Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Gaelic Implementation Group will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 13 November 2014 at 10.30 am. 

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

Please note that this meeting will be conducted in Gaelic with simultaneous translation to English.

Business

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Declarations of Interest

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. Sabhal Mòr Ostaig – Presentation

Professor Boyd Robertson, Principal, will undertake a presentation providing an overview of the economic benefits of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

The Group is invited to comment on the Presentation.

4. Gaelic Language Plan 2012-16, Theme 5 “What we will do for Gaelic in Economic Development" Implementation Report       

There is circulated Report No GIG/18/14 dated 30 October 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform providing the first update on the implementation of Gaelic Language Plan (GLP) 2012-16 Theme 5, “What we will do for Gaelic in Economic Development”. 

The Group is invited to:-

i. comment on the implementation of the GLP Economic Development Theme;
ii. agree to welcome the Scottish Trad Music Awards and the Celtic Media Festival being held in Inverness and to explore how to attract Gaelic-related high profile economically and culturally beneficial events, which might be hosted in Highland;
iii. agree to renewed activity and action on the Gaelic Employment and Skills Partnership and engagement with the Government’s Labour Market Intelligence specialists;
iv. agree to encourage the marketing of Gaelic Careers and Job Opportunities with the Scottish Government, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Skills Development Scotland and others; and
v. agree to foster and develop the economic potential of partnerships including the Blas Festival, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Fèis Rois and An Comunn Gàidhealach.

5. Royal National Mod Inverness 10-18 October 2014 – Initial Report on Delivery

There is circulated Report No GIG/19/14 dated 1 November 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform providing an initial report on the partnership delivery around the Council’s hosting of the Royal National Mod in Inverness.

The Group is invited to:-

i. comment on the Inverness Royal National Mòd and the associated Fringe events; and
ii. agree that the Chief Executive of An Comunn Gàidhealach presents the recommendations and findings of the Economic Impact Study to the Gaelic Implementation Group on 19 February 2015.      
     
6. Gaelic Language Plan 2012-16 Theme 2 “What we will do for Gaelic in Education" Implementation Report         

There is circulated Report No GIG/20/14 dated 30 October 2014 by the Head of Education providing an  update on the implementation of Gaelic Language Plan (GLP) 2012-16 Theme 2, “What we will do for Gaelic in Education”.  This Report also provides information on a wide range of local and national level initiatives.

The Group is invited to:-

i. comment on the progress in implementing the Education Theme in GLP 2012-16;
ii. agree to early engagement with Bòrd na Gàidhlig regarding the national marketing initiative that includes two areas in Highland, Dingwall and Tain;
iii. agree to take urgent action with Bòrd na Gàidhlig to address staffing issues in the Pre-school sector;
iv. agree to the updating and publication of all the Gaelic Education statistical data and the Online Gaelic Education Map, when the School Census figures are made available; and
v. agree to further scrutiny of the All Teacher Survey data to identify the opportunities for sourcing Gaelic teachers within the Highland teacher population. 

7. Skills Development Scotland – Presentation

Mr Derek MacKenzie, Gaelic Development Officer will undertake a presentation providing an overview of Gaelic Development within Skills Development Scotland.

The Group is invited to comment on the Presentation.

8. Forward Planner for Gaelic Implementation Group Meetings in 2015 – Themes and Presentations                   

There is circulated Report No GIG/21/14 dated 30 October 2014 by the Head of Policy and Reform providing information on a selection of partners with whom the Council has regular contact and with whom the Council delivers elements of the Gaelic Language Plan.  The report proposes the Primary Gaelic Language Themes to be reported on at each of the 2015 Gaelic Implementation Group meetings plus a schedule of partner organisation presentations to complement debate and discussion on the implementation of the Plan.

The Group is invited to agree the 2015 Gaelic Implementation Group programme of business agendas and presentations, as detailed in the report.