Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Highland Council will be held in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday, 4 September 2014 at 10.35am.

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/Director of Corporate Development

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.  Recess Powers
Cumhachdan Fosaidh

Members are asked to note that the recess powers granted by the Council at the meeting on 26 June 2014 did not require to be exercised.

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 26 June 2014 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:-

Skye, Ross & Cromarty Area Committee, 6 August
Gaelic Implementation Group, 14 August
Pensions Committee, 14 August
Planning, Development & Infrastructure Committee, 20 August
Community Services Committee, 21 August
Lochaber Area Committee, 26 August
Resources Committee, 27 August
Education, Children & Adult Services Committee, 28 August
City of Inverness Area Committee, 2 September

6.  Customer Services Board – Minutes of Meetings
Bòrd Sheirbheisean Luchd-ceannach

There are circulated for information Minutes of Meetings of the Customer Services Board held on 25 June and 19 August 2014.

7.  Community Challenge Fund – Minute of Meeting
Maoin Dùbhlain Coimhearsnachd – Geàrr-chunntas Coinneimh

There will follow for approval Minute of Meeting of the Community Challenge Fund Applications Panel held on 27 August 2014.

8.  Membership of Committees, etc
Ballrachd air Comataidhean, msaa

Members are asked to agree the following – South Planning Applications Committee – Ward 12 (Substitute) - Mr B Thompson

9.  Corporate Performance Report 2013/14 – ‘Working Together for the Highlands'
Aithisg Dèanadais Bhliadhnail – ‘Ag Obrachadh Còmhla airson na Gàidhealtachd’

There is circulated Report No. HC/17/14 dated 13 August 2014 by the Chief Executive which provides an assessment of Council performance against the Corporate Plan and the Council’s Programme, ‘Working Together for the Highlands’.

The Council is asked to note the good progress being made with delivery of the Council’s Programme for the period from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014 and that the approach to Public Performance Reporting is under review, including the annual newspaper supplement.

The Council is also asked to note that further reports on Statutory Performance Indicators and the Local Government Benchmarking Framework will be presented in October and December 2014 respectively.

10.  Carbon CLEVER Programme Plan and Update
Plana Prògraim is Fios Às Ùr air Carbon CLEVER

There is circulated Report No. HC/18/14 dated 21 August 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform which provides an update on the Carbon CLEVER Programme Plan, in particular the chapter on Energy, and a number of Carbon CLEVER projects.

The Council is asked to agree any changes to the draft Energy chapter and to note that the final draft will be subject to wider consultation with relevant groups.

Members are also asked to note that a draft chapter on Land Use and Resources will be presented to the next Council meeting on 30 October and the final Carbon CLEVER Programme Plan will be launched at the second Carbon CLEVER Conference on 21 November 2014.

11.  Corporate Parenting
Pàrantachd Corporra

There is circulated Report No. HC/19/14 dated 26 August 2014 by the Director of Care and Learning which sets out the background and context to the corporate parenting role of the Highland Council and its Elected Members.

It is also an introduction to the Members’ Seminar which has been arranged for 13 November 2014 and which will take place with the support of some of Highland’s Looked After Children, Who Cares Scotland and Barnardos.

Members are invited to consider the issues raised in the report and encouraged to attend the Seminar as detailed.

12.  Highland Charities Trust: Update
Urras Charthannais na Gàidhealtachd

There is circulated Joint Report No. HC/20/14 dated 25 August 2014 by the Depute Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Development and Director of Finance which details the progress of the project to re-organise a number of small charitable trusts, bequests and funds, which are administered by the Council, into a new Highland wide Highland Charities Trust in order to ensure their efficient administration and compliance with the Charities Act and related Regulations and seeks approval of the resolution as required by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator as part of this process.

The Council is asked to:-

(1)  note that the Highland Charities Trust has now been set up and has charitable status;
(2)  note that funds have been transferred from the trusts listed in Appendix 2 to the Highland Charities Trust;
(3)  note that application has been made to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator for the winding up and removal of the small charitable trusts listed in Appendix 2 from the Register of Charities as they now have nil balances;
(4)  agree to delegate responsibility for the administration of the Highland Charities Trust to the Head of Policy and Reform;
(5)  agree to delegate to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee the approval of the audited annual accounts of the Highland Charities Trust; and
(6)  agree that the Highland Charities Trust will administer the funds received from the small charitable trusts listed in Appendix 2 in accordance with the re-organisation schemes which have been approved by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

13.  Tain Common Good – Alexandra Bridge Refurbishment
Maoin Calpa fo Ùghdarras

There is circulated Report No. HC/21/14 dated 26 August 2014 by the Acting Head of Community & Democratic Engagement which provides an update on the position in relation to the Alexandra Bridge in Tain and outlines the budget implications resulting from the higher than expected tenders submitted for refurbishment work and the work done to identify an improved funding package to allow the proposed bridge refurbishment work to proceed.

The Council is asked to approve additional contributions of £61,797 from the Capital Discretionary Fund and £23,906 from the Tain Common Good Fund to enable the bridge refurbishment to be undertaken.

14.  Code of Corporate Governance 2014/15
Còd airson Riaghladh Corporra 2014/15

There is circulated Report No. HC/22/14 dated 6 August 2014 by the Depute Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Development which provides an update on progress with delivering the actions agreed in the Local Code of Corporate Governance for 2013/14 and presents the proposed Code for 2014/15 for approval.

The Council is asked to note the good progress on delivering the agreed actions in the 2013/14 Code of Corporate Governance and the Substantial Assurance provided by Internal Audit on the delivery of the 2013/14 Code.

The Council is also asked to approve the 2014/15 Code of Corporate Governance as presented.

15.  Scheme of Delegation and Administration to Strategic Committees and Sub Committees and to Officers/Standing Orders Relating to the Conduct of Meetings
Raòn Ùghdarrais agus Rianachd gu Comataidhean Ro-innleachdail agus Fo-chomataidhean agus gu Oifigearan

There is circulated Report No. HC/23/14 dated 26 August 2014 by the Depute Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Development which outlines proposals for amendment to the Scheme of Delegation and Administration to Strategic Committees and Sub Committees and to Officers. Annual Review of the Scheme is a requirement of the Council’s Code of Corporate Governance.

In relation to Standing Orders, and in light of the amendments already agreed earlier in the year, it is considered that there is no further requirement for any additional review at this time.

The Council is asked to agree the proposed amendments to the Scheme of Delegation as detailed (on the basis that an updated copy will be circulated to all Members in due course) and that there is no further requirement for any additional review of Standing Orders at this time.

16.  Timetable of Meetings
Clàr-ama Choinneamhan

There is circulated proposed Timetable of Meetings for 2015.

The Council is asked to agree the proposed Timetable as circulated on the basis that the cycle of meetings in January may be cancelled in circumstances where the relevant Chair, Vice Chair and Director(s) agree that the level of business does not require a meeting to be called at that time.

The Council is also asked to agree the following changes to dates of meetings in the current year –

Caithness & Sutherland Area Committee – to move from 17 to 23 September
Planning Review Body – to move from 18 September to 2 October

17.  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 26 June 2014 is available in the Members’ Library and on the Council’s Website.

18.  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 item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6, 8 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

19.  Fort William Office Review – Tweeddale outcomes and funding
Ceannach is Maoineachadh airson Leasachadh Taigheadais sa Ghearasdan

There is circulated to Members only Joint Report No. HC/24/14 dated 22 August 2014 by the Directors of Development & Infrastructure and Finance.

The Council is asked to agree the recommendations as detailed in the report.