Committees
A meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 12 November 2009 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. Revenue Budget 2009/10 – Monitoring
There is circulated Report No ECS-47-09 dated 31 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which sets out the Revenue Budget monitoring position for the period 1 April 2009 to 30 September 2009, highlighting known budget pressures and proposed compensatory savings measures. Details of progress with the achievement of the outstanding budget savings targets for 2008/09 and 2009/10 are also provided.
The Committee is asked to:-
i. agree the corrective actions to off-set known budget pressures as detailed in
the report;
ii. agree that progress on recovering the position of schools in deficit be
reported to the Committee during the remainder of the financial year; and
iii. note the progress being made with the outstanding budget savings targets.
4. Capital Expenditure 2009/10 – Monitoring
There is circulated Report No ECS-48-09 dated 31 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which sets out the Capital Programme net expenditure position for the period 1 April 2009 to 30 September 2009 and progress with major projects, including the completion of extensions to Nairn Academy and Grantown Grammar School using modular construction techniques.
The report also seeks approval of a proposed two classroom extension to Bun-sgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis and proposed investment at Glenurquhart Primary School to meet community demand for Gaelic provision. In addition, Members are informed of progress with the technical feasibility study currently underway at Wick High School and how the outcome will inform the proposed replacement/major refurbishment of the school.
The Committee is invited to agree that:-
i. the approved £1.0m investment at Wick High School be reviewed and that
only essential investment, as set out in the report, be incurred;
ii. Bun-sgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis be extended by two classrooms to address
emerging accommodation pressures, that officers enter into discussions with
the Director of Finance and Depute Chief Executive to determine how this
project can be progressed within the terms of the PPP2 contractual
arrangements and the related best value funding options and that these
options be presented to Members for consideration at the Education,
Culture and Sport Committee on 14 January 2010; and
iii. in response to a viable local demand for Gaelic Medium education, and in line
with Council policy, an outline business case be produced for additional
accommodation at Glenurquhart Primary School, as outlined in the report, for
consideration thereafter within the corporate capital review process.
5. Schools Building Programme
There is circulated Report No ECS-49-09 dated 26 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining the content of the provisional submission to the Scottish Government, required by 23 October 2009, identifying which schools within Highland should be considered for replacement within the first phase of the national School Building Programme for Primary Schools.
The Committee is invited to:-
i. approve the provisional submission to the Scottish Government, which
includes the following proposals:-
a) the replacement of five existing Condition C or D schools with two new
build primary schools as follows:-
- a new primary school in Fort William replacing the existing Fort William Primary School and Upper Achintore Primary School
- a new primary school in Easter Ross replacing the existing Obsdale Primary School, Ardross Primary School and Newmore Primary School;
b) that the new school in Fort William is higher priority on the basis that it
would result in a higher number of pupils being accommodated in improved
accommodation; and
ii. note that any proposal to amalgamate schools would require a statutory
consultation process to be carried out.
6. Quality Improvement Team Handbook
There is circulated Report No ECS-50-09 dated 29 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which informs Members of the central work of the Quality Improvement Team in securing continuous improvement in the Education, Culture and Sport Service.
The Committee is invited to note and comment on the Quality Improvement Team Handbook appended to the report.
7. Review of Administrative and Clerical Support Staff
There is circulated Report No ECS-51-09 dated 30 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport providing the initial recommendations arising from the review of the administrative and clerical function within the Education, Culture and Sport Service.
The Committee is invited to agree to recommend to the Resources Committee:-
i. the support staff organisational structure as outlined in Annex 2 to the
report;
ii. the deletion of 19.31 full-time equivalent (FTE) posts, saving £0.317m per
annum, from the Education, Culture and Sport budgeted establishment as
detailed in Annex 3 to the report;
iii. the transfer of 5.50 FTE posts and funding relating to School Transport
administration to Transport, Environmental and Community Services from
the Education, Culture and Sport establishment;
iv. the changes in line management for Service support staff as outlined in the
report;
v. the changes in support service delivery as outlined in the report; and
vi. the transition arrangements as outlined in the report.
8. Curriculum for Excellence - Assessment
There is circulated Report No ECS-52-09 dated 28 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which summarises the Scottish Government’s Strategic Vision and Key Principles of Assessment for Curriculum for Excellence.
The Committee is invited to:-
i. note the Strategic Vision and Key Principles of Assessment for Curriculum for
Excellence;
ii. agree that it represents a sound set of principles for work in Highland; and
iii. agree that a further report on assessment and reporting to parents be
submitted to a future Education, Culture and Sport Committee as continuing
progress is made on the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence.
9. Cyberbullying Guidance
There is circulated Report No ECS-53-09 dated 3 November 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport detailing the components of the proposed Cyberbullying Guidance, which includes the development of a mechanism to support professionals with the handling of specific incidents where children, young people or staff may have been targeted.
The Committee is invited to approve the Cyberbullying Guidance for distribution to all Education, Culture and Sport Service establishments and to note the input from key agencies and individuals instrumental in developing the Guidance.
10. Changes in Educational Provision – Consultative Procedures
There is circulated Report No ECS-54-09 dated 30 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport seeking approval to introduce revised school consultative procedures based on the provisions contained within the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill which is currently being enacted in the Scottish Parliament and due to become law in Spring 2010.
The Committee is invited to approve the schools consultative process outlined in the report with effect from January 2010.
11. Statutory Consultation on the Proposal to Establish Gaelic
Medium Provision in Glenurquhart Primary School, Drumnadrochit
There is circulated Report No ECS-55-09 dated 5 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out, for Members’ consideration, a draft Consultation Paper on the proposal to establish Gaelic Medium Education provision at Glenurquhart Primary School, Drumnadrochit.
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. that the outcome of the consultation be considered at the meeting of the
Education, Culture and Sport Committee on 14 January 2010.
12. Statutory Consultation on a New Primary School for the Milton of
Leys Area of Inverness
There is circulated Report No ECS-56-09 dated 5 October 2009 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport setting out, for Members’ consideration, a draft Consultation Paper on the proposal to provide a new primary school for the Milton of Leys area of Inverness.
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. that the outcome of the consultation be considered at the meeting of the
Education, Culture and Sport Committee on 14 January 2010.
13. Minutes of Meetings
There are circulated the following Minutes of Meetings:-
i. Annual General and Ordinary Meetings of the Local Negotiating Committee
for Teaching Staff held on 8 October 2009 (for approval); and
ii. Education Transport Appeals Committee Transport Appeals Committee held
on 15 September 2009 (for noting).