Committees

A meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 7 August 2008 at 10.30 am.

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

Yours faithfully

Michelle Morris
Assistant 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.

3. Recess Powers

The Committee is asked to note that the Recess Powers granted by the Council at its meeting on 26 June 2008 have not been exercised in relation to the business of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

4. Revenue Budget

There are circulated the following reports on Revenue Expenditure:-

a) Revenue Budget - Unaudited Outturn 2007/08

Report No ECS-29-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out the unaudited Revenue Budget outturn position for the Education, Culture and Sport Service for the year ended 31 March 2008.

Members are invited to note the unaudited 2007/08 Revenue Budget outturn position.

b) Revenue Budget - Monitoring 2008/09

Report No ECS-30-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which sets out the Revenue Budget monitoring position for the period 1 April 2008 to 30 June 2008.

The Committee is asked to note:-

i. that the Revenue Budget is under pressure; and
ii. the corrective management actions that have already been taken.

5. Capital Expenditure - Unaudited Outturn 2007/08 and Monitoring
2008/09

There is circulated Report No ECS-31-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out the unaudited Capital outturn position for 2007/08 and the monitoring position on the 2008/09 Capital Expenditure Budget for the 3 months to the end of June 2008.

The Committee is invited to note the report.

6. Capital Programme to Financial Year 2011/12

There is circulated Report No ECS-32-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out a proposed Education, Culture and Sport Service Capital Programme for the period 2008/09 to 2011/12 taking account of the indicative allocations agreed by the Highland Council on 26 June 2008. At its meeting on 4 September 2008 the Highland Council will consider a revised capital programme following consideration by Strategic Committees.

The background papers referred to in the report is available as a seperate Booklet.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

i. the proposed Education, Culture and Sport Capital Programme for 2008
   -2012 outlined in the report which will then be considered by the Highland
   Council on 4 September 2008;
ii. the completion of an options appraisal exercise in relation to Maryburgh and
    Conon Primary Schools within a 6 month period that will provide Members
   with options of how this project be progressed;
iii. an annual allocation for Major Fabric Improvement projects as outlined in the
   report; and
iv. to progress a series of detailed asset reviews to inform future investment
     planning beginning with Additional Support Needs provision in the eastern
   sea-board.

7. Brora Primary School Teaching Entitlement 2008/09

There is circulated Report No ECS-33-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out the background to the teaching staffing position at Brora Primary School and which seeks approval for the teaching allocation to be based on the formula contained within the current scheme of Devolved School Management.

The Committee is invited to agree that the teaching allocation for Brora Primary School be based on the formula contained within the current scheme of Devolved School Management.

8. Proposal to Develop a Stand Alone Gaelic Primary School for Greater
Fort William

There is circulated Report No ECS-34-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out, for approval, a consultation paper on the proposal to develop a stand-alone Gaelic Primary School for Greater Fort William. Members will recall that at its last meeting the Education, Culture and Sport Committee remitted to the Gaelic Committee the preparation of the terms of a draft consultation paper.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

i. to the terms of the consultation paper and it being issued in accordance
with the Authority’s agreed procedure to meet the relevant statutory
requirements; and
ii. the outcome of the consultation be considered at the meeting of the
Education, Culture and Sport Committee on 13 November 2008.

9. Proposal to Develop a Stand Alone Gaelic Primary School for
Portree and Communities Currently Served by the Gaelic Medium
Provision in Portree Primary School, Isle of Skye

There is circulated Report No ECS-35-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out, for approval, a consultation paper on the proposal to develop a stand-alone Gaelic Primary School for Portree and communities currently served by the Gaelic Medium provision in Portree Primary School, Isle of Skye. Members will recall that at its last meeting the Education, Culture and Sport Committee remitted to the Gaelic Committee the preparation of the terms of a draft consultation paper.

The Committee is invited to agree:-

10. A Curriculum for Excellence – 16+ Learning Choices

There is circulated Report No ECS-36-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport informing Members of a new development in relation to supporting young people in their transition from school to employment, education and training. This development builds on the work undertaken on the original Highland “Not in Education, Employment or Training” (NEET) Strategy now entitled More Choices, More Chances.

The Committee is invited to note the development of 16+ Learning Choices and agree to:-

i. confirm the arrangements for a secure partnership of key services and
agencies; and
ii. commission appropriate additional provision for young people through Fairer
Scotland Funding.

11. Highland Archive Strategy

There is circulated Report No ECS-37-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport detailing progress towards implementation of the Highland Archive Strategy and the delivery of the Programme for Administration commitment.

The Committee is invited to note progress towards:-

i. the delivery of the Highland Archive Strategy and the delivery of the
Programme for Administration commitment;
ii. the review of the Council’s Records Management Strategy;

and to agree:-

iii. a report on the Records Management Strategy be submitted to a
   subsequent Committee;
iv. arrangements be progressed for ceremonies at appropriate time to mark
   the topping out of the Highland Archive and Registration Centre; and
v. arrangements be progressed to implement the final stage of the staffing
   structure detailed in the contract with the Heritage Lottery Fund.

12. Funding of Additional Support for Learning

There is circulated Report No ECS-38-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out the legislative and policy background to the Council’s provision of Additional Support for Learners (ASL), giving an overview of the budget and describing the factors which drive the allocation of resources. It describes the work done to date to ensure that resources are appropriately targeted and managed and sets out proposals for the next phases of budget review and targeting.

The Committee is invited to agree the proposals set out in the report, namely to:-

i. implement the next stage of phased resource transfer between Areas based
on the ASL budget model for financial year 2009/10;
ii. begin devolving Inclusion and Better Behaviour Better Learning (BBBL)
funding to Areas, in proportions generated by the ASL Budget model for
financial year 2009/10;
iii. review and adjust the amount of BBBL funding each school receives using
   the ASL budget model for financial year 2009/10;
iv. review the Additional Support Needs element of the Devolved School
   Management formula so that it more accurately reflects pupil numbers in
   secondary schools, with effect from April 2009;
v. review annually, with effect from April 2009, the proportion of available
   funding delegated to individual secondary schools using the ASL budget
   model and to adjust the amounts which individual schools receive in
   accordance with the outcomes of the budget model;
vi. delegate to secondary schools, with effect from August 2009, the element
   of funding held at Area level for special bases and facilities in secondary
   schools, the continuing need for these facilities being reviewed annually by
   Area Education Officers; and
vii. retain some centrally managed contingency funding.

13. Health Education – Guidance on Use of Outside Agencies

There is circulated Report No ECS-39-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport proposing guidelines for the use of outside agencies in the delivery of Health topics in schools and youth work settings.

The Committee is invited to agree the Health Education - Guidance on Use of Outside Agencies (i.e. other than those from the Highland Council and NHS Highland).

14. Minutes of Meetings

There are circulated, for approval, the following Minutes of Meetings:-

i. Local Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff held on 24 June 2008; and
ii. Sport and Activity Working Group held on 25 June 2008.