Agendas, reports and minutes

A Special Meeting of the Highland Council will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday, 16 February 2017 at 10.30am.

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.

Your attendance at the meeting is invited and I append a note of the business to be transacted. 

Yours faithfully,

Michelle Morris
Depute Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Development 

1.  Calling of the Roll and Apologies for Absence 
A’ Gairm a’ Chlàir agus 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.  Revenue Budget 2017/18
Buidseat Teachd-a-steach 2017/18

There is circulated Report No. HC/1/17 dated 8 February 2017 by the Director of Finance which outlines the budget gap facing the Council in 2017/18 and introduces the Administration Group’s proposals for meeting the gap and delivering a balanced budget. 

The report also makes proposals for Council Tax rates in 2017-18.

The Council is asked to consider the report and agree the following:-

1. a 3% increase in Council Tax for 2017/18 as per Paragraph 8.1;
2. the savings proposals from February 2016 as outlined in Paragraph 7.2; 
3. the specific proposals for additional income and reduced expenditure as per the savings proposals outlined in Booklet A and detailed in Booklet B;
4. the list of posts to be removed under the Employee Early Release Scheme as detailed in Paragraph 10.8; 
5. to meet the cost of this Scheme from Reserves as detailed in Paragraph 10.9; and
to rebuild balances as detailed in Section 11.6 of the report.

4.  Membership of Committees, Sub Committees, etc
Ballrachd air Comataidhean, msaa

The Council is advised that Mr B Lobban has joined the Independent Group. 

On that basis, the political make-up of the Council is now as follows:- 

Independent – 34/SNP – 16/Liberal Democrat – 13/Labour – 7
Highland Alliance – 5/Non Aligned - 4

The formula in respect of the number of places on Strategic Committees is now 10/5/4/2/1. 

5.  Timetable of Meetings
Clàr-ama Choinneamhan

Members are asked to agree the following changes to the Timetable of Meetings:-

Highland Council – Special Meeting (Planning) - Noss Head High Voltage DC Substation – to be arranged for Tuesday, 7 March (Wick) 

Planning Review Body – to move from Tuesday, 7 March to Tuesday, 14 March (Council HQ).