Aird & Loch Ness Ward Forum

Action Note of Ward Forum held on 21st May 2008, at Charleston Academy at 7.30 p.m.

Attendees
Fiona Duffy, Ward Manager – Aird & Loch Ness Ward, Highland Council
Cllr Margaret Davidson – Highland Council
Cllr Drew Hendry – Highland Council
Cllr Helen Carmichael – Highland Council
Cllr Hamish Wood – Highland Council (Chair)
Chief Inspector Julian Innes – Northern Constabulary
Katy Martin – Ranger Service – Highland Council
Suzzan Barr – Abriachan Forest Trust
Sheila Lamont – Head Teacher – Farr Primary School
Tom Speirs – Depute Rector – Charleston Academy
Hamish McLean – Depute Rectors – Charleston Academy
Jenny MacRae – Schools Liaison Officer – UHI
Nikki Gilbert – Partnership for Rural Inverness
Elaine Donnelly – Parent Council - Dochgarroch Primary School
Di Taylor – Parent Council – Farr Primary School & Nursery
Caroline Crawford – Parent council – Kirkhill Primary School
Anthony Gould – Beauly Community Council
Katherine Grant – Stratherrick Community Council
Paul McKinley – Strathglass Community Council
Molly Doyle – Strathglass Community Council
Jim Ogilvie – Kirkhill & Bunchrew Community Council
Ken Knott – Fort Augustus & Glenmoriston Community Council
Clelland McCallum
Hugh Ross – Inverness Courier
Kirsten Petrie – Youth Development Officer – Highland Council
Hector Robinson – Education Culture & Sport Manager – Highland Council
Mags Duncan-Stirling – Community Learning & Leisure Officer – Highland Council
Chris Connelly – Community Learning Development Officer – Highland Council

Apologies: 
Graham Robertson – Highlands & Islands Fire Service
Ben Leyshon – SNH
Anne Angus – CVS
John Bryce – Craigmonie Woodland Association
Fiona Robb – HIE-IEH
Rachel Mohin – Head Teacher – Daviot Primary School
P J Hossack – Head Teacher – Dochgarroch Primary School

Cllr Hamish Wood in the Chair

Agenda

1. Welcome & Introductions – Cllr Hamish Wood

2. Community Safety Update – Chief Inspector Julian Innes
Introduced himself and his background/experience.
He will (where possible) be at all Ward Forums
Main current emphasis: Under Age Drinking.

3. Presentation on: Education in the Community
By Katy Martin – Ranger Service – Highland Council

        Presentation on: Diversionary Education
By Suzzan Barr – Abriachan Forest Trust

        Presentation on: Primary Education
By Sheila Lamont – Farr Primary School

        Presentation on: Secondary Education
By Tom Speirs – Depute Rector – Charleston Academy

        Presentation on: Further Education
By Jenny MacRae – Schools Liaison Officer - UHI

4. Discussion Groups
Parent Councils – with Cllr Helen Carmichael
Subjects Discussed:
Local Forum for Parent Councils(perhaps at Ward Level)
Communication with Parent Council & Parents wider – open meetings so that     parents who are not on the Parent Council can attend.
Parent Council involvement in school appointments – balance of involvement.

Areas of Concern:
Getting people interested in being part of Parent Councils.

Action Points:
Get hold of Parents as Partners Toolkit.
Parent Council Conference comments sent out to all Parent Councils
Holding a more local Parent Council Conference – perhaps across the Ward or having Parent Councils as a theme for a Ward Forum
Document for Parent Council involvement in school appointments to be reviewed
Action: Hector Robinson

Adult Education – with Cllr Hamish Wood
Subjects Discussed:
Benefits of local delivered programmes
Not just one offs but a more structure programme of events.
Use of local people to deliver not always the “professional”
Grouping of events within areas
Mornings a popular period for events
Use of school facilities being more open
Computer Courses
Mobile phone introductory/advanced courses
Beauly having a good centre for activities

Areas of Concern:
Would funding be available
Trying to get Communities working together
People looking at resources as being “their own” and not community owned

Action Points:
Circulation of community Education questionnaire should be to a wider audience   including: Community Education, Halls Associations, Churches
Explore the purchase of laptops for Ward 13 with a view of offering courses throughout the area.  Possible funding sources, Individual community Councils making a contribution, Discretionary budget application, Wind Far benefit associations/companies.
Instigate a programme of computer courses in Ward 13
Instigate a programme of basic mobile phone courses in Ward 13
Report of the meeting includes the contact for the People of the 3rd Age

Schools Working with the Community – with Cllr Drew Hendry & Cllr Margaret Davidson
Subjects Discussed:
Goodwill – still out there in the community
Inviting people from the community into the school
Community & School doing things together
Pick it up in School Development Plan
Staff living in community – two edged issue
Working with schools – tap into Renewable energy
Expanding school ground
Food growing – to feed into other community institutions
Work experience links with the community

Areas of Concern:
Staff – need to be encouraged to work in the area – can be difficult because of   housing
Not enough after school activities
Too many probationer teachers can sometimes not get full buy into community
If you have probationary teacher then difficult to translate them into Full-time     Education
Need to link into community to get carer in summer – none with ECS

Action Points:
Discuss probations provision with Hector Robinson ECS Manager
Action: Ken Knott – Fort Augustus & Glenmoriston Community Council                       
Need to ask our Secondary Schools what organisations/businesses they use for   work experience
Difficulties with getting parents involved sometimes – very willing but needs staff involvement to deliver

5. Questions from Members of the Public
Ron MacLean – Kiltarlity Community Council
Desirability of Secondary School between Inverness & Dingwall covering Beauly/Muir of Ord/Kirkhill & Kiltarlity?
Hector Robinson – ECS Manager replied Discussions have happened, a lot depends on housing development on the north side of the Loch.  A strategic group has been set up with Education, Housing, Property & Finance to plan and manage all these developments. 

Ken Knott – Fort Augustus & Glenmoriston Community Council
Schools working into the community – concern over long term future of schools if teachers are constantly being replaced by probationers – how does this create stability?
Hector Robinson – ECS Manager – have to take a quota of probationers every year.

Clelland McCallum – Parent (Balnain)
Gaelic Provision for school children in the rural areas.  Travel times can be in excess of 3 hour round trip.
Hector Robinson – ECS Manager replied that a minimum of 4 children to support provision in P1 and evidence of another 4 children after that and there therefore needs to be steps in the school to provide it.
Gaelic boundaries need to be expanded further and assess where the need is.

6. Close of Meeting & Future Dates – Cllr Hamish Wood
Future Ward Forum Dates:  27/8/08 and 26/9/08

Suggestion of topics/comments from this Ward Forum for future Ward Forums includes:
Parent Councils
Parent Involvement
Rural Schools
Village Halls
More on Education/Education Forums
Housing Developments
Affordable Housing
Local Plan – infrastructure, growth, roads, housing, etc
Further Education – Skills training & modern apprenticeships
Water –   Flooding, HELAG, community take on it
– Drinking – capacity, development programme
– Foul - upgrade 
Development of young people who find ordinary education is not for them
More opportunity within Ward Forum to ask speakers questions