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

(i)         Mrs Tracey Blackie declared an interest in respect of item 10.4 (Statutory Consultation Report: Proposed changes to school zones for Bucksburn Academy and Oldmachar Academy) by virtue of the fact she had a child at Bucksburn Academy; and item 10.7 (Accessibility Plan), by virtue of the fact she had a child with additional support needs, but did not consider that the nature of her interests required her to leave the meeting.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the declarations of interest made by Mrs Blackie.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 12 March 2020 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

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

The Committee resolved:-

(i)          to note the matters raised by Mr Sansom on behalf of the Aberdeen City Parent Forum in respect of parents’ evenings and the school estate and the responses provided at the meeting by officers;

(ii)         to note that the Chief Education Officer would re-circulate the service update on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child;

(iii)       to note that a service update on the campus model for school provision (item 22 on the planner) would be provided prior to the November meeting;

(iv)       to agree to remove items 15 (United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child), 16 (Inspection Reporting) and 17 (ACC National Improvement Framework update); and

(v)        to otherwise note the planner.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Customer Services which presented 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 Education Officer would circulate information on the number of probationer teachers included in the teacher vacancy figures outwith the meeting;

(ii)        to thank all staff in the service for the work they had undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

(iii)       to note the report.    

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Customer Services which presented the annual report of the Education Operational Delivery Committee to enable Members to provide comment on the data contained within.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)       provide comments and observations on the data contained within the annual report; and

(b)       note the annual report of the Education Operational Delivery Committee.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         in relation to the number of reports where the Committee had amended officer recommendations, to note that officers would provide information to Members outwith the meeting as to how many of those had been agreed unanimously, and how many on division; and

(ii)        to note the report.

With reference to article 7 of the minute of its meeting of 16 May 2019, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided an update on the performance of the transport services and arrangements for pupils accessing Lochside Academy and on the success of provisions in relation to the safe walking routes to Lochside Academy.

The report recommended:-

that Committee note the outcome of the 2020 annual review for transport and safe routes to school for Lochside Academy.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Macdonald, moved:-

That the Committee:-

(a)       note the outcome of the 2020 annual review for transport and safe routes to school for Lochside Academy;

(b)       instruct the Chief Operating Officer to write to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills asking when the Scottish Government intends to implement its promise to provide free travel for those under the age of 19 in order that any implications for the future of school transport to Lochside Academy and other relevant schools can be considered; and

(c)        agree that any saving on transport provision would help significantly in bringing forward a balanced budget for 2021/22.

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

That the Committee:-

(a)       note the outcome of the 2020 annual review for transport and safe routes to school for Lochside Academy;

(b)       note the Scottish Government intends to implement its promise after April 2021 following its delay due to the CoVID pandemic, to provide free travel for those under the age of 19 in order that any implications for the future of school transport to Lochside Academy and other relevant schools can be considered;

(c)        agree that any saving on transport provision would help significantly in bringing forward a balanced budget for 2021/22;

(d)       note that significant numbers of children attending Lochside Academy continue to cross Wellington Road outwith the safe crossing points by climbing over the vehicle guard rail separating the north and southbound carriageways between the Souterhead Roundabout and the junction with Charleston Road North;

(e)       refer the matter to the Operational Delivery Committee, with the recommendation that they instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to design protective measures to prevent pedestrians crossing Wellington Road between these two junctions, and report to City Growth and Resources Committee with costed proposals for approval from the capital programme; and

(f)        note our disappointment that the Operational Delivery Committee on 16^th May 2019 chose not to accept a similar proposal to (d) to (e) above when it was agreed unanimously by Education Operational Delivery Committee on the same day.

Councillor Greig moved as a further amendment:-

That the Committee:-

(a)       note the outcome of the 2020 annual review for transport and safe routes to school for Lochside Academy;

(b)       instruct the Chief Operating Officer to write to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills asking when the Scottish Government intends to implement its promise to provide free  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

With reference to article 8 of the minute of its meeting of 16 May 2019, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Customer Services which had been prepared in response to the Committee instruction that officers investigate whether the Council should develop a free school meals policy to address anomalies in legislation following the implementation of Universal Credit.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       agree to introduce a policy of extending free school meal entitlement to families in receipt of Universal credit in respect of:

(i)    Single claimants working less than 16 hours per week with a gross annual income of less than £16,105; and

(ii)  Joint claimants working less than 24 hours per week with a gross annual income of less than £16,105; and

(b)       instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to implement the extended provision from 26 October 2020.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note that the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment would circulate information to Members outwith the meeting on the number of children entitled to free school meals who did not take up the offer; and

(ii)        to approve the recommendations.

With reference to article 5 of the minute of its meeting of 16 January 2020, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on the outcomes of a statutory consultation in relation to the proposal to adjust the school zone boundaries for Bucksburn Academy and Oldmachar Academy, in order to accommodate the new Grandhome housing development.

The report recommended:-

that Committee agree to implement the proposal to rezone an area of ground to the west of Whitestripes Avenue in Aberdeen, from Bucksburn Academy to Oldmachar Academy, with effect from 5 January 2021.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which sought approval for the Aberdeen City Revised Devolved School Management Scheme, which was fully based on the national Devolved School Management guidance issued by the Scottish Government in Summer 2019.

The report recommended:-

that Committee approve the Revised Devolved School Management Scheme 2020 as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which sought approval to align the findings of the “Support for Learning: All Our Children and All Their Potential” recommendations with the work of the Supporting Learners Workstream and to implement changes to operating systems in light of restrictions necessary during the recovery phase as a result of COVID-19.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)       approve the amended Supporting Learners Programme Plan (Appendix B to the report), which takes account of the recommendations from the national ‘Support for Learning: All Our Children and All Their Potential’ Report (Appendix A to the report); and

(b)       endorse the agile approach being taken to ensure ongoing provision of support for learners.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which sought approval for the Aberdeen City Accessibility Plan which ensured that the long-term strategic planning and implementation processes of Aberdeen City Council met the requirements of sections 1 to 3 of the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils’ Educational Records) (Scotland) Act 2002.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)       approve the Aberdeen City Accessibility Plan (Appendix 1 to the report); and

(b)       instruct the Chief Education Officer to review the impact of the Plan in 2023 in accordance with legislation.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note that the Chief Education Officer would investigate the budget issue raised in respect of the Scottish Council on Deafness; and

(ii)        to approve the recommendations.

-     COUNCILLOR JOHN WHEELER, Convener