Agenda and minutes
PDF 178 KBVenue: Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2DN. View directions
Contact: Dominic Mackie, Room 122, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames
| No. | Item |
|---|---|
|
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Minutes: Apologies were received from Liz Bowes, Robert Evans, Chris Norman and Chris Townsend. Michael Gosling substituted for Chris Norman. |
|
|
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING:
To agree the minutes as a true record of the meeting. Minutes: The minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting. |
|
|
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.
Notes: · In line with the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, declarations may relate to the interest of the member, or the member’s spouse or civil partner, or a person with whom the member is living as husband or wife, or a person with whom the member is living as if they were civil partners and the member is aware they have the interest. · Members need only disclose interests not currently listed on the Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests. · Members must notify the Monitoring Officer of any interests disclosed at the meeting so they may be added to the Register. · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.
Minutes: Derek Holbird declared an interest as the Director of the Guildford Education Trust and The Good Shepherd Trust. |
|
|
QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
To receive any questions or petitions.
Notes: 1. The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting (Friday 8 January 2016). 2. The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting (Thursday 7 January 2016) 3. The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received. Minutes: There were no questions or petitions. |
|
|
RECOMMENDATIONS TRACKER AND FORWARD WORK PLAN
The Board is asked to review its Recommendation Tracker and to review its Forward Work Programme, providing comment as necessary. Additional documents: Minutes: The Board noted the ongoing recommendations from previous meetings and the Forward Work Programme. |
|
|
RESPONSES FROM THE CABINET TO ISSUES REFERRED BY THE SCRUTINY BOARD
To review responses from Cabinet to recommendations made by the Board. Minutes: The Board reviewed the response from Cabinet.
Members commented that schools need to continue to explore ways of collaborating and working together, taking any advantages from bulk purchasing and sharing resources between them. |
|
|
THE IMPACT ON THE LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY OF THE ACADEMY AGENDA
An Outline on how "academisation" of schools will change the education landscape in Surrey and the further implications for the Council.
Minutes: Declarations of Interest:
None.
Witnesses:
Nicholas Smith, Schools Commissioning Officer Julie Stockdale, Head of School Commissioning David Monk, Headteacher of Pond Meadow School Louise Druce, Headteacher of Stamford Green Primary School
Linda Kemeny, Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement
Key points raised during the discussion:
1.
The Headteacher of Pond Meadow School advised that it began to
consider academy status in 2013, and eventually converted in 2014.
The school had considered the pros and cons of academy conversion
and believed that on balance it would be possible to achieve the
same benefits of academy status through other means. The school
finally chose to convert, however, because the education landscape
was changing and would be academy centred in the future. The new
Pond Meadow Academy Trust aimed to be a multi-academy trust as it
could chose its partners now, rather than face being forced into
partnerships at a later date. The Pond Meadow Academy Trust
explored shared savings within a multi-academy trust model, and it
hoped to develop this with other local Special Schools. When it
initially converted there was a more attractive financial offer
from the Department for Education than available now. 2. Members questioned whether the Council could still fulfil its statutory requirement to ensure fair admission policies across Surrey’s schools under the new academy system. Officers informed the Board that the Council would need to maintain a good relationship with schools in order to help ensure school places and fair admissions.
3.
Officers also reported that academies ran their own admissions but
now bought services from the Council. Officers suggested it would
therefore be in the Council’s interest to maintain these core
services in order to ensure that the schools continue to use these
services. Officers claimed that academies and converting schools
are keen to stay within the ‘Surrey family’ of schools;
however academies can use alternative service providers and the
Council cannot require compliance as they are now independent from
the Local Authority.
4.
Members commented that Council services needed to think like a
private company in order to continue to sell its services to
academies, and questioned whether the services were considering
this approach. Officers reported that services were working towards
a strategy that would position the Council, and its services, well
in the future, and that this strategy was being co-designed with
Surrey’s schools.
5.
The Headteacher of Stamford Green School, a non-academy school in
Epsom that received an Outstanding Ofsted report in February 2015,
informed the Board that the school had a working party, lead by the
Governor Vice-Chairman, to explore options for the school’s
future. The options include: remaining as a local authority
maintained school, becoming an academy trust, becoming part of an
umbrella trust or joining a multi-academy trust. 6. The Board queried whether it remained the Local Authority’s responsibility to drive school improvements, including safety and standards control. Officers informed the Board that it was unclear where the responsibility for school improvements and standards lay, however, the Council aimed ... view the full minutes text for item 7. |
|
|
COMMUNITY LEARNING AND SKILLS SERVICE - SELF ASSESSMENT REVIEW
Scrutiny of the Community Learning and Skills performance for the 2014-15 academic year following the Service’s completion of its Self Assessment Report. Provide an in year update on funding and policy developments relating to the Service.
Additional documents: Minutes: Declarations of Interest:
None.
Witnesses:
Paul Hoffman, Principal Community Learning and Skills Anu Chanda, Deputy Principal Community Learning and Skills
Key points raised during the discussion:
1.
The Board questioned the aims of the service. Officers explained
that the Community Skills Budget in the main was for non-accredited
learning; working with parents and carers of young people at
schools. The service worked closely with people with learning
difficulties and also in areas of deprivation. Courses run by the
Community Learning and Skills Service are tailored for personal
development. 2.
Officers reported that the service worked alongside other agencies,
mental health patients, Job Centre Plus, housing services,
recruitment services and that Surrey Care Trust performed some
subcontracting work for the service. Community Learning and Skills
Service was also working with church groups, actively supporting
their job clubs and a bespoke course for these clubs. 3.
Officers also reported that the service provided some
qualifications in core subjects such as English and Mathematics, as
well as IT courses for people with learning difficulties. People
aged 19+ could be referred to Community Learning and Skills
Services and suitable courses would be available to them. The
Community Learning and Skills Service adhered to national criteria
and the Council is performing above the benchmark for
non-accredited learning in its statistical group of 39 other
providers. 4.
Members asked whether the service was doing anything to catch
residents that fell out of the education system at school age.
Officers informed Members that the GCSE programme gives people a
second chance at Key Stage 4 learning, however the funding is for
people aged 19 years old and above, so the service is not generally
aimed at school age residents. 5.
Members asked whether, in the light of the academy agenda, the
service was considering changing its provision model. Officers
reported that there was a small trend in other local authorities to
externalise their adult learning provision, and cited West Sussex
as an example of this. Officers claimed there were both advantages
and disadvantages to retaining the service in house. Officers
highlighted that success rates of services is very good however the
pressure to recruit staff and tutors was difficult and that the
pressure was not likely to be diminishing in the near
future. 6. Members raised an issue around safeguarding for learners and officers confirmed that the trends around safeguarding issues were changing and increasing. Officers explained that learners partly attend courses for education, but also for the social interaction and wellbeing benefits. Officers also explained that pastoral care has become more of a part of the service and if issues cannot be dealt with appropriately by tutors and staff, staff referred cases on to the appropriate agencies.
Recommendations:
None.
|
|
|
HENRIETTA PARKER TRUST FUND - INTERIM REPORT
To update the Board on the progress of the recommendations made from the Education and Skills Board meeting of 22 October 2015 in response to the Henrietta Parker Trust internal audit report. Minutes: Declarations of Interest:
None.
Witnesses:
Paul Hoffman, Principal Community Learning and Skills
Linda Kemeny, Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement
Key points raised during the discussion:
1.
Officers explained that since the Henrietta Parker Trust Fund paper
was tabled at the October 2015 Board meeting, good progress had
been made. Proactively working with Legal Services and Financial
Services, the Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational
Achievement had agreed to Chair the management board of the Trust.
Work had begun on options for the management plan and that officers
were in the process of notifying relevant individuals. 2. Members raised concern around the cost and resources used in getting the Trust to its current situation and expressed a view that the Trust could be better governed by another organisation, rather than the Council. The Cabinet Member explained that the process was still in early formation but the management board had a good idea of where it wanted to place the Trust Fund. Options were being considered and if the Trust took up too much time or resource then a review of the governance may be required.
Recommendations:
1. The Board recommends that Officers prepare a full report on the future management of the Henrietta Parker Trust for the Board meeting of 24 March 2016.
The Board recommends to the Council Overview Board that it considers a request for Officers to:
i. Collect details of the various local Trusts operating in Surrey into a single register indicating the level of council involvement in each one ii. Provide the details of relevant Trusts by area to the Chairmen of the Local Committees.
|
|
|
BREAK 11:45am - 11:52am |
|
|
BUDGETS AND FINANCE
This item presents an opportunity for Members to scrutinise the budget in relation to Children’s, Schools & Families ahead of the Cabinet meeting on 2 February 2016. Minutes: Declarations of Interest:
None.
Witnesses:
Garath Symonds, Assistant Director for Young People Paula Chowdhury, Strategic Finance Manager for Children, Schools and Families
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. Officers gave Members a presentation on the future of the Children, Schools and Families strategy.
Margaret Hicks left at 12:00pm |
|
|
EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information under the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.
Minutes: The Chairman of the Board agreed for the item to be taken into Part 2 under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information under the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act. |
|
|
BUDGETS AND FINANCE
Minutes: Declarations of interest:
None.
Witnesses:
Garath Symonds, Assistant Director for Young People Paula Chowdhury, Strategic Finance Manager for Children, Schools and Families
Points raised during the discussion:
1. Members discussed the Children, Schools and Families strategy.
Actions:
The Board’s Performance & Finance Sub-Group to follow-up on the Cabinet Member’s and Senior Officers’ development of social investment opportunities to achieve savings and other sources of income generation.
|
|
|
PUBLICITY FOR PART 2 ITEMS
To decide if any matters discussed during the Part 2 section of this meeting should be made available to the press or public. |
|
|
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Committee will be held at 10:00am on Thursday 24 March 2016.
Minutes: The next full public meeting will be held at 10am on Thursday 24 March 2016 at County Hall. |