Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Communities and Place Committee will take place REMOTELY on Wednesday, 10 November 2021 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

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.

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY ACTION AND INVOLVEMENT
A’ CUR TAIC RI GNÌOMHACHD IS COM-PÀIRTEACHAS COIMHEARSNACHD

3. Presentation from Knoydart Community Council 
Taisbeanadh bho Chomhairle Coimhearsnachd Chnòideirt

A presentation will be undertaken by Stephanie Harris, Chair of Knoydart Community Council. 

4. Increasing community ownership and the role of Community Asset Transfer
A’ meudachadh sealbhadaireachd coimhearsnachd agus dreuchd Gluasad So-mhaoin Coimhearsnachd

There is circulated Report No CP/35/21 dated 15 October 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:- 

(i)    note the challenges identified with the current approach to Community Asset Transfer (CAT) and the rationale for improving our processes outlined at section 5 of the report;
(ii)    agree the broader approach to CAT outlined at 6.3 of the report which includes a more streamlined and proportionate application process dependent upon the nature of the CAT request and to consider requests outwith the scope of the Act; 
(iii)    agree the stronger Expression of Interest phase proposed at 6.4 including the requirement for a Title Investigation prior to submitting a CAT request;
(iv)    agree the revised approach to Economic Development Burdens outlined at 6.5 of the report;
(v)    note the supporting actions outlined at section 7 of the report that are being progressed to further encourage and support groups to take forward asset transfers; and
(vi)    note the transfer recommended for approval at the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee on 9.11.21 and the transfer approved by lease in Thurso by delegated authority, as outlined at section 8 of the report.

5. Community Participation and Involvement Update
Cunntas às Ùr mu Chom-pàirteachas Coimhearsnachd

There is circulated Report No CP/36/21 dated 18 October 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:- 

(i)    consider the update on the work of the Community Support Co-ordinators, and noting the key themes and issues emerging from their work with groups including volunteering capacity, access to funding, assets to deliver local priorities, ongoing covid impacts including financial concerns and mental health and wellbeing impacts;
(ii)    note the initial work of the Community Food Growing Co-ordinator in relation to the support and engagement with community bodies and that the Community Food Growing Strategy will be presented to the next meeting of this Committee; 
(iii)    agree the Council’s Annual Participation Request report to the Scottish Government which is found at Appendix 1 of the report; and
(iv)    note the areas of work under development as outlined in section 9 of the report.

PERFORMANCE & RESOURCES
COILEANADH & GOIREASAN

6. SFRS bi-annual performance report
Aithisg Choileanaidh dà uair sa bhliadhna SFRS

On behalf of the Local Senior Officer for Highland, Derek Wilson, there is circulated the Local Performance Report for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for the period 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021.

The Committee is asked to scrutinise the Local Performance Report for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for the period 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021.

7. Environmental Health Operational Plan to 31 March 2023
Plana Obrach Slàinte Àrainneachd gu Màrt 2023

There is circulated Report No CP/37/21 dated 26 October 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note:- 

(i)    and scrutinise the Environmental Health Operational Plan to 31st March 2023 as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report; 
(ii)    that the recent performance of the team in responding to the challenges of Covid19 including carrying out investigations of almost 1000 clusters & outbreaks; support to food businesses through EU Exit (including carrying out inspection of over 300 local fishing vessels and working with over 40 local exporting companies); and the recovery of statutory duties to over 6000 properties on private water supplies, over 5000 food businesses, and responding to almost 10,000 annual service requests on a wide range of public health, nuisance, licensing, safety, dog control, animal health and incivility issues;
(iii)    the work undertaken on preparing for and implementing new regulatory and operational requirements including: licensing for short-term lets, residential caravan sites and new pet and animal welfare activities, supporting the visitor management plan and new requirements for food labelling;   
(iv)    that the development of the Communiuties an d Performance performance framework will include environmental health functions and be subject to future reports to Members; and
(v)    that the team is preparing annual reports on local environmental health team performance for Area Committees. The first was provided to the Isle of Skye and Raasay Committee and the other areas will be provided in 2022.

8. Revenue Monitoring Report: 2021/22 Quarter 2
Aithisg Sgrùdaidh Teachd-a-steach: Cairteal 2 2021/22

There is circulated Report No CP/38/21 dated 22 October 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note:- 

(i)    the Q2 position as shown on Appendices 1 and 2 of the report and that the forecast out-turn position has improved since Q1, with a pressure of £414k reported;
(ii)    that 14 of 16 savings will be delivered this year amounting to £485k as shown on Appendix 3, with £82k at risk of delivery but factored into the out-turn position;
(iii)    that the greatest risk to the Service budget remains the under achievement of income, with work underway to create a dashboard to improve external income monitoring and interventions and to re-set income targets within the overall Service target and to remove unnecessary internal recharge, focusing next on the waste and street cleaning budgets;
(iv)    that the requirement for a further budget feed for visitor management expenditure was noted at the Tourism Committee and to be sought through the Corporate Resources Committee from within the overall funding agreed by the Council for visitor management;
(v)    that mitigation will continue to enable a balanced budget by year end focusing on income achievement, expenditure controls and full draw down of relevant Covid grants; and
(vi)    that good progress is being made to develop a performance framework for the C&P Service to enable improved scrutiny by Members.

9. Communities & Place Capital Monitoring – Quarter 2 2021/22
Aithisg Sgrùdaidh Calpa: Cairteal 2 2021/22

There is circulated Report No CP/39/21 dated 25 October 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to consider the financial position as at 30 September 2021 and note the estimated year end forecast.

POLICY AND PROJECTS
POILEASAIDH AGUS PRÒISEACTAN

10. Membership of Waste Strategy Working Group     
Ballrachd Buidheann Obrach Ro-innleachd Sgudail

The Committee is invited to agree the following:-

Waste Strategy Working Group – Councillor Jill Tilt to fill the current vacancy for a Scottish Liberal Democrat Group Member. 

11. Waste Projects Update
Cunntas às Ùr mu Phròiseactan Sgudail

There is circulated Report No CP/40/21 dated 22 October 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note:- 

(i)    the Aviemore waste transfer station is progressing towards completion;
(ii)    the construction programme for Inverness waste transfer station is underway;
(iii)    Heads of Terms are awaited for the preferred site upon which to develop the Fort William waste transfer station and the new lease for the existing Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in Fort William; 
(iv)    the positive feedback from Zero Waste Scotland on the stage 2 RIF bid submitted to expand garden waste collections to East Inverness;
(v)    the  Waste Strategy Working Group is to consider the proposed phasing of work to produce the detailed project plan for the Green Energy Hub at the Longman site using the resource agreed at the Council meeting in September 2021, as part of the medium-term financial plan report.    The detailed project plan will provide the evidence for Members to consider how best to proceed; 
(vi)    the procurement of waste transfer and disposal services for residual waste, as a medium-term solution, is progressing with early 2022 targeted for the award of contract to be effective from 2023;
(vii)    further information on the scope and engagement methods of the Scottish Government’s review into the role energy from waste plants play in Scotland’s waste hierarchy, including the need for any new capacity is expected during November 2021.  Opportunities for the Council to engage in that review will be taken.  The review is expected to run between November 2021 and March 2022; and 
(viii)    this report highlights the risks associated with some of the waste transfer projects and in securing a lease for a HWRC that may incur additional cost and the mitigation in place.  There are risks around the development of a green energy hub at the Longman site and as reported to Council in September 2021, the allowance approved by the Council to develop the detailed project plan for the green energy hub does not commit the Council to agreeing this development or the scale of this development on the Longman site, but it provides the route map and information for Members to be able to make decisions with the costs, benefits and risks transparent.

12. Minutes of the Waste Strategy Working Group
Geàrr-chunntas Buidheann Obrach Ro-innleachd Sgudail

There are circulated, for approval, the Minutes of the Waste Strategy Working Group held on 1 September 2021 and 5 November 2021 (to follow).

13. Investment in play parks and developing a play parks strategy
Tasgadh ann am pàircean-cluiche agus a’ leasachadh ro-innleachd phàircean-cluiche

There is circulated Report No CP/41/21 dated 15 October 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to note:- 

(i)    the £415,013 local funds committed by Area Committees in 12 Wards by mid October 2021, supported by local place-based discussions and play parks information. Some of this is required to cover the costs of play bark to enable play parks and play items to remain open;
(ii)    the national principles, guidance and reporting associated with the Scottish Government investment for play parks renewal for the £234k capital allocated to the Council for 2021/22, with scope to carry this forward into 2022/23 and that future phases of funding are yet to be determined;
(iii)    the play park renewal programme will extend for 4 years; 
(iv)    the need to develop wider engagement and evaluation plans to involve children and young people in Wards as well as sharing good practice and annual reporting to Government.  This work needs to be supported and coordinated by a time-limited post with full costs recovered from the award; and
(v)    play parks are within scope of the amenities review being considered by the Redesign Board and that as the play parks strategy develops progress reports will be considered by the Board before being finalised.

And, agree: 

(i)    the Council strategy for play parks is developed through:
a.    the place-based review underway locally. This involves an understanding of the equipment and its condition and the usage of play parks and any potential alternative uses or ownership that may be considered.  This will lead to local plans and investment priorities being agreed locally and within the context of Council budget availability alongside any other external resources. 
b.    a recognition that different areas will have different needs and resources available, so consistency in approach for a Highland strategy is supported by adopting Highland-wide principles for:
    • play areas to be safe;
    • play areas to be inclusive – both in design and use; and
    • play areas to be environmentally and financially sustainable.
c.    the evolving local plans and gathering best practice to identify if any other common themes are emerging that can be developed as additional principles
(ii)    that the Scottish Government’s play park renewal fund is apportioned to Area Committees as set out in option 3 of Appendix 4 of the report, i.e. a blend of play park conditions and the criteria used by Government which is 95% based on the 0-14 year old population and 5% on rurality. 

CONSULTATION RESPONSES
FREAGAIRTEAN CO-CHOMHAIRLE

14. Scottish Parliament Survey of Proposed Licensing Scheme for Short Term Lets
Suirbhidh Pàrlamaid na h-Alba de sgeama cheadachdan a thathar a’ moladh airson aontaidhean màil geàrr-ùine

There is circulated Report No CP/42/21 dated 28 October 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.

The Committee is invited to:- 

(i)    note the update on the proposed licensing scheme; and
(ii)    agree to homologate the survey response which was submitted to meet the Committee’s deadline of 29 October.