simon

Please see message from SSE:

We recently opened our Highland Sustainable Development Fund for applications. 

The closing date for applications is Noon on Wednesday 19 January 2022 and applications should be submitted to my e-mail address ([email protected]).  Awards will be made in the Spring of 2022, and if any group you are working with might be keen to discuss an application with us, we would be happy to arrange that with them.  

I have included the application form and guidance information and there is more information regarding our funds on our website (https://www.sserenewables.com/communities/sustainable-development-fund/).  This round of the fund, which is worth £1 million, has a focus on supporting the net zero ambitions of the region.  There is a minimum application value of £30k, and the fund is to be used to provide support for strategic projects in the Highland region.  Any successful application must meet one or more of the following outcomes: 

• Creating opportunities:  Create opportunities for education and employment through activities that develop skills and improve an individual’s chance of entering the workplace.
• Empowering communities: Empower communities to become more resilient through measures which demonstrate long-term social, environmental or economic improvements. 
• Sustainable places: Stimulate meaningful regeneration to improve or enhance local infrastructure, landscape, biodiversity or heritage and make a lasting difference to the places we live, work and visit.

Any Community Council that would like to discuss the fund direct with us, please don’t hesitate to send them my details (I’ve included them below for ease!).

Thanks,

Marianne

We had a meeting with SSE and their contractor this morning and have made them aware of all of the issues that require to be addressed particularly in regard to Traffic Management for the job. A further meeting is planned for Friday and potentially also at some point next week and we will update you on the proposals at a future date.

Proposed cable installation work will be commencing on Monday 22^nd Nov on Dores Rd in the vicinity of the electricity sub-station. This will not impact on the SDR or Torbreck Rd.

As requested The Contractor will be installing a temporary 20mph speed limit and signage on the Torbreck Rd.

John Taylor (Roads and Transport)

The Committee wants to hear from you to understand what you think are the barriers discouraging a more diverse range of people from becoming councillors.

The 2022 Scottish local elections are due to be held on Thursday 5 May.

The Improvement Service undertook a survey of current councillors and found that of those who responded—

•           67% were aged 50 or above;

•           65.7% were male;

•           98% were white.

Ahead of next year’s elections, the Committee will be hearing from people at its meeting on 23 November to understand why there are not more younger people, more women and more people of colour becoming councillors or remaining as councillors.

The Committee is only holding one session on this issue at the moment, but it is something that the Committee may return to later in the session.

The Committee wants to hear from you to help the Committee decide what issues it should be focussing on at the meeting on 23 November.

The Committee is doing a questionnaire, so you can give us your views. The questionnaire can be accessed via the link below.

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/17XSYO/

We would be really grateful if you could share this questionnaire with other people who you think would be interested or let us know people you think we should be contacting.

Please could you send your responses to the questionnaire by 15 November.

Responses which are sent after this may not be looked at by the Committee.

Kind regards,

Sameerah

Sameerah Ali

Committee Assistant

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

The Scottish Parliament

Tel: 0131 348 5882

[email protected]