Agenda and minutes

The Convener welcomed everyone to the meeting and began by reiterating his previous welcome to Mr. Alistair Aitken as the new representative of the Roman Catholic Church.   He also advised the Committee that Mr. Bruce was unable to attend the meeting as his mother had passed away.

The Committee resolved:-

to give condolences to Mr. Bruce on the loss of his mother.

The Convener advised that he had requested that the Committee Business Statement and Motions List be moved to the end of the agenda to enable some items of business to be removed at that stage if a report had been considered on the matter earlier on the agenda.

He further advised that item 5.6 (Proposals for Operation of the Community Learning Hub at Kaimhill Primary School) had been withdrawn from the agenda and would come before Committee at its meeting on 20 January 2010.   Item 7.1 (Bookings and Lettings Review – Oral update) had also been withdrawn.  

The Committee resolved:-

in relation to item 5.6, (a) to note that the item was withdrawn and would be reported to the Committee in January;  (b) to request that the report back be prepared in consultation with the existing Community Learning and development Officers;  (c) to request that officers consider the educational, financial, legal and service implications in the report back;  and (d) to request that the report include information on how other 3Rs schools in a similar position (for example, Mile End School) were operating.  

The Convener congratulated the local community who now ran Powis Community Centre and advised the Committee that the Centre had successfully attracted £6,000 from the Fairer Scotland Fund for a class for pupils with additional support needs to be run at Sunnybank School for a year.   Through the funding, the pupils would receive support from a qualified teacher and a classroom assistant.  

Torry Academy had come first in an engineering competition.   The Convener paid particular tribute to the work of the school’s Head of Science, Dr Margaret Ritchie.  

Northfield Academy had been joint winner in the British Food Fortnight Secondary School Challenge.   The winners had been invited to Clarence House on 27 January 2011 to cook their winning meals for the Duchess of Cornwall and the Hairy Bikers.   The Convener advised that the local company Aramark was proposing to cover the cost of the school travelling to Clarence House.

The Convener further advised that Tullos Primary School had achieved excellence level as a health promoting school.

Hazlewood School had developed a “sign along” to promote communication in the school and had produced a vocabulary book specific to meet the needs of pupils.

St. Peter’s Roman Catholic School had done exceptionally well in the Primary 6 Mathletics Challenge, coming 2^nd in Scotland, and finishing as the 4^th top school and the 8^th top class in the UK.

The Convener advised the Committee that Active Schools Aberdeen had organised the Sport Relief Mile at Duthie Park which had raised £24,046.70.

Finally, the Committee noted the excellent displays which staff and pupils from Ferryhill Primary School, the English as an Additional Language Service, and Torry Community Learning and Development Centre had presented in the Council Chamber as part of the education showcase prior to Committee.

The Committee resolved:-

to write to the above-mentioned schools and centres to congratulate and thank pupils and staff for their outstanding achievements.

Members are requested to resolve that the business listed under item 9.1 of this agenda be considered with the press and public excluded.

Prior to considering the matters before the Committee, the Convener proposed that, in terms of Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the item identified as article 25 of this minute be considered with the press and public excluded so as to avoid disclosure of exempt information of the class described in paragraph 6 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

Councillor Laing, seconded by Councillor Cooney, moved as a procedural motion:-

            that the item be taken in public session.

It being a procedural motion, the terms were put straight to the vote.

On a division, there voted:-  for the procedural motion (5) – Councillors Allan, Collie, Cooney, Donnelly and Laing;  against the procedural motion (15) – the Convener;  the Vice-Convener;  and Councillors Boulton, Corall, Cormack, Cormie, Farquharson, Kiddie, Leslie, Robertson, Jennifer Stewart, Kirsty West and Yuill;  and Mr. P. Campbell and Mr. S. Duncan;  declined to vote (1) – Mr. A. Aitken;  absent from the division (1) – Mrs. M. Abdullah.

The Committee resolved:-

to consider the above-mentioned item in private session.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 16 September 2010.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         in relation to article 6 (Minute of Previous Meeting), to note that the Convener had indicated his satisfaction that the detail in the Learning Estate options had been expanded prior to the stakeholder engagement; 

(ii)        in relation to article 16 (Beach Leisure Centre), to note that Councillor Cormack should be listed as being absent from the division, and not Councillor Laing;  and

(iii)       to otherwise approve the minute as a correct record.

The Committee had before it the minute of the Special Education, Culture and Sport Committee of 28 October 2010.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note that Councillor Cormack was incorrectly listed twice under the division;  and

(ii)        to otherwise approve the minute as a correct record.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

CouncillorBoulton declared a personal interest during consideration of the following article but did not consider it necessary to withdraw from the meeting.

With reference to (1) Councillor Cormack’s motion to the Policy and Strategy (Education) Committee of 28 April 2009:-

            “That this Council agrees to promote further and to continue to develop parental involvement in the Council’s decision making process and that a report is therefore produced with recommendations for including parents in the work of the main Council Committee with education responsibilities, relevant Sub Committees and consultation processes.”; 

and (2) Article 9 of the minute of its meeting of 27 May 2010, the Committee had before it an update report on the implementation of an Aberdeen City Parent Forum.  

The report advised that there were twenty-four representatives on the Forum, with each Associated Schools Group having two places.   The Forum had met on four occasions and a Chair and office bearers had been selected.   It was noted that officers from Education, Culture and Sport had attended all meetings to date to provide support and assistance.   The terms of reference for the Forum were currently being finalised.

With reference to a report outlining the possibility of parental representation on the Education, Culture and Sport Committee, the Forum and officers had taken the view that the Group needed to be more fully established before consideration could be given to this matter.   Officers would continue to liaise with the Forum and report back to a future meeting of the Committee.

The report recommended:-

that Committee endorse the work undertaken by parent council representatives and officers to establish the new Forum, and note the progress since its establishment.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to thank officers and members of the Forum for their work to date;  and

(ii)        to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

With reference to (1) Councillor Cormack’s motion to Council of 18 November 2009:-

            “That in the light of the restoration and re-use of Marischal College, the second largest granite building in the world, and in recognition of the central role that the granite industry has played in the city’s economic development and in its cultural identity, that this Council agrees to the production of a report with options on how the Council and its partners can properly acknowledge the key contribution that the use of granite has made to the environment of Aberdeen and the wider North East region.” 

and (2) Article 6 of the minute of its meeting of 7 January 2010, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which outlined various options to acknowledge the contribution of granite.

The report advised that while Aberdeen was known as internationally as the Granite City, there was presently no single focus or location where the public could learn more about the cityscape and its development.   This meant that although the Museums and Galleries Service had the largest concentration of original artefacts and archives, the public profile of the collection was limited.   Officers had met with various partners to identify how to promote the North East’s granite heritage and the report outlined the various options which had been brought forward for consideration.  

It was suggested that a Granite Month could be held in May 2011, to include a programme of walks and talks, a granite carving demonstration, and a learning programme for schools.   If the events were a success, Granite Month could become an annual event.    The report advised that the cost of delivering Granite Month would be £500, excluding officer time.  

It was further proposed to establish a Granite Panel for the North East, based on the successful Aberdeen Maritime Museum Oil Panel.   The Panel would meet to advise the Museums and Galleries Service on its granite collections and activities and act as a Champion for the Granite Month programme in future years.   The cost of running the Panel was estimated to be £150 per annum.  

The report advised that a number of resources would be produced during 2011 to act as learning tools for schools and visitors to Aberdeen, such as a revised and extended version of the Granite Trail leaflet;  a series of downloadable pod casts on the history of granite;  virtual exhibitions displaying the granite related artefacts in the Museums and Galleries collections and historic photographs from a local granite yard to be made available on the Museums and Galleries website;  and a new leaflet on the history of the granite pillars at the entrance to the Art Gallery.

The report also advised that the Reading Bus had secured funding from locally based, worldwide energy company TAQA to produce a series of animated films, one of which would be developed with the Museums and Galleries Service to focus on the granite industry.  

Officers had explored the possibility of establishing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

With reference to Article 8 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it an update report on the motion by Councillor Jennifer Stewart to:-

“Instruct officers to pursue the option of securing an appropriate Vettriano painting on loan to be hung in Aberdeen Art Gallery and report back on that.”

The report advised that officers had entered into negotiations with a private collector in Aberdeen who had previously expressed an interest in lending an original oil painting by Jack Vettriano to Aberdeen Art Gallery.   The lender had agreed to make the painting available to the Gallery for a period up to, but not exceeding, five years and the report advised that the painting would be displayed in the front entrance area of the Art Gallery from November 2010.

The Committee heard that the painting “The Model and the Drifter”, was now on display in the Art Gallery.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the progress made to secure a painting by Jack Vettriano on loan. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note the generous loan of the painting from the private collector; 

(ii)        to thank officers for their work in expediting the matter;  and

(iii)       to request that a press release and photo opportunity be arranged to promote the painting.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport and the Head of Finance which detailed the performance to date in relation to the Education, Culture and Sport revenue budget and advised on any areas of risk which could require management action.

The report advised that there were 37 approved savings for 2010/2011 which totalled £8,500,000 and that the service was on target to achieve most of these savings.  In relation to the saving of £810,000 proposed for Directorate and Operational Staff costs, it was noted that work was ongoing to identify the exact savings which would be generated in relation to staffing.

The report further noted that there had been a double count of savings between Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure and Education, Culture and Sport in relation to facilities and that options to minimise the potential overspend of £400,000 were being examined by both services.

The forecast overspend of £1,755,000 did not include the payment of increments and the report advised that this figure would be adjusted following decisions by the Council and the Corporate Management Team.  

In relation to Out of Authority placements, the report advised that based on current figures, there was likely to be an overspend of £786,000, and that the Education, Culture and Sport element of this combined budget with Social Care and Wellbeing was anticipated to be over-committed by £311,000.  It was noted that new screening, resource and authorisation arrangements had been implemented which were designed to impact on the number of children and young people being accommodated at and going to residential school.

The delay in the transfer of facilities to Sport Aberdeen had also had an impact on projected savings, and the report noted that the full year savings were now projected to be £230,000 less than anticipated as a result.

Energy costs were estimated to be £540,000 greater than budget, however, the report noted that there was a central contingency held by Corporate Accounting for energy costs.   All Services had been requested to identify their energy budget shortfall to enable an allocation to be made from the contingency.  

In relation to the teachers’ long term absence budget, the report advised that there was a potential overspend of £400,000 against a budget of £1,400,000.    It was noted that this figure did not merely reflect sickness costs, but also covered a wide range of absences, including maternity leave.  

Detailed information in relation to progress on the various education, culture and sport budget savings for 2010/11 was appended to the report.

The report recommended:-

(a)       that Committee note the report and the information on management action and risks that were contained within;  and

(b)       that Committee instruct officers to continue to review budget performance and report on Service strategies.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to approve the recommendations contained in the report; 

(ii)        to note that a more detailed report on the actions being taken to ensure a balanced budget would be brought to the next  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which presented a scorecard summary of performance data to September 2010 for the Education, Culture and Sport Service.  The report indicated where performance had increased and decreased, and included new information on SQA examination results 2009/2010 and absence, attendance and exclusions from the 2009/2010 academic year.  

Appended to the report was the Education, Culture and Sport balanced scorecard showing performance against management of resources, impact, business processes and organisational learning and development, as well as further information on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework which had been requested by Members at the last meeting.  The report also provided information on the new Curriculum for Excellence qualifications framework. 

Finally, the report noted the ongoing work to increase attainment across the city and close the equalities gap between the highest and lowest attaining pupils.   The work carried out by the service with looked after children, its regular engagement with children and young people, and the work of the Reading Bus were all highlighted as having a positive impact on pupils.   The report advised that attainment had significantly increased in some of the city’s regeneration areas and highlighted Bramble Brae School and St. Machar Academy for particular praise.  

The report recommended:-

that Committee approve the Service performance report for September 2010 and note plans to include progress with actions set out in the Education, Culture and Sport Service Plan and Risk Register within the next performance report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         in relation to the percentage of pupils attaining five SCQF 5 or more by the end of S5, and the percentage of pupils attaining three SCQF 6 or more by the end of S5, to note that officers were working with Head Teachers to identify areas for improvement;  that schools were producing action plans;  and that work was ongoing on a strategy to improve girls’ attainment, and to request further information back on this;  and

(ii)        to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Councillor Jennifer Stewart and Councillor Cormack declared personal interests during consideration of the following article, as they resided near two of the properties under consideration but did not consider it necessary to withdraw from the meeting.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which sought approval to declare various operational properties surplus to the Education, Culture and Sport Service requirements and to agree their future use.

The report noted that the Education, Culture and Sport Service had identified that the following properties were surplus to requirement:-

·           former Mile End Primary School

·           former Craighill School

·           former Balgownie School

·           former Smithfield School

·           former Hilton Nursery and Community Centre

·           grazing land adjacent to Airyhall House

The report noted that there had been previous discussion of potentially ring-fencing any capital receipts generated from the sale of educational establishments towards the implementation of the Learning Estate strategy, and stressed that this funding would be crucial to ensure the delivery of the strategy.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       declare the properties listed above surplus to the requirements of the Education, Culture & Sport Service;

(b)       remit the properties to the Finance and Resources Committee on 2 December 2010 to have them declared surplus to Aberdeen City Council and to authorise the Head of Asset Management and Operations to instruct officers to commence the disposal process of these properties on the open market;  and

(c)        recommend to Finance and Resources Committee that any capital receipts resulting from this report, and the disposal of any other educational establishments, be ring-fenced towards implementing the Learning Estates Strategy.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note that there could often be a long delay between properties being declared surplus and their eventual disposal, and the resulting security implications of buildings sitting empty for a great length of time, and to draw this delay to the attention of other committees in an attempt to speed up the process;  and

(ii)        to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

With reference to Article 8 of the minute of the meeting of the Social Care and Wellbeing Committee of 4 November 2010, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which sought approval to transfer the former Hillylands Disabled Centre to the Education, Culture and Sport Service from the Social Care and Wellbeing Service, with the aim of adapting the building to provide a replacement for the Mastrick Young People’s Project currently based at Summerhill Centre.

The report advised that the vast majority of services based at Summerhill Centre had been relocated prior to summer 2010, however, it had proved difficult to find an alternative location for the Mastrick Young People’s Project, particularly since it required to be located within the Sheddocksley, Summerhill and Mastrick catchment area.   A report on the matter was considered at the Finance and Resources Committee of 28 September 2010, following which an options appraisal had been carried out which had identified the former Hillylands Centre as the most suitable location for the Mastrick Young People’s Project.

Hillylands had been vacated by the Social Care and Wellbeing Service in May 2010, and at its meeting of 4 November 2010, the Social Care and Wellbeing Committee had declared the building surplus to the Service’s requirements.  

It was noted that the building would require some adaptation and refurbishment prior to the Young People’s Centre taking up residence, and the report advised that officers had investigated the cost of this work and the figures would be reported to the Finance and Resources Committee of 2 December 2010 for consideration.

The report recommended:-

(a)       that subject to Finance and Resources Committee agreeing to the cost of the capital refurbishment works and the outstanding capital repayments being met from the proceeds of the sale of the Summerhill site, that Committee agree to the transfer of the former Hillylands Disabled Living Centre to Education, Culture and Sport from Social Care and Wellbeing;  and

(b)       that Committee agree to the adaptation of the building as a replacement for the current Mastrick Young People’s Project at the Summerhill Centre;

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

MATTER OF URGENCY

The Convener intimated that he had directed in terms of Section 50(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and in accordance with Standing Orders, that an additional paper submitted by officers in connection with the following item be tabled, as it detailed the percentage of pupils receiving music tuition in each Associated School Group, which had been omitted from the original report.

            DECLARATION OF INTEREST

CouncillorBoulton and Councillor Kirsty West declared a personal interest during consideration of the following article but did not consider it necessary to withdraw from the meeting.

With reference to Article 4 of the Finance and Resources Committee minute of 10 December 2009, the Committee had before it an update report on the work of the Music Service.

The report outlined the work of the team of instrumental instructors in the city schools and advised that 39 instructors taught over 3,000 pupils every week.   It was noted that this equated to approximately 14% of the school pupil population and if the work of the vocal animateurs was included, this figure rose to over 20%, one of the highest in Scotland.   All secondary and primary schools received tuition from the instrumental instructors, although it was not possible to offer all schools the full range of instruments, due to the staffing implications.  The report advised that all secondary schools had access to the full range of instruments, with the exception of bagpipes, where one instructor offered tuition to the whole of Aberdeen on a part time basis.

It was noted that the work of the vocal animateurs had led to the formation of several area choirs.   Each choir in Kincorth, Torry, Cove, Northfield and Bridge of Don consisted of approximately 35 pupils.   In addition, the Youth Music Initiative (YMI) had allowed all pupils wishing to learn an instrument the opportunity to receive one year of tuition free of charge.   The report advised that the YMI was administered by Creative Scotland and was due to be reviewed at the end of 2010.

The report highlighted the large number of pupils who attended the Music Centre, noting that each week over 700 children attended.   The Centre was now based at Northfield Academy and it was hoped that this would lead to more children from Northfield taking up the opportunity to attend.   More pupils from Aberdeen attended National Youth Orchestra of Scotland courses than any other local authority.  

The report outlined that the Music Service generated an annual income of approximately £390,000 from fee charges, while the running costs of the Service were in the region of £1,200,000.   Parents on income support were not charged for their children taking up music tuition, and some reductions applied where siblings received tuition.

Finally, the report outlined the savings made by the Service, but noted that the numbers of pupils receiving tuition remained high due to the raised target numbers for each instructor to meet.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the report.

The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

With reference to Article 17 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee heard from the Head of Schools and Educational Establishments who provided an update on the number of pupils using the buses as transport to Braeside School.   Mr. Leng advised that four buses were needed at the start of the school day, with three required at the end of the day.   He noted that six letters had been sent to parents about pupil behaviour on the buses, but that in each case, the matter had been dealt with quickly.   It was expected that the new school would be completed in February, and that pupils would move in after the Easter holidays.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the update provided, and to request that officers circulate the detailed figures on usage, and pick-up and drop-off times to Committee members for information.

With reference to Article 17 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which detailed the outcome of her review of the circumstances which had led to the decision to provide transport for pupils at Kaimhill School.  

The report advised that there had been much discussion about the requirement for buses to transport children to school during the decant.   Policy dictated that given the distance in question, pupils would be required to walk to Braeside.   However, it was felt by some members of the public and some Elected Members that the terrain was unusual and unsafe and that buses should be provided.   However, the policy on walking distance meant that no funds had been set aside at that time for the provision of transport.   

The report noted that officers appeared to be receiving conflicting views on the matter and that some were working under the assumption that they had received instructions from Elected Members, although no formal Committee decision had been taken.   Officers also took instruction from a sub group which did not appear to have any formal governance remit for resource allocation.   The report advised that officers had prepared detailed options for the provision of transport, and that although they had noted on several occasions that the policy meant that no transport should be provided over this distance, their continued work on costing the transport options had led to the communication of mixed messages.  

It was also noted that the links between the resource management and operational management were not clear and had led to a lack of communication.   Officers were unclear as to whether their roles and responsibilities lay with regard to a number of aspects of completing the transfer to the new 3Rs school, such as transport and IT.   As a result, there was a lack of consistency in each of the three Areas.  

It was noted that there had been no clear strategic lead to oversee the work on transport options, and therefore no Committee papers were prepared, and the work had simply been undertaken on the tacit understanding that some parents, the public and some Elected Members wanted transport to be provided.

The report advised that the organisational shift in structure, the handover between officers and the lack of proper governance through a Committee decision all contributed to the lack of clarity and poor communication, and led to expectations being raised with no policy or budget to support to decision.  

The report outlined factors to be considered on projects to ensure the situation did not arise in future, namely:-

• project plans should identify all aspects of the build, temporary arrangements, risks and potential additional costs at the outset of the project; 
• a clear lead officer at a senior level should oversee all of the operational work of the project; 
• policies should be adhered to.   Any proposed changes to policy should go to the relevant Committee to consider the implications  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

With reference to Article 20 of the minute of its meeting of 20 April 2010, the Committee heard from Mr. Sohail Faruqi, Service Manager, who drew the Committee’s attention to the update provided in the information bulletin.   Mr. Faruqi advised that the Pupil Support Service and Cordyce had previously operated as separate services, however, following a recent HMIe inspection, the decision had been taken to manage the Pupil Support Service through Cordyce as an interim measure.   He noted that officers were now working on a programme of service redesign.  

Mrs. Annette Bruton, Director of Education, Culture and Sport, advised Committee that as a result of this, the options appraisal previously agreed by Committee in April 2010 would now cover special educational and behavioural needs throughout the city, including Cordyce.   The options appraisal would contain a number of different proposals from which Committee could select its preferred option.  

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note the update provided, and that a report would come back to Committee on the options appraisal, to include a number of different options on how to manage provision; 

(ii)        to request that in preparing the above report, officers take account of the Social Care and Wellbeing implications and make mention of the provision of children’s homes;  and

(iii)       to request that officers circulate an update to Committee Members on when the development on the site of the former Choices Day Centre would be in operation.

With reference to Article 7 of the minute of its meeting of 27 May 2010, the Committee had before it a report on the medium to long term options for a community learning hub for the Cults Associated School Group (ASG).  

The report advised that following the decision in May to make Cults Academy the short-term community learning hub for that ASG, officers had explored all options for a medium to long-term community learning hub.   It was noted that while the use of Cults Academy had financial benefits, the location of the Academy meant that it was not easily accessible by the public and did not provide expansion opportunities for housing other services.   Therefore, it was suggested that learning activity could be co-ordinated through the Cults Academy hub but would also make use of all suitable facilities within the area.  

The report noted that an options appraisal of alternatives had been undertaken, followed by consultation on the options with service users; learning stakeholders; Cults Community Learning and Development Management Committee; Cults, Bieldside & Milltimber Community Council; and Culter Community Council.

The options consulted upon were to use Cults CLD Centre within Cults Primary School as a community learning hub;  utilisation of expanded space within Cults Academy;  use of Cults Library and LearnDirect Centre;  and expanded community facilities within a new build school.   The Cults CLD Centre Management Committee did not feel that the facilities at Cults Primary School were easily accessible.   Officers considered that Cults Library and LearnDirect Centre did not have sufficient space to accommodate a hub, and the option of community facilities within a new build school was unlikely to be deliverable in the near future and was therefore not considered to be a viable option.   Cults CLD Centre Management Committee had expressed support for the option to utilise expanded space within Cults Academy.   Culter Community Council had expressed concern for the availability of accommodation at Cults Academy, and had advised that transport and location of the hub were key issues.   The Community Council sought assurance that local community learning satellites would be in the Culter part of Lower Deeside.

The Committee heard from Patricia Cassidy, Head of Communities, Culture and Sport who advised that Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber Community Council had also submitted comments on the proposals and that they were in support of locating the hub in Cults Academy.   They had also raised concerns about the location of the hub and the lack of accessibility for those older members of the public who did not drive. 

The report recommended:-

(a)       that the Committee note the consultation outcomes;  and

(b)       approve Cults Academy as the location of the community learning hub for the Cults Learning Community for the reasons outlined in the report.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which set out pupil numbers for the nursery, primary, secondary and special education sectors for 2010/11 and the implication for school teaching staff entitlements.   The report also sought approval for the teacher staffing entitlements for the 2010/11 session and advised of the budget savings achieved from the revised staff entitlements.  

The report advised that school staffing levels were calculated using the estimated number of pupils for the forthcoming session as a baseline, with adjustments made where necessary if information on projected pupil numbers changed.   It was noted that the number of nursery classes and teachers was determined by the annual nursery admissions process.   In the primary sector, pupil numbers were counted in August, prior to the formal pupil census and the teaching numbers adjusted where necessary.    In the secondary sector, figures from the Scottish Government census were used to confirm pupil numbers.   In the special education sector, numbers and teaching could be moderated by the Service to take account of variable demand across the year.   The report advised that the census data was also used to confirm the pupil per capita budgets, related teaching budgets and to inform the staffing budgets for the following financial year.  

The report then outlined the pupil numbers in each sector and compared the figures from the 2009/2010 session to those projected for the 2010/2011 session.   It was noted that there would be savings of £2,350,000 over the primary and secondary sectors in 2010/2011, compared to the agreed savings of £2,190,000.   There had been a growth in teacher numbers in the pre-school and additional support needs sectors.  

The report proposed the following teaching staffing entitlements:-

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       note the 2010/2011 pupil numbers for the nursery, primary and secondary and special education sectors;

(b)       approve the teaching staffing entitlements for the session 2009/2010 as detailed in paragraph 6.6of the report (see above table);  and

(c)        note the part year savings of £2,350,000 for the primary and secondary sectors resulting from roll changes and reductions in teaching formula allocations. 

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which advised Committee that the Scottish Government was to conduct a review the Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) to young people in December 2010.  

The report advised that EMAs were made available to provide a financial incentive to both 16 to 19 year olds from low income households, and vulnerable young people to remain in full-time school education beyond the statutory school leaving age.   Under the scheme, pupils whose families earned less than £20,000 were entitled to payments of up to £30 a week to continue in education.   Aberdeen City Council had reclaimed £503,485 from the Scottish Government for the amount which had been paid out to 485 applicants in 2009/10.   It was expected that the uptake for 2010/11 was likely to be of a similar level to the previous year, and the report advised that to date, 390 applications had been received.

The report noted that the Scottish Government had announced that the terms of the EMA programme for the academic year 2010/11 would be reviewed against each local authority’s spend to date in December 2010, to consider whether changes to the scheme were required.   As a result of this, the Council web page had been updated to reflect that any award made was only guaranteed to the end of December 2010.  

The report recommended:-

(a)       that the Committee note the content of the report;  and

(b)       that the Committee request officers to provide an update in January, 2011 following the Scottish Government’s review of EMAs in December.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report and to request that officers remind schools to ensure that the information on EMAs was disseminated to the parents of eligible pupils.

With reference to Article 14 of its meeting of 27 May 2010, the Committee had before it an update report on proposals to redevelop Aberdeen Art Gallery.  

The report advised that since the previous Committee decision in May, various factors had affected the application to the Heritage Lottery Fund which had originally been planned for September.   The Council was in the process of reviewing the Non Housing Capital Programme, and the Heritage Lottery Fund had also altered the terms of the application process and the timescale for applications.   A larger amount of funding was now available to applicants and the report advised that the next opportunity to apply for funding was November 2010.  

Work on the application had progressed as instructed meantime, and it was noted that the Council had received the first draft of the Supplementary Report which covered the assessment of the architectural value and current condition of the building.   The report had outlined that a number of works required to be carried out to ensure that the current building was protected, particularly in relation to the poor condition of the current roof and gutters.   The report had also highlighted that the deterioration of the external shell of the building was impacting on the running costs of the Gallery.

Work was ongoing to assess how the Council could best utilise existing budgets towards the overall assessment of the costs of the redevelopment.  This would identify any additional capital funding required by the Council, subject to successful private, commercial and Heritage Lottery funding.

The report sought approval for the development of a fundraising campaign to establish the level of support which might be available from the local business and wider community.   It was also hoped that in the event that the project did not proceed, that the campaign would stimulate interest in the Art Gallery.   While the campaign would require the services of a fundraising expert to take forward, it was intended that the postholder would generate their own income commensurate with the actual income achieved.

Finally, the report advised that the redevelopment project had been included in the Tax Incremental Fund (TIF) project which could potentially change the emphasis of the fundraising campaign, depending on the outcome of the TIF project.

The report recommended:-

(a)       that Committee note the work to date;  and

(b)       that Committee agrees that a fundraising campaign be progressed, at no net cost to the Council.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which detailed the application for financial assistance received from The Royal Life Saving Society – Scottish Northern Branch.  The report advised that if the funding were to be approved, £31,501.90 would be available in the Sports Grants budget for the remainder of the year. 

The report outlined that the funding was to support a Royal Life Saving Society awareness day in Aberdeen to be held on 26 March 2010 in the Beach Leisure Centre.   The event sought to raise children’s awareness of the danger in and around water;  to strengthen the existing Rookie Lifesaving based at Hazlehead Swimming Pool;  and to help establish new lifesaving clubs across the city.  

The Committee resolved:-

to award £662.60 to the Society for the awareness day.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which detailed the current and proposed initiatives funded by Sportscotland through its agreement with Aberdeen City Council.   The report explained that the Active Scotland part of the Scottish Government’s 2014 Legacy Plan contained two key elements, namely the Active Nation and the development of community sports hubs.  

The concept of community sports hubs was to bring together sports clubs and organisations which were linked through a particular sport, interest, or geographic location, so that they were physically based within a specific location, known as a community sports hub.   These hubs would be based in local facilities such as sports or community centres, schools or the natural environment.   The report advised that Sportscotland had made up to £56,000 of funding available per annum between 2010 and 2015 to develop community sports hubs in Aberdeen.   Officers were working with a range of sports organisations to prepare a bid to Sportscotland.   If the application was successful, the Council would have a responsibility to monitor and evaluate the impact and implementation of the hubs.  

Sportscotland had also invested £25,785 on swimming in Aberdeen to 31 March 2011.  The funding aimed to increase the number of primary school aged children who could swim through taking part in a top-up programme.   The report noted that the Council had to produce an integrated plan with priority outcomes for the investment identified for swimming top-up by 3 December 2010.   

Finally, the report outlined the Active Schools Partnership agreement, noting that it formed the basis of Sportscotland’s Active Schools investment in Aberdeen City Council.   The Active Schools network aimed to offer all children and young people the opportunity and motivation to adopt active healthy lifestyles which could be continued into adulthood.   The report advised that all funding was provided by Sportscotland and no additional investment was required by Aberdeen City Council.  The report set out the Sportscotland funding investment and how it would be utilised within the Council.  

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       notes the progress made on community sports hubs and the swimming top-up programme;  and

(b)       approves the investment of £385,200 to support the staffing needed to deliver the Active Schools programme, in accordance with the agreement between Aberdeen City Council and Sportscotland.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

The Committee had before it a statement of Committee Business and a Motions List prepared by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         in relation to item 3 (Strategic Music Partnership), to note that the date of the visit to Stirling was still to be confirmed;

(ii)        to remove item 4(ii) (Community Learning Hubs – report on long-term options for Cults Community Learning Hub), as the matter had been considered earlier on the agenda;

(iii)       to remove the second part of item 6 (Kaimhill to Braeside – 3Rs Project Decant – Investigation), as the matter had been considered earlier on the agenda; 

(iv)       to remove item 7 (Review of Sports Grant Criteria), as the outstanding information had been received from Aberdeenshire Council;

(v)        to remove item 9 (Financial Strategy Review Budget 2010/11), as a report on the music service had been considered earlier on the agenda;

(vi)       in relation to item 11 (Bookings and Lettings Review), to note that a full report would come before Committee on 20 January 2011; 

(viii)     in relation to item 16 (Tullos Swimming Pool – Internal Works), to note that the review of water in the city would take approximately a year to complete, and to therefore amend the “report expected” column to September 2011; 

(viii)     also in relation to item 16 (Tullos Swimming Pool – Internal Works), to request that Annette Bruton and Patricia Cassidy meet with the local Ward Members to discuss the detail of the review;

(ix)       in relation to Motion 3 (Councillor Graham – Floodlighting of Manor Walk Football Pitch), to note that it was estimated that the work would be completed in January 2011; 

(x)        to remove Motion 4 (Councillor Jennifer Stewart – Loan of Vettriano Painting), from the Motions List as the terms of the motion had now been discharged;  and

(xi)       to otherwise note the updates provided in the Business Statement and Motions List.

EXEMPT INFORMATION

The Committee resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business so as to avoid disclosure of exempt information of the class described in paragraph 6 of Schedule 7(A) to the Act.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which advised of the exemption to the procurement standing orders which had been sought in the extension of the Council’s contract with City Screen (Aberdeen) Ltd for the operation of the Belmont Media Centre.

The report advised that, for a number of reasons, it had not been possible to conclude the procurement process in the expected timescale and therefore a request had been made and permission approved for an exemption to contracts and procurement Standing Order 1(6)(b).

It was noted that a further update would be reported to Committee on the outcome of the process in due course.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       note the extension of the Council’s contract with City Screen (Aberdeen) Ltd for the operation of the Belmont Media Centre;  and

(b)       note the use of an alternative procurement process and projected conclusion date.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

-  ANDREW MAY, Convener.