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, 1 October 2014, at 10.00 a.m.

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

  

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.   Recess Powers
Cumhachdan Fosaidh

The Committee is asked to note that the Recess Powers granted by the Council at its meeting on 26 June 2014 did not require to be exercised in relation to the business of the Community Safety, Public Engagement and Equalities Committee.

Community Safety
Sàbhailteachd Coimhearsnachd

4.  Public Performance Survey 2014: Responses to Questions on Community Safety
Suirbhidh Dèanadais Phoblaich 2014: Freagairtean do cheistean mu Shàbhailteachd Coimhearsnachd

There is circulated Report No. CPE26/14 dated 23 September 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform which provides a summary of the responses from the Citizens’ Panel on questions about attitudes to community safety in the 2014 Public Performance and Attitudes Survey.

The Committee is asked to note that:

i.     the survey shows 96.7% of respondents rated their area within 15 minutes’ walk of their home as either |
      “very” or “fairly safe”; the top three concerns continue to be road safety, alcohol abuse and anti-social
       behaviour; and the majority of respondents (60.1%) were either not concerned about or had not
       considered being a victim of crime;
ii.     the crimes of most worry were vandalism/deliberate damage to home property or car and having their
       home broken into, and making sure homes and cars are adequately secured remain the top two 
       precautions people reported taking;
iii.    notable differences in responses were reported for people with disabilities, those unable to work, council
       house tenants and women; this information will be shared with partners to target appropriate responses;
      and
iv.   this feedback from the public is one source of evidence in agreeing and reviewing the Council’s community
      safety priorities.

5.      Police Reports
Aithisgean Poilis

i.     Performance Against the Highland Local Policing Plan 2014-2017
Coileanadh Mu Choinneamh Plana Obair-phoilis Ionadail na Gàidhealtachd 2014-2017

There is circulated Report No. CPE27/14 dated 19 September 2014 by the Divisional Commander for Police which provides an update on the progress with reference to the objectives outlined in the Highland Local Policing Plan 2014-2017.

The Committee is asked to scrutinise the progress made against the objectives set within the Highland Local Policing Plan 2014-2017.

ii.    Highland Local Policing Area - Call Handling 
Sgìre Obair-phoilis Ionadail na Gàidhealtachd – Làimhseachadh Ghairmean

There is circulated Report No. CPE28/14 dated 22 September 2014 by the Divisional Commander for Police which provides an update on Call Handling within Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division.

The Committee is asked to note the update.

6.   Fire and Rescue Service – Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 1 2014-15
Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn – Aithisg Dèanadais Ràitheil

There is circulated Report No. CPE29/14 dated 22 September 2014 by the Local Senior Officer for Fire and Rescue, together with accompanying quarterly performance report (QPR) for Quarter 1, 2014-15, which provide detail on fire and rescue service performance across a range of Intervention, Prevention and Protection activities in line with set target delivery for 2014-15.

The QPR has been revised to reflect current progress in performance reporting for scrutiny committees across Scotland, as well as aligning with the Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Highland 2014-2017.  It also contains previously agreed information and performance specifically for the Highland area, as requested by Committee Members.

The Committee is asked to comment on and scrutinise service delivery and performance contained within the Report and accompanying QPR for Quarter 1, 2014-15.

7.  Scottish Ambulance Service Report
Aithisg Seirbheis Charbadan-eiridinn na h-Alba

There is circulated for noting performance report by the Scottish Ambulance Service for the Highland area for the period June to September 2014.

8.  Partnership Report on Anti-Social Behaviour 
Aithisg Chom-pàirteachais mu Dhol-a-mach Mì-shòisealta

There is re-circulated Report No. CPE25/14 dated 2 June 2014 by the Director of Community Services, this item having been deferred from the June meeting of the Committee due to time constraints.  The report provides an update in relation to the Highland Antisocial Behaviour Strategy and a summary of activity across partner agencies which have responsibilities for managing specific issues relating to antisocial behaviour.  The report also sets out the revised arrangements for Antisocial Behaviour Strategy under the Safer Highland Structure.

The Committee is asked to note the updates provided by partner agencies and the revised arrangements for overseeing Antisocial Behaviour Strategy under the Safer Highland Structure.

Public Engagement 
Com-pàirt Phoblach

9.      Plain English
Beurla Shoilleir

There is circulated Report No. CPE30/14 dated 12 September 2014 by the Corporate Communications Manager which provides an update on progress against the commitment to provide information to the public in clear language, to the ‘Crystal Mark’ plain English standard, together with a proposal for embedding this standard in all The Highland Council’s communications.

The Committee is asked to note:

i.    the progress made to date; and
ii.   the commitment to embedding staff training and corporate standards, in place of use of resource for crystal
      marking specific publications.

10.  Highland Council Response to the Scottish Government Consultation on Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Offshore Renewables
Freagairt Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd do Cho-chomhairle Riaghaltas na h-Alba mu Phrionnsapalan Deagh Chleachdaidh airson Buannachdan Coimhearsnachd bho Lùth So-ùrachaidh Far-cladaich

There is circulated Report No. CPE31/14 dated 15 September 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform on the Highland Council response to the Scottish Government Consultation, “Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Offshore Renewables”, which was submitted ahead of the response deadline of 21 August 2014.  The full consultation can be accessed here:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2014/06/9554

The Committee is asked to homologate the response submitted, detailed at Annex 1 to the report.  

Equalities
Co-ionannachdan

11.  Annual Highland Council Survey of Performance and Attitudes: Analysis of Attitudes to Prejudice and Discrimination
Beachdan a’ Phobaill a thaobh Co-ionnanachd agus Iomadachd – Beachdan Pannal nan Saoranach 2014

There is circulated Report No. CPE32/14 dated 2 September 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform which updates Members on public attitudes to prejudice and discrimination in Highland.  This information results from an analysis of responses to questions about equality and diversity included in the Council’s Citizen’s Panel Survey 2014.

The Committee is asked to note, in particular, the positive direction with regard to views on prejudice where there has been a 10% increase in the proportion of respondents who feel that Highland should do everything it can to get rid of all types of prejudice.

12.   Update on the Fairer Highland Plan – Annual Report
Fios às Ùr mu Phlana Gàidhealtachd nas Cothromaiche – Aithisg Bhliadhnail

There is circulated Report No. CPE33/14 dated 24 September 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform which updates Members on progress with the Fairer Highland Plan 2012-2017 and reminds them of the specific duties on the Council under Regulations to report on progress by the end of April 2015.

The Committee is asked to comment on and note the progress to date against the Council’s first set of equality outcomes (2013-2017), as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.  The detailed progress reports to be published for March 2015 will be considered first at the meeting of this Committee on 25 March 2015.

13.   Action Following Post-Meeting Seminar with Equalities Groups
Gnìomhachd a’ Leantainn Seiminear Às Dèidh Coinneamh le Buidhnean Co-ionannachd

Members are advised that, following the post-Committee meeting on 12 June 2014 with representatives of groups working with women in Highland (Women@Work, Women’s Aid, Scottish Women’s Convention), it was requested that women’s interests are taken into account in the next phase of budget consultation.  This will be done through relevant focus groups planned and through the survey of the new Communities Panel, which includes women’s groups.

14.   Violence Against Women Strategy Group - Minutes
Buidheann Ro-innleachd Fòirneart An Aghaidh Bhoireannach – Geàrr- Chunntas

The Minutes of the Violence Against Women Strategy Group meeting held on 22 April 2014 are circulated for noting.

15.   Exclusion of the Public
Às-dùnadh a’ Phobaill

The Committee is asked to resolve that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

Public Engagement Contd.
Com-pàirt Phoblach Leant.

16.  Community Benefit Policy: Update on Community Benefit Status
Poileasaidh Sochair Coimhearsnachd: Fios às Ùr mu Inbhe Sochair Coimhearsnachd  

There is circulated to Members only Report No. CPE34/14 dated 17 September 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform which provides an update of the status of all community benefit received and negotiated from onshore windfarms and hydro schemes across the Highlands as at December 2013. 

The Committee is asked to note the information on Community Benefit in Highland.