Officials in attendance:-

BUSINESS

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr H Fraser, Mr R Saxon, Mr S Mackay and Mrs J Urquhart.

Local and National Mods

Mr Murdo Morrison, Mod Promotion Manager with An Comunn Gàidhealach attended the meeting and made a presentation outlining the position with local Mods in the Highland area and the organisation and planning arrangements required of communities intending to host the Royal National Mod. 

Mr Morrison explained that the main criteria for hosting the Royal National Mod were finance, numerous venues and places of accommodation and also a history of Gaelic activity.  The total cost involved hosting a national Mod was approximately £250,000.  It was further explained that an expression of interest must be received by 30 June three years in advance to host the national Mod and venues for future Mods were scheduled as follows:-

Therefore, bids are due by 30 June 2004 for hosting the 2007 Mod and to date interest had been expressed by Inverness, possibly in partnership with Dingwall and Nairn; Fort William; Glasgow; Edinburgh and Arran.  Mr Morrison also confirmed he would be willing to meet and advise any group preparing a bid to hold the 2007 National Mod.

The Mod created many benefits for the community through an extended tourism season, raising the location’s profile and also encouraged greater Gaelic activity for the area.  In addition, the Mod generated substantial economic impact for the area as demonstrated in 2002 with £0.8m generated for Largs and £2.5m for the Western Isles in 2001.

During discussion, the Committee felt that more promotion of local Mods was required and increased incentives to participate, especially for secondary school children.  With regard to a query on Badenoch and Strathspey hosting a local Mod, Mr Morrison explained the first step would be to form a Branch of An Comunn Gàidhealach, which he could meet and advise accordingly.  Following a question on how to improve on bids for hosting the national Mod, Mr Morrison advised that in addition to meeting the criteria, another important factor and advantage was for bids to show evidence of local support and community involvement.

The Committee NOTED the presentation and the offers made to meet various groups to discuss the promotion of Gaelic in their areas and the support being given by An Comunn to host the Mod at a Highland venue in 2007 as part of the Year of Highland Culture. 

SAC: Gaelic Arts Policy

There was circulated Report No GSC01/04 by the Gaelic Development Officer detailing the background and the development of the Scottish Arts Councils (SAC) Gaelic Arts Policy and suggesting a seminar be held to discuss development of the Gaelic Arts in the Highland Council area.

The report explained that the SAC had launched its Gaelic Arts Policy at the City Arts Centre, Edinburgh on 26 November 2003.  The policy had been formed through consultation and discussion with representatives of the Gaelic arts sector and SAC officers.  The consultation process included a meeting on 16 January 2004 at the Scottish Arts Council with 26 participants including artists and Gaelic arts organisations.

The Scottish Arts Council in conjunction with the National Gaelic Arts Agency had set up a Gaelic Arts Strategic Development Group (GASD), which consulted with the Gaelic Arts Policy Consultation Group.  The GASD Group was formed by the National Gaelic Arts Agency in 2001 to provide a collective voice to the arts community during the Scottish Executive’s Gaelic Review.  The member organisations of the group were mainly core funded by the SAC.

The GASD Group defined Gaelic arts as ‘inclusive arts activity informed by Gaelic culture and/or presented through the medium of the Gaelic language’.  The SAC’s core function was to develop the arts, and its three core aims were to celebrate artists and artistic excellence; improve the quality of life for all through the arts; and provide leadership in the arts for Scotland.

It was further reported that the SAC Gaelic Arts Policy stated that the Gaelic arts community had clearly had an impact on all of these aims, with for example, The Royal National Mod, Bord na Gaidhlig, Gaelic Broadcasting Committee, The Gaelic Books Council, Màiri Mḥr Gaelic Song Fellowship, Fèisean nan Gàidheal and TOSG the Gaelic Theatre Company.

The Committee welcomed the policy and requested that the Council be represented on the Gaelic Arts Policy Consultation Group.  It was felt that this could provide additional funding opportunities and allow ideas to be generated to expand the creation of modern Gaelic arts.  It was also felt that more Gaelic materials for use out with school such as modern books for leisure reading were required and it was suggested that a competition be organised to encourage Gaelic speakers to write new material.

The Gaelic Select Committee NOTED the SAC’s introduction of a Gaelic Arts Policy and AGREED:-

(i)         to invite GASD Group to co-host, with the Council, a seminar to discuss the development of Gaelic arts in the Council area;

(ii)         to encourage the generation of ideas and methods for expanding and creating modern Gaelic arts;

(iii)        that a meeting with the Gaelic Arts Strategic Development Group be arranged within the next few months;

(iv)       to request Council nominations on the Gaelic Arts Policy Consultation Group; and

Gaelic PLACE NAMES COMMITTEE

There was circulated Report No GSC02/04 by the Gaelic Development Officer advising Members of the current issues being considered by the Gaelic Names Liaison Committee.

The report explained that the Gaelic Names Liaison Committee (GNLC) was originally set up following an approach from the Ordnance Survey to obtain some co-ordination and assistance in approving the accuracy of place names on their maps.  The GNL Committee had been in operation for over three years and was chaired on behalf of the Council by the Lochaber Area Manager.

The GNLC Chairman had met with Ḅrd na Gàidhlig’s Chief Executive and a funding application of £3,500 had been approved to progress place name initiatives.  The Chairman and Gaelic Development Officer also intended to meet with Highlands and Islands Enterprise to discuss joint initiatives and match funding for Gaelic place name projects.

It was also reported that in addition to the continued application of the Emendation Principles, the Committee had commenced work on the production of a national Gazetteer and the development of a system and process for agreeing names for public signing of all types.  This would include names for maps, roads signs, footpaths and all form of interpretation.

Concern was expressed at the lack of bilingual road signs being erected on Council roads and it appeared that some signs were being replaced without Gaelic.  The Committee also felt that bilingual signs should be extended to all Council facilities and not just on roads.

The Gaelic Select Committee NOTED the report and AGREED that:-

(i)         Members identify and report to Transport, Environmental and Community Services any Council road signs which they felt required replacement in order to ensure progress with the implementation of the Council’s bilingual road signs policy;

(ii)         steps be taken to ensure that all services took account of the Council’s existing policy on the use of bilingual sign posting on roads and buildings; and

TOBAR AN DUALCHAIS

There was circulated Report No GSC03/04 by Skye and Lochalsh Area Manager summarising the aims and timescale for implementing the Tobar an Dualchais project now the that the funding package had been secured.

The Tobar an Dualchais project involved the digitising and cataloguing of Gaelic and Scots sound recordings which would be made available on-line by mid 2007.   The project would complement the work of the Council led by Am Baile, which was digitising aspects of the Council’s records and archives.

The cost of the initial phase had been calculated at £2.6m and the major contributor was the Heritage Lottery Fund, which had confirmed a grant of £1.39m in December 2003.  A further significant contribution had been made available through ERDF funds.   The balance of the funding required had been pledged from a wide range of public and statutory agencies including the Scottish Executive, Local Authorities, Local Enterprise networks, the UHI, CCG and the owners of the collections being digitised.

In August 2002 the Council had made a contribution of £50k to the project, which, would create 21 jobs located throughout the Highlands and Islands.  A further six jobs would be sustained indirectly.

Update report

There was circulated Report No GSC04/04 by the Gaelic Development Officer giving an update of the progress on current issues of interest to the Select Committee. 

During discussion, it was proposed that publicity be arranged for the programme of the erection of approximately 150 bilingual directional signs on trunk roads being undertaken by BEAR (Scotland) the trunk road maintenance contractor. 

The Committee NOTED the report and AGREED to:-

(i)         arrange for publicity of the BEAR bilingual road sign programme; and