Highland Council to decide on new committee structure
A new Highland Council committee structure and office bearers will be decided upon at Highland Council’s first full meeting on Thursday May 31.
A motion from the Administration of SNP, Liberal Democrat and Labour Group members – to be moved by the Leader, Drew Hendry and Depute Leader David Alston - proposes the creation of four strategic committees, namely: Finance, Housing and Resources; Planning Environment and Development; Transport Environmental and Community Services and Adult and Children’s Services.
All of these committees will comprise 22 members and will meet 6 times each year.
There will also be a Pensions Committee, comprising 11 members; an Audit and Scrutiny Committee, (22 members; a Community Safety, Public Engagement and Equalities Committee (15 members); and a Gaelic Implementation Group, (11 members) and 3 members of Bord na Gaidhlig (or their nominees). All will meet quarterly.
It is proposed there be an Inverness City Committee, comprising 26 members, meeting 6 times each year and a Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee, comprising 16 members, meeting quarterly, which will pilot specific responsibilities from the outset with a view to paving the way for the following area committees: - Nairn and Badenoch (8 members); Ross and Cromarty (19 members) and Lochaber and Skye (11 members). All would meet quarterly.
The Administration are proposing that the Leaders of the City/Area Committees should be appointed at the first meetings.
Regulatory committees, overseeing planning and licensing issues, will see the continuation of a Planning Review Body of 9 members, meeting six-weekly; as well as a North Planning Application Committee of 17 members and a South Committee of 19 members, both meeting monthly.
A Highland Licensing Committee of 12 members and a Highland Licensing Board of 10 members would meet six times each year.
The Administration will move the appointments of office-bearers, including local Highland Councillor Dave Fallows to become Chairman of Finance, Housing and Resources Committee and Chairman of Pensions Committee.
