Education Committee - 16/04/2007

At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 16th April, 2007.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 19th March, 2007 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I HM INSPECTORATE OF EDUCATION - EASTERN PRIMARY SCHOOL INSPECTION

There was submitted and noted report relative to the above.

II TENDERS RECEIVED

(a) CITY ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES OFFICER

There was submitted Report No 228-2007 by the City Architectural Services Officer detailing tenders received and requesting a decision thereon.

(i) MORGAN ACADEMY JANITOR'S HOUSE - HEATING INSTALLATION

The Committee agreed to accept the offer from Scan Building Services Ltd, Dundee for 3,781.25, together with an allowance of 539.00 for professional services, making a total expenditure of 4,320.25.

(ii) GOWRIEHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL - KITCHEN SERVERY UPGRADE

The Committee agreed the work be carried out under the planned maintenance and small works partnership with Dundee Contract Services for 21,000.00, together with an allowance of 2,992.50 for professional services, making a total expenditure of 23,992.50.

(iii) BALDRAGON ACADEMY - UPGRADE TO SCIENCE LABORATORY

The Committee agreed the work be carried out under a partnering agreement with Dundee Contract Services for 43,764.00, together with an allowance of 6,236.00 for professional services, making a total expenditure of 50,000.00.

(iv) CRAIGIE HIGH SCHOOL - UPGRADE TO SCIENCE LABORATORIES

The Committee agreed the work be carried out under a partnering agreement with Dundee Contract Services for 86,757.00, together with allowances of 880.00 for planning supervisor and 12,363.00 for professional services, making a total expenditure of 100,000.00.

(b) CITY ENGINEER

There was submitted Report No 150-2007 by the City Engineer, detailing tenders received and requesting a decision thereon:-

(i) DEMOLITION OF BALERNO CENTRE

The Committee agreed to accept the lowest tender by Dundee Plant Co Ltd for 54,472.00, together with the undernoted allowances:-

III STRATEGY FOR DELIVERING IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN DUNDEE

There was submitted Report No 170-2007 by the Director of Social Work and Director of Education, seeking approval for the development of a strategy to address and improve the educational attainment of Dundee's Looked after Children and Young People.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the content of the report and strategic action plan;

(ii) to instruct the Directors of Education and Social Work to continue to implement the strategic action plan and to review progress made towards the outcomes of the strategic action plan in March 2008;

(iii) that different approaches and models of corporate parenting be explored; and

(iv) to review progress of the LAC (Educational Attainment) Project on a 6 monthly basis over the next 12 months.

IV DUNDEE SCHOOLS PPP PROJECT - LOOSE FURNITURE PROCUREMENT

Councillor Sawers declared a non-financial interest by virtue of being a Director of Dovetail Enterprises Limited.

There was submitted Agenda Note AN125-2007, whereby reference was made to Article I of the minute of meeting of both the Education and Policy and Resources Committees of 31st March, 2003, wherein approval was given to the Report entitled "Update on the Financial Implications of the Dundee Schools Capital Project". This report detailed the financial adjustments required to meet the capital proposals for school provision in Dundee as described in the Dundee Schools PPP Project original and supplementary Outline Business Cases.

In agreeing to the financial adjustments and revised funding proposals contained within the report, the Committees approved inter alia the removal of the provision of the furniture from the Dundee Schools PPP Project thereby reverting the procurement and funding to Dundee City Council. It was noted that provision of 2.010m had been made in the current Capital Plan 2006/2009 for furniture procurement.

It was further noted that a report entitled "Fixed Furniture and Equipment, Loose Furniture and Equipment and Transferred Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment" was approved by the PPP Project Board on 18th May, 2006. This report made recommendations for a procurement route for loose furniture and equipment to be provided by Dundee City Council and contained a recommendation that a "one off" specialist package of 68 x woodwork benches be procured from Dovetail Enterprises Limited.

In order to allow Dovetail to progress this order in time for the opening of St Paul's RC Academy and the new Grove Academy, authority was sought to commission the work with immediate effect at a total cost of 67,263.56 to be met from the allowance set aside for this purpose as described above.

The Committee approved 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 it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

V EARLY RETIREMENT

There was submitted Agenda Note AN118-2007 recommending the early retirement of ER61/07.

The Committee agreed the early retirement with effect from 12th August, 2007 of ER61/07 in accordance with the Teachers' (Compensation for Premature Retirement and Redundancy) (Scotland) Regulations, 1996 and having noted the financial implications.

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.