detailed.

17. 2019 Review of Electoral Arrangements – Highland Council       

There is circulated Report No. HC/21/20 dated 20 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Performance and Governance. 

Members are asked to:- 

(i)   note that consultation will be undertaken with Members at Ward level, the outcome of which will be reported to Council on 10 September; and 
(ii)  agree to establish a cross party Working Group to analyse the proposals and bring forward comments to the Council meeting on 10 September.

18. Appointments – CoSLA Boards 
Cur an Dreuchd Ballrachd – Co-chruinneachadh Ùghdarrasan Ionadail na h-Alba

The Council is asked to agree the following:-

Health and Social Care Board – Ms L Munro (Sub- Mrs I Campbell)
Community Wellbeing Board – Mr B Thompson (Sub – Mrs M Paterson)
Environment and Economy Board – Mrs T Robertson (Sub – Mr D Macpherson)  

19. Appointment - High Life Highland
Cur an Dreuchd do Chompanaidhean – High Life na Gàidhealtachd

The Administration will move the following – Mr B Thompson to replace Mr D Macpherson.

20. Deeds Executed
Sgrìobhainnean Lagha a Bhuilicheadh

Members are asked to note that a list of deeds and other documents executed on behalf of the Council since the meeting held on 12 March 2020 is available in the Members’ Library and on the Council’s Website.

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

The Council is asked to resolve that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public should be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6, 8 & 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

22. School and Public Bus Contracts                                                   

There is circulated to Members only Report No. HC/22/20 dated 17 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Infrastructure and Environment.

The Council is asked to agree the recommendations as circulated. 

23. Project Dòchas
Pròiseact Dòchais

There is circulated to Members only Report No. HC/23/20 dated 10 June 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Resources & Finance. 

The Council is asked to agree the recommendations as circulated. 

24. Property Purchase
Ceannach Seilbhe

There is circulated to Members only Report No. HC/24/20 dated 14 July 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer, Infrastructure and Environment. 

The Council is asked to agree the recommendations as circulated.