Councillor E Rodden; H Paterson, Head Teacher, Heriot Primary School; K Henry, Head Teacher, St Andrews Academy; M Thomas, Education Manager (Development); S McCrossan (EIS – Adviser to the Teachers’ side); and L Mullin, Principal HR and OD Adviser.

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

There was submitted the Minute of the previous meeting held on 7 February 2023.

The Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) asked that his concerns relative to the wording of item 7 in the Minute be noted.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Minute be approved; and

(b) That the concerns of the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) relative to the wording of item 7 in the Minute be noted.

Under reference to Item 6 of the Minute of the meeting of the Joint Negotiating Committee held on 7 February 2023, the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) expressed concern that the Violence and Aggression reporting functionality on Business World was not yet fully operational. The Principal HR & OD Adviser advised the Service was committed to resolving the Business World issues, that he had escalated this matter to his Head of Service and that he would provide details of any developments to the JNC.

The Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) stated that not all teaching staff had received direction or training to use Business World. The Principal HR & OD Adviser responded that an ILearn module was being developed and that he would check the mailing list which had been used for the communication email which had been issued to Teachers in December 2022. 

DECIDED: That the Business World Violence and Aggression reporting functionality continue to be developed and that the Principal HR & OD Adviser provide an update on any developments to the JNC.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers' Side) relative to Working Time Agreements (WTA) in respect of JNC3, contracted obligations to attend parents' meetings. The report intimated that the number of parents’ meetings in some schools exceeded teachers’ contractual maxima and that additional evenings had been incorporated into some school’s WTAs.

The Education Manager (Development) advised that requests that all WTAs be shared with the Joint Secretaries had been declined previously on the basis that most were signed off by school-based union representatives. Where this was not the case, school staff could defer to and involve their local secretary. She stated that the WTA annual sampling process, which had been halted during Covid-19, could be reinstated.

It was agreed that reminders be issued to all Head Teachers regarding the requirement to comply with the Renfrewshire Council JNC WTA template and that the need for collegiality be emphasized.

The Education Manager (Development) advised that the Management side would liaise with HR to review/amend the relevant section(s) of Particulars of Employment to reflect the change from 30 to 40 hours for Reporting Evenings, which had remained an anomaly since school session 2006/2007.

The Joint Negotiating Committee agreed that open evenings did not constitute parents meetings and that the time allocated should not be deducted from the time set aside for parents meetings. It was also agreed that a review of the current breakdown of hours would be undertaken to ensure more accurate reflection of current practices whilst continuing to protect and support staff wellbeing and management of workload.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that all school WTAs would not be made available to joint secretaries and that school teaching staff would involve their local secretary to address any WTA issues;

(b) That reminders be issued to all Head Teachers regarding the requirement to comply with the Renfrewshire Council JNC WTA template and that the need for collegiality be emphasized;

(c) That it be noted that the Management side would liaise with HR to review/amend the relevant section(s) of the Particulars of Employment to reflect the change from 30 to 40 hours for Reporting Evenings; 

(d) That it be noted that open evenings did not constitute parents meetings and that the time allocated should not be deducted from the time set aside for parents meetings; and

(e) That a review of the current breakdown of hours would be undertaken to ensure more accurate reflection of current practices whilst continuing to protect and support staff wellbeing and management of workload.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers' Side) relative to absence cover agreements and supply staff, particularly the lack of subject specialist supply staff to cover absences of colleagues in secondary schools, which resulted in additional workloads being experienced.

The report expressed concern at the lengthy recruitment process when filling vacancies. The Education Manager (Development) explained that there were various recruitment and risk mitigatory processes required and that delays were minimised wherever possible.

The Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) requested further discussion on the introduction of a booking system, rather than the current text messaging arrangement, as a means of more efficiently allocating supply staff to schools. The Education Manager (Development) advised that neighbouring Local Authorities had been contacted to establish which systems they utilised and that the Council would be testing a new system in the near future. An update on this would be provided to a future meeting of the JNC.

The Education Manager (Development) detailed the numbers of temporary and permanent supply staff and confirmed the Council wanted to maximise recruitment and accommodate as many early career teachers as possible. It was requested that specific supply staff issues be raised as they arose rather that this matter becoming a standing item at meetings.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the Local Authority update the JNC on the outcome of the booking system tested; and

(b) That specific issues relative to supply teachers be raised

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) relative to Teacher access to Local Authority laptops. The report advised that outdated IT equipment was being recalled and replaced. The Joint Secretary (Teachers’ side) welcomed this update and modernisation of resources but expressed concern that there could be a shortfall in the number of devices available.

The Head of Service (Curriculum and School Estate) confirmed the Council was committed to providing a laptop for every teacher.

DECIDED: That it be noted that a device would be provided to each permanent member of staff.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) relative to Teacher remits. The report suggested that some teachers’ remits had been amended without consultation and that some duties, which were previously within the remit of senior staff, were being cascaded to Principal Teachers, particularly those relating to absence management.







The report requested that no Principal Teacher be tasked with managing absence, that this task remained the remit of senior management and that there would be no changes to a teacher’s duties without appropriate consultation and agreement.

DECIDED:

(a) That it be noted that managing absence remained the remit of senior management; 

(b) That it be noted that there would be no changes to teachers’ duties without appropriate consultation and agreement; and 

(c) That it be agreed that any proposed revision of remits arising from organisational change be brought back to the JNC for agreement.

That it be noted that the next meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff was scheduled to be held on 25 April 2023.