External Strategy
European Services
The Team will:
- Help Comhairle staff and other organisations to put together Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme (HISTP) applications and co-ordinate that process.
- Provide advice and assistance to other Western Isles based organisations on European Funds and act as project sponsors on their behalf, where necessary.
- Provide the secretariat for a number of internal (European Officer’s Liaison Group -EOLG) and external bodies (Western Isles Development Strategy - WIDS).
- Provide the liaison between the Comhairle and other local authorities and local agencies/groups on matters relating to the European Union, the UK and Scottish Governments.
- Liaise with other offices/authorities involved in EU and other inter-regional European funded projects.
- Ensure that the views and aspirations of the Comhairle and the Western Isles are represented in any debate concerning structural funding after 2006, regionally, nationally (Scottish and UK) and at EU level.
Community Planning
The Team will:
- Assist the Comhairle in developing a coherent and effective approach to Community Planning.
- Assist with the initiation, progression and monitoring of the Comhairle's participation in Community Planning.
- Monitor developments and changes in Government policies and regulations relating to Community Planning insofar as these affect the Comhairle.
- Work with local agency partners to implement the Western Isles Community Plan.
- Work with agency partners to develop the Western Isles Health Care Partnership and Plan.
- Manage the consultative process of the draft Western Isles Children’s Services Plan and work with local agency partners to implement the Plan.
- Develop, maintain and disseminate any information relevant to the work of the service, within the Comhairle, to other agencies, communities and interested parties
