Education Services Committee

Tuesday 3 April 2001 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Councillors Calvert, Campbell, Jackson, McGraw, Mitchell, Morrison (D), Robertson (A) and Robertson (Y), Father T Boyle and Rev C McGranaghan, Church Representatives, Mrs P Purdie, Parent Representative, and Mr D Anderson, Teacher Representative.

Chair:  Councillor Robertson (A) presided. 

In attendance:  Director of Education Services, Mr F Jarvie (for Director of Legal & Support Services), Ms J McAnerney (for Head of Accountancy Services) and Head of Property Services.

Apologies:  Provost Roach, Councillor McCabe and Rev Miller.

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

285

Presentation:  Support for Inclusion

285

The Committee heard presentations by Ms Maureen Irving, Special Educational Needs Manager, on strategies adopted by Inverclyde Council to promote the inclusion of children and young people with special educational needs within mainstream education provision and by Ms Maureen Ruxton, Principal Teacher of Learning Support, Port Glasgow High School on the specific measures introduced within that school.  Ms Elizabeth  Hart, Principal Educational Psychologist was also present for the presentations.

(Councillors Jackson and Calvert and Rev McGranaghan entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Ms Irving and Ms Ruxton then answered a number of questions from Members, following which they and Ms Hart left the meeting.

286

Video:  European Year of Languages 2001

286

The Committee was shown an excerpt of the Scottish Executive video, produced as part of the launch in January of the European Year of Languages 2001, which featured a number of schools from Inverclyde.

287

Revenue Monitoring Report:  Period 12

287

There was submitted a report dated 28 March 2001 by the Head of Accountancy Services (1) on the position of the Revenue Budget 2000/2001 as at Period 12 (7 March 2001) and (2) advising that the Budget showed a projected overspend of £33,000, a decrease of £122,000 since the last report to the Committee.

Decided:  that the improved position of the Revenue Budget 2000/2001 and the efforts made by Officers to reduce the overspend be noted.

288

Capital Programme 2000/2001 - Technical Progress

288

There was submitted a report dated 9 March 2001 by the Director of Education Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 2000/2001.

The Head of Property Services advised the Committee that the start on site date for the St Stephen’s High School disabled adaptations project was March 2001 and that the estimated completion date was July 2001.

Noted

289

Capital Programme 2000/2001 - Financial Position

289

There was submitted a report dated 16 March 2001 by the Head of Accountancy 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 £4,080,000 which was £2,000 more than the estimated total project costs of £4,078,000 approved by the Policy and Strategy Committee (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 Education Revenue Budget.

Decided:

(1) that it be noted that the projected overspend will be addressed in 2001/2002 by virement from the Corporate Business Capital Programme;  and

(2) that the report be otherwise noted.

290

Lilybank School Changing Facilities - Permission to Invite Tenders

290

There was submitted a report dated March 2001 by the Director of Education Services requesting that authority be granted to invite tenders for improvements to the profound unit changing facilities at Lilybank School at an estimated total cost of £29,000 including fees to be funded from the Health and Safety Minor Works allocation within the Capital Programme 2000/2001.

Decided:

(1) that authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Support Services to invite tenders for improvements to the profound unit changing facilities at Lilybank School;  and

(2) that it be noted that the lowest offer will be accepted in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Orders relating to Contracts and the Financial Regulations.

291

Provision of Information Communication Technology (ICT) In Schools

291

There was submitted a report dated 23 March 2001 by the Director of Education Services (1) on the current position with regard to the use of  Information Communication Technology in Inverclyde Schools and (2) advising of the need to update provision to meet current and developing educational needs in line with the Government’s key targets.  It was noted that G¢overnment funding for the National Grid for Learning development programme comprised £666,000 in 2001/2002 and £120,000 in 2002/2003 but that thereafter, the funding would cease.  The Policy and Strategy Committee at its meeting on 15 March 2001 had agreed, however, that £1.4m be included within the Education Capital Programme for the National Grid for Learning in 2002/2003 which would enable the Council to meet the Government’s targets.

Decided:

(1) that the details of the National Grid for Learning development be noted;  and

(2) that it be noted that the funds identified by the Policy and Strategy Committee at its meeting on 15 March 2001 will enable the Council to meet the Government’s targets with regard to the provision of information communications technology in schools.

292

Standards and Quality Report 1999/2000

292

There was submitted a report dated 13 March 2001 by the Director of Education Services appending draft Education Services Standards and Quality Report for session 1999/2000.

Decided:  that the Education Services Standards and Quality Report for 1999/2000 appended to the report be approved.

293

Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000:  Presumption of Mainstream

293

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services advising of the requirement, as set out in Section 15 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000, that the education of all children should be provided in mainstream schools unless certain specified exceptions apply.  It was noted that an Authority Working Group was being established to examine the implications of the new legislation for the policy and practices of the Council.

Decided:

(1) that the report be noted;  and

(2) that the findings of the Authority Working Group be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee for consideration.

294

New Community School

294

There was submitted a report dated 22 March 2001 by the Director of Education Services advising (1) that the bid to the Scottish Executive for the establishment of a new community school focusing on the two secondary schools in Port Glasgow and their associated primaries had been successful, (2) that a grant of up to £200,000 had been provided and (3) that the implementation of the proposals as set out in the bid had commenced.

Decided:

(1) that the report be noted;  and

(2) that it be remitted to the Director of Education Services to report further to the Committee on the progress of the development in due course.

295

Scholar Forum

295

There was submitted a report dated 19 March 2001 by the Director of Education Services (1) informing the Committee of the Scholar Forum Initiative which focuses on the interface between schools, further education and higher education and (2) outlining the likely impact of the initiative within secondary schools in Inverclyde.

Noted

296

European Year of Languages

296

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services (1) detailing the Calendar of Events within Inverclyde schools to mark the European Year of Languages 2001 and (2) setting out the aims and objectives of these events.

Noted

297

Innovations in the Learning and Teaching of Modern Languages in Inverclyde Schools

297

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services providing details of innovations in the teaching and learning of modern languages within Inverclyde schools which feature prominently in the examples of good practice noted by the Ministerial Action Group on Modern Languages.

Noted

298

Changing Children’s Services Fund

298

There was submitted a report dated 21 March 2001 by the Directors of Education Services and Social Work and Housing Services (1) advising of a consultation document issued by the Scottish Executive on priority objectives and mechanisms for allocation of funding under the Changing Children’s Services Fund and (2) seeking approval of a response to the consultation.

Decided:

(1) that the content of the Scottish Executive consultation on the Changing Children’s Services Fund be noted;

(2) that the Committee approve the endorsement of the priority objectives and mechanisms;

(3) that support be given to the proposal that allocation of funding be directed through  the local authority;  and

(4) that a further report be submitted to the Committee on the nature of the proposals to be funded through the development.

The Convener being of the opinion that the undernoted report by the Director of Education Services was relevant, competent and urgent, moved its consideration to allow the Committee, if in agreement, to proceed to tender without delay.  This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

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.

299

Healthy Eating Project:  St  Columba’s High School

299

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services (1) seeking approval to proceed with a healthy eating initiative at St Columba’s High School, a 10 year anti poverty and social inclusion project involving Inverclyde Council, Argyll and Clyde Health Board and Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership, and (2) requesting authority to invite tenders for the works which would progress upon conclusion of the funding package.

Decided:

(1) that the project be approved;

(2) that authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Support Services to arrange for the invitation of tenders from the companies detailed in the report prior to confirmation of the funding from Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership on the understanding that no costs will be incurred by any of the parties if all the funding is not secured;  and

(3) that subject to confirmation of the funding, delegated authority be granted to the Director of Legal and Support Services in consultation with the Convener, Vice-Convener and a Member of the Minority Groups to accept the lowest tender received.