Agenda and minutes

The Chair paid tribute to the Council’s Chief Education Officer, Anne Paterson, who would be retiring from the Council at the end of December 2020.  She outlined Anne’s achievements over the years and thanked her for her commitment to the children and young people of Argyll and Bute and wider afield.  On behalf of the Council, she wished Anne all the very best in her retirement.

Anne thanked the Chair for her kind words and lovely flowers.  She advised that Argyll and Bute was always at the heart of everything she did and that it had been a pleasure to have had an influence in the lives of the children and young people.  She expressed her enjoyment of working in a multi-agency forum and stressed the importance of this approach and to not work in isolation.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Julie McKenzie and Alastair Redman.

There were no declarations of interest.

Community Services Committee 27 August 2020

The Minutes of the Community Services Committee held on 27 August 2020 were approved as a correct record.

Report by Divisional Commander for Argyll and Bute, West Dunbartonshire Division, Police Scotland

Before presenting his report Chief Superintendent Paterson echoed the sentiments of the Chair to Anne Paterson.  He advised that over the last 18 months in post, he had found the work of Anne and the rest of Argyll and Bute Council’s Senior Management Team to be outstanding in respect of everything they did for children and young people.  

He then presented the FQ2 – 2020/21 update in relation to the Argyll and Bute Local Policing Plan 2020-2023 and drew out some key points in relation to road safety and road crime; anti-social behaviour and disorder; concerns around the use of mobile devices by young people in terms of indecent images in communications; Cyber Strategy; online and banking fraud; domestic abuse; and that a feasibility study was underway to identify the best way forward for building new Police offices in the Oban area.

Chief Superintendent then paid tribute to his Operational Partner Superintendent Brian Gibson who would be retiring from the Police Force at the end of January 2021.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the content of the report.

(Reference: Report for FQ2 2020/21 by Divisional Commander for Argyll and Bute West Dunbartonshire Division, Police Scotland, submitted)

Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

The Area Commander, Joe McKay for Scottish Fire and Rescue presented a report highlighting Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s review of local performance within Argyll and Bute for FQ2 2020-2021.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the content of the report.

(Reference: Q2 2020/23 Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, submitted)

Report by Head of Strategic Planning, Argyll & Bute HSCP

Consideration was given to the Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) Performance Report for 2019/20.

Decision

The Committee considered and noted the Argyll & Bute HSCP Annual Report for 2019/20.

(Reference: Argyll & Bute HSCP Annual Performance Report 2019/20, submitted)

Report by Chief Officer, Argyll & Bute HSCP

Part 3 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 introduced the requirement for Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland to prepare a Children and Young People’s Services Plan to cover the period 2020 – 2023.  This Plan replaces the 2017-20 Plan and was before the Committee for consideration. 

Decision

The Committee agreed to:

1.    note that both NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council were jointly and equally responsible for children’s services planning;

2.    note the Argyll and Bute Children and Young People’s Services Plan 2020-23 was considered and approved at the Full Council meeting on 26 November 2020, subject to further scrutiny by the Community Services Committee;

3.    undertake further scrutiny of the Argyll and Bute Children and Young People’s Services Plan 2020-23;

4.    note that the Full Council agreed to delegate any amendments that were required to the Executive Director with responsibility for Education in consultation with the Leader, Leader of the largest Opposition Group and the Chair of the Community Services Committee;

5.    note that the Council and the Integration Joint Board approved that the Children and Young People’s Services Plan be submitted to the Scottish Government; and

6.    note that Argyll and Bute’s Children’s Strategic Group would oversee the delivery of the outcomes and actions identified in the Plan with annual performance and progress reports to be presented to future meetings of the Community Services Committee and the Integration Joint Board.

(Reference: Report by Chief Officer, Argyll & Bute HSCP dated 7 October 2020, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and Legal and Regulatory Support

A report providing the Committee with an update on the performance and monitoring arrangements between Live Argyll and the Council as set out in the various agreements between the Council and the Trust was considered.

Decision

The Committee considered and noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and Legal and Regulatory Support dated November 2020, submitted)

Report by General Manager, Live Argyll

Consideration was given to Live Argyll’s Annual Report for 2019/2020.

Decision

The Committee considered and noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Live Argyll Annual Report 2019/2020, submitted)

During consideration of the foregoing item, Councillor Jim Anderson advised that he had omitted to declare a non-financial interest in the Live Argyll reports as he represented the Council on the Live Argyll Board. 

The Committee Manager advised Councillor Anderson that he would not have been required to leave the meeting during consideration of these reports as this was a Council appointment.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A paper presenting the Committee with the FQ2 2020/21 performance report for the Education Service was considered.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and scrutinised the FQ2 2020/21 performance report as presented.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 9 November 2020, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report presenting the Draft Education Service Plan 2021-22 prior to budget allocation was considered.

Decision

The Committee approved the Draft Education Service Plan 2021-22 (no finance) as presented prior to referral to the Policy and Resources Committee on 18 February 2021 and full Council on 25 February 2021 for the budget allocation.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 10 November 2020, submitted)

William Hamilton, Teacher Representative, joined the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing an overview of key performance data and outcomes for all pupils across each of the ten secondary schools for session 2019-2020 using the local authority data available was considered.

Due to a delay in the release of Insight data this report does not include statistical analysis usually available at this time of year which would normally provide an overview of authority data and allow further comparison with virtual comparator and national data.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

1.    to note the contents of the report and appendices attached;

2.    to note that pupil performance and outcomes were based on teacher estimates and not through examination performance as in previous years; and

3.    that local authority and school performance would be considered further when the data from Insight was made available and that this tool continues to be used by all secondary schools and teaching staff in Argyll and Bute to support improvement in educational outcomes for our young people.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 5 November 2020, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

The Annual Participation Measure (APM) is published in September each year and used to inform policy, planning and service delivery, and also to assess progress in the delivery of Opportunities for All, the Scottish Government’s commitment to offer a place in learning or training to every 16 to 19 year old in Scotland not already in employment, education or training.

A report providing the Committee with information on the most recent Annual Participation Measure was considered.

Decision

The Committee considered and noted the publication of the 2020 Annual Participation Measure.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 8 December 2020, submitted)

Reports by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

In response to the current Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic a report setting out proposals to further extend the statutory consultation exercise with regard to the proposal to close Skipness Primary School was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

1.    to a further extension of the current consultation period, due to end on 18 December 2002, to 31 May 2021; and

2.    that a new date for the public meeting is established once the UK/Scottish Government restrictions on public assemblies allow it to proceed.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 2 November 2020, submitted)

In response to the current Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic a report setting out proposals to further extend the mothballing of Minard Primary school and to reschedule the community pre consultation meeting was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed that:

1.    the mothballing of Minard Primary School be continued on a temporary basis until May 2021, and that the School premises be retained during this time on a care and maintenance basis; and

2.    in the intervening period, Education Services would undertake a pre consultation meeting as part of the preliminary work and options appraisal process when it is permissible under the Regulations relating to public gatherings.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 4 November 2020, submitted)

A report updating the Committee on the current situation of Luing Primary School was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed that:

1.    Luing Primary School be mothballed on a temporary basis until June 2022, and that the School premises be retained during this time on a care and maintenance basis;

2.    in the intervening period, Education Service would gather the necessary information, identify all reasonable options and assess those options in order to consider the future of Luing Primary School in accordance with the preliminary requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, and present these findings to the Committee in the form of an Options Appraisal at the June 2022 meeting; and

3.    the community would have pre-arranged access to the building to promote community functions.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 2 November 2020, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations were introduced in 2013.  They place a duty on local authorities in partnership with Community Planning Partnerships, other Community Learning and Development (CLD) providers and communities to secure the delivery of CLD through the production and implementation of a three year CLD plan.

A report updating the Committee on proposals to produce a new Argyll and Bute Community Learning and Development Plan for 2021-2024 was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:

1.    note the legal requirement to produce an Argyll and Bute CLD Plan for 2021-2024; and

2.    endorse the actions and timeline suggested for the production of the Argyll and Bute CLD Plan for 2021-2024.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 8 December 2020, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

The Scottish Government has reviewed the regulations that govern food and drinks currently provided in schools.  Following consultation, the outcome of this and the proposed changes to the current food and drink standards were published by the Scottish Government in June 2019, with an implementation date of 8 April 2021.

A report was presented to the Community Services Committee in December 2019 which outlined the wide ranging impact of these changes and mitigation measures being explored by both the Catering Service and Education Service.  Officers were asked to bring forward another report to update on progress with mitigation measures, outline options around secondary pupils leaving school grounds, and outline options for the provision of soft drinks to pupils in secondary schools.

This report was before the Committee for consideration.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

1.    to note the proposed changes to the food and drink in schools developed by the Scottish Government;

2.    to note the potential impacts that these proposals were likely to have;

3.    to pursue the mitigating actions further with colleagues both locally and nationally;

4.    to selling flavoured water in Secondary Schools from April 2021 but not selling well known branded soft drinks, with the detail outlined at section 3.2.8 of the Executive Director’s report; and

5.    that the model in Dunoon Grammar which focusses on working with parents to encourage pupils to remain on site at lunch time be promoted across Secondary schools as good practice.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and Legal and Regulatory Support dated 5 October 2020, submitted)

The Community Services Committee work plan for 2020 – 2021 was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the work plan.

(Reference: Community Services Committee Work Plan 2020 – 2021, submitted)