22 January 2024: Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee

A meeting of the Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee will take place remotely via Microsoft Teams, on 22 January 2024, at 10.30 am.

Recording Notice: This meeting will be recorded and uploaded to the Council’s YouTube channel.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully

Stewart Fraser
Head of Legal and Governance

1.    Appointment of Chair and Vice Chair
Cur Cathraiche agus Iar-Chathraiche an Dreuchd

Nominations will be sought for the appointment of Chair and Vice Chair of the Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee.

2.    Apologies for Absence
Leisgeulan

3.    Declarations of Interest/Transparency Statement
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt/Aithris Fhollaiseachd

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 provide some information on the nature of the interest and leave the meeting at the appropriate time.  Advice may be sought from officers prior to the meeting taking place.

4.    Police – Area Performance Report    
Poilis – Geàrr-chunntas Dèanadais Sgìreil

There will follow Report No BIER/01/24.

5.    Garage Rents    
Màil Gharaidsean

There is circulated Report No BIER/02/24 by the Executive Chief Officer Property and Housing.

The Committee is asked to agree a level of rent increase to apply to Black Isle and Easter Ross Garages and Garage Sites.

6.    Community Regeneration Fund – Assessment of Applications    
Maoin Ath-bheòthachadh Coimhearsnachd – Measadh Iarrtasan

There is circulated Report No BIER/03/24 by the Executive Chief Officer Infrastructure, Environment & Economy

The Committee is asked to:-

i.    consider the applications presented and agree whether to approve, defer or reject the application.  An approval of funding should detail the amount approved and outline any conditions of funding that Members wish to attach to the approval over and above the required technical conditions.  A deferral would allow an applicant to resubmit the current application at a future date with updated information or for the project to be approved subject to further funding becoming available.  A rejection would mean that the application will not proceed and any future application to the fund should be brought forward initially as a new expression of interest;
ii.    agree the approved CRF grant award for each application up to the value of the available area allocation; and
iii.    if there is a balance of funding remaining, agree to ringfence remaining grant within the 2023/24 allocation to deliver area priorities identified through work to develop an area-based plan, subject to full applications being brought to a future committee meeting for consideration.  

7.    Area Roads Capital Programme 2024-25    
Prògram Calpa Rathaidean Sgìreil 2024-25

There is circulated Report No BIER/04/24 by the Executive Chief Officer Infrastructure, Environment & Economy

The Committee is asked to approve the proposed 2023/24 Area Roads Capital Programme for Black Isle and Easter Ross.

8.    Common Good Funds    
Maoin Maith Choitchinn

a.    Cromarty Common Good Fund 
Maoin Math Coitcheann Chromba 

There will follow Report No BIER/05/24.

b.    Fortrose and Rosemarkie Common Good Fund 
Maoin Math Coitcheann na Cananaich agus Ros Maircnidh 

There will follow Report No BIER/06/24.

c.    Invergordon Common Good Fund 
Maoin Math Coitcheann Inbhir Ghòrdain  

There will follow Report No BIER/07/24.
                                                                       
d.    Tain Common Good Fund
Maoin Math Coitcheann Bhaile Dhubhthaich

There will follow Report No BIER/08/24.

9.    Ward Discretionary Awards    
Duaisean fo Ùghdarras Uàird

There is circulated for noting details of the Discretionary Budget applications that have been approved.

10.    Ward Minutes    
Geàrr-chunntas

There is circulated for noting Minutes of Meeting of the Black Isle Committee held on 7 November 2023, and the Easter Ross Area Committee held on 30 October 2023, which were approved by the Council on 14 December 2023.
 

In relation to the agenda and papers circulated for the Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee on 22 January 2024, at 10.30 am, please find attached the reports for items 4 and 8, which it was indicated would follow.

Yours faithfully

Stewart Fraser
Head of Legal and Governance

4.    Police – Area Performance Report 
Poilis – Geàrr-chunntas Dèanadais Sgìreil

There is circulated Report No BIER/01/24 by Chief Inspector Stuart Fitzpatrick - Area Commander (North Highland Area Command).

The Committee is asked to note:

i.    progress made against the objectives set within the Highland Local Policing Plan 2023 – 2024 Year 1 attached as Annex A to this report, for the period covering 01 April 2023 – 30 November 2023; and
ii.    the change in format necessitated by a reduction in back office capacity to prepare additional area committee reports.

8.    Common Good Funds    
Maoin Maith Choitchinn

a.    Cromarty Common Good Fund             
Maoin Math Coitcheann Chromba 

There is circulated Report No BIER/05/24 by the Chief Executive Officer, Communities and Place, and the Head of Corporate Finance & Commercialism.

The Committee is asked to:

i.    consider and agree the Cromarty Common Good Fund Statement of Accounts (Appendix 1a) and Quarter 4 monitoring report for 2022/23 (Appendix 1b), subject to the approval of the 2022/23 Highland Council accounts; 
ii.    scrutinise and note the position of the Cromarty Common Good Fund as shown in the 2023/24 Quarter Three monitoring statement at Appendix 2; and
iii.    approve the proposed budget for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 3

b.    Fortrose and Rosemarkie Common Good Fund             
Maoin Math Coitcheann na Cananaich agus Ros Maircnidh 

There is circulated Report No BIER/06/24 by the Chief Executive Officer, Communities and Place, and the Head of Corporate Finance & Commercialism.

The Committee is asked to:

i.    consider and agree the Fortrose & Rosemarkie Common Good Fund Statement of Accounts (Appendix 1a) and Quarter 4 monitoring report for 2022/23 (Appendix 1b), subject to the approval of the 2022/23 Highland Council accounts; 
ii.    scrutinise and note the position of the Fortrose & Rosemarkie Common Good Fund as shown in the 2023/24 Quarter Three monitoring statement at Appendix 2; and
iii.    approve the proposed budget for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 3.

c.    Invergordon Common Good Fund                     
Maoin Math Coitcheann Inbhir Ghòrdain  

There is circulated Report No BIER/07/24 by the Chief Executive Officer, Communities and Place, and the Head of Corporate Finance & Commercialism.  

The Committee is asked to:
i.    consider and agree the Invergordon Common Good Fund Statement of Accounts (Appendix 1a) and Quarter 4 monitoring report for 2022/23 (Appendix 1b), subject to the approval of the 2022/23 Highland Council accounts; 
ii.    scrutinise and note the position of the Invergordon Common Good Fund as shown in the 2023/24 Quarter Three monitoring statement at Appendix 2; 
iii.    approve the proposed budget for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 3; and
iv.    note the current position in relation to Community Asset Transfer interest in Invergordon Town Hall.
                                                                
d.    Tain Common Good Fund                         
Maoin Math Coitcheann Bhaile Dhubhthaich

There is circulated Report No BIER/08/24 by the Chief Executive Officer, Communities and Place, and the Head of Corporate Finance & Commercialism.

i.    Consider and agree the Tain Common Good Fund Statement of Accounts (Appendix 1a) and Quarter 4 monitoring report for 2022/23 (Appendix 1b), subject to the approval of the 2022/23 Highland Council accounts; 
ii.    Scrutinise and note the position of the Tain Common Good Fund as shown in the 2023/24 Quarter Three monitoring statement at Appendix 2; and
iii.    Approve the proposed budget for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 3.