Education Committee - 16/06/2003

At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 16th June 2003.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Macpherson, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 19th May 2003 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE SUB-COMMITTEE OF 3RD AND 4TH JUNE 2003

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

II HM INSPECTORATE OF EDUCATION - FOLLOW-UP TO THE INSPECTION OF ST JOHN'S RCHIGH SCHOOL

There was submitted and noted the follow-up report of HM Inspectorate of Education on St John's RC High School.

III TENDERS RECEIVED - CITY ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES OFFICER

There was submitted Report No 406-2003 by the City Architectural Services Officer requesting a decision thereon:-

(i) Harris Academy - Replacement DishwasHER

The Committee agreed to accept the schedule of rates offer from Dundee Contract Services for a replacement dishwasher at Harris Academy for 12,000, together with allowances of 1,800, giving a total of 13,800.

(ii) Clepington Primary School - Window Replacement pHASE 3

The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer from Dundee Contract Services for phase 3 window replacement at Clepington Primary School for 38,500, together with allowances of 6,312, giving a total of 44,812.

(iii)VARIOUS EDUCATION PROPERTIES - INSPECTION AND TESTING OF ELECTRICAL SERVICES

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer received from McGill Electrical Limited for inspection and testing of electrical services at various education properties for 33,639, together with allowances of 5,047, giving a total of 38,686.

(iv)GLEBELANDS AND GOWRIEHILL PRIMARY SCHOOLS - REPLACEMENT OF DISTRIBUTION BOARDS ETC

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer from XM Services Limited for the replacement of distribution boards at Glebelands and Gowriehill Primary Schools for 15,209.86, together with allowances of 2,282, giving a total of 17,491.86.

(v) WHITFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL - EXTERNAL REPAINTING - PHASE 2

The Committee agreed to accept the offer from DC Painters and Joiners Limited for phase 2 external repainting at Whitfield Primary School for 3,593.67, together with allowances of 540, giving a total of 4,133.67.

IV LOCAL NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE FOR TEACHERS

There was submitted Report No 57-2003 by the Director of Education seeking approval of a Local Recognition and Procedure Agreement between the Council and representatives of teaching staff employed by the Council and the establishment of a Local Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)approve the terms of the draft Local Recognition and Procedure Agreement;

(ii)instruct the Director of Education to advise all relevant Teacher Unions of the agreement by the Council to the terms of the draft Agreement and to invite the relevant unions to similarly agree;

(iii)authorise the Director of Education to sign a Local Recognition and Procedure Agreement in terms of the draft;

(iv)instruct the Director of Education to establish a Local Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff in accord with the terms of the agreed Local Recognition and Procedure Agreement;

(v)to note that agreements reached by the Committee shall be binding on both parties at the point of signature to the Agreement and that the signatories for the Management Side shall be the Director of Education or the Chief Executive; and

(vi)remit to the Director of Support Services to make appropriate changes to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers.

V SUPPORT TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF DUNDEE OUT OF SCHOOL CARE NETWORK

There was submitted Report No 416-2003 by the Director of Education seeking approval to set up a nine month pilot initiative starting July 2003 to support the infrastructure of Out of School Care in Dundee.

The Committee agreed to approve proposals to provide business support to Out of School Care Clubs and their Management Committees.

VI GRANT AID TO THE SCOTTISH PRE-SCHOOL PLAY ASSOCIATION

There was submitted Report No 417-2003 by the Director of Education seeking approval to award funding to support the ongoing involvement of SPPA (Scottish Pre-School Play Association) in supporting voluntary sector childcare providers including playgroups, parent and toddler groups and out of school care clubs.

The Committee agreed to approve the proposal to grant funding to the SPPA.

VII FUNDING TO SUPPORT MID CRAIGIE AND LINLATHEN UNDER 12'S PROJECT

There was submitted Report No 418-2003 by the Director of Education seeking approval for the provision of childcare funding for the Mid Craigie and Linlathen Under 12's Project.

The Committee agreed to approve the provision of funding to the Mid Craigie and Linlathen Under 12's Project.

VIII AN INSPECTION OF THE CARE ARRANGEMENTS AND EDUCATION IN THE ELMS SECURE UNIT

There was submitted Report No 398-2003 by the Directors of Education and Social Work seeking approval of the joint Social Work and Education response to the Social Work Services Inspectorate and HM Inspectorate of Education following their inspection of the care arrangements and education at The Elms Secure Unit carried out in June 2002.

The Committee agreed insofar as its interests were concerned to approve the joint Social Work and Education response to the Inspection Report on The Elms Secure Unit and to note the Director of Social Work's intention, subject to staff and trade union consultation, to bring forward a report to the Personnel and Management Services Committee proposing changes to the Social Work management structure at The Elms.

IX NATIONAL PRIORITIES IN EDUCATION - IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES 2003-2004

There was submitted Report No 425-2003 by the Director of Education bringing to the attention of the Committee the National Priorities Improvement Objectives set out by the Education Department for 2003-2004.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)note the Education Department Improvement Objectives for 2003-2004; and

(ii)instruct the Director of Education to bring forward annually an update of these improvement objectives and progress towards them.

X EARLY ADMISSIONS AND RECORDS REVIEW SUB-COMMITTEE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN222-2003 requesting the Committee's instructions on membership of the Sub-Committee.

The Committee agreed that places be allocated on the basis of one Administration, one SNP and one Conservative.

XI CHURCH AND TEACHER REPRESENTATION ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

There was submitted Agenda Note AN296-2003 where reference was made to Article IX of the Statutory Meeting of the City Council held on 15th May 2003 where it was agreed that the current Church and Teacher representatives continue for a further period of six months to allow arrangements to be made for new representatives to be appointed to the Committee.

Nominations had been received on behalf of the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic Church:-

Rev James Wilson (Church of Scotland)

Rt Rev Mgr Joseph Creegan (Roman Catholic Church).

Both nominees had agreed to abide by the Code of Practice in accordance with the Standards Commission's Guidance.

The Committee agreed to the above appointments and noted that arrangements would be made for the remaining appointments.

XII REDESIGNATION OF POST - SPORTS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

There was submitted Agenda Note AN295-2003 informing the Committee that the post of Sports Development Officer was set up as a jointly funded post with SportScotland in 1999. In Report No 724-2000, the Education Committee, at its meeting held on 20th November 2000, approved the extension of this post to 2003 and joint funding had now ended. The Sports Development Officer was a seconded post and paid on the teachers' scale at 27,603 per annum (28,707 from 1st August 2003). The postholder co-ordinates the work of the Sports Development Co-ordinators in Secondary Schools and the Active Primary Co-ordinators in Primary Schools. The post has been extremely successful and has become a key element in the delivery of the Education Department's Health Promoting Schools Strategy. The implementation of this strategy will be a major task in the Education Department Development Plan 2002-2005.

In view of the above, it was proposed to establish the post on a permanent basis, with the current postholder confirmed in post.

The cost of the proposal was 32,621 in a full financial year and would be met from the Education Revenue Budget.

The Committee approved the redesignation of the post.

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 items on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of information as defined in paragraphs 1, 6, 8 and 9 of Schedule 7A to the Act.

XIII TEACHER EARLY RETIREMENTS - AUGUST 2003

There was submitted Report No 410-2003 by the Director of Education seeking approval of a number of teacher early retirements on the grounds of efficiency of the service in accordance with the Teachers (Compensation for Premature Retirement and Redundancy) (Scotland) Regulations 1996.

The Committee agreed to the early retirement of twenty three teachers on the grounds of efficiency of the service with effect from 17th August 2003 in accordance with the Teachers (Compensation for Premature Retirement and Redundancy) (Scotland) Regulations 1996.

XIV SUPPLY OF MATERIALS AND SPECIALISED PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

There was submitted Report No 441-2003 by the Director of Education seeking approval to accept a quote for the supply of PE materials and specialised playground equipment for primary schools in Dundee.

The Committee agreed, subject to approval of grant to award the contract for the supply of PE materials and specialised playground equipment for primary schools to:-

Davies Sports

Findel House

Excelsior Road

Ashby Park

Ashby de la Zouch

Leicestershire

LE65 1NJ.

XV NORTHERN COLLEGE - ACCOMMODATION LEASES

The Lord Provost, as the Council's representative on the University Court, declared a non-financial interest.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN297-2003 giving details of rooms currently leased by the Education Department at Northern College and provisional rental agreements.

The Committee agreed to approve the provisional agreements.

FRASER MACPHERSON, Convener.

APPENDIX I