Education and Lifelong Learning Committee

Tuesday 12 June 2007 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Provost McCormick, Councillors Blair, Brooks, Clocherty, Dorrian, Grieve, Loughran, McCabe, Osborne, Fyfe (for White) and Wilson, Rev D Hamilton, Rev C McGranaghan, Church Representatives, Mr R Henderson, Parent Representative and Mr T Tracey, Teacher Representative.

Chair:  Councillor McCabe presided.

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Corporate Director Education and Social Care, Head of Schools, Head of Estate Project, School Estate Manager, Head of Finance, Mr H McNeilly (for Head of Legal and Administration) and Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

Apologies:  Councillor White and Father M McMahon.

The following paragraph is submitted for information only, having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

405

King’s Oak, St Laurence’s and St Kenneth’s Primary Schools

405

There was submitted a report by the Corporate Director Education and Social Care presenting proposals in relation to King’s Oak, St Laurence’s and St Kenneth’s Primary Schools.

Following discussion, Councillor McCabe moved:

(1) that the Committee review its decisions of 20 January 2005 in relation to King’s Oak, St Laurence’s and St Kenneth’s Primary Schools;

(2) that agreement be given to the issue of the consultation document circulated to the Committee, expanded to include a definition of shared schools, proposing that (i) King’s Oak Primary School be associated with Greenock Academy from 1 December 2007 and (ii) St Laurence’s and St Kenneth’s Primary Schools be associated with Notre Dame High School from 1 December 2007;

(3) that the consultation document be issued to all affected parties on Friday 15 June 2007 and again on Thursday 16 August 2007 following the school holiday period;

(4) that it be agreed that a mandatory variant be introduced into the tender documentation relating to the PPP process adjusting the capacities of (i) the proposed new school at Dunlop Street from 1,200 pupils to 850 pupils and (ii) the proposed school at Bayhill from 950 pupils to 1,200 pupils subject to the outcome of the consultation exercise;

(5) that it be noted that the results of the consultation exercise will be reported to the Committee in late September 2007;

(6) that it be remitted to the Corporate Director Education and Social Care to submit a further paper to the Committee on the future of the School Estate in October 2007 following the consultation exercise;  and

(7) that it be noted that the cost to the Council in relation to the variant bid process is estimated to be up to £400,000 and that any request to add this amount to the School Estate Strategy Budget and fund it from the General Fund Reserve will be referred to the Policy and Resources Committee following the consultation process.

As an amendment, Councillor Blair moved that the Committee confirm that it has no plans for school building at Rankin Park and will present no barrier to implementation of the Council’s decision in April 2007 to develop the park for leisure purposes as part of the Council’s Sports Strategy.

Mr McNeilly ruled that the terms of Councillor Blair’s amendment were not relevant as they did not relate to the recommendations within the report nor to the purpose of the report.  He therefore ruled that the amendment was not competent.

Councillor Blair then moved as an amendment that in view of (1) the major financial implications of adding a secondary school to the programme, (2) the clearly expressed views of HMIe in their decision document of 7 September 2005 with regard to proposed mergers of secondary schools in Inverclyde and (3) the Council’s obligation to observe best value, the proposal to include the possibility of a sixth secondary school in any consultation process be not approved and that it be remitted to the relevant officers to amend the draft consultation document accordingly for submission to a future meeting of the Committee.

On a vote, 2 Members voted for the amendment and 11 for the motion which was declared carried.

Decided:

(1) that the Committee review its decisions of 20 January 2005 in relation to King’s Oak, St Laurence’s and St Kenneth’s Primary Schools;

(2) that agreement be given to the issue of the consultation document circulated to the Committee, expanded to include a definition of shared schools, proposing that (i) King’s Oak Primary School be associated with Greenock Academy from 1 December 2007 and (ii) St Laurence’s and St Kenneth’s Primary Schools be associated with Notre Dame High School from 1 December 2007;

(3) that the consultation document be issued to all affected parties on Friday 15 June 2007 and again on Thursday 16 August 2007 following the school holiday period;

(4) that it be agreed that a mandatory variant be introduced into the tender documentation relating to the PPP process adjusting the capacities of (i) the proposed new school at Dunlop Street from 1,200 pupils to 850 pupils and (ii) the proposed school at Bayhill from 950 pupils to 1,200 pupils subject to the outcome of the consultation exercise;

(5) that it be noted that the results of the consultation exercise will be reported to the Committee in late September 2007;

(6) that it be remitted to the Corporate Director Education and Social Care to submit a further paper to the Committee on the future of the School Estate in October 2007 following the consultation exercise; and

(7) that it be noted that the cost to the Council in relation to the variant bid process is estimated to be up to £400,000 and that any request to add this amount to the School Estate Strategy Budget and fund it from the General Fund Reserve will be referred to the Policy and Resources Committee following the consultation process.