Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee will take place in Wick Town Hall, Bridge Street, Wick, KW1 4AJ, on Tuesday, 26 May 2015, at 11.00 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. North Highland Initiative
Iomairt Turasachd a Tuath

A presentation will be given by Claire Farquhar of North Highland Initiative providing an overview of their work to develop tourism in the Northern Highlands with a particular focus on the North Coast 500 Route. These activities support the Council’s programme commitment “Working with the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and private sector partners, the Council will maximise the tourism potential of the Highland area’.  The presentation will also provide an opportunity to consider how tourism growth can best be supported by the Area Committee, both directly and indirectly through the planning and delivery of other Council services.

The Committee is invited to note the presentation and consider how tourism growth can best be supported by the Area Committee, both directly and indirectly through the planning and delivery of other Council service

4. Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan                      
Plana Leasachaidh Ionadail Ghallaibh is Chataibh

There is circulated in Booklet A Report No. CS/12/15 dated 14 May 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure which presents a summary of matters raised in responses to the Main Issues Report (MIR) consultation for the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan (CaSPlan), which ran from 30 October 2014 to 6 February 2015. It also presents a summary of matters raised in responses to the Additional Sites and Issues consultation that was undertaken from 13 March 2015 to 24 April 2015.

Officers have been giving initial consideration to the matters raised and the report includes recommendations for the Council’s interim position on these for the Area Committee’s consideration. The Area Committee is asked to agree the Council’s interim position to guide the preparation of the Proposed Plan, to be referred to the PDI Committee for consideration later in 2015 alongside ongoing environmental assessment and other actions to be undertaken.
The Committee is invited to:_

i.  note the summary of matters raised in responses to the Main Issues Report consultation and to the Additional
    Sites and Issues consultation, as shown in Appendix A;
ii. agree the contents of Appendix B as the Council’s interim position on the matters raised, for referral to the
    Planning, Development and Infrastructure Committee on 19 August 2015 for its consideration when agreeing the
    content of the Proposed Plan, noting that any recommendations require an appropriate justification;
iii. note that the report to PDI Committee with recommendations on the contents of the Proposed Plan will also be
    informed by the results of ongoing environmental and other assessment; and
iv. agree actions leading up to the report to PDI Committee on the Proposed Plan, as set out in paragraph 3.2 of this
     report.

5.  Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan        
Plana Pìolatach Farsaingeachd Mara a’ Chaoil Arcaich agus Uisgeachan Arcaibh

There is circulated in Booklet B Report No. CS/13/15 dated 18 April 2015 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure which introduces the pre-consultation draft Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan for comment.  It has been jointly prepared by Marine Scotland, Orkney Islands Council and Highland Council. This document is intended to have status as non-statutory Planning Guidance for making marine planning decisions to support environmentally, economically and socially sustainable development along the north Highland coast and in Orkney.  The document also represents a pilot approach to developing statutory marine spatial plans around Scotland.  As Highland contains three of the eleven Regional Marine Plan areas across Scotland, this work is particularly beneficial. 

The Plan aims to streamline the process of preparing and determining marine planning applications, consents and activities by ensuring information on the variety of marine activities and their potential interactions is available in one document.  It also ensures greater integration of marine and terrestrial planning, as required by Scottish Government policies.

The Committee is invited to agree to endorse the draft Pilot Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Spatial Plan for public consultation.

6. Deprived Area Fund
Maoin Sgìre Bhochd

The Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee approved interim awards of Deprived Area Funding at its meeting in February 2015 and agreed to defer a final decision regarding the full allocation of Deprived Area Funding to allow Members to be provided with more detailed information.  The additional information is available but in draft form only at present.  As the interim funding awarded was for the period April – June 2015 a decision is required before the end of June 2015. To allow the decision to be made in the light of all required information but within this timescale, Members are invited to establish a short life Working Group (2 Members each from the Wick, Thurso and Landward Caithness Wards and Area Chair) to consider the applications and approaches for the future.   Members are also invited to delegate decisions over the allocation of the Deprived Area Fund 2015-16 to the Director of Development and Infrastructure in consultation with the Chair of the Area Committee and the Member Working Group.

7. Maintenance Programme for Roads and Bridges                                
Prògram Càraidh airson Rathaidean is Dhrochaidean

There is circulated Report No. CS/14/15 dated 12 May 2015 by the Director of Community Services on the Maintenance Programmes for Roads and Bridges for the Caithness and Sutherland Area for 2015/16.

The Committee is invited to approve the Maintenance Programmes for Roads and Bridges for the Caithness and Sutherland Area for 2015/16.

8. Landfill Communities Fund                                                                
Maoin Choimhearsnachdan Tiodhlacaidh Sgudail

There is circulated Report No. CS/15/15 dated 30 April 2015 by the Director of Community Services on an application to the Highland Council Landfill Communities Fund.

The Committee is invited to approve the application as detailed in the Appendix to the report.

9. Housing Performance Report – 1 April 2014 – 31 March 2015        
Aithisg Dèanadais a thaobh Taigheadais – 1 Giblean 2014 – 31 Màrt 2015

There is circulated Report No. CS/16/15 dated 24 April 2015 by the Director of Community Services which provides information on housing performance indicators on 2014/15.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the information provided on housing performance in the period 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015.

10. Housing Affordable Warmth                                                                
Blàths Neo-chosgail Taigheadais

There is circulated Report No. CS/17/15 dated 14 May 2015 by the Director of Community Services which provides an update on progress with the affordable warmth elements of Highland’s Housing Strategy and recommends that Members note the priority actions for the next year in Caithness & Sutherland.

The Committee is invited to note:

i. progress with ‘affordable warmth’ actions being undertaken to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty;
and
ii. the priority actions set out in section 3 of the report.

11. Associated School Group Overview                                                 
Sealladh Coitcheann air Buidheann Sgoiltean Co-cheangailte

There is circulated Report No. CS/18/15 dated 12 May 2015 by the Director of Care and Learning which provides an update of key information in relation to the schools within the Thurso School Associated School Group (ASG), and provides useful links to further information in relation to this school.

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

12. Minutes                                                                                                 
Geàrr-chunntas

There are circulated for noting Minutes of the Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee held on 10 February 2015, which were approved by the Council on 12 March 2015.

13.   Exclusion of Public
Às-dùnadh a’ Phobaill

The Committee is invited to resolve that, under Section 50A(4) of the  Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public should be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

14. Dornoch Common Good – Cancellation of Lease                          
Math Choitcheann Dhòrnaich - Cuir às do Chòir Màil

There is circulated to Members only Joint Report No CS/19/15 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure and Head of Policy and Reform in relation to the cancellation of a lease of Dornoch Common Good Land.

The Committee is invited to agree the recommendations.

15. Dornoch Common Good – Assignation of Lease                           
Math Choitcheann Dhòrnaich – Gluasad Còir Màil

There is circulated to Members only Joint Report No CS/20/15 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure and Head of Policy and Reform in relation to the assignation of a lease of Dornoch Common Good Land.

The Committee is invited to agree the recommendations.