Agendas, reports and minutes

Communities and Place Committee

Date: Wednesday, 23 February 2022

Agenda: Read the Agenda

A meeting of the Communities and Place Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday, 23 February 2022 at 11.30 am.
 
Please note the later start time of the Committee due to a Members’ Workshop scheduled to take place at 9.30 am, details of which will be provided by the Interim Depute Chief Executive and Executive Chief Officer – Performance and Governance.
 
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 provide some information on the nature of the interest and leave the meeting at the appropriate time.  Advice may be sought from officers prior to the meeting taking place.
 
3. Revenue Budget Monitoring for Quarter 3 of 2021/22
Sgrùdadh Buidseat Teachd-a-steach airson Cairteal 3 de 2021/22
 
There is circulated Report No CP/1/22 dated 4 February 2022 by the Interim Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.
 
The Committee is invited to note:-
 
i.   the Q3 position as shown on Appendices 1 and 2 of the report and that the forecasted outturn position is a pressure of £288k;
ii.  that savings forecasted to be delivered this year amount to £505k against a target of £567k, with £62k at risk of delivery and are factored into the outturn position; and
iii. in addition to the underachievement of income remaining a risk for the Service, a review of various budget headings is taking place to help inform targets and other budgets at a subjective level, all within the overall Service budget target into 22/23.
 
4. Consultation - Review of the Public Sector Equality Duty in Scotland
Co-chomhairle – Ath-sgrùdadh air Dleastanas Co-ionnanachd na Roinne Poblaich ann an Alba
 
There is circulated Report No CP/2/22 dated 2 February 2022 by the Interim Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.
 
The Committee is invited to:-
 
i.  consider the Council’s draft response to the consultation questions; and
ii. agree a final response to be submitted to the Scottish Government.
 
5. Community Food Growing Strategy
Ro-innleachd Fàs Bìdh Coimhearsnachd
 
There is circulated Report No CP/3/22 dated 3 February 2022 by the Interim Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.
 
The Committee is invited to:-
 
i.  agree and adopt Growing our Future – Highland Community Food Growing Strategy; and
ii. note that an annual update on the progress of implementing the Strategy will be presented to the Communities and Place Committee.
 
6. Response to Scottish Government’s Consultation – National Litter and Fly Tipping Strategy
Freagairt do Cho-chomhairle Riaghaltas na h-Alba – Ro-innleachd Nàiseanta Sgudail is Sitigidh Mhì-laghail
 
There is circulated Report No CP/4/22 dated 3 February 2022 by the Interim Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.
 
The Committee is invited to:-
 
i.  note the consultation carried out by the Scottish Government on the National litter and flytipping strategy including the proposed potential actions to tackle litter and flytipping in Scotland; and
ii. agree the response prepared by the officers within the Communities and Place Service as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.
 
7. Community Asset Transfer Requests
Iarrtasan Gluasad So-mhaoin Coimhearsnachd
 
There is circulated Report No CP/5/22 dated 9 February 2022 by the Interim Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place
 
The Committee is invited to agree:-
 
i.  the sale of the Lochcarron Playgroup Cabin for £1,000 to Lochcarron Leisure Centre, subject to the terms of transfer set out in section 2.1 of the report; and
ii. the sale. of Land South West of Neil Gunn Place, Dunbeath for £1, to Dunbeath and District Centre, subject to the terms of transfer set out in section 2.2 of the report.
 
8. Blue Badge Petition
Athchuinge Bhaidseachan Gorma
 
There is circulated Report No CP/6/22 dated 2 February 2022 by the Interim Executive Chief Officer Communities and Place.
 
The Committee is invited to:-
 
i. note:-
   a) the contents of the petition;
   b) that it has been accepted as compliant with Council procedure;
   c) the current volume and full cost recovery for processing Blue B adges
   d) the budget pressure implication of removing the charge for the reapplication of blue badges
ii. consider and advise on the course of action required as a result of this petition and either:-
   a) keep the £20 administration charge for reapplications; or
   b) agree to recommend to the Council meeting on 3 March 2022 that as part of its consideration of the 2022/23 Council Revenue Budget that the charge for Blue Badge reapplications is abolished from 1 April 2022.