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 5 November 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. Good News
Naidheachdan Matha

4. Presentation on Roads Collaborative Working with Transport Scotland/Bear Scotland
Taisbeanadh mu Cho-obrachadh Rathaidean le Còmhdhail Alba/Bear Alba

Representatives of the Council, Transport Scotland and BEAR Scotland will make a short presentation on Roads Collaborative Working.

The Committee is invited to note the presentation.

5. Revenue Budget 2015/16 – Monitoring
Buidseat Teachd-a-steach 2015/16 – Sgrùdadh

There is circulated Report No COM/52/15 dated 26 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services inviting Members to approve the revenue budget monitoring position for the period 1 April 2015 to 30 September 2015.

The Committee is invited to approve the report and the monitoring statements which show the revenue position for the period 1 April 2015 to 30 September 2015 and the actions which have been put in place to manage the budget over the remainder of the financial year.

6. Capital Expenditure 2015/16 – Monitoring
Caiteachas Calpa 2015/16 – Sgrùdadh

There is circulated separately Report No COM/53/15 dated 27 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which invites Members to approve the capital expenditure monitoring position for the period from 1 April 2015 to 30 September 2015 for both the Community Services element of the Council’s approved capital programme and the HRA capital programme.

The Committee is invited to approve the capital expenditure monitoring position for the period 1 April 2015 to 30 September 2015.

7. Proposed Amendments to Service Structure
Atharrachaidhean a Thathar a’ Moladh do Structar Seirbheis

There is circulated Report No COM/54/15 dated 27 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which explains that it is proposed to amend the Service structure to align teams under four Heads of Service rather than under the current matrix management structure of eight (three Heads of Service, four Area Managers and one senior manager). The report outlines the benefits to the Service, Highland Council and the public, and the affects this will have on staff.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

i. the new Service structure, in principle, as outlined in Appendix 2 of the report; and
ii. that grades, job and person specifications and the recruitment process for the four Head of Service posts be brought to the February 2016 Community Services Committee for approval.

8. Environmental Health Workforce Planning and Review of Team Structure 
Dealbhadh Sgioba-obrach Slàinte Àrainneachd agus Ath-sgrùdadh air Structar Sgioba

There is circulated to Members only Report No COM/55/15 dated 26 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which provides an update on progress with Workforce Planning within the Environmental Health team and seeks Member approval for changes to the team structure.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the Workforce Planning Action Plan for Environmental Health, as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report; and
ii. agree the proposed structure changes for the Environmental Health team structure as set out in Appendices 5 and 6 of the report.

9. Community Services Performance Report – 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2015
Aithisg Coileanaidh nan Seirbheisean Coimhearsnachd – 1 Iuchar 2015 gu 30 Sultain 2015

There is circulated Report No COM/56/15 dated 23 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which provides information on how Community Services performed in relation to performance indicators during the first half of 2015/16.

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

10. Employee Survey 2015
Suirbhidh Luchd-obrach 2015

There is circulated Report No COM/57/15 dated 8 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which summarises the key findings from the 2015 Employee Survey and outlines proposals for addressing areas of further improvement.

The Committee is invited to note the results of the survey for Community Services and the timescale for the development of the Service Improvement Plan.

11. Bridges and Road Structures
Drochaidean agus Structaran Rathaid

There is circulated Report No COM/58/15 dated 26 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which provides an outline of the Council's bridge stock, its condition, the bridge inspection regime, and how bridges are prioritised for Capital investment. The report also provides recommendations for projects to be included in the “Structural Road Works - Bridges, Retaining Walls & Culverts” line, of the Community Services Capital Programme, 2016/17.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the current regime of bridge inspections, the condition of the bridges stock and the factors taken into account in making recommendations for prioritising investment; and
ii. approve the proposed works for year 2016/17, to be funded from the “Structural Road Works - Bridges, Retaining Walls & Culverts” line of the Council’s Capital Programme.

12. 5G Trunk Road Maintenance Contracts Consultation
Co-chomhairle mu Chunnraidhean Càraidh Mhòr-rathaidean 5G

There is circulated Report No COM/59/15 dated 26 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which seeks homologation of the decision by the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of Community Services, to submit the Highland Council’s response to Transport Scotland’s Local Authority Consultation on the “Extent of Units and Scope of Services”.

The Committee is invited to homologate the decision by the Director of Community Services, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Community Services, to submit the Highland Council’s response to Transport Scotland’s Local Authority Consultation on the “Extent of Units and Scope of Services” as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

13. Transport Programme
Prògram Còmhdhalach

There is circulated Report No COM/60/15 dated 27 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which explains 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 an update on the outcomes of the retendering process. It also updates Members on the public consultation and supplier briefing events planned to support the tendering of such services across the rest of Highland. Proposals are presented for Committee approval to launch a call for community transport grant applications. An update is provided on the Lochaber action learning project’s principal initiative, the Lochaber Transport Advice and Bookings Service.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the Sutherland retendering process results;
ii. note the progress concerning the rest of Highland school and public transport tender process;
iii. approve the community transport grants process proposals; and
iv. note the continuing efforts being made concerning the future of the Lochaber transport action learning project.

14. HRA Capital Programme 2016-17
Prògram Calpa HRA 2016-17

There is circulated Report No COM/61/15 dated 19 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which outlines the resources required to undertake capital investment to the Council’s housing stock and recommends capital investment projects for approval in 2016-17.

The Committee is invited to approve the HRA Capital Programme 2016-2017.

15. Internal Audit Report: Management of Housing Voids
Aithisg In-Sgrùdaidh: Rianachd Thaighean Bàna

There is circulated Report No COM/62/15 dated 26 October 2015 by the Director of Community Services which provides an overview and update in relation to a report on housing voids considered by the Audit and Scrutiny Committee on 30 September 2015.

The Committee is invited to note the findings of the internal audit report and progress in relation to the agreed management actions.