Agendas, reports and minutes

 

Minutes of Meeting of the Planning, Environment and DevelopmentCommittee held in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, on Wednesday, 20 August 2014, at 10.30a.m.

Present:
Mr T Prag; Dr D Alston ; Mrs H Carmichael; Mr J Crawford; Mr G Farlow; Mr C Fraser; Mr J Gordon; Mr J Gray; Mr M Green; Mr R Greene; Mr D Hendry; Mr R Laird ; Mr B Lobban; Mr D MacKay; Mrs I McCallum; Mr J McGillivray; Mr D Millar; Mr G Phillips; Mr M Reiss; Mr I Renwick; Mr G Rimell; Mr R Saxon; Dr A Sinclair; Mr H Wood.

Non-Members also present:
Mrs J Barclay; Mrs I Campbell; Mr B Clark; Mrs G Coghill; Mrs M Paterson; Mr J Rosie; Mr J Stone

Officials in attendance:
Mr S Black, Director of Planning and Development
Mr M MacLeod, Head of Planning and Building Standards
Mr A McCann, Economy and Regeneration Manager
Ms N Wallace, Environment Manager
Mr S Dalgarno, Development Plans Manager
Ms A Mackay, Service Support Manager
Mr A Webster, Regeneration Adviser
Mr D Cowie, Principal Planner
Mr G Summers, Principal European Officer
Mr A Hamilton, European Officer
Mr D Roberts, European Officer
Mr G Robb, Trading Standards Manager
Mr C Howell, Head of Infrastructure
Mr M Smith, Principal Engineer
Mr A Maguire, Head of Property Partnerships
Mr G Westwater, Head of Property
Mr G Bull, Corporate Property Asset Manager
Mr C Anderson, Property Manager (Operational Estates Management)
Mr M Mitchell, Finance Manager
Mrs R Moir, Principal Committee Administrator
Ms L Lee, Committee Administrator

Also in Attendance:
Mr D Gardner, Director of Transmission, Scottish and Southern Energy (Item 3)
Miss M Smith, Corporate Affairs, Scottish and Southern Energy (Item 3)
Mr C Robertson, Service and Development Manager, Highland Opportunity Limited (Item 14)

An asterisk in the margin denotes a recommendation to the Council.  All decisions with no marking in the margin are delegated to the Committee.

Mr T Prag in the Chair

1.  Apologies for Absence
Liesgeulan

There were no apologies for absence.

2.   Preliminaries
Ro-fhiosrachadh

The Committee NOTED and welcomed the third place award for the West Highland Way long distance route under the Royal Town Planning Institute’s 2014 Scotland’s Best Places initiative.

3.   Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

The Committee NOTED the following declarations of interest:

• Item 4 – Mr R Laird (Financial)
• Item 7 – Mr G Farlow (Non-financial)
• Item 13 – Mr G Farlow, Mr J Gray, Mr R Greene, Mr D Hendry (Non-financial)
• Item 14 – Mr B Lobban, Mr T Prag (Non-financial)
• Item 15 – Mr J Gray (Non-financial)
• Item 17 – Mr G Farlow (Financial); Dr A Sinclair (Non-financial)
• Item 20 – Mr T Prag (Non-financial)
• Item 21 – Mr D Hendry, Mr T Prag (Non-financial)

4.   Presentation by Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) on the Electricity Transmission Grid in Highland
Taisbeanadh leis a’ Chompanaidh Lùtha Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) air Griod Dealain na Gàidhealtachd

Declaration of Interest:

Mr R Laird, as a shareholder in Scottish and Southern Energy, declared a financial interest in this item, and left the room for the duration of the item.

A presentation was given by Mr David Gardner, Director of Transmission, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), on the electricity transmission grid in Highland, and the responsibilities of SHE Transmission, the regulated arm or SSE, as a utility.

Mr Gardner provided an overview of the main integrated transmission system in the north of Scotland, showing the existing infrastructure, lines under construction, lines at an advanced stage of planning and potential development projects.  With particular reference to the Beauly-Denny and Caithness-Moray projects, he supplied a range of key statistics on network capacity and economic impact, including expenditure, direct and indirect skilled employment, apprenticeships and training, and opportunities for local businesses, including north port facilities.  The current programme would lead to a complete refurbishment of the transmission system in the north, which by 2020 would be capable of carrying half the Scottish Government’s target for electricity capacity.

Mr Gardner also addressed the noise mitigation issue at Balblair, which had been the subject of complaint over a long period of time.  He outlined measures that were now being put in place, and gave an assurance that SSE would take lessons from this experience, and was working to improve community liaison and to avoid any repetition of similar reputational damage, or any further need to retro-fit mitigation strategies.

In response to Member comments/questions, Mr Gardner:

• outlined anticipated timescales for completion of the various projects
• gave an assurance that SSE was committed to delivering the promised footpath from Balblair to Beauly and undertook to investigate what steps might be taken to expedite progress
• confirmed that information could be made available on smaller projects towards the west coast
• elaborated on the skills being delivered through the company’s apprenticeship programmes
• indicated his understanding that the proposed sub-station at Garbole would require to go through the planning process
• advised that, as SSE was a regulated body, it could not itself operate as a telecommunications provider; however, as its transmissions systems already included a fibre-optic element, it might be possible for it to assist in facilitating operations by another provider
• confirmed that the proposed Caithness-Moray subsea connection was designed primarily to carry output from onshore wind generation
• gave an assurance that the access tracks constructed through Drumochter during the Beauly-Denny upgrade programme, now nearing completion, would be reinstated.

The Committee thanked Mr Gardner and NOTED his presentation.

5.   Recess Powers
Cumhachdan Fosaidh

The Committee NOTED that the recess powers granted by the Council at its meeting on 26 June 2014 had not required to be exercised in relation to the business of this Committee.

6.   Revenue Budget – Final Outturn 2013/14 and Monitoring 2014/15
Buidseat Teachd-a-steach – Fìor Shuidheachadh Deireannach 2013/14 agus Sgrùdadh 2014/15

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-21/14 dated 6 August 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure commenting on the final outturn for the Revenue budget for the former Planning and Development Service for the year to 31 March 2014 and on the revenue monitoring position for the Development and Infrastructure Service for the period to 30 June 2014.

The Committee NOTED the Planning and Development Revenue Budget outturn statement for 2013/14, being an underspend of £373,000 against a budget of £6.503m; and AGREED the monitoring report to the end of June 2014, which predicted a net year end underspend of £0.055m.

7.   Capital Expenditure
Caiteachas Calpa

7i.   Final Outturn 2013/14
Fìor Shuidheachadh Deireannach 2013/14

Declaration of Interest:

Mr G Farlow, as Chair of Ullapool Community Trust, declared a non-financial interest in this item but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that his interest did not preclude his involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-22/14 dated 7 August 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure commenting on the final outturn for the capital budget (as it impacted on the Projects and Facilities team delivery of the Capital Programme and the delivery of the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund across Highland) for the year to 31 March 2014.

The final monitoring statement for 2013/14 showed an underspend of £301,000 against a budget of £619,000, due in main to project lead-in times being longer than anticipated and a shortfall in staff resources. The report confirmed that underspends on specific projects had been carried forward to 2014/15 for completion and delivery.  In discussion the range of capital projects carried out in Skye was welcomed.

The report also advised that gross expenditure to 31 March 2014 from the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund (VDLF) had been £451,000.  The Council had received Ministerial approval on 7 July 2014 to carry over its £1.804m underspend (including £227,000 legally committed) into 2014/15.  Further details had been appended to the report.  In discussion, it was emphasised that VDLF projects could be rural as well as urban.  In response to Member questions, further clarification was given as to the various stages involved in considering the VDLF Delivery Plan, including the role of the Scottish Government, and the often unavoidable factors contributing to delay in decision-making.  Further detail was also provided on a number of specific applications.

After discussion, the Committee NOTED the Planning and Development Capital Budget outturn statement to 31 March 14.

7ii.   Monitoring 2014/15
Sgrùdadh 2014/15

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-23/14 dated 5 August 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure outlining expenditure and income to 30 June 2014 for the 2014/15 capital programme.  The report highlighted gross expenditure for the period of £5.550m, or 13% of the 2014/15 programme, and gross income of £2.587m, or 180.8% of the 2014/15 programmed figure, taking into account the sum of £1.804m carried forward from 2013/14 in respect of the VDLF (item 7i above refers).  The report predicted year end outturns of £42.549m and £1.431m for expenditure and income respectively, leading to a balanced programme.

In response to questions, attention was drawn to the complexity of adjusting the relevant committee reporting to reflect the recent Service restructure.  Some elements of what had previously fallen within the remit of the former TECS Committee now fell to this Committee and some to the Community Services Committee, with, for example, a distinction now being made between the handling of major and minor projects.  The reporting of these matters could be adjusted as required for future meetings, with a view to greater clarity. 

It was also confirmed that, while studies into options for the Stromeferry Bypass had been completed, considerable complex data had been generated and it had not been possible to bring a report to this meeting.  This would be done at the earliest opportunity.  It was further confirmed that design work was ongoing on the A832, both on a localised widening scheme, included in the minor roads line of the capital programme, and on a more major realignment scheme, which might be included in the future major roads line.

After discussion, the Committee APPROVED the capital expenditure monitoring position for the period 1 April 2014 to 30 June 2014.

8.   Draft Service Plan 2014/17: Development and Infrastructure Service Plan 2014/17
Dreachd Phlana Seirbheis 2014/17: Seirbheis Leasachaidh is Bun-structair

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-24/14 dated 9 July 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure setting out the draft service plan for the Development and Infrastructure Service and advising that this outlined how the Service would lead and support commitments that would deliver “Working Together for the Highlands”, the Programme for the Highland Council.  The plan also detailed how the new Service, which brought together the Council’s Property Development, Property Partnerships, Planning and Building Standards, Economic Development, and Transport Planning and Infrastructure activities, would operate, together with its vision, mission and service priorities, and identified lead officers, actions and performance measures for each objective.

The report outlined the relationship of the service plan to team operational plans and employee review and development plans, and clarified how performance would be monitored through Quarterly Performance Reviews and the Council’s Annual Performance Review.  It also confirmed that the service plan would be reviewed and amended annually and brought back to Committee for consideration each year. 

The Committee APPROVED the draft Development and Infrastructure Service- Service Plan 2014/17.

9.   Flood Risk Management Planning
Planadh Rianachd air Cunnart Thuiltean

In accordance with Standing Order 18, with the consent of the meeting, Item 15 on the agenda was taken at this point.

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-32/14 dated 28 July 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure presenting progress made to date on the development of the draft Flood Risk Management Strategies for the Highland and Argyll, and Findhorn, Nairn and Speyside Local Plan Districts.  The report invited Members to note progress and to provide approval of Key Stages to allow public consultation of the drafts to take place in December 2014 and March 2015, and for more detailed appraisals of the Shortlist of Measures to take place. 

The report confirmed that the Council was working closely with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water and neighbouring local authorities to ensure that decisions were made in partnership.  It outlined progress on the five Key Stages in the development of Flood Risk Management Strategies and Plans (Catchment Characterisation; Initial Objective-setting; Long List of Measures; Short List of Measures; and Appraisal and Prioritisation of Measures) at which approval was sought from the Local Plan District Partnership comprising SEPA, Scottish Water, The Highland Council, Argyll and Bute Council and Moray Council.  It also highlighted the respective roles of the lead officers’ Project Management Group (PMG) and the Steering Group, the latter comprising the PMG and elected Members from each local authority involved and having delegated powers to agree certain Key Stages of the works.

Comments made in discussion included:

• Further briefings on specific local issues should be provided to Ward Business Meetings and to Area Committees.
• It would be helpful to have access to flood maps – in this regard, attention was drawn to the SEPA website.
• The Highland Council had a good record in drawing up robust plans for flood management and attracting Scottish Government funding.
• Whereas a number of houses at Murdo’s Lane, Golspie, had previously been provided with steel floodgates, others at its westerly end had not and remained at risk; consideration should be given to addressing this.

In response to questions, it was clarified that:

• The proposed December consultation on the draft Strategy and Plan would be on high level principles and not on specific local project proposals.
• Projects within the current capital programme would not be negatively impacted by the identification of further risk areas.
• Small water courses not modelled by SEPA would be covered in the Council’s Surface Water Management Plan.
• Annual Average Damages figures included in the draft Initial Objectives were calculated by SEPA, with estimates varying from location to location according to local datasets.

After discussion, the Committee:

i.   NOTED that approval to the ‘Characterisations’ had been given at Local Plan District Meetings on 3 and 30
    July 2014;
ii.  NOTED that the timescale for the first public consultation on the draft Strategy and Plan was December   
     2014 and APPROVED, in principle, the method of consultation;
iii.  APPROVED The Highland Council’s Initial Objectives and NOTED that formal public consultation on the
     Initial Objectives would take place in March 2015;
iv.  APPROVED the ‘Short List of Measures’ and NOTED that formal public consultation on the Short List of
     Measures would take place in March 2015;
v.  NOTED that the detailed appraisal of the Short List of Measures would take place in 2015, with a report to
      this Committee to follow;
vi.   NOTED the proposed development of a single Highland-wide ‘Surface Water Management Plan’ and
      AGREED the proposed ‘High Priority Areas’;
vii.  AGREED, in principle, to Scottish Water developing an Integrated Catchment Study for Inverness; and
viii.  NOTED that further briefings would be provided to Ward meetings and consideration given to updates
       being reported to Area Committees.

10.   Planning Performance Framework and Quarter 1 Performance Review
Frèam Dèanadas Dealbhaidh agus Ath-bhreithneachadh Dèanadais Cairteil 1

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-25/14 dated 6 August 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure advising Members on the delivery of the Development Management, Building Standards and Development Plan services for the 1st Quarter of 2014/15 and reporting key performance indicator information, together with some information on the Council’s performance relative to other rural local authorities within its benchmarking group, as requested by Members at their previous meeting. 

The report also sought approval for the Service Improvement Plan, which had been drawn up following feedback from the Scottish Government on the previous year’s Planning Performance Framework, and which would be included within the Council’s Planning Performance Framework submission to the Scottish Government by end September 2014.  A list of improvement actions had been appended to the report.  Important issues to be addressed over the coming year included the amended performance targets, putting in place procedures for member involvement in pre-application advice, implementing new arrangements for e-planning, engaging better with community councils, and carrying out customer surveys. 

Comments made in discussion included:

• It would be beneficial for Members to have a workshop on Enforcement issues – in this regard, Members were advised that the forthcoming Members’ training on pre-application advice would include an element on Enforcement.
• Given the limited number of Major Applications in much of Highland, in particular the rural areas, and the potential considerable impact in Highland circumstances of locally significant applications, Member involvement in the pre-application process should be extended to cover the latter – in this regard, it was suggested that this could be considered once the new Major Applications system had fully bedded in.
• The inclusion of benchmarking data, as requested, was welcome and evidenced this Council’s positive performance.
• Gaps remained in the Council’s suite of Supplementary Guidance, for example in relation to Design Standards, an issue critical to current developments in Inverness City Centre – in this regard, Members were advised that the updated City Centre Development Brief would include design aspects.

After discussion, the Committee NOTED the performance updates across the Development Management, Building Standards and Development Plans teams; and AGREED the Service Improvement Plan for submission to the Scottish Government.

11.   Building Standards Balanced Scorecard and Continuous Improvement Plan 2014/15
Cairt-sgòraidh air Inbhean Togail agus am Plana Leasachaidh Leantainneach 2014/15

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-26/14 dated 30 July 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure advising that, as verifier for its geographical area, the Council was required to submit to the Scottish Government Building Standards Division a suite of Key Performance Outcomes.  The report dealt with two of these outcomes: The Balanced Scorecard and The Continuous Improvement Plan. 

Following a change in the required format, the latter was now a separate dynamic working document comprising a Detailed Improvement Plan and also a Continuous Improvement Plan - Summary listing higher level actions, with the Summary requiring to be submitted to the Scottish Government at the end of each quarterly reporting period.  The Balanced Scorecard was now a strategic planning and management tool used to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organisation, improve internal and external communications, and monitor performance against strategic goals.  It required to be submitted annually to the Scottish Government.

In discussion, the continuing improvement in Building Standards performance was welcomed.

The Committee AGREED the Balanced Scorecard for 2014/15 and the Continuous Improvement Plan - Summary for Quarter 1 for 2014/15.

12.   National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy
Frèama Planaidh Nàiseanta 3 agus Poileasaidh Planaidh na h-Alba

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-27/14 dated 5 August 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure detailing how recently finalised national planning strategy and policy would affect Highland. The National Planning Framework (NPF3) – which set the spatial development framework for Scotland as a whole – and Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) – which provided the policy context for addressing spatial planning matters and set out national planning policies that reflected Scottish Ministers’ priorities for development and land use – had been published on 23 June 2014 and would influence Highland planning strategy, policy and decisions on individual planning applications and appeals. The report also explained the outcomes of the Committee’s previous comments on the earlier Scottish Government consultation documents, as discussed at its meetings on 15 May and 14 August 2013, which had been taken into account to differing extents in both the NPF3 and the SPP.

The Development Plans Manager drew attention to:

• the two principal policies set out in the SPP: Sustainability and Placemaking
• the six qualities of Placemaking identified: Distinctive; Safe & Pleasant; Welcoming; Adaptable; Resource Efficient; and Easy to Move Around
• the four characteristics of Place identified:
  o   Successful, Sustainable Place – distinctive city regions, including Inverness and the Inner Moray Firth;
       vibrant rural areas; strong and diverse rural towns; coastal and island communities
  o   Connected Place – physical connectivity and communications; the strategic enhancement of
       Inverness Airport (noting that references to Wick and Skye airports had been removed); rail line 
       improvements to east and south; and digital infrastructure roll-out
  o   Low Carbon Place – maximising renewables; the role of ports and onshore assets, including Nigg,
       Deephaven, Kishorn and Ardersier, in delivering the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan; the
       high voltage transmission network; co-ordinated action in the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters; and
       Wick, Thurso and Scrabster as investment and service centres
  o   Natural, Resilient Place – the national long distance walking and cycling network; Green Networks
       and well-designed walkable/cycleable urban areas; sustainable resource management, including 
       waste; and rural areas ecosystem services

The SPP made specific reference to policies such as town centre health checks and the sequential “town centre first” approach, which would help support strong and diverse rural towns such as Nairn, Tain and Fort William, which had been the subject of recent workshops to prepare town centre action plans. With regard to the SPP, the Principal Planner also highlighted in particular:

• the creation of an interactive Scotland Heat Map
• the amendments to wild land mapping and the forthcoming SNH descriptions and guidance relating to the Wild Land Areas
• the methodology set out for preparation of Spatial Frameworks for the location of wind farms, including community separation and consideration of wild land and carbon-rich soils; whilst also acknowledging that the Council could still take account in development planning and development management of some considerations no longer to be included in the Spatial Framework, such as Special Landscape Areas

Comments made in discussion included:

• It was to be hoped that other towns, such as Dingwall, Wick and Thurso, could benefit from the “strong and diverse rural towns” provisions – in this regard, Members were reminded of the continuing role of the Local Development Plan in addressing local issues.
• Greater clarity was needed on how town centre health checks were conducted, including local consultation, and whether additional Government monies would be made available to meet the new statutory requirements on this – in this regard, officers advised that, whilst some government funding had been made available for town centre regeneration over the previous 12 months, it was unlikely that any future funding sources would cover the requirement to prepare all town centre health checks; it was therefore suggested that these should form an integral part of the preparation of the Council’s Area Local Development Plans.
• Clarification was needed on the definition of settlement in relation to the community separation provisions in the SPP, with particular reference to housing groups without a defined settlement development area – in this regard, assurance was given that protective policies in the Local Development Plan would apply in such cases.
• An announcement had been made that morning that legislation was to be introduced for planning control of hill tracks.

Responses to other questions/comments included:

• The exclusion of Skye Airport did not mean that the project would not be pursued; assurance was given that discussions were ongoing; the importance of the West Highlands and Islands Local Development Plan and working with partner agencies was emphasised.
• Local consultation on strategic capacity and development potential for wind energy in Caithness, informed by the consultant’s (LUC) report on the Cumulative Landscape and Visual Assessment of Wind Energy in Caithness, a draft of which had been considered by the Committee at its 14 May 2014 meeting, would be conducted alongside statutory consultation on the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan Main Issues Report, with a view to revising the Council’s interim supplementary guidance on Onshore Wind Energy.

After discussion, the Committee NOTED the content of the finalised NPF3 and SPP and the outcome of the Council’s previous representations; and AGREED that officers take account of this new national context in development plan formulation and development management practice.

13.   The Council’s Engagement with the European Union: Annual Report 2013/14
A’ Chomhairle na dèiligeadh leis an Aonadh Eòrpach: Aithisg Bhliadhnail 2013/14

Declarations of Interest:

Mr D Hendry, as Vice-President of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and UK representative on its Political Bureau, Mr J Gray, as Chair of the North Sea Commission’s Energy and Climate Change Thematic Working Group, Mr G Farlow, as Chair of the Highland Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG), and Mr R Greene, as a member of the Highland FLAG, each declared a non-financial interest in relation to this item but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, each concluded that his interest did not preclude his involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-28/14 dated 5 August 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure providing a summary of the activity undertaken by the Council since April 2013 in delivering on its commitment to maximise the benefits to the Highlands from Europe.  The report looked back at European funding acquired from the current programmes; programme management; consultation responses submitted and the Council’s involvement in EU networks.  The report also summarised the Council’s current priorities for engaging with the EU, provided an update on the latest position in the development of the European Regional Development and Social Funds in the Highlands & Islands 2014-2020, and advised in particular that, in 2013/14, the Council had:

• gained approval for £634,000 of EU grant
• drawn down £1,032,289 of grant for existing projects
• processed grant to LEADER projects to the value of £4.33m
• invested an anticipated £481.4K via the EFF Axis 4 Programme
• been successful, together with its partners, in making the case for control over the €192m Transition funds.

It was confirmed that reports would be brought to a future meeting on a round-up of European funding realised under the 2007-13 Programmes and, once further details were available, on the implications and opportunities for the Highlands arising from the EU Programme Actions for 2014-2020.  €192m had been ring-fenced to the Highlands and Islands as a Transition region for the 2014-20 period.  It had been recognised that the region should have its own programmes, tailored to local needs, and these had been submitted to the EU Commission.  A Highlands and Islands Territorial Committee would be established to oversee their delivery.  With regard to the Programme Management Committee for Scotland, Members were advised that this Council’s representation had not yet been confirmed.

Comments made in discussion included:

• The success in drawing down monies from EU programmes over the previous year had exceeded expectations; this was due largely to the confidence built up in this Council’s ability to draw up robust projects, manage them effectively and deliver to schedule, as evidenced by the positive audits of Council performance in this regard.
• It would be helpful if clarification on state aid rules could be made available to communities, perhaps in the form of a checklist.
• The additional opportunities which the 2014-20 programmes would present to address issues of fuel poverty and the needs of the most remote and rural areas could be expressed more explicitly.

Having been advised that briefings on future funding could be delivered at Ward meetings, the Committee NOTED the information provided on relevant Council activity in 2013/14; and AGREED to:

i.   maintain an emphasis on carbon management, green transport, low carbon communities, employability,
     business competitiveness and smart cities within the Council’s priorities for engaging with the Scottish
     Government regarding the attraction of  EU funds 2014-20;
ii.  support continued Council membership of the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions, Euromontana
     and the North Sea Commission; and
iii.  seek further reports on the total value of the regional funds to the Highlands from the 2007-13
     programmes and the potential value to the Council of the 2014-20 Programmes to the Council.

14.   Business Gateway
Slighe Gnothachais

Declarations of Interest:

Mr T Prag and Mr B Lobban, as Directors of Highland Opportunity Limited, each declared a non-financial interest in relation to this item but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, each concluded that his interest did not preclude his involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No. PDI-29/14 dated 4 August 2014 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure updating Members on the Business Gateway contract performance for the 1st Quarter of 2014/15 and on the integration of Business Gateway within the wider support activity provided by the Highland Council, with Business Gateway promoted as the “gateway to business expertise” for a range of private and social enterprise customers, and managed and delivered through Highland Opportunity Ltd.

Performance areas covered included: business start-up activity, growth activity, advice to existing businesses and Quality Assurance.  Council support activity covered included: business finance, the Enterprise Europe service, Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland, the Create and Employ service, the Highlands and Islands Digital Engagement Programme and delivery of the New Enterprise Allowance scheme.

The Committee NOTED:

i.   the Business Gateway core service, its delivery and the wider business support provided; and
ii.   performance for the first quarter of the operational year 2014/15.