Programme of the Highland Council 2009-2011
Strengthening the Highlands
The Programme of the Highland
Council
2009-2011
1. Making the Highlands one of Europe’s leading regions
2. Creating sustainable communities with more balanced population growth and economic development across the Highlands
3. Building a fairer and healthier Highlands
1. What we will do for Children and Families
1. We will work with the Scottish Government to develop an ambitious 10 year capital programme to provide modern schools for Highland’s children and we will ensure the completion, on time, of the current 5 year programme of three new and five refurbished schools.
2. We will achieve full implementation of the Scottish Government’s policy of “Getting it Right for Every Child” which will ensure that all children get the help they need when they need it, by 2009
3. We will be better corporate parents of Highland’s “looked after” children and, by working with our partners, we will help them to reach their full potential as they move into adulthood, by improving their educational outcomes, reducing reliance on out of authority placements and supporting them as they move into appropriate accommodation and into further or higher education, training or employment.
4. We will provide better support for foster carers, including kinship carers, by investing an additional £420,000 over two years from 2009-10.
5. We will deliver and support a sustainable network of quality wraparound childcare and educational services for young children and their families by 2011.
6. We will continue to raise levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy for pupils in pre-school, primary and secondary provision and maintain high levels of achievement in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and achieve the outcomes in a Curriculum for Excellence.
7. We will increase the number of young people leaving school moving into education, training or employment to 87% by end March 2009 and we will, with our partners, review the target for 2011.
8. 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 extending beyond the traditional school day.
9. We will continue to develop Gaelic medium education in pre-school and primary schools as well as expanding Gaelic medium education in the secondary sector.
10. We will continue to provide opportunities to enjoy the arts, sport and cultural experiences including through the Highland 2007 Legacy Fund.
11. We will give a high priority to Highland’s children being healthy and active and implement the Highland Play Strategy.
12. We will support civic engagement of Highland’s young people through pupil councils, the post of youth convener, developing Youth Voice and representation in the Scottish Youth Parliament and working with Community Councils to lower the voting and candidate age to 16 years for Community Council elections.
13. We will ensure a youth worker is active in every Associated School Group area and that a review is completed on leisure, recreation and development opportunities available to young people.
14. We will roll out a single smart card to all young people by 2011, giving access to leisure, libraries, arts and culture activities, youth information and school meals.
15. We will achieve Eco School status for all Highland Schools by 2011.
16. We will focus on safe school transport, encouraging more healthy and environmental options such as “walk to school” pathways, safety support and safe cycle tracks.
17. We will work with partners to improve road safety for children and young people and to reduce child fatalities and serious injuries from road traffic accidents.
We will also represent the interests of the Highlands by working with partners, including the UK and Scottish Governments, to promote services for children and families:
1. We will work with the Scottish Government and Higher Education institutions to address the issue of supply of Gaelic medium teachers and seek funding for 2 new Gaelic Medium Primary Schools.
2. We will work with the Scottish Government to improve road safety, including the use of more mandatory 20mph limits.
3. We will work with the UK and Scottish Governments to maintain the principle of providing accessible, affordable childcare to all.
2. What we will do for Communities and Older People
1. We will build and run 5 new care homes for older people
2. We will work with partners and all levels of Government to alleviate poverty by increasing benefit uptake, advising more people how to maximise their income through advice on welfare rights and benefits, encouraging use of free or concessionary priced services, and providing specialist money advice. We will commit a further £100k to promote benefit uptake across the Highlands from 2009-10.
3. We will ensure continued provision of free personal care and will work with the Scottish Government to secure sufficient resources into the future.
4. We will secure an increase of 600 houses suitable for older people and people with disabilities.
5. We will increase the number of older people (and others in care) who can be supported in their own homes by providing an additional £1m in each year from 2008-9 to 2010-11 and by investing £4.7m annually in aids, adaptations and telecare.
6. We will work with NHS Highland and other stakeholders (users, carers and voluntary organisations) to produce an integrated community care plan for: older people; people with physical and learning difficulties; people with complex needs; those with substance misuse, the health of homeless people and people with mental health difficulties. We will support them to live in their own homes and communities for as long as possible and ensure that both service users and carers can exercise more choice and control.
7. We will work with the Scottish Govt and our partners, especially NHS Highland, to meet their health and care needs of our population and reduce inequalities in health. This will include reducing alcohol and drug misuse, smoking cessation, reducing obesity and tackling poverty.
8. We will improve Council houses by investing £20m to improve energy efficiency in 3000 houses and £7m to replace 1000 kitchens and 500 bathrooms over the next 3 years from 2008-9. We will set out a plan to ensure that all Council owned houses meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard
9. We will develop an up-dated homelessness strategy in 2008 to set out how we will work with partners and the Scottish Government to prevent and reduce homelessness and provide responsive services to homeless people.
10. We will work with partners, especially the Police and the Scottish Government, to improve community safety by working to reduce: crime and fear of crime; anti-social behaviour; alcohol and drug related crime; reconviction rates; and violence against women and hate crimes. We will work also to improve levels of safe driving.
11. We will deliver the Highland Archive Strategy which will see a state of the art Archive, Family History and Registrars Centre by 2009 as the hub of a network of local archive facilities, by working with partners where appropriate.
12. We will develop and encourage use of the Council owned Highland Museum and Art Gallery in Inverness, the Highland Folk Museum, and support a range of community run museums across the Highlands with advice, training and grant aid
13. We endorse the ‘Year of Homecoming’ in 2009 and will develop a Highland strategy to ensure we play a major role in the celebrations.
14. With our partners we will develop an Events and Festivals Strategy and will continue to support a range of initiatives such as Am Baile, the Feis Movement, the Blas Festival and the Royal National Mod.
15. With our partners we will provide opportunities for Life Long Learning.
16. We will implement the Gaelic Language Plan and will review it annually. We commit ourselves to the principle of equal respect for Gaelic and English languages and we recognise the diversity of indigenous language and dialects within the Highlands.
17. We will support the development of sporting activities.
18. We will develop a compact with the third sector (voluntary, charity and community organisations and social enterprises) in the Highlands setting out how we will support the sector and work together.
19. We will agree a new Scheme for Community Councils by 2010 and continue to provide financial and practical support to them.
20. We will use the national standards of community engagement
We will also represent the interests of the Highlands by working with partners, including the UK and Scottish Governments, to promote services for communities and older people:
1. As a member of the Hydro Carbon Fuels Working Group we will work with our local authority partners to campaign for fair and equitable fuel prices across the Highlands and Islands, and promote alternative renewable fuels to replace hydrocarbon based fuels.
2. We will seek the support of the Scottish Government for the removal of the remaining discount on Council Tax for Second Homes
3. What we will do for the Economy
1. We will work with the Scottish Government, the business community, HIE and the third sector to promote business growth including more local businesses and social enterprises through the establishment of business gateway by 2009 and other Council support.
2. We will work with the Scottish Government, HIE and the private sector to promote national key sectors namely: energy, food and drink, life sciences, financial services, tourism and creative industries through engagement in strategy development and a range of initiatives.
3. We will work with the Scottish Government, local partners and the private sector to enable 6,000 new houses, with appropriate amenities to be built in the Highlands between 2007-8 and 2010-11, with 2,000 of these affordable houses for rent and low cost home ownership of which 600 will be for older people and people with disabilities.
4. We will work with the Scottish Government to explore new funding models for building and securing additional Council Houses to help to address the high demand in many parts of the Highlands
5. We will develop Highland tourism – our most significant industry - in partnership with the business sector, VisitScotland, EventScotland and HIE. We will focus on opportunities such as Gaelic, green tourism, events and activities. We will improve the Council’s own services for visitors.
6. We will recognise and support the importance of the Cairngorm National Park to the Highland economy.
7. We will work with HIE, Scottish Development International and statutory infrastructure providers to make the Highlands one of the most attractive places to do business in Scotland.
8. We will work with the Scottish Govt, HIE and the private sector to support the provision and use of high speed broadband services for our businesses and communities.9. We will prepare a new Highland Development Plan and a Coastal Development Strategy by 2009, and will prepare 3 Aquaculture Framework Plans by 2011, which will enhance the conditions for balanced and sustainable economic growth for Highland communities.
10. We will prepare 3 new Local Development Plans which will provide detailed planning guidance and will ensure full community participation in their preparation.
11. We recognise the world class skills of the workforce at Dounreay and will work in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency and the Scottish and UK Governments to safeguard and enhance the social
and economic environments of Caithness & North Sutherland during the Dounreay decommissioning.
12. We will pursue initiatives to support the procurement of local products and services by the Council and others.
13. We will support communities in the formation of local trust groups to buy, manage or have a stake in land, property or other assets on behalf of their community
14. We will work with the Scottish and UK Governments and partners to prevent and reduce poverty by supporting more people into sustained employment.
15. We will work with employers, further education colleges and HIE to increase the training and apprenticeship opportunities across the Highlands, with a 33% increase in the number employed by the Council by 2010-11 (a rise to 200).
16. We will continue to decentralise Council jobs throughout the Highlands and will work with partners to identify opportunities for further dispersal of public sector jobs.
17. We will work with the UHI and HIE to support the award of full University Title to include research degree awarding powers and ensure the development of its academic research capability as the basis of economic development. We will support the development of a new, high quality Inverness campus as an essential part of the UHI network.
18. We will work with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig – Scotland’s Gaelic College – to develop partnership projects which will support the Council’s objectives for Gaelic
19. We will continue implementation of the Council’s Memorandum of Understanding with Nova Scotia to ensure collaboration on a range of mutually beneficial language and cultural projects
20. We will invest £54 million over the next three years to maintain the quality of our road network and carry out improvements to our lifeline roads and bridges.
21. We will work with the bus operators to enhance, develop and promote the bus network in both rural and urban areas, improving the quality, frequency and accessibility of buses.
22. We will promote the development of an integrated transport network.
23. By 2009, we will implement an agreed £6m programme of traffic management and streetscape improvement measures in Inverness City Centre and will consider other arrangements which will reduce traffic congestion and improve the quality of the environment.
24. We recognise the multi-cultural society we live in and welcome migrants and their families settling in our communities and will increase English Language tuition to assist their integration.
25. We will work through the Highlands and Islands European Partnership and the Scottish and UK Governments to secure the maximum benefit for the Highlands from the European funding programmes for the region and play a full part in key European organisations.
We will also represent the interests of the Highlands by working with partners, including the UK and Scottish Governments, to develop our economy:
1. We will work with the Scottish Government, Transport Scotland and HITRANS to improve road safety and journey times on the trunk road network serving the Highlands, in particular by upgrading the A9, A96 and A82 to provide economic benefits and sustainability.
2. We will work with the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to have the Inverness Trunk Link Road included in the trunk road programme, with the objective of completing the Eastern Section by 2012/13, to provide access to the UHI Inverness campus site, and the River and Canal crossing by 2015
3. We will work with Highlands and Islands Airports, HITRANS, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to attract new and enhanced air services into the Highlands at all airports and will continue to work to safeguard Inverness to Gatwick flights, campaign to reinstate the Inverness to Heathrow flights and to develop Wick airport.
4. We will work with partners to improve local, national and freight rail services including shorter journey times.
5. We will continue to engage with Scottish Water and others to ensure that lack of infrastructure does not hold up housing and other developments
6. We will press for the Scottish and Westminster governments to write off, or give financial support, to ease the very high levels of Housing Debt affecting the Council and its tenants.
7. We will monitor any further temporary closures of Post Offices in the Highlands and contest any further reduction in the network to 2011.
8. We will continue to seek a strategic shift in the ownership of marine resources by working with the Scottish Government and pressing the UK Government to conduct a full review of the Crown Estates.
4. What we will do for our Environment
1. We will produce and implement a climate change strategy for the Highlands which will reduce our impact on the environment and adapt our services to cope with the impact of climate change
2. We will continue to work with the Scottish Government, UK and EU partners to promote and enhance forestry, farming, fishing and crofting in the Highlands. We will ensure their continued importance in supporting sustainable rural communities - and coastal communities who depend on the marine environment - and we will support projects which seek to enhance the value of primary products from the Highlands, notably the local food sector.
3. We wish to see by 2010, a total of 1280 megawatts installed capacity in suitable locations in Highland with improved capacity of grid connections and as part of the implementation of the Council’s Renewable Energy Strategy, support the potential for marine energy in the Pentland Firth.
4. We will increase the number of communities assisted by the Council and partners to secure community benefit from renewable energy developments and work with them to promote greater community control and ownership of renewable energy projects.
5. We will use the Council’s sustainable design guidance and publish measurable commitments on energy saving by promoting higher standards of thermal and solar efficiency for new buildings.
6. We will ensure that all of our building projects, for both new and refurbished facilities, will comply with best practice in sustainability such that the Council is seen as an exemplar organisation in the field of sustainable design and facilities management.
7. As well as improving the energy efficiency of our Council housing stock, we will reduce the Council’s energy use and carbon emissions by 15% by 2010-11from our buildings, from a baseline of 2005, reducing or avoiding energy costs
8. We will increase the use of renewable microgeneration technology sources to provide energy in the Council estate, with appropriate integration of Wind Turbines, Biomass fuel boilers, combined heat and power (CHP) and solar energy, increasing the overall rating from 1800kW in 2008 to a minimum of 4000kW in 2010.
9. We will build the Inverness South West Flood Relief Channel with construction works starting in 2009/10, subject to obtaining the statutory consents.
10. We will allocate resources appropriately between winter maintenance to drainage and watercourse maintenance, and local small scale flood prevention schemes, in recognition of the effects of climate change.
11. We will prepare a green travel plan for the Council by 2008, and work with the Scottish Government to encourage and promote green travel plans for our public sector partners, and all businesses and developments across the Highlands.
12. We will develop sustainable options for waste treatment within the Highlands and put measures in place to reduce the amount of residual waste disposed of in landfill outside the Highlands by 26,500 tonnes by 2013.
13. We will increase the amount of waste recycled in the Highlands to 40% by 2010, and put measures in place to reach 50% recycling by 2013.
14. We will limit the amount of biodegradable waste going to landfill.
15. We will reduce paper use in our offices and recycle 50% by the end of 2009.
16. We will give a high priority to community works, ensuring our communities are well looked after through grounds maintenance, litter picking, street cleaning, education and awareness and by the use of enforcement measures.
17. We will work with our Local Access Forums to draw up and implement a system of Core Path Plans for the Highlands.
18. We will develop a policy for supporting allotments where there is demand.
19. The Council will work with the Highland Biodiversity Partnership and Local Biodiversity Groups to promote and enhance biodiversity within the Highlands and to implement the Scottish Government’s strategy for biodiversity.
We will also represent the interests of the Highlands by working with partners, including the UK and Scottish Governments, to protect and enhance our environment:
1. We will oppose any proposal for new nuclear power generation in the Highland area. We will continue to support the above ground storage of intermediate level waste from Dounreay until a Scottish waste strategy is agreed and implemented and object to the use of Dounreay or any other site within the Highlands for a national nuclear waste repository.
2. We actively support a GM-free Highland.
3. We will work with COSLA and the Scottish Government to promote legislation to simplify the process of securing Flood Prevention Orders and will continue to progress Flood Prevention Orders for areas where there is a history of major flooding affecting residential properties.
4. Highland Council will work for a review of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 with a view to improving the legislation.
5. We will continue to work with the Scottish and UK governments to seek effective control and monitoring of the movement of hazardous cargoes in the Minches and the Pentland Firth.
5. What we will do to make Highland Council more effective and efficient
1. We will continue to pursue best value for our residents and service users, seeking efficiencies in the way we work and continuously review the Council’s spending programmes. We will modernise our services to achieve an annual 2% efficiency savings target.
2. We commit the Council to the principle of appropriate additional decentralisation of political decision-making within the Council.
3. We will continuously review our performance to improve the way in which Council services are designed and delivered. We will do this by measuring our progress, reporting on it publicly and listening to our customers and communities.
4. We will fulfil all of the Councils duties to promote equalities and to tackle discrimination and disadvantage - as an employer, in providing public services, in community leadership and partnership working.
5. We will make Council decision-making more accessible by web casting Council meetings and by other means.
6. We will make it easier and more convenient to contact the Council (through telephone, internet and other technology) including the extension of opening hours for telephone contact.
7. We will continue to develop Ward Forums for every council ward which will enable the public and community representatives to be informed of and to scrutinise Council activities and service delivery, including community planning.
8. We will develop our Asset Management Plan to ensure that the Council owns or occupies only the appropriate number of buildings and that these are fit for purpose.
9. We will value and consult with staff and trades unions through joint consultative committees between the Council and trades unions.
10. We will work with the trades unions to deliver modernised working conditions and a single status workforce by 2008.
11. We will agree an annual training and development programme for elected members by December 2008 and introduce role descriptions and performance development plans for councillors.
12. We will review the Council’s programme and report progress against it each year.