Committees

A meeting of the Adult and Children’s Services Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Wednesday 25 September 2013 at 10.05 am.

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the Internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully

Michelle Morris
Assistant Chief Executive

Business

1. Apologies for Absence
    Leisgeulan

2. Declarations of Interest
    Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.

3. Presentation: Curriculum for Excellence
    Taisbeanadh: Curraicealam airson Sàr-mhathais

The Head of Education will give a presentation on progress in developing and implementing Curriculum for Excellence.

Mr J Steven, Head of Education (designate) will present on the next steps in implementation.

4. Membership of Sub-Committees
    Ballrachd Fho-chomataidhean

The Committee is invited to agree the following:-

• Criminal Justice Sub-Committee – Mr M Green to replace Mrs F Robertson

5. Appointment of Representative to Highland Children’s Trust
    Cur Riochdaire an Dreuchd gu Urras Chloinne na Gàidhealtachd

Highland Children’s Trust provides financial assistance to needy children and young people up to the age of 25 who are resident in, or have some connection to, Highland.  The Trust’s Board is comprised of 5 Governors, one of whom is appointed by the Highland Council.

The Committee is invited to appoint 1 Member to the Highland Children’s Trust.

6.Revenue Budget 2013/14 – Monitoring
   Buidseat Teachd-a-steach 2013/14 – Sgrùdadh

i. Education, Culture and Sport
   Foghlam, Cultar agus Spòrs

There is circulated Report No ACS-84-13 (90kb pdf) dated 16 September 2013 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which sets out the Revenue Budget monitoring position for the four months to 31 July 2013 and the year-end outlook position.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  note the current year-end position and the management actions identified
    so far to partially offset the known budget pressures;
ii.  note the actions being progressed in relation to the Additional Support
    Needs budget;
iii. agree that options for funding a dedicated resource to deliver efficiencies in
    the deployment of school transport are progressed in conjunction with the
    Director of Transport, Environmental and Community Services;
iv. note the actions being progressed in relation to School Catering, in
    particular the analysis of the net cost of school meal provision on a school-
    by-school basis; and
v. note the progress being made with achievement of budget savings in the
    current financial year.

ii. Health and Social Care
    Slàinte agus Cùram Sòisealta

There is circulated Report No ACS-85-13 (234kb pdf) dated 16 September 2013 by the Director of Health and Social Care which sets out the revenue monitoring statement for the four months to 31 July 2013.

The Committee is invited to note the budget monitoring position.

7. Capital Expenditure 2013/14 – Monitoring
    Caiteachas Calpa 2013/14 -  Sgrùdadh

i. Education, Culture and Sport
   Foghlam, Cultar agus Spòrs

There is circulated Report No ACS-86-13 (121kb pdf) dated 17 September 2013 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which informs Members of progress on the 2013/14 Education Culture and Sport capital programme and seeks approval for new projects as well as amendments to the budgets for several projects.  The report also provides an update on the Sustainable School Estate Review and on ongoing measures to improve communication and performance. Finally, it advises on a proposal to provide additional accommodation at Spean Bridge Primary School.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.  note the status of the 2013/14 capital programme at the end of July 2013
    as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report;
ii.  note the status of the major capital projects as detailed in Appendix 2 of
    the report;
iii. agree the new projects and amendments to existing budget allocations as
    detailed in Section 3 of the report;
iv. note the status of the Sustainable School Estate Review as detailed in
    Section 4 of the report;
v. note the progress on measures to improve communication with Ward
    Members and on the post project review of the Ben Wyvis Primary School
    project as detailed in Section 5 of the report; and
vi. agree the proposed provision of additional accommodation at Spean Bridge
    Primary School.

ii. Health and Social Care
    Slàinte agus Cùram Sòisealta

There is circulated Report No ACS-87-13 (52kb pdf) dated 16 September 2013 by the Director of Health and Social Care which updates Members on progress to date with the Health and Social Care Capital programme and provides a monitoring report on expenditure as at 31 July 2013 and an update on work being undertaken on fire safety and other health and safety capital works.

The Committee is invited to approve the report and budgetary position.

8. Performance Report – Children’s Services
    Aithisg air Dèanadas – Seirbheisean Chloinne

There is circulated Report No ACS-88-13 (110kb pdf) dated 16 September 2013 by the Director of Health and Social Care which provides an update on the performance framework for Children’s Services.

The Committee is invited to consider and comment on the performance information.

9. Support for Breastfeeding
    Taic airson Biadhadh-broillich

There is circulated Report No ACS-89-13 (87kb pdf) dated 16 September 2013 by the Director of Health and Social Care which outlines the current breastfeeding rates in Highland and describes the work underway to increase breastfeeding awareness, promotion and rates over the next few years.

The Committee is invited to note the actions in place to improve data collection and the work underway to support increased rates of breastfeeding.

10. “Being A Part, Not Apart” - Highland Children’s Forum Inclusion
      Report
      “Being A Part, Not Apart” - Aithisg In-ghabhaltais Fòram Chloinne
      na Gàidhealtachd

There is circulated joint Report No ACS-90-13 (25kb pdf) dated 17 September 2013 by the Directors of Education, Culture and Sport and Health and Social Care which introduces a presentation by Highland Children’s Forum on their inclusion report, “Being A Part, Not Apart”, which is circulated separately as Booklet A (1563kb pdf).

The Committee is invited to consider and comment on the issues raised in the report.

11. Education, Culture and Sport Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy
      Poileasaidh Slàinte, Sàbhailteachd agus Sunnd aig Foghlam, Cultar
      agus Spòrs

There is circulated Report No ACS-91-13 (134kb pdf) dated 2 September 2013 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which seeks approval of the Education Culture & Sport health, safety and wellbeing policy document.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. approve the Education, Culture and Sport policy on health, safety and
   wellbeing; and
ii. note that the contents of the related manual, which underpins the policy
   document, will be completed as soon as is practical.

12. Amendments to Adult Services Performance Framework
      Atharrachaidhean do Fhrèam Dèanadais Sheirbheisean Inbheach

There is circulated Report No ACS-92-13 (47kb pdf) dated 16 September 2013 by the Director of Health and Social Care which includes proposed amendments to the Performance Framework for Adult Services from 2013/14.

The Committee is invited to agree to recommend to the Council the amendments to the Performance Framework for Adult Services from 2013/14 as set out in the report.

13. School Meals Stakeholder Group Progress Report
      Aithisg Adhartais Buidheann Chom-pàirtichean Bìdh Sgoiltean

There is circulated Report No ACS-93-13 (43kb pdf) dated 16 September 2013 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport which explains that the Adult and Children’s Services Committee agreed, in November 2012, that a stakeholders group be formed to examine how school meal uptake could be improved.  Progress was reported to the Committee in January 2013 and this report provides Members with the second update on the progress of the group.

The Committee is invited to:-

i. note the progress of the School Meals Stakeholder Group; and
ii. agree that a report on the progress of the pilot sites be submitted to a
   future meeting of the Committee.

14. Minutes
      Geàrr-chunntas

The following Minutes are circulated for noting or approval as appropriate:-

i. Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership Strategy Group of 8 May 2013 (37kb
   pdf);
ii. Culture and Leisure Contracts Scrutiny Sub-Committee of 27 August 2013
(17kb pdf);
iii. Criminal Justice Sub-Committee of 27 August 2013 (16kb pdf);
iv. Adult Services Development and Scrutiny Sub-Committee of 30 August
    2013 (52kb pdf);
v. Duncraig Trust Scheme Sub-Committee of 3 September 2013 (14kb pdf);
    and
vi. Education Transport Entitlement Review Sub-Committee of 3 September
    2013 (15kb pdf).

15. Exclusion of Public
      Às-dùnadh a’Phobaill

The Committee is invited to resolve that, under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public should be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.

16. Membership of SEEMis Limited Liability Partnership
      Ballrachd Com-pàirteachas Buailteachd Cuibhrichte SEEMiS

There is circulated to Members only Report No ACS/94/13 dated 17 September 2013 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport.

The Committee is invited to agree the recommendations as set out in the report.