A meeting of the EDUCATION, CULTURE AND SPORT COMMITTEE will take place in the COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS, GLENURQUHART ROAD, INVERNESS on THURSDAY, 16 MARCH, 2006 at 10.30 A.M.

A note of the business to be transacted at the meeting is appended.

Yours faithfully,

(i)    Revenue Budget 2005/06 - Monitoring

There is circulated Report No ECS17/06 dated 8 March 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on Revenue Expenditure on the Education, Culture and Sport Service for the period 1 April, 2005 to 31 January, 2006 and the projected year end position.

Members are asked to approve the continuing policy of financial restraint to achieve a balanced budgetary position by the end of the financial year.

(ii)    Revenue Budget 2006/07

There is circulated Report No ECS18/06 dated 7 March 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which outlines the Education, Culture and Sport 2006/07 Budget proposals and the measures necessary to balance the budget taking into account the decisions already taken by the Council.

Members are asked to:-

1. consider further proposals and approve the measures required to balance the 2006/07 Education, Culture and Sport Revenue Budget
2. consider any associated policy implications; and
3. request, at each Education, Culture and Sport Committee, detail on how the Service savings measures are progressing.

(i)    Capital Expenditure 2005/06 - Monitoring

There is circulated) Report No ECS19/06 dated 6 March 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on capital expenditure on the Education, Culture and Sport Service for the period 1 April, 2005 to 31 January, 2006 as per the revised Capital Plan of 11 August 2005.

Members are requested to note:-

1. the content of the report;
2. that the specific project under spends identified are either legally committed or have been approved through the Education, Culture and Sport Committee; and
3. that it is expected that a significant element of this under spend will have been addressed by the end of the current financial year.

(ii)    Education, Culture and Sport Service Capital Plan 2006/07 to 2009/10

There is circulated Report No ECS20/06 dated 6 March 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which provides an update on the outcome of the Capital Flexibility bids approved by the Budget Working group and thereafter by the Highland Council on 2 March 2006. The report also identifies a proposed Service Capital Programme for 2006/07 to 2009/10.

There is circulated Report No ECS21/06 dated 7 March 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on regarding proposed changes to the distribution of Highland 2007 capital grants to enable earlier Area decision making to allow more time for projects to be delivered.

The Committee is asked to approve:-

1. that instead of a cross community fund for Highland 2007 Capital Grants, the whole community capital grants fund be made available for distribution by Area Committees; and
2. that Area Committees, if they so wish, distribute the remaining funds available to them in the Highland 2007 Capital Grants Programme from 2006, rather than having to wait until 2007 for the final tranche.

 Arising from requests from parents, the Director of Education, Culture and Sport recommends that, in terms of the Council’s agreed procedures, a consultation process should commence on providing Gaelic Medium Education at Kinlochleven  Primary School for pupils in the South Lochaber area.

Members are asked to agree:- 

1. that a consultation should be undertaken on the provision of Gaelic Medium Education at Kinlochleven Primary School; and
2. in order that locally based consultation can commence, consultation papers be drawn up for the consideration of the Lochaber Area Committee, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee.

There is circulated Report No ECS22/06 dated 21 February 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport detailing the outcome of the statutory consultation undertaken in connection with the proposal to establish Gaelic Medium provision at Millbank Primary School.

The Committee is invited to:-

1. note the outcome of the formal consultation process as detailed in the report; and
2. agree that a Gaelic Medium Department be established at Millbank Primary School in August 2006, subject to the availability of additional accommodation and teacher staff, but, if the target date of August 2006 is not possible, Gaelic Medium provision be established as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter.

There is circulated Report No ECS23/06 dated 21 February 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport detailing the outcome of the statutory consultation undertaken with regard to proposals to alter the delineated areas of Holm and Lochardil Primary Schools and Cradlehall and Smithton Primary Schools.

The Committee is invited to note the outcome of the formal consultation process as detailed in the report and to agree that:-

1. the boundary between the delineated areas of Holm and Lochardil Primary Schools be altered as detailed in the consultation paper relating to these schools (appendix 1); and
2. the boundary between the delineated areas of Cradlehall and Smithton Primary Schools be altered as detailed in the consultation paper relating to these schools (appendix 2).

There is circulated Report No ECS24/06 dated 8 March 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport providing information on the current position of the draft Statutory Consultation paper relating to the future of education provision in Brae Lochaber.

Members are asked to agree:-

1. the terms of the statutory consultation on the future of Education provision in Brae Lochaber as set out in the report;
2. that the statutory consultation period commence on 23 March 2006 and terminate on 2 May 2006; and
3. that the outcome of the statutory consultation be reported to the meeting of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee on 25 May 2006.

There is circulated Report No ECS26/06 dated 7 March 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which summarises the Scottish Executive’s response to the work of the Cultural Commission and highlights the issues most relevant to the Highland Council.

There is circulated Report No ECS27/06 dated 6 March 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which provides information on the Scottish Executive distribution of additional funding for Class Contact Reduction, Class Size Reduction and Additional teachers. The report also provides information on the delivery of an element of Class Contact Reduction through the work of Visiting Specialist Teachers.

It is recommended that Members:-

1. note the 2007 target number of Teachers Allocated to Highland Council by 2007;
2. note the distribution of additional funding in respect of Class Contact Reduction and Class Size Reduction;
3. consider the impact on the delivery of the curriculum in Highland Council’s schools; and
4. agree the proposals on the use of visiting teachers.

There is circulated Report No ECS28/06 dated 20 February 2006 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which provides Members with information on comparison of Education, Culture and Sport Service Statutory Performance Indicators with other Scottish Councils for the financial year 2004/05. It also identifies areas where the Service performs well and those where performance needs to be improved.

There are circulated Minutes of the following meetings:-

1. Meeting of the Local Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff held on 7 February, 2006 ; and
2. Meeting of the Education Transport Appeals Committee held on 28 February, 2006 (for noting).

Mr A Anderson

Mr A M Millar

Mr R Saxon

Mr T Jackson

Ms K MacNab

Mr W Mowat

Mr F R M Keith

Mrs A L Magee

Mr D Allan

Mrs J Urquhart

Mr R W Durham

Mrs M E Paterson

Mr D Chisholm

Mrs A MacLean

Mrs I McCallum

Mr H Fraser

Mrs I Campbell

Mr P Corbett

Mr R Balfour

Mrs M C Davidson

Mr W J Smith

Mr A Milne

Mrs M MacLennan

Mr A J Dick

Mr J Gray

Mrs J N Home

Mr J N Matheson

Mr L Fraser

Mrs S Slimon

Mr G Rimell

Mr T MacLennan

Dr M E M Foxley

Mr N M Clark

Rev A Glass

Rev A Sinclair