Children And Families Services Committee - 23/05/2016

At a MEETING of the CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 23rd May, 2016.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

External members for Articles I to VI

Monsignor K McCAFFREY, Roman Catholic Church Representative

Mr D BAXTER, Teacher Representative

Mr M CHOHAN, 3rd Church Representative

Mrs M MACKENZIE, Parent Representative

Miss K MANDS, Church of Scotland Representative

Mr M OWUSU-AYIM, Pupil Representative

Councillor Stewart HUNTER, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 26th April, 2016 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Councillors Brennan and McCready declared a non-financial interest in respect of Article V as they have children who attend the affected school.

II CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE (SCOTLAND) ACT 2014

There was submitted Report No 182-2016 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Services summarising the provisions contained within the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, providing updated information in relation to implementation.

The Committee agreed to:

(i) note the contents of the report; and

(ii) instruct the Executive Director of Children and Families to bring back the single Childrens Services Plan and an update in relation to implementation of the Act in March, 2017.

III SISTEMA SCOTLAND - THE BIG NOISE IN DOUGLAS

There was submitted Report No 183-2016 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Services updating the progress being made to introduce the Big Noise programme in Dundee.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the contents of the report;

(ii) approve the implementation of the programme in the Douglas community, subject to confirmation of funding; and

(iii) instruct the Executive Director to prepare an annual report on the Big Noise programme and to bring back a report on the formal Partnership Agreement.

IV OFF-SITE EDUCATION SERVICE CONSULTATION REPORT

There was submitted Report No 184-2016 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Services containing the formal Consultation Report on the proposed relocation and restructuring of the Off-site Educational Service under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the contents of the report;

(ii) note the accompanying Consultation Report, including the report by Her Majestys Inspectorate of Education (HMIE)/Education Scotland on the proposal;

(iii) note the revised timescales for relocation set out in the report; and

(iv) instruct the Executive Director of Children and Families Services to proceed with the proposal;

and in addition agreed to:-

(v) instruct the Executive Director of Children and Families Services to provide a comprehensive update in February, 2018.

V ADDITION OF TWO PORTABLE CLASSROOMS AT ST JOHNS RC HIGH SCHOOL

There was submitted Report No 189-2016 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Services seeking approval for the addition of two portable classrooms at St Johns RC High School.

The Committee agreed to approve the report.

VI SAFETY OF DUNDEE SCHOOL BUILDINGS

At the request of Councillor Bidwell, this item had been placed on the agenda. He was concerned about the tracking, monitoring and reporting of safety issues related to school buildings in Dundee.

The Committee agreed to instruct the Executive Director of Children and Families Services and the Executive Director of City Development to:-

(i) issue to all members of the Children and Families Services Committee a Briefing by the City Engineer on the safety of all eight PPP schools following Discovery Educations inspections;

(ii) report back to the Children and Families Services Committee on the implications for Dundee of the report of the City of Edinburgh Councils independent inquiry into the construction of schools built under the 2001 Private Finance Initiative; and

(iii) include in the annual School Estate Review a more prominent place to safety in our schools including details of the annual building condition surveys and routine surveillance undertaken, supplemented with structural inspections as required by the City Engineer.

Stewart HUNTER, Convener.