Education Committee - 20/12/2004

At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 20th December, 2004.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th November, 2004 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DELIVERY OF THE SUCCEED (SURESTART, CHILDCARE AND EARLY EDUCATION IN DUNDEE) INITIATIVETO PROMOTE CHILDREN'S SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE EARLY YEARS

It was reported that a request had been received for a deputation to be heard on the implementation of the SUCCEED Initiative. The Committee agreed to hear Mr Rory Malone of UNISON and after he had stated his case and answered questions from Committee members was thanked for his attendance and withdrew from the meeting.

There was submitted Report No 842-2004 by the Director of Education and Assistant Chief Executive (Management) seeking approval to implement proposals for delivering a new integrated strategy in Dundee to promote children's success and achievement in the early years.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Grant, moved that the Committee:-

(i)approve the launch of the new SUCCEED Initiative to integrate strategies for Surestart, Childcare and Early Education services for children aged 0-7 in Dundee;

(ii)approve the establishment of 3 posts of Early Years Link Teachers as detailed within Appendix 1 of the Report;

(iii)remit to the Personnel Committee to consider changes in nursery nurse staffing in local authority nursery classes as detailed within Appendix I of the report..

As an amendment Mr Baillie, seconded by Mrs Millar, moved that the Committee:

(i)take no action in respect of (ii) above and in respect of those changes referred to in (ii) which were predicated on paragraphs 9.10 and 9.12 in the Report; and

(ii)instructs the Director of Education to give full consideration to the educational rationale, operational implications and prospects for improved outcomes for young children of any proposed change to the current staffing arrangements for smaller nursery classes, with that consideration to include full consultation with the relevant trade unions and staff employed in the nursery education sector, and to report back to Committee on these matters in due course.

On a division, there voted for the motion - the Convener, Lord Provost, Bailies Farquhar, Wright and Mackie, Councillors Shimi, Regan, Sturrock, Grant, Hind, Morrow, Macpherson, Wallace, Webster and Scott and Mr Chohan (16); and for the amendment - Bailies Corrigan and Borthwick, Councillors Don, Beattie, Andrew Dawson, Sawers, Fitzpatrick, Barrie, Will Dawson and Fordyce and Monsignor Creegan, Mr Baillie and Mrs Millar - (13) whereupon the motion was declared carried.

II RATIONALISATION OF LOCAL AUTHORITY NURSERY EDUCATION SERVICES

It was reported that requests had been received for deputations to be heard on the rationalisation of Local Authority Nursery Education Services. The Committee agreed to hear Mrs Marianne Reilly, parent of a child at Cotton Road Nursery, and Mr Rory Malone, of UNISON. After they had both stated their case and answered questions from Committee Members they were thanked for their attendance and withdrew from the meeting.

There was submitted Report No 841-2004 by the Director of Education and Assistant Chief Executive (Management) seeking approval to implement proposals for managing and rationalising over provision of nursery places in local authority nursery schools and classes.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)formally publish and consult on proposals to close Cotton Road Nursery School and Sidlaw View Primary School Nursery Class from end of June 2005, and to close Mossgiel Primary School Nursery Class from end of June 2006. The Director of Education to report back to Committee in February 2005 on the outcomes of the Consultation, and

(ii)delete teaching posts from the Education Department staffing establishment and re-deploy teaching staff as set out in Appendix 1 of the Report.

III MINUTE OF MEETING OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE SUB-COMMITTEE OF 24TH NOVEMBER 2004

The minute of the above meeting (Appendix I) was submitted for information.

IV DUNDEE SCHOOLS PPP PROJECT - OUTCOME OF THE FORMAL CONSULTATION PROCESS IN RESPECT OFDECANT ARRANGEMENTS

There was submitted Report No 836-2004 by the Director of Education detailing representations made during formal publication and consultation on proposed decant arrangements.

The Committee:-

(i)noted the content of the findings from the consultations as detailed in paragraph 6.4 of the report;

(ii)remitted the Director of Education to carry out statutory consultation procedures in terms of the Education (Publication and Consultation etc) (Scotland) Regulations 1981 in respect of the proposal to merge Powrie Primary School and Douglas Primary School on the Douglas Primary School site at the start of session 2005-2006 for a period of one year or until the new school on the site of Powrie Primary School was ready,

(iii)instructed the Director of Education to undertake an accommodation review at Douglas Primary School as described in paragraph 8.3 and consult with the trade unions on staffing issues as described at paragraph 8.4 of the report; and

(iv)instructed the Director of Education to proceed with the implementation of the decant proposal for Brackens Primary School

V DUNDEE SCHOOLS PPP PROJECT - PLAYING FIELD PROVISION ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEWDENOMINATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL

There was submitted Report No 844-2004 by the Director of Education detailing tenders received for two additional grass pitches at St Saviour's High School site for community use.

The Committee agreed to accept the tender received from Torith Ltd, Dundee to construct two additional grass pitches at a cost of 66,183 together with fees and contingencies of 5,946 making a total of 72,129.

VI ROLL OUT OF INTEGRATED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

There was submitted Report No 759-2004 by the Director of Education seeking Committee approval for the continuing roll out of the Scottish Executive's Integrated Community Schools programme across all primary and secondary schools in Dundee.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)note and approve the content of the report on Integrated Community Schools,

(ii)instruct the Director of Education to work with partners in the Council and other agencies to monitor the implementation of the proposals and report back to the Education Committee no later than two years from the date of the report; and

(iii)remit to the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) to take proposals to the Personnel Committee to establish support posts outlined in paragraph 7.2 of the report.

VII SUPPORTING PUPILS WITH SOCIAL EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES - PROVISION OFEDUCATION OUTWITH MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS

There was submitted Report No 838-2004 by the Director of Education examining the provision of education outwith mainstream schools for young persons with severe social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and seeking approval for the creation of an additional facility and re-configuration of existing offsite centres.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)note the contents of the report;

(ii)approve the establishment of a therapeutic Resourced Location at Mossgiel Primary School for young primary-aged children;

(iii)approve the re-configuration of the existing offsite centres in Dundee, to bring about an increase in capacity at S3 and S4 stages;

(iv)instruct the Director of Education to keep the level of offsite provision under review, in the overall context of the policy for supporting children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties; and

(v)remit to the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) to take proposals to the Personnel Committee to establish the support posts outlined in paragraph 7.1 of the report.

VIII APPOINTMENT OF SCHOOL SUPPORT WORKERS

There was submitted Report No 839-2004 by the Director of Education giving feedback on the successful evaluation of the pilot appointment of non-teaching School Support Workers (SSW) in a number of secondary schools, and as a result seeking approval to proceed to establish these posts in all secondary schools in the city.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i)note the contents of the report;

(ii)instruct the Director of Education to continue to monitor the appointments, in the context of the management of pupil behaviour; and

(iii)remit to the Assistant Chief Executive (Management) to take proposals to the Personnel Committee to establish School Support Worker posts as outlined in paragraph 8.1 of the report.

IX TENDERS RECEIVED

(a) CITY ENGINEER

There was submitted Report No 817-2004 by the City Engineer listing tenders received and requesting a decision thereon:-

(i) SIDLAW VIEW PRIMARY SCHOOL - PLAYGROUND RESURFACING

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer, received from Ennstone Thistle Ltd for playground re-surfacing at Sidlaw View Primary School for 21,283.60 together with allowances of 5,000.40 giving a total of 26,284.00.

(b) CITY ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES OFFICER

There was submitted Report No 765-2004 by the City Architectural Services Officer detailing tenders received and requesting a decision thereon:-

(i) HARRIS ACADEMY PAVILION - ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSION

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer received from Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd, Dundee for alterations to Harris Academy Pavilion for 122,346.35 together with allowances of 20,287 giving a total of 142,633.35.

The Committee noted that Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd, Dundee had listed the undernoted Sub-Contractors:-

J M Guild, Forfar - Plumber

Alliance Electrical Services, Forfar - Electrical

A T Roberts, Dundee - Painter

(ii) BRAEVIEW ACADEMY - UPGRADING OF TOILETS

The Committee agreed to accept the partnering offer from Dundee Contract Services for upgrading toilets at Braeview Academy for 66,868.97 together with allowances of 11,396.00 giving a total cost of 78,264.92

X SCHOOL TERMS AND HOLIDAYS 2005/2006

There was submitted Report No 793-2004 by the Director of Education seeking approval of the scheme for school terms and holidays for Session 2005/2006.

The Committee agreed to adopt the draft scheme as the Council's scheme of school terms and holidays for Session 2005/2006.

XI DOWNFIELD CATCHMENT AREA

Reference was made to Article V of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 30th June 2003 where it was agreed to change the catchment area for Downfield Primary School.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN491-2004 proposing that the catchment area for Downfield Primary School be changed with effect from the August 2005 intake.

As the proposal had already been formally consulted on and approved the Committee agreed the catchment area for Downfield Primary School be changed for the August 2005 intake.

KEVIN KEENAN, Convener.

APPENDIX I