Education Services Committee

Tuesday 19 February 2002 at 3.00 pm

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

Chair:  Councillor O'Rourke presided. 

In attendance:  Messrs A Henderson, A McDonald, J Sutherland and Miss E Henderson (for Director of Education Services), Mr H McNeilly (for Director of Legal & Support Services), Head of Financial Services and Head of Property Services.

Apologies:  Councillors Robertson (A) and Robertson (Y) and Mr D Anderson.

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

165

Mr Bernard McLeary

165

The Chairman referred to the absence through ill-health of Mr Bernard McLeary, Director of Education Services.  On behalf of the Committee and the Officers present, he conveyed his best wishes to Mr McLeary for a speedy recovery.

166

Revenue Monitoring Report - Period 10

166

There was submitted a report dated 6 February 2002 by the Director of Finance Services on the position of the Revenue Budget 2001/2002 as at period 10 (9 January 2002) which showed a projected underspend of £62,000, an improvement of £117,000 since the last report to the Committee.

(Councillor Morrison (D) entered the meeting during consideration of this item of business).

Noted

167

Capital Programme 2001/2002 - Technical Progress

167

There was submitted a report dated 28 January 2002 by the Director of Education Services on the technical progress of the Capital Programme 2001/2002.

Decided:

(1) the technical progress of the Capital Programme 2001/2002 be noted;

(2) that the Committee approve, in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations, a direct payment of £10,650 for the provision of a second new boiler at Kilmacolm Primary School and accumulated variations in the Kilmacolm Primary School boiler replacement contract which are 108.8% (£10,650) greater than the accepted tender amount;  and

(3) that the Committee approve, in terms of the relevant Financial Regulations, a direct payment of £2,000 for the provision of new flues at Sacred Heart Primary School and accumulated variations in the Sacred Heart Primary School boiler replacement project which are 21.5% (£2,000) greater than the accepted tender amount.

168

Capital Programme 2001/02 - 2003/04 - Financial Position

168

There was submitted a report dated 29 January 2002 by the Director of Finance Services on the financial position of the Capital Programme 2001/02 - 2003/04.

Noted

169

New Community School:  "Roll-Out" Phase

169

There was submitted a report dated 31 January 2002 by the Director of Education Services (1) advising that the Scottish Executive in December 2001 had requested submissions from local authorities in respect of their plans for moving beyond the new community school pilot phase to involve other schools and establishments in the process (the "roll-out" phase) and (2) setting out the proposed approach to be adopted by Inverclyde Council in response to this initiative.

Decided:  that the report be approved as the basis for the bid required by the Scottish Executive and also as the basis for the development of the new community school "roll-out" phase subject to agreement being reached with partner agencies following the consultation process.

170

The Learning Business Partnership (formerly the Renfrewshire Business Partnership)

170

There was submitted a report dated 31 January 2002 by the Director of Education Services advising that as a result of changes which had been implemented nationally, the functions of the Learning Business Partnership were to be taken over by the restructured Careers Service, now known as Careers Scotland, as a result of which the company was being wound up and its assets transferred.

Decided:  that the Committee note and approve the arrangements for the winding up of the Learning Business Partnership and for the transfer of its assets as described in the report.

171

National Framework for the Prevention of Suicide and Deliberate Self-Harm in Scotland:  A Consultation Document

171

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services (1) on the Scottish Executive Consultation  Document entitled "a National Framework for the Prevention of Suicide and Deliberate Self-Harm in Scotland" and (2) seeking approval for the draft response to the consultation paper.

Decided:

(1) that the report be noted;  and

(2) that the draft response to the consultation paper outlined in Appendix 2 to the report be approved.

172

Allocation of Childcare Strategy Funding

172

There was submitted a report dated 31 January 2002 by the Director of Education Services seeking approval for the allocation of childcare strategy funding to Enterprise Childcare.

Decided:  that approval be given to the allocation of £23,930 from the childcare strategy budget to Enterprise Childcare during 2002/2003 and to further allocations on an annual basis over each of the following two financial years to take account of the cost of living and incremental increases.

173

Scottish Executive Guidance on Involvement of Teachers in Pre-school Education

173

There was submitted a report dated 31 January 2002 by the Director of Education Services advising of the publication of Scottish Executive guidance on the involvement of teachers in pre-school education.

Decided:  that the publication by the Scottish Executive Education Department of guidance on the involvement of teachers in pre-school education be noted.

174

Proposed Learning Centre in St Stephen's High School

174

There was submitted amended report dated 14 February 2002 by the Director of  Education Services (1) on the progress of the proposed learning centre within St Stephen's High School and (2) seeking approval to proceed with further development and implementation of the proposal.

Decided:

(1) that the developments which had taken place to date in connection with the proposed learning centre at St Stephen's High School be noted and that approval be given to the further development of the project as detailed in the report subject to appropriate funding being identified and secured;

(2) that approval be given to invite tenders for the building adaptations and other works required and for contracts to be awarded to the lowest tenderer in each case in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Regulations and the Standing Orders Relating to Contracts, subject to appropriate funding being identified and secured;  and

(3) that it be noted that a progress report would be submitted to the Committee in early course.

175

The General Teaching Council for Scotland:  Consultation on Codes of Practice

175

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services (1) on the changes to the General Teaching Council for Scotland as a result of the Standards in Scotland's Schools Etc Act 2000, (2) highlighting the key issues addressed in the proposed General Code of Practice and Code of Practice on the Exercise of the Council's Disciplinary Functions and (3) seeking approval to submit to the General Teaching Council the response contained in Sections 5 and 6 of the report.

Decided:

(1) that the changes to the General Teaching Council as set out in Appendix 1, Section 4.1 of the report be noted;

(2) that the key issues addressed in the proposed General Code of Practice and the Code of Practice on the Exercise of the Council's Disciplinary Functions be noted;  and

(3) that approval be given to submission to the General Teaching Council of the response to the proposed Codes set out in Sections 5 and 6 of the report.

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 to be advised at the earliest opportunity of the use of the emergency powers procedure in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 66(a).  This was unanimously agreed in terms of the relevant Standing Order.

176

Scottish Executive Funding to Support Science Year - Use of Emergency Powers Procedure

176

There was submitted a report dated 8 February 2002 by the Director of Education Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to approve the use of funding received from the Scottish Executive to support the National Year of Science and the Science Strategy.

Noted