Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Community Safety, Public Engagement and Equalities Committee will take place in the Chamber, the Town House, High Street, Inverness, on Wednesday, 25 March 2015 at 10.00am.

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. 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.

Public Engagement
Com-pàirt Phoblach

3. Corporate Communications Strategy
Ro-innleachd Chonaltraidh Chorporra

There is circulated Report No. CPE1/15 dated 13 March 2015 by the Chief Executive advising that a Corporate Communications Strategy has been developed, which identifies 12 core objectives and a number of themes for achieving these objectives. 

The Committee asked to:-

i. approve the Corporate Communications Strategy; and
ii. agree to review implementation progress in 12 months.

4. Plain English Update
Cunntas as Ùr mu Bheurla Shoilleir

There is circulated Report No. CPE2/15 dated 13 March 2015 by the Corporate Communications Manager providing an update on progress against the commitment to provide information to the public in clear language, to the ‘Crystal Mark’ plain English standard and the proposal to embed this standard in all The Highland Council’s communications.

The Committee is asked to note the progress made to date in the Council’s commitment to embed staff training and corporate standards for Plain English. 

5. Audit Scotland Report: Community Planning- turning ambition into action
Aithisg Sgrùdadh Alba: Dealbhadh Coimhearsnachd – A’ Tionndadh Mòr-mhiann gu Gnìomh

There is circulated Report No. CPE3/15 dated 17 March 2015 by the Head of Policy and Reform summarising the key findings from the national Audit Scotland report into community planning. It identifies the implications for the Highland Community Planning Partnership (CPP) and provides an up-date for Members on the views of the CPP in taking forward the recommendations in the audit report. A report will also be provided to the Council’s Audit and Scrutiny Committee

The Committee is asked to comment on the findings in the national audit report and to note that:-

i. for some areas the Highland CPP can demonstrate it has made good progress, particularly around leadership and
      challenge in the CPP and the ability to absorb national structure changes into our CPP processes;
ii. the CPP Board recognises it needs to continue to work on the CPP priorities around joint resourcing and
       performance reporting at set out in the SOA Development Plan;
iii. the CPP Board has agreed that new work is to focus on local community planning and how that influences and 
       reflects the SOA priorities. This is to include consideration of the issues in paragraphs 3.5 to 3.7 over the period
       to 2017/18;
iv. the review of Area Committees locally agreed at the Council meeting on 12 March offers opportunities for
       improving local community planning arrangements. This could be in broadening Member scrutiny of partner
       services locally, in streamlining meetings and reporting, in providing better information for Members in their
       local decision-making, scrutiny and problem-solving roles and in encouraging more community participation; and v. there is no planned audit or inspection of the Highland Community Planning Partnership for 2015/16.

6. Community Planning Board - Minutes
Bòrd Dealbhadh Coimhearsnachd – Geàrr-chunntas

Following approval at the Community Planning Board meetings held on 5 December 2014 and 4 March 2015 respectively, there are circulated for noting minutes of meetings of the Community Planning Board held on 13 October and 5 December 2014.

Equalities
Co-ionannachdan

7. Fairer Highland Plan - Progress with Equalities Outcomes and Mainstreaming Equality
Plana Gàidhealtachd nas Cothromaiche – Adhartas le Builean Co-ionannachd agus Ag Àbhaisteachadh Co-ionannachd

There is circulated Report No. CPE4/15 dated 17 March 2015 by the Head of Policy and Reform providing a summary of the requirements on the Council, the Education Authority and the Licensing Board to publish reports on how equality is mainstreamed in the organisation and progress towards achieving our Equality Outcomes. The Mainstreaming Report is attached as Appendix 1 and the Equality Outcomes progress report as Appendix 2.

The Committee is asked to:-

i. consider the progress made on mainstreaming equalities across the Council and approve the report at Appendix
      1 of the report for publication; and
ii. consider the progress made on Equalities Outcomes and approve the report at Appendix 2 of the report for
      publication.

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

The Minutes of the Violence Against Women Strategy Group meetings held on 5 November, 2014 are circulated for noting.

Community Safety
Sàbhailteachd Poblach

9. 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. CPE5/15 dated 13 March 2015 by the Divisional Commander for Police providing an update on the progress with reference to the objectives outlined in the Highland 2014-2017 Policing Plan.

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

10. Police Scotland Consultation – Stop and Search
Co-chomhairle Poilis Alba – Stad is Sgrùd

A verbal update will be given by the Temporary Chief Superintendent for Highland on Police Scotland’s national consultation on stop and search. Timescales did not permit consideration at the Committee, but a report, including statistics, will be brought to the June meeting.

11. Serious and Organised Crime – Update
Droch Eucoir agus Eucoir fo Rianachd – Cunntas as Ùr

A verbal report will be given by Detective Superintendent Dunn on a recent cross-border operation.

12. Fire and Rescue Service Reports
Aithisgean Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn

12i. Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 3, 2014-2015
Aithisg Dèanadais Ràitheil airson Cairteal 3, 2014-2015 

There are circulated Report No. CPE6/15 dated 13 March 2015, and the Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 3, by the Local Senior Officer for Fire and Rescue, which detail fire and rescue service performance across a range of Intervention, Prevention and Protection activities for quarter 3, 2014-2015. 

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and comment on SFRS service delivery and performance contained within the Report and attached QPR for quarter 3, 2014-2015.

12ii. Review of Specialist Resources in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Ath-sgrùdadh air Stòrasan Sònraichte ann an Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn na h-Alba

There is circulated Report No. CPE7/15 dated 13 March 2015 by the Local Senior Officer for Fire and Rescue providing an overview of the Scottish Fire and Rescue’s review of specialist resources for Scotland. The Report sets the background and provides a summary of the analysis and recommendations. 

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

13. Scottish Ambulance Service Performance Report
Aithisg Dèanadais Seirbheis Charbadan-eiridinn na h-Alba

There is circulated performance report by the Scottish Ambulance Service for the Highland area for the period December 2014 to February 2015.