Agendas, reports and minutes

 

 

A meeting of the Highland and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board will be held in Committee Room 2, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, on Wednesday, 28 January 2015, at 10.30 a.m.

Your attendance at the meeting is invited and I append a note of the business to be transacted.

Yours faithfully

M Morris
Clerk to the Board

Business

1.   Apologies
      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.   Minutes of Meeting of 13 November 2014
      Geàrr-chunntas Coinneamh 13 Samhain 2014

There are circulated, for confirmation, Minutes of Meeting of 13 November 2014. 

With reference to item 4 of the Minutes, there is now circulated for information copy of an updated Guide for Members on Individual Electoral Registration, published jointly by the Cabinet Office and the Electoral Commission in December 2014.

With reference to item 8 of the Minutes, it is confirmed that arrangements are in hand for Members to visit the department’s Inverness office at the close of this meeting.

4.    Revenue Budget Monitoring Statement 2014/15
       Aithris Sgrùdaidh a' Bhuidseit Teachd-a-Steach airson 2014/15

There is circulated Report No VAL1/15 dated 19 January 2015 by the Assessor and Electoral Registration Officer setting out the revenue monitoring position for the period to 31 December 2014 and the projected year end position.

The Board is asked to note the contents of the report.

5.   Revenue Budget 2015/16
      Buidseat Teachd-a-Steach 2015/16

There is circulated Report No VAL2/15 dated 19 January 2015 by the Assessor and Electoral Registration Officer setting out the proposed revenue budget for 2015/16.

The Board is asked to agree the revenue budget for 2015/16 as detailed in the report.

6.   Internal Audit Report
      Aithisg In-sgrùdaidh

There is circulated Report No VAL3/15 dated 6 January 2015 by the Head of Audit and Risk Management, The Highland Council, providing details of an audit report entitled “Assessor’s Department – Accounts Payable”, issued since the Board’s last meeting.

The Board is invited to consider the report and discuss any other matters of interest with the Audit and Risk Manager.

7.   Annual Audit Plan 2014/15
      Plana Sgrùdaidh Bliadhnail 2014/15

There is circulated Report No VAL4/15 by Audit Scotland dated January 2015 setting out the 2014/15 Annual Audit Plan for the Highland and Western Isles Valuation Joint Board.  The report sets out the planned work to be carried out in connection with the 2014/15 audit.

The Board is asked to note the contents of the report.

8.   Departmental Report
      Aithisg Roinneil

There is circulated Report No VAL5/15 dated 20 January 2015 by the Assessor and Electoral Registration Officer advising on the current position of the main activities of the Department.

The Board is asked to note the contents of the report.

9.   Departmental Policy Reviews
      Ath-sgrùdaidhean Poileasaidh Roinneil

At its meeting held on 21 November 2013, the Board noted a verbal update by the Assessor and Electoral Registration Officer setting out a proposed work programme of future Board business, during which he advised that a number of departmental policies, in particular personnel policies, would be brought to the Board for review.

There are circulated for approval (pp.58-71) Report No VAL6/15 comprising reviewed Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy, together with (pp.72-74) Report No. VAL7/15 comprising reviewed associated Policy on Risk Assessment.

10.   Corporate Governance - Standing Orders and Scheme of Delegation
        Riaghladh Corporra – Gnàth-riaghailtean agus Sgeama Tiomnaidh

Standing Order 5 of the Board’s Standing Orders relating to the Conduct of Meetings provides that the Board will review its Standing Orders at the end of each year.  These were accordingly reviewed at the end of 2014, together with the Board’s Scheme of Delegation.

There is circulated Report No VAL8/15 dated 7 January 2015 by the Clerk setting out a proposed revision to the Board’s Standing Orders relating to the Conduct of Meetings.

The Board is asked to approve, with immediate effect, the amendment to its Standing Orders set out at paragraph 2.2 of the report.