Education Committee - 26/06/2006
At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 26th June 2006.
Present:-
Lord Provost John R LETFORD |
|
|
BAILIES
C D P FARQUHAR |
John CORRIGAN |
Bruce D MACKIE |
Helen WRIGHT |
Neil I C POWRIE |
Ian BORTHWICK |
COUNCILLORS
Jill SHIMI |
Helen DICK |
Elizabeth F FORDYCE |
Kevin KEENAN |
Nigel DON |
Roderick A J WALLACE |
George REGAN |
Bob DUNCAN |
Charles A WEBSTER |
Julia M STURROCK |
Joe FITZPATRICK |
Derek J SCOTT |
Fiona M GRANT |
Jim BARRIE |
Monsignor J CREEGAN |
Joe MORROW |
Will DAWSON |
Mr M Chohan |
Fraser MACPHERSON |
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Mr E BAILLIE |
Councillor Keenan, Convener, in the Chair.
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 15th May 2006 was held as read.
Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.
Prior to the commencement of business, the Convener on behalf of the Education Committee, intimated that Glen Taylor, Education Services Manager was retiring on 30th June 2006 and thanked him for services rendered by him at Dundee City Council.
I HM INSPECTORATE OF EDUCATION - MILL OF MAINS PRIMARY SCHOOL
There was submitted and noted the H M Inspectorate of Education Inspection Report on Mill of Mains Primary School.
II TENDERS RECEIVED
(a) CITY ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES OFFICER
There was submitted Report No 410-2006 by the City Architectural Services Officer detailing tenders received and requesting a decision thereon:
(i) Lochee Primary School - Replacement Roof Coverings Phase 2
The Committee agreed to accept the negotiated offer with Dundee Contract Services for 69,699.57 together with allowances of 9,500.00 for contingencies, 728.00 for planning supervisor and 9,933.00 for professional services making a total expenditure of 89,860.67.
(ii) Various Schools - Kitchen Fly Screens
The Committee agreed the work be carried out under the Property Maintenance and Small Works Partnership with Dundee Contract Services for 3,900.00 together with an allowance of 556.00 for professional services making a total expenditure of 4,456.00.
(b) CITY ENGINEER
There was submitted Report No 345-2006 by the City Engineer detailing tenders received and requesting a decision thereon:
(i) Facade Repairs to Menzieshill High School - Phase 2
The Committee agreed to accept the lowest offer by Mackenzie Construction Limited for 41,906.68 together with allowances of 5,000.00 for contingencies, 5,600.00 for Professional Fees and 750.00 for Planning Supervisor making a total expenditure of 53,256.68.
III PUPIL ABSENCE MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS
There was submitted Report No 148-2006 by the Director of Education reviewing the strategy and arrangements for working with cases of sustained absence from school.
The Committee agreed to:-
(i) note the review;
(ii) delegate to the Director of Education or nominee the functions of the Education Authority under Section 35-43 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (except the appointment of a person to institute proceedings in terms of Section 43(2)), being consideration of cases of School Attendance Default including the power to impose an Attendance Order or to decide that the parent/carer be prosecuted, for a pilot period of one year;
(iii) approve the temporary cessation of the work of the School Attendance Sub-Committee during the pilot period referred to in Paragraph (ii) above; and
(iv) remit the Director of Education to monitor the implementation of the proposals, evaluate their effectiveness and report back to Committee not later than June 2007.
IV EDUCATION BEST VALUE REVIEW - ATTAINMENT
Mr Baillie declared a non-financial interest by virtue of representing teachers in Dundee as negotiating secretary, Dundee EIS.
Reference was made to Article II of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 21st February 2005 where it was agreed to establish a Best Value Review Group to consider Attainment in Dundee schools.
There was submitted Report No 399-2006 by the Director of Education detailing the report of the Best Value Review Group.
The Committee agreed to:
(i) approve the report;
(ii) instruct the Director of Education to implement the recommendations of the Best Value Review Group on Attainment;
(iii) require the Director of Education to provide further reports on the progress of implementing the recommendations of the Best Value Review Group as indicated in the Action Plan (Appendix I);
(iv) require the Best Value Review Group on Attainment to continue to meet to monitor the progress of the action plan;
(v) require that at the next meeting of the Group there be a presentation from the Director of Education along with EIS and support staff trades unions on the Early Years Service; and
(vi) amendments to the report as noted below:-
Section 7: Next Step - replace "the possibility of" with "the feasibility of"
Page 16: first point - add "add teacher trade unions" to "Management Team in consultation with Head Teachers" to Implementation Path
Page 16: second last point - add "DNCT" to Implementation Path.
V PROVISION OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO NEW REGISTERED CHILDMINDERS IN DUNDEE
There was submitted Report No 400-2006 by the Director of Education seeking approval to continue funding to support new registered childminders in Dundee.
The Committee approved the report and the award of 200 funding to childminders as set out in Appendix 1 of the Report noted below:
No |
Detail of items requested |
Amount |
1
|
Double buggy, car seat, toys and equipment for babies |
200 |
2 |
Radiator covers, fire blanker, toys, jigsaws, buggy |
200 |
3 |
Car seat, toys, art supplies, dressing up clothes, puppets, games |
200 |
4 |
Outdoor play equipment, buggy, highchair, promotion of business through advert |
200 |
5 |
Double buggy, car seats, rain cover, outdoor toys |
200 |
6 |
Garden toys, books, jigsaws, baby toys, business cards, table and chairs, art materials |
200 |
7 |
Stair gates, car seat, travel cot, toys and equipment |
200 |
|
Total |
1,400 |
VI DUNDEE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STRATEGY FOR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO FIVE
There was submitted Report No 384-2006 by the Director of Education and Director of Leisure and Communities relative to the above.
The Committee approved the strategy and remitted Council staff involved to continue to work with all existing partners and to develop additional partnership working to implement the action plan.
VII STANDARD SCHOOL HOURS (PRIMARY)
There was submitted Report No 402-2006 by the Director of Education bringing to the attention of the Committee the results of parental consultation on standard school hours for pupils in all mainstream primary school classes.
The Committee agreed:
(i) to note the results of the consultation; and
(ii) that from 15 August 2006 school hours for a standard school day would be five hours for all primary pupils beginning at 9.00 am and finishing at 3.15 pm with a lunch break of 1 hour.
VIII TENDERS RECEIVED
There was submitted Agenda Note AN239-2006. The Committee were asked to note that due to timescales involved to ensure that works would be carried out during the school summer holiday period the undernoted tenders were approved by the Director of Education and City Architectural Services Officer in consultation with the Convener and Group spokespersons.
Project |
Contractor |
Tender Amount |
Total Amount (inc allowances) |
Craigiebarns Primary School - Replacement Windows and Fascia |
Dundee Contract Services |
26,165.00 |
30,249.00 |
St Ninian's Primary School - Kitchen Servery Upgrade |
Dundee Contract Services |
35,266.00 |
39,864.00 |
Baldragon Academy - Resurfacing/Safety Improvements |
Dundee Contract Services |
26,000.00 |
29,705.00 |
St Luke's and St Mathew's Primary School - Concrete Repairs |
Torith Ltd, Drumoig |
19,200.00 |
22,730.00 |
The Committee noted the above.
The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted item of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6, 9 and 10 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.
IX DUNDEE SCHOOLS PPP PROJECT - FINAL BUSINESS CASE AND CONCLUSION OF PROJECT AGREEMENT
There was submitted Report No 369-2006 by the Chief Executive and Director of Education outlining the main provisions of the Dundee Schools PPP Project Agreement negotiated with the company involved, describing the procedure for reaching financial close and seeking approval of the Final Business Case.
The Committee agreed:
(i) to approve the contents of the draft Final Business Case;
(ii) the proposed programme of events leading to financial close of the Project as detailed in the report;
(iii) that the Chief Executive be authorised to negotiate and agree the final terms of the documents to be entered into by the Council in respect of the Project (the "Project Documents"), approve any necessary amendments to the Project Documents and carry out all such other steps necessary to bring the Project to financial close;
(iv) the Proper Officers in terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 in accordance with Standing Orders and the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995 (the "Authorised Signatories") be authorised to sign on behalf of the Council the Project Documents and any other documents, certificates, notifications or other communications which the Authorised Signatories may consider (without limitation) necessary in terms of the Project.
(v) the Proper Officers be authorised, in relation to those Project Documents required to be certified for the purposes of the Local Government (Contracts) (Scotland) Regulations 1997, to issue certificates for the purposes of the Local Government (Contracts) Regulations 1997 with regard to such Project Documents, such certificates to be executed in accordance with recommendation (iv) above;
(vi) the Council's financial undertaking as outlined in the report;
(vii) an advanced works agreement be entered into with the company involved, whereby works would be carried out on the existing Brackens, Powrie and St Columba's sites prior to financial close; and
(viii) a further report be made to Committee following financial close detailing any material changes in the final financial or commercial position for information.
KEVIN KEENAN, Convener
APPENDIX I
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BEST VALUE REVIEW ON ATTAINMENT
ACTION PLAN
Tasks
|
Implementation Path |
Proposed Timescale |
to support schools in implementing planned LTiD strategies through a team of school-based staff led by a LTiD Co‑ordinator |
Department Development Plan Progress report to Education Committee |
2006 - 2008
report - June 2007 |
to establish a working group, with representatives from a range of pre-school and early primary school settings, to support the development and delivery of new guidance on implementing LTiD within early years settings, and to support effective transition from nursery to primary |
Department Development Plan Progress report to Education Committee |
2006 - 2008
report - June 2007 |
to continue to work with the University of Dundee, and other Further and Higher Education institutions, to develop the research base to support and evaluate improvement strategies |
Improving Pupil Achievement groups |
October 2006 |
to review budget allocations and report to Committee on the possibility of allocating additional resources to schools which operate in areas of greatest multiple deprivation |
Education Revenue Budget submission |
November 2006 - February 2007 |
to continue to identify opportunities to bring practitioners with a national and international reputation to Dundee to inform the practice in its schools |
Develop and extend existing CPD programme for staff and senior managers |
ongoing work |
to further develop benchmarking strategies to ensure that an ongoing process of benchmarking is in place with comparator councils such as Inverclyde; and to establish links between Dundee schools and similar, but better performing, schools in other Education Authorities to identify good practice |
City benchmarking strategy Progress report to Education Committee |
2006 - 2008 report - June 2007 |
to research national strategies and initiatives on parental involvement |
Department Development Plan Childrens Services Plan: |