432 REVENUE BUDGET 1997/98 432

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 April 1998 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Revenue Budget 1997/98 as at 4 March 1998.

DECIDED:

(a) That the current projected underspend of £358,060 in the Revenue Budget 1997/98 be noted; and

(b) That it be remitted to the Director of Education Services to report to a future meeting of the Committee on the action proposed to contain the unachieved savings in the cleaning contract within the overall Budget in 1998/99.

433 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS 433

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 March 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1997/98.

DECIDED:

(a) That the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1997/98 be noted; and

(b) That the Committee approve the following expenditure increase in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations:-

Project Effect on Expenditure

Port Glasgow High School, Phase 4A - Cladding and Windows

Provision of blinds within remainder of main teaching block £8,000 increase

434 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1997/98 - FINANCIAL POSITION 434

SUBMITTED: Report dated 3 April 1998 by the Director of Finance on the financial position of the Capital Programme 1997/98.

NOTED

435 DEVELOPMENT OF GAELIC MEDIUM EDUCATION 435

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services on the results of the feasibility study undertaken to determine the level of interest amongst Inverclyde parents in relation to Gaelic pre-school provision, leading to Gaelic primary provision and advising of a subsequent funding bid to the Scottish Office.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that a bid has been submitted to the Scottish Office for funding in respect of (i) the establishment of pre-five provision in Inverclyde from August 1998 and (ii) an examination of the viability of Gaelic medium primary provision; and

(b) That it be noted that the Director of Education Services will report to a future meeting of the Committee on the progress of the new development.

436 SETTING TARGETS - RAISING STANDARDS IN SCHOOLS 436

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services on the contents of the paper "Setting Targets - Raising Standards in Scottish Schools" which had been prepared by the Ministerial Action Group on Standards in Scottish Schools and issued to all schools in Scotland. The report outlined the areas in respect of which targets were to be set and how these targets were to be devised and advised of the action already taken and proposed by the Department in response to the report's recommendations.

NOTED

437 EDUCATION FOR WORK: WORK EXPERIENCE IN SCOTLAND - A CONSULTATION 437

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services advising of the publication by the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department of a discussion paper inviting views on the benefits of work experience for secondary school pupils and setting out a proposed response to the paper.

DECIDED: That the Committee approve the response to the discussion paper as set out in Appendix 2 to the report for submission to the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department.

438 INVERCLYDE SCHOOLS CONCERT BAND: CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT 438

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services on the progress made by the Inverclyde Schools Concert Band and requesting the Committee to approve proposals for further developments in ensemble playing for Inverclyde pupils.

DECIDED: That the achievements to date of Inverclyde Schools Concert Band be noted and the proposals for further development of the Band as set out in the report be approved.

439 DEALING WITH BULLYING 439

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Education Services proposing various measures to ensure that educational establishments in Inverclyde have policies and practices in place both to prevent and deal with bullying.

DECIDED: That the proposed policy as detailed in the report be approved.

440 BURSARY POLICY FOR SCHOOL SESSION 1998/99 440

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services appending the Inverclyde Council Guide to Higher School Bursaries Policy Document which it was recommended be adopted as the Council's policy on bursaries for school session 1998/99.

DECIDED: That the Inverclyde Council Guide to Higher School Bursaries Policy Document as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be adopted as the Council's policy on bursaries for school session 1998/99.

441 SCHOOL HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS 1999/2000 441

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services requesting the Committee to approve arrangements for school holidays for session 1999/2000.

DECIDED: That the school holiday arrangements for 1999/2000 be as follows:-

Monday 16 August 1999 Teachers return

Tuesday 17 August 1999 Pupils return

Friday 8 October 1999 Close Mid Term

Monday 18 October 1999 Re-open

Thursday 23 December 1999 Close Christmas

Monday 10 January 2000 Re-open

Friday 18 February 2000 Close Mid Term

Tuesday 22 February 2000 Re-open

Friday 14 April 2000 Close Easter

Tuesday 2 May 2000 Re-open

Wednesday 28 June 2000 Close Summer

Tuesday 15 August 2000 Teachers Return

Wednesday 16 August 2000 Pupils Return

442 PUPILS WITH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND/OR BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES 442

IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 April 1998 by the Directors of Education Services and Social Work on the possible establishment of a unit for primary aged pupils with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties to be located within Boglestone Primary School, Port Glasgow and seeking authority to issue a consultation document on this basis.

It was noted that the proposed closing date for submission of representations was 29 May 1998 and not 20 May 1998 as detailed in the consultation document.

DECIDED:

(a) That the consultation document appended to the report be approved for issue to all relevant parties, with responses to be received by no later than 29 May 1998; and

(b) That the results of the consultation exercise be reported for consideration to future meetings of the Education Services Committee and the Social Work and Housing Committee together with detailed recommendations as to how matters should be further progressed.

443 SOEID DISCUSSION PAPER - "PARENTS AS PARTNERS: 443

ENHANCING THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN SCHOOL EDUCATION"

SUBMITTED: Report dated 8 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services appending a proposed response to the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department discussion paper "Parents as Partners: Enhancing the Role of Parents in School Education".

DECIDED: That the proposed response to the discussion paper set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved for submission to the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department by 1 May 1998.

444 THE TEACHERS (COMPENSATION FOR PREMATURE RETIREMENT) (SCOTLAND) 444

REGULATIONS 1980

SUBMITTED: Report dated 9 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services recommending a premature retirement scheme for teachers on the grounds of the efficiency of the service or ill health in terms of the Teachers (Compensation for Premature Retirement) (Scotland) Regulations 1980.

Mr Grant advised the Committee of a proposed amendment to paragraph 5.1(d) of the recommendations contained in the report.

DECIDED:

(a) That the terms of the Teachers (Compensation for Premature Retirement) (Scotland) Regulations 1980 be noted;

(b) That the Director of Education Services be authorised to canvass interest amongst teachers for early retirement in respect of school session 1998/99 and future years, if this is deemed necessary;

(c) That for the purpose of the canvass, the 1980 Regulations be used in accordance with the enhancement terms as set out in Section 4 of the report; and

(d) That it be agreed that the release on the grounds of efficiency of the service or ill health of any teacher under the 1980 Regulations be subject to the agreement of the Director of Education Services after consultation with the Directors of Finance and Personnel Services and following the approval of the Convener and Vice-Convener of the Education Services Committee together with a Member of the Minority Groups and the Chief Executive.

445 NEW DEAL FOR SCHOOLS 445

SUBMITTED: Report by the Director of Education Services on proposals for allocation of the additional one-off expenditure of £1,071,000 for 1998/99 made available to Inverclyde Council in terms of the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department Circular 6/97 "New Deal for Schools".

DECIDED:

(a) That the proposals detailed in the report for the allocation of the additional one-off expenditure granted to Inverclyde Council in terms of the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department Circular 6/97 "New Deal for Schools" be approved; and

(b) That the report which sets out the ways in which the funding is being used to support the Government's priorities be submitted to the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department.

446 INTERIM PLAN FOR THE PROVISION OF PRE-FIVE EDUCATION 446

FOR SESSION 1998/99

SUBMITTED: Report dated 16 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services seeking approval of an interim plan for session 1998/99 for the provision of part-time education for children in their pre-school year in line with the Government's targets.

Following discussion, Councillor Robertson (Y) moved:-

(a) That Option C as set out in the report be approved and the Director of Education Services be authorised to make arrangements for the provision of pre-school education through existing local authority provision (832 places) and by commissioning up to 170 places within registered centres in the voluntary and private sectors;

(b) That the proposals for the provision of pre-school education as set out in Appendix 2 of the report be adopted for implementation in Session 1998/99; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Education Services to submit a report to the Committee reviewing the arrangements on completion of the first year of operation of the scheme.

As an amendment, Councillor Mitchell moved that a pre-five facility be provided within Ardgowan Primary School during the academic year 1999/2000, to be achieved by limiting the number of placing requests. On a vote, 3 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.

C DECIDED:

(b) That the proposals for the provision of pre-school education as set out in Appendix 2 of the report be adopted for implementation in session 1998/99; and

(c) That it be remitted to the Director of Education Services to report to the Committee reviewing the arrangements on completion of the first year of operation of the scheme.

447 KING'S GLEN AND ST KENNETH'S PRIMARY SCHOOLS 447

SUBMITTED: Report dated 17 April 1998 by the Director of Education Services appending a draft consultation document for approval by the Committee relating to a proposal agreed by the Committee on 27 January 1998 (para 77) that the Council does not proceed to implement its previous decision agreed at its meeting on 1 April 1997 (para 366) to relocate King's Glen Primary School within refurbished and extended accommodation at the Blairmore Centre and St Kenneth's Primary School.

DECIDED: That the consultation document appended to the report be approved for issue to all relevant parties and that responses be received by no later than 22 May 1998.

448 PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO DELINEATED AREAS OF MOORFOOT AND 448

GOUROCK PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND CONSTRUCTION OF REPLACEMENT

SCHOOL FOR GOUROCK PRIMARY SCHOOL - RESULTS OF CONSULTATION

SUBMITTED: Report dated April 1998 by the Director of Education Services on the results of the consultation exercise undertaken in relation to the proposal to amend the delineated areas of Moorfoot Primary School and Gourock Primary School and to replace Gourock Primary School with a new building on a site off Broomberry Drive, Gourock.

Following discussion, Councillor Robertson (Y) moved:-

(a) That Gourock Primary School be replaced by a new building with a planning capacity of 231 pupils, the building to be designed to include accommodation for two nursery classes;

(b) That the site of the new Gourock Primary School be the park at Broomberry Drive/Davidson Drive;

(c) That with effect from April 1998, the delineated areas of Moorfoot Primary School and Gourock Primary School be amended as shown on the map at Appendix 5 to the consultative document;

(d) That no further placing requests be accepted for Gourock Primary School to ensure that the role of the school will match the long term projection of its new delineated area and the proposed planning capacity of the school but that special consideration be made to allow siblings of children currently in attendance at Gourock Primary School to be supported in their applications for placing requests to Gourock Primary School for a period of up to six years; and

(e) That leased temporary accommodation be made available on the site of the new Gourock Primary School for no more than 18 months (until the role from the school's new delineated area matches more closely the planning capacity of the school, should the temporary use of the nursery classrooms prove insufficient).

As an amendment, Councillor Campbell moved that the recommendations set out in the report be not accepted and that the Director of Education Services, in view of the serious public disquiet about the area of the Darroch Park site, as a matter of urgency examine and report on other possible locations for the replacement building for Gourock Primary School (the present delineated areas of Moorfoot and Gourock Primary Schools to remain unaltered meantime).

On a vote, 3 Members voted for the amendment and 7 for the motion which was declared carried.

C DECIDED:

(a) That Gourock Primary School be replaced by a new building with a planning capacity of 231 pupils, the building to be designed to include accommodation for two nursery classes;

(b) That the site of the new Gourock Primary School be the park at Broomberry Drive/Davidson Drive;

(c) That with effect from April 1998, the delineated areas of Moorfoot Primary School and Gourock Primary School be amended as shown on the map at Appendix 5 to the consultative document;

449 RESOLUTION: EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS 449

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

450 INVERKIP PRIMARY SCHOOL - ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSION - PHASE 2 450

SUBMITTED: Report dated 15 April 1998 by the Director of Property and Technical Services on the outcome of the negotiations undertaken in respect of Phase 2 of the works at Inverkip Primary School with the Phase 1 contractor, A C Moir Ltd.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the tender negotiated with A C Moir Ltd in respect of Phase 2 of the works at Inverkip Primary School in the sum of £404,221.05.