Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Community Services Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 20 August 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/
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.

3. Recess Powers
    Cumhachdan Fosaidh

The Committee is asked to note that the Recess Powers granted by the Council at its meeting on 25 June 2015 were exercised in relation to committing capital expenditure from the £350k annual programme for Bridge Maintenance as follows:-

Project                                                                       Estimated Cost
                                                                         2015/16               2016/17
Allt Graad in Ward 7, Cromarty Firth
(Parapet replacement)                                       £210,000              £5,000

Kerrow Burn in Ward 13, Aird & Loch Ness
(Culvert replacement)                                       £140,000               £3,000

4. Good News
    Naidheachdan Matha

Timber Transport Fund Award – Polloch Road Upgrade Lochaber

• Scottish Timber Transport Fund Award: £125,000
• Total Project Value: £431,000
• Co-finance: The Highland Council and Forest Enterprise Scotland

This project will upgrade a 2.4km length of the life line public road along the south side of Loch Doilet serving the village of Polloch and maintain a panel bridge.

5. Presentation on Shared Apprenticeship Scheme
    Taisbeanadh mu Sgeama nam Preantasachdan Co-roinnte

The Performance and Building Maintenance Manager will make a short presentation on the Highland Council Apprenticeship Scheme and a new initiative which the council is supporting, the Shared Apprenticeship Scheme.

The Committee is invited to note the presentation.

6. Revenue Budget – Final Outturn 2014/15 and Monitoring 2015/16
    Buidseat Teachd-a-steach – Fior Shuidheachadh Deireannach 2014/15 agus Sgrùdadh 2015/16

There is circulated Report No COM/34/15 dated 6 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services inviting Members to approve the revenue budget outturn position for the year ended 31 March 2015 and the revenue monitoring position for the period 1 April 2015 to 30 June 2015

The Committee is invited to approve:-

i. the revenue budget final outturn position for the year ended 31 March 2015; and
ii. the report and the attached monitoring statements which show the revenue position for the period 1 April 2015 to
   30 June 2015 and the actions which have been put in place to manage the budget over the remainder of the
   financial year.

7. Capital Expenditure – Final Outturn 2014/15 and Monitoring 2015/16
    Caiteachas Calpa – Fior Shuidheachadh Deireannach 2014/15 agus Sgrùdadh 2015/16

There is circulated Report No COM/35/15 dated 7 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services inviting Members to approve the capital expenditure outturn position for the year ended 31 March 2015 and the monitoring position for the period 1 April 2015 to 30 June 2015.

The Committee is invited to approve:-

i. the capital expenditure outturn position for the year ended 31 March 2015; and
ii. the capital expenditure monitoring position for the period 1 April 2015 to 30 June 2015.

8. Community Services Performance Report – 1 April 2015 to 30 June 2015                       
    Aithisg Coileanaidh nan Seirbheisean Coimhearsnachd - 1 Giblean 2015 gu 30 An t-Òg mhios 2015

There is circulated Report No COM/36/15 dated 6 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services providing information on how Community Services performed in relation to performance indicators during the first quarter of 2015/16. 

The Committee is invited to note the information on Community Services performance from 1 April to 30 June 2015.

9. Community Services Workforce Planning 2015-2018
    Dealbhadh Sgioba-obrach nan Seirbheisean Coimhearsnachd 2015-2018

There is circulated Report No COM/37/15 dated 30 July 2015 by the Director of Community Services setting out a summary of the Community Services Workforce Plan 2015-2018. 

The Committee is invited to note the Community Services Workforce Plan for 2015-2018. 

10. Communications Survey Outcomes
      Toraidhean an t-Suirbhidh Chonaltraidh

There is circulated Report No COM/38/15 dated 6 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services informing Members that, as part of a proactive change management process for the integration of the Transport, Environmental and Community Service and Housing and Property Service (in 2014), the Community Services Senior Management Team developed a Staff Communication and Consultation Plan.  As part of that plan the Service undertook a survey to help improve two-way communications throughout the Service.  This report provides an analysis of the results of the survey which will be used as part of continued Service development along with the Service’s Workforce Action Plan and the action plan developed to address results of the corporate Employee Survey.  This will help to ensure that Community Services has a workforce that feel able to engage with management for the betterment of the new service.

The Committee is invited to note:-

i.  the work of the Service to engage with staff and provide for effective communication and consultation with staff;
    and
ii. that a report will be presented to the November Community Services Committee on the results of the Corporate
    Employee Survey that will include an Action Plan to address the key issues from the Employee Survey and the
    Service’s own internal communications survey.

11. Housing Revenue Account Capital Plan 2016-2021
      Plana Calpa Cunntas Teachd-a-steach Taigheadais 2016-2021

There is circulated Report No COM/39/15 dated 16 July 2015 by the Director of Community Services outlining the resources required to undertake capital investment to the Council’s housing stock and recommending capital investment priorities for the next 5 years. It also comments of the impact of capital investment on future Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue estimates and on future Council house rents.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  approve the HRA Capital Plan 2016-2021 as the basis for future programme planning; and
ii. agree that consultation takes place with Ward Members on local HRA Capital Programme projects for 2016/17 and
    that the final programme for 2016/17 be reported to Committee in November.

12. Update on Homeless Initiatives
      Fios as Ùr mu Iomairtean Dìth Dachaigh

There is circulated Report No COM/40/15 dated 16 July 2015 by the Director of Community Services providing an update on current initiatives which aim to improve the lives of homeless people in Highland.  The report also highlights the impacts of Welfare Reform on the way the Council currently provides temporary housing for homeless people and makes recommendations on changing the model of provision to ensure it is both appropriate and affordable for homeless people in the future.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  note the progress of the Temporary Accommodation Re-provisioning Project;
ii. agree to the trial of a new housing support service specification with the Council’s current providers with a view to
    beginning a formal procurement process in early 2016;
iii. note the impacts of welfare reform on temporary accommodation; and
iv. approve a review of current provision aimed at:-

     • reducing the reliance on leased properties and identifying more HRA properties for use as temporary
       accommodation;
     • reviewing the future requirement for bed and breakfast type rooms to inform future procurement beyond 2016;
       and
     • considering how the Council provides accommodation for young people with more complex need including
       greater use of “exempt” accommodation.

13. Homelessness Appeals
      Dìth Dachaigh Pròiseas Ath-thagraidhean

There is circulated Report No COM/41/15 dated 14 July 2015 by the Director of Community Services recommending changes to the current appeals process in relation to homelessness decisions, aimed at streamlining the process and making it more consistent with the Council’s Complaints Process.

The Committee is invited to approve changes to the current homelessness appeals process that would involve:-

• A two stage appeals process consistent with the Council’s complaints process
• Increasing the scope of the appeals process to consider whether offers of housing made to homeless households are reasonable
• Appeals being heard by officers, including a Children’s Services Managers in cases where households include children.

14. Waste Management – National Initiatives
      Rianachd Sgudail – Iomairtean Nàiseanta

There is circulated Report No COM/42/15 dated 24 July 2015 by the Director of Community Services summarising two national initiatives: Waste Brokerage Service and the outputs from the Zero Waste Taskforce which was jointly led by Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment and Councillor Stephen Hagan, CoSLA Spokesperson for Development, Economy and Sustainability. Both initiatives are being worked on at the present time and both may influence Members’ view on how and when a strategy for Highland proceeds.

The Committee is invited to note the contents of the report.

15. Ground Maintenance Service Delivery Strategy
      Ro-innleachd Lìbhrigidh Seirbheis Cumail Suas nan Raointean

There is circulated Report No COM/43/15 dated 5 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services presenting an assessment of the option for the delivery, supervision and performance monitoring of grass cutting. The Committee is asked to approve the strategy for the delivery of grass cutting activities from March 2017.

The Committee is invited to agree to:-

i.  complete the on-going review of existing services to reduce costs where practicable during 2015/16 in advance of
    retender by agreement at Ward Business Meetings; and
ii. progress the retender for grass cutting services in accordance with the timescale set out in the report with
    commencement in March 2017.

16. Review of Winter Service
      Ath-sgrùdadh air Seirbheis Geamhraidh

There is circulated Report No COM/44/15 dated 5 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services presenting the results of the benchmarking exercise to establish how Highland Council’s winter service compares with other rural authorities within Scotland.

The Committee is invited to consider and comment on the findings of the benchmarking exercise.

17. Transport Programme
      Prògram Còmhdhalach

There is circulated Report No COM/45/15 dated 20 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services informing Members that as part of the Council’s Transport Programme, mainstream school transport and public bus service contracts have been retendered in Sutherland. The report presents the outcomes of the retendering process and outlines for Members the intended process for conducting the tendering of such services across the rest of Highland; the intended process for determining future community transport grants; and the current position with regards to the Lochaber action learning project’s principal initiative, the Lochaber Transport Advice and Bookings Service.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the interim Sutherland retendering process out-turns;
ii. approve the outline timetable and key steps for the rest of Highland school and public transport tender process;
iii. approve the approach being proposed for the community transport grants process; and
iv. note the efforts being made to secure a future for the transport hub concept being trialled presently in Lochaber.

18. Electric Vehicle Charging
      Cosgais Charbadan Dealain

There is circulated Report No COM/46/15 dated 6 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services providing an update on progress within Highland.  Proposals for recovering costs from drivers will be forthcoming from Transport Scotland in anticipation of starting to collect income in 2016.

The Committee is invited to note the progress made and that Transport Scotland are expected to make proposals for recovery of electricity costs by Councils starting next year.

19. Roads Collaboration Programme - Governance First
      Prògram Co-obrachaidh Rathaidean – Riaghladh an Toiseach

There is circulated Report No COM/47/15 dated 5 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services presenting the background to the "Governance First" approach to collaborating and sharing services between Councils.  The report also seeks the nomination of two Councillors to work on the short life Northern Roads Collaboration Forum.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  note the development of the North area Governance First group and the methodical approach undertaken to
    develop the case for creating a new joint committee governance body of Elected Members to oversee the
    development of collaborative activity within the roads service;
ii. note that this collaboration may provide a framework for future collaborative activity across the whole range of
    Council functions; and
iii. nominate two Councillors to work on the short life Northern Roads Collaboration Forum.

20. War Memorials Improvement Programme
      Prògram Leasachaidh nan Carraighean-cuimhne Cogaidh

There is circulated Report No COM/48/15 dated 6 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services providing an update on progress with the War Memorials Improvement Programme.

The Committee is invited to note:-

i. progress on the war memorial restoration programme;
ii. that a programme for the remaining war memorials shall be shared with Members in November; and
iii. that a publicity campaign programme will also be shared with Members in September.

21. Environmental Health Operational Plan Review 2014/15
      Ath-sgrùdadh Plana Obrach Slàinte Àrainneachd 2014/15

There is circulated Report No COM/49/15 dated 11 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services inviting Members to approve the review of the Environmental Health Team Plan for 2014/15.

The Committee is invited to approve the review of the Environmental Health Team Plan for 2014/15 as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

22. Cemetery Extension Update
      Cunntas às Ùr mu Leudachadh Chladhan

There is circulated Report No COM/50/15 dated 5 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services providing an update on the need for extension of cemeteries along with a progress report on extensions prioritised by the former Transport, Environmental and Community Services Committee.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. approve the programme of extension work presented; and
ii. agree that pre-selling of lairs will not be allowed in burial grounds with less than 5 years capacity.

23. Appointments to Sub-Committees, Working Groups etc
Cur an Dreuchd gu Fo-Chomataidhean, Buidhnean-obrach is eile

The proposed memberships for the following will follow:–

• Harbours Management Board
• Education Transport Entitlement Review Sub-Committee

24. 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 be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

25. Roads and Transport Structure
      Structar Rathaidean agus Còmhdhalach

There is circulated to Members only Report No COM/51/15 dated 4 August 2015 by the Director of Community Services seeking approval for an adjustment to the Roads and Transport management structure in the Fleet and Workshop team.

The Committee is invited to agree the recommendations as detailed in the report.