Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Community Safety, Public Engagement and Equalities Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, on Wednesday, 26 March 2014 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,

Michelle Morris
Depute Chief Executive

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. Highland Public Services Partnership Performance Board - Minutes
Geàrr-chunntas – Bòrd Com-pàirteachas Seirbheisean Poblach na Gàidhealtachd

There are circulated for noting minutes of meetings of the Highland Public Services Partnership Performance Board held on 13 September 2013 (57kb pdf) and 12 December 2013 (63kb pdf).

Community Safety
Sàbhailteachd Coimhearsnachd

4. Improvement Plan for Member Scrutiny and Engagement
Plana Leasachaidh airson Sgrùdadh is Conaltradh Bhall

There is circulated Report No. cpe-01-14 (38kb pdf) dated 14 March 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform providing information from the member workshop in December 2013 on readiness for the anticipated inspection of local police and fire services and member engagement with them.  Most improvement action identified previously has been completed and should be closed at the next meeting of the Committee.

The Committee is asked to note:

i. the progress made with the improvement plan appended to the report;
ii. the positive response from the on-line survey about police and fire engagement in advance of the workshop;
iii. that drafts of the local plans for police and fire and rescue are considered as separate items at this meeting, and that the focus on the inspection questions on local plans at the workshop will help to develop the Council’s feedback on them; and
iv. that Members of the Education, Children and Adult Services Committee will continue to have access via email to the community safety reports for this Committee.

The Committee is asked to agree that further workshop(s) can be arranged when the timing of the inspection is clearer.

5. Police Reports
Aithisgean Poilis

i. Performance Against the Interim Highland Local Policing Plan 2013-14
Dèanadas mu choinneamh Plana Eadar-amail Phoileasachd Ionadail na Gàidhealtachd 2013-14

There is circulated Report No. cpe-02-14 (94kb pdf) dated 17 March 2014 by the Divisional Commander for Police providing an update to Committee Members on the progress with reference to the objectives outlined in the Highland Local Policing Plan 2013-14.

The Committee is asked to scrutinise the progress made against the objectives set within the Highland Local Policing Plan 2013-2014.

ii. The Draft Highland Local Policing Plan 2014-17
Dreachd Plana Phoileasachd Ionadail na Gàidhealtachd 2014-17

a) The Draft Plan
An Dreachd Plana

There is circulated Report No. cpe-03-14 (127kb pdf) dated 17 March 2014 by the Divisional Commander for Police presenting the proposed 2014-17 Highland Local Policing Plan to the Committee for scrutiny and comment.

The Committee is asked to provide scrutiny and comment on the proposed 2014-17 Highland Local Policing Plan prior to its presentation to Full Council on 26 June 2014.

b) Highland Council Proposed Response to the Draft Plan
Moladh Freagairt Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd dhan Dreachd
Plana

There is circulated Report No. cpe-04-14 (217kb pdf) dated 18 March 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform advising Members of the amendments and process required for approving the first Local Police Plan for Highland 2014–2017.

The Committee is asked to:

i. agree the improvements required for approval to be given to the local police plan as set out in section 3 of this report, relating to:
~ comments on the introduction and foreword;
~ the need for: further information on resourcing; a commitment to joint resourcing locally; and for the performance content to be strengthened;
~ the improvements detailed to ensure alignment with the SOA;
~ the need for contextual information describing the high levels of community safety in the region and where the plan content and layout can be strengthened; and

ii. note that the draft local plan will also be considered by Members of the Education, Children and Adult Services Committee in May before Council approval of the local plan to be sought in June 2014, based on the recommendations from both Committees.

iii. Organisational Change Update
Cunntas as Ùr air Atharrachadh Buidhneil

There is circulated Report No. cpe-05-14 (14kb pdf) dated 17 March 2014 by the Divisional Commander for Police providing an Organisational update on Police Officer numbers in Highland.

The Committee is asked to scrutinise the update report.

6. Scottish Police Authority Consultation on Stop and Search
Co-chomhairleachadh Ùghdarrais Poilis na h-Alba air Stad is Sgrùd

There is circulated Report No. cpe-06-14 (272kb pdf) dated 21 February 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform advising that the Scottish Police Authority sought views on the use of stop and search by Police Scotland by 14 February 2014.  A response was sent and requires homologation.

The Committee is asked to homologate the response sent to the Scottish Police Authority in February 2014 in response to the consultation on the use of stop and search by Police Scotland since 1 April 2013.

7. Fire and Rescue Service Reports
Aithisgean na Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn

i. Quarterly Performance Report
Aithisg Dèanadais Ràitheil

There is circulated Report No. cpe-07-14 (17kb pdf) dated 16 March 2014 by the Local Senior Officer for Fire and Rescue detailing Fire and Rescue Service performance across a range of Intervention, Prevention and Protection activities in line with set target delivery for 2013/14.

The Committee is invited to comment and question service delivery and performance contained within the Report and attached QPR for Quarter 3, 2013-2014.

ii. Draft Highland Local Fire and Rescue Plan
Dreachd Plana Smàlaidh agus Teasairginn Ionadail na Gàidhealtachd

a) Summary of the Plan and Feedback from Consultation to date
Geàrr-chunntas a’ Phlana agus Fios-air-ais bhon Cho-chomhairleachaidh gu ruige seo

There is circulated Report No. cpe-08-14 (2221kb pdf) dated 16 March 2014 by the Local Senior Officer for Fire and Rescue.  The Draft Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Highland 2014-2017 is appended to the report.  The documents set out the seven key priorities for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service within Highland area.  The report also recognises the importance of delivering risk reduction activities in partnership through the community planning partnership structure, aligned with strategic outcomes identified in the Single Outcome Agreement 2013-2019.

The Committee is invited to discuss and comment on the Draft Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Highland 2014-2017.

b) Highland Council Proposed Response to the Draft Plan
Moladh Freagairt Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd dhan Dreachd Plana

There is circulated Report No. cpe-09-14 (193kb pdf) dated 18 March 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform advising Members of the amendments and process required for approving the first Highland Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Highland 2014–2017.  The draft plan has been considered by Members locally and at the meeting of the Adult and Children Services Committee in February 2014. Final approval will be sought at Council in May 2014.

The Committee is asked to note that:

i. the current draft local fire and rescue plan has been amended from earlier feedback from the Council and the Adult and Children’s Services Committee;
ii. the current draft aligns strongly to the Single Outcome Agreement (SOA) and partnership working and includes action that members have raised previously;
iii. NHS Highland is also being consulted; and
iv. an annual action plan is to be produced providing more detail on targets.

The Committee is also asked to:

i. agree the improvements required for approval to be given to the local fire and rescue plan as set out in section 3 of this report, relating to:

~ the need for: further information on resourcing; a commitment to joint resourcing locally, including vulnerable young people and flatted accommodation in priorities 2 and 3; and for the performance content to be strengthened, at least to include the high level performance information included in the SOA;
~ that inclusion of carbon reduction activities would be helpful to partnership working;
~ that promoting the success of the service and raising awareness of the harm caused by malicious false alarms is encouraged; and

ii. note that the conditions for approving the local fire and rescue plan will be raised at the Council meeting in May 2014, as a starred item from the minutes of this Committee.

Equalities
Co-ionannachdan

8. Equality and Diversity Training
Cunntas as Ùr air Trèanadh is Leasachadh air Ceistean Co-ionannachd

There is circulated Report No. cpe-10-14 (122kb pdf) dated 17 March 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform outlining the training and development provided for staff in Equality and Diversity and explaining work under development to increase training and equalities awareness.

The Committee is asked to note:

i. the training and development delivered to increase awareness of Equality
and Diversity within Highland Council staff; and
ii. the plans for future development.

Public Engagement
Com-pàirt Phoblach

9. Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places 2014
Ath-bhreithneachadh de Sgìrean Bhòtaidh is Àiteachan Bhòtaidh 2014

There is circulated Report No. cpe-11-14 (457kb pdf) dated 4 March 2014 by the Elections Manager advising the Committee of the review of the current Scheme of Polling Districts and Polling Places, as required by the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013.  The report outlines the responses received during the consultative process and suggests a number of amendments to the existing Scheme.

The Committee is asked to:

i. note the representations received;
ii. consider the suggestions to amend Polling Districts and Polling Places as detailed in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the report;
iii. approve the Scheme of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Appendix 2 to the report) for further consultation, with the final report being submitted to the meeting of the Highland Council on 30 October 2014; and
iv. continue to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Convener, Vice Convener and appropriate local Members, to make any necessary changes to the Scheme should circumstances arise prior to the next report on 30 October 2014.

10. Action Plan to Improve Voter Turnout – Update
Plana Gnìomh airson Leasachadh na tha a’ Nochdadh de Luchd-bhòtaidh – Cunntas as Ùr

There is circulated Report No. cpe-12-14 (17kb pdf) dated 18 March 2014 by the Elections Manager providing members with an up-date of the actions being undertaken to encourage participation in elections, particularly for young people.

The Committee is asked to note the ongoing work to encourage participation in elections in Highland.

11. Scottish Government Consultation: Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments
Co-chomhairle Riaghaltas na h-Alba: Prionnsapalan Deagh Chleachdaidh  airson Buannachdan Coimhearsnachd bho Leasachaidhean Lùth Ath-nuadhachail  Air Tìr

There is circulated Report No cpe-13-14 (235kb pdf) dated 14 March 2014 by the Acting Head of Community and Democratic Engagement asking the Committee to homologate the Highland Council response to the “Consultation on the Scottish Government Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments”, as set out in Annex 1 to the report.

12. Strengthening Communities Project
Pròiseact Neartachadh Choimhearsnachdan

A presentation will be given by Ms Karen Derrick, Strengthening Communities Project Manager, on the Strengthening Communities project running in Badenoch and Strathspey, as reported to the Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee on 3 December 2013.