A meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 8 November 2007 at 10.30 am.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully

Alistair Dodds
Chief Executive

Declarations of Interest – Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. 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.  

Business

1.  Apologies for Absence

2.  Successes

Recent successes in the Education, Culture and Sport Service will be tabled at the meeting.

A short film on the Neil Gunn Awards will be shown.

3.  University of the Highlands and Islands – Presentation

Professor Robert Cormack and John Spencer of the University of the Highlands and Islands will make a presentation to Members on developments at UHI.

4.  Revenue Budget 2007/08 – Monitoring

There is circulated Report No ECS 39-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which sets out the Revenue Budget monitoring position for the period 1 April to 31 August 2007 and the projected year end position.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  note the proposed actions relating to Joint Committee on Children and Young People budget; and

ii.  agree the management actions, as detailed in the report, to off-set other on-going budgetary pressures.

5.  Capital Expenditure 2007/08 – Monitoring

There is circulated Report No ECS 40-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on Capital Expenditure on the Education, Culture and Sport Service for the period 1 April to 30 September 2007 which includes Highland 2007 Year of Culture, progress on the Public, Private Partnership (PPP) schools contracts and information on expenditure of the PPP2 schools curricular equipment purchases.  The report also seeks approval to instruct the building of a two classroom extension at Inshes Primary School through the PPP contract.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  note the position as detailed in the monitoring statement; and

ii.  approve the construction of a two classroom extension to Inshes Primary School by instructing and implementing a change order to the PPP2 contract.

6.  Older People’s Services

There is circulated Report No ECS 41-07  by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining the current ways in which the Education, Culture and Sport Service is helping to keep older people mentally and physically active.  It also suggests that a more systematic and targeted approach would improve services further and seeks approval to participate in a Northern Periphery funded project to encourage older people to provide services to other older people in their communities.  The report refers to the Programme for Administration target to increase the number of older people who can be supported in their own homes rather than by institutional care.

The Committee is invited to agree that:-

i.  a systematic review of current services to older people is undertaken by Community Learning and Leisure staff; and

ii.  Community Leisure and Learning staff participate in forthcoming local reviews of services to older people.

7.  Education, Culture and Sport Service – Restructuring of Administrative and Clerical Staff in Non-School Sectors

There is circulated Report No ECS 42-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport continuing the restructuring process agreed by the Education, Culture and Sport Committee at its meetings on 9 November 2006, 25 January 2007 and 8 March 2007 by outlining proposals for a review of all administrative and clerical support posts in non-school sectors.

In noting the proposed consultative and governance arrangements, the Committee is invited to agree:-

i.  the review process; and

ii.  the initial proposals as detailed in the report.

8.  Education, Culture and Sport Structures Beyond April 2007 - Support for Learning Restructuring

There is circulated Report No ECS 43-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport building on the new management structures agreed by the Education, Culture and Sport Committee at its meetings on 9 November 2006, 25 January 2007 and 8 March 2007 and which proposes changes in management arrangements for the Support for Learning Team and Psychological Services Team.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

i.  the Education, Culture and Sport Management Structures for the Support for Learning Team and Psychological Services Team as detailed in the report: and

ii.  that the changes to these structures be progressed as and when changes in postholders enable these structures to be implemented on a progressive basis.

9.  Statutory Performance Indicators 2006/07

There is circulated Report No ECS 44-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport analysing the outcomes of the Statutory Performance Indicators (SPIs) for the Education, Culture and Sport Service for 2006/07.  It also highlights the key issues arising from the 2006/07 performance data and points out that the SPIs will also provide important information to evidence progress in the delivery of the Programme for Administration, particularly in relation to commitments on health improvement and Looked After Children.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  note and comment on the Service’s Statutory Performance Indicator outcomes for 2006/07;

ii.  agree that a further report on the Education, Culture and Sport Service’s national benchmark position for 2006/07 be submitted following the publication of data by Audit Scotland early in 2008; and

iii.  agree to await an annual Standards and Quality report early in 2008

10.  Education, Culture and Sport Service Plan 2007-2011

There is circulated Report No ECS 45-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining the proposed objectives and supporting actions which will deliver the Council’s Programme for Administration and the statutory and core functions of the Service. A draft of the Service Plan 2008-11, referred to as Appendix A in the report, is circulated separately.

The Committee is invited to agree the Education, Culture and Sport Service Plan for 2007-2011 and that annual review on the Plan’s progress be reported to Committee.

11.  Museums: Policies and Plans

There is circulated Report No ECS 46-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on two actions relating to the Council’s museum collections. The first proposal relates to the adoption of an Acquisition and Disposals Policy in order to achieve Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Commission Accredited status.  The benefits of achieving Accredited status are explained, including its requirement for accessing external funding and being eligible to loan or acquire certain artefacts.

The second proposal relates to the transfer of ownership of the Council’s Caithness collections to Caithness Horizons Collections Trust, the body developing the new museum within the facilities being developed at Thurso Town Hall.  The transfer would greatly increase public access to the collections and improve the care of the collections.

The Committee is asked to agree to:-

i.  adopt the Acquisition and Disposals Policy and Forward Plan for the Council’s museums as appended to the report; and

ii.  to transfer ownership of the Council’s Caithness museum collections to Caithness Horizons Collections Trust subject to the Trust achieving Museums, Libraries and Archives Commission Accredited status.

12.  Appointment of Representatives to Outside Bodies

i.  Highland Children’s Trust: The Trust provides financial assistance to needy children and young people up to the age of 25 who are resident in, or have some connection to, the Highland region.  The Trust’s Board is composed of five Governors, one of whom is appointed by the Highland Council.

ii.  Caithness Horizons Trust: There is one place for a Council member to serve on the Caithness Horizons Collection Trust which owns and manages historical museum artefacts on behalf of Caithness Horizons.

The proposed representatives will be tabled on the day of the Committee.

13.  Minutes of Meetings

There are circulated the following Minutes of Meetings:-

i.  Education Transport Appeals Committee  held on 17 September 2007 (for noting); and

ii.  Annual General and Ordinary Meeting  of the Local Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff held on 23 October 2007 (for approval).