Agenda and minutes

The Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed, to vary the order of business and consider Agenda Item 13 (ARGYLL & BUTE HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE PARTNERSHIP - PERFORMANCE  REPORT - FQ1 2023/24) after Agenda Item 3 (MINUTE) in order to facilitate the Officer attending another meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Andrew Kain, Iain Shonny Paterson and Dougie Philand, and from Reverend Sandy MacPherson (Church Representative) and Dan Semple (Teacher Representative).

There were no declarations of interest.

Community Services Committee held on 24 August 2023

The Minute of the Community Services Committee held on 24 August 2023 was approved as a correct record.

Councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess joined the meeting at this point.

Report by Head of Strategic Planning, Performance & Technology, Argyll & Bute HSCP

A report detailing performance for FQ1 (April – June) 2023/24 for Argyll & Bute Health & Social Care Partnership was considered.

Decision

The Committee considered and noted the IJB HSCP – FQ1 Performance Report 2023/24 (April – June).

(Reference: Report by Head of Strategic Planning, Performance and Technology, Argyll & Bute HSCP dated 14 December 2023, submitted)

Margaret Anderson (Church Representative) joined the meeting at this point.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing details of a draft proposal for Kilchrenan Primary School formulated in accordance with the requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, as amended (the 2010 Act), was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to adopt the draft proposal, as set out in Appendix A, as a “relevant proposal” that would now proceed to statutory consultation under the 2010 Act.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 4 December 2023, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing an overview of key performance data and outcomes for all pupils across Argyll and Bute’s ten secondary schools, including secondary attainment at Parklands School in Helensburgh, for session 2022-2023, using local authority data on attainment, as supplied by the Scottish Government’s Insight tool, was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:

1.    consider the information contained in the report;

2.    commend the hard work and commitment of pupils and staff in securing these levels of attainment and achievement, and recognise the crucial role in such success played by parents and carers in partnership with our schools;

3.    note the SQA directive that as a consequence of the different assessment arrangements in place each year over the period 2020-2023 as a result of Covid-19, meaningful comparison between 2023 results and results in other years in this period, specifically 2020 and 2021, was not possible; and

4.    note that a further report would come to a future meeting of the Committee once final Insight data for session 2022-2023 was made available in the February 2024 Insight update.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 14 December 2023, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing Members with information on the most recent Annual Participation Measure published in August 2023, covering the period April 2022 – March 2023, was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:

1.    note the publication of the 2022-2023 Annual Participation Measure; and

2.    recognise the strong and improving performance of Argyll and Bute as a Council area in facilitating the participation of 16 – 19 year olds.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 14 December 2023, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing the Committee with an update on actions being taken within the Education Service to support Care Experienced Children and Young People to achieve the best possible educational outcomes was considered.

The report also details the expenditure against the grant allocated by Scottish Government to Argyll and Bute for session 2022/23 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 2022/23 from the Scottish Attainment Challenge Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund had been produced and monitored by the Education Lead 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 Worker;

3.    the attainment funding for Care Experienced Children and Young People would support the continued input from the Care Experienced Education Team (Virtual Head Teacher and Health and Wellbeing Liaison Officers); and

4.    that the Chief Education Officer would continue to provide updates on the improved outcomes for Care Experienced Children and Young People to the Corporate Parenting Board/Community Services Committee.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 14 December 2023, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A paper providing an update on the delivery and impact of the Counselling in Schools service from January – September 2023 when the service has been provided by The Therapeutic Counselling Service (The Exchange) was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

1.    to note the change in provision of the Counselling in Schools Service to The Therapeutic Counselling Service (The Exchange), the positive impact it has had on children and young people’s wellbeing since its inception in January 2023, and support the ongoing commitment to deliver this service within all schools;

2.    the continued need for support across the Health and Social Care Partnership and the Education Service to further embed this service within current processes, ensure a clear continuum of support and improve access for children and young people;

3.    to note that a successful approach required joint working between Education establishments and the Counselling in Schools Service as partners in co-facilitation including the use of school spaces for young people to access their counselling sessions; and

4.    the need to consider how best to ensure impact from the Counselling in Schools funding which had now been base lined in to the Council’s financial settlement.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 14 December 2023, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and Education

At the Community Services Committee on 9 March 2023, it was agreed to request the Executive Director with responsibility for Education to prepare an initial report outlining the way forward and potential for a proposal in terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 which would allow for an initial business case to be formulated with a view to replacing the existing outdated Campbeltown primary schools of Dalintober and Castlehill, and that the completed report be presented to a meeting of the Community Services Committee.

An update report outlining the steps taken to fulfil this request was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

1.    to note the Campbeltown feasibility study that had been undertaken and acknowledge that this could be retained for review at a later date should funding become available; and

2.    that at this time, the Council’s Learning Estate Strategy has determined that Mull was the number one priority and therefore must take precedence for any funding.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and Education dated 14 December 2023, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

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

Decision

The Committee agreed to consider and note the contents of this report together with the Live Argyll Annual Report 2022/23 attached at Appendix 1.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 23 November 2023 and Live Argyll Annual Report 2022/23, submitted)

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

Chief Superintendent Lynn Ratcliff presented the Argyll & Bute Performance Summary Report of Police Scotland’s Policing Priorities for 2023-2026 for the reporting period July - September 2023 and responded to questions asked.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Report for Quarter 2 2023/24 by Divisional Commander for Argyll and Bute West Dunbartonshire Division, Police Scotland, submitted)

Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

With the aid of power point slides, Commander Gregg McKearney presented a report highlighting Scottish fire and Rescue Service’s review of local performance within Argyll and Bute for Q2 2023-2024 and responded to a number of questions asked.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Q2 2023-2024 Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing details of all external establishment inspection reports received across Argyll and Bute Education Service during the period May to October 2023 was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committee noted:-

1.    the contents of this report;

2.    this quarterly report would be presented on an ongoing basis to the Community Services Committee detailing all establishment inspections conducted and published by Education Scotland within that period; and

3.    that Ward Members would receive copies of school inspection reports for schools within their area as published by Education Scotland.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated October 2023, submitted)

The Community Services Committee work plan for 2023-2024 was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the work plan.

(Reference: Community Services Committee Work Plan 2023-2024, submitted)