Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Communities and Place Committee will take place REMOTELY on Wednesday 25 November 2020 at 11.30 am.

Please note the later start time of the Committee due to the Members’ Workshop scheduled to take place at 9.30 am, details of which will be provided by the Service.

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

Stewart Fraser
Head of Corporate Governance

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

4.    Supporting Community Action and Involvement 
A’ Cur Taic ri Gnìomhachd is Com-pàirteachas Coimhearsnachd

i.    Presentation: Applecross Community Company
Taisbeanadh: Companaidh Coimhearsnachd na Comraich

Roslyn Clarke, Local Development Officer, Applecross Community Company (ACC) will give a presentation on the work of ACC, the benefits it brings and what more the Council could do in support.

ii.    Community Asset Transfer Requests
Iarrtasan Gluasad So-mhaoin Coimhearsnachd

There is circulated Report No CP/13/20 dated 23 October 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    agree the sale of the car park at Station Road, Corpach to Kilmallie Community Centre for £7,500, subject to the terms of transfer set out in section 2.1 of the report;
ii.    agree the sale of Lochinver Mission Centre to Assynt Development Trust for £1, subject to the terms of transfer set out in section 2.2 of the report; and
iii.    agree to homologate the decision to clarify the extent of land to be transferred at Spean Bridge Community Centre to Spean Bridge Community Centre SCIO, specifically that this is to include the associated car park.

iii.    Progress report on the Framework for Community Participation and Involvement
Aithisg adhartais mu Fhrèam-obrach airson Com-pàirteachas Coimhearsnachd

There is circulated Report No CP/14/20 dated 9 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    consider and discuss the feedback from engagement work undertaken to date in sections 5 and 6 of the report;
ii.    note the work planned and currently underway and that an update report on further outcomes from the various engagement strands will be presented to the next meeting of the Communities and Place Committee; and
iii.    note key areas for action and development as a result of the feedback received so far.

iv.    North Kessock Bottle Banks – Petition and Response
Athchuinge air a cur a-steach a thaobh a bhith a’ suidheachadh bhancaichean bhotal ann an Ceasag a Tuath, Siorrachd Rois

There is circulated Report No CP/15/20 dated 4 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    note the petition received regarding bottle banks in North Kessock;
ii.    note the background to the current situation; and
iii.    agree that a community ballot is undertaken on the future location of the bottle banks to enable a final conclusion to be reached and enforced.

5.    Update on Humanitarian and Welfare Needs and Support
Fios às ùr mu fheumalachdan is taic daonnachdail is sochair  

There is circulated Report No CP/16/20 dated 9 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    consider and note the update on humanitarian and welfare needs response across Highland, including:
•    the focus on food and fuel insecurity for the second wave of covid-19;
•    the new supports in place for people who have to self-isolate under Test and Protect;
•    the local hub support arrangements in place to respond to food insecurity requests and should a local outbreak occur;
•    the different supports in place to address financial insecurity;
•    the supports in place to address fuel insecurity; and 
•    the supports in place related to mental health and wellbeing;
ii.    note the new roles Local Authorities now have in supporting the Test and Protect process;
iii.    note the Connecting Scotland programme and the number of devices that have come to Highland to support digital inclusion; and
iv.    agree that the Chair of the Committee writes to Scottish Government and Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations requesting that employability clients on low incomes, disabled people on low incomes and older people on low incomes are identified as eligible for the third phase of the Connecting Scotland Programme.

6.    Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Highland
Plana Ionadail Smàlaidh is Teasairginn airson na Gàidhealtachd 

Under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, the Local Authority has responsibility for monitoring and scrutinising performance of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service against the Local Fire and Rescue Plan for their area.  Each Local Plan must be approved by the Local Authority and reviewed every three years.

On behalf of the Local Senior Officer for Highland, Derek Wilson, there will follow the draft Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Highland.

7.    Support for exporting businesses in preparation for EU exit
Taic airson ghnothachasan às-mhalairt ag ullachadh airson an AE fhàgail

There is circulated Report No CP/17/20 dated 13 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note:-

i.    the work undertaken by officers to date to prepare for supporting exporting businesses to the EU; and
ii.    the Environmental Health Team’s role in Export Health Certification. 

8.    Licensing of Residential Caravan |Sites
Ceadachd làraich charabhanaichean còmhnaidheach

There is circulated Report No CP/18/20 dated 16 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    note the licensing system for mobile home sites with permanent residents;
ii.    note the proposed timescale and phasing for implementation in the Highland area over the next 12 months;
iii.    approve the fees for Residential Caravan site licence applications for 2020/21 and 2021/22 as set out in the report; and
iv.    approve that cost recovery for enforcement action is based on the appropriate productive hourly rate for the grade of officer taking the action with full cost recovery proposed unless it costs more to pursue the cost or where the site owner has made their best efforts to comply with any enforcement action.

9.    Burial and Cremation Policy and Management Rules
Poileasaidh agus Riaghailtean Stiùiridh Tìodhlacaidh is Losgaidh-chuirp

There is circulated Report No CP/19/20 dated 16 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    note that the Council undertakes around 1500 burials and 1200 cremations a year across the Highland area. The Council currently has 268 burial grounds and operates Inverness Crematorium, located at Kilvean, Inverness;
ii.    note that further amendments may be required to the policy arising from the review undertaken by the Competition and Markets Authority and these would be reported to a future meeting of the Committee;
iii.    agree the refreshed burial and cremations policy attached at Appendix 1 of the report which addresses the internal audit actions agreed;
iv.    agree that consultation is undertaken on the updated draft management rules for burials grounds and the Inverness Crematorium as set out in Appendices 2 and 3 of the report, in keeping with the legislative requirements to consult;
v.    agree that a report on the outcome of the consultation and the final management rules is considered at the next meeting of the Committee; and
vi.    agree that appropriate guidance and signage is provided to communicate the final management rules.

10.    Communities and Place Revenue Monitoring Report to 30th September 2020
Sgrùdadh Teachd-a-steach Buidseit airson Cairteal 2 2020/21

There is circulated Report No CP/20/20 dated 6 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note:-

i.    the improved outturn forecast from Q1 with the budget gap forecast to reduce from £4.84m to £3.272m;
ii.    that the budget gap reported is associated mainly with shortfalls in income, disrupted by Covid;
iii.    the achievement of savings is hampered by Covid impacts, although £646k are achieved, a further £330k partially achieved so far and only £71k not achievable this year.  Work continues to apportion all savings agreed to the new service structure;
iv.    expenditure controls, including for recruitment, are helping to reduce the budget gap;
v.    ongoing mitigation will include expenditure controls, income recovery and claiming all potential Government grant; and
vi.    an income project to clarify, manage and forecast income better is underway in the service to help reduce risks to the overall budget.

11.    Proposals for Covid Ward Funds and Investing in Play Parks
Molaidhean airson Maoin Uàird Covid agus Tasgadh ann am Pàircean Cluiche

There is circulated Report No CP/21/20 dated 11 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:-

a.    note:-

i.    the decision made at Council on 1 October 2020 seeks the Committee’s views in the first instance on investing in play parks for conclusion by the December Council meeting.  The Committee’s views are sought to report to the December Council meeting;
ii.    that the initial enhanced allocation to Covid Ward Funds was distributed based on vulnerability to Covid, which took into account ill health and old age indicators, and that this needs to be re-visited given the Council decision on 1 October 2020 and the socio-economic impacts now affecting more communities;
iii.    that a review of the Covid Ward Funds was already planned to adapt to changing circumstances;
iv.    that Ward Members need to identify and agree through Area Committees what proportion of their fund they want to set aside for projects to assist children and adults post Covid, such as contributing to Play Park equipment alongside funding for food and humanitarian assistance so that Ward Managers can administer the fund, with decisions on awards of £10k and over made at Area Committees in keeping with the Scheme of Delegation;
v.    that the Council has a large play estate, with 339 play areas with 2043 individual units of play equipment;
vi.    that the annual budget for play areas is £187,600 and the estimated backlog of repairs and maintenance amounts to £3.436m;
vii.    the options for investing £100k of additional investment and that given the scale of the backlog this investment alone will not make a significant impact on the estate;
viii.    the option to adopt a place-based approach, using local knowledge and community effort and resources alongside Members and staff advice to solve problems together and to identify possibilities for a more sustainable approach to the play estate. There are good practice examples of this approach in Wards already; and
ix.    the option to devolve decisions and resources on play areas to Area Committees.

b.    agree to recommend to the Council meeting in December on the Covid Ward Fund that:-

i.    some level of Covid Ward resource is retained for welfare and humanitarian needs and supporting our joint working with community bodies;
ii.    the enhanced award is equalized up as set out in Appendix 2 costing £240k to be funded from the hardship fund that is currently set aside to reduce the budget gap in 2020/21; and
iii.    increased flexibility in the fund is permitted by raising the maximum award for community groups from £500 to £1500, removing the restrictions on spend per month and any unspent fund can be carried forward into 2021/22.

c.    agree to recommend to the Council meeting in December that Member views on the options for £100k additional investment are gathered initially in Ward/Area meetings, supported by relevant staff, to enable debate at Area Committees and to inform the budget setting process for 2021/22 onwards.

12.    Fleet
Cabhlach

i.    Operational Fleet Compliance, Policies and Procedures
Gèilleadh, Poileasaidhean agus Modhan-obrach a’ Chabhlaich Obrachaidh

There is circulated Report No CP/22/20 dated 16 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note:-

i.    the requirements in section 1 relating to the Operator Licence, that the licence is due for renewal in February 2021 and that the Council’s performance is currently rated externally as compliant;
ii.    the requirement in section 2 relating to the White Fleet; and
iii.    that the refreshed Fleet policies and procedures reflect legislative requirements and are aligned to the Council’s budget.

ii.    Developing the approach to greening the fleet
A’ leasachadh dòigh-obrach gus an cabhlach a dhèanamh nas uaine

There is circulated Report No CP/23/20 dated 12 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    note the national target for local government to decarbonise its light fleet by 2025 and the Council’s target for the region to be carbon neutral by 2025;
ii.    note the estimated 8% reduction in emissions arising from fleet vehicles’ use of petrol, diesel and gas oil from 2012/13 to 2019/20;
iii.    note the progress made to decarbonise travel and fleet to date by:
a.    reducing staff travel (with staff travel and member costs reduced by 36% between 2017/18 and 2019/20);
b.    providing car club vehicles as an alternative to grey fleet use; 
c.    reducing fleet numbers;
d.    reducing leasing costs;
e.    supporting more efficient use of fleet through route optimisation and telematics, driver behaviour monitoring and training;
f.    replacement of vehicles where affordable with fully electric small vans and cars;
g.    training the mechanic workforce to maintain electric vehicles; and
h.    accessing Scottish Government funding for installing charging points and fleet replacement;
iv.    note that links are being made with the feasibility into an Energy from Waste plant including the potential to convert energy generated to hydrogen for Council and other fleet use as part of the development of a hydrogen strategy for the region;
v.    note the current higher costs of procuring Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) even with whole life cycle costing, plus charging infrastructure. While costs may fall as technology improves and take up increases, budget provision and external funding are not yet identified to meet decarbonising targets. However, work is underway to quantify the costs for a phased replacement programme and to identify all potential funding sources to inform future budget setting;
vi.    note progress reports on further phases of work will come to this Committee and be included in the wider reporting to the Climate Change Working Group; and
vii.    agree the phased approach proposed to green the fleet by focusing initially on cars and light commercial vehicles building on progress to date and reducing the overall mileage travelled (with service targets set), rightsizing the fleet and replacing vehicles with ULEV alternatives within affordability.  An action plan is attached at Appendix 2 of the report.  Later phases would focus on heavy goods vehicles and fleet use by contractors and suppliers.

13.    Waste
Sgudal

i.    Waste Projects Update
Fios às ùr mu phròiseactan airson sgudal a ghluasad is a ghlanadh

There is circulated Report No CP/24/20 dated 16 November 2020 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note that:-

i.    the bid preparation and submission stage of the Inverness waste transfer station process will have concluded by the date of this Committee, moving on to the evaluation and recommendation stages thereafter;
ii.    the tender specification for the Aviemore waste transfer station will be released to the market this month;
iii.    discussions to identify the most suitable site in Fort William for the waste transfer station requirement are continuing;
iv.    the next phase of the planned progressive restoration of Seater landfill site will be undertaken during 2020-21;
v.    specifications are being developed for interim, medium-term waste management contract requirements to take to the market during 2021; and
vi.    work continues to ascertain the feasibility of progressing a proposal for an energy-from-waste facility.

ii.    Membership of Waste Strategy Working Group
Membership of Waste Strategy Working Group

The Committee is invited to agree that Mr R MacWilliam replace Mrs L MacDonald on the Waste Strategy Working Group.