Interim report of Highland Poverty and Equality Commission

The initial work of the Highland Poverty and Equality Commission focussing on impacts of poverty has recently been welcomed by Members of The Highland Council.

An interim report introduced by Commission Co-Chairs Jim McCormick and Maggie Cunningham was noted by Councillors at a meeting of The Highland Council earlier this month.

Co-Chair Jim McCormick said: “Our commitment is to avoid getting stuck describing the problem. We are here to build our knowledge of the root causes and consequences of a complex set of issues across the diversity of Highland communities, and then to do two things as we go:

• identify the ‘bright spots’ – things that are working well in the Highlands that could be built upon and consolidated over time; and
• identify solutions that are not evident or obvious that Highland could learn from including from other places, in ways that are appropriate culturally and could be adapted to this region.”

Co-Chair Maggie Cunningham added: “While Highland Council set up the Poverty and Equality Commission - as Co-Chairs we are working with the Commissioners in a completely independent and solution focussed way.

“Our themes are access and connections, housing, ways of working within and across public services; fair work, early years and education and financial security while also paying attention to threads running across all these themes of climate change and equity and diversity.”

The report outlined that following the first meeting of the Commission in Balintore, two evidence sessions were held looking at how key factors can exacerbate poverty:

• the first in Fort William on 10 October looked at lack of access to transport and digital services, and
• in Kyleakin on 7 November focussed on lack, condition and affordability of housing.

Recent updates on the evidence sessions and the work of the Commission can be found on the website.

The Commission intends to engage further with community groups and organisations across the Highlands and are in the process of commissioning an ‘experience panel’ to include people with direct experience of poverty.

Plans to organise more Commission Evidence Sessions started with the first of four sessions on ways of working across services on 12 December in Inverness; and three more will follow on:

• fair work on 30 January in Alness.
• early years and education on 27 February in Lairg.
• financial security on 27 March in Wick.

Members welcomed the Commission’s intention to host a stakeholder engagement session with Councillors to hear the representative views of their local communities.

The interim report can be viewed on the Council’s website at this link.