REPRESENTING RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL MANAGEMENT
Provost L Cameron; Councillor J Paterson; T McGillivray, Head of Service (Inclusion and Quality Improvement (Joint Secretary); J Calder, Head of Service (Curriculum and School Estate); K Henry, Head Teacher, St Andrews Academy; A Hall, Education Manager (Development) and M Thomas, Education Manager (Development).

 

REPRESENTING RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL TEACHING STAFF
K Fella (Joint Secretary), M Russell, Y Murray, D Tollan, T Millar (all EIS); J Liston (SSTA); L Gibson (NASUWT) and S McCrossan (Adviser to EIS).

 

 

H Paterson, Head Teacher, Heriot Primary School; C Carson and JP Tonner (both EIS).

 

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

 

In accordance with the terms of the local recognition and procedure agreement, which stated that the Chair of the Committee should alternate between the two sides comprising the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff, it was agreed that Councillor Jim Paterson would chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff.

 

DECIDED:  That Councillor Jim Paterson chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff.

 

There was submitted the Minute of the previous meeting held on 8 February 2022.

 

DECIDED: That the minute be approved subject to the points noted at Item 3, Matters Arising.

 

The following points were raised in connection with the Minute of the previous meeting held on 8 February 2022:

 

DECIDED:

 

(a) That the spelling of the names of Mr D Tollan and Mr JP Tonner be corrected;

 

(b) Item 5, CO2 Monitoring, that it was highlighted that the meeting referred to in the previous minute had not yet taken place.  Assurances were provided that a meeting would be convened in connection with this matter prior to the school Spring Break;

 

(c) Item 6, Health & Wellbeing, that decision (b) be deleted and replaced with discussions were to take place between the Management and Teachers’ side around school improvement plans.  It was noted that the Corporate Health Improvement Group Meetings would be made to include SSTA in future discussions; and

 

(d) Item 8, Lead Teacher, that decision (b) be deleted and replaced with that working groups be established to progress the areas of (i) sabbaticals; and (ii) lead teachers. 

 

There was submitted a joint report by the Head of Education and Head of Facilities Management (Hard & Soft Services) relative to the Scottish Government requirement to assess CO2 levels in all teaching and learning spaces within schools, children’s houses, private nurseries and ‘out of school’ clubs and provided an update on action taken to comply.

 

The report provided details of funding, monitoring requirements, analysis of the readings recorded and proposed future action, together with recommendations agreed by the Council’s Corporate Management Team.

 

E Scott, Operations Manager (Building Services) delivered a presentation relative to the CO2 Monitoring which covered the associated funding, guidance issued by the Scottish Government and arrangements made by Renfrewshire Council to ensure compliance with the monitoring requirements. An update was provided as to the current position in terms of the recommendations agreed by the Council’s Corporate Management Team.

 

DECIDED:

 

(a) That the report be noted;

 

(b) That it be noted the CO2 Monitoring Programme of work would continue and that further discussions on aspects of the programme would be undertaken with particular reference to how teachers would be able to monitor the quality of air in their teaching space on a daily basis;

 

(c) That a meeting would be convened prior to schools stopping for Spring Break; and

 

(d) That it be noted that discussions would be undertaken with Amey regarding the delivery of a permanent CO2 monitoring solution across PPP schools.

 

SEDERUNT

D Gilles and E Scott left the meeting.

 

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teacher’s side) regarding the EIS Manifesto 2022 which had been published ahead of the Scottish Local Government elections to be held during  May 2022.

 

The report stated that the EIS had no party political links but recognised the importance of education to pupils, parents and local communities.  The manifesto outlined EIS policy in key areas including Early Years education, teacher recruitment, additional support needs, teacher workload and the impact of poverty and tackling inequality.

 

DECIDED: That the report be noted.

 

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teacher’s side) regarding the proposals contained in the Council’s recent budget which was agreed on 3 March 2022.

 

The report highlighted that the Teachers’ side welcomed the commitments to increase teacher numbers in line with Scottish Government national commitments and expressed concern and sought further discussion in relation to how this commitment would be realised.  It was stated there remained areas of concern which required further discussion in relation to the loss of £1,026,000 of funding to Early Learning and Childcare and the loss of £41,000 to 1+2 languages.

 

It was agreed that a meeting be held to discuss how these reductions in funding would impact pupils and teachers.

 

DECIDED: 

 

(a) That a meeting be held to discuss how the abovementioned reductions in funding would impact pupils and teachers and how the increase in teacher numbers and support staff would be achieved.

 

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teacher’s side).

 

The report stated that the Covid Education Recovery Group (CERG) had been disbanded and that officials would meet monthly to look at data, that there would be no further national guidance on mitigations and it would be for local authorities to determine mitigations.

 

The Teachers Side expressed concerns around the recent record levels of Covid transmission in Scotland and sought reassurance regarding the continuing use of risk assessments to offer protection to teachers particularly those in the most vulnerable category.

 

DECIDED:

 

(a) That the report be noted; and

 

(b) That fortnightly meetings be resumed to discuss COVID mitigations in place to protect staff and pupils and to minimise disruption to educational provision. 

 

SEDERUNT

 

M Russell left the meeting.

 

DECIDED:  That arrangements be made to convene the next meeting of JNC Teachers during week commencing 25 April 2022 at a date and time to be agreed.