Item no

Committee Minutes

Education, Children and Families Committee

Edinburgh, 25 January 2011

Present:- Councillors MacLaren (Convener), Beckett (Vice-Convener), Balfour,

Blacklock, Buchan, Cairns, Dawe, Day (substituting for Councillor Godzik), Edie,
Henderson, Johnstone, Keir, Lang, G Mackenzie, Milligan, Morris, Munn and Rose.

Present for the Education Items:- T Brack, M Bryce-Stafford, A C Duncan, Rev Dr

R Gould and R Simpson.

1 Minute

Decision

The minute of the meeting of the Education, Children and Families Committee
of 9 November 2010 was approved as a correct record.

2 Community Access to Schools – The Way Forward

2.1 Deputation – SwimEasy Limited

The Committee heard a deputation from Ailien Pallot and Lara Kirkpatrick
of SwimEasy Limited. SwimEasy Limited was a regular user of swimming
facilities, encouraging children to remain in sport and continue to club level
swimming. Details were provided of the successes of its pupils and the
income generated by its hire of Council owned pools which was in the
region of £65,000 per year confirming SwimEasy as a major stakeholder in
this review of charges. The Committee’s attention was drawn to appendix
one of the report and the difference in the proposed pool hire charges
compared to those for other facilities. SwimEasy offered a variety of
programmes at different venues, some were more streamlined with no
more than 16 swimmers in total and such sessions were quite often
recommended for children with special needs. There could be an impact
on these special programmes with them either being cancelled or moving
to pools not owned by the Council.
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

Standard charging was probably appropriate for some sports but

swimming was outwith that category as any charging structure should
reflect the different types and sizes of pools provided. Failure to recognise
these differences could result in a loss of income to the Council as
commercial users of the pools would probably choose to use non-Council
owned facilities in the future.

Although SwimEasy welcomed the online booking system, because of

continuity of lets it was necessary for them to confirm hires on an annual
basis. They were also concerned about the possibility of Edinburgh
Leisure operating the overall running of the system as this would be
putting one commercial organisation versus others.

In conclusion, while SwimEasy supported many of the aims of the report,

they opposed the blanket hire charges for swimming pools.

The Convener thanked the deputation for their presentation.

2.2 Report by the Director of Children and Families

The Committee was asked to approve proposals for improving community

access to the sporting facilities available in secondary schools in
Edinburgh including a new financial framework. This would increase
community access to schools and eliminate pricing differentials between
schools, making access fair and easier. For the first time, non-community
high schools would have a dedicated budget to open outwith schools
hours, and charges would be standardised across the secondary school
estate.

Motion

1) To approve the implementation of the new framework and

recommend that as part of the budget setting process, Council
authorises Head Teachers to apply the current average charges
shown in appendix 1, column 1 of the joint report, for groups using
secondary school sports facilities, with an implementation date of
1 April 2011.

2) That Head Teachers, provided they keep within the overall budget
devolved to them, should retain discretion, in consultation with the
Director of Children and Families, to vary charges where required.

In order to maximise community access, the Department would

assist those few clubs who were in genuine financial difficulties,
especially in the first year of the change.
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

3) To note the intention to use PROSCI change management and other

business processes and to report on the result of this by summer
2011.

4) To refer the report to the Culture and Leisure Committee for its
information.

5) To approve the following adjustments to the joint report as outlined

by the Director of Children and Families at the meeting:

Add “along with other business processes” after the word “approach”.

Amend the first two sentences to read – “As explained above, in

order to determine what Stage 2 should comprise, a small team of
Council and Edinburgh Leisure staff will examine the possible options
using PROSCI and other business processes. The PROSCI change
management programme takes place over one or three days and is
led by an external facilitator.

- moved by Councillor MacLaren, seconded by Councillor Beckett.

Amendment 1

Committee:

1) Notes the proposed new charging structure.

2) Agrees that as part of stage 1, four schools be identified to have their

out of school hours facilities managed by Edinburgh Leisure. These
pilot schools should be chosen on the basis that they represent a
range of facility quality and existing level of access and that they are
capable of being compared with schools that the Council continues to
manage. This pilot to start in August 2011 and run for one academic
year.

3) Agrees to further consideration of the charging structure within the

context of setting up this pilot.

- moved by Councillor Rose, seconded by Councillor Balfour.

Amendment 2

Committee notes the positive progress achieved by work so far towards

ensuring greater community access to school sports facilities.

Committee agrees to consult with sports clubs in the city who are current
users of such facilities and report back to Committee within two cycles
before a final decision on the charges framework.
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25 January 2011

- moved by Councillor Blacklock, seconded by Councillor Henderson.

Voting

For the motion - 14 votes

For amendment 1 - 3 votes
For amendment 2 - 6 votes

Decision

To approve the motion by Councillor MacLaren.

(Reference – joint report by the Directors of Corporate Services and

Children and Families 18 January 2011, submitted.)

Declaration of Interest

Councillor Cairns, as a Board member of Edinburgh Leisure, declared a

non-financial interest in the above item.

3 Community Access to Schools – Sports Club Use of Council

Owned Facilities

The Culture and Leisure Committee had considered a report on the findings of a
survey on the use of Council owned facilities by sports clubs and as part of its
decision, had referred the report to this Committee for its interest.

Decision

To note the report.

(Reference – report by the Head of Legal and Administrative Services

25 January 2011, submitted.)

4 Child Protection Performance Improvement

An update was given on progress on the multi-agency child protection

performance improvement plan.

Decision

1) To note the report and request further update reports on a twice-yearly

cycle.
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

2) The Director of Children and Families to provide a briefing note to

members on progress with the issues detailed in Section 6.2 and 6.3 of
the Child Protection Improvement Plan.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)

5 Audit Scotland – “Getting It Right for Children in Residential

Care”

Audit Scotland had published its national report on residential care in Scotland
in September 2010. Details were provided of the recommendations of the Audit
Scotland report, the recommendations already met by The City of Edinburgh
Council and an action plan with timescales to address the recommendations
that had not yet been met.

Decision

To approve the action plan outlined in Appendix 1 to the Director’s report.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)

6 Children and Families Update on the Implementation of the

Commissioning Strategy and Plan for Care and Support

Commissioning plans for the Children and Families Department were being
developed and the proposed engagement, consultation and communication
plan were detailed.

Decision

1) To approve the proposals for developing a Commissioning Plan for

Children and Families and the consultation and engagement programme
detailed in the report.

2) That a further progress report be provided in June 2011.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

7 Access to Employment Opportunities within the Council for

Looked After Children

The Committee was provided with details on how the Council was fulfilling its
corporate parenting responsibility to Looked After Children with regard to
employment and preparation for employment. An analysis of school leaver
destinations of Looked After Children was also provided.

Decision

1) To note the report and request a more detailed report on strategies to

increase the number of Looked After Children who left school in to positive
destinations from the Director of Children and Families and the Director of
City Development.

2) That the Director of Children and Families provide members with

comparative figures for 16+ year old children not looked after by the
Council.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)

8 Attainment Report

A summary was provided of the analysis of attainment in City of Edinburgh

schools for the year 2009-2010.

Decision

1) To note the levels of attainment presented in the Director’s report.

2) To note that attainment in examinations in authority schools, taking

account of the key measures where meaningful comparison could be
made, may be described overall as good.

3) To note that strategies deployed to raise attainment continued to show

success.

4) To agree to the actions proposed to raise attainment.

5) To receive further reports on attainment.

6) To note the adjustments to the report outlined at the meeting.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

9 Attendance Policy and Procedure

Approval was sought for an attendance policy and procedure to promote school
attendance and manage absence.

Decision

1) To approve the policy and that it be disseminated.

2) To receive a progress report in March 2011 on improving attendance in

Edinburgh schools.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)

10 Performance Report – Children and Families – October/

November 2010
Performance management information for the Children and Families
Department for the period October/November 2010 was presented.

Decision

To note the improved and maintained performance during the reporting period
and the areas noted for further improvement.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)

11 Review of Denominational (Roman Catholic) School Catchment

Areas that Cross the Local Authority Boundary Between West
Lothian Council and The City of Edinburgh Council

Committee approval was sought to commence a formal public consultation in

February 2011 on a rationalisation of school catchment areas that cross the
local authority boundary between West Lothian Council and The City of
Edinburgh Council.
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

Decision

1) That the Council, in partnership with West Lothian Council, undertakes a

formal consultation on the proposals as set out in the Director’s report.

2) That public consultation would commence on Wednesday 2 February

2011 and be concluded on Friday 25 March 2011.

3) To delegate authority to the Director of Children and Families to agree a

final version of the consultation documents with West Lothian Council.
Draft consultation documents were attached as Appendix C to the
Director’s report.

4) To note that a joint report on the outcome of the consultation would be

presented to The City of Edinburgh Council and to the West Lothian
Education Executive in June 2011.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)

12 Home to School Transport

The Director of Children and Families reported on a motion, by Councillor

Godzik, on safety concerns relating to home to school transport between the
Inch and Holyrood High School.

Decision

To note the report and discharge Councillor Godzik’s motion.

(References – minute of the Education, Children and Families Committee 12

October 2010 (item 2); report by the Director of Children and Families
25 January 2011, submitted.)

13 Children and Families Department – Revenue Budget

Monitoring 2010/11 – Month Eight Position to 30 November
2010

Details were given of the month eight revenue monitoring position for the
Children and Families Department.
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

Decision

To note:

1) the content of the joint report and the projected underspend of £0.6m for
the Children and Families Department revenue budget for 2010/11.

2) that the projected outturn position at month eight excluded a potential

£0.1m of residual financial risks which have been classified as medium
risks.

(Reference – joint report by the Director of Finance and the Director of Children
and Families 13 January 2011, submitted.)

14 Gracemount Youth and Community Centre

An update was provided on discussions and agreements with the Board of

Gracemount Youth and Community Centre (GYCC) aimed at maintaining a
Community Centre with associated activities within the Gracemount area.

Decision

To approve:

1) the renunciation of the current lease agreement as the basis for

maintaining the Gracemount Youth and Community Centre building as a
community resource;

2) the continued use of Gracemount Youth and Community Centre by current

community groups; and

3) the allocation of an additional £5,745 from within existing Children and

Families budgets to run the building and operate a programme of
activities.

(Reference – report by the Director of Children and Families 25 January 2011,

submitted.)

15 Social Work Complaints Review Committee

15.1 Report by the Social Work Complaints Review Committee

The Social Work Complaints Review Committee sought approval for its
recommendations in relation to a complaint against the Children and
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

Families Department. The complaint had been considered by a meeting

of the Complaints Review Committee on 24 November 2010.

Decision

To approve the action taken by the Complaints Review Committee at its

meeting of 24 November 2010.

(Reference – report by the Convener of the Social Work Complaints

Review Committee 25 January 2011, submitted.)

15.2 Report by the Chief Social Worker

The action taken in response to the conclusion of the Social Work

Complaints Review Committee held on 24 November 2010 was outlined.

Decision

To note the actions taken in relation to the decisions by the Complaints

Review Committee on 24 November 2010.

(Reference – report by the Chief Social Work Officer 25 January 2011,

submitted.)

16 Progress Report on the New Seaview Children’s Respite Centre

The Policy and Strategy Committee at its meeting of 18 January 2011 had
considered a progress report on the new Seaview Children’s Respite Centre
and had agreed, amongst other things, to refer the report to the Education,
Children and Families Committee for information.

Decision

To note the report.

(Reference – joint report by the Directors of City Development and Children and
Families 18 January 2011, submitted.)

17 Provision of Gaelic Medium Education (GME) at Secondary

Level – Establishment of Short Life Cross-Party Working Group

The Convener ruled the following item, notice of which had been given at the
start of the meeting, urgent in order that the proposed cross-party working
group could meet as soon as possible.
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Education, Children and Families Committee

25 January 2011

At its meeting of 16 December 2010, The City of Edinburgh Council had agreed
that statutory consultation be carried out on the proposal to relocate GME
provision for future S1 intakes from James Gillespie’s High School to
Tynecastle High School from August 2012 and that this consultation commence
in January 2011.

In response to comments made by a number of deputations, Council agreed

that, prior to the statutory consultation taking place, a short life cross-party
working group with representatives from relevant stakeholders including Bord
na Gaidhlig and Comann nam Parant be set up and report back within three
months.

Details were given of the proposed membership of the GME Working Group,
the officer support, working arrangements, remit, objective and approach.

Decision

1) To approve the membership and remit of the Gaelic Medium Education

Working Group.

2) To nominate Raymond Simpson as the non-Councillor representative to

join the Working Group.

(References – Act of Council No 4, 16 December 2010; report by the Director

of Children and Families 25 January 2011, submitted.)

Declaration of Interest

Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, as a parent of a child attending Gaelic Medium

Education, declared a non-financial interest in the above item.

W2/Child&Fam/ECFC250111/CE