Agenda item

With reference to article 10 of the minute of meeting of Council of 13 June, 2012 the Committee had before it a report by the Acting Director of Education, Culture and Sport which updated members on the current position in relation to moving community centres to the leased model, and detailed the outcome of recent consultation with management committees attached to community schools in relation to proposals to retain these community centres within the responsibility of the Council.

With reference to article 2 of this minute, the Committee heard from (1) Mr Paul O’Connor, (2) Wilma Mackland, and (3) Mr Alex Mess, Reverend Andy Cowie, and Mrs Sylvia Davidson on the matter before members.  Mr O’Connor stated that he felt sections of the report before members misrepresented Inchgarth Community Centre.  Mrs Mackland read a statement from Zuzana Jatelona, who was a volunteer at Sunnybank Community Centre, but had been unable to attend today’s meeting.  Mrs Mackland also suggested that Sunnybank Community Centre did not require a clerical assistant, but that they would like to continue to employ a Development Officer.  Mr Mess took issue with a number of statements in the report, and felt he had been misrepresented.

Members asked a number of questions of the deputations.

The Service Manager for Communities introduced the report and circulated a supplementary paper which updated members on ongoing legal negotiations, and the issue of officers gaining access to a community centre to install solar panels.  Mrs Woodcock also advised the Committee that Seaton Community Centre had been the first to sign their management agreement, which had been active from 1 September, 2012.

A number of questions were asked in relation to the proposed virement of funds from the supplies and services budget to the staffing budget, and Mrs Woodcock undertook to circulate a report which she had presented to the Education, Culture and Sport senior management team on this matter.

The report recommended –

that the Committee –

(a)       agrees that the community wings within Dyce, Bridge of Don, Cornhill, Tullos and Sunnybank community schools will not transfer to the leased centre model, but will remain within the responsibility of the Council, with a local management committee inputting into the programming of the building;

(b)       agrees that management committees connected to the above community wings within schools will be provided with a grant of £625 per year, for the purpose of purchasing indemnity insurance, and public liability and employers insurances;

(c)        notes the progress in relation to moving community centres onto the new lease and management agreement;

(d)       instruct officers that, in the case of any further amendments to the lease and management agreement being agreed, any management committees which have already signed up to the standard lease and management agreement will be offered, on an optional basis, a variation to their lease and management agreement to reflect these amendments; and

(e)       note the intention to vire budgets from the “supplies and services” budget (development grants) to the “staffing” budget in order to facilitate the appointment of Learning Centre Supervisor and Clerical Receptionist posts.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener, moved:

that the report’s recommendations be approved.

Councillor Townson, seconded by Councillor McCaig, moved as an amendment:

(I)         that recommendations (a) and (b) be approved;

(II)        following the successful mediation process, that the Committee notes the progress in relation to moving all leased community centres to the new lease and management agreement, and instructs officers to allow respective solicitors to expedite matters and finalise agreements within an appropriate timescale, and further instructs officers to withdraw any notice to quit whilst said negotiations are ongoing;

(II)        that the Committee notes the intention to vire budgets from the “supplies and services” budget (development grants) to the “staffing” budget, and instructs officers to provide full details of staffing numbers and costs.

Councillor Greig, seconded by Councillor Jennifer Stewart, moved as a second amendment:

that the Committee –

(A)       does not proceed with recommendation (a) and confirms that the leased model remains the most appropriate and most sustainable means for the five named community centres;

(B)       does not proceed with the proposed virement and does not recruit additional staff;

(C)       agrees to maintain the current partnership process that is working towards mutually acceptable leasing and management agreements  for centres, and to allow this to continue, withdraws any termination notice; and

(D)       repeats and underlines its appreciation of community centre volunteers and its commitment to a constructive and positive approach in working with leased community centre management committees.

On a division between the amendments by Councillor Townson and Councillor Greig, the votes cast were as follows:  for the amendment by Councillor Townson (7) – Councillors Cameron, McCaig, May, Noble, Samarai, Stuart and Townson; for the amendment by Councillor Greig (2) – Councillors Greig and Stewart; declined to vote (15) – the Convener, the Vice Convener, and Councillors Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Malik, Nathan Morrison, Taylor and Young, and Mr Duncan, Mr Maclean, Mr Nicoll, Mr Paul and Mrs Wischik.

On a division between the motion and the amendment by Councillor Townson, the votes cast were as follows:  for the motion (15) – the Convener, the Vice Convener, and Councillors Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Malik, Nathan Morrison, Taylor and Young, and Mr Duncan, Mr Maclean, Mr Nicoll, Mr Paul and Mrs Wischik; for the amendment (9) – Councillors Cameron, Greig, McCaig, May, Noble, Samarai, Stewart, Stuart and Townson.

The Committee resolved:

to adopt the successful motion.