Education & Lifelong Learning Committee

Tuesday 27 August 2002 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Roach, Councillors Calvert, Campbell, McCabe, McGraw, Mitchell, O’Rourke, Robertson (A), Father T Boyle and Rev C McGranaghan, Church Representatives, Mrs P Purdie, Parent Representative, and Mr D Anderson, Teacher Representative.

Chair:  Councillor Robertson (A) presided. 

In attendance:  Director of Education Services, Mr H McNeilly (for Director of Legal & Support Services), Head of Financial Services and Head of Property Services.

Apologies:  Councillors Jackson, Morrison (D), Robertson (Y) and Rev J Miller.

The following paragraphs are submitted for information only, having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

603

Revenue Budget 2002/03 - Period 4

603

There was submitted a report dated 15 August 2002 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Revenue Budget 2002/03 as at Period 4 (24 July 2002).

Noted

Councillor Calvert entered the meeting as this juncture.

604

Capital Programme 2002/03 to 2003/04 - Progress

604

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services on the progress of the Capital Programme 2002/03 to 2003/04.

Decided:

(1) that the Committee approve, in terms of the relevant financial regulations, an expenditure decrease of £10,395 in the secondary schools ceiling replacement and lighting renewal contract resulting from a  revision of the IT networking proposals and the subsequent deletion of works at Port Glasgow High School which were no longer required;

(2) that the progress of the specific projects detailed in Appendix 1 to the report be noted;

(3) that it be noted that the overall projected overspend of £16,000 in the current financial year would be contained within the overall approved budget;  and

(4) that the use of the £113,000 capital allocation for financial year 2001/2002 for grounds stabilisation works at Overton Primary School (£20,000), works to the Wellington Academy multi-gym (£53,000) and Health & Safety minor works (£40,000) be noted.

605

Investment in School Buildings:  School Buildings Improvement Fund

605

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services (1) advising that the Scottish Executive had allocated £500,000 to Inverclyde Council in 2002/2003 from the School Buildings Improvement Fund and (2) seeking approval to proceed with the projects listed in Appendix 2 to the report.

Decided:

(1) that the allocation of £500,000 from the School Buildings Improvement Fund 2002/2003 be noted;

(2) that approval be given for utilisation of the funds for the following projects:

Project                                                                                   Cost

St Columba's High School Re-roofing - Music Block               £  60,000

St Stephen's High School - Block D Windows                        £  80,000 (notional cost)

Gourock High School - Re-wiring                                           £150,000 (notional cost)

Port Glasgow High School - Replacement of Copper

Pipework Phase 1                                                                   £  80,000

St Patrick's Primary School - Asbestos  Removal                    £  45,000

Greenock Academy - Replacement Fan Convectors,

Phase 1                                                                                  £  25,000

Sacred Heart Primary School - Replacement Boiler                 £  12,000

Highholm Primary School - Replacement Boiler                       £    9,000

Unallocated Funding                                                               £  39,000

TOTAL                                                                                  £500,000

(3) that authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Support Services to invite tenders for the various projects;

(4) that delegated authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Support Services in the usual manner to accept the lowest tenders received in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Orders relating to Contracts and the Financial Regulations;  and

(5) that approval be given to utilise the unallocated sum of £39,000 on projects agreed by the Director of Education Services and Head of Property Services.

606

School Holiday Arrangements

606

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services requesting the Committee to approve arrangements for the school holidays for session 2003/2004 together with supplementary report seeking approval to alter the holiday arrangements for 2002/2003.

Decided:

(1) that the holiday arrangements for school session 2003/2004 set out in Appendix 2 to the report be approved, it being noted that this left a balance of four local holidays to be set at a future date;  and

(2) that in respect of the 2002/2003 school holiday arrangements, approval be given to close the schools for the summer holidays on Friday 27 June 2003 and to compensate for this one day reduction in the teachers' working year by deleting the local holiday set for 18 February 2003.

607

Sexual Health and Relationships Policy

607

There was submitted a report dated 17 July 2002 by the Director of Education Services advising of a policy developed by Education Services to guide schools in the education of children and young people concerning sexual health and relationships and in informing and consulting parents and carers in relation to this. (Provost Roach entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Decided:

(1) that the report be noted;  and

(2) that the sexual health and relationships education policy set out in Appendix 1 to the report be noted.

608

Recent Legislation and Guidance Regarding Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

608

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services summarising the recent legislation and guidance issued by the Scottish Executive regarding the additional support required for pupils with special educational needs and those with disabilities as part of an integrated approach to supporting such children.

Decided:

(1) that the report be noted;  and

(2) that it be noted that further reports on the impact on service delivery and on the resource requirements resulting from the changes in legislation and guidance would be submitted to the Committee in due course.

609

Standards and Quality Report 2000/2001

609

There was submitted a report dated 7 August 2002 by the Director of Education Services on the final Education Services Standards and Quality Report for 2000/2001.

Decided:  that the Education Services Standards and Quality Report 2000/2001 contained in Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

610

National Grid for Learning:  Cabling Procurement - Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

610

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to appoint Halliday Electrical Ltd as contractors for the extension of the cabling in the eight secondary schools in Inverclyde as part of the National Grid for Learning Programme.

Noted

611

Secondary Schools - Replacement of Ceilings and Lighting - Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

611

There was submitted a report dated August 2002 by the Depute Chief Executive advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to accept the lowest tender received for the removal of asbestos ceiling material discovered during the installation of computers and network infrastructure to schools as part of the National Grid for Learning Programme and the installation of replacement ceilings and light fittings, that by G D Chalmers Ltd in the sum of £126,056.75.

Noted

612

Schools Public Private Partnership Project Update

612

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services providing an update on the Inverclyde Schools Public Private Partnership Project and in particular advising of (1) the indicative level of revenue support from the Scottish Executive, (2) the Scottish Executive conditions relating to the award of revenue support for the Schools PPP Project, (3) the progress made in the development of an Asset Management Strategy for the Schools Estate and (4) the arrangements for the appointment of external legal, financial and technical advisers.

Following discussion, Councillor Mitchell moved that, subject to the suspension of Standing Orders, PricewaterhouseCoopers be not appointed as the Council's financial advisers for the PPP Project.  Mr McNeilly advised the Committee, however, that the motion by Councillor Mitchell was not competent in that arrangements for the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers and the other external advisers had already been made under the powers delegated by the Council to the Chief Executive on 27 June 2002 (Para 593).

Decided:

(1) that it be noted that the Scottish Executive had advised that the bid by Inverclyde Council had been re-assessed to take account of the capitalised interest elements and that the offer of revenue support had increased to £5.73m per annum over 30 years for a revised Public Private Partnership Project with a maximum capital investment value of £80m;

(2) that the conditions relating to the award of revenue support for the PPP Project as detailed in the report be noted;

(3) that the progress made in the development of an Asset Management Strategy for the Schools Estate be noted;  and

(4) that the appointment of external advisers for the project as detailed in the report be noted.

It was agreed in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6, 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

613

Education Services ICT Plan - Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

613

There was submitted a report dated 7 August 2002 by the Depute Chief Executive advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to grant approval for the Council to enter into an agreement in terms of Standing Order 15.2 of the Standing Orders relating to Contracts with IBM (UK) Ltd for the provision of an ICT Plan for Education Services.

Noted