EDUCATION SERVICES COMMITTEE

TUESDAY 31 AUGUST 1999 - 3 pm

 

Present:-  Provost Roach, Councillors Calvert, Robertson (A), Morrison (D), Moody, McCabe, Jackson, McGhee, Robertson (Y), Mitchell, Campbell, Father T Boyle and Rev D McAdam, Church Representatives, Councillor Robertson (A), Convener, in the Chair.

 

In attendance:-  The Executive Director Education Services, the Executive Director Resource Services, Mr H McNeilly (for the Executive Director Legal, Information and Support Services), the Director of Central Services, the Director of Personnel Services and Mr A Gerrard (for the Head of Property Services).

 

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

 

   844      ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM                                                                                                             844

 

The Director of Central Services referred to a report by the Executive Director Education Services requesting permission to invite tenders for Phase 1 of the window replacement works at St Mary’s Primary School, Greenock, which requires to be undertaken as soon as possible in the interests of health and safety, and seeking agreement to a reallocation of funding to allow the works to proceed.  The Convener indicated that consideration of the item was urgent to allow the issuing of tenders for the works without delay subject to approval of the funding arrangements and he moved that the item be added to the Agenda.  This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

 

   845      REVENUE BUDGET 1999/2000 - MONITORING REPORT                                                                845

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 19 August 1999 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 1999/2000 as at 21 July 1999.

DECIDED:

(a)  That it be noted that a report on the £54,000 unallocated savings within the Revenue Budget 1999/2000 was included later in the Agenda;  and

(b)  That the report be otherwise noted.

 

   846      CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS                                                      846

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 24 August 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1999/2000.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the technical progress of the Capital Programme 1999/2000 be noted;  and

(b)  That the Committee approve in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations, an expenditure increase of £7,000 in respect of additional work required for the lowering of the existing mains services relative to the Gourock Primary School project.

   847      CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1999/2000 - FINANCIAL POSITION                                                        847

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 11 August 1999 by the Executive Director Resource Services on the financial position of the Capital Programme 1999/2000.

NOTED

 

   848      LIBRARY SAVINGS                                                                                                                              848

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 26 August 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services identifying potential areas within the 1999/2000 Revenue Budget to meet the savings of £54,000 identified against the library budget.

DECIDED:  That it be agreed that the savings of £54,000 be achieved from the overall Education Services Revenue Budget 1999/2000 and that the particular budget areas be agreed in consultation with the Executive Director Resource Services.

 

   849      USE OF WATT TRUSTS                                                                                                                        849

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 17 August 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services advising that the McLean Museum had received an offer of 50% grant funding from the tourism programme of Renfrewshire Enterprise towards the cost of improved signage at the Museum Complex, the total cost of the project being £4,591.50, and requesting the Committee to approve the use of £2,295.75 from the Watt Trusts to finance the balance of the costs.

DECIDED:  That approval be given to the use of £2,295.75 from the Watt Trusts to finance the balance of costs for improved directional signage at the McLean Museum and Art Gallery.

 

   850      CHILD CARE DEVELOPMENTS 1999/2000                                                                                        850

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 19 August 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services advising that under its distribution of funding to meet child care objectives, the  Government had allocated funding of £102,000 to Inverclyde Council to support child care infrastructure developments (£78,000) and the funding of child care places (£24,000) and setting out proposals for the allocation of funding for both child care infrastructure developments and specific child care projects.

DECIDED:  That the Committee approve the allocation of funding for child care developments and projects as detailed in the report.

 

   851      A CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK FOR CHILDREN 3-5                                                                     851

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 26 July 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services advising of the publication by the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum of the paper “A Curriculum Framework for Children 3-5” and advising of its proposed implementation within pre-five services in Inverclyde.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the publication by the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum of the paper “A Curriculum Framework for Children 3-5” be noted;  and

(b)  That the action taken by the Executive Director Education Services to support the implementation of the guidance in all pre-five establishments within Inverclyde be noted.

 

   852      DAY CARE PROVISION WITHIN INVERCLYDE                                                                              852

 

SUBMITTED:  Report by the Executive Director Education Services advising of the criteria used to determine eligibility for day care provision, outlining the reasons for the continued need for such provision within Inverclyde and seeking approval of a fee structure for payments to childminders undertaking day care activities for Inverclyde Council.

DECIDED:

(a)  That approval be given to the criteria for eligibility to receive day care as set out in the report;  and

(b)  That approval be given to the fee structure for payments to childminders providing day care for Inverclyde Council on the basis set out in the report.

 

   853      EDUCATION SERVICES:  EARLY YEARS AND CHILD CARE STRATEGY -                                 853

              STAFFING IMPLICATIONS                                                                                                                      

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 13 August 1999 by the Executive Director Legal, Information & Support Services advising that the Corporate Business Committee at its meeting on 5 August 1999 had agreed to the request made by the Education Services Committee that the staffing proposals in respect of the implementation of the Council’s early years and child care strategy be referred back to the Education Services Committee for consideration in the first instance.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the Committee note that the establishment of the following four posts will be reported to the Corporate Business Committee for approval:-

        (i)      Early Years Development Manager at salary grade PO16 (£31,239-£33,474);

        (ii)     Early Years Development Officer (Information and Registration) at salary grade AP5/PO2 (£19,194-£23,997);

        (iii)    Early Years Development Officer (Partnership) at salary grade AP5/PO2 (£19,194-£23,997);

        (iv)    Early Years Adviser at adviser grade (£32,070) and

(b)  That it be noted that the cost of the posts can be met from existing resources

 

   854      EDUCATION FOR WORK AND ENTERPRISE                                                                                  854

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 9 August 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services appending a policy document “Education for Work and Enterprise” and seeking approval for its adoption and implementation in Inverclyde schools.

Following discussion, Councillor Campbell moved that implementation of the policy be deferred until the management implications in secondary schools had been clarified.  As an amendment, Councillor Robertson (A) moved that the policy document “Education for Work and Enterprise” as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be adopted and implemented within Inverclyde schools.  On a vote, 3 Members voted for the motion and 8 for the amendment which was declared carried.

DECIDED:  That the policy document “Education for Work and Enterprise” as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be adopted for implementation within Inverclyde schools.

 

   855      SCHOOL LEAVER DESTINATIONS 1997/98                                                                                     855

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 12 August 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services on the publication by Renfrewshire Careers Partnership of a report analysing the destinations of pupils who attended secondary and special schools within the Inverclyde Council area and who left school between August 1997 and June 1998, outlining the issues arising from analysis of the report and the action being taken to address the issues identified.

NOTED

 

   856      ST MARY’S PRIMARY SCHOOL - WINDOW REPLACEMENT, PHASE 1 -                                   856

              PERMISSION TO INVITE TENDERS                                                                                                        

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 25 August 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services advising of the requirement, due to health and safety considerations, to undertake as soon as possible, Phase 1 of the window replacement works at St Mary’s Primary School, Greenock at a total estimated cost of £57,000 including fees, which was originally scheduled to start on site in April 2000 funded from Scottish Executive New Deal Grant 2000/2001.  The report advised that the Corporate Business Committee would be requested to authorise funding of £32,000 from the Major Repairs Programme to part-fund the project and it was proposed that the balance of funding be achieved by reducing by £25,000 the £80,000 provision for painterwork in the 1999/2000 Non-HRA Capital Programme.

DECIDED:

(a)  That authority be granted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the appropriate Officers to arrange for the invitation of competitive tenders for Phase 1 of the window replacement works at St Mary’s Primary School;

(b)  That approval be given to a £25,000 reduction in the school painterwork programme 1999/2000 and for the sum to be used to provide the balance of funding for Phase 1 of the window replacement works at St Mary’s Primary School and that the Policy and Strategy Committee be requested to approve the reallocation of the funding within the 1999/2000 Non- HRA Capital Programme;  and

(c)  That it be noted that acceptance of the lowest tender will be in accordance with Order 12 of the Standing Orders relating to Contracts and the provisions of the Financial Regulations subject to the Policy and Strategy Committee approving (b) above and the funding contribution from the Corporate Business Major Repairs Programme.

 

   857      RESOLUTION:  EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS                                                                    857

 

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.

 

   858      KELLY STREET  HALL - CONVERSION TO NURSERY -                                                                858

              REPORT ON TENDERS                                                                                                                             

 

SUBMITTED:  Report dated 19 August 1999 by the Executive Director Education Services on six tenders received for the conversion of the Kelly Street Hall to a nursery and advising of prices received from the two lowest tenderers which included optional external works.

DECIDED:  That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services to accept the lowest tender including the optional external works, that by W H Kirkwood Ltd in the sum of £128,646.99.