Council reviews progress towards the Council Programme "Working Together for the Highlands"
15th May 2015
PROGRESS towards the Council Programme "Working Together for the Highlands" was reviewed by Highland Council at its meeting yesterday as part of a review of the performance framework which monitors performance against the Programme.
Two commitments are marked as being achieved in 2013-14. One of these is that the Council will allow public petitions to be considered to be considered by Council and the relevant strategic committees.
Members were keen to see greater awareness of the public petitions.
Depute Leader, David Alston stated: "Taking part in a petition is one way that a community, individuals or groups can be involved in what the Council does. When a petition is submitted to the Council it can have positive outcomes by creating informed debate which may result in the Council taking further action to address concerns raised in the petition."
Vice Convener Maxine Smith added: "Petitions may be lodged in relation to matters concerning the Council's activities or responsibilities, including where other organisations deliver services on behalf of the Council. Petitions may also relate to matters of concern to the interests and welfare of residents, voluntary organisations or businesses in the Council area."
Petitioners may wish to consider raising their issue using other forums before a petition is submitted, including:
raising the issue with the local Community Council
raising the issue with the appropriate local councillor(s), Member of Parliament or MSP
pursuing a complaint through the Council's complaints process
Another commitment achieved included encouraging the use of the Cashback for Communities fund for local initiatives.
Cllr Alston went on to say: "Both the Cashback for Communities Fund and the Public Petitions facility allow our communities to get involved in decision making in their own areas and all members are keen to encourage greater involvement of the public."
Information about petitions can be found on the council website:
http://www.highland.gov.uk/downloads/file/6368/procedure_for_consideration_of_public_petitions
Related Businesses
Related Articles
As intimated in Highland Council's budget plan, a new senior management structure is to be implemented following approval by Council 14th March. It reconfigures the senior management team into two layers, rather than three and brings Highland Council into line with other benchmarked authorities.
Today, Morrison Construction introduced some of their local apprentices who are working on the UK Governments' Levelling Up Funded refurbishment project at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness. All these apprentices have been recruited from the Highland area.
The by-election to elect a councillor to represent Ward 19 - Inverness South on The Highland Council has been won by Duncan Cameron McDonald - Independent who was one of the eight candidates who contested the vacancy. Voters in the ward went to the poll yesterday (Thursday 11 April) and the by-election count was held this morning in The Highland Council Headquarters in Inverness.
The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate. The Technology Placement Programme offers funding to businesses in the Highland Council area to cover up to 70% of the cost of employing a student or graduate.
Following the success of its Business Digital Grant scheme launched last year, The Highland Council is delighted to announce further funding. This is to help Highland companies access digital support alongside other business growth support.
The Highland Council is delighted to confirm a highly successful second year for Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen. The period from April 2023 to March 2024 has seen a substantial increase in passenger numbers, with several months seeing over 1,000 passengers using the service, and overall the service has seen year on year growth of 25%.
Members of Highland Council, who met on Thursday 14 March 2024, approved a corporate Digital Ambition, which has been designed to deliver significant organisational change across Council services, recognising the current priorities within the organisation. The Strategy, which is embedded within the wider Council Delivery Plan, has been developed to focus attention and resources on areas of change which will deliver the greatest benefit to the Council.
The Council remains committed to supporting mentoring in our schools, including the support that is currently delivered through the MCR Pathways programme. Highland Council is currently undertaking a review of Employability Support provided by a number of different council services and how these relate to the work carried out by external partners and in our schools.
Highland Council members have considered and agreed a revised draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan. The partnership plan has been reviewed and updated by the Community Planning Partnership.
Members at today's (14 March 2024) meeting of The Highland Council agreed the local authority's new draft Community Wealth Building Strategy. They were also asked to note that a period of public engagement on the draft will now begin, with a final strategy returning to full Council for consideration in September.
