Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 12 November 2024
Back to Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff — 12 November 2024 and its agenda
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Minute of Meeting Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff Date Time Venue Tuesday, 12 November 2024 14:00 Corporate Meeting Room 2, Renfrewshire House, Present Representing Renfrewshire Council Management Councillor Rodden; E Henry, Head of Education (Attainment, Inclusion and Wellbeing); G McLaughlin, Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement) , A Hall, Education Manager (Development), D Rigmand, Head Teacher, Y Ward and S Bell (both Education Managers) (all Education & Children’s Services); and K Clark, Strategic Lead Partner (People); and Steven Fanning, Strategic Lead Partner (Health & Safety) (both Finance and Resources). Representing Renfrewshire Council Teaching Staff K Fella, (Joint Secretary), M Russell, Y Murray, J P Tonner, C Niven and D Baxter (all EIS); R Kane (SSTA); and A Dollan (NASUWT). In Attendance J Barron, Committee Services Officer (Finance & Resources).
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Chairperson 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 J P Tonner would chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff. DECIDED: That J P Toner chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff. Apologies Councillor Paterson; K Henry; D Tollan (EIS) and L Gibson (NASUWT). Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements There were no declarations of interest or transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. Order of Business The Chair proposed that in order to facilitate the business of the meeting the following item, which the Chair had accepted as a late report - Appointments of JNC be considered before Item 2 Minute of Previous Meeting. 1 Appointments to JNC There was a verbal report by the Head of Education (Attainment, Inclusion and Wellbeing) which advised that Gerard McLaughlin, Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement) would replace Emma Henry, Head of Education (Attainment, Inclusion and Wellbeing) as Joint Secretary of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff, and that Emma Henry would take up the position of Vice- Secretary. It was also advised that David Rigmand would replace Jane Houston, representing Head Teachers. It was noted that Susan Bell and Yvonne Ward were both appointed to the JNC as representatives on the management side. DECIDED: (a)That the new appointments be agreed; and (b)That the verbal report be noted.
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2 Minute of Previous Meeting Under reference to Item 6 – Absence Management/Supporting Attendance (Teachers) Policy, of the Minute of the previous meeting held on 3 September 2024, the Teachers’ Side requested that the minute be changed to record “relative to the updating” rather than “relative to the updated” and this be recorded in the minute. The Clerk confirmed that this would be amended. DECIDED: That the Minute be approved subject to the above amendment. 2 Matters Arising Under reference to Item 3 of the Minute of the previous meeting held on 3 September 2024 - Matters Arising, in relation to the Council’s policy on mobile phone use in Schools, the Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement) advised that a report would be submitted to the next meeting of the JNC scheduled to be held on 11 February 2025. Under reference to Item 3 of the Minute of the previous meeting held on 3 September 2024 - Matters Arising, in relation to Seesaw and implications of digital platforms, the Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement) advised that a report would be submitted to the next meeting of the JNC scheduled to be held on 11 February 2025. Under reference to Item 9 of the Minute of the previous meeting held on 3 September 2024 - Printing Procedures and Printing Facilities, the Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement) advised that a report would be submitted to the next meeting of the JNC scheduled to be held on 11 February 2025. Y Ward, Education Manager, advised that a meeting with ICT and SVQ Co-ordinators would be held on 21 November 2024 to attempt to solve issues which might affect students during exams in relation to pin numbers on printers. DECIDED: (a) That updates on progress of the policy on mobile phones be submitted to the next meeting of the JNC scheduled to be held on 11 February 2025; (b) That updates of progress with regard to Seesaw and implications of digital platforms be submitted to the next meeting of the JNC scheduled to be held on 11 February 2025; and (c)That updates of progress with regard to Printing Procedures and Printing Facilities be submitted to the next meeting of the JNC scheduled to be held on 11 February 2025. 4 Action Log The action log for the JNC was submitted. DECIDED: That the action log be noted.
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5 Joint Inspection of Services for Children at Risk of Harm in Renfrewshire There was submitted a report by The Head of Education (Attainment, Inclusion and Wellbeing) relative to the Joint Inspection of Services for Children at Risk of Harm in Renfrewshire. DECIDED: That the report be noted. 6 Education Standards & Quality Report September 2024 & Education Improvement Plan 2024/25 There was submitted a report by the Head of Education (Attainment, Inclusion and Wellbeing) relative to the Education Standards and Quality Report September 2024 and Education Improvement Plan 2024/25. The Joint Secretary (Teacher’s side) requested that the Unions be involved as part of the working group working towards finalisation of the improvement plan for 2024/25. The Head of Education (Attainment, Inclusion and Wellbeing) advised that the policy would be shared with the Unions for their comments when the document had been progressed further. DECIDED: (a) That the Improvement Plan be shared with the Union for comment when the document had been progressed further; and (b) That the report be noted. 7 Budget Underspends in Primary and Children & Families and Early Learning & Childcare Service There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretaries relative to budget underspends in Primary Schools and Early Learning Services. DECIDED: (a) That efforts would be made to recruit any current shortfall in school and Early Learning and Childcare staff. (b) That further reports be submitted to the JNC regarding underspends; and (c) That the report be noted.
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8 Managing and Reporting Violence and Aggression Launch There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) relative to the Managing and Reporting Violence and Aggression Policy Launch. The Head of Education (Attainment, Inclusion and Wellbeing) advised that a training module on managing and reporting violence was being prepared and should be ready by Christmas 2024. Support staff would be trained in February 2025 on the policy, that there may not be capacity for this Policy and to be included in the programme for the in-service day in February 2025, as other training may already be arranged and paid for on those days, it was intended that the policy be included as part of the programme for the in-service days in August 2025. The Joint Secretary (Teacher’s side) advised he was disappointed by this outcome and hoped that the launch and training on this policy would have been sooner. DECIDED: (a) That it be noted that the Violence and Aggression Policy be part of the programme for the in-service day in August 2025. (b) That the report be noted. 9 Addition to SNCT Handbook- Family Leave There was submitted a report by Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) in relation to an addition to the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) Handbook regarding family leave. The report advised that the SNCT agreed changes in June 2024 to the Family Leave section of the SNCT Handbook. The changes reflected the new Paternity Leave (Amendment) Regulations 2024, which came into effect on 6 April 2024. DECIDED: (a) That it be agreed that the Joint Secretary (Teacher’s Side) would consult with the Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement) regarding the updating of the policy on Family Leave; (b) That the report be noted. 10 Maximum Class Sizes There was submitted a report by Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) regarding maximum class sizes. It was advised that there have been a few occasions in some establishments of classes exceeding the legal maximum outside of the ‘Excepted Pupils’ criteria of SNCT at Part 2 - Appendix 2.9. It was agreed that classes continue to stay within the limits as set in the SNCT Appendix 2.9.
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DECIDED: (a) That class sizes continue to stay within the limits as set in SNCT at Part 2 - Appendix 2.9’ and (b) That the report be noted. 11 Addition to SNCT Handbook- Principal Teachers and Management Time There was submitted a report by Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) regarding changes to the SNCT terms and conditions as outlined in the report. DECIDED: (a) That it be agreed that the Joint Secretary (Teacher’s Side) would consult with the Head of Education (Strategy and Improvement) regarding the updating of the policy on Principal Teachers and Management Time; and (b) That the report be noted. 12 Occupational Health Reports There was submitted a report by Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) regarding occupational health reports not being provided to teachers who had used the service, as the reports were sent directly to their Head Teacher and in some instances there was a failure by the Head Teacher to pass on the occupational health report when they had been requested to do so by the relevant teacher. The Strategic Lead Partner (Health & Safety) advised that People Asset Management (PAM), the external agent acting for the Local Authority in matters of Occupational Health, had a system which generated a report which was sent directly to the Head Teacher, rather than to the Teacher themselves. DECIDED: (a) That it be noted that system used by PAM to produce occupational health reports sent reports directly to Head Teachers; (b) That headteachers were reminded to provide Occupational Health reports to staff as a matter of course; and (c) That the report by noted. 13 Date of Next Meeting It was noted that the date of the next meeting of the Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee was scheduled to be held at 2.00pm on 11 February 2025.
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