Review of Political Arrangements In Highland
9th March 2008
The Highland Council has agreed to form a working group to review the political arrangements that have been in place since the new council was elected in May, last year. The group of 15 members of the Independent/Scottish National Party Administration will examine:-
~ the strategic committee structure;
~ the Planning Applications and Review Committees, Licensing Committees and Licensing Board, currently set up in each of the three operational areas;
~ the operation of the wards and ward forums; and
~ the potential for technological solutions to secure improved access to
the democratic process for elected members and the public.
The Group will aim to report back to the Council meeting of 26 June 2008.
Council Convener Sandy Park said: "In order to satisfy ourselves that the new arrangements are working well, the time is right to undertake a review of the politically arrangements currently in place."
The Council has seven strategic committees, namely Resources, Housing and Social Work, Education Culture and Sport, Planning Environment and Development, Transport Environmental and Community Services; Audit and Scrutiny and Gaelic.
In recognition of the importance of Inverness as the administrative and transport hub of the Highlands, an Inverness City Committee has been created.
There are three Planning Application and Review Committees and three Licensing Committees/Boards covering Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross; Ross Skye and Lochaber and Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey.
Elected members serve on Ward Forums, which are discussion forums open to the public. Ward members are joined by the ward manager, key partners and agencies, including Community Councils, in discussing matters of local interest.
The Working Group will comprise the following councillors: David Fallows, Donnie Kerr, George Farlow, Alan Torrance, David Bremner, John Rosie, Bill Clark, Donald Cameron, Jimmy MacDonald, Hamish Fraser, Richard Greene, Billy Barclay, Jaci Douglas, Laurie Fraser, Peter Corbett.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Members have considered an update on the Council's medium term financial plan and the impact of the UK and Scottish Governments’ budgets on the coming year’s funding settlement. The position is currently looking more positive than initially planned for, however more detail needs to be worked through.
In November, The Highland Council launched a public statutory consultation to seek views on the proposed introduction of a Visitor Levy scheme across the Highlands. The Council has announced an extension to this consultation period, which will now give businesses, visitors and communities until 31 March 2025, an additional seven weeks, to take part and have their say.
In the light of the financial forecast for 2025-26, Highland Council is inviting you to tell us more in the budget preparation for the coming financial year. The budget engagement builds on extensive budget participation which took place in the winter of 2023-24.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Every year Highland Council invites all tenants to have their say on the rent levels for the following year. The Council encourages everyone that lives in a council house to take this chance to have their say.
Communities and Place Committee met yesterday (Wednesday 27 November 2024) and Members agreed the Highland Local Child Poverty Action Report which includes actions for delivery in 2024/25. Reducing child poverty is a priority for the Council and its partners.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Members of the Highland Council's Community and Place Committee have given their support to an action plan focusing on the operating of public conveniences over the next 10 years. Whilst not a statutory function, the Council is the main provider of public conveniences located throughout Highland, operating 74 sites.
A report published on 27 November 2024 by LGIU (Local Government Information Unit) looks at the state of funding for councils by the Scottish Government. Confidence in the sustainability of council finances is critically low.
At today's (Wednesday 27 November 2024) Communities & Place Committee, Members agreed the most appropriate long-term strategic direction for residual waste management is to continue to utilise a merchant provider solution. Communities & Place Committee Chair, Cllr Graham MacKenzie said: "After careful consideration and analysis it has been agreed that a merchant provider solution is considered the most appropriate long term solution to our statutory waste management obligations, and that an energy-from- waste facility within the Highlands is not considered to be a suitable course of action.
