Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Gaelic Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday, 30 March 2023 at 10.30 am. 

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 Legal and Governance

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Declarations of Interest

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. Good News

4. Presentation – Astar Media

Mr Murdo MacSween, Managing Director at Astar Media short presentation on the Highland Council's participation and success in FilmG 15. 22 Highland Council schools participated in the competition with other pupils, ex-pupils, adults and students in the Highlands also submitting films independently.

The Committee is invited to note the position.

5. Performance Against Gaelic Language Plan 3 (GLP3)

There is circulated Report No. G/1/23 dated 13 March 2023 by the Interim Chief Executive and Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance.

The Committee is invited to consider and note the report.

6. Gaelic Language Plan 4 Progress Report - Consultation and Engagement Plan

There is circulated Report No. G/2/23 dated 17 February 2023 by the Interim Chief Executive and Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance.

Mr MacSween will also present information about the consultation process and planning for draft GLP4, including an update on the Drop-in-Session which was held in Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis on 29 March 2023 and a look ahead to the events planned in mid-April.

The Committee is invited to consider and note the report.

7. Blas Festival 2022
 
There is circulated Report No. G/3/23 dated 1 March 2023 by the Interim Chief Executive and Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  discuss and note the report; and
ii. note statistics and audience numbers.

8. Gaelic Medium Education and Gaelic Learner Education 

There is circulated Report No. G/4/23 dated 28 February 2023 by the Interim Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.   consider the report and note the revised draft Strategic Priorities for     Gaelic Education for The Highland Council’s fourth Gaelic Language Plan;
ii.  note the areas of current and future development to support Gaelic teacher recruitment and sustainability; and
iii. consider the current position on the Applecross Gaelic Medium Primary Education request.

9. Provision of 3-18 Gaelic Medium Education - Inverness

There is circulated Report No. G/5/23 dated 17 March 2023 by the Interim Chief Executive and Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance.

The Committee is invited to consider the approach and timescales to developing a 3-18 Gaelic Medium for Inverness.

10. Gaelic Specific Grant - 2023/24

There is circulated Report No. G/6/23 dated 14 March 2023 by the Interim Chief Executive and Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.   consider the 3 projects outlined in the Gaelic Specific Grant bid;
ii.  note the ambitious programme of work that the grant will help to support and that these may need to be adjusted should the full amount not be secured; and
iii. note the application is still under consideration by the Scottish Government with a decision expected by the end of April.

11. Gaelic and Scots and Scottish Languages Bill – Consultation Response

There is circulated Report No. G/7/23 dated 13 March 20023 by the Interim Chief Executive and Executive Chief Officer Performance and Governance.

The Committee is invited to homologate the response.