Committees

A meeting of the City of Inverness Area Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Town House, Inverness on Monday, 9 December 2013 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

Michelle Morris
Depute Chief Executive

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.  Membership of Working Groups and Outside Bodies
Ballrachd Bhuidhnean-obrach is Bhuidhnean air an Taobh A-muigh

The Committee is invited to agree the following changes to membership:-

Inverness Chamber of Commerce – Mr A Christie to replace Mrs C Caddick
Inverness Events and Festivals Working Group – Mr H Wood to replace Mrs C Caddick
Inverness Town Twinning Committee – Mr H Wood to replace Mrs C Caddick

4.  Update on Development Briefs for Regeneration Sites in Inverness
Fios as Ùr mu Bhrathan Leasachaidh airson Làraich Ath-nuadhachaidh ann an Inbhir Nis

There is circulated Report No. CIA-62-13 (3506kb pdf) dated 26 November 2013 by the Director of Planning and Development which sets out the work which will be undertaken to shape future regeneration and renewal in the Muirtown and South Kessock and the Inshes and Raigmore areas of Inverness. It also updates Members on progress with work at Longman Core and East Longman.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  endorse the proposals for future work on development briefs for regeneration
    sites in Inverness;
ii. contribute to the scope and content of the proposed development briefs; and
iii. agree that reports are brought back providing updates on the development
    briefs in line with the timescales set out in in this report.

5.  City Centre Regeneration
Ath-nuadhachadh ann am Meadhan Baile Inbhir Nis 

There is circulated Report No. CIA-63-13 (952kb pdf) dated 29 November 2013 by the Director of Planning and Development which brings Members up to date with regeneration activity within the City Centre and emerging developments arising from the Scottish Cities Alliance and the Scottish Government’s recent published Town Centre Action Plan.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  welcome the regeneration activity within the City Centre and emerging
    developments arising from the Scottish Cities Alliance and the Scottish
    Government’s recent published Town Centre Action Plan; and
ii. agree to engage with Scottish Government on the implementation of the
    actions contained within the Town Centre Action Plan as far as they relate to
    the City of Inverness and Area.

6.  Cycling in a Carbon Clever City
Rothaireachd ann an Cathair-bhaile Càrboin Clis

There is circulated Joint Report No. CIA-64-13 (492kb pdf) dated 27 November 2013 by the Director of Planning and Development, Director of Transport, Environment and Community Services and the Head of Policy and Performance which provides details of the Council’s proposed approach for creating the right conditions for increasing cycling as a viable mode of transport in a Carbon CLEVER city.  It sets out how the Council will consider the role of cycling, and the future priorities for further increasing cycle use, through the Inverness Land Use & Transport Strategy consultation and the Green Transport Strategy.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  recognise the existing projects for improving cycling in the City and the
    potential to use both internal and external funding sources to implement
    these projects;
ii. agree the three recommended priorities for cycling infrastructure at paragraph
    3.1 to be taken forward for feasibility, funding and implementation by officers
    and partner organisations, with progress reports to the City of Inverness Area
    Committee in the future;
iii. in relation to recommendation ii above, to identify sources of area funding
    (e.g. ward discretionary fund and / or common good funding) for the
    remainder required for the electric bicycles scheme estimated to be £8,680
    per annum for two years, with further information reported verbally at the
    meeting;
iv. agree that future cycling issues should be fully considered through the
    consultation for the Inverness Land Use & Transport Strategy for bringing
    further improvements, for example, to link to the Millburn Road Scheme; and 
v. agree to explore the methods for tackling travel behaviour and attitudes to
    encourage more cycling through the Inverness Land Use and
    Transport Strategy.

7.  Inverness and Loch Ness Tourism Business Improvement District
Sgìre Leasachaidh Gnìomhachais Turasachd Inbhir Nis agus Loch Nisd

There is circulated Report No. CIA-65-13 (1231kb pdf) dated 12 November 2013 by the Inverness City Manager which outlines the importance of tourism to Inverness and Loch Ness and describes the proposals to create a Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) to develop tourism in the area.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. endorse the Tourism BID Business Plan; and
ii. agree to recommend to Council that support is given for the creation of the
    Inverness and Loch Ness Tourism Business Improvement District.

8.  Housing Performance Report – 1 April 2013 to 30 September 2013
Aithisg Dèanadais a thaobh Taigheadais – 1 Giblean 2012 gu 30 Sultain 2013

There is circulated Report No. CIA-66-13 (1051kb pdf) dated 22 November 2013 by the Interim Director of Housing and Property which provides information on housing performance indicators for the first half of 2013/2014.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the information provided on housing performance in the period 1 April to 30 September 2013.

9.  River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme (Tidal Section) Phase 1
Amendments to Traffic and Parking Orders
Sgeama Dìon Thuiltean Abhainn Nis (Earrann a’ Mhuir-làin) Ceum 1
Òrdughan Parcaidh agus Trafaig

There is circulated Report No. CIA-67-13 (1143kb pdf) dated 26 November 2013 by the Director of Transport, Environment and Community Services which, following further consultation with the local community, invites Members to approve the publication of draft amendments to Traffic and Parking Orders relating to Huntly Street, the details of which are described in this report.

The Committee is invited to approve the publication of draft amendments to the following Orders which contain the revisions to the previously approved traffic management and parking in Huntly Street as outlined in this report. 

i.  The Highland Council (Inverness Permit Parking) Order 1999 (Various Roads,
    Inverness) Amendment Order 2012
ii. The Highland Regional Council (Inverness – Riverside West) (General Traffic)
    Order 1984 (Balnain Street, Friars Place, Greig Street, Huntly Street,
    Inverness) Amendment Order 2012
iii. The Highland Council (Huntly Street, Inverness) Restricted Parking Zone
    Order 2012

10.  Street Naming - New Development at Milton of Leys, Inverness
Ainmeachadh Sràide – Leasachadh Ùr aig Muileann an Leighis, Inbhir Nis

There is circulated Report No. CIA-68-13 (919kb pdf) dated 26 November 2013 by the Director of Planning and Development which asks Members to homologate a decision by the Community Council, supported by the local Members, to name a street that currently has built units and a primary school taking access from it as ‘Leys Square’ (Ceàrnag an Leighis).

The Committee is invited to homologate the naming of the street at Milton of Leys as ‘Leys Square’.

11.  Inverness Common Good Fund
Maoin Math Coitcheann Inbhir Nis

a) Financial Monitoring

There is circulated Report No. CIA-69-13 (928kb pdf) dated 25 November 2013 by the Inverness City Manager which presents the expenditure monitoring position for the Common Good Fund as of 31 October 2013 and the projected year end position.

The Committee is invited to scrutinise the financial monitoring report.

b) Grant and Capital Projects

There is circulated Report No. CIA-70-13 (991kb pdf) dated 25 November 2013 by the Inverness City Manager which sets out the current summary of funds available for grants and the current status of Capital Projects.

The Committee is invited to note the funds available following Grants Sub-Committee and scrutinise the current status of capital projects.

c) Exclusion of the Public

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 during discussion of Items 11(d), (e) and (f) on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

d) Funding Requests from 2013/14 Budget

There is circulated to Members only Report No. CIA/71/13 dated 25 November 2013 by the Inverness City Manager which details a request for funding.

The Committee is invited to determine the application.

e) Inverness Badenoch and Strathspey Citizens Advice Bureau – Purchase of new premises in Inverness

There is circulated to Members only Report No. CIA/72/13 dated 26 November 2013 by the Corporate Manager which informs Members of proposals by Inverness Badenoch and Strathspey Citizens Advice Bureau to purchase new premises in Inverness.

The Committee is invited to agree the recommendations in the report.

f) Inverness Common Good Account Sites and Premises Transaction Report

There is circulated to Members only Report No. CIA/73/13 dated 28 November 2013 by the Head of Property Partnerships which summarises the property transactions recently approved by the Head of Property Partnerships, under the Highland Council’s Scheme of Delegation, after consultation with local Members as appropriate and in accordance with policy, together with a statement on the current position in respect on Inverness Common Good fund rents and tenant arrears, if any.

The Committee is invited to note the terms of the report as circulated.

12.  Minutes
Geàrr-chunntas

There are circulated Minutes of Meetings as follows:-

i.  City of Inverness Area Committee held on 21 October 2013 for noting;
ii. Inverness City Arts Working Group held on 17 October 2013 (47kb pdf) for approval;
iii. Inverness Partnership held on 1 November 2013 (32kb pdf) for approval; and
iv. Inverness Common Good Fund Grants Sub-Committee held on
18 November 2013 (118kb pdf) for approval.