Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found here.

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

The Convener proposed that the Committee consider item 11.1 (Extension to Bucksburn Academy – Exempt Appendix) with the press and public excluded.

The Committee resolved:-

in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of item 11.1 on today’s agenda so as to avoid disclosure of exempt information of the class described in paragraph 8 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act..

The Committee noted the following declarations of interest intimated at this stage:-

(i)       Mr Paul declared an interest in respect of item 10.3 (Extension of Bucksburn Academy) by virtue of his position as Headteacher of Bucksburn Academy, but did not consider that the nature of his interest required him to leave the meeting during consideration of the item as his role was a professional one and he was in attendance at the meeting as a teacher representative; and

(ii)       Mrs Blackie also declared an interest in respect of item 10.3 as she had a child who attended Bucksburn Academy but did not consider that the nature of her interest required her to leave the meeting during consideration of the item as she was in attendance at the meeting in her role as a representative of the Aberdeen City Parent Forum.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 26 November 2020 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       in relation to article 6 (Minimising Exclusion Policy), to note that the Clerk would recirculate the service update which had included the requested information on children who had been excluded on more than one occasion to Councillor Mennie; and

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

The Committee had before it the committee business planner as prepared by the Chief Officer – Governance.

Councillor Cameron, seconded by Councillor Mennie, moved as a procedural motion:-

In relation to item 31 on the planner (School Estate Plan), that the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord be instructed to report back to the next meeting of the Committee rather than in June 2022 as outlined in the planner.

On a division, there voted:- for the procedural motion (10) – Councillors Alphonse, Cameron, Greig, Hutchison, MacGregor and Mennie; and Mrs Tracey Blackie, Mr John Murray, Mr Rick Sansom and Miss Pamela Scott; against the procedural motion (8) the Convener; the Vice Convener; and Councillors Bell, Lesley Dunbar, Imrie, Macdonald and Stewart; and Reverend Shuna Dicks; declined to vote (1) – Mr Mike Paul.

At this juncture, the Vice Convener intimated that he wished to refer the decision to Council in terms of Standing Order 34.1 and was supported in this regard by Councillors Lesley Dunbar, Imrie and Macdonald.  As the requisite number of members for a referral (7) was not reached, the referral fell.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to approve the procedural motion, and instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to report back on the School Estate Plan to the next meeting of the Committee in March rather than June 2022;

(ii)       in relation to item 22 on the planner (Senior Phase), to note that the Chief Officer – Education would circulate a service update to Members in relation to any update to national guidance;

(iii)      in relation to the query on the ongoing Business Case pertaining to Additional Support Needs and Outreach Services, to note that the Chief Officer – Education would arrange for officer attendance at a future Aberdeen Parent Council Forum meeting to update on progress, and that a further update would be included in the Supporting Learners report due to Committee in June; and

(iv)      to otherwise note the planner.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Customer Services which presented an update on the status of key performance measures relating to the Education Operational cluster.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

note the report and provide comments and observations on the performance information contained in the report Appendix.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that the Chief Officer – Education would advise Members when there was any update on the more limited risk-based schedule of inspections which was awaited from the Care Inspectorate / Education Scotland;

(ii)       in relation to secondary school pupils who met the eligibility criteria for free school meals, to instruct the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to provide detail of the steps being taken to identify how we could engage with eligible pupils and families to maximise uptake; and include that in the Free School Meals report due to Committee in June 2021; and

(iii)      to otherwise note the report.

With reference to article 7 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which presented further analysis of local and national data which had been undertaken to better understand the changing needs of children and young people in Aberdeen City, in the context of Request for Assistance data, particularly that pertaining to Child’s Planning Support.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)      note the ongoing analysis work to better understand the changing needs of children, young people and their families;

(b)      endorse the delivery of two primary and two secondary enhanced provisions in order to meet the increasing demand for specialist level Child’s Planning Support; and

(c)      instruct the Programme Manager to report progress, including supporting data, as part of the Supporting Learners programme update, which is scheduled for Education Operational Delivery Committee in two committee cycles (June 2021).

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided an update on the reinstatement of the statutory duty on Local Authorities to provide 1140 hours per annum of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) to eligible 2-year olds and all 3 and 4 year old children from August 2021.  The report further sought to provide assurance around the ongoing works to support the delivery of ELC expansion and meet the implementation date of August 2021.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)      acknowledge the work to date and agree to the new date of August 2021 for the reinstatement and implementation of 1140 hours of ELC provision; and

(b)      note that service updates would be regularly circulated to Members to advise of ongoing works to support the delivery of ELC expansion.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Bell, moved the recommendations as set out in the report.

Councillor Mennie, seconded by Councillor Cameron, moved as an amendment:-

That Committee:-

(i)       approve recommendations (a) and (b); and

(ii)       welcome the multi-year funding package from the Scottish Government to fully fund this expansion of Early Learning Provision.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (9) – the Convener; the Vice Convener; Councillors Bell, Lesley Dunbar, Imrie, Macdonald and Stewart; and Reverend Shuna Dicks and Mr Rick Sansom; for the amendment (6) – Councillors Alphonse, Cameron, Hutchison, MacGregor and Mennie; and Mrs Tracey Blackie; declined to vote (4) – Councillor Greig; and Mr John Murray, Mr Mike Paul and Miss Pamela Scott.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to request that a service update be circulated meantime to Members to advise whether the 23 remaining capital projects were still on budget and on schedule for completion by August 2021;  and

(ii)       to approve the motion.

With reference to article 11 of the minute of its meeting of 12 November 2019, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which sought approval for the updated Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Admissions Policy which had been amended to take account of the ELC expansion programme and the phasing in of additional hours up to 1140 hours funded ELC provision.

The report recommended:-

that Committee approve the updated Aberdeen City Council ELC Admissions Policy 2021 and instruct the Chief Operating Officer to implement the policy with effect from 21 January 2021.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)          to note that there would be a review of the operation of the flexible models for nursery provision which would be concluded by December 2021, and to request that the Chief Officer – Education report back to Committee in January 2022 on the evaluation undertaken; and

(ii)         to approve the recommendation.

With reference to article 3 of the minute of the meeting of Council of 3 March 2020, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which set out the proposals for the future anticipated school roll increase at Bucksburn Academy and sought approval to endorse the preferred design option.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)      note and endorse the preferred design option to increase the capacity of Bucksburn Academy; and

(b)      note that the report would be presented to the City Growth and Resources Committee to seek approval of the preferred design option and referral to the budget process for the funding required for the preferred design option to progress.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that officers would advise Members once the new school roll information was available; and

(ii)       to approve the recommendations.

In accordance with the decision recorded under article 1 of this minute, the following item of business was considered with the press and public excluded.

The Committee had before it an exempt appendix relating to the Extension of Bucksburn Academy report on the agenda (article 9 of this minute refers).

The Committee resolved:-

to note the exempt appendix.

-      COUNCILLOR JOHN WHEELER, Convener