Agendas, reports and minutes

 

A meeting of the Lochaber Area Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Lochaber House, High Street, Fort William on Thursday, 26 February, 2015 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

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.    Police – Area Performance Summary
       Poilis – Geàrr-chunntas Dèanadais Sgìre

There is circulated Report No LA/1/15 dated 3 February 2015 by the Highland South Area Commander for Police providing a local summary update to Committee Members on progress with reference to the local priorities within the Highland 2014-2017 Policing Plan.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and discuss the progress report in relation to the 5 Priorities; Road Safety, Alcohol and Drug Abuse/Misuse, Antisocial Behaviour/Disorder, Crimes of Dishonesty and Protecting People.

4.    Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Area Committee Performance Report for 2014-15
       Aithisg Dèanadais Comataidh Sgìreil Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn na h-Alba airson 2014-15

There is circulated Report No LA/2/15 dated 9 February 2015 by the Local Senior Officer for Fire and Rescue, together with the accompanying Lochaber Area Performance Report (Booklet A), which detail fire and rescue service performance against the key areas of planned activity identified during the Ward consultation sessions.

Activity areas were identified through a range of Intervention, Prevention and Protection activities delivered in partnership to reduce risk to the communities of Lochaber.

The Committee is invited to comment on and scrutinise the Area Performance Report.

5.    Review of Specialist Equipment in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
       Ath-sgrùdadh air Acainn Sònraichte ann an Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn na h-Alba

There is circulated Report No. LA/3/15 by the Local Senior Officer for Fire and Rescue comprising a briefing note on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s evaluation of its specialist resources across Scotland, and the outcomes of the review.

The Committee is invited to note the contents of the paper and discuss any items for further detail or clarity.

6.    Council Emergency Response to Recent Storms and Electricity Outage
       Freagairt Èiginn na Comhairle ri linn Stoirmean is Cion Dealain o Chionn Ghoirid           

There is circulated Report No. LA/4/15 dated 10 February 2015 by the Head of Policy and Reform providing information on the Council’s involvement and response to the recent storm and power outages affecting Lochaber.

The Committee is invited to:

i.    comment on the Emergency Response during the power outage; and
ii.   consider how best to communicate issues and services to affected communities during future incidents.

7.    Ardnamurchan High School Associated School Group Overview
       Sealladh Coitcheann air Buidhnean Sgoiltean Co-cheangailte Àrd-sgoil Àird nam Murchan

There is circulated Report No. LA/5/15 dated 9 February 2015 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which provides an update of key information in relation to the schools within the Ardnamurchan High School Associated School Group (ASG), and provides useful updated links to further information in relation to these schools.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and note the content of the report.

8.    Housing Performance Report - 1 April 2014 to 31 December 2014 
       Aithisg Dèanadais a thaobh Taigheadais – 1 Giblean 2014 gu 31 Dùbhlachd 2014                       

There is circulated Report No. LA/6/15 dated 11 February 2015 by the Director of Community Services which provides information on how the Housing Section performed in relation to the Scottish Social Housing Charter and other performance indicators during the first nine months of 2014/15.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the information provided on housing performance in the period 1 April 2014 to 31 December 2014.

9.    Housing Capital Projects Report
       Aithisg Phròiseactan Calpa Taigheadais

There is circulated for information Report No. LA/7/15 dated 12 February 2015 by the Director of Community Services providing information to Members on the Housing Revenue Account Capital Projects in the Lochaber Area and on future proposals for the Housing Capital programme.

The Committee is invited to comment on the content of the report.

10.    Deprived Area Fund 2015-16
         Maoin Sgìrean Bochda 2015-16

There is circulated Report No. LA/8/15 dated 12 February 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure which invites Members to consider recommendations for the allocation of the Deprived Area Fund for 2015-16 in the Lochaber Area.  

The Committee is invited to approve the following recommendations:

i.    The SHIRLIE project - £ 4,610
ii.   West Highland College UHI (Lochaber) - £9,970
iii.   Lochaber Hope - £ 9,829

The Committee is also asked to agree to delegate decisions on the balance of the Funds in 2015-16 to the Director of Development and Infrastructure in consultation with the Chair of the Area Committee and appropriate Ward Members.

11.    Land Reform
         Ath-leasachadh Fearainn

There is circulated Report No. LA/9/15 dated 16 February 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure briefly summarising the recommendations of the Government’s Land Reform Review Group which are most relevant to the Council. It also presents the recommendations of the Smith Commission on the Crown Estate in Scotland and the Council’s recent involvement in supporting land reform in the Highlands.  The Committee is invited to:

i.   note the findings of the Land Reform Review Group published in May 2014;
ii.  note the extent of the Council’s current involvement in supporting land reform in the Highlands; and iii.  agree to promote the cause of land reform within the Lochaber Area.

12.   Countryside Ranger Role 
        Dreuchd nam Maor-dùthcha

There is circulated Report No. LA/10/15 dated 23 January 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure which summarises the events programme delivered by the Council’s Countryside Rangers during 2014/15 and the resources allocated to the activities. The report also presents the activities proposed within Lochaber for the financial year 2015/16.

The Committee is invited to:

i.    note the content of the report, including highlights of the work of the Countryside Rangers in the Lochaber
      area during 2014/15; and
ii.   note the proposed priorities and activities programme for the 2015/16 financial year.

 

13.   Street Naming – Developments in Spean Bridge and Inverlochy
         Ainmeachadh Sràide – Leasachaidhean ann an Drochaid an Aonachain agus Inbhir Lòchaidh

There is circulated Report No. LA/11/15 dated 24 January 2015 by the Head of Policy and Reform which invites Members to homologate the naming of a road and housing block:

• Spean Bridge (new development of 11 properties off A86) – Burnside
• Inverlochy (Glenlochy Distillery site 21 flatted properties) – McAndie Court

14.    Landfill Community Fund
         Maoin Coimhearsnachd Làraich Sgudail

There is circulated Report No. LA/12/15 dated 28 January 2015 by the Director of Community Services inviting Members to approve an application to the Highland Council Landfill Community Fund.

The Committee is invited to approve that the application from the Conservation Volunteers, Scotland, be submitted to ENTRUST for their consideration.

15.     Minutes
          Geàrr-chunntas        

There are circulated, for noting, Minutes of Meeting of the Lochaber Area Committee held on 25 November 2014, which were approved by the Council on 18 December 2014.