Education & Lifelong Learning Committee

Thursday 13 November 2003 at 1.00 pm

Present:  Provost Rebecchi, Councillors Blair, Forbes, Gallacher, Hill, McCabe, McKenzie, Mitchell, Robertson and Tucker, Father T Boyle and Rev C McGranaghan, Church Representatives, Mr A Sweeney, Parent Representative, and Mr T Tracey, Teacher Representative.

Chair:   Councillor Mitchell presided.

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive, Director of Education Services, Director of Finance, Director of Legal & Support Services, Ms L Brabender, Senior Solicitor, Head of Environmental & Consumer Services, Mr A Gerrard (for Head of Property Services) and Managing Solicitor (Committees/Contracts).

Apologies:  Rev J Miller.

With the exception of the decisions marked 'C' which are open for confirmation or otherwise, the following paragraphs are submitted for information only having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

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Secondary Education Provision

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There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services (1) providing further information on secondary education provision in Inverclyde, (2) outlining key factors which  influence future school provision, (3) recommending that a new school be built to replace Wellington Academy and Greenock High School and (4) recommending the establishment of a cross-party working group to examine future secondary school provision in Inverclyde and to report thereon to the Committee within a three month period.  The report also included as an appendix, site appraisals for new secondary schools prepared by the Cross Services Sites Working Group which identify potential sites in terms of suitability for new secondary schools.  (Councillor Hill entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Following discussion, Councillor Blair moved that the following proposals be approved subject to decision (5) being approved by the Inverclyde Council:-

(1)      that the details relating to secondary school provision and the factors to be considered in planning future secondary school provision be noted;

that it be recommended to the Policy & Strategy Committee:-

(2)      that the following proposals be issued for consultation and made available to all interested parties:-

(i)       that Wellington Academy not close in June 2004;

(ii)      that the pupils currently attending King's Glen Primary School, Lady Alice Primary School, Overton Primary School, Highlander's Academy and Oakfield Primary School be associated with Wellington Academy from December 2003;

(iii)      that those pupils attending Highholm Primary School be associated with Port Glasgow High School from December 2003;

(iv)     that Wellington Academy formally close in June 2005;

(v)      that the pupils attending Wellington Academy transfer to Greenock High School in

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August 2005;

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(vi)     that the pupils attending King's Glen Primary School and Oakfield Primary School be associated with Greenock Academy from December 2004 and that the P7 of 2004/2005 transfer to Greenock Academy from August 2005;

(vii)     that the pupils attending Overton Primary School, Lady Alice Primary School and Highlander's Academy be associated with Greenock High School from December 2004 and that the P7 of 2004/2005 transfer to Greenock High School from August  2005;

(viii)    that a new school replacing the amalgamated Wellington Academy/Greenock High School be designed and constructed for January 2008;

(ix)     that pupils attending the amalgamated Greenock High School transfer to the new school on its completion around January 2008;

(x)      that those primary schools associated with the amalgamated Greenock High School/Wellington Academy be associated with the new school;

(xi)     that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee outlining proposals for the remaining secondary schools.

(3)      that all interested parties, including school boards, be asked to make written submissions to the Director of Education Services at 105 Dalrymple Street, Greenock PA15 1HT by no later than Friday 19 December 2003;

(4)      that the Director of Education Services prepare a report on the results of the consultative process for consideration at a future meeting of the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee;  and

C

(5)      that agreement be given to the establishment of a cross-party review group with the remit of examining and making recommendations on the following issues and to report thereon to the Committee within a three month period:-

C

(a)      the future configuration of secondary education taking account of issues such as projected rolls, school sizes and curriculum delivery, transport and roads infrastructure, availability of suitably located sites, condition and refurbishment costs and Best Value in the use of Council resources;

(b)      the timescale for implementation of changes in provision;

(c)      the extent of maintenance and refurbishment required in each school in the period leading up to the implementation of the revised configuration.

(6)      that the Director of Education Services report to the Committee on the staffing implications of the proposals.

As an amendment to (2) above Councillor Robertson moved that the Council not proceed with the recommended consultation document and that the following proposals be issued for consultation (to comply with statutory requirements):-

(i)       that Wellington Academy not close in June 2004;

(ii)      that the pupils attending Wellington Academy not transfer to Greenock High School;

(iii)      that the pupils currently attending King's Glen Primary School, Lady Alice Primary School, Overton Primary School, Highlander's Academy and Oakfield Primary School continue to be associated with Wellington Academy;

(iv)     that those pupils attending Highholm Primary School be associated with Port Glasgow High School from December 2003;

(v)      that the new denominational primary school serving Inverkip and Wemyss Bay be associated with St Columba's High School.

On a vote 4 Members voted for the amendment and 8 for the motion which was declared carried.  Those Members who had voted in favour of the amendment then requested in terms of the relevant Standing Order that the matter be referred to the Inverclyde Council for decision in terms of the amendment.

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Decided: 

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(1)      that the details relating to secondary school provision and the factors to be considered in planning future secondary school provision be noted;

that it be recommended to the Policy & Strategy Committee:-

C

(2)      that the following proposals be issued for consultation and made available to all interested parties:-

C

(i)       that Wellington Academy not close in June 2004;

(ii)      that the pupils currently attending King's Glen Primary School, Lady Alice Primary School, Overton Primary School, Highlander's Academy and Oakfield Primary School be associated with Wellington Academy from December 2003;

(iii)      that those pupils attending Highholm Primary School be associated with Port Glasgow High School from December 2003;

(iv)     that Wellington Academy formally close in June 2005;

(v)      that the pupils attending Wellington Academy transfer to Greenock High School in August 2005;

(vi)     that the pupils attending King's Glen Primary School and Oakfield Primary School be associated with Greenock Academy from December 2004 and that the P7 of 2004/2005 transfer to Greenock Academy from August 2005;

(vii)     that the pupils attending Overton Primary School, Lady Alice Primary School and Highlander's Academy be associated with Greenock High School from December 2004 and that the P7 of 2004/2005 transfer to Greenock High School from August  2005;

(viii)    that a new school replacing the amalgamated Wellington Academy/Greenock High School be designed and constructed for January 2008;

(ix)     that pupils attending the amalgamated Greenock High School transfer to the new school on its completion around January 2008;

(x)      that those primary schools associated with the amalgamated Greenock High School/Wellington Academy be associated with the new school;

(xi)     that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee outlining proposals for the remaining secondary schools.

(3)      that all interested parties, including school boards, be asked to make written submissions to the Director of Education Services at 105 Dalrymple Street, Greenock PA15 1HT by no later than Friday 19 December 2003;

(4)      that the Director of Education Services prepare a report on the results of the consultative process for consideration at a future meeting of the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee;

C

(5)      that agreement be given to the establishment of a cross-party review group with the remit of examining and making recommendations on the following issues set out in section 5.3 of the report and to report thereon to the Committee within a three month period:-

C

(a)      the future configuration of secondary education taking account of issues such as projected rolls, school sizes and curriculum delivery, transport and roads infrastructure, availability of suitably located sites, condition and refurbishment costs and Best Value in the use of Council resources;

(b)      the timescale for implementation of changes in provision;

(c)      the extent of maintenance and refurbishment required in each school in the period leading up to the implementation of the revised configuration;  and

(6)      that the Director of Education Services report to the Committee on the staffing implications of the proposals.

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The Provision of Non-Denominational Primary Education Across Overton and Highlander's Academy Primary Schools

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There was submitted a proposed consultative document (i) identifying issues in relation to surplus accommodation and the condition of existing primary schools, (2) describing current non-denominational primary education provision across Highlander's Academy and Overton Primary Schools and (3) setting out proposals based on a new-build primary school to replace Highlander's Academy and Overton Primary Schools.

Decided:  that it be recommended to the Policy & Strategy Committee:-

(1)      that the following proposals be issued for consultation and made available to all interested parties

(i)       that Highlander's Academy Primary School be formally closed in June 2006;

(ii)      that Overton Primary School be formally closed in June 2006;

(iii)      that a new school be built on the site of the former Hector McNeil Baths to replace Highlander's Academy Primary School and Overton Primary School and Nursery Class to open in August 2006;

(iv)     that the delineated area of the new school be from December 2005, the combined delineated areas of the existing Highlander's Academy Primary School and Overton Primary School as shown in Appendix 3.

(v)      that the new school be associated with the combined Wellington Academy and Greenock High School;

(vi)     that the Gaelic Primary Unit and Gaelic Pre-five Unit in Highlander's Academy Primary School be relocated either to the new primary school or to alternative primary school accommodation;

(vii)     that the School Age Language Unit in Highlander's Academy Primary School be relocated to alternative accommodation.

(2)      that all interested parties, including school boards, be asked to make written submissions to the Director of Education Services at 105 Dalrymple Street, Greenock PA15 1HT by no later than Friday 19 December 2003;

(3)      that the Director of Education Services prepare a report on the results of the consultative process for consideration at a future meeting of the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee.

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 paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

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Secondary Education - Appendix Pages

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Appendix pages relative to Secondary Education Provision report providing information on a particular site.

Noted