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Community Resilience Briefing 29-07-22

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Key-stakeholders-update-22-July-2022.docxDownload

Dear Community Resilience Group/Community Council/Colleagues,

Welcome to The Highland Council’s fortnightly briefing for groups with an interest in local community resilience. 

Covid related information  

Funding  

SCVO is a key source of funding information for the third sector https://scvo.scot/funding. Funds that may be of interest include: 

Let’s Do Net Zero Community Buildings Fund
New funding is now available from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES). The fund aims to support community organisations to reduce their building energy costs and carbon emissions.

The Let’s Do Net Zero Community Buildings Fund is open now and is planned to run until the end of March 2025, subject to funding availability.

Funding is available for many types of community building, including:

  • community cafes
  • community hubs
  • faith buildings
  • public halls
  • community halls and centres.

Grant funding is available for up to 80% of eligible costs up to a maximum of £80,000. 
Find out more.

Welfare, poverty reduction and resilience

  • WhatsApp Scam Messages – attached is a message from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau with a warning about an increase in a scam where victims are contacted by criminals impersonating someone they know. This scam has already resulted in over £1.5m reported losses. 
  • Ofgem’s RIIO-ED2 Draft Determination – Attached is an email from SSEN encouraging stakeholders to take part in the consultation Ofgem are running on the Draft Determination until August 25. The Draft Determination lays out what funding will be available for gas and electricity companies to make improvements to their services for customers.
  • CyberScotland Monthly Update – Attached is CyberScotlands latest news which includes information on staying in control of personal data and third sector cyber resilience.
  • CyberScotland Bulletin July – Rounds up any cyber security information from the last month. Topics include a new briefing pack for cyber resilience, holiday cyber-attacks, and sharing the free copy of the little book of big scams.

Mental Health and Wellbeing  

Emergency Planning 

SSE Transmission Aberarder Wind Farm Connection Project

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I am writing to provide an update on the SSEN Transmission Aberarder Wind Farm Connection project.

Our application under Section 37 of the Electricity Act 1989, to install and keep installed 5.25km of 132kV overhead line between Aberarder Estate and Dunmaglass Estate located within the planning authority area of The Highland Council has now been determined and we welcome the decision by Scottish Ministers to approve our application.

As a responsible developer, we will continue to engage with the local community before, during and after construction.

Kind regards

Louise

Louise Anderson | Lead Community Liaison Manager 

SSEN Transmission

200 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 3AQ

T: 01738 341975 | M: 07384 454233 | E: [email protected]

ssen-transmission.co.uk

Keeping Scotland Hydrated

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Keeping Scotland hydrated in the heat – July 2022

As you will all be aware, many parts of Scotland are expected to see record high temperatures during the course of tomorrow, following on from very warm weather today and in recent days.

Scottish Water teams have been preparing and are working hard across the country to support customers and communities that are affected by the hot weather. As ever, if there is a service issue affecting customers, Scottish Water can be contacted 24/7 via any of the details at www.scottishwater.co.uk/help-and-resources/contact-us/contacting-us.  If there are issues that you need to raise on behalf of the communities you represent, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team and we will do all we can to assist.

Stay hydrated and stay safe

Our primary focus today and tomorrow is on alerting customers in areas that are experiencing very hot weather to the importance of hydration in staying safe.

Our Your Water Your Life campaign, supported by our growing network of Top up Taps across the country, encourages people to enjoy Scotland’s drinking water – including by carrying a refillable water bottle when they are out and about.


Whether topping up at home, at work, at a local business or from a Top up Tap, we know that having access to drinking water is especially important in these conditions. Staying hydrated is essential – and using a refillable water bottle also saves money and helps the environment.

How you can help

Reducing unnecessary water use

We’re urging people across the country to help maintain normal water supplies by reducing unnecessary water use, especially outdoors.

Even before the current hot weather arrived, over the second weekend in July customers used an additional 200 million litres in their homes and gardens – the equivalent of 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools more than normal.

Everyone can help take care of drinking water for its most important purpose and protect the environment by:

  • Using a watering can or water butt instead of a garden hose / sprinkler – hoses can use 1000 litres per hour (equivalent of 12 baths)
  • Watering plants early in the morning or later in the evening – and avoiding watering lawns which recover quickly from dry weather
  • Using a bucket and sponge rather than a hose / jet washer to wash the car
  • Avoiding filling up large paddling pools which can take thousands of litres – as well as re-using any water in them where you can

How you can help

Respect our reservoirs – and know the risks

Alongside our emergency services and other partners, we know that these conditions significantly increase the risk of serious water safety incidents around our coasts and inland – including at many of the reservoirs that we look after.

In the hottest weather, the hazards of deep, cold water are easily underestimated – but even the strongest swimmers can be affected by cold water shock.  There is a lot of research showing that we are all prone to thinking that it won’t happen to us, but tragically it does happen. We work all year round with Water Safety Scotland and a wide range of organisations to raise awareness; as well as with our long term partners Scottish Swimming to making young people aware of the risks and give them basic survival skills.

How you can help

You are receiving this message because we have you listed as a contact for a Community Council in the north of Scotland.  Apologies for any inconvenience if this is not correct – please let us know and we will update our records.

Kind regards,

Gavin Steel

Corporate Affairs Manager (North)

Phone: 07484 517674

Community Resilience Briefing 15-7-22

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Welcome to The Highland Council’s fortnightly briefing for groups with an interest in local community resilience. 

Covid related information  

Funding 

SCVO is a key source of funding information for the third sector https://scvo.scot/funding. Funds that may be of interest include: 

Welfare, Poverty Reduction, and Resilience 

  • Linked Fire Alarms – Highlands Low-Income Home-Owners Assistance Scheme 
    Low income home-owners, those who have disabilities and pensioners may be able to get help to supply and install interlinked fire alarms in their homes.  In addition, some families on low incomes who have children with disabilities may be able to get this help too.  
  • Lochaber Hospital – The Scottish Government has approved the initial agreement for the construction of a new hospital in Lochaber. Additional information is available in the attachment to this email.
  • Summer and Beyond 2022 – See the attachment from Care and Learning Alliance and Early Years Scotland for information regarding online sessions for tips and ideas for a low/no cost summer of play. 
  • Free period products consultation 
    The Highland Council is carrying out a consultation to understand the views of people needing to access free period products in Highland in line with the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021. We seek to understand what sort of products people may be interested in being available locally and where these should be located.
  • SSEN – Networking for Net Zero – See attached document for project updates from SSEN as they progress towards net zero in the north of Scotland. Topics include new job creation, increased biodiversity in Alyth, and the published Annual Engagement plan.
  • SSEN – Pathway to 2030 – Attached is the update detailing progress towards increasing renewable energy and net zero. Extensive consultation and engagement with stakeholders are planned to inform design, technology, and route options.
  • DIGI Ken?  – CyberScotland has produced adverts containing information about online security.
  • Scotland’s Moorland Forum Public Online Discussion –  The Scottish Government plans to license muirburning and introduce further restrictions. Scotlands Moorland Forum plans to hold an online discussion on the 1st August regarding the benefits and drawbacks of the practice and proposed restrictions.

Mental Health and Wellbeing  

  • NHS Highland Mental Wellbeing – a collection of resources and signposts to help people of all ages to look after their own mental wellbeing
  • SIPP (Suicide Intervention and Prevention Programme) – Training is being delivered via an online course by approved suicide prevention trainers over 2x2hr sessions. The dates for the next course are the 17th and 24th August. More Information is available attached to this email.
  • Listening Ear Drop in Hilton – Every Thursday 12-3pm starting 4th August the Hilton Church will be hosting a free drop-in. It will be a welcoming place to be listened to, connect with others, and engage in activities to support your wellbeing. Information regarding wellbeing will be available and 1:1 talking in confidence will be available. More information can be found in the attachment.

Emergency Planning 

NHS Highland Draft Engagement Framework

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Hello

Re NHS Highland Draft Engagement Framework – working together to develop better services for everyone.

Over the last 10 months, we here at NHS Highland have been working with a group of patients, carers, staff and third sector representatives to draw up the attached draft engagement framework. 

You can also view the Framework by clicking on the following link here 

This draft framework sets the foundations for NHS Highland to work together with service users, partners, communities and staff, to ensure that our services more closely reflect the needs and aspirations of the people who live and work in the NHS Highland area. 

As Community Councils are the heart of our Highland Communities, we would very much welcome your comments on this Draft. All feedback and comments on this Draft Framework are welcome and will be gratefully received until Friday 29th July 2022.  

Simply reply to this email or contact Kayleigh at [email protected] to share your comments and feedback.  

Thank you in advance for your help in developing better services for everyone. 

Kind regards 

NHS Highland Community Engagement Team.

Kate MacLennan

Community Engagement Co-ordinator

Co-òrdanaiche Compairteachadh Coimhearsnachd

NHS Highland

[email protected] | 07989 138577

Working hours Monday – Friday 9.00am – 3.30pm

29062022-Draft-NHS-Highland-Engagement-Framework-Download