The Committee NOTED the following and AGREED that congratulations be conveyed to those concerned:-

- Delivering Service Improvement Section: Promoting Smart Lifestyles in Schools

- Working with Communities & Customers Section: The Lochaber Childcare Partnership

- Innovation in IT Section: The High Life Leisure Card

- Employee of the Year: Ian MacKenzie, Janitor, Raigmore Primary School

Reference was made to an announcement by the Scottish Executive of a four day cultural event to be held in Sweden in October which was advertised as being a showcase for contemporary Scottish culture for the promotion of tourism. Given that Inverness Highland 2008 represented the only bid from Scotland for the European Capital of Culture 2008, some concern was expressed that Highland did not appear to have been invited to participate and there was no mention of traditional Highland or Gaelic music and culture.

The Committee considered reports on Revenue Expenditure, copies of which had been circulated, as follows:-

1. Education, Culture and Sport Revenue Expenditure 2002/03 – Monitoring

 

There was circulated Report No ECS62/02 dated 17 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on Revenue Expenditure on the Education, Culture and Sport Service for the period 1st April to 31st August, 2002 and on the projected year end position

The Committee NOTED the position and APPROVED the continued actions outlined in the report.

2. Revenue Budget 2002/03

There was circulated Report No ECS63/02 dated 17 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport outlining progress to date in implementing the Revenue Budget strategy approved by members on 21 March, 2002 and seeking approval for proposed actions for the remainder of the current financial year. The Director pointed out that the current monitoring statement indicated a projected overspend at the year end of £371,000; the £6.6m gap for full implementation of the McCrone Agreement remained; and the schools’ DSM carry over from 2001/02 was £1.049m. He referred to the decision in March that, if financial resources permitted, then funding be allocated to key sectors of the budget, including Primary Capitation, Secondary Devolved Budgets and Integrated Early Years. As no surplus financial resources had been identified he suggested it would be financially imprudent to allocate funding to these sectors at this time. He also suggested that it was essential that the Council maximise the New Priorities Action Fund (NPAF) and align it to the Service Plan priorities to give some flexibility in budget management.

In discussion, the Director outlined the current position regarding the freeze on the filling of visiting teacher posts and the review of the Visiting Teacher Service. He confirmed that Area Education Managers had been asked to advise local Members and Area Education Portfolio Holders of any changes in relation to visiting teacher posts at schools in their area. In reply to a question, he also undertook to advise the local member, Mrs M A MacLennan, of the position with regard to a special needs teacher post at a secondary school in Inverness.

The Committee AGREED:-

1. that an interim report be submitted to the next meeting on the review of the visiting teacher service; and
2. the strategy in relation to Revenue Budget Management outlined in the Report.

It was also NOTED that updated reports would be submitted to each meeting of the Committee.

1. Additional Funding for Discipline Task Group Action Plan

There was circulated Report No ECS64/02 dated 10 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport referring to the announcement of additional funding of £457,374 in the current financial year received from the Scottish Executive to implement the recommendations of the Discipline Task Group report and making recommendations for the distribution of this additional funding. It was proposed that :

1. the greater part of the funding be devolved directly to schools to enable Headteachers to make staff appointments that met the criteria set by the Scottish Executive during the current school year;
2. where schools were not able to use the funding to employ staff it should be used to address other action points, details of which were given, within the Highland Action Plan; and
3. a small proportion of the funding be used to augment the Pupil Support Service to help deploy the Service more effectively across all of Highland.

The Committee APPROVED the proposals for use of the additional funding.

(d) Special Educational Needs Budget

There was circulated Report No ECS65/02 dated 17 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport referring to continuing pressures on the Special Educational Needs (SEN) budget and key issues relating to the budget. It was pointed out that the budget had increased in the six year period from 1997/98 to 2002/03 from £7.85m to £15.07m, an increase of £7.22m (91.98%). The Director gave details of the composition of the budget, the management arrangements, the specific budget pressures and the educational context for Highland. He also pointed out that the Best Value Review of SEN was due to report in the Autumn of 2002 and would address issues relating to the present allocation of financial resources to Area and Core Services and take account of advice from the Audit Scotland report due to be published in the near future.

In discussion, points raised included the following:-

The Committee considered reports on Capital Expenditure, copies of which had been circulated, as follows:

1. Capital Programme 2002/03 – Monitoring

There was circulated Report No ECS66/02 dated 16 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on expenditure on the Education, Culture and Sport Service Capital Programme for the period 1st April to 31st August, 2002. The statement gave details of gross expenditure to date, of adjustments which were anticipated to certain projects and new pressures which were emerging. It also showed funding allocated to the European Capital of Culture Bid, allocations approved by the Portfolio Holders Group from the Challenge Fund and external income to be drawn down in respect of a number of projects. Following consultation on an ERDF application with the Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme, Members were also asked to approve in principle grant funding of £80,000 in 2003/04 and £20,000 in 2004/05 from the Education, Culture and Sport Capital Programme towards the Assynt Leisure Facility, pending a successful ERDF bid.

After discussion, the Committee NOTED the report and

1. APPROVED in principle a grant of £100,000 over the two years 2003/04 and 2004/05 to the Assynt Leisure Facility project pending a successful ERDF bid; and
2. AGREED that the Energy Section be asked to consider the use of alternative heating systems such as wood chip where appropriate and to consider being more proactive in relation to heating system failures.

1. 21st Century School Improvement Programme

There was circulated Report No ECS67/02 dated 18 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport referring to the bid submitted by the Council to the Scottish Executive for a 21st Century Schools Improvement Programme to be financed through the Public Private Partnership Route. He gave details of the original bid for a second Education Public Private Partnership (PPP2) project and confirmed that the Council had received the third highest award in Scotland, announced at £100m of capital support. It was now clear that the Scottish Executive would cap the level playing field support at £7.16m per annum over 30 years. The capital value of the project had not been capped but the implication was that the original list of schools could not be procured through this route alone. The Director went on to propose a course of action which would deliver the 21st Century School Improvement Programme using a combination of PPP2, Section 94 Capital Funding and a new School Improvement Trust. Appendices to the report gave the original list of schools, an amended list showing the funding route now proposed for each project and the revenue implications. It was stressed that the funding route could only be finalised once PPP2 had been market tested.

In discussion, points raised included the following:-

The Committee AGREED to recommend to the Council that it:-

1. maintain its commitment to deliver the 21st Century Schools Improvement Programme;
2. amend its original Outline Business Case taking into account the capped level playing field support from the Scottish Executive, and the Council’s affordability level; and
3. agree to the funding routes outlined in Appendix 2 to the report for the schools identified.

The Committee also NOTED that further reports would be submitted on progress, including the procurement timescales, and on the establishment of a School Improvement Trust and AGREED that:-

1. officers advise school boards and communities of the position and reassure those whose schools were not on the PPP2 list that the Council was adopting a twin track approach and was committed to completing the full 21st century School Improvement Programme.
2. steps be taken immediately to purchase the land required for the new school at Deishar;
3. Bidders be made aware of the full list of schools contained in the 21st Century School Improvement Programme;
4. Property and Architectural Services provide to Area Committees a list of major maintenance items not currently contained in the programme; and
5. a report be submitted on school building and improvement projects completed during the term of office of the Council.

There was circulated Report No ECS68/02 dated 6 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on a request by Caledonia Community Leisure Limited for the release of further funding from the Capital Refurbishment Fund. A list of items was attached in proposed priority order. It was intended that works relating to the items be carried out during the facility maintenance closure planned for December, 2002. It was further proposed that the remaining £4,300 from the Fund be used as a contingency sum in the event of the estimates attached proving inadequate.

The Committee:

1. AGREED that items 1 to 5 detailed in the Appendix to the report be approved, utilising £63,700 of the remaining £68,000 of the Capital Refurbishment Fund, subject to consideration being given by the Manager of the Centre to using some of the finance allocated for the re-establishment of the routine maintenance budget for the acquisition of replacement CCTV cameras; and
2. NOTED that the report to the Committee on the outcome of the independent consultants report on the operation of the facility, which would be submitted following discussions with the Board of CCL Limited, would include proposals for providing ongoing funding for capital work.

There was circulated Report No ECS69/02 dated 11 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which summarised progress being made on the implementation of the Archive Strategy, including progress on Area Archives, outlined the process required to submit a stage one Heritage Lottery application for a Highland Archive Centre and proposed the appointment of consultants to prepare the background information required. The proposed brief for the consultants was included as Appendix A. It was anticipated that the costs for this report would not exceed £15,000 and these could be met from Project Development funding and capital funds identified within the Education, Culture and Sport Capital Programme.

In discussion, Mr J W Oag suggested that a former wartime shelter adjacent to the Carnegie Building in Wick might provide a suitable site for the provision of a small archive facility which would enhance existing facilities there. Mr B M S Dunlop also referred to the possible involvement of the Highland Building Preservation Trust in the restoration of suitable buildings as archive centres and gave an update of the position with regard to the old brewery building in Thurso.

The Committee NOTED the progress towards implementing the Highland Archive Strategy and:-

1. APPROVED the engagement of Consultants to work to the brief appended to the report; and
2. AGREED that the Director of Property and Architectural Services be asked to look at the site identified in Wick as a possible site for a small archive centre and to report the outcome to the Caithness Area Committee.

There was circulated Report No ECS70/02 dated 6 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport referring to the promise made by the Scottish Parliament that all children under 9 years would have the opportunity to sample golf by 2008. He advised that Sportscotland had appointed a national Junior Golf Manager to lead initiatives to deliver this goal. Six posts across Scotland were in the process of being negotiated with proposed host local authorities. Each post was for an initial three-year period and was fully funded by Sportscotland. Details were given of the particular focus of each post and the main areas of responsibility for the proposed Highland post were included in an Appendix to the report. Sportscotland proposed that initially the post be offered via a secondment.

There was circulated Report No ECS71/02 dated 17 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on a report "Hungry for Success", produced by a Scottish Executive Expert Panel on School Meals after consultation with local authorities throughout Scotland, which set out the vision for revitalising the School Meals Service in Scotland. The report gave a summary of the key recommendations. In order for a response to be made to the consultation document, the Catering and Cleaning Manager had met with a cross section of representatives and a draft response was available via the Members’ Bulletin. The deadline for responses to the Scottish Executive was 11th October, 2002. The Director gave details of the costs of the recommendations contained in the report by the Expert Panel and suggested that the recently announced comprehensive spending review by the Scottish Executive indicated that there would be increased budgetary allocations to help deliver the outcomes of the review.

The Chairman confirmed that in future all Bulletin reports containing recommendations would be placed also on the Internet and in libraries.

In discussion, some concern was expressed that the Council’s response should be bolder and set the ambition of having only healthy options in schools, while highlighting the likely costs of this to the Scottish Executive. The Catering and Cleaning Manager responded to points raised in relation to the choices available, partnership with the Health Service, the fast food culture, the aim to adopt healthy options not only in school meals but in school tuck shops, the successes so far, consultation and the procurement process. She confirmed that currently all suppliers were from within the Highlands. Reference was also made to the encouragement given by officials to an initiative on Skye to provide meals in the local school linked to an educational project to re-open the school garden.

The Committee AGREED to:

1. endorse the principle of the recommendations as outlined in the report by the Expert Panel;
2. agree the response to the consultation document by the Expert Panel on School Meals carried out by a cross-section of stakeholders within the Council area, bearing in mind the points raised by Members; and
3. arrangements be made for Members to visit health promoting schools on request.

There was circulated Report No ECS72/02 dated 13 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport on the proposed adoption by the Service of the Merkinch Community Centre, Inverness. The Director gave details of the current operation of the Centre and the reasons for the proposal, which it was suggested should be agreed, subject to the satisfactory transfer of the grant budget from the Social Work Service; formal TUPE discussions with Corporate Services; and consultation meetings with the Board and staff of the Centre. It was pointed out that the Board wished to continue in existence to assist with the strategic direction of the Centre and to fundraise for projects and refurbishments. Total expenditure on the Centre during the last full financial year had been £170,000, with the Social Work grant being £76,000 and other income accounting for £94,000.

There was circulated Report No ECS73/02 dated 16 September, 2002 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which set out the latest position in implementing the McCrone Agreement on Teachers’ Pay and Conditions and identified some issues which required further action. The report had appended to it the September Issue of the McCrone Newsletter issued by the Education, Culture and Sport Service; and copy of the revised Framework Local Recognition and Procedure Agreement in relation to the establishment of a local Negotiating Committee for Teachers. In addition to commenting on these issues the Director updated Members on the induction scheme for teachers and the position with regard to job sizing.

The Committee AGREED:

1. to approve the revised Framework Local Recognition and Procedure Agreement;
2. that the membership of the Highland Council Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers (HCLNCT) from the Employer’s Side should be Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Chairman of the Resources Committee, Depute Chairman (Personnel) of the Resources Committee and two Education Portfolio Holders;
3. that Mr A M Millar and Mrs B Jardine be appointed to the Highland Council Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers;
4. to note the content of the update report; and
5. that all future reports to the Committee on the McCrone Settlement contain a reference to the shortfall in funding and the implications of this.

The Committee NOTED and where necessary APPROVED the Minutes of the following meetings, copies of which had been circulated:-

1. Minutes of Meetings of the Gaelic Working Group held on 16 May, 27 June and 8 August, 2002 ; and
2. Minutes of a Meeting of the Education Transport Appeals Committee held on 10th September.

There was circulated to Members only Joint Report No ECS74/02 dated 10 September, 2002 by the Directors of Education, Culture and Sport and Social Work which updated Members about the review of support arrangements for early years services and made recommendations for revised arrangements. It was pointed out that the review required to be implemented with effect from 1st April, 2003 when current staffing and other arrangements were due to end. The report gave details of the context of the review, the recommendations which had been endorsed by the Joint Committee on Children and Young People, Chief Officers, the Early Education and Childcare Team, all Childcare Partnerships, Area Children’s Services Forums and Voluntary Organisations; and the financial implications. A proposed revised staffing structure was appended to the report.

After some discussion, during which reference was made to the need to continue campaigning for the necessary resources, to the importance of addressing the issue of governance and local management arrangements, in particular the need for Area Committees to have a more proactive role across all community planning, and to the need to ensure equity in the allocation of budgets to local areas, the Committee APPROVED the recommendations and the associated arrangements for the organisation of support for early year’s services and AGREED:

1. that representations continue to be made for the necessary resources to provide early year services, particularly in rural areas; and
2. regular reports be submitted to Area Committees by local partnerships and Service Managers.