Council Administration Unveils Four-Year Action Plan
An ambitious four year action plan was unveiled today (Thursday) by The Highland Council’s Independent and Scottish National Party Administration.
The Programme (PDF 71kb), to be presented to the next meeting of the Council on Thursday 28 June for consideration, sets out the Administration’s plans to create a greener and sustainable Council and increase the prosperity and wellbeing of people living and working in the Highlands. Equality and fairness will be at the centre of the way the Council conducts its business.
Convener Councillor Sandy Park said: “Creating a green clean place for people to live work and play and supporting a culture of enterprise is at the core of our comprehensive Programme.
“We will oppose any proposal for new nuclear power generation in the Highlands and to object to the use of Dounreay or any other site with the Highlands for a national nuclear waste repository. We will actively support a GM-free Highlands.
“We will produce and implement a climate change strategy for the Highalnds, which will reduce our impact on the environment. As well as improving the energy efficiency of our Council housing stock, we will reduce the Council’s energy use by 15% by 2010, saving £3.8 million in energy costs at today’s prices.”
In recognition of climate change, the Convener said the Administration would switch funds set asisde for winter maintenance to drainage and watercourse maintenance and continue to progress flood prevention schemes, where there is a history of flooding. In Invenress, the aim was to complete the South West Relief Channel by 2010, subject to obtaining the statutory consents.
The Administration, he added, would increase the use of renewable energy souces to provide the Council’s energy, including wind turbines, wood chip boilers and solar technology by a minimum of 4,000kw by 2010.
It was also a goal to increase the amount of waste recycled in the Highlands to 40% by 2010 and work towards kerbside recycling across the Highlands. Recycling of waste from council offices would be increased to a minimum of 50% by the end of 2009.
The introduction of a green travel plan for the Highlands, promoting greater use of public transport.
Vice-Convener Councillor Jean Urquhart highlighted the importance of a competitive University for the Highlands and Islands to the future prosperity of the area.
She said: “We will work with the UHI Millennium Institute and HIE to complete the University of the Highlands and Islands Project and secure the development of a high quality campus.
“We will place primary schools at the centre of our communities and will work to secure their long term future by developing community schools with a wide range of activities and services.”
The Council would increrase the number of trainees and apprentices in the Council’s workforce and work with employers, further education colleges and HIE to increase training and apprenticeship opportunities across the Highlands.
Increased English language tuition would be provided to help the intergrations of migrants and their families.
The Administration is committed to accelerating economic development and improving the standard of living in the Highlands. A priority will be to seek the upgrading of the A9, A 96 and A 82 trunk roads and to seek funds for the Inverness Trunk Link Road, crossing the River Ness and Caledonian Canal, for completion by 2015.
It will work with the Scottish Government, the business community, HIE and other partner agencies to develop services and infrastructure that reflects the needs of Highland business and create employment opportunities.
It will work with the Scottish Government on their policy of removing the burden of rates for the smallest businesses and reducing rates for others; continue to decentralise Council jobs, when opportunities arise and seek further dispersal of public sector jobs.
It will support communities in the formation of local trusts to buy land and property of behalf of communities.
Other themes cover improving transport and connectivity; promoting the arts, heritage and culture and Gaelic; supporting children and young people; caring for older people and helping create sustainable communities.
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