Report No. 1378
Central Area Services Committee
13th December, 2002
Agenda Item No. 2
02.C.A.S.69
THE FIFE COUNCIL - CENTRAL FIFE AREA SERVICES COMMITTEE - KIRKCALDY
8th November, 2002
10.00 a.m. – 12.05 p.m.
C
PRESENT:
Councillors M. Doig (Chair), W. Aitken, F. Ballantyne, W. Brand,
J. Cameron, I. Connelly, M. Coyne, A. Keddie, C. Latto, K. Morrison,
A. Paterson, A. Rodger, R. Taylor, A. Thomson and A. Watters.
ATTENDING:
Jim Findlay - Head of Local Services, Ruby Hughes - Senior Education
Manager, Patricia McCaw - Senior Manager (Social Work), Iain Whitelaw
- Service Manager (Arts, Libraries, Museums & Theatres), Joe Fitzpatrick
- Team Leader, Community Services, David Spalding - Libraries
Co-ordinator, Dallas Mechan - Museums Co-ordinator, Andy Neil - Arts
Policy Co-ordinator, Frank Chinn - Rothes Halls Manager, Sheila
Thomson - Adam Smith Theatre Manager, Alan Russell - Housing
Manager (Estate Management & Maintenance), Linda Bissett Committee Manager and Steve Thompson - Committee Administrator.
APOLOGIES
FOR ABSENCE:
Councillors I. Beveridge, H. Blyth, D. Cunningham, G. Leslie, C. May,
A. Patey and A. J. Smith.
154. ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORTS, 2001/2002 - CHILDREN'S AND ADULT
SERVICES (Previous Minute Reference: Paragraph 149 of 02.C.A.S.67)
(a)
Reporting Framework
The Committee considered joint report dated 7th October, 2002 by the Heads of
Law and Administration and Local Services (Report No. 1325) summarising the
framework against which the annual performance reports relating to Children's
and Adult Services were being submitted to Committee.
Decision
The Committee noted the terms of the report.
(b)
Annual Performance Reports
The Committee considered the undernoted annual performance reports for
2001/2002 in respect of Children's and Adult Services, along with reports by the
Service Manager (Arts, Libraries, Museums & Theatres) (Reports Nos. 1330,
1331 and 1332) highlighting performance and activities during 2001/2002 in the
Central Area in regard to library and museum services, and arts development and
theatres -
(i)
Community Services - Report dated October, 2002 by the Head of Community
Services (Report No. 1326).
(ii)
Education Service - Report dated 7th October, 2002 by the Head of Education
(Report No. 1327).
(iii)/
02.C.A.S.70
(iii)
Social Work Service - Report dated 4th October, 2002 by the Head of Social Work
(Report No. 1328).
(iv)
Housing Service - Report dated October, 2002 by the Head of Housing (Report
No. 1329).

Community Services
Contributions were made by a number of members in regard to various aspects of the
report and the Libraries Co-ordinator confirmed that arrangements were in hand for
next year's Family History Fair. The Service Manager (Arts, Libraries, Museums &
Theatres) agreed to take on board comments made on the need for properly qualified
parks supervisors, speedy responses to requests for grass cutting services and the
provision of detailed information on staff absenteeism levels in future reports. The
Museums Co-ordinator, in response to a question by Councillor Watters, advised that
a bid had been submitted for lottery funding for resources to reduce the backlog in the
documentation of collections. The Adam Smith Theatre Manager agreed to provide
Councillor Keddie with a financial breakdown of productions and shows at the Theatre
during 2001/2002.

Education Service
The Senior Education Manager responded to various questions and comments by
members and confirmed that the roll out of the New Community Schools initiative
targeting Fife's regeneration areas was now underway. She advised that an action
plan would be developed to support pupils' transition from primary to secondary
schools. The need to extend the devolved school management scheme as speedily
as possible was highlighted by members.
(Councillor Aitken left the meeting following consideration of this item.)

Social Work
The Senior Manager (Social Work) dealt with a number of issues raised by members
and confirmed that the need to increase the numbers of qualified staff working in
residential accommodation was a priority of the Service. She agreed to provide
Councillor Coyne with details of the number of non-qualified staff currently undergoing
training to gain appropriate professional qualifications.
(Councillors Rodger and Watters left the meeting during consideration of this item. It
was noted that the meeting was without a quorum at this stage and the Committee's
recommendations would require to be approved by Council.)

Housing
The Housing Manager (Estate Management & Maintenance) responded to questions
and comments by members and indicated that a report on the proposed
Neighbourhood Warden Scheme was likely to be submitted to the next meeting of the
Community Safety Implementation Group. He agreed to provide Councillor Cameron
with full details of the total amount expended by the Council under the Fife Housing
Regeneration Initiative and undertook to report to a future meeting on feedback
received on the new housing allocations policy. In reply to a question by Councillor
Taylor/
02.C.A.S.71
Taylor, the Housing Manager (Estate Management & Maintenance) confirmed that the
Council was on target to achieve energy efficiency ratings and agreed to provide
information to a future meeting on the level of vandalism to door entry systems at flats.
He agreed to ensure that comparative figures for the East and West Areas were
included in future quarterly monitor reports presented to Committee.
(Councillors Cameron, Connelly, Latto and Thomson left the meeting during
consideration of this item.)
Decision
The Committee agreed that the undernoted comments and suggestions on the annual
performance reports be conveyed to the appropriate strategic committees (i)
comparisons with previous years' performance should be included in future
reports to identify continuous improvement;
(ii)
future reports should show targets and performance in all three Areas, along
with details of performance levels of other Scottish local authorities, to enable
members to give detailed scrutiny of performance;
(iii)
more information should be provided on the level and nature of complaints
received and the number satisfactorily resolved; and
(iv)
every effort should be made to ensure that reports were as succinct as possible.
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