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MINUTES
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Minute of
Meeting of 2 February 2005
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1
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The Minute of Meeting of 2 February
2005 was approved.
Arising out of consideration of the
Minute it was agreed to recommend that Rev David Campbell, or another of the
religious representatives on the Committee in the event that Rev David
Campbell was unable to attend, be authorised to attend the Seminar for
Religious Representatives on Education Committees in Edinburgh in May 2005
and that the Director of Corporate Services submit a Report to the next
meeting of the Committee in relation to making attendance at such seminars an
approved duty.
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Declaration
of Interest
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2
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There were no
declarations of interest.
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BUILDINGS
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Capital
Works: Programme and Progress
PR33.01.12
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3
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With reference to item 6 of the Minute of
Meeting of 2 February 2005 the Director of Technical Services submitted a
Report concerning programme and progress in respect of properties held on the
Education and Children’s Services account.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Report be noted.
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Proposed
Transfer of Iochdar and Paible Schoolhouses to the Housing General Fund
E02
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4
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The Director
of Corporate Services sought and obtained the Chairman’s permission to
withdraw the item concerning a Proposed Transfer of Iochdar and Paible
Schoolhouses to the Housing General Fund.
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Future
Use of Former Gibson Hostel, Stornoway
E02
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With reference to item 12 of the
Minute of Meeting of 3 November 2004 the Director of Education and the Head
of Housing Services submitted a joint Report concerning an expression of
interest in acquiring the former Gibson Hostel, Stornoway on the part of the
Housing Department and seeking approval for the transfer of the property from
the Education Account to the Housing Account General Fund. Following a
number of previous Reports on the future of this property, Members had asked
the Education Department to establish whether the Comhairle's Housing
Department had any interest in acquiring this site for housing purposes. The
Housing Department had indicated that it would wish to take over the site and
undertake a feasibility study on the options of reusing the existing building
for housing purposes and new build on the site. It was stated in the Report
that Members of the Comhairle had previously supported the provision of
additional housing in Stornoway for elderly people. An assessment on demand
for Sheltered and supported housing was due to be completed in the near
future. This would inform the feasibility study for this site. To progress
the redevelopment of this site and to allow a feasibility study to be undertaken,
it was proposed that Muirneag Housing Association be asked to be involved in
the feasibility study.
It was agreed to recommend, in so
far as the Committee’s interests were concerned, that:
(1)
the Comhairle note the details of
developments as narrated in the Report proposed by the Housing Department in
connection with the former Gibson Hostel site;
(2)
Education and Children’s Services
Committee agree in principle that the property be transferred from the
Education account to the Housing Department General Fund Account subject to
agreement on suitable terms; and
(3)
a further Report and options for the
former Gibson Hostel Site, Stornoway, be submitted to the Education and
Children's Services Committee and the Housing Committee, on the basis that it
was anticipated that the Report would be submitted in August/September 2005.
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Spòrs Nis
– Request for Variation to Capital Programme
E02
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6
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The Director
of Education submitted a Report concerning a variation in the Capital
Programme priority for boiler replacement to bring forward the planned
replacement of the Lionel School boiler to take advantage of ongoing works by
Spòrs Nis.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Comhairle agree that the schedule for planned boiler replacement within the
Capital Programme be altered to allow replacement of the Lionel School boiler in 2005/2006 and to defer the replacement of the Bayble School boiler until a later stage in the capital programme.
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EDUCATIONAL
PROVISION
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Review of
Educational Provision: Berneray Primary School
E01
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7
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With reference to item 10 of the Minute of
Meeting of 2 February 2005 the Director of Education submitted a Report
concerning statutory consultations undertaken on the possible closure of Berneray Primary School with effect from June 2005 on the basis that pupils would be
transferred to Paible School from the commencement of the 2005/2006 school
session. The consultation paper issued was appended to the Report and the
report of a public meeting held in the school was circulated to the
Committee. The Report indicated that because the school was situated more
than five miles from the receiving school at Paible the final decision on
permanent closure would be taken by Scottish Ministers.
The Committee was asked to consider the
possible closure of Berneray Primary School in June 2005 on the basis of the
information circulated to parents, school boards and other interested parties
in the light of representations made at the consultation meeting in
connection with the proposal to close the school.
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It was agreed to recommend that:
(1)
Berneray Primary School be closed as at
30 June 2005, subject to final approval by Scottish Ministers; and
(2)
Paible School be designated as the receiving school for children from
the current Berneray catchment area.
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Future
Educational Provision: Balivanich School
E02
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8
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The Director of Education submitted a Report updating Members on
the current situation pertaining to Balivanich School and proposing that its
replacement on a “greenfield site” become the policy of the Comhairle for
future educational provision in the Balivanich area.
A Report prepared by the Structural Systems Officer from the
Constitution of Local Authorities Special Programme (CLASP) in relation to
the construction of Balivanich Primary School following a recent inspection
was appended to the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that Balivanich School be relocated to a new accommodation on a ‘greenfield’ site as soon as funding
was secured.
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Pre-School
Funding 2005/2006
E01.02.06
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9
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With reference to item 15 of the Minute of
Meeting of 3 February 2004 the Director of Education submitted a Report
concerning the proposed pre-school commissioned place rate for 2005/2006 and
advising on the continuation of existing arrangements for other pre-school
support. Examples of other support arrangements were given in the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that:
(1)
the Comhairle approve a rate per fully
commissioned pre-school place (including for 3-year olds) of £1295 for the
2005/2006 pre-school year; and
(2)
the Comhairle note the continuation of
other support arrangements for pre-school groups during 2005/2006.
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Specific
Grants for Gaelic Education 2005/2006 – Outcome of Bid
E01.01.24
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10
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The Director of Corporate Services sought
and obtained the Chairman’s Permission to withdraw the item concerning
Specific Grants for Gaelic Education 2005/2006 – Outcome of Bid
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RELATED
MATTERS
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Draft
Home to School Travel Policy
E05.01
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11
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With reference
to item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of 8 December 2004 the Director of Education
submitted a Report concerning a draft Home to School Travel Policy and
seeking permission to proceed to consultation on the draft with
stakeholders. The Report stated that a Member/Officer Working Group had been
established and had met twice. The draft policy was appended to the Report
which had been provided by the Member/Officer Working Group.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Comhairle authorise the Director of Education to proceed to consultation with
stakeholders on the draft Home to School Travel Policy subject to
incorporation of any amendment agreed by the Comhairle and to submit a
further Report on the outcome of the consultation to the meeting of the
Committee in August 2005.
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Hungry for Success
E09
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12
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With reference
to item 18 of the Minute of Meeting of 8 December 2004 the Director of
Education submitted a Report concerning progress on the Hungry for Success
Initiative and advising of the continuation of the free school milk pilot
until the end of June 2005 based upon Hungry for Success Funding.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Comhairle note progress with the Hungry for Success initiative including the
continuation of the free school milk pilot until the end of June 2005 pending
continued discussions on funding issues and the determination of savings
requirements.
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School
Security at Sgoil Lionacleit and Castlebay Schools
E07
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13
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The Director of Education submitted a Report
concerning consultation with the community and other stakeholders on the
possible withdrawal of community dining facilities at Sgoil Lionacleit and Castlebay School, in the light of school security considerations at both schools. The
background to the matter was outlined together with details of the facilities
at Sgoil Lionacleit and Castlebay School.
It was agreed
to recommend that the Director of Education be authorised to consult formally
with the community and other stakeholders on the possible resolution of
school security issues with regard to public dining facilities at Sgoil
Lionacleit and Castlebay School and to submit a further report to the June
meeting of the Education and Children’s Services Committee.
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Teacher
Recruitment
E06
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14
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The Director of Education submitted a Report
on the situation in respect of teacher recruitment and on the strategies used
to address issues in recruitment. The details of recruitment issues and
initiatives were outlined together with information on partnership with Aberdeen University and supply cover.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note:
(1)
the situation in respect of recruitment
and supply cover;
(2)
that a further report would be
submitted on the 2005 allocation of newly-qualified teachers; and
(3)
that a further report would be
submitted regarding the proposed partnership with Aberdeen University.
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Making
the Difference – Improving on Parents’ Involvement in the Schools:
Consultation on the Draft Bill
E05.12
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15
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The Director of Education submitted a Report
concerning the Scottish Executive's proposals for Parent Forums which will
replace school boards. The background to the proposed arrangements and the
main objectives of the draft bill on Making the Difference – Improving on
Parents Involvement in Schools were outlined in the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Comhairle:
(1)
welcome the new proposals and note the
contents of the Report;
(2)
note that, in due course, model
constitutions for adoption by the proposed Parents’ Forums would be brought
to the Comhairle for approval; and
(3)
note that proposals for a new
appointments system for head teachers and depute head teachers, which
retained the principles of parental involvement in such appointments, would
be presented for approval by the Comhairle, when the Bill was about to become
law.
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Pitches –
Prioritisation of Submissions for Funding
AL06.10.62
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16
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With reference
to item 11 of the Minute of Meeting of 1 February 2005 the Director for
Sustainable Communities submitted a Report concerning a list of priority
projects for pitch development assistance. Details of each of the projects
were given together with the score which each had received following the
approved scoring proforma. A prioritised list for pitch development
proposals was included at Appendix 1 of the Report.
It was
agreed to recommended that the Comhairle:
(1)
approve the Bayhead, Castlebay,
Garrabost, West Side and Acres projects as priority projects;
(2)
agree that the ranking of the
Creagan Dubh, Daliburgh, Goathill and Leverhulme projects in order of
priority to select the project(s) to complete the prioritised list, within
the financial limitations of the provisional capital programme, be included
in a further Report detailing the whole of the Playing Field Programme;
(3)
approve the remaining projects,
identified in Appendix 1,as a reserve list, to be progressed as finance was
available; and
(4) request that formal applications for assistance to
the Comhairle be submitted in relation to the prioritiesed projects and all
approvals would include the requirement of projects having an approved
funding package by December 2005.
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Traffic
Speeds: Goathill Road, Stornoway
T08.05.06
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17
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With reference
to item 11 of the Minute of Meeting of 2 February 2005 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report providing details of traffic speeds on Goathill Road , Stornoway. Details were given of the results of a recent survey of
vehicles and a current safe travel to school project.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Comhairle note the results of the speed survey recently undertaken on Goathill Road , Stornoway and that the safe travel to school project would be bringing
forward a prioritised programme of works to improve travel routes to Stornoway Primary School.
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20mph
Speed Limits at Schools and School Traffic Management Budgets
T08.05.06
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18
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With reference to item 11 of the Minute of
Meeting of 2 February 2005 the Director of Technical Services submitted a
Report concerning the implementation of 20mph speed limits and traffic
management at all schools.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Report be noted.
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Reports
Outstanding: Progress
PR33.01.12
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19
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With reference
to item 17 of the Minute of Meeting of 2 February 2005 the Director of
Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning the Reports outstanding
arising from decisions of the Education and Children’s Services Committee.
It was agreed to recommend that the
Report be noted.
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