Minutes
RATHO PRIMARY SCHOOL
PARENT COUNCIL
Minutes of meeting (AGM) on Thursday 24th April
2014 at 7pm
Present: Neil Langhorn
(“NL”), Mrs McGlynn (“CM”), Annette Wilson (“AW”), Chris
Cartwright (“CC”), Helen MacGregor (“HM”), Lisa McCarthy
(“LM”), Shona Johnson (“SJ”), Councillor Ricky Henderson
(“RH”), Mrs Humphries, Andrea Ramsey, Jackie Wake & Christine
Paterson (“CP”).
Apologies:
Councillor Bill Henderson & Dominic Heslop, Ruth Gillan, Melanie
McAllan.
1. Chairperson’s report (NL)
NL produced a written
report.
Highlights he picked out
from the past year were:
Book Week,
especially the help from AW and SJ to make such a success of that.
Bike shelter: the
funding efforts for a very useful shelter.
Successful objection
to the Council budget proposal to reduce the amount of funding
provided to small schools for management time.
2. Treasurer’s report (AW)
There are two sets of money: general
and the garden fund. The latter is gradually being spent; the former
gets topped up with an annual Council grant, which the PC in turn
generally donates to the school after our small expenses are met.
The next Council grant of around £500 will be received in June 2014.
We have provided money to the school
recently for the purchase of recorder books.
3. Garden Group (SJ)
The Group meets every Tuesday from
Easter to October from 6.30pm to 8pm in the garden. The garden is
looking great! The focus recently has simply been on maintenance,
although new initiatives are still happening eg a new pond for
tadpoles.
SJ advised that when publicising the
Group in the Friday note, she will emphasise that each child must
come along with a parent; Garden Group is not a free crèche
facility!
At the PTA Spring Fair this year, there
will be free activities held in the garden.
Just on communication, CM asked that
the school be kept informed on what is happening in the garden. SJ
has now started a weekly email to Anna Hazel to cover this.
4. PTA report (HM)
The PTA currently meets
in Sarah Chisnall’s house (the Chair). They are happy to still meet
once a term with the PC. Their next event is the Spring Fair on
Saturday 10 May, from 2pm to 4pm.
5.
Head teacher report (CM)
CM thanked all parents
for their support throughout the year. She also mentioned:
The gym hall floor
has been resurfaced. CM was able to characterise this as a Health &
Safety issue, so the Council paid.
Rising roll: CM has
reported in the Friday note on the meeting with the Asset Planning
Manager. If the proposal gets the go-ahead, it is likely to mean
that a two storey standalone building containing four classrooms
will be built in the school grounds. Building on top of the school
will not happen as it is a very expensive option. The next
Committee meeting is on 20 May; the final decision on proceeding
will be taken in January 2015, on the basis of the roll for August
2015. CM noted that the nursery is currently full; some three year
olds have been turned away. The working group next meets on 18
June. It was mentioned from parents that perhaps there could be
joined up thinking from the Council eg as regards the new doctor’s
surgery also needing to be built in Ratho. CM is keen to have an
open meeting for the school on the proposals at some point; it was
agreed this is probably better held next session when more
information on the proposals will be available. It was noted that
there are other longer term issues eg security arrangements if
schoolchildren use the community centre hall.
The Commonwealth
Games focus will be from 20 to 30 May. Lots of sports and learning
about the Commonwealth are planned.
School reports: to
be sent home Friday 2 May.
6. Election of office bearers
All three current office
bearers indicated that they are happy to carry on & this was
agreed ie Neil Langhorn, Chair, Annette Wilson, Treasurer and
Christine Paterson, Secretary.
However it was noted that
there is a succession issue as we will not want to go on forever and
indeed CP’s daughter will leave the school at the end of the next
session. It was suggested that each office bearer should write a
paragraph on what their job involves, so that others who might be
prepared to take on the role can understand what it involves? It was
also noted that changing the signatories on the bank account takes a
while.
7. AOB
Councillor Ricky
Henderson reported that following the consultation on the proposed
TRO for Main Street, the proposals are likely to be amended: the
pavement size will not be reduced, instead of double yellow lines
along the section from the junction with Ratho Park Road to School
Wynd, there will just be a length of single yellow line outside the
bowling club to allow a passing place for the bus. The raised bed
will still happen. Everyone seemed pleased with this proposed
change. The proposal still has to go back to the Transport
Committee for final approval. RH will circulate details.
8. Date
of next meeting
Tuesday 3rd June at 7.30pm
(joint meeting with the PTA).