Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Audrey Forrest, Julie McKenzie and Barbara Morgan and from Alison Palmer and William Hamilton, Teacher Representatives.

There were no declarations of interest.

Community Services Committee 15 March 2018

The Minute of the Community Services Committee meeting held on 15 March 2018 was approved as a correct record.

Presentation by Head Teachers

A presentation was given to the Committee by Kathryn Wilkie, Rona Young and Caroline Armour on the Better Movers and Thinkers Project set up as a result of a successful bid to the Innovation Fund and which was rolled out across 19 mainstream schools selected by SIMD data in decile 1 and 2 relating to income, employment, health, crime and geographical access.  This project is an approach to learning and teaching in physical education designed to develop the ability of all children and young people to move and think in a more cohesive way with a specific focus on developing, enhancing and fostering function skills within the learning process.  Bowmore, Port Ellen and Dalintober Primary Schools and Parklands School further developed this Project using Pupil Equity Funding and examples of practical lessons undertaken by Dalintober Primary School and Parklands School were included in the presentation.

The Officers then responded to a number of questions asked.

Decision

The Committee thanked the Officers for their impressive presentation.

Councillor Graham Archibald Hardie joined the meeting at 10.10 am during consideration of the foregoing item of business.

Report by Head of Education: Lifelong Learning & Support

Audit Scotland published a report on Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) on 15 February 2018.  The report outlined Audit Scotland’s findings on current and future implementation of funded ELC.  The report provided recommendations for the Scottish Government and for Councils to improve existing systems and processes, as well as improve plans for the expansion of ELC in order to reduce risk and ensure implementation by 2020 and was before the Committee for consideration.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:-

1.    note the Audit Scotland report on Early Learning and Childcare;

2.    note the steps taken by the Council to action relevant Audit Scotland recommendations;

3.    note the Audit Scotland warning of significant risks around workforce, infrastructure and finance for councils within the expansion of ELC by 2020;

4.    endorse the positive steps the Service has taken in implementing the early stages of the Argyll and Bute ELC Delivery Plan; and

5.    request that the Head of Education: Lifelong Learning and Support bring forward progress updates in relation to the Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare to future meetings of the Community Services Committee.

(Reference: Report by Head of Education: Lifelong Learning and Support dated 14 June 2018, submitted)

Report by Head of Education: Learning & Teaching

A report providing an update on key performance data and outcomes for all pupils across each of the ten secondary schools for session 2016/17 incorporating both SQA and Insight data from an authority perspective, following the release of the February 2018 Insight Statistical data was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:-

1.    note the further detailed statistical analysis included from Insight in February 2018 that overviews authority data and allows further comparison with national data;

2.    note the release of the Broad General Education (BGE) benchmarking to schools in August 2018 to support the analysis of a Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) data in literacy and numeracy for improvement;

3.    continue to support the work of the Education Service in supporting schools to secure continuous improvement in outcomes for Argyll and Bute Learners; and

4.    continue to be involved with current training events on understanding the use of Insight, recognising the increasing use of Insight data in School presentations to elected members.

(Reference: Report by Head of Education: Learning & Teaching dated 14 June 2018, submitted)

Report by Head of Education: Lifelong Learning & Support

A report providing a copy of the Education Service revised Parental Engagement Strategy 2018 was considered.  The revised Strategy has been developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including parents, Parent Council members, teachers, Head Teachers and other partners such as representatives from the Educational Psychology team and Youth Services.

Decision

The Committee agreed:-

1.    to note the continued commitment of the Education Service to enhance and further develop opportunities for parental engagement in all of the authority’s schools, in the context of the Scottish Government’s developing policy position in regard to the development of a National Action Plan; and

2.    the revised Parental Engagement Strategy 2018 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report on the basis that any amendments which may be required thereto in consequence of the Scottish Government’s National Plan when published are delegated to the Head of Education: Lifelong Learning & Support in consultation with the Head of Education: Learning & Teaching, the Executive Director of Customer Services and the Policy Lead for Education.

(Reference: Report by Head of Education: Lifelong Learning & Support dated 14 June 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

A report presenting the Community Service Performance Scorecard for FQ4 2017/18 was before Members for consideration.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the departmental performance for the quarter.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 25 April 2018, submitted)

Councillor Mary-Jean Devon joined the meeting at 11.20 am during consideration of the foregoing item of business.

Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services

A report presenting the Housing Services performance report with associated scorecard for FQ4 2017/18 was before Members for consideration.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the scorecard as presented.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Development and Infrastructure Services, submitted)

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

Consideration was given to a report presenting Argyll and Bute Health & Social Care Partnership’s (HSCP) performance against National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes for FQ3 2017/18.

Decision

The Committee:-

1.    considered the HSCP performance report in line with the current national reporting requirement; and

2.    noted the content of the Integrated Joint Board scorecard within the Pyramid System.

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

Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

A report highlighting the Scottish Fire and Rescue’s (SFRS) fourth quarter review of local performance within Argyll and Bute for 2017-18 was before the Committee for consideration.

The Local Senior Officer, Jim McNeil, introduced Albert Bruce, Group Manager, and presented the detail of the report and responded to a number of questions from the Committee.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report and responses to questions asked.

(Reference; Q4 2017/18 Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, submitted)

William Shaw left the meeting at 12 noon during consideration of the foregoing item of business.

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

A report by Police Scotland providing the final quarter update in relation to the Argyll and Bute Local Policing Plan for 2017/18 was before the Committee for consideration.

Chief Superintendent Hendren gave an overview of activities for the last quarter and priorities going forward and Superintendent Gibson presented the quarterly report which highlighted current crime trends and issues identified during this period.  They also responded to a number of questions from the Committee.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report and responses to questions asked.

(Reference: Report by Local Police Commander for Argyll and West Dunbartonshire Division, Police Scotland dated 17 May 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

The Scottish Police Authority are currently consulting on their Annual Review of Policing for 2017-2018 and have asked Councils to provide input to the consultation from their local scrutiny Committees.  A report which provided a draft response to the consultation was before Members for consideration and approval.

Decision

The Committee considered and agreed the draft response to the consultation attached as Appendix 2 to the report for submission to the Scottish Police Authority by the deadline of 29 June 2018 subject to the following amendment:-

Question 5 – first sentence in response to read “The attendance of local officers at Community Council meetings has been highlighted as an issue for some Community Councils.”

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 5 June 2018, letter from Scottish Police Authority dated 26 April 2018 and draft response to Consultation – Annual Review of Policing 2017/18, submitted)

Report by Head of Education: Lifelong Learning & Support

Skills Development Scotland produce an annual report for each Community Planning Partnership (CPP) covering The Initial School Leavers Destination Report. A report providing statistical information on the Initial Destinations of Argyll and Bute senior phase school leavers for 2016/17 was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committed noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Report by Head of Education: Lifelong Learning & Support dated 14 June 2018, submitted)

Report by Executive Director – Customer Services

At the Community Services Committee meeting on 14 December 2017 it was agreed that the cost of the demolition of the former Witchburn Road Offices would be met from the Strategic Housing Fund on the basis that clearance of the site would enable future housing development.  A report advising on progress with the demolition of the buildings was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the report and that a further update would be brought back to the Committee in December 2018.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director – Customer Services dated 30 April 2018, submitted)

The Community Services Committee work plan for 2018-19 was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Community Services Committee Work Plan 2018-19, submitted)