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Bill Fernie
Bill Fernie is an
Independent councillor and is a member of the administration group
controlling Highland council. The administration group was initially formed by
the loose coalition of Independent councillors and the Scottish National
Party (SNP) councillors following the election in May 2007. In 2008
the SNP group decided to leave the coalition and the independents
councillors formed a new administration with the Lib Dem and Labour
groups. Independent councillors still make up the biggest grouping
of councillors in Highland. Full details
HERE
Bill Fernie - Personal
Profile
Bill is Chairman Of
Education Culture and Sport From 2007
Education, Culture and Sport
is the biggest of the Council’s services, with 6,900 full and part
time staff, including 2,932 teaching staff. The Service is
responsible for 183 primary
schools, 29 secondary
schools, 156
nursery units; six special
schools, 31,425 pupils; 15
leisure centres; 49
libraries (including 9 mobile libraries); 33
community education centres; a
genealogy service; four dedicated
art galleries; two
regional museums; 3 hostels for pupils; 133 public access
personal computers in community libraries; 2 day education
centres; 3
outdoor and residential centres; 100 partner centres providing
pre school education, 180 sports pitches and 4
archive centres.
The Service is led by a Director
of Education, Culture and Sport Services supported by four Heads of
Service and three Area Education, Culture and Sport Managers. It has
a revenue budget of £230.689M net and a Capital budget of £25.281M.
Education, Culture and Sport realises its vision and values through
its
Service Plan where it leads on 27 commitments of
Strengthening the Highlands. The ECS Service make a major contribution
to
For Highlands Children our plan for Integrated Children’s
services. Service performance is regularly monitored through quarterly
performance review meetings where
QPRs and
SPI report PI are presented and discussed. The annual
Standards and Quality Report is presented to the ECS Committee.
Through the
Inspection of Education Authority ,
School inspection reports and
Care Commission Reports for Nurseries HMIe, Audit Scotland and the
Care Commission provide robust external evidence on the quality of
provision.
We ask the users of
our Service to help shape service delivery, secure improvement and advise
on change. User groups such as Ward Forums, Youth Voice, Community
Learning Groups, Sports Councils, Parent Councils and Pupil Councils will
regularly be invited to contribute. There are many areas of
development and good practice and the major initiative at present is
the delivery of the
Curriculum for Excellence. |
Bill's Current Activities
From May 2007
Re-elected to Highland Council to represent the new Multi-member ward
of WickCurrent
Committees:
Bill attends the
main meetings of the Highland council and wide range of other
committees of the council and other bodies that affect the lives of
people in Wick, Caithness and the Highlands.
Strategic:
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Education Culture & Sport - From 7 September 2007
Chairman
This is the biggest of the Council’s services, with 6,900 full
and part time staff, including 2,932 teaching staff. The Service is
responsible for 183 primary schools, 29 secondary schools, 156
nursery units; six special schools, 31,425 pupils; 15 leisure
centres; 49 libraries (including 9 mobile libraries); 33 community
education centres; a genealogy service; four dedicated art
galleries; two regional museums; 3 hostels for pupils; 133 public
access personal computers in community libraries; 2 day education
centres; 3 outdoor and residential centres; 100 partner centres
providing pre school education, 180 sports pitches and 2 archive
centres.
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Joint Committee For Children & Young People
-
Administration Group
-
Climate Change Working Group
-
Highland 2007 Legacy working Group
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ICT Procurement Group - Dealing with
new IT contract for the council - includes all IT services and
school computers.
-
Sports Working Group
Note - Bill also represents Highland Council at the All Scotland
2014 working group looking at the long term legacy for all of
Scotland from the Commonwealth Games.
-
Chairs Interview Panels for appointment
of head teachers
-
Neil Gunn - Literary Competition
Bill sits on this Highland Council committee working in partnership
with the Neil Gunn Trust - the main features are writing
competitions for adults and school pupils.
-
LNCT Group where
council and unions meet - made up of councillors, council management
staff, staff reps and union reps.
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Resources Appeals Committee - mainly
industrial disputes appeals and claims by employees.
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Transport Appeals Committee - Related
to Education Pupils School Transport.
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North Highland Community Health Partnership (CHP)
Bill Fernie and Councillor David Flear from Caithness represent the
council on this group. North Highland Community Health Partnership (CHP)
is part of NHS Highland. The CHP manages community health services
in Caithness and Sutherland for around 39,000 people across 7,800
square km. It also provides some acute services, including a wide
range of out-patient and in-patient services at our local hospitals.
Area Committee/Board:
Wick Committees
-
Wick Ward Forum
- Wick Project Committee -
Information Exchange For Councillors and local groups and other
public bodies.
Caithness Groups - Council
Connected
Working Groups
-
Budget Working Group
- Budget Strategy Group - (only
members of the controlling Administration sit on this group - i.e.
Independents and SNP) Ceased in 2008 when SNP group left the
administration
- Budget Information Group
New group formed when Independents joined a new adminstration with
Lib Dems and Labour in 2008.
Other Unpaid Directorships and
Committees
Caithness
-
Laurandy Day Care Centre - Director
- HomeStart
Caithness - Director & chairman from 2008
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Caithness Partnership - Director
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North Highland Connections
- Highland Housing and Community Care
Trust
Bill has been a director of this charity since it was set up in 1998. Building houses
for people with disabilities and frail elderly. HHCCT has built
houses in several parts of Highland for disabled and elderly people.
The
houses were given to local housing associations in 2006 in order to
ensure a more efficient management et up. the agencies already
managed the properties on behalf of the trust. HHCCT continues
to take on work in respect of social housing. The trust
meets three or four times a year and has part time worker. Many
issues are now agreed by email or telephone. Amongst other
things work has been carried out in the past 18 months on A Rent
Deposit Guarantee Scheme for people who cannot obtain accommodation due to lack
of funds to pay a deposit.
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