Minutes of Meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee held in Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday, 25 May 2006 at 10.30 a.m.

 

 

Mr A Anderson in the Chair

 

Business

 

An asterisk in the margin demotes a recommendation to the Council.  All decisions with no marking in the margin are delegated to the Committee.

 

Preliminaries

 

Rev A Glass opened the meeting with prayer.

 

1.           Apologies for Absence

 

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr R Saxon, Mrs M E Paterson and Ms K MacNab.

 

2.           Successes

 

The Committee NOTED a list of recent successes, including the following, and AGREED that their congratulations be conveyed to those concerned:-

 

·         Lochaber High School young film makers had won a Fort William Mountain

      Film Festival Competition receiving a commemorative plaque and a £200

      cheque.

·         Bridgend Primary’s cleaning team won the Albert Grant Award at the

      annual BICSc conference in Glenrothes.

·         North Kessock Primary Quiz Team won the Dingwall Rotary Quiz Quaich and

      was then placed second in the Zonal final.  They would now represent the

      Highlands in the finals at Stirling University in June.

·         Nairn Academy had represented Highland at the Our Voice in Europe Youth

      Forum at the Scottish Parliament. 

·         David-John Cameron, Acharacle won the Arts Category for “Young Scot of

      the Year” and Michael Mackinnon, Skye and Lochalsh was a finalist in the

      Community category.

·         “Wild Walks” had secured a £200,000 grant from the Active Futures Big

       Lottery Fund to run a health and personal development programme with

       groups of young women. 

·         Four Inverness Royal Academy pupils were in the finals of the European

      Business Game taking place in Croatia in June.

·         Joanna Shepherd, Dingwall Academy won the British Junior Orienteering

      Championships.

·         £1 million had been awarded by the Lottery Fund for village hall projects in

      Mey, Keiss, Dornie, Minginish and Waternish.

·         Crown School P6 boys became the Scottish Champions for their age group

      at the National Cross Country Championships in Kirkaldy in April.

·         Fortrose Academy

     o       Josie Anne Gaitens, S3, was the regional winner for her age group in

          the 2005/06 Ottakars and Faber Poetry Competition.

   o       Alana MacPherson and Andrina McCallum had been selected for the

           Scottish Girls Under 16 Hockey Squad.

   o       Alex Cooper had been selected for the Scottish Under15 Football Team.

·         Kingussie High School

   o       Fynn Sterrit was to represent Great Britain in the World 420 Sailing

          Championships in Gran Canaria in August.

   o       Calum Wardrope had won gold and silver medals at the Highland

           Disability Swimming Championships 2006.

·         Winners at the Youth Enterprise Scotland finals had come from Charleston,

      Invergordon, Fortrose, Millburn and Inverness Royal Academies and

      Ardnamurchan and Portree High Schools.

·         The Highland Institute of Sport had enjoyed its most successful year with

      four athletes moving up to the Scottish Institute of Sport and one

      achieving Olympic status.

·         A short film by six Golspie High School pupils for the Construction Industry

      Board had won an award.

·         Winners of MFR Awards included Invergordon Academy and the Janny’s

      Hoose.

·         The various Highland finalists for the Scottish Education Awards.

 

3.           Revenue Budget 2006/07 – Monitoring

 

The Council’s Financial Information system was being upgraded to a new version of Oracle (11i).  As part of that, development work was being undertaken to provide detailed transaction reporting (DTR). Whilst Oracle 11i was introduced on 3 April 2006, other priorities meant that that the development work on DTR was delayed.  It was nearing completion but was not available for the April round of monitoring required to meet the Committee deadline.  A corporate monitoring report for the period to 31 May 2006 was, instead, to be provided at the Council Meeting on 29 June and a Near Final report for financial year 2005/06 would be provided to the Resources Committee on 14 June 2006.

 

The Committee NOTED the position.

 

4.           Capital Expenditure 2005/06

 

There had been circulated Report No ECS 29/06 dated 17 May 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which identified a year end under spend of £4.65m directly associated with slippage on projects that were either legally committed or had been approved by the Committee and which would be reflected in expenditure during the early part of 2006/07.  Measures to avoid this reoccurring in future were outlined. The report also provided additional capital information on a number of projects and a summary on 2007 Highland Year of Culture.

 

During discussion, Members were advised of risk assessments being undertaken on dust extraction machinery in school technical and wood work rooms with the aim of replacing such machinery as soon as possible.  Similarly, support was given to rationalising the approach to electronic testing of portable appliances by one contractor which would lead to savings.  Concern was expressed at the level of under spend and a more detailed, sophisticated method of reporting which would include details of timescales was sought. 

 

The Committee:-

 

                          i.            NOTED the content of the report;

                        ii.            AGREED:-

 

(a)  to homologate the decision to instruct Dust Extraction works at

      Inverness High School;

 

(b)    a report be made to a future meeting of the Committee on the possibility of making an earlier start on some projects in 2007/08 to take up some of the under spend from 2006/07;

 

(c)     a more sophisticated method of reporting capital expenditure monitoring be introduced which included projected timescales; and

 

                       iii.            APPROVED:-

 

(a)  a £40,000 grant for the development of a multi use games area

      at Dalneigh; and

 

(b)  that negotiation take place with the River Lochy Association to

      gain a servitude right of access to the River Lochy over the

      Association’s land in relation to the redevelopment work taking

      place at Lochaber High School.

 

5.           Youth Achievement

 

Reverb, an Alness band, played to Members.  A DVD entitled “Helmsdale Horrors” made by a group of young people from that area was then shown.  Saffron Munro also addressed the Committee, explaining the positive effect the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme had had on her life.  In addition, representatives from Youth Voice were in attendance. Members praised the talents of young people, thanked them for attending the meeting and invited them to contribute their views to the development of youth policy and youth achievement in Highland.

 

There had been circulated Report No ECS 30/06 dated 16 May 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport informing Members of the developing agenda in delivering integrated educational opportunities for young people.  It described the key role that informal youth work played in delivering on “A Curriculum for Excellence” as well as Scottish Executive guidance on the role of the Community Learning and Development.  The report gave examples of some of the ground breaking work the Service had delivered in these areas whilst noting the potential for further development utilising the increased resources being invested in youth work. 

 

Members welcomed the recognition of ability in young people and emphasised the importance of vocational training.  However, the identification of funding was vital if progress was to continue.  The information provided by schools had to be taken on board together with the statistics gathered by the Service on the formal and informal curriculum so that, especially at a local level, elected Members were aware where gaps existed.  Youth Voice had previously addressed the Council and a commitment had been given for them to return and report back on their priorities.  It was hoped this could take place in the near future.

 

The Committee NOTED the increasing role of informal learning and recognised achievement, in addition to formal learning and exam based qualifications, in the education of young people, and AGREED to congratulate the young people of Highland on the many examples of their achievements.

 

6.           Youth Work Policy

 

There had been circulated Report No ECS 31/06 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport proposing a policy framework for youth work for the Education, Culture and Sport Service.  The report followed on from the decision of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee on 23 September 2005 to configure the distribution of youth workers around Community School Groupings (CSGs), whilst taking account of school rolls, rurality and levels of deprivation.  It recommended functions and responsibilities for a youth service, described relationships to other services, agencies and community based organisations and proposed a distribution of youth workers and youth work resources to be implemented in financial years 2006/07 and 2007/08.

 

Social Inclusion Partnership funding had made a significant difference in youth work in those areas where it had been available.  Major achievements had been made in the development of youth work and, although there was still a role for the traditional style of youth work, it was necessary for it to evolve.  A universal approach was proposed and it was hoped the recommended phased programme would achieve this, subject to a successful bid for Service Improvement Funding.  Five key roles for youth workers were suggested:- coordinating local provision; supporting partner organisations; involving young people in decision making; supporting young people’s achievement; and targeted intervention. 

 

During discussion, the following points were raised:-

 

·        in central Sutherland, some parents had the choice of a number of

     schools to which to send their children, resulting in voluntary

     groups etc having to liaise with more than one youth worker;

·        youth workers’ job descriptions should ensure that functions were

     also carried out in villages within the catchment areas of primary

     schools;

·        where schools already had a post it might be more beneficial to

      use their additional provision in other rural schools;

·        the problems of transport in rural areas added weight to the

     argument for the Scottish Executive to enhance provision and to

     provide free transport to young people;

·        an overview should be carried out on bus service coverage,

     especially in rural areas, to identify gaps in provision;

·        the good use made of the commuter service “The Train”, which

     allowed young people to travel from Aviemore to the youth club in

     Newtonmore on Friday nights, was highlighted;

·        the youth work proposals had to be taken in the context of a

      Council strategy to support the voluntary sector given the

      financial pressure the sector was experiencing;

·         the importance of the voluntary sector in youth work provision

      and the need for close partnership working was emphasised;

·        the need to target resources;

·        that youth workers from CSGs do work alongside existing

     community street workers;

·        the lack of facilities and opportunities for young people to take

     part in activities in their communities;

·        Youth Highland would welcome the opportunity to work with the

      Council in developing and implementing the policy given its large

      representation of young people;

·        the importance of the Youth Parliament, Youth Voice and the

     Youth Forum filtering down to their peers what was happening in

     terms of youth work policy; and

·        the use of “teenage courts”, where young people were judged,

     under supervision, by their peers, be discussed by the Youth

     Parliament.

 

Thereafter, the Committee AGREED:-

 

                          i.            the policy framework and the main issues and methods of operation it suggested for the youth service;

                        ii.            to support a bid to the Service Improvement Fund for financial year 2007/08 for £277,000;

                       iii.            a report be submitted to the meeting on 25 January 2007 on how the points raised during discussion, in particular, the proposal that youth workers not be tied to a specific school building but work in all communities in a school group, had been included in the strategy; and

                      iv.            the Youth Parliament be requested to consider and report back on the advantages and disadvantages of the use of Youth Courts in an attempt to encourage young people to understand and accept responsibility for offences they may have committed.

 

In relation to youth workers and resources, Mr A Anderson, seconded by Mr A M Millar, MOVED that they be distributed as recommended in 2006/07 and 2007/08. 

    

Mr R Durham, seconded by Mr L Fraser, moved as an AMENDMENT that youth workers and resources be distributed as recommended for 2006/07 but that flexibility be permitted in their allocation for 2007/08 subject to funding being available.

 

On a vote being taken the outcome was as follows:-

 

 

 

The Motion was CARRIED by 21 votes to 2.

 

7.           Early Years Review

 

There had been circulated Report No  ECS 32/06 dated 12 May 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport updating Members on the outcome of discussions at Area level to progress the Early Years Review, involving local developments and which proposed further strategic direction, including the requirement to identify funding to enable the review to continue over a three year period.  The report had previously considered by the Joint Committee on Children and Young People (JCCYP).

 

Early Years Services had developed rapidly but provision now had to ensure best use was achieved and to meet needs expressed by families.  Pan-Highland strategic issues had been highlighted in Area consultations and concern expressed at removal of services.  The proposal was to develop a strategy, meeting local needs, based on wraparound provision in primary schools.  Inevitably, there would be a reduction in the number of locations where Early Years Services would be provided but it would be of a better standard.  The Council would not be the only provider and there was still a role for the voluntary sector

 

In discussion, Members made the following points:-

 

·        the need to consolidate provision;

·        basing Early Years Services in schools would help sustain local

     education provision;

·        reports to the JCCYP on Early Years provision should also be

     submitted to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee;

·        the need to provide support and training to the staff and

      voluntary groups involved;

·        capital investment would be necessary in some locations if

     provision was to be established where it was needed;

·        concern that wraparound care would mean some young children

     would be in a school environment from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.;

·        the opportunity to commission local childminders in some rural

     areas was welcomed but the annual cost of £6,000 was

     questioned;

·        the need to include Early Years Services for Gaelic; 

·        the difficulties encountered in relation to transport, given the rural

      sparsity of Highland, led to social inclusion and deprivation issues

      and the Scottish Executive had to address the increased costs

      incurred by parents to access provision;

·        the need to target resources;

·        although the practice of children being cared for in more than one

     centre was being reviewed, until such time as wraparound care

     was available, dual placements should continue; and

·        the affordability to parents of wraparound care.

 

Having expressed its gratitude for the cooperation of the voluntary sector in taking part in the review, the Committee NOTED the progress made in the Early Years Review at Area level and AGREED:-

 

                          i.            the strategy set out in the report, founded on integrated and wraparound provision, generally based in Primary Schools, and the organisation around Community School Groups with joined up management structures;

                        ii.            the proposals regarding pan-Highland issues;

                       iii.            to seek the support of the Budget Working Group to enable the review to continue over a three year period;

                      iv.            to seek further reports on the progress of the Early Years Review; and

                        v.            to make representations to the Scottish Executive on the social inclusion issues which arose as a result of geographical sparsity in the Highlands which resulted in the need to make provision for transport costs currently imposed on parents using pre-school provision.

 

8.           Length of Infant School Day

 

There had been circulated Report No  ECS 33/06 dated 15 May 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which reviewed the position with regard to the transfer of pupils from nursery education to infant education and the length of the infant school day in Highland schools.  The aim was to standardise arrangements, particularly in light of the national review of the 3-18 curriculum and the reduction in class contact time for teachers.

 

The Committee AGREED that, through a process of consultation with parents, staff and others, schools adopt a rationalised approach to:-

 

                          i.            the transfer of nursery pupils to Primary 1 over a period of time which would not exceed four weeks; and

                        ii.            the length of the school day in infant classes at 22.5 hours per week with the possibility of exceeding this in rural areas where transport or other considerations required this to be the case.

 

9.           Education, Culture and Sport Contribution to Health Improvement

 

There had been circulated Report No ECS 34/06 dated 9 May 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport updating Members on the contribution which the Education, Culture and Sport Service made to health improvement and demonstrating which elements of “Your Choice” were progressing well and which required improvement or further work.

 

Members emphasised the importance of ensuring that services given by private contractors who provided food to Council establishments was in line with Council Healthy Eating initiatives. There was also a role for High Schools to promote Healthy Living to their communities and to deliver projects.  In addition, in relation to the Service’s role in working with the elderly, a call was made to consider the need for a Champion for the Elderly.

 

The Committee NOTED that a strategic group of senior officials of the Council and NHS Highland had been established under the chairmanship of Dr M E M Foxley to further develop the joint NHS and Highland Council role relating to health improvement issues and AGREED that:-

 

                          i.            staff across the Education, Culture and Sport Service who were contributing significantly to health improvement be congratulated on the progress made to date;

                        ii.            the Your Choice to Healthy Living targets and action plan be reviewed and updated; and

                       iii.            that the Director of Education, Culture and Sport discuss with the Director of Social Work the possibility of establishing a Champion of the Elderly within Highland Council.

 

10.       Evaluation of Integrated Community Schools in Highland

 

There had been circulated Report No ECS 35/06 dated 26 April 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which outlined the main findings of a research evaluation by UHI Millennium Institute into integration in the context of Integrated Community Schools in Highland.  It proposed that the Integrated Community School model should be used as the basis for the planning and delivery of services in secondary school catchment areas.

 

Dr MacNeil summarised the research, highlighting the advantages of the Integrated Community School Approach.  Enhanced integration and positive results had been noted and support systems and structures were generally in place to deliver an integrated structure.  Benefits had been reported for professionals and children with improvements to community links to projects and the curriculum being cited as well as better parental consultation.  Some issues had emerged but the approach was generally viewed as offering a better environment for children and their families. 

 

The positive findings endorsing the Integrated Community School approach were welcomed with Integration Mangers seen as key to its success.  The integrated assessment framework “Getting It Right for Every Child” would also help to progress the initiative even further.

 

In congratulating staff from a range of agencies for developing innovative practice in the delivery of services for Children and Young People, the Committee:-

 

                          i.            NOTED the research findings into the Integrated Community School approach in Highland; and

                        ii.            AGREED a further report be submitted to a future Committee from the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining, in some detail, how the model could be used to plan and deliver a range of services in the localities served by secondary school catchment areas.

 

11.       Outcome of Consultation on Gaelic Medium Provision at Kinlochleven Primary School

 

There had been circulated Report No ECS 36/06 dated 12 May 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport detailing the outcome of the statutory consultation undertaken in connection with the proposal to establish Gaelic Medium Education provision in Kinlochleven Primary School for pupils in the South Lochaber area.

 

The Committee NOTED the outcome of the formal consultation process and

AGREED that:-

 

                          i.            Gaelic Medium Education provision be established at Kinlochleven Primary School from August 2006; and

                        ii.            a Gaelic Medium Education teacher’s post be advertised as soon as possible.

 

12.       Proposed Review of Secondary Gaelic Medium Provision in Inverness

 

There had been circulated Report No ECS 37/06 dated 14 May 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport recommending that, given the close proximity of the Gaelic Medium School to be opened in 2007 to the Inverness Royal Academy campus, statutory consultation be undertaken with regard to transferring Gaelic Medium secondary provision from Millburn Academy to Inverness Royal Academy.  The matter had been discussed with Comunn nam Parent who was supportive of the proposed review.

 

The Committee AGREED that:-

 

                          i.            there be statutory consultation on secondary Gaelic Medium provision in Inverness; and

                        ii.            in order that locally based consultation could commence, a consultation paper be drawn up for consideration by the City of Inverness and Area Education, Culture and Sport Committee, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

 

13.       Chieftain Stone, Culloden

 

The Director of Education, Culture and Sport advised that an opportunity had arisen for the Council to purchase, from the National Trust for Scotland, a Chieftain Stone for the refurbished Culloden Visitor Centre.  The proposal would cost the Council £450 plus VAT.

 

The Committee AGREED to support this proposal.

 

14.       Minutes of Meetings

 

The Committee NOTED the following Minutes of Meetings, copies of which had been circulated, as follows:-

 

                          i.            the Education Public Private Partnership Sub-Committee held on 24 March 2006; and

                        ii.            the Education Transport Appeals Committee held on 10 May 2006. 

 

Exclusion of the Public

 

The Committee RESOLVED that under Section 50A(4) of  the  Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the following item on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

   

15.       Nairn Community Centre – Progress Report

 

The Chairman agreed that this additional item be considered as a matter of urgency in terms of Standing Order No 17.2 in light of the timescales involved in letting the contract to achieve ERDF funding.

 

There had been circulated to Members only Report No ECS38/06 dated 23 May 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport identifying progress and costs for the new Community Centre in Nairn. It brought Members attention to a projected £300,000 shortfall in funding and made proposals for the underwriting of that shortfall so that the contract could be awarded.

 

The Committee:-

 

                          i.            NOTED the content of the report;

                        ii.            APPROVED the award of the construction contract based upon the underwriting decisions identified; and

                       iii.            AGREED a further report be submitted outlining the proposed sources for the additional funding once the final outcome of the Sandown Lands and Somerfield development are known.

 

The meeting ended at 1.35 p.m.