Agendas, reports and minutes

Minutes of Meeting of the Community Planning Board held in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 4 October 2018 at 10.00 am.

Present:    
    
Representing the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA):
Mr G Moir

Representing the Highland Council (HC):
Mrs M Davidson
Mr B Lobban
Mr R MacWilliam (Substitute)
Mr S Barron
Mr B Alexander
Mr S Black
Mr W Gilfillan
Ms A Clark
Ms E Leitch

Representing Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE):
Mr D Oxley

Representing the Highland Third Sector Interface (HTSI):
Ms I Grigor
Ms M Wylie

Representing High Life Highland (HLH):
Mr D McLachlan
Mr D Wilby (Substitute)

Representing NHS Highland (NHSH):
Prof E Mead
Ms C Steer

Representing Police Scotland (PS):
Ch Supt G Macdonald

Representing the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS):
Mr R Middlemiss

Representing Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH):
Mr G Hogg

Community Partnership Chairs:
Mr E Sinclair, Caithness
Ch Insp I Maclelland, Sutherland
Mr R Dibble, East Ross
Ms S Street, Mid Ross (Substitute)
Mr J Finlayson, Skye, Lochalsh and West Ross (Substitute)
Ch Insp B Mackay, Nairn
Mr G Ross, Inverness
    
In attendance:

Mr J Robertson, Programme Manager, City-Region Deal, Highland Council
Mr N Scroggie, NGB Project Compliance Manager, HIE
Mr D Cowie, Principal Planner, Highland Council
Mr D Chisholm, Planner, Highland Council
Mr S Dalgarno, Development Plans Manager, Highland Council
Miss M Murray, Committee Administrator, Highland Council
Also in attendance:Mr M Agar, BDUK Head of Commercial Design and Strategy, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Mr B McClean, BDUK Project Director, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Mr J Bacchus-Waterman, BDUK LFFN Challenge Fund Lead, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport    
Ms E McHugh, Co-Director, Executive Delivery Group for Public Health Reform, Scottish Government    

Ch Supt G Macdonald in the Chair

Business

1.    Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr A Christie, Mr A Mackinnon, Ms M Smith, Mr D Yule, Ms E Johnston, Mr J Gibbs, Mr I Murray, Prof H van Woerden, Dr M Foxley, Dr D Mackinnon, Mr D MacBeath, Ms A Clark, Mr S MacPherson and Mr F Nixon.

2.    Minutes of Meetings    

The Board:

i.    APPROVED the Minutes of the Community Planning Board – 21 June 2018;
ii.    NOTED the draft Note of the Chief Officers Group – 4 September 2018;
iii.    NOTED the Minutes of the Community Justice Partnership – 7 March 2018; and
iv.    NOTED the Minutes of the Community Justice Partnership – 20 June 2018.

3.    Full Fibre Highland

Matt Agar, BDUK Head of Commercial Design and Strategy, John Bacchus-Waterman, BDUK LFFN Challenge Fund Lead, and Billy McClean, BDUK Project Director, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, gave a presentation during which detailed information was provided on the UK Superfast Broadband Rollout Programme; the Highlands and Islands Superfast Project; the current UK situation in terms of full fibre provision; the case for local full fibre networks; the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review; Government interventions; and Waves 1, 2 and 3 of the Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) Programme.  In relation to Highland in particular, Highland Council had submitted a successful bid to the Challenge Fund associated with Wave 2 of the LFFN Programme and had been awarded £4.3m to provide a full-fibre gigabit network to 175  public buildings, in partnership with NHS Highland, UHI, HIE and SNH, in Inverness, Fort William, Thurso and Wick.  It was hoped to contract by December 2018, build during 2019/2020 and implement by 2021.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:

• the provision of full fibre networks in public buildings was an important and exciting project, and presented huge opportunities.  However, concern was expressed regarding the significant number of people in rural communities, as well as parts of Inverness, with poor broadband connections, and children who were using Chromebooks in school being unable to access the internet to do their homework.  Progress with R100 was slow, communication as poor, and many communities were frustrated and starting to take matters in to their own hands.  There were some excellent local providers of wireless broadband but what people really wanted was full fibre networks, and the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme had been important in terms of paying for the necessary infrastructure.  Further information was sought, and provided, on Wave 2 of the LFFN programme and how it was going to help progress matters, and whether there were any more innovative ways that full fibre could be provided in rural areas;
• the unique geography of Highland was emphasised, as was the need to give communities timescales in terms of when they were going to get fibre broadband;
• one of people’s main frustrations was that when they wanted to engage and discuss issues relating to broadband provision they did not know who to contact;
• the Director of Development and Infrastructure, Highland Council, highlighted that, in terms of the Digital element of the City-Region Deal, partners were looking at a further eight to ten locations for full fibre gigabit networks.  In addition, he cited examples of windfarm monies being used to fund community broadband projects; and
• information was sought, and provided, on how the provision of a full fibre network in public buildings would benefit business users and consumers.

The Chair having thanked the BDUK representatives, the Board otherwise NOTED the presentation.

4.    Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan and Action Programme

There had been circulated Report No CPB/08/18 by the Director of Development and Infrastructure, Highland Council.

During discussion, in relation to engagement with Community Partnerships, it was suggested that it would be helpful to have a summary document that could be circulated to relevant communities.

Thereafter, there being no comments on actions for delivery or implications for partners’ investment priorities, the Board:

i.    NOTED the Local Development Plan that had been adopted;
ii.    NOTED that the Action Programme had previously been the subject of discussion and input by the Chief Officers Group at its meeting on 4 September 2018;
iii.    NOTED the intention to engage with Community Partnerships on the Action Programme;
iv.    NOTED that the final Action Programme would be adopted by the Council’s Caithness Committee and Sutherland County Committee in November 2018;
v.    NOTED how partners would help to monitor and update the Action Programme on an ongoing basis after it had been adopted; and
vi.    AGREED that a summary document be prepared for distribution to relevant communities.

5.    Feedback from Fort William 2040 (FW2040) Public Workshop

Scott Dalgarno, Development Plans Manager, Highland Council, gave a presentation on the FW2040 Public Workshop on 12 September 2018, which had been jointly organised and facilitated by the Council, HIE and the Scottish Government, and which had engaged communities, businesses, potential investors and relevant stakeholders in confirming a future vision for Fort William.  Detailed information was provided on the background to the event; the early engagement that had taken place; the feedback from the event, including the three key themes that had emerged; the associated Delivery Programme; and the next steps.  A short video of the event was also shown.

The Board was asked to consider the implications for particular services/partners, the timing of any improvements identified and the roles and responsibilities of the Board and Chief Officers Group in leading on the ongoing monitoring and implementation of the projects identified.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:

• the event had been a chance to look at a traditional Highland town and think about how to apply some of the thinking in terms of placemaking, and the comments regarding active travel and quality of life being an inherent part of placemaking were welcomed.  The initiative presented some good opportunities in terms of how to manage the green space in and around Fort William, particularly for residents but also for visitors, and SNH looked forward to contributing;
• Members commended the Development Plans Manager and colleagues for their efforts in relation to the FW2040 initiative, which could potentially be replicated elsewhere;
• the importance of workforce planning and talent attraction/retention having been emphasised, it was explained that the Chief Executive of HIE was joint Chair of the Liberty Project Board, and HIE was leading on a piece of work on talent attraction, not only in relation to the Liberty development but cutting across all skills issues in Fort William.  In addition, it was highlighted that the CoHI talent attraction group had met twice and there would be a report to the next meeting of CoHI.  The Chair commented that the issue of talent attraction/retention had been raised consistently and it would helpful to invite the Chief Executive of HIE to a future meeting to provide an update on the work being led by HIE and how the Board could further support it.

Thereafter, the Board:

i.    NOTED the initial outputs from the FW2040 event; and
ii.    AGREED that the Chief Executive of HIE be invited to attend a future meeting of the Board to provide an update on the work being led by HIE in relation to talent attraction.

6.    Local Governance Review

There had been circulated Report No CPB/09/18 by the Acting Head of Policy, Highland Council.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:

• it was requested that consideration be given to the feedback provided by communities as part of the engagement that took place in relation to the Community Empowerment Act;
• the need to consider the role and responsibilities of Community Councils having been emphasised, information was provided on the discussions taking place at national level, which very much placed Community Councils as part of the Local Governance Review, as well as the work being undertaken by the Council in terms of reviewing the Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils;
• the Local Governance Review represented a welcome step change in public sector working and accountability, and it was important that the CPP submitted a response.  Partners needed to plan and deliver together more, co-locate and have local accountability, and it was necessary to take steps as soon as possible.  It was highlighted that some parts of Scotland were looking at unitary authorities whereby there was one public sector body for the whole area and, whilst that would be challenging in Highland given the geography, it was necessary to consider it;
• the Review presented an opportunity to strengthen the work taking place in terms of reviewing the structures and governance arrangements of the multi-agency partnership groups operating in Highland;
• it was suggested that a working group of key representatives, including Community Partnership representatives, be established to consider the points raised and develop a proposal on behalf of the CPP.

Thereafter, the Board:

i.    NOTED the scope and remit of the Local Governance Review;
ii.    NOTED the work undertaken in Highland in recent years which might inform proposals to the Governance Review;
iii.    NOTED the ideas set out in the paper for potential Partnership proposals related to the review;
iv.    AGREED that a working group of key representatives, including Community Partnership representatives, be established to develop a proposal on behalf of the CPP, to be considered by the Community Planning Board on 19 December 2018, for submission as part of the Local Governance Review; and
v.    AGREED that, in developing the proposal, consideration be given to the feedback provided by communities as part of the engagement that took place in relation to the Community Empowerment Act.

7.    Highland Outcome Improvement Plan – Annual Review Arrangements

There had been circulated Report No CPB/10/18 on behalf of the Chief Officers Group.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:

• the requirement to report to communities was emphasised and it was important to ensure it took place as part of the proposed monitoring in March 2019, and that there was an opportunity for communities to provide feedback.  In that regard, it was necessary to be prepared that there would be disappointment at the progress that had been made; 
• the Leader of the Council referred to the Council’s Poverty and Inequalities Working Group and undertook to reflect on the feasibility of merging it with the HOIP Poverty Reduction Group.  The need to avoid duplication was emphasised and it was suggested that it would be helpful for all partners to consider how the various elements of the HOIP fit with their organisation’s plans and workstreams, and whether there were opportunities to reduce the number of meetings and the number of plans partners were striving to deliver; and
• in terms of taking forward the localism agenda, the need to work with communities and take cognisance of the staff already placed there was emphasised.

Thereafter, the Board:

i.    NOTED the work undertaken over the last year to develop structures to support delivery of the Highland Outcome Improvement Plan; and
ii.    AGREED the arrangements for monitoring the Highland Outcome Improvement Plan as set out in section 3 of the report. 
iii.    NOTED, in relation to the Infrastructure delivery group, that David Oxley, Director of Business and Sector Development, and James Gibbs, Area Manager - Inner Moray Firth, HIE, would be Chair and Vice Chair respectively.

8.    Developing Community Partnerships

i.    Updates from Chairs

There had been circulated updates from Community Partnership Chairs, as follows:

a.    Caithness (Eann Sinclair, HIE)
b.    Sutherland (Iain Maclelland, Police Scotland)
c.    East Ross (Ricky Dibble, SFRS)
d.    Mid Ross (Ann Clark, NHS Highland)
e.    Skye, Lochalsh and West Ross (Stuart MacPherson, HIE)
f.    Lochaber (vacant – update provided by Marie Law, District Manager, NHSH)
g.    Nairn (Brian Mackay, Police Scotland)
h.    Badenoch and Strathspey (Fraser Nixon, SFRS)
i.    Inverness (Graham Ross, Highland Council)

During discussion, the following issues were raised:

• the Chair of Sutherland Community Partnership thanked High Life Highland and the Children’s Planning Manager, Highland Council, for their support in relation to the Year of Young People Great Day Out in Sutherland and Children’s Plans respectively;
• the Director of Care and Learning, Highland Council, thanked Mid Ross Community Partnership for agreeing to host the forthcoming Community Learning and Development inspection;
• on the point being raised, it was explained that, having been unable to identify a Non-Executive Director to take on the role of Chair of Lochaber Community Partnership, the Chair of NHS Highland Board had asked officers to identify a senior manager to take on the role as soon as possible;
• thanks were expressed to the Acting Head of Policy, Highland Council, for her assistance in addressing the disconnect between Nairn Community Partnership and Community Councils;
• in terms of engagement, the importance of holding meetings at a time convenient to local communities and Community Councils was emphasised.  In that regard, Badenoch and Strathspey Community Partnership had seen a significant improvement in attendance when it had met in the evening;
• the capacity of officers to support Community Partnerships continued to be an issue that needed to be addressed; and
• the Chair of Inverness Community Partnership drew partners’ attention to the Life Changes Trust Conference, “Community and Dementia – Creating Better Lives in the Highlands”, which was scheduled to take place on 29 November 2018 in the Mercure Hotel, Inverness. It was a hugely important Conference, dementia being an issue that affected many people, and he undertook to distribute information to Board Members via the Committee Administrator.

Thereafter, the Board:

i.    NOTED  the updates; and
ii.    AGREED that information on the Life Changes Trust Conference, “Community and   Dementia – Creating Better Lives in the Highlands” be distributed to Board Members.

ii.    Update from Chief Officers Group, including progress with self-assessment of Locality Plans

The Head of Health Improvement, NHS Highland, provided a verbal update on behalf of the Chief Officers Group, during which it was explained that all Community Partnerships had been asked to carry out self-assessment of at least one locality plan using the tool developed by the Community Partnerships Subgroup.  Once complete, the process would be reviewed to establish how it had been for Community Partnerships and how the self-assessment tool could be adapted to support the HOIP delivery groups.

The next Community Partnerships Development Day would take place on 16 November 2018 in Strathpeffer, and a draft programme had been developed which would be discussed at the Community Partnership Chairs Meeting following the Board.

In relation to the Aspiring Communities Fund bid that had been submitted with a view to supporting Community Partnerships to undertake community engagement work, it had been confirmed that the bid was now through to the second phase, which was positive, and the final outcome was awaited.

Finally, with regard to resourcing of Community Partnerships, a paper had been presented to the previous meeting of the Chief Officers Group outlining a number of potential options.  It had been agreed that further work was required and that potential external funding sources be explored, the suggestion of a hub/virtual environment resourcing model be worked up, a proposal be developed under the Local Governance Review, and a small meeting of lead agencies be convened to agree how to progress matters and develop proposals for consideration by the Board.

The Board NOTED the update.

9.    Arrangements for Chairing the Community Planning Board and Chief Officers Group

There had been circulated Report No CPB/11/18 by the Board Secretary, NHS Highland.

On the point being raised, it was confirmed that the intention was that a calendar year term be implemented in respect of the Chief Officers’ Group, with the Chair of the Board continuing to have a fiscal year term.

Thereafter, the Board:

i.    NOTED the consideration by the Chief Officers Group in relation to arrangements for the positions of Chair of both the Community Planning Board and the Chief Officers Group;
ii.    APPROVED a revised schedule for the Chairing of both the Community Planning Board and the Chief Officers Group, as set out in section 4 of the report, with the aim of ensuring continuity of business;
iii.    APPROVED the recommendations of the Chief Officers Group that a “Chair Elect” position be created and that HIE assume responsibility for the Chief Officers Group with effect from 1 January 2019; and
iv.    AGREED that a calendar year term be implemented in respect of the Chair of the Chief Officers Group and that the Chair of the Board continue to have a fiscal year term.

10.    Public Health Reform

Eibhlin McHugh, Co-Director, Executive Delivery Group for Public Health Reform, Scottish Government, gave a presentation on public health reform which, it was explained, needed to address Scotland’s poor relative health, significant and persistent inequalities, and unsustainable pressures on health and social care services.  Information was provided on the vision for public health reform and the three key actions, namely, establishing national public health priorities, creating a new national public health body, and enabling a joined-up approach to public health at a local level.  The role and approach of the new national body, “Public Health Scotland” were summarised, as were the six public health priorities, and information was provided on whole system working, the next steps and local implementation.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:

• partners were already focussing on many of the key priorities and disappointment was expressed that a national body was being established to administer what was already taking place;
• it was suggested that the role of the Scottish Government should be to implement bold measures such as minimum pricing for alcohol and the smoking ban;
• reference was made to the high levels of suicide and mental health issues in Highland, and the need for more collaborative working in that regard was emphasised;
• Highland was fortunate to still have strong communities, and being part of a strong community and the associated social life gave people a quality of life which had a positive impact in terms of public health;
• getting a job and earning a decent wage were key to a better quality of life and it was suggested that this was what the Government should focus on;
• it was necessary to consider whether public health should sit with the NHS; and
• community planning partners and communities were best placed to decide which issues were most important and needed the most input from partners.

In responding to the issues raised, Ms McHugh explained that, rather than being an additional body, Public Health Scotland was rationalising a number of separate health functions into a single body.  In relation to the public health workforce, consideration was being given, as part of the reform process, to how it was best organised to support local partnerships.  There were a number of factors including where people were employed, where people were located and, crucially, where accountability sat.  It was necessary to clarify what CPPs required from the local public health workforce and what the national body could provide, and consideration was being given to Public Health Scotland being a named statutory partner for CPPs.  With regard to the role of communities, there was no doubt that, to achieve the Government’s ambitions, there had to be a bottom-up approach.  The importance of a whole system approach was emphasised and the challenge was to get the arrangements right nationally.

The Head of Health Improvement, NHS Highland, added that Highland was well placed to deliver the public health priorities through the CPP, there being public health representation at all levels – ie Community Partnerships, HOIP delivery groups, and the CPP Board and Chief Officers Group.  In addition, she drew attention to the following item on the agenda which related to the how the public health priorities were reflected in the HOIP.

On the point being raised, Ms McHugh confirmed that the situation was similar throughout Scotland in that there was a real focus by CPPs on tackling inequalities which was at the heart of public health issues.  It was important to use the opportunity in terms of having a single national body that was a loud voice across the whole system but was also supporting the endeavours of local public health teams.  In addition, it was necessary to ensure that CPPs had access to the best possible information and that it was available at community level as, if communities were going to be empowered, they needed to be informed.

The Board NOTED the presentation.

11.    Public Health Priorities for Scotland

There had been circulated Report No CPB/12/18 by the Head of Health Improvement, NHS Highland.

The Board:

i.    NOTED the Public Health priorities for Scotland and links with the Highland Outcome Improvement Plan; and
ii.    AGREED that CPP Delivery Groups and Community Partnerships be asked to consider links between the priorities being identified through their plans and the Public Health priorities, where appropriate.

12.    Date of Next Meeting

The Board NOTED that the next meeting would be held on Wednesday 19 December 2018 in the Main Conference Room, Police Scotland, Divisional Headquarters, Old Perth Road, Inverness.

Valedictory

Given their imminent retirement, the Chair expressed appreciation to the Chief Executive and Director of Care and Learning, Highland Council, and the Chief Executive, NHS Highland, for their valuable contribution to the Community Planning Partnership, and wished them well in their future endeavours. 

The meeting ended at 12.30 pm.