Education Services Committee

Tuesday 9 January 2001 at 3.00 pm

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

Chair:  Councillor Robertson (A) presided.

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

Apologies:  Councillor Robertson (Y).

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

1

Revenue Monitoring Report: Period 8

1

There was submitted a report dated 20 December 2000 by the Director of Resource Services (1) on the position of the Revenue Budget 2000/2001 as at Period 8 (15 November 2000) and (2) advising that the Budget showed a projected overspend of £168,000, a decrease of £168,000 since the last report to Committee.

Noted

2

Capital Programme 2000/2001 - Technical Progress

2

There was submitted a report dated 11 December 2000 by the Director of Education Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 2000/2001.

Noted

3

Capital Programme 2000/2001 - Financial  Position

3

There was submitted a report by the Director of Resource Services on the financial position of the Capital Programme 2000/2001.  The report advised that the latest estimated total cost of projects in the Capital Programme  was £4,273,000 which was £221,000 more than the estimated total project cost of £3,710,000 approved by the Policy and Strategy Committee in March 2000 (as adjusted for the transfer of the New Deal IT Equipment project to the Corporate Business Committee) together with the costs to be charged against the Revenue Education Budget and advised of the options available to the Committee in view of the projected overspend. 

Decided:

(1) that the Committee consider the following report by the Director of Education Services prior to making its decision; and

(2) that the report be otherwise noted.

4

Education Capital Programme Overspend and Related Pre 5 Issues

4

There was submitted  a report by the Director of Education Services  requesting the Committee to consider options for addressing the £221,000 overspend in the Capital Programme as detailed in the previous report.  The report provided details of the implications of these options with particular reference to the funding arrangements for the new Wellpark Nursery.

Decided:

(1) that it be remitted to the Director of Education Services to make savings of £221,000  in the Capital Programme 2000/2001 by reducing the Pre 5 provision from £400,000 to £179,000; and

(2) that the implications of approving  this option with particular reference to its effect on the funding arrangements for the new Wellpark Nursery be noted.

5

SEED Approval for Additional Early Education and Child Care Funding 2000/2002 and Notification of Additional Development Grant Funding for 2000/2001

5

There was submitted a report dated 15 December 2000 by the Director of Education Services  advising (1) that the Scottish Executive has given approval to a range of proposals against the additional funding for Early Education and Childcare Support in the period 2000/2002 and (2) that an additional £34,461 has been allocated to Inverclyde for Pre-school Education Development Grant for 2000/01.

Noted

6

Childcare Strategy Funding Allocation 2000/2001

6

There was submitted a report dated 18 December 2000 by the Director of Education Services requesting approval for an allocation of Childcare Strategy Funding for a childcare development.

Decided:   that an allocation of £2,973 be made to Inverclyde Out of School Care Network from the Childcare Strategy Funding Allocation 2000/2001.

7

Additional Financial Resources for Schools: Pre Budget Statement

7

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services  advising of the additional financial resources for schools as set out in Circular 5/2000 from the Scottish Executive Education Department and the way in which the Director of Education Services proposes to make use of the funds.

Noted

8

New Opportunities Fund

8

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services advising that a bid had been submitted to the New Opportunities Fund in respect of  funding of £230,177 for out of school hours learning activities and that a further application for a similar amount of funding will be made in February 2001.

Noted

9

Temporary Closure of Ardgowan Primary School

9

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services advising of  the events leading to the temporary closure of Ardgowan Primary School, the arrangements put in place for the temporary relocation of pupils and the financial implications of the temporary closure.

Noted

10

National Priorities in Education

10

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services advising of (1) the  National Priorities for education as set out in the draft order placed before the Scottish Parliament on 6 November 2000, (2) the obligation placed on Education Services in respect of publicising annual statements of local improvement objectives, and (3) the requirement on local authorities to report each year on their success.

Noted

11

Holocaust Education

11

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services on the education provision  made in Inverclyde with regard to the Holocaust.

Noted

12

Proposed Delineation of Notre Dame High School: Results of the Consultative Process

12

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services advising that following the  consultative process on the proposal to create a delineated area for Notre Dame High School fifteen responses had been received and requesting the Committee to consider the proposals submitted.

Decided:

(1) that a delineated area for Notre Dame High School be created and that it be formed by the aggregation of those parts of the catchment area of the existing associated primary schools which are zoned to Notre Dame High School;

(2) that  priority for admission to Notre Dame High School be given in the order (i) to those children who live within the delineated area and who are transferring from an associated primary school; (ii) to those children who live within the delineated area of an associated primary school but have been unable to be accommodated in the area school to date; and  (iii) to those children who do not live within the delineated area but who are in attendance as a result of a placing request at an associated  primary school from which they are transferring; and

(3) that the delineation of Notre Dame High School be implemented by 1 April 2001.

13

Special Needs Transport

13

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services advising of the transport facilities in place for pupils with special needs or medical needs.

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 of business on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 6 and 8 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

14

Wellpark Nursery Replacement

14

There was submitted a report dated December 2000 by the Director of Education Services advising  of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) for the acceptance of  the  tender submitted by  Elim Construction Ltd, Bridge of Weir, in the sum of £361,541.38  for the replacement of the Wellpark Nursery.

Noted