Agendas, reports and minutes

Caithness Committee

Date: Wednesday, 9 February 2022

Agenda: Read the Agenda

A meeting of the Caithness Committee will take place remotely on Wednesday 9 February 2022 at 10.00am.
 
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. Minutes                                                                  
Geàrr-chunntas
 
There are circulated for noting Minutes of the Caithness Committee held on 3 November 2021, which were approved by the Council on 10 December 2021.
 
4. Matters Arising – Action Tracker                                                        
Gnothaichean Ag Èirigh – Tracair Ghnìomhan
 
5. Police – Area Performance Summary                                                 
Poileas – Geàrr-chunntas air Coileanadh Sgìreil
 
There is circulated Report No CC/01/22 by the North Area Commander.
 
The Committee is invited to note progress made against the objectives set within the Highland Local Policing Plan 2020-2023 Year 2, attached as Annex A to the report, for the period covering 01 April 2021 - 31 December 2021.
 
6. Wick Associated School Group Overview
Foir-shealladh Buidheann Sgoiltean Co-cheangailte Sgìre Inbhir Ùige
 
There is circulated Report No CC/02/22 by the Executive Chief Officer, Education and Learning.
 
The Committee is invited to scrutinise and note the content of the report.
 
7.HRA Capital Programme 2022/23
Prògram Calpa HRA 2022/23
 
There is circulated Report No CC/03/22 by the Executive Chief Officer, Housing and Property.
 
The Committee is invited to:-
 
I. note the allocation of resources to Caithness Area as set out at 5.7 of the report;
II. note the guideline investment priorities as set out in sections 5.2 and 5.3 of the report.;
III. agree the proposed one-year HRA Capital Programme for Caithness 2022-23 as set out in Appendix 1;
IV. note the position relating to the current year HRA Capital Programme; and
V. note that updates on the HRA Capital Programme will continue to be provided through ward briefings and at future Local Committees as requested by local Members, in addition to reporting to Housing and Property Committee. 
 
8. Area Roads Capital Programme 2022/23
Prògram Calpa Rathaidean Sgìreil 2022/23
 
There is circulated Report No CC/04/22 by the Executive Chief Officer Infrastructure, Environment and Economy.
 
The Committee is invited to approve the proposed prioritised Area Roads Capital Programme for the Caithness Area.
 
9. Place Based Investment Programme 
Prògram Tasgaidh Stèidhichte air Àite – Riarachaidhean Maoineachaidh gam Moladh
 
There is circulated Report No CC/05/22 by the Executive Chief Officer Infrastructure, Environment and Economy.
 
The Committee is invited to:-
 
i. consider the appended PBIP proposals and agree to investing £75,000 in the Sir Georges Park, Thurso (aka The Dammies), infrastructure project, thus reversing the Caithness Committee decision on 12 August 2021 to invest £60,000 of the Council’s Place Based Funds in the project;
ii. agree to investing £89,000 in the Whitechapel Road, Wick, Public Convenience project; and
iii. agree to investing £14,123 in the redesign of the bus stance, Riverside, Wick.
 
10. Reallocation of Highland Council Place Based Investment/Covid Funds
Ath-shònrachadh de Thasgadh Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd A-rèir Àite/Maoin Covid
 
There is circulated Report No CC/06/22 by the Executive Chief Officer, Communities and Place.
 
The Committee is invited:-
 
i to reallocate the £60,000 Ward 2 Highland Council Place Based Funds previously allocated to the Sir Georges Park Project;
ii to reallocate the £15,000 covid funds previously allocated to the Sir Georges Park Project;
iii if agreed at recommendation a), to allocate the £60,000 remaining Place Based Funds from Ward 2 as follows:
o Create a £20,000 grant fund to develop active travel related community projects;
o £30,000 to previously agreed projects highlighted in the Thurso Active Travel Plan with agreed match funding from the Active Travel Capital budget; 
o £10,000 to investigate the creation of a community amenities equipment scheme.
iv if agreed at recommendation b), to allocate the remaining £15,385 Ward 2 Covid Investment Funds to a grant fund to address the 4 harms of covid; 
v to allocate the remaining £6,246 Ward 3 Covid Investment Funds to a grant fund to address the 4 harms of covid.  
 
11. Highland Coastal Communities Fund – Assessment of Applications
Maoin Choimhearsnachdan Cladaich na Gàidhealtach Measadh Iarrtasan 
 
There is circulated Report No CC/07/22 by the Executive Chief Officer Infrastructure, Environment and Economy.
 
The Committee is invited to:-
 
i. agree that the £98,823.71 that was ringfenced for Member-led strategic investments can be made available for the projects under consideration, should they be approved;
ii. consider the applications presented for funding and agree whether to approve, defer or reject the application.  An approval of funding should detail the amount approved and outline any conditions of funding that Members wish to attach to the approval over and above the required technical conditions.  A deferral would allow an applicant to resubmit the current application at a future date with updated information.  A rejection would mean that the application will not proceed and any future application to the fund should be brought forward initially as a new expression of interest; and  
iii. should Members wish to approve both applications, there is a shortfall in funds available through the current allocation of £1,059.14.  Members will therefore need to agree whether to cap one of the grant offers or draw these funds from the new HCCF allocation for 2022/23.