Education & Lifelong Learning Committee

Thursday 3 June 2004 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost Rebecchi, Councillors Blair, Forbes, Gallacher, Hill, McCabe, McKenzie, Mitchell, Robertson, Snoddy, Tucker and White, Father T Boyle, Rev C McGranaghan and Rev W Armstrong, 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 Corporate Services, Acting Director of Education Services, Director of Legal & Support Services, Head of Property Services and Ms L Brabender, Senior Solicitor.

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

430

Education & Lifelong Learning Committee:  Church of Scotland Representation

430

There was submitted a report dated 18 May 2004 by the Director of Corporate Services requesting the Committee to approve the appointment, on a temporary basis, of Rev W Armstrong to serve as the Church of Scotland representative on the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee in place of Rev J Miller.

It was reported that a further letter had been received from the Church of Scotland advising that Rev Miller had intimated his resignation and requesting approval of Rev Armstrong’s appointment on a permanent basis.

Decided:  that Rev W Armstrong be appointed to serve as the Church of Scotland representative on the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee.

431

The Future Provision of Education in Inverclyde:  Secondary Education Cross Party Review Group

431

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services (1) providing the Committee with information on the work of the Cross Party Review Group on Secondary Education and (2) requesting the Committee to consider the recommendations made by the Group relative to the future provision of secondary education in Inverclyde.

Following discussion, Councillor Mitchell moved:

(1) that the conclusions of the Review Group as set out in the report be adopted and that it be remitted to the Director of Education Services to prepare statutory consultation documents which propose changes to school provision as follows:

(a)      a new school replacing Greenock High School and Wellington Academy to be built on the site of the Ravenscraig Pitches with options for associated primary schools;

(b)      a new school replacing St Columba’s High School and Notre Dame High School to be built on the site of the existing Notre Dame High School with options for associated primary schools;

(c)      a new school replacing Greenock Academy and Gourock High School to be built on the site of the existing St Columba’s High School with existing associated primary schools; and

(2)      that it be remitted to the Directors of Education Services and Corporate Services to prepare an outline business case for submission to the Scottish Executive in June 2004 based on the decisions made within the financial parameters approved by the Policy & Strategy Committee on the basis of a combination of prudential funding and the traditional PPP model.

As an amendment, Mr Tracey moved (1) that no action be taken at present on the proposals included in the report and (2) that a further report detailing all possible combinations of secondary schools and the range of information relating to these combinations as outlined in Section 3.2 of the report be prepared by the Director of Education Services for submission to the next meeting of the Education & Lifelong Learning Committee.

On a vote, 3 Members voted for the amendment and 13 for the motion which was declared carried.

Decided:

(1) that the conclusions of the Review Group as set out in the report be adopted and that it be remitted to the Director of Education Services to prepare statutory consultation documents which propose changes to school provision as follows:

(a)      a new school replacing Greenock High School and Wellington Academy to be built on the site of the Ravenscraig Pitches with options for associated primary schools;

(b)      a new school replacing St Columba’s High School and Notre Dame High School to be built on the site of the existing Notre Dame High School with options for associated primary schools;

(c)      a new school replacing Greenock Academy and Gourock High School to be built on the site of the existing St Columba’s High School with existing associated primary schools; and

(2)      that it be remitted to the Directors of Education Services and Corporate Services to prepare an outline business case for submission to the Scottish Executive in June 2004 based on the decisions made within the financial parameters approved by the Policy & Strategy Committee on the basis of a combination of prudential funding and the traditional PPP model.