Education Committee - 17/12/2001

At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 17th December 2001.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor de GERNIER, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 10th December 2001 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

Prior to commencement of business the Convener paid tribute to Mrs. Lesley Fleming, former Nursery Head Teacher who died recently.

I MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE SUB-COMMITTEE OF 27TH AND 28TH NOVEMBER 2001

The minutes of the above meetings (Appendices I and II) were submitted for information.

II TENDERS RECEIVED

There was submitted Report No 774-2001 by the City Architectural Services Officer detailing tenders received and requesting a decision on acceptance thereof.

(i)VARIOUS EDUCATION PROPERTIES - INSPECTION AND TESTING OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS

The Committee agreed acceptance of the lowest offer from McGill Electrical Limited, Dundee, for inspection and testing of electrical installations at various educational properties for the sum of 24,863.00, together with allowances of 3,730.00, giving a total of 28,593.00.

(ii) BRAEVIEW ACADEMY - INSTALLATION OF NEW POOL AIR HANDLING UNIT

The Committee agreed acceptance of the lowest offer from Taylor Mechanical Services Limited, Dundee, for the installation of a new pool air handling unit at Braeview Academy for the sum of 58,929.11, together with allowances of 9,471.00, giving a total of 68,400.11.

(iii)VARIOUS SCHOOLS - INSTALLATION OF CAVITY BARRIERS IN ROOF SPACES AND LARGE DUCTS (PHASE 2)

The Committee agreed acceptance of the lowest offer from Forman Construction Limited, Dundee, for the installation of cavity barriers in roof spaces and large ducts in various schools for the sum of 28,996.93, together with allowances of 5,126.00, giving a total of 34,122.93.

III SUPPLY OF JOTTERS, PADS, SPECIALIST BOARDS AND PAPER

There was submitted Report No 815-2001 by the Director of Education seeking approval to accept tenders for the supply of jotters, pads, specialist boards and paper for schools in Dundee and other sites in the former Tayside Region.

The Committee agreed to award the contract for the supply of jotters, pads, specialists boards and paper for the period 1st February 2002 to 31 January 2004 to the following firms:-

Specialist Boards and Paper:Tansfile Limited

trading as Pisces (Scotland)

28 Watt Road

Hillington Industrial Estate

Glasgow

G52 4RY

Jotters and Pads:NES Arnold Limited

Novara House

Excelsior Road

Ashby de la Zouch

Leicestershire

LE65 1NG

and where these suppliers cannot conform with Local Agenda 21 but alternative suppliers can conform and deliver at the same price then alternative suppliers will be used.

IV END YEAR FLEXIBILITY - ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SCHOOLS

There was submitted Report No 814-2001 by the Director of Education seeking approval of the arrangements for disbursing the additional financial resources (548,000) made available to schools following decisions by the Scottish Ministers on the allocation of resources which had been carried over from financial year 2000/01.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)approve the allocation of the additional funding of 548,000 to schools on the basis of weighted school pupil roll as detailed in the appendix to the report;

(ii)note that it is a condition of payment that schools will report to parents of pupils at the school how the money has been used, either through the development plan or by other means; and

(iii)instruct the Director of Education to advise schools of their allocations and on compliance with the condition attached to the grant.

In addition, the Committee instructed the Director of Education to report to the next Committee in respect of the implementation of Report No 669-2001 approved by Committee on 15th October 2001.

V ESTABLISHMENT OF A LINKED CHILDMINDING SCHEME

There was submitted Report No 817-2001 by the Director of Education and Director of Social Work seeking approval for the provision of childcare funding to support the development of a Linked Childminding Scheme.

The Committee noted the contents of the report and approved the provision of funding to enable the operation of a pilot Linked Childminding Scheme effective from January 2002 which will be fully evaluated and reported upon in January 2003.

VI DEPLOYMENT OF TWO SURE START HEALTH VISITORS TO PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES IN EARLY YEARS SERVICES

There was submitted Report No 816-2001 by the Director of Education and Director of Social Work seeking approval to deploy two Health Workers as part of the Sure Start Dundee strategy to promote the health and wellbeing of children and families within early years settings in two areas of the City.

The Committee noted and approved the contents of the report and:-

(i)approved the implementation of the pilot initiative as outlined for the remaining duration of the Sure Start funding until March 2004;

(ii)approved the proposal to provide funding to Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust, through the Dundee Local Health Care Co-Operative, to fund deployment of two Health Visitors (G Grade) to work within early years settings in two local areas of Dundee; and

(iii)remitted the Directors of Education and Social Work to bring forward a further report outlining the outcomes of the implementation of this initiative in June 2004.

VII grant aid to out of school care clubs to support an anti-poverty strategy

There was submitted Report No 818-2001 by the Director of Education seeking approval to award funding to eight Out of School Care Clubs who fall within disadvantaged areas specifically those clubs whose postcodes fall within the Arbutnott Index.

The Committee approved the proposals which will support good quality Out of School Care Clubs where sustainability presents the greatest challenge.

VIII GOLDEN JUBILEE DAY 2002

The Committee agreed that an extra public holiday for schools be granted for Monday, 3rd June 2002 and that Victoria Day, presently Monday, 27th May 2002, be moved to Tuesday, 4th June 2002. It was also agreed that the City-wide in-service day presently planned for Friday, 24th May 2002 be moved to Friday, 31st May 2002.

The Committee resolved, under Section 50(A) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, that the public and press be excluded during consideration of the undernoted item on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information in terms of paragraph 5 of Schedule 7A to the Act.

IX REQUEST FOR HOME EDUCATION

There was submitted Report No 808-2001 by the Director of Education seeking approval for the provision of education at home for a Dundee pupil of secondary school age.

The Committee agreed to :-

(i) approve the proposal for education at home for the above child; and

(ii) instruct the Director of Education to monitor the child's progress at regular intervals.

GEORGE DE GERNIER, Convener.

APPENDIX I