Education Committee - 24/11/2014

At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 24th November, 2014.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Stewart HUNTER, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 27th October, 2014 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Councillor Hunter declared a non-financial interest in respect of Article III as he had a child at one of the affected schools.

II KINGSPARK SCHOOL INDEPENDENT REVIEW - ACTION PLAN

It was reported that a request had been received for a deputation to address the Committee in relation to the above report.

After the deputation had stated their case, they were thanked for their attendance and withdrew.

There was submitted Report No 437-2014 by the Director of Education providing the Committee with an update of the core action plan and governance arrangements following the independent review of Kingspark School.

The Committee noted the contents of the report and remitted the Director of Education to regularly update elected members and to bring back to Committee a further update on progress after the Education Scotland follow-through visit to the school in August, 2015.

III REVIEW OF SCHOOL ESTATE

There was submitted Report No 436-2014 by the Director of Education providing an update of the School Estate in Dundee and information on proposals requiring formal consultation under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

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

(i) note the current, planned and ongoing improvements to the School Estate; and

(ii) instruct the Director of Education to present the consultation process on the following proposals for Committee consideration in December, 2014:-

- the closure of Menzieshill High School (including the re-delineation of its existing catchment area within Dundee) to the new Harris Academy, and the re-delineation of the existing catchment area for Rosebank Primary School to Morgan Academy in August, 2016;

- the revision of catchment areas for Sidlaw View Primary School, Ardler Primary School, Downfield Primary School and Craigowl Primary School from August, 2016;

- the re-delineation of the existing catchment area for St Clements RC Primary School to make St Johns RC High School the associated secondary school from August, 2016; and

- subject to the allocation of funding from the Scottish Futures Trust and to Committee approval of the financial implications, the building of a new school campus setting to replace the current provision for Longhaugh Primary School, Longhaugh Nursery and a merger of St Lukes and St Matthews RC Primary School and St Vincents RC Primary School.

As an amendment, Councillor Bidwell, seconded by Councillor McGovern, moved that:-

In the belief that it would be wrong to initiate the closure of Menzieshill High School on the basis of two paragraphs in a report reviewing the school estate in the city, in a report that clearly identifies that the targeting school for closure is assessed as being in superior condition to two other secondary schools in the city, in the absence of any educational case for closure, and in the absence of any options appraisal, the following is proposed to the Education Committee:-

A

2 RECOMMENDATIONS

(ii) First Bullet Point

Delete

"the closure of Menzieshill High School (including the delineation of its existing catchment area within Dundee) to the new Harris Academy, and"

B

Insert

(ii) Third Bullet Point

"Invites the Director of Education to return to the Education Committee with a comprehensive report about the future of secondary education at Menzieshill High School containing:-

- the projected rolls of primary schools in respectively the Menzieshill and Harris catchment areas;

- an assessment of the impact of re-delineating the western gateway area from the catchment area of Ardler Primary School/Baldragon Academy to Camperdown Primary School/Menzieshill High School; and

- an education, pupil focused options appraisal about the future of Menzieshill High School.

On a division, there voted for the motion - the Convener, Lord Provost, Depute Lord Provost, Bailies Sawers and Scott, Councillors Guild, Alexander, Black, Bowes, Campbell, Cordell, Dawson, Lynn, McDonald, Melville, Murray, Ross and Macpherson and Miss Mands, Monsignor McCaffrey and Mr Douris (21); and for the amendment - Bailies Wright and Borthwick and Councillors Keenan, Asif, Bidwell, Brennan, Cruickshank, Ferguson, McCready and McGovern (10) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

Stewart HUNTER, Convener.