Agenda item

With reference to article 20 of the minute of the meeting of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee of 9 March 2016, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Education and Children’s Services which (1) provided an update on the observations and recommendations made by the Internal Audit report entitled “Recruitment and Selection” which was considered by the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee; and (2) sought approval to allow the continuation of the current arrangement which allowed the Education Service to employ teachers who held an approved PVG form, under risk assessed circumstances which ensured that they were not left alone with children until such time as their PVG check had been approved by Aberdeen City Council officers.

The report recommended –

that the Committee -

(a)       agree to the on-going arrangement which would allow teachers who hold a General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) registration or a clear PVG from the GTCS or their former employer to teach in Aberdeen schools, subject to the following:

1.         a risk assessment having been completed by the Head Teacher;

2.         another member of staff who had been approved through the PVG process was located in the class to ensure that the individual concerned was not left in a position of being the only adult in front of children; and

3.         that the Service and individual had completed and submitted the appropriate documentation to Disclosure Scotland for review prior to the individual taking up post with Aberdeen City Council;

(b)       agree that this arrangement would apply until teacher vacancy levels returned to manageable levels, following which the Service would fully comply with the Council’s Recruitment and Selection policy;

(c)        agree that the arrangement in place be reviewed on a six monthly basis by Human Resources and Education and Children’s Services; and

(d)       otherwise note the content of the report.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener moved:-

that the Committee approve the recommendations in the report, subject to the word “or” in the first paragraph of recommendation (a) being replaced with the word “and”.

Councillor Nicoll, seconded by Councillor Copland moved as an amendment:-

that the Committee –

(1)       instruct officers to implement Aberdeen City Council’s “Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme and Police Act Disclosure Protocol” document which detailed the obligations and guidance for compliance with existing legislation where a PVG Scheme check had been identified as a requirement for the post; and

(2)       instruct the Chief Executive to write to Disclosure Scotland with the request that due to the problems with the recruitment and retention of teaching staff, they “fast track” any applications for teaching staff applying for employment with Aberdeen City Council.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (15) – the Convener; the Vice Convener and Councillors Boulton, Cooney, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Grant, Greig, Ironside CBE, Laing, Jennifer Stewart and Young and Angela Bowyer, Anthony Rafferty and Irene Wischik; for the amendment (7) – Councillors Cameron, Copland, Flynn, Hutchison, Nicoll, Noble and Samarai.

The Committee resolved:

(i)         to adopt the motion; and

(ii)        to instruct the Director of Education and Children’s Services to write to all parents to advise of the arrangement and the actions taken to mitigate risk.