Agenda and minutes

Venue: By Skype

Contact: Fiona McCallum Tel: 01546 604392 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from William Stewart Shaw, Church Representative, and Alison Palmer, Teacher Representative.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

MINUTE pdf icon PDF 221 KB

Community Services Committee 11 March 2021

Minutes:

The Minute of the Community Services Committee held on 11 March 2021 was approved as a correct record.

In order to give Officers time to resolve connectivity issues with Police Scotland, the Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed, to vary the order of business and consider the report by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service next.

4.

SCOTTISH FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE - ARGYLL & BUTE PERFORMANCE REPORT Q4 - 1 JANUARY 2021 - 31 MARCH 2021 pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Minutes:

Group Manager, Albert Bruce, presented a report highlighting Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s review of local performance within Argyll and Bute for Q4 2020-2021.  He thanked all the Partner agencies for their support and the excellent work they did in their response to Covid and the help they have provided in looking after the local communities.

 

He then, along with Group Commander, Gregg McKearney, responded to a number of questions.

 

Decision

 

The Committee reviewed and noted the content of the report.

 

(Reference: Q4 2020/21 Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, submitted)

Councillor Audrey Forrest joined the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

5.

ARGYLL AND BUTE LOCAL POLICING PLAN (2020 - 2023) - QUARTERLY REPORT (QTR 4 - 2020/21) pdf icon PDF 2 MB

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

Minutes:

Chief Superintendent Paterson presented the Quarter 4 – 2020/21 update in relation to the Argyll and Bute Local Policing Plan 2020—2023.  He also referred to correspondence he had issued to the Committee regarding an offer to all elected Members to attend one of three briefing days in Edinburgh looking at public order policing; and providing information on the COP 26 Climate Conference.  He advised of the Body Worn Video consultation launched on 1 June 2021, running to 31 August 2021, and asked if Members could encourage as many people as possible to participate in this consultation.  He then responded to a number of questions.

 

Decision

 

The Committee reviewed and noted the content of the report.

 

(Reference: Report for Q4 2020/21 by Divisional Commander for Argyll and West Dunbartonshire Division, Police Scotland, submitted)

Councillor Lorna Douglas joined the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

 

6.

ARGYLL & BUTE HSCP - PERFORMANCE REPORT MARCH 2021 pdf icon PDF 246 KB

Report by Head of Strategic Planning, Performance and Technology, Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report which provided an update on the impact of service performance with regards to the Covid-19 pandemic and the progress made with regard to remobilising health and social care services in Argyll and Bute.

 

Decision

 

The Committee considered and noted the IJB Health and Social Care Partnership report as at March 2021.

 

(Reference: Report by Head of Strategic Planning, Performance & Technology, submitted)

7.

2020/21 ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLES SERVICES PLAN 2020-23 pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Report by Deputy Chief Officer, Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the first annual review of the Children and Young People’s Service Plan 2020-2023 which was approved by the Community Services Committee in November 2020.  The review considered updates on 2020/21 progress, provided information on developments that have taken place since the plan was published and set out key plans in the year ahead.

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed:

 

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

 

2.    to approve Argyll and Bute’s Children and Young People’s Services Plan 2020-2023 Year 1 review for the period 2020/21; and

 

3.    that once approved by the Community Services Committee and approved by the Integration Joint Board, to approve the submission of the Children and Young People’s Services Plan Year 1 review to Scottish Government as per the legislative requirement.

 

(Reference: Report by Deputy Chief Officer, Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership dated 19 April 2021, submitted)

8.

CHILD POVERTY ACTION PLAN REVIEW 2020-21 pdf icon PDF 456 KB

Report by Chief Officer, Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report providing the Committee with information relating to child poverty work, the Argyll and Bute Child Poverty action Group and the Child Poverty action Plan Review 2020-2021.

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed to:

 

1.    approve the Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2020-2021; and

 

2.    note that the Child Poverty Action Plan Review would go to the Integrated Joint Board on 16 June 2021 and the Community Planning Partnership on 30 June 2021.

 

(Reference: Report by Chief Officer, Argyll & Bute HSCP and Child Poverty Action Plan Review 2020-21, submitted)

9.

CARE EXPERIENCED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE pdf icon PDF 472 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

Minutes:

A report updating the Committee with information about interventions being taken within Education Services to ensure that Care Experienced Children and Young People achieve the best possible educational outcomes was considered.

 

The report also detailed the expenditure against the grant allocated by Scottish Government to Argyll and Bute for session 2020/21 from the Scottish Attainment Challenge Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund.

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed:

 

1.    to continue to endorse the work undertaken by Argyll and Bute Education Services as part of the Corporate Parenting Board to improve the educational attainment and life chances of Care Experienced Children and Young People;

 

2.    to note that the spending plan for the grant allocated by Scottish Government to Argyll and Bute for session 2020/21 from the Scottish Attainment Challenge Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund has been produced and monitored by the Education Lead (Principal Teacher) for Care Experienced Children and Young People, in consultation with key partners and specifically the Social Work Lead for Care Experience, the Chief Education Officer and Chief Social Work Officer;

 

3.    the attainment funding for Care Experienced Children and Young People would support the continued input from the Principal Teacher for Care Experienced Children and Young People role and roles of the Care Experience Health and Wellbeing Liaison Officers; and

 

4.    that the Head of Education: Lifelong Learning and Support continues to provide updates on the improved outcomes for Care Experienced Children and Young People to the Corporate Parenting Board and the Community Services Committee.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education, submitted)

10.

EDUCATION SERVICE FQ4 2020/21 PERFORMANCE REPORT pdf icon PDF 110 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

Additional documents:

Minutes:

A paper presenting the Community Services Committee with the FQ4 2020/21 performance report for the Education Service was considered.

 

Decision

 

The Committee reviewed and scrutinised the FQ4 2020/21 performance report as presented.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 20 April 2021, submitted)

11.

TRAUMA TRAINING PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 210 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

Minutes:

In 2019, the Scottish Government sought expressions of interest from Local Authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships, to take part in trials to pilot approaches to implementing the delivery of high quality and sustainable trauma training in differing contexts.  Argyll and Bute was successful in having their bid accepted.

 

Consideration was given to a report advising of progress with the establishment of a strategy and delivery plan to develop a trauma informed workforce across managers, practitioners and carers, with an appropriate level of training for each group that would lead to changes in practice to improve outcomes for children and young people.

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed to:

 

1.    note the progress of the strategy against initial objections;

 

2.    support the ongoing commitment that across all services, we would build a trauma responsive workforce to make a difference to the lives of children and young people, parents and carers, and our staff; and

 

3.    support the recommendation that all elected Members should engage with training relating to Trauma-Informed Practice, in the form of a seminar to be led by the Principal Educational Psychologist, scheduled for September 2021.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 10 May 2021, submitted)

The Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed, to adjourn the meeting for 10 minutes.

 

The Committee reconvened at 1.10 pm.

12.

SCHOOLS (CONSULTATION) (SCOTLAND) ACT 2010

Reports by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

12a

Skipness Primary School pdf icon PDF 130 KB

Minutes:

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 and to reschedule the public meeting to such a time during the consultation process that this is permissible under the Regulations relating to public gatherings was considered.

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed:

 

1.    to note that the Executive Director had written to the relevant consultees advising that the Committee would be asked to further extend the consultation period until 23 December 2021;

 

2.    to a further extension of the current consultation period, due to end of 31 May 2021, to 23 December 2021; and

 

3.    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 6 May 2021, submitted)

12b

Minard Primary School pdf icon PDF 122 KB

Minutes:

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

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed that:

 

1.    Minard Primary School is continued to be mothballed on a temporary basis for the next year and that the School premises be retained during this time on a care and maintenance basis; and

 

2.    during the intervening period, Education Officers would start the pre-consultation process when it is permissible under the Regulations relating to public gatherings, and produce an Options Appraisal paper for the Committee’s June 2022 meeting for a decision in relation to the future of Minard Primary School.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 17 May 2021, submitted)

12c

Southend Primary School pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Minutes:

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

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed that:

 

1.    Southend Primary School be mothballed on a temporary basis and that the building be retained on a care and maintenance basis; and

 

2.    Officers would prepare a review of the school’s mothballing for the Committee’s June 2022 meeting at which Member could decide on a continued period of mothballing or request Officers begin a preliminary exercise with a view to starting the pre-consultation process to consider the future options for Southend Primary School.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 1 April 2021, submitted)

12d

Achaleven Primary School pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Minutes:

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

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed that:

 

1.    Achaleven Primary School be mothballed on a temporary basis and that the building be retained on a care and maintenance basis;

 

2.    Officers would prepare a review of the school’s mothballing for the Committee’s June 2022 meeting at which Member could decide on a continued period of mothballing or request Officers begin a preliminary exercise with a view to starting the pre-consultation process to consider the future options for Achaleven Primary School; 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, submitted)

At this point Councillors Audrey Forrest and Graham Archibald Hardie declared a non-financial interest in the following report as they were Live Argyll Board Members.  They claimed the benefit of the dispensation contained at Section 5.18(2) of the Standards Commission’s Guidance and Dispensations Note dated July 2018 to allow them to speak and vote on this item of business.

 

Councillor Jim Anderson also declared a non-financial interest in the following report as he was a Live Argyll Board Member and his wife was a teacher.  He claimed the benefit of the dispensation contained at Section 5.18(2) of the Standards Commission’s Guidance and Dispensations Note dated July 2018 to allow him to speak and vote on this item of business.

13.

EDUCATION CHANGE PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

Minutes:

The Scottish Education policy direction as set out in Scottish Government National Improvement Framework provides challenge and legislation to Scottish Education to raise attainment with a focus on improving learning outcomes.  To deliver a sustainable Education service in this rural area a change programme has been introduced and is being led by an Education Transformation Board constituted of a range of key stakeholders.

 

A report pack setting out the key findings of ten workstreams which were undertaken as part of a change programme to scrutinise and evaluate key elements of the Education service in this area was considered along with an update from the Executive Director who advised of representations received from members of the public regarding the proposals contained with the report pack.

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed to:

 

1.    request that the Executive Director – Education progress with a programme of engagement with our communities, our staff and their representative bodies and the wider group of stakeholders in relation to the school leadership model.

.

2.    request that the Executive Director – Education report back to a future meeting of the Committee on the outcomes from the engagement action, before progressing these elements of the Education Change Programme.

 

3.    note that the remaining elements of the programme which require decisions from Members would be brought forward as part of the further report agreed in terms of recommendations 1 and 2 above.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 10 May 2021, submitted)

 

14.

SQA - ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION MODEL (ACM) pdf icon PDF 461 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

Minutes:

A report providing an update on the SQA – Alternative Certification Model (ACM) arrangements for all certificated qualifications undertaken by young people in session 2020-2021 as a result of the cancellation of the 2021 examination diet due to Covid-19 was before the Committee for information.

 

Decision

 

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education, submitted)

15.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

15a

Additional Funding - Health and Wellbeing pdf icon PDF 224 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

Minutes:

A report providing an overview of the planned spend of the additional £600,000 funding agreed by Council to boost the wellbeing and build back the resilience of young people, in particular those most vulnerable, following the Covid-19 pandemic, including counselling and increased provision of childcare for children under three was before the Committee for information.

 

Decision

 

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education, submitted)

15b

Additional Welfare Rights Support pdf icon PDF 223 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support

Minutes:

As part of the focus on Improving Opportunities for People and Communities, Argyll and Bute Council agreed to provide additional resources to proactively support people experiencing poverty and hardship by investing in two additional Welfare Rights support staff for two years.

 

A report advising the Committee on the options considered and the option approved by the departmental management team in order to best achieve this aim in the timescale prescribed was before the Committee for information.

 

Decision

 

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support, submitted)

16.

COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE WORK PLAN 2021/2022 pdf icon PDF 310 KB

Minutes:

The Community Services Committee work plan 2021-2022 was before the Committee for information.

 

Decision

 

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

 

(Reference: Community Services Committee Work Plan 2021-2022, submitted)