Committees
A meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 13 November 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. UHI Centre for History, Dornoch – Presentation
Professor Jim Hunter, Director of the UHI Centre for History in Dornoch will make a presentation to the Committee on the Centre’s progress and on future partnership opportunities between the Centre and the Highland Council.
4. Revenue Budget 2008/09 – Monitoring
There is circulated Report No ECS-52-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which sets out the Revenue Budget monitoring position for the period 1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008.
The Committee is asked to:-
i. note the budget pressures outlined in the report; and
ii. agree the corrective actions identified.
5. Capital Expenditure 2008/09 – Monitoring
There is circulated Report No ECS-53-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on Capital Expenditure on the Education, Culture and Sport Service for the period 1 April 2008 to 30 September 2008 and projected year-end estimates based upon the Education, Culture and Sport approved Capital programme of 7 August 2008. It also includes information on Public Private Partnership Contracts and Schools curricular equipment purchases. It identifies a projected underspend of £0.328M and makes recommendations as to how to manage this position. Additional capital information is also provided on Essential School Roll Accommodation for August 2009, an adjustment to the income receipt associated with Nairn Community Centre and an update on the fire at Inverness High School.
The Committee is invited to note:-
i. the content of the report, in particular the measures being taken to ensure
that the 2008/09 Capital allocation is fully committed;
ii. the works to be undertaken at Grantown Grammer School and Nairn
Academy to meet the statutory accommodation requirement of increasing
school rolls; and
iii. the efforts of staff at Inverness High School and the Fire Service in
preventing what might have been a more serious fire at the school.
6. Consultation on a Proposal to Develop a Stand Alone Gaelic Primary
School for Greater Fort William
There is circulated Report No ECS-54-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining the result of the statutory consultation undertaken by the Education, Culture and Sport Service regarding the proposal to develop a stand alone Gaelic primary school for Greater Fort William.
(Given the size of the PDF document "Booklet A", referred to as Appendix 3, it is available on CD by contacting Tel: 01463 702132).
In light of the consultation being overwhelmingly in favour of Option B, and the Highland Council’s commitment to develop stand alone Gaelic schools, the Committee is invited to agree:-
i. the principle of a stand alone Gaelic school for Greater Fort William (Option
B);
ii. that officers of the Council prepare an Option Paper on preferred sites for
consideration by Members; and
iii. that Members and officers discuss with the Scottish Government and Bòrd
na Gàidhlig capital funding for the project.
7. Consultation on a 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-55-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining the result of the statutory consultation undertaken by the Education, Culture and Sport Service regarding 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.
(Given the size of the PDF document "Booklet B", referred to as Appendix 3, it is available on CD by contacting Tel: 01463 702132).
In light of the consultation and the Council’s commitment to develop stand alone Gaelic schools, the Committee is invited to agree:-
i. the principle of a stand alone Gaelic school for Portree and communities
currently served by the Gaelic Medium Provision in Portree Primary School,
Isle of Skye (Option B);
ii. that officers of the Council prepare an Option Paper on preferred sites for
consideration by Members; and
iii. that Members and officers discuss with the Scottish Government and Bòrd
na Gàidhlig capital funding for the project.
8. Parliamentary Inquiry - Pathways Into Sport
There is circulated Report No ECS-56-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport proposing a response from the Highland Council to a series of questions posed by the Health and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament in connection with an inquiry into any barriers that people in Scotland, and young people in particular, are facing in the early stages of their participation in sport.
In commenting on the draft answers to the Parliamentary Inquiry questions, the Committee is invited to approve the submission of the response to the Health and Sport Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
9. Highland Sport and Activity Strategy
There is circulated Report No ECS-57-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining the work of the Sport and Activity Working Group and recommending the content of a proposed Highland Sport and Activity Strategy.
The Committee is invited to comment on the proposed content of the Highland Sport and Activity Strategy and to agree:-
i. the publication strategy of a short published plan backed up by web-based
documents; and
ii. to delegate approval of the final document to the Director of Education,
Culture and Sport in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman.
10. Sports Facility Development Planning
There is circulated Report No ECS-58-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport seeking to provide a basis for determining the priorities for future investment in community sports facilities by the Council. This is achieved by recommending Highland-wide standards for the level of provision of facilities in Highland communities and measuring existing provision against this standard. The report provides conclusions and recommendations for priorities over the next five years given that planned priorities are a prerequisite for some other funding agencies, particularly sportscotland, to become involved as partners in a funded programme.
The Committee is invited to agree:-
i. that the principle of equalisation of sporting facilities across Integrated
Learning Communities, taking into account population and travel times, be
adopted;
ii. the five year priority list;
iii. no new swimming pool provision be brought forward as a priority in the
next five years;
iv. meetings be held with partner organisations to discuss external funding and
that progress reports be brought to future meetings of the Education,
Culture and Sport Committee; and
v. that further work be undertaken to determine the full costs of equalisation
and that progress reports on this also be brought to future meetings of the
Education, Culture and Sport Committee.
11. Highland Football Academy Trust
There is circulated Report No ECS-59-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on the work of the Highland Football Academy and its place in delivering the Regional Youth Action Plan for Football.
The Committee is invited to note the work to date and the future plans of the Highland Football Academy.
12. Senior Open Golf Championship 2011
There is circulated Report No ECS-60-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on the proposed bid by Nairn Golf Club to host the Senior Open Golf Championship in 2011 and which recommends the future commitment of £60,000 from the Highland 2007 Legacy Programme, split between financial years 2009/10 and 2010/11, to assist the Club in securing the event for the Highlands and to contribute towards the capital and revenue costs of hosting the event.
The Committee is invited to approve the recommendation of the Highland 2007 Legacy Programme central panel to award £60,000 to Nairn Golf Club towards the costs of attracting and hosting the Senior Open Golf Championship in 2011, with the award being split as follows:-
a) £30,000 towards capital costs in 2009/10; and
b) £30,000 towards revenue costs in 2010/11.
13. E-Safety Developments
There is circulated Report No ECS-61-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport detailing the proposed developments in e-safety for young people. It highlights the main elements in e-safety to be rolled out to young people and staff within Highland.
The Committee is asked to agree to the proposals for e-safety as detailed in the report.
14. Biometric Technologies
There is circulated Report No ECS-62-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport introducing the Scottish Government’s current consultation on biometric technologies in schools, reviews the Council’s current position and proposes a response.
The Committee is invited to agree to:-
i. confirm their general support for and adoption of the draft guidance on
biometric technologies in schools; and
ii. the suggested response to the consultation, taking into account any
comments made during discussion at the meeting.
15. A Curriculum for Excellence – Literacy Project
There is circulated Report No ECS-63-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on progress of The Highland Literacy Project and its central place within the development and implementation of a Curriculum for Excellence and its contribution to other Council and Scottish Government key priorities.
The Committee is invited to note the key stages, progress and future development of the literacy project.
16. Class Size Reduction P1-P3 - Update
There is circulated Report No ECS-64-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport providing details of the indicative costs associated with the full implementation of the Scottish Government’s policy to move towards the introduction of maximum class sizes of 18 in P1 to P3.
The Committee is invited to agree that, given that the additional annual teaching staffing costs associated with the implementation of introducing maximum class sizes of 18 in P1 to P3 is at least £3.12M plus the costs of any additional non-teaching staff required and on the basis that there is no funding provision within the current approved budget to meet these additional costs, then the implementation of maximum class sizes cannot be progressed at this stage.
17. Highland 2007 Legacy Fund Outcomes
There is circulated Report No ECS-65-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport informing Members of the outcome from the first funding round of the Highland 2007 Legacy Programme and seeking feedback on potential amendments to the Programme Guidelines and decision making process in advance of the second funding round in February 2009.
The Committee is invited to comment upon the proposed changes to the Legacy Programme Guidelines and decision making process, highlighting any additional recommendations to improve both in advance of round 2 in 2009, and to note:-
i. the high volume and quality of applications during round 1 of the Highland
2007 Legacy Programme;
ii. the decisions of the central Legacy Programme Panel.
18. Healthy Living Centres
Following the unsuccessful bid for Big Lottery Funding, there is circulated Report No ECS-66-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on funding issues relating to Healthy Living Centres and, in light of the lack of funding sources, recommends the winding up of the work of the Janny’s Hoose, Inverness and Healthways, Ross and Cromarty together with the resultant redeployment/redundancy of the staff involved.
The Committee is invited to agree that the work of the Janny’s Hoose and Healthways Healthy Living Centres is wound up and to further agree that from the Council’s earmarked £100,000 for Healthy Living initiatives:-
i. a sum of £20,000 be retained for health promotion work;
ii. use of the remaining £80,000 be considered as part of the budget
preparations for financial year 2009/2010; and
iii. the future of the staff affected be considered in accordance with the
Council’s redeployment/redundancy policy.
19. Curriculum for Excellence Health and Wellbeing Experiences and
Outcomes Consultation – Progress Report
There is circulated Report No ECS-67-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport providing an update on progress and recommendations for agreement on the final feedback from the consultation. Members will recall that Highland Council is one of seven authorities in Scotland which are officially trialling the Curriculum for Excellence Health and Wellbeing Outcomes and Experiences.
The Committee is invited to agree that the process of approving the final report on the Highland formative feedback from the consultation process be devolved to the Director of Education, Culture and Sport in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.
20. A Curriculum for Excellence - Consultation on the Next Generation
of National Qualifications in Scotland
There is circulated Report No ECS-68-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on the response to the Scottish Government’s Consultation on the next generation of National Qualifications prepared as submitted by Officers by the closing date of 31 October 2008.
The Committee is invited to consider the detailed response submitted by Officers and to make any additional comments.
21. Education, Culture and Sport Statutory Performance Indicators
2007/08
There is circulated Report No ECS-69-08 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport providing an analysis of the outcomes of the Statutory Performance Indicators for the Education, Culture and Sport Service for 2007/08 and highlighting the key issues arising from the 2007/08 performance data.
The Committee is invited to:-
i. note and comment upon the Service’s Statutory Performance Indicator
outcomes for 2007/08;
ii. agree that a further report on the Education, Culture and Sport Service’s
national benchmark position for 2007/08 be submitted following the
publishing of data by Audit Scotland early in 2009; and
iii. note that an annual Standards and Quality report will be published early in
2009.
22. Highland Institute of Sport – Representation
The Highland Institute for Sport, one of six area institutes within Scotland, provides a variety of support services for 28 performance athletes for 8 sports. It has facilities throughout the region with many local partners providing support. They have asked that the Council appoint one representative to the Highland Institute of Sport Board.
The proposed representative will be tabled on the day of the Committee.
23. Minutes of Meetings
There are circulated, for approval, the following Minutes of Meetings:-
i. Sport and Activity Working Group held on 2 October 2008; and
ii. Annual General Meeting and Ordinary Meeting of the Local Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff held on 8 October 2008.