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ITEM NOSI + 6DI N BVRG H+ THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL Committee Minutes The City of Edinburgh Council Year 200412005 Meeting 4 - Thursday 16 September 2004 Edinburgh, 16 September 2004 - At a meeting of The City of Edinburgh Council Present:- Lord Provost The Right Honourable Lesley Hinds Councillors Elaine Aitken Jim Lowrie Rev Ewan Aitken Gordon Mackenzie Robert C Aldridge Kate MacKenzie Donald Anderson Fred Mackintosh Phil Attridge Marilyne A MacLaren Ian J Berry Elizabeth Maginn is Andrew Burns Lawrence Marshall Robert Cairns Mark Mclnnes Stephen Cardownie Eric Milligan Maureen M Child Gordon J Munro Bill Cunningham Ian Murray Trevor Davies Jack O’Donnell Jennifer A Dawe Liz O’Malley Michael P Dixon Alastair Paisley Paul G Edie Ian Perry Edward B Fallon Thomas V Ponton James Gilchrist Frank K Russell Sheila Gilmore Andrew A Scobbie George Grubb Lorna Shiels The Hon David Guest Kingsley E F Thomas Kenneth Harrold Marjorie Thomas Ricky Henderson Susan B Tritton George A Hunter David J Walker Allan G Jackson Phil Wheeler Shami Khan lain Whyte Douglas J Kerr Chris Wigglesworth Allan Laing Donald Wilson John Longstaff 2 The City of Edinburgh Council 16 September 2004 1 Licensing of Taxis - Proposed Amendment to Conditions of Fitness for Taxis (a) Deputations Requests for deputations on the proposal to amend the Conditions of Fitness for Taxis in Edinburgh had been received from: i) CABforce ii) Edinburgh Hackney Cab Trade Credit Union iii) Central Radio Taxis iv) Scottish Taxi Federation VI London Taxis International vi) Allied Vehicles Limited vii) Eric Barry (TGWU) viii) Bill Carr, Carrs & Coaches Following advice from the Council Secretary that the requests had been withdrawn, with the exception of those from London Taxis International and Allied Vehicles Limited, the Council agreed not to hear them. (Reference - e-mails (8) dated 10, 13, 14 and 15 September 2004, submitted .) (b) Report by the Director of Corporate Services The Council had continued consideration of the proposal by the Regulatory Committee to amend the taxi licensing conditions to remove the turning circle requirement in Condition 181 of the Council’s Licensing Conditions of Fitness for Taxis to this meeting for a review of the totality of current licensing conditions for taxis, based on the needs of taxi provision in the city and not on the needs of any particular make or model of vehicle. The results of the review were detailed. London Taxis International and Allied Vehicles Limited had submitted comments on the proposals. Decision To continue consideration of the matter to the next meeting of the Council on 14 October 2004. (References - Act of Council No 3(c) of 24 June 2004; report no CEC/65/04-05/CS by the Director of Corporate Services; letters from London Taxi International 13 September 2004 and Allied Vehicles Limited 16 September 2004, submitted.) 3 The City of Edinburgh Council I6September 2004 2 Brunstane/Lismore Primary Schools Amalgamation - Outcome of the Consultation Process (a) Deputations The Council agreed to hear deputations from the Lismore Parent Action Group and the Lismore Primary School Board on proposals for the amalgamation of Brunstane and Lismore Primary Schools on the Brunstane site. Dr Gavin Strang, the local MP, raised three issues: Lismore was a very good school which was achieving good results in an area of social deprivation and had the full support of the wider Bingham community. The Director of Education had also commended the school for its excellent achievements. The school was not unique in the city in having a small roll and hence smaller classes. The safety of pupils from Bingham using the pedestrian route to Brunstane Primary School. Gail Ross asked members to “stand up and be counted” on this issue and consider the safety of children who would have to use the walkway along the Niddrie Burn to reach Brunstane. She believed that the closure of Lismore would be a big mistake as it would rip the heart out of the Bing ham community . Phyllis Herriott said that Bingham was a deprived area which was in need of help and support. The Council should be proud of the area and the turnaround achieved by the school which had no truancy or excluded pupils. She referred to the police report which had highlighted the appalling safety record of the pedestrian route to Brunstane Primary. She emphasised that consultation entailed listening to people and urged members to vote with their conscience and maintain the status quo. Ross Barron, an ex-pupil at Lismore Primary School, read a letter from his younger sister in support of the retention of the school. Following questions from members the Lord Provost thanked the deputation for its presentation and invited it to remain for the debate on the matter. 4 The City of Edinburgh Council 16 September 2004 (b) Report by the Executive The Executive had referred to the Council recommendations on proposals for the amalgamation of Brunstane and Lismore Primary Schools on the Brunstane site. Motion 1) To acknowledge the very important role that Lismore School played in providing a focus for the life of the Bingham community and that this had been very effectively highlighted in the consultation process by the local community. 2) To acknowledge that the proposed amalgamation of Lismore and Brunstane Primary Schools, as recommended in the report (no E/144/04-05/ED) by the Director of Education/Director of Children and Families (Designate), would mean a painful and difficult process of change for those involved in both communities. 3) To amalgamate Brunstane and Lismore Primary Schools onto the Brunstane site from August 2005 in the best educational interests of the children of both Bingham and Magdalene communities. 4) To acknowledge the huge achievements made by both schools in attainment and other areas of school life but to recognise the consistency of the view that the optimum size for a primary school was a two stream school, i.e. - 14 classes, because of the benefits and opportunities a concentration of resources in a school of that size would bring. 5) To progress towards a two stream school in the way proposed would allow the release of resources to provide a school significantly refurbished and extended to meet the standards of a 21st century education service. It would also provide more resources targeted in one place (rather than two), meaning greater flexibility for the head teacher to provide more opportunities for the children affected by this change. These would include: Two classes per year stage with more opportunities for staff to work together and support each other at each year stage bringing new and varied ways of teaching and learning. A larger devolved budget giving the head teacher a wider range of options in choosing priorities. More resources to purchase a wider range of one off pieces of equipment for use by the whole school. 5 The City of Edinburgh Council 16 September 2004 The opportunity to choose for example to have more classroom computers as well as a computer suite, to have a wider range of library books, more playground equipment, sports equipment etc. The opportunities to choose to have more specialists covering a wider range of activities. More staff without a teaching commitment to deal with management and support for class teachers, for example in discipline and behaviour issues. More non-teaching time for effective planning. A wider range of experience for staff to share, bringing greater flexibility in learning and teaching approaches to develop amongst staff. A wider range of skills amongst staff both teaching and support, to bring non-academic and extra curricular activity. In this case, average class sizes of 23 pupils compared to the Council commitment of 30 (PI-3) and 33 (P4-P7) and 25 in positive action areas. A roll and catchment that will provide a sustainable future at this level of resourcing . To undertake improvement works at the Brunstane building, subject to a further report being submitted following discussion with the new school comm un ity . To declare the Lismore site surplus to requirements and ringfence the capital receipt from its sale for improvements to the education estate. To provide enhanced staffing for one year at the new school to assist the amalgamation process. To introduce a new catchment area for the amalgamated school, based on the present Brunstane and Lismore catchment areas, from August 2005. In recognising the commitment to reinvesting all the money generated by this process into the education estate, including the additional investment required for Bingham Community Centre, to instruct that a further report be presented outlining the developments at Bingham Community Centre which were required to deliver the community benefits currently provided by the school. 6 The City of Edinburgh Council 16 September 2004 To acknowledge that there had been real concerns expressed regarding the new routes chosen for the catchment to allow Lismore pupils to go to the Brunstane site. To put in place the road improvements identified in the Director’s report prior to the amalgamation. The main concerns had been about distance and safety: The furthermost distance any child would have to walk is 1.I miles. There were around 20 primary schools where children travelled further distances and so whilst this was a change for some it was a manageable distance, especially with the kinds of support outlined in the Director’s report. In terms of safety, whilst there was no doubt that Duddingston Park South was busy, other roads that were significantly busier already formed routes to school across the city. Well managed, even busy roads can be part of a safe route to school. Thanks to the work of the Safer Routes to school team along with the Transport and Education Departments and Lothian and Borders Police, last year there were no child pedestrian fatalities on Edinburgh roads and significantly fewer accidents.