Council agrees to transfer Music Tuition Services to High Life Highland

As part of The Highland Council’s Redesign Programme, Members of the Council’s People Committee today considered a report on the “Review of Music Tuition Services”. They have agreed that High Life Highland will deliver Music Tuition services from April 2018. 

Music Tuition Services is non-statutory and is in addition to curricular music. The instructors employed are additional to curricular music teachers and pupils are released from normal classes to attend tuition.

The report covers a comprehensive and inclusive peer review of Music Tuition services which has been undertaken and overseen by the Council’s Redesign Board. Significant opportunities have been identified to help grow and develop the service with options for redesigned service delivery appraised to deliver efficiencies and savings.  

The Redesign Board recommended to the People Committee that for Music Tuition Services to be affordable, sustainable and with scope to grow, reaching other people and places, they should transfer from The Highland Council to High Life Highland from April 2018.  

Music Tuition Services is non-statutory and is in addition to curricular music and comprises:

• Instrumental Music Tuition – delivered weekly by visiting music instructors in schools, either through one-to-one or group tuition.
• School and Area Music Groups – extra-curricular groups run by Music Instructors on a voluntary basis.
• Highland Young Musicians – financed by participant membership fees, supporting Saturday/weekend local and regional groups.
• Youth Music Initiative - funded by Creative Scotland with four projects, all aimed at primary-school level.

Chair of the People Committee, Cllr Andrew Baxter, said “I welcome the decision taken today to transfer the running of Music Tuition Services to High Life Highland.  High Life has been a core partner for the Council in recent years and has a strong track record in delivering services and growing their business.  They are clearly well placed to take forward the Music Tuition Service.” 

Chair of the Redesign Board, and Highland Council Convener, Cllr Bill Lobban said “This is a really good example of how the Council’s Redesign process is making a difference and changing what we do as an organisation.  The peer review process highlighted that there was a need for change in how this service was delivered and has identified High Life Highland as the most effective service delivery option to take this service forward.”  

Ian Murray Chief Executive of High Life Highland welcomed the decision, he said: “The High Life Highland team very much look forward to the exciting opportunity of delivering Music Tuition on behalf of Highland Council. Music tuition will complement the other cultural and leisure services already entrusted to HLH, adding another group of committed staff to the charity, bringing with them a wealth of experience.  Their expertise will be used to help identify ways to maintain and increase the number of people able to access music tuition in the future.”

The Music Tuition Services report can be found in the People Committee agenda on the council’s website at this link.