Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the City of Inverness Area Committee will take place REMOTELY on Thursday, 26 August 2021 at 10.00am.

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

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. Appointment of the Depute Provost and Leader of Inverness and Area

Nominations will be sought at the meeting for the position of Depute Provost and Depute Leader of Inverness and Area.

4. Annual Report on Inverness Business Improvement District
Aithisg Bhliadhnail mu Sgìre Gnothachais Inbhir Nis

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/22/21 dated 12 August 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place and the Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to:- 

i.    endorse the work detailed in the report; and
ii.    note the presentation provided by Inverness BID representatives and the ongoing development of partnership working.

5. Visit Inverness Loch Ness Annual Report
Roinn Leasachadh Gnothachais Turasachd Inbhir Nis Loch Nis

There is circulated Joint Report No CIA/23/21 dated 12 August 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place and the Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to note the annual report of Visit Inverness Loch Ness.

6. Spaces for People – Update and next steps
Àiteachan do Dhaoine – Roghainnean airson Atharrachaidhean Maireannach

There is circulated Report No. CIA/24/21 dated 9 August 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Infrastructure, Environment and Economy.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    consider the progress in implementing the project and to note the legacy the interventions have provided for transforming the city centre;
ii.    agree to retain the Spaces for People intervention in Academy Street;
iii.    agree to retain the Spaces for People intervention for the Riverside Way and promote a permanent Traffic Regulation Order;
iv.    agree to retain the Spaces for People intervention for the Castle 1-way system and promote a permanent Traffic Regulation Order; and
v.    agree to alter the Spaces for People intervention for Millburn Road.

7. Winter Maintenance Plan 2021/22
Prògram Obair-glèidhidh Geamhraidh airson 2021/22

There is circulated Report No. CIA/25/21 dated 16 August 2021 by the Executive Chief Office Infrastructure, Environment and Economy.

The Committee is invited to approve the Winter Maintenance Plan for the Inverness Area in reference to the Briefing Note at Appendix A of the report. 

8. Inverness Wards Place Based Investment Funds – Proposed Funding Allocations

There is circulated Report No CIA/26/21 dated 26 July 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to consider and agree the proposed allocations of Place Based Investment Funds as follows:

i. Ward 12
a. Investment in Play Parks - £20,000
b. Investment in paths/trails - £30,000
c. Investment in cycle networks - £15,000
d. Community led proposals - £35,000
e. Total = £100,000

ii. Ward 13    
a. Investment in Play Parks - £50,000
b. Investment in residential path improvement - £20,000
c. Investment in secondary school growing projects - £20,000
d. Investment in primary school well-being projects - £10,000
e. Total = £100,000

iii. Ward 15
a. Investment in Befriending Scheme (jointly with Ward 16) - £30,000
b. Castle Heather Park improvements - £22,000
c. MacDonald Park improvements - £20,000
d. Culduthel Woods improvements - £5,000
e. Promotion of environmental awareness in 4 Primary Schools - £8,000
f. Holm Path improvements - £10,000
g. Holm Grown grant support - £5,000
h. Total = £100,000

iv. Ward 16
a. Investment in Play Parks - £55,000
b. Investment in Befriending Scheme (jointly with Ward 15) - £15,000
c. Fitness & Well-being initiative - £30,000
d. Total = £100,000

v. Ward 17
a. Housing Need Assessment – Amount to be confirmed
b. Community Growing projects – Amount to be confirmed 
c. Reports will be brought back to future CIAC

vi. Ward 19
a. Inshes Community Park - £50,000
b. Inverness College UHI ABC Garden Project - £50,000
c. Total = £100,000

The Committee is invited to note the identified priority areas for the following two wards and that reports detailing funding allocation proposals will be brought to a future meeting of this committee:

vii.    Ward 14
a.    Mental health and wellbeing of communities with a specific focus on developing community spaces including play areas.

viii.    Ward 17
a. Housing needs assessment
b. Community growing projects

9.Inverness Common Good Fund: Discretionary scheme for Winter Payments 2021/22
Sgeama Phàighidhean Geamhraidh 2021/22

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/27/21 dated 1 July 2021 by the Interim Head of Revenues & Business Support and the Inverness City Area Manager.

The Committee is invited to agree the following recommendations for the 2021/22 Inverness Winter Payments Discretionary Scheme:- 

i.    accept applications from 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022 inclusive;
ii.    increase the single tier payment for those applicants that satisfy the eligibility criteria for the Scheme for 2021/22 by 12-month (May 2021) Consumer Price Index (2.1%) to £88;
iii.    provide a budget of £200,000 as agreed by members at August 2020 Committee to accommodate the continuing demand arising from Covid-19, ongoing welfare reforms and fluctuations in energy costs;  
iv.    that the criteria utilised for the 2020/21 scheme as set out in paragraphs 8.2 to 8.6 of the report shall be used as the basis for the 2021/22 scheme;
v.    this discretionary scheme is to be made available to residents in the City of Inverness and the Landward areas of the seven City Wards; and
vi.    promote payment by BACS for this discretionary scheme as this is the most secure method of payment for recipients of the payment and the Council alike.

10. Inverness Common Good Fund
Maoin Math Coitcheann Inbhir Nis

a) Victorian Market, Inverness – Action Plan – Update
Cunntas Bliadhnail na Margaidh Bhictòrianaich

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/28/21 dated 28 July 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Infrastructure, Environment and Economy and the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.  

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    consider and note the progress in respect of the work agreed through the Action Plan since the reports presented to Committee on 29 August and 21 November 2019 and 27 August 2020.
ii.    consider and note the progress of the works for the Transformation of the Market Hall and Fish Hall of the Victorian Market.
iii.    note that all practicable steps continue to be taken to maximise third party funding opportunities;
iv.    note that further reports will be made to the City of Inverness Area Committee on progress; and
v.    note that the Victorian Market Stakeholder Group has delivered on the key aims of establishing an Action Plan for the Victorian Market and of developing a significant infrastructure project. 

b) Inverness Common Good Fund Sub-Committee Annual Report 2019/20
Aithisg Bhliadhnail Fo-Chomataidh Maoin Math Coitcheann Inbhir Nis

There is circulated Report No. CIA/29/21 dated 9 July 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note and scrutinise the work of the ICGF Sub-Committee as described within the report.

c) Financial Monitoring
Sgrùdadh Ionmhasail

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/30/21 dated 6 August 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance and the Inverness City Area Manager. 

The Committee is invited to consider the financial monitoring report to 30 June 2021 and note that overall expenditure is within agreed budgets.

d) Capital Projects
Pròiseactan Calpa

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA/31/21 dated 6 August 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Infrastructure, Environment and Economy and Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place. 

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the current status of capital projects. 

e) Grants Applications over £10,000
Iarrtasan Tabhartais thar £10,000

There is circulated Report No. CIA/32/21 dated 10 August 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance. 

In this connection, there is circulated separately a copy of supporting documentation as Booklet A.

The Committee is invited to consider the applications for funding.

11. Recess Powers
Cumhachdan Fosaidh
    
The Committee is asked to note that the Recess Powers granted by the Council at its meeting on 24 June 2021 have not been exercised in relation to the business of this Committee.

12. Membership of Committees, etc
Ballarachd Chomataidhean, msaa

Members are advised of the following vacancies – 

ICGF Sub-Committee – 2 vacancies
Events and Festivals Working Group – 1 vacancy 
Inverness City Arts Working Group – 1 vacancy 
City and Area Recovery Group – 1 vacancy 
Inverness Area Sports Council – 1 vacancy

13. Minutes
Geàrr-chunntas

The following Minutes are circulated for noting or approval as appropriate:-

i.    City of Inverness Area Committee held on 27 May 2021 for noting; 
ii.    Inverness Common Good Fund Sub-Committee held on 9 August 2021 for approval; 
iii.    Victorian Market Stakeholder Management Group held on 29 June 2021 for noting;
iv.    Inverness Events and Festivals Working Group held on 28 June 2021 for approval; and 
v.    City and Area Recovery Group held on 17 May 2021 and 1 July 2021. 

14. 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 for the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

15. Inverness Common Good Fund - Sites and Premises Transaction Report
Aithisg Gnothachais Làraich agus Togalaichean Chunntasan Maoin Math Choitcheann Inbhir Nis

There is circulated to Members only Joint Report No CIA/33/21 dated 30 July 2021 by the Head of Development and Regeneration and the Property Manager (Estates).

The Committee is invited to note the recommendations as detailed in the report.