Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Gaelic Implementation Group will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 11 August 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

Please note that this meeting will be conducted in Gaelic with simultaneous translation to English.

Business

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Declarations of Interest

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

The Group is asked to note that the Recess Powers granted by the Council at its meeting on 29 June 2016 have not been exercised in relation to the business of the Gaelic Implementation Group.

4. Good News

5. Presentation – Soillse

Professor Conchúr Ó Giollagáin, Gaelic Research Professor and Director of Soillse, will undertake a presentation on empowering the involvement of community based initiatives to support the evolution of language.  Soillse is a research collaboration between the University of the Highlands and Islands/Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Aberdeen University, Edinburgh University and the University of Glasgow and has been established to provide an enhanced research capacity to inform public policy towards the maintenance and revitalisation of Gaelic language and culture.

The Group is invited to comment on the presentation.

6. A Fairer Deal for BBC ALBA BBC Royal Charter Review Scottish Gaelic Broadcasting

There is circulated Report No GIG/11/16 dated 27 July 2016 by the Director of Care and Learning regarding the response Highland Council submitted to the UK Government Public Consultation on the BBC Royal Charter Review, specifically the section relating to Scottish Gaelic Broadcasting.

The Group is invited to:-

i. agree to homologate the response, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report; and
ii. note the responses received from the Chairperson of the BBC Trust and from Lord Hall, Director General of the BBC trust, as detailed in Appendices 2 and 3 respectively of the report.

7. Gaelic Language Act Implementation Fund 2016/17 – Project Applications Approved by Bòrd na Gàidhlig

There is circulated Report No GIG/12/16 dated 26 July 2016 by Director of Care and Learning providing a summary on the Gaelic Language Act Implementation Fund (GLAIF) Projects which were submitted by the Gaelic Team to Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnaG) for the 2016/17 funding period.  GLAIF, for financial year 2016/17, closed on 18 April and all applicants were informed by BnaG of the decision on their applications on 4 July 2016.

The Group is invited to comment on the seven successful GLAIF projects for 2016/17 and agree:-

i. that Officers engage with BnaG to implement the projects as supported through GLAIF 2016/17 funding; and
ii. a final report on GLAIF 2016/17 project implementation be submitted to a future Gaelic Implementation Group meeting.

8. Gaelic in Community Sports Activities in Partnership with Comunn na Gàidhlig, Iomain Cholomchille and High Life Highland Health and Well-being

There is circulated Report No GIG/13/16 dated 14 July 2016 by Director of Care and Learning informing Members of two national sports activities which specifically focus on language usage and acquisition along with the skills used to undertake the sports facilities.

The Group is invited to note two national Gaelic language, sporting events, which take place in the Highlands, namely:-

• the ongoing Cuach na Cloinne competition; and
• the progress made in relation to developing and supporting the Cupa Iomain na h-Òige.

9. Gaelic Language Plan 2 2012-16, Theme 1 “What we will do for Gaelic in the Home and in Communities" - Implementation Report

There is circulated Report No GIG/14/16 dated 27 July 2016 by the Director of Care and Learning providing further information on the implementation of Gaelic Language Plan 2012-16 Theme 1, “What we will do for Gaelic in the Home and in Communities”.  This updates the Council’s 2014/15 Annual Implementation Report and outlines further action since 1 August 2015-June 2016. 

The Group is invited to:-

i. comment on progress in implementing the Home and Communities Theme in the Gaelic Language Plan 2012-16; and
ii. agree continued cross-agency working, including through the Community Planning Partnership, to encourage and facilitate Gaelic learning and usage opportunities in workplaces, homes, school and communities.