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Prayer
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The Meeting
was opened with prayer led by Rev David Campbell
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Tribute: Very Rev John A Galbraith
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The Chairman
referred to the recent death of the Very Rev John Angus Galbraith who had
represented the Roman Catholic Church on the Committee from June 2000 for five
years and on behalf of the Committee extended sympathy and condolences to his
relatives and friends in their bereavement.
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MINUTES
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Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006
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1
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The Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006
was approved.
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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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FINANCE
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It was agreed
that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during
consideration of the Appendix to item 3 below on the grounds that exempt
information relating to any particular application for, or recipient or
former recipient of, any service provided by the Comhairle, and information
relating to the adoption, care, fostering or education of any particular
child or relating to the supervision or residence of any particular child in
accordance with a supervision requirement made in respect of that child under
the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968
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Social Work 2006/07 Specialist Mainland
Placements
SW01
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3
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With reference
to item 5 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 the Director of Social
Work submitted a Report outlining details of the continuing pressures placed
on the Social Work revenue budget by the cost of specialist mainland
placements and advising of the current budgetary position relating to the
specialist mainland placements for adults and children. The current specialist placements within
the Social Work Department were detailed in an Appendix to the Report.
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It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the forecasted Social Work costs for specialist mainland placements, as
detailed in Appendix 1 to the Report as follows:
(1)
£618k for Adult Community Care; and
(2)
£367k for Child Care.
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Social Work Budget 2006/07 Update
PR100.01
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4
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With reference
to 3 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 the Director of Social Work submitted
a Report concerning the options available to be considered with the objective
of bringing the Social Work revenue budget for 2006 – 2007 back into
balance. The Report gave details of
the general sections of the Social Work Department together with the net
controllable budgets, an assessment of the current financial year and the
long term issues associated with bringing the budget into balance.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the Report insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned.
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Schools Fund 2006/07 – Additional
Allocation
E01
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5
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The Director
of Education submitted a Report concerning an additional allocation to the
2006/07 Schools Fund capital grant. A
news release, dated September 2006 from the Scottish Executive was included
as an appendix to the Report which sought delegated authority to proceed with
appropriate projects.
It was agreed to recommend:
(1)
that the Comhairle note the award to the Comhairle of an
additional £258k Schools Fund capital grant and authorise the Director of
Education in consultation with the Chairman to identify and prioritise
appropriate projects; and
(2)
that the Director of Education submit a Report to a future meeting
concerning the provision of adequate school canteen facilities at the Nicolson
Institute.
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2006/2007 Financial Issues: Update
PR100.01
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6
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With reference
to Item 3 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 the Director of
Education submitted a Report concerning the latest estimates of Education
Authority expenditure outturns in the 2006/07 financial year. Potential areas of overspend were
highlighted in the Report and it was indicated that initial steps had already
been taken to reduce expenditure.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note a
possible overspend of some £380k on education budgets in the 2006/07
financial year and that a further Report on the matter would be submitted to
the December series.
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BUILDINGS
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Capital Works – Programme and Progress
PR33.01.12
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7
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With reference
to Item 6 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 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 Comhairle note
the Report.
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Schools PPP Project – Update
E01.02.15
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8
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With reference
to Item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 the Director of
Education submitted a Report concerning the latest developments in relation
to the Comhairle’s PPP proposal. A
summary of current progress was outlined in the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that progress in relation
to the Project be noted.
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PPP Schools – Bayble School
E01.02.15
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9
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With reference
to Item 9 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 the Director of Technical
Services submitted a Report concerning the implications associated with
retaining the existing games hall and those parts of the primary at Bayble
school, which had already been refurbished, within the schools PPP project. The background to the matter was outlined
in the Report.
Mr Donald I
Nicholson, seconded by Rev Andrew W F Coghill moved that the Comhairle
approve that the scope of the proposed Point Community
School include the
possible retention of the existing Games Hall or Primary School for conversion
to community facilities.
Mr Norman L
Macdonald, seconded by Mrs Morag Munro moved as an amendment that the
Comhairle approve that the scope of the proposed Point Community
School does not include
the retention of existing games hall or primary school.
On the matter being put to the vote the motion
received the majority of the votes cast and it was agreed to recommend accordingly.
It was further agreed to recommend that the Director
of Education submit a Report detailing the financial implications of
implementation of the recommendation above.
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It was agreed
that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during
consideration of item 10 below on the grounds that exempt information
relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person other
than the Comhairle would be disclosed.
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Proposed Sale
of Berneray School and Schoolhouse
E02.39.01
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10
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With reference
to Item 11 of the Minute of Meeting of 15 June 2005 the Director of Education
submitted a Report concerning the disposal of the former School and Schoolhouse
in Berneray, North Uist. The
background to the matter was outlined in the Report together with comments
from the Director for Sustainable Communities. The Report recommended that the Director of
Corporate Services, in consultation with Director of Education, be authorised
to offer Berneray
School and Schoolhouse
on the open market with offers being sought which specified proposed future
use as well as price.
It was agreed to recommend that the Director of
Corporate Services, in consultation with the Director of Education be
authorised to offer for social housing Berneray School and Schoolhouse to
Tighean Innse Gall, at 50% of the District Valuer’s valuation subject to the
consent of Scottish Ministers being obtained to the sale at less than market
value and subject to such other terms and conditions as the Director of
Corporate Services, in consultation with the Director of Education, should
determine.
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Preparatory Information Gathering for
2006/2007: School Estate Management
Plan
E02
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11
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The Director
of Education submitted a Report concerning proposals to roll out the school
condition surveys to all school premises following a successful pilot
project. The background to the project
together with the proposed approach to be taken in order to roll out the
project to the majority of the schools in the Western Isles were outlined in
the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle
approve the rollout of the project to other Western Isles Schools.
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EDUCATIONAL
PROVISION
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It was agreed
that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during
consideration of item 12 below on the grounds that exempt information
relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person other
than the Comhairle
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Future Support for Little Teddies Nursery
E01.02.06
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12
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With reference
to Item 13 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 the Director of
Education submitted a Report giving an update on the support given to the
Little Teddies Nursery and recommendations from the feasibility study. The background together with the current
operation of the nursery and details of the feasibility study were given in
the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
authorise the Director of Education and the Director of Finance to
discuss in more detail with a view to submitting the terms and conditions of
a Service Level Agreement to the next meeting of the Committee; and
(2)
agree to continue the current arrangements in the meantime.
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Report by HM Inspectorate of Education – Cliasmol Primary School, Comhairle nan Eilean
Siar 29 August 2006
E01.01.11
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13
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The Director
of Education submitted a Report concerning the result of the inspection of Cliasmol Primary School by Her Majesty’s
Inspectorate of Education (HMIe). The
Report by HMIe, dated 29 August 2006 was included as an appendix to the
Report.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the main points for action as listed in the Report.
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It was agreed
that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during
consideration of item 14 below on the grounds that exempt information
relating to a particular employee, former employee or applicant to become an
employee of, or a particular office holder or former office holder, or
applicant to become and office holder under, the Comhairle
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Department of Education: Restructuring to Provide a Framework for
Quality Improvement and Enhancement of Education Provision
E01
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14
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The Director
of Education submitted a Report concerning a restructuring of the
administrative and quality improvement staffing structure of the Department
of Education. The staffing structure
as at March 2006 and the learning communities implementation proposal were
included in the Report as appendices.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle agree that the
quality improvement and support functions of the Department of Education be
delivered as detailed in the Report subject to the detailed implications for
individual members of staff being considered by Human Resources
Sub-Committee.
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INFORMATION,
COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
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Demonstration of White Boards
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15
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Mr Hamish
Budge, Glow co-ordinator and Mr Peter Marnoch, Music Development Officer,
gave a demonstration of white boards and the Marratech System.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note the
presentation and demonstration of White Boards and the Marratech System.
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SECONDARY
EDUCATION
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Performance in SQA Examination June 2006
E01
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16
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The Director
of Education submitted a Report concerning information about the performance
of Western Isles Schools in the 2006 diet of Scottish Qualifications Authority
examinations. The background to the
matter was outlined in the Report together with performance information and
statistics.
It
was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note the performance of schools in
the 2006 Scottish Qualifications Authority examination diet.
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LEGISLATION
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The Scottish Schools (Parental
Involvement) Act 2006
E01
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17
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The Director
of Education submitted a Report concerning the Scottish Schools (Parental
Involvement) Act 2006, which will replace the School Boards (Scotland)
Act 1988. The Report gave information
about the proposed Parent Forum and the Parent Council together with details
of the proposed transitional year.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
note the information set out in the Report; and
(2)
note the additional funding of £12,500 provided by the Scottish
Executive to support developments during the transitional year.
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CHILDREN’S
SERVICES
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Western Isles Youth Crime Audit 2005/06
SW06
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18
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With reference
to 10 of the Minute of Meeting of 22 August 2006 the Director of Social Work
submitted a Report concerning the findings of the Western Isles Audit of Youth
Crime relating to 2005/06. The Report
summarised the main conclusions of the Audit which was included as an
appendix to the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note:
(1)
the findings of the 2005/06 Report on Youth Crime in the Western Isles
as detailed in Appendix 1 to the Report; and
(2)
that the key issues identified in this audit would be fully
considered by the Youth Justice Strategy Group when developing and delivering
service to those involved in, and affected by, youth crime in the Western
Isles.
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RELATED
MATTERS
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Road Safety – 20 mph Speed Limits at
Schools
T05.14
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19
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With reference
to Item 25 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report in relation to progress with the
installation of 20mph speed limits throughout the Western Isles. Details of progress with each of the 20
schools involved were given in the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note the Report.
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PERFORMANCE
REVIEW
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Reports Outstanding: Progress
PR33.01.12
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20
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With reference
to Item 26 of the Minute of Meeting of 23 August 2006 the Director of
Corporate Services submitted a Report concerning the reports outstanding
arising from decisions of the Committee.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note the Report.
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