Agendas, reports and minutes

 

A meeting of the Communities and Partnerships Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday 23 March 2016 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

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.

Community Safety
Sàbhailteachd Coimhearsnachd

3. 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 CP/01/16 dated 14 March 2016 by the Divisional Commander for Police which provides an update on the progress with reference to the objectives outlined in the Highland Local Policing Plan 2014-2017.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the performance report against Highland Policing Plan Objectives from April 2015 to January 2016.

4. Police Scotland Control Rooms
Seòmar-Smachd Poileas Alba

A presentation will be undertaken at the meeting by Police Scotland updating members on police control rooms.

The Committee is invited to note the presentation.

5. Fire and Rescue Service Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 3 2015/16
Aithisg Dèanadais Ràitheil na Seirbheis Smàlaidh agus Teasairginn airson Ràith 3 2015/16

There is circulated Report No CP/02/16 dated 12 March 2016 by the Local Senior Officer for Fire and Rescue, together with accompanying quarterly performance report (QPR) for Quarter 3, 2015/16, which provides detail on Fire and Rescue Service performance across a range of Intervention, Prevention and Protection activities for Quarter 3, 2015/16.    

The Committee is invited to scrutinise and comment on service delivery and performance contained within the Report and accompanying QPR for Quarter 3, 2015/16.

6. Scottish Ambulance Service Report
Aithisg Seirbheis Charbadan-eiridinn na h-Alba

There is circulated, for noting, performance report by the Scottish Ambulance Service for the Highland area for the period from September 2015 to February 2016.

7. Consultation on National Strategic Police Priorities
Co-chomhairle mu Phrìomhachasan Ro-innleachdail Nàiseanta a’ Phoilis

A presentation will be undertaken at the meeting by Mr D Couldridge, Police Division, Scottish Government on the consultation on National Strategic Police Priorities.

The Committee is invited to comment on the Scottish Government consultation on National Strategic Police Priorities.

8. Feedback from the Meeting of the Scrutiny Chairs for the North of Scotland March 2016
Fios air ais bho Choinneamh nan Cathraichean Sgrùdaidh airson Ceann a Tuath na h-Alba Màrt 2016

There is circulated separately Report No CP/04/16 dated 15 March 2016 by the Head of Policy and Reform which outlines feedback from the Meeting of the Scrutiny Chairs for the North of Scotland March 2016.

The Committee is invited to note the report.

Equalities
Co-ionannachdan

9. Dementia Friendly Highland Working Group
Molaidhean airson Gàidhealtachd Chàirdeil a thaobh Dementia

There is circulated Report No CP/05/16 dated 11 March 2016 by the Head of Policy and Reform which summarises the Council’s commitment to become a Dementia Friendly Highland and suggests how this work will be progressed to develop an associated action plan.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the work underway which will be overseen by a Member-led Working Groups and which will contribute towards Highland becoming a Dementia Friendly Community;

ii. note that further work will be required across Council services as well as working together with Alzheimer Scotland and Community Planning Partners; and

iii. agree that a report on progress along with a draft action plan is presented to the next Communities and Partnerships Committee meeting.

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

There are circulated for noting minutes of meeting of the Violence Against Women Strategy Group held on 22 September 2015.

Community Empowerment and Localism
Ùghdarrachadh Coimhearsnachd agus Ionadaileachd

11. The Community Empowerment Act 2015 – Update on Progress with Implementation
Achd Ùghdarrachaidh Coimhearsnachd 2015 – Cunntas às Ùr mu Adhartas le Buileachadh

(a) Part 2 Community Planning
Pàirt 2 Dealbhadh Coimhearsnachd

There is circulated Report No CP/06/16 dated 15 March 2016 by the Head of Policy and Reform which provides Members with an up-date of progress being made with the new duties arising for community planning partners.

The Committee is invited to note:-

i. the new legal duties relating to community planning and that new processes are needed for the shared leadership and resourcing of it, supporting community bodies to take part and the focus on disadvantage;

ii. that work is in progress with partners to:

a. discuss how to share the new duty and resource it;

b. develop local community planning arrangements, with action underway in Lochaber and Skye and to be developed for Caithness, Sutherland, Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey as the next phase;

c. Seek feedback with NHS Highland from District Partnerships on how to ensure health and social care arrangements can be part of the new community planning arrangements;

d. make the links between the local CPPs and the Highland CPP by involving the local Chair in the CPP Board and the lead local officer in the Chief Officers Group once new arrangements are in place; and

e. develop the process for locality plans for disadvantaged places in rural and urban Highland;

iii. that partnership work on other Parts of the Community Empowerment Act is reported separately to this meeting; and

iv. that we expect to be consulted on the draft statutory guidance and regulations for the Act between March and June 2016 with the final materials provided by September 2016.  These will be built into the new arrangements.

The Committee is also invited to agree that the Chairs of the Local Committees and the Chair and Vice Chair of the Communities and Partnerships Committee are consulted on the evaluation framework for local community planning partnerships and the methodology for identifying the areas for locality plans in advance of proposals to the Community Planning Board and with further reports to this Committee.  It is proposed that District Partnership Chairs are consulted too and this would also need the agreement and support of NHS Highland.

(b) Part 3 Participation Requests
Pàirt 3 Iarrtasan Com-pàirteachaidh

There is circulated Report No CP/07/16 dated 23 March 2016 by the Head of Policy and Reform which explains that the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 puts in place a new legal duty for the majority of community planning partners to respond to the rights of community bodies to make participation requests. The Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board at its meeting in December 2014 agreed that a partnership approach should be taken to designing a process to consider these requests rather than several separate approaches being used for community bodies in Highland.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note and comment on the approach agreed with community planning partners so far. This takes into account how communities are supported to develop and manage their input to the process.  The approach will be adjusted as required by the statutory guidance when it becomes available;

ii. agree that there is consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Communities and Partnerships Committee and the Chairs of the Local Committees in advance of any proposals being made to the CPP Board; and

iii. agree that further reports will be brought to this Committee on the proposed approach for Members to consider.

(c) Part 5 Asset Transfer Requests
Pàirt 5 Iarrtasan Gluasad So-mhaoin

There is circulated (pp 51-56) Report No CP/08/16 dated 14 March 2016 by the Head of Policy and Reform which explains that the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 provides for community bodies to request ownership, lease, management or use of publicly owned buildings or land whether or not they are available for sale or deemed surplus to requirements by the owning body. It is likely that the Council and its partners will need to refresh their asset transfer policy and process to meet the new purpose and approach the Act brings. The Community Planning Partnership Board (CPP) agreed that we should design a common process for Highland.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. consider and comment on the approach being taken to support further asset transfers in Highland; and

ii. note that further work is required on the approach and governance arrangements and that it will have to comply with the statutory guidance when it is available.  Further reports can be made to this Committee as well as the CPP Board and the Asset Management Board.

(d) Part 10 – Participatory Budgeting Update
Pàirt 10 – Buidseat Compàirteachaidh

There is circulated Report No CP/09/16 dated 14 March 2016 by the Head of Policy and Reform which highlights progress in the development of participatory budgeting (PB) in Highland. It sets PB in the context of the requirements of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 particularly the requirements to develop local democratic structures and involve communities in decision-making around resources. Members are asked to comment on progress and how the process may develop.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the statutory requirement for public participation in decision-making, including resource allocation and that statutory guidance on this Part of the Act is awaited;

ii. comment on progress so far noting the arrangements for rolling out PB across Highland to date and to express an interest for their Ward if PB has not yet started there;

iii. note that Members are invited to attend a PB Masterclass following the Committee meeting; and

iv. agree that the Council bids for funding from the Scottish Government’s Community Choices Funding when the application process and criteria are known.