Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Community Services Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday 15 February 2017 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

Quality Awards

Congratulations to:-

• the Biohazard Team, William Aitken and Mick McCann, who won Highly Commended in the Team of the Year award; 
• the Roads and Transport Team who won the Convener’s Award for the spray patching project, which quickly and effectively repairs roads and potholes across the Highlands; and
• Gail Ward, Housing Policy Officer, who won Employee of the Year for her work relating to welfare reform and taking the lead role in housing for the Syrian Refugee resettlement.

Health & Safety Qualifications

Congratulations to Martin Murphy who has completed his Health & Safety Diploma.

4.  Revenue Budget 2016/17 – Monitoring 1 April – 31 December 2016 
Buidseat Teachd-a-steach 2016/17 – Sgrùdadh 1 Giblean – 31 Dùbhlachd 2016

There is circulated Report No COM/01/17 dated 31 January 2017 by the Director of Community Services inviting Members to approve the revenue budget monitoring position for the period 1 April to 31 December 2016.

The Committee is invited to approve the report and the monitoring statements which show the revenue position for the period 1 April to 31 December 2016 (including the £27m that is disaggregated) and the actions which have been put in place to manage the budget over the remainder of the financial year.

5.  Capital Expenditure 2016/17 – Monitoring 1 April – 31 December 2016
Caiteachas Calpa 2016/17 – Sgrùdadh 1 Giblean – 31 Dùbhlachd 2016

There is circulated Report No COM/02/17 dated 23 January 2017 by the Director of Community Services which invites Members to approve the capital expenditure monitoring position for the period from 1 April to 31 December 2016 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 to 31 December 2016.

6.  Community Services Performance Report – 1 October 2016 to 31 December 2016
Aithisg Coileanaidh nan Seirbheisean Coimhearsnachd – 1 Dàmhair 2016 gu 31 Dùbhlachd 2016    
    
There is circulated Report No COM/3/17 dated 17 January 2017 by the Director of Community Services providing information on how Community Services performed in relation to performance indicators from 1 April 2016 to 31 December 2016.

The Committee is invited to note the information provided on Community Services performance from 1 April 2016 to 31 December 2016.

7.  Housing Revenue Account Estimates 2017/18
Tuairmsean Cunntas Teachd-a-steach Taigheadais 2017/18

There is circulated Report No COM/4/17 dated 6 February 2017 by the Director of Community Services presenting draft Housing Revenue Account estimates for 2017/2018 together with recommendations on the level of increase to be applied to Council house rents, other rents and service charges.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

i. a 1% increase for council house rents for 2017/2018;
ii. that this percentage increase is applied to all HRA rents, to all service charges and to Gypsy/Traveller site pitches;
iii. that non-HRA rents for leased property should increase as stipulated in existing contracts; 
iv. that the repairs budget should be increased by £750k for 2017/18 with this additional budget ring fenced for additional estates works prioritising repairs and improvement to fencing, pathways, bin storage areas and repairs to other hard landscaped communal areas; and
v. that the estimated HRA surplus of £3.344m in 2017/2018 be applied as Capital from Current Revenue to fund HRA capital investment. 

8.  Local Housing Strategy 
Ro-Innleachd Taigheadais Ionadail     

There is circulated Report No COM/5/17 dated 30 January 2017 by the Director of Community Services presenting the Council’s Draft Local Housing Strategy for the next 5 years. The report summarises the background to, and content of, the Strategy. The full draft Strategy is attached as an Appendix to the report.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. approve the draft Strategy for public consultation; and
ii. note a further report will be provided on the outcome of consultation and any changes proposed to the Strategy in advance of formal submission to Scottish Ministers.

9.  A96 Dualling – Response to the Publication of Draft Orders
Dùblachadh A96: Foillseachadh Dhreachd Òrdughan – Freagairt na Comhairle

Following on from a report to the Planning, Development & Infrastructure Committee on 25 January that included a response covering strategic matters and principles arising from the A96 Dualling between Inverness and Nairn, including a Nairn Bypass, there is circulated Report No COM/6/17 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure dealing with the specific roads matters relating to the detrunking of the existing A96 and new side roads.  A draft response is provided for Committee to consider, and subject to any comments or additions, to approve for submission to Transport Scotland. 

The Committee is asked to:-

i. note the background to the A96 Dualling Scheme, the publication of Draft Orders;
ii. consider the proposed response to Transport Scotland and provide any comments or additions; and
iii. agree to delegate to the Director of Community Services to submit the response, including any changes requested by the Committee.      

10.  Minutes
Geàrr-chunntas 

The following Minutes are circulated, for approval:-

i. Minutes of the Harbours Management Board of 9 December 2016; and
ii. Minutes of the Harbours Management Board of 27 January 2017.

11.  Exclusion of The Public
Às-dùnadh a’ Phobaill

The Committee is asked 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 Paragraph 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

12.  Award of Bus Service Contract
Buileachadh Chùmhnantan Seirbheis Bus 

There is circulated to Members only Report No COM/7/17 dated 3 February 2017 by the Director of Community Services presenting further information, and the outcome of discussions with contractors, as instructed by the Committee on 7 December in relation to five bus service contract routes.

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