Agenda and minutes

The Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed, to vary the order of business and consider the reports from Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service after the Minute to allow Officers to leave the meeting early to attend to other business.

Prior to the start of business the Chair presented a Quaich to Anne Milne to mark her retirement and as a token of appreciation for over 40 years’ service to Education.  The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, thanked Anne for her time and service put into her teaching career and wished her well for a long, happy and healthy retirement.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jim Lynch, Donald MacMillan BEM, Iain Paterson and Alan Reid and from Margaret Anderson and William Stewart Shaw, Church Representatives.

There were no declarations of interest.

Community Services Committee 5 September 2019

The Minute of the Community Services Committee meeting held on 5 September 2019 was approved as a correct record.

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

The Committee considered a report by Police Scotland which provided the FQ2 – 2019/20 update in relation to the Argyll and Bute Local Police Plan for 2017-2020.

The Divisional Commander also referred to a number of recent and recurring issues and responded to a number of questions.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report.

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

Councillor Mary-Jean Devon joined the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

The Area Commander presented a report highlighting the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s FQ2 review of local performance within Argyll and Bute for 2019-20 and responded to a number of questions.

Decision

The Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Q2 2019/20 Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

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

Decision

The Committee agreed:

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

2.    that the spending plan for the grant allocated by Scottish Government to Argyll and Bute Council for session 2019/20 from the Scottish Attainment Challenge Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund be produced and managed by the Education Lead (Principal Teacher) for Looked After Children, in consultation with key partners and specifically the Social Work Lead for Looked After Children, the Chief Education Officer and the Chief Social Worker; and

3.    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)

The Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed, to vary the order of business and take Agenda Item 10 (Education Performance Data Analysis 2019) after the following item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing an update for the Committee on the progress being made by the Education Service in preparing for the expansion of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) and the implementation of 1140 hours of funding ELC in Argyll and Bute by August 2020 was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:

1.    note the progress of implementation to date;

2.    endorse the positive steps taken by the Early Years Team in partnership with colleagues from other services in implementing 1140 hours across Argyll and Bute; and

3.    request that the Executive Director with responsibility for Education brings forward progress updates in relation to the Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare to future meetings of the Community Services Committee.

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

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A presentation and report providing an overview of the key performance data and outcomes for all pupils across each of the ten secondary schools for session 2018-19 using the local authority data available from Insight was considered.

The Education Manager introduced two young people from Lochgilphead Joint Campus who gave an overview of their experiences of the wider curriculum at the Joint Campus.

The Chair thanked the students for coming along to the meeting and wished them well for the future.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

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

2.    that the Insight tool continues to be used by all secondary schools and teaching staff in Argyll and Bute to support improvements in educational outcomes for our young people.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 14 November 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

Consideration was given to a report advising on the implementation of a counselling service within schools to enhance the current approaches to supporting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people across Argyll and Bute.  The Scottish Government has committed funding for this financial year and the next three years to support the delivery of counselling through schools following a set of ten nationally agreed core principles.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

1.    to endorse the proposed development of counselling within schools in Argyll and Bute;

2.    to note that the deployment and resources in regard to the provision of Counselling in Schools would be agreed by the Executive Director with responsibility for Education and the Chief Officer of the HSCP; and

3.    that the Head of Education: Lifelong Learning and Support would provide updates on the counselling in schools Programme to future Community Services Committee meetings.

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

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing details of the Options Appraisal for Skipness Primary School, carried out in accordance with the preliminary requirements set out in Section 12A of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, as amended, was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

1.    to note the outcome of this consideration of the preliminary requirements; and

2.    that Officers now formulate a draft proposal for approval at the next meeting of the Community Services Committee which would subsequently trigger the formal consultation process under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 11 November 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report updating the Committee on the current situation of Minard Primary School and inviting Members to agree the recommendations outlined was considered.

Decision

The Committee agreed that:

1.    the mothballing of Minard Primary School be continued on a temporary basis until December 2020 at the latest, and that the School premises be retained during this time on a care and maintenance basis;

2.    in the intervening period, Education Services would gather the necessary information, identify all reasonable options and assess those options in order to consider the future of Minard Primary School in accordance with the preliminary requirements of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010; 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 18 November 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

Consideration was given to a report which shared progress achieved in the Northern Alliance Phase 2 Regional Improvement Plan and outlined the priorities which are to be taken forward in the Phase 3 Regional Improvement Plan.

Decision

The Committee agreed to:

1.    note the progress made in the Phase 2 Plan;

2.    note the contribution of Argyll and Bute Officers to the Phase 2 and Phase 3 Regional Implementation Plans; and

3.    endorse the Northern Alliance Phase 3 Regional Improvement Plan.

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

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report presenting the Draft Education Service Plan 2020-23 prior to budget allocation was considered.

Decision

The Committee reviewed the Draft Education Service Plan 2020-23 (no finance) as presented prior to referral to the Policy and Resources Committee and full Council for the budget allocation as part of the 2020/21 Budget pack.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 21 November 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

Twelve years on from the introduction of the Health Promotion and Nutrition (Scotland) Act 2007, the Scottish Government has conducted a review of the Food and Drinks Standards in Schools.  A report advising the Committee of the potential impact of some of the changes and the impact these may have on pupils, parents, the Catering Service, the Education Service, the Procurement Team and suppliers was considered.

Motion

That the Committee agree:

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

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

3.    to pursue the mitigating actions further with colleagues both locally and nationally with a further report to be considered by the Committee at a future date.

Moved by Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, seconded by Councillor Kieron Green

Amendment

To agree the recommendations detailed in the report.

Moved by Councillor Lorna Douglas, seconded by Councillor Anne Horn

The Motion was carried by 8 votes to 2 and the Committee resolved accordingly.

Decision

The Committee agreed:

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

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

3.    to pursue the mitigating actions further with colleagues both locally and national with a further report to be considered by the Committee at a future date.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 10 November 2019, submitted)

The Committee varied the order of business and considered the report from Argyll and Bute HSCP next.

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

A report highlighting the National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Performance Reporting Framework for Exception Reporting Arrangements was considered.

Decision

The Committee noted the Health and Social Care Partnership performance report for quarter 1 2019/20 in line with the current national reporting requirement.

(Reference: Report by Head of Strategic Planning and Performance, Argyll and Bute HSCP, submitted)

Councillor Mary-Jean Devon left the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A paper presenting the Committee with Education’s Performance Report and Scorecard for FQ2 2019-20 (July – September) was considered.

Decision

The Committee reviewed the performance report and scorecard as presented.

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

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing details of all external education establishment inspection reports received across Argyll and Bute Education Service during the period October – December 2019 was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated October 2019, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services

A report providing an update on the progress towards the disposal of property assets at Witchburn Road, Campbeltown was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 8 November 2019, submitted)

The Community Services Committee work plan for 2019/20 was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Committee noted the contents of the work plan.

(Reference: Community Services Committee Work Plan 2019/20, submitted)