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Notice of Meeting and Agenda

Education, Communities and Housing Committee

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Kirkwall.

Date: Wednesday, 9 September 2026.

Time: 09:30.

Dear Councillor,

You are invited to attend the above meeting.

A note of the business to be considered is attached.

Lorna Richardson,

Deputising Chief Executive.

Contact

Clerk Name: Sandra Craigie.

Clerk Telephone: 01856 873535 extension 2205.

Clerk Email: committees@orkney.gov.uk.

Committee Membership

Councillors Gwenda M Shearer (Chair), Ivan A Taylor (Vice Chair), Graham A Bevan, Stephen G Clackson, Alexander G Cowie, David Dawson, Steven B Heddle, James R Moar, Janette A Park, John A R Scott, Jean E Stevenson and Heather N Woodbridge.

Non-Voting Membership: Jo Hill, Reverend Susan Kirkbride, Reverend Fraser Macnaughton and Mary Maley.

IMAGE: The Orkney Islands Council crest and the words “ORKNEY ISLANDS COUNCIL”.

Hybrid Meeting

Please note that this meeting is scheduled to be held in the Council Chamber. However, arrangements will be made for members to join the meeting remotely, should they wish.

For those attending remotely, they will be asked to declare:

  • They are in a room with no other persons present.
  • That no persons can overhear the discussions.
  • That they will not answer any other calls or attend to any other business whilst participating in the meeting.
  • That cameras will be kept on at all times without exception.

Further Information

This is a meeting which is open to the public.

This agenda and associated reports are available in portable document format (pdf) here.

A paper copy of the agenda and associated reports is available on request from committees@orkney.gov.uk.

Audio Recording Notice

Please note that this meeting will be broadcast live (audio only) over the Internet on Orkney Islands Council’s website. The meeting will also be recorded, with the recording publicly available for listening to after the meeting for at least 12 months. The Council is a Data Controller in terms of data protection legislation. Data collected during the audio cast will be retained in accordance with the Council’s Data Protection Policy. Further information about how the Council uses personal information and associated rights is available on the Council’s website.

Order of Business

Preliminaries

  • A. Apologies.
  • B. Declarations of Interest.

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on this agenda. Any member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.

Exclusion of Public

  1. The Committee is requested to exclude the public from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information of the classes described in the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended.
  2. UHI Accord – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.

Not for publication by virtue of paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Education

  1. Highlands and Islands Students’ Association – Articles of Association – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.
  2. School Placing Request Policy – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.
  3. Community Learning and Development Partners Plan – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.

Housing

  1. Strategic Housing Investment Plan – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.
  2. Housing Service – Annual Assurance Statement – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.

Information Reports

  1. LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Plan – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.
  2. Developing the Young Workforce - report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.
  3. Local Housing Strategy – Annual Report – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.
  4. Tenant Satisfaction Survey – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.

Financial Reports

  1. Revenue Expenditure Outturn – report by Head of Finance attached.
  2. Revenue Expenditure Monitoring – report by Head of Finance attached.
  3. UHI Orkney – Capital Funding Expenditure Plan – report by Director of Education, Communities and Housing attached.
  4. Housing Revenue Account – Revenue Repairs and Maintenance Programme – Expenditure Outturn – report by Head of Finance attached.
  5. Housing Revenue Account – Revenue Repairs and Maintenance Programme – Expenditure Monitoring – report by Head of Finance attached.

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 – Schedule 7A

Access to Information: Descriptions of Exempt Information

Paragraph 6. Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority).