Agenda and minutes

Councillor Aileen Morton, Policy Lead for Education, Lifelong Learning and Strategic IT Services, took the Chair at this point.

Apologies for absence were intimated from Councillors Robert E Macintyre and Elaine Robertson and from Alison Palmer, Teacher Representative.

Councillor John Semple declared a non financial interest in respect of the Children and Families Service Review report dealt with at item 12 of the Minute as a family member was an employee within this service.  He claimed the benefit of the dispensation contained at section 5.16 of the Standard Commission’s Guidance and Dispensation Note dated December 2010 to enable him to speak and vote on this item.

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

Draft terms of reference for the Community Services Committee which had been presented to the Council for incorporation into a revised Constitution and Standing Orders were before the Committee for noting.  A report setting out proposals on the content of a development day for the Committee and seeking Members views in this regard was also before the Committee for consideration.

Decision

1.        Noted the draft terms of reference which were presented to the Council for incorporation into a revised Constitution and Standing Orders and agreed the following amendment:-

The headings at paragraph 3.4.3 of the report should be amended to align to the remits of the Community Services Heads of Service;

2.        Agreed the proposed agenda for the Development Day;

3.        Agreed that suggested dates for the Development Day would be sent to all Members of the Committee requesting their availability, and that a final decision would be made by the Executive Director – Customer Services in consultation with the relevant Policy Leads; and

4.        Requested that the above Development Day be organised to take place before the next meeting of the Community Services Committee.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Customer Services, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

A report updating the Committee on the progress being made within Education in Argyll and Bute in relation to the actions outlined in the Education Standards and Quality Report  2012/13 was considered.

Decision

1.        Noted the progress made in relation to Education within Argyll and Bute.; and

2.        Agreed that as part of the Community Services Committee Development Day consideration should be given to the schedule of presenting annual, quarterly or other recurring reports to the Committee.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 8 May 2014 and Standards and Quality in Argyll and Bute Schools 2012/13, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

The Scottish Government and its partners are developing a new online tool to help analyse, compare and improve the learning and teaching of pupils in the senior phase (S4-6).  A report providing an overview of the Senior Phase Benchmarking Toolkit (to be renamed “Insight”) and its introduction was considered.

Decision

1.        Noted ongoing developments with performance evaluation of senior phase qualifications;

2.        Agreed to receive further reports on the development of the Senior Phase Benchmarking Toolkit (Insight) as appropriate; and

3.        Noted the proposed presentation on Insight at the Members seminar on 2 June 2014.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated March 2014, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

A report providing information on a new scheme of re-accreditation for teachers registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland which comes into effect from August 2014 was considered.  The report also provided information on changes required to be made to the Council’s current Professional Review and Development Policy and Procedures for teachers resulting from the new Scheme.

Decision

1.        Noted the national developments affecting the statutory registration of teachers in Scotland resulting from the Public Service Reform (General Teaching Council for Scotland) Order 2011;

2.        Noted the implications for Argyll and Bute Council; and

3.        Noted that the Professional Review and Development Policy and Procedures for Teachers will be rewritten as a result of this national development.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 14 April 2014, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

A report advising of additional learning support provided to Looked After Children in Argyll and Bute was considered.

Decision

1.        Noted the contents of the report; and

2.        Noted that the report was considered by the Corporate Parenting Board at its meeting on 3 April 2014.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 25 March 2014, submitted)

William Crossan and William Marshall left the meeting.

Councillor Douglas Philand, Policy Lead for Adult Care, took the Chair at this point.

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

Consideration was given to a report advising of the steps being taken by the Health and Social Care Strategic Partnership to formalise self-evaluation activity across Adult Services for the next three year cycle.

Decision

The Committee noted:-

(a)        the move to set up a multi-agency self-evaluation group across Adult Services to deliver a robust framework of self-evaluation activity for the next three year improvement cycle;

(b)        that the members identified to represent their agencies are detailed in the draft terms of reference document;

(c)        the need to gather robust information which evidences improvement across a range of services for Adults across Argyll and Bute; 

(d)        that the self-evaluation group will report regular updates to the Health and Social Care Strategic Partnership meeting (or equivalent) as we move towards Integration;

(e)        that the group will scope current improvement activity and strategic planning with staff in localities to develop an improvement plan by the summer of 2014 and that this plan will form the basis of self-evaluation activity until the end of 2016; and

(f)          that the totality of this activity will assist in the preparation of the joint inspection of Adult Services by the Care Inspectorate which could be as early as 2015.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

In March 2014 the Health and Social Care Strategic Partnership considered and approved a report on the Joint Strategic Plan for Older People.  A report providing an update on progress made to date with a particular emphasis on the proposals for engagement and consultation with stakeholders including staff within the wider context of the development agenda around Integration was considered.

Decision

1.        Noted the update on progress on producing a joint strategic commissioning plan for older persons services;

2.        Noted the work being undertaken by Officers to ensure engagement and communication activity relating to the joint strategic commissioning plan for Older People is incorporated into the wider integration agenda, thereby ensuring we co-ordinate our engagement with stakeholders and our communities to meet the statutory requirements of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Bill; and

3.        Endorsed the approach to the development of the joint strategic commissioning plan for Older People and agreed that more appropriate and easy read versions of this be produced to aid communication, consultation and engagement.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 13 March 2014, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

The Joint Performance Report is prepared on a monthly basis and captures a selection of data in respect of adult care across the partnership.  A copy of the report for February 2014 was before the Committee for consideration.

Decision

1.        Noted the content of the report; and

2.        Agreed that an invitation be extended to NHS colleagues to attend future meetings of the Community Services Committee when joint Council/Health reports are being presented.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 31 March 2014 and Joint Performance Report dated February 2014, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

The Health and Social Care Strategic Partnership are leading work in Argyll and Bute to develop services for clients with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  A multi-agency/disciplinary group was established to progress this work in 2012 and currently the group is focussed on producing a local Autism Strategy and an action plan based on a service mapping exercise undertaken in 2013.  A report advising on the work of this Autism Strategy Group was considered.

Decision

The Committee noted:-

(a)        the work of the Autism Strategy Group and thanked Councillor Horn, Autism Argyll and Officers for their tremendous assistance to this Group;

(b)        that the Autism Strategy Group commissioned Scottish Autism to prepare a draft Argyll & Bute Autism Strategy by the end of March 2014, attached as an appendix to the Executive Director’s report;

(c)        that the draft Strategy was issued for public consultation with the intention of producing a 2^nd draft in the Council’s policy format by the end of April 2014; and

(d)        that the Partnership had to submit an action plan to the Scottish Government by the end of April 2014.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 24 April 2014 and draft Argyll & Bute Strategy for Autism dated April 2014, submitted)

Councillor Mary-Jean Devon, Policy Lead for Children and Families, took the Chair at this point.

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

The Children and Families Service have been actively involved in a service review and, following the presentation of the Service Review options to a seminar of Elected Members, have now completed a period of consultation with Managers and staff across the service.  Consideration was given to a report recommending a new model of service delivery following the conclusion of the detailed consultation phase.

Decision

1.        Noted that reference to “model 1” at paragraphs 2.3 and 4.5 of the Executive Director’s report should read “model 3”;

2.        Agreed to implement the new model, model 3, of service delivery and that budgets will be re-configured to achieve the new model within current budget;

3.        Noted that a 1% saving will be achieved; and

4.        Noted that as the number of potential redundancies arising from the review was not clear at this stage and that the associated costs could not therefore be ascertained with certainty, there was a risk that the pay back will take longer than 3 years, and a that further report would be brought to Council in this eventuality.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

The Children and Young People’s (Scotland) Act 2014, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 February 2014 and received Royal Asset on 27 March 2014, places children and young people at the heart of services and aims to ensure that their rights are respected across the public sector.  Establishing the additional services to meet the requirements of this Act will have cost and policy implications for the Council.  A report outlining initial scope for issues and recommending how the Council should progress was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:-

(a)        the development of a programme of staff training on GIRFEC, Corporate  Parenting, Kinship and Children Rights across the Community Planning Partnership;

(b)        explore the impact of the Children’s Commissioner’s duty to investigate complaints including Social Work, Education and Corporate Complaints procedures;

(c)        review the options for meeting the duties in respect of Throughcare & Aftercare Services including the requirement for increased residential and foster care provision;

(d)        note the implementation arrangements for the introduction of 600hours of early learning and childcare agreed by the Council in March 2014;

(e)        review Kinship Care to ensure carers and children are offered a good experience.  This will include: exploring our approach; support arrangements and allowances in line with the Act;

(f)          note the current potential rise in case management numbers and implications for the Social Work Team’s workloads to ensure increased support to ex care leavers and kinship carers.  Future reports will be reviewed and presented to Community Services Directorate;

(g)        note the requirement to provide free school meals for Primary 1 – 3 from January 2015.  A cross service working group has been set up to consider the implications of providing this service and a report will be prepared for Council in June;

(h)        note that CoSLA continue to negotiate for the full funding of all financial consequences arising from the Act; and

(i)           refer consideration of the financial consequences to the Policy and 

Resources Committee.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 10 April 2014, submitted)

Councillor Robin Currie, Policy Lead for Community & Culture, and Strategic Housing, took the Chair at this point.

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

A report outlining the remit and scope of the commissioned Culture, Heritage and Arts Strategy was considered along with a presentation from Ivan Broussine of BTS, author of the report which set out a Strategic Action Plan for Culture, Heritage and Arts in Argyll and Bute

Decision

1.        Noted the contents of the report and approved and adopted the Strategy;

2.        Referred the appointment of an elected representative onto the Cultural Assembly to the full Council; and

3.        Requested that a progress report be brought to the next meeting of the Community Services Committee.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services and Strategic Plan for Culture, Heritage and Arts in Argyll and Bute dated March 2014, submitted)

The Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed to adjourn the meeting at 1.10 pm for lunch.

The Committee reconvened at 1.30 pm.

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

A report outlining the responsibilities of the Council in relation to the Commonwealth Games, in particular the expectation to develop a Games Legacy Plan and to co-ordinate the Queen’s Baton Relay was considered.

Decision

1.        Approved the Argyll and Bute Council Legacy Plan as detailed at Appendix 1 of the Executive Director’s report; and

2.        Agreed to the Argyll and Bute Steering Group monitoring the progress of the Legacy Plan.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 18 March 2014, submitted)

Councillors Horn and Strong returned to the meeting.

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

A report providing an update on the operation of the Council’s Leisure and Sport service following the Leisure and Sport Service Review was considered.

Decision

Noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services  and Leisure and Sport Service Review 2013, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

The Council has recently received proposals from Argyll and Bute Community Housing Association (ACHA) requesting Council assistance to help them to fulfil their obligation to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) by 2015 and to sustain the SHQS through their improvement programme to 2020.  ACHA’s ability to reach agreement with some owners who have common repair responsibilities is hindering the programme.  A report providing Members with the contextual background information and setting out the Council’s proposed response to the ACHA proposals was considered.

Decision

Agreed that in order to assist ACHA to progress their house improvement programme and to overcome wider common repair issues that:-

(a)        a report on enforcement action policy and financial implications is prepared for Members consideration at a future meeting;

(b)        thereafter the Council seek agreement with ACHA on protocols for using their respective enforcement powers; and

(c)        the Council and ACHA jointly instigate negotiations with the Scottish Government to establish if there is any possible relaxation of the criteria relating to Right to Buy receipts for Support to Owners which was set out in the stock transfer agreement.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 14 February 2014, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Council’s second Gaelic Language Plan 2013 – 2018 which was approved by Bòrd na Gàidhlig on 2 April 2014 was considered.

Decision

Noted the approval of the Gaelic Plan and agreed to forward it to the Policy and Resources Committee for adoption.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Customer Services and Argyll and Bute Council Gaelic Language Plan 2013 – 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

Consideration was given to a report advising of a Rural Housing Development Fund (RHDF) application submitted by Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT) for grant funding contribution to the cost of building two affordable houses at Ulva Ferry, Mull by Ulva School Community Association.

Decision

Approved £180,000 RHDF grant to MICT for two affordable houses at Ulva Ferry, Isle of Mull subject to the conditions detailed at paragraphs 3.9 and 3.10 of the Executive Director’s report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 25 March 2014, submitted)

Motion

That the Committee resolve in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Moved by Councillor Currie, seconded by Councillor Devon

Amendment

That the Committee resolve to consider the following item of business in public.

Moved by Councillor Freeman, seconded by Councillor Horn

The Motion was carried by 6 votes to 5 and the Committee resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Report by Executive Director – Community Services

Consideration was given to a Rural Housing Development Fund (RHDF) application submitted by Iona Housing Partnership.

Decision

Agreed to the recommendations detailed in the report subject to the conditions detailed at paragraphs 3.7 and 3.8 of the Executive Director’s report.

Councillors Freeman and Strong, having moved separate amendments which failed to find seconders, required their dissent from the foregoing decision to be noted.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Community Services dated 16 April 2014, submitted)