Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

The following Members and Co-optees declared a general personal interest in the items on the agenda  :

Councillor Runciman – Governor of Joseph Rowntree School and Trustee of the Theatre Royal.

Councillor Aspden – Governor of Knavesmire Primary School. Member of the National Union of Teachers (NUT). Teacher at Norton College, Malton, North Yorkshire.

Councillor Cuthbertson – Governor of Headlands Primary School

Councillor D’Agorne – Governor of Fishergate School, Employee of York College Student Services.

Councillor King – Governor of Burton Green School

Councillor Fraser – Governor of Knavesmire Primary School, Member of Unison

Councillor Livesley – Governor of Bishopthorpe Infant School.

Mr J Bailey – Governor of Huntington School

Mr A Lawton as governor of Canon Lee School

Ms F Barclay – ATL: Branch Secretary for City of York

Mrs A Burn – Headteacher and Governor of Yearsley Grove Primary School and Secretary of the York branch of the NAHT

Mrs J Ellis – Governor of Burton Green Primary School

Ms B Reagan is a teacher at Joseph Rowntree School, SENCO and Secretary of the York Association of the National Union of Teachers.

Mr M Thomas is the secretary of the York Association of NASUWT.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 16 May 2006 (copy of minutes to follow).

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the last meeting of the Executive Member for Education & Children’s Services and Advisory Panel, held on 16 May 2006 be approved and signed as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Panel’s remit can do so. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Wednesday 7 June 2006 at 10am.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation scheme.

The purpose of this report is to set out the draft outturn figures for the financial year 2005/06 for the Education and Children’s Social Services budgets.

Members received a report which set out the draft outturn figures for the financial year 2005/6.  It was noted that the figures were split to show outturn for both Education and Social Services and although those figures were provisional there were no significant changes expected.

Councillors were pleased to see that since the administration of Home to School Transport had been transferred from DEDs to Children’s Services, an overall saving of £171k had been achieved.  It was also reported that this saving had been made together with an improvement in quality of service, as shown by a reduction in the number of complaints received from parents.

The report highlighted the following issues:

·         Backdated rate refunds on a number of schools most notably Archbishop Holgate’s following its change in status to Voluntary Aided.

·         Savings made within the finance team due to a number of vacant posts one of which had recently been filled

·         Increased legal fees - currently under investigation with Legal Services.

·         Section 34 – Increase in expenditure due mainly to the high number of contact commitments arising from care proceedings

The reports also requested a carry forward budget of £179k as a contribution from the Council to enable the department and schools to benefit from a further £179k of DfES grant.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be advised to;

·         Approve the draft revenue outturn for 2005/06 and note that the net underspend will be transferred to the council’s reserves.

·         Agree the carry forward set out in paragraph 12 totalling 179k, subject to the approval of the Executive

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and   endorsed.

REASON:       To inform the Executive Member

Members received a report which set out the draft outturn figures for the financial year 2005/6.  It was noted that the figures were split to show outturn for both Education and Social Services and although those figures were provisional there were no significant changes expected.

Councillors were pleased to see that since the administration of Home to School Transport had been transferred from DEDs to Children’s Services, an overall saving of £171k had been achieved.  It was also reported that this saving had been made together with an improvement in quality of service, as shown by a reduction in the number of complaints received from parents.

The report highlighted the following issues:

·         Backdated rate refunds on a number of schools most notably Archbishop Holgate’s following its change in status to Voluntary Aided.

·         Savings made within the finance team due to a number of vacant posts one of which had recently been filled

·         Increased legal fees - currently under investigation with Legal Services.

·         Section 34 – Increase in expenditure due mainly to the high number of contact commitments arising from care proceedings

The reports also requested a carry forward budget of £179k as a contribution from the Council to enable the department and schools to benefit from a further £179k of DfES grant.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be advised to;

·         Approve the draft revenue outturn for 2005/06 and note that the net underspend will be transferred to the council’s reserves.

·         Agree the carry forward set out in paragraph 12 totalling 179k, subject to the approval of the Executive

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and   endorsed.

REASON:       To inform the Executive Member

This report informs Members of the final out-turn position of the 2005/06 Capital Programme and provides information on changes to existing schemes to allow the more effective management and monitoring of the future Capital Programme.  In addition, the report contains information on new externally funded schemes and seeks approval for their addition to the 2006/07 to 2008/09 Education Capital Programme together with any financial slippage to or from future financial years.

Members considered a report which presented the final out-turn position of the 2005/06 Education Capital Programme.  It included details of:

·         changes to existing schemes to allow the more effective management and monitoring of the future Capital Programme

·         new externally funded schemes and sought approval for their addition to the 2006/07 to 2008/09 Education Capital Programme

·         the financial slippage to or from future financial years

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be advised to;

·      note the capital programme outturn for 2005/06 as highlighted in the report and summarised in Annex A.

·      approve the slippage to and from financial years to allow the effective monitoring of the schemes.

·      agree the revised capital programme as shown at Annex A, subject to the approval of the Executive.

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and   endorsed.

REASON:       To inform the Executive Member

Members considered a report which presented the final out-turn position of the 2005/06 Education Capital Programme.  It included details of:

·         changes to existing schemes to allow the more effective management and monitoring of the future Capital Programme

·         new externally funded schemes and sought approval for their addition to the 2006/07 to 2008/09 Education Capital Programme

·         the financial slippage to or from future financial years

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be advised to;

·      note the capital programme outturn for 2005/06 as highlighted in the report and summarised in Annex A.

·      approve the slippage to and from financial years to allow the effective monitoring of the schemes.

·      agree the revised capital programme as shown at Annex A, subject to the approval of the Executive.

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and   endorsed.

REASON:       To inform the Executive Member

This report provides information about the current position with regard to vacancies for LA seats on governing bodies, lists current nominations for those vacancies, as detailed in Annex One, and requests the appointment, or re-appointment, of the listed nominees

Members considered a report which informed Members of the current position with regard to vacancies for LEA seats on governing bodies, the current list of nominations for those vacancies was detailed in Annex One of the report, and to request the appointment, or re-appointment, of the listed nominees.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be advised to appoint, or re-appoint LEA School Governors, to fill vacant seats as proposed in Annex One of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed and thanks be expressed to previous and existing governors for their hard work

REASON:       To progress work in this area

Members considered a report which informed Members of the current position with regard to vacancies for LEA seats on governing bodies, the current list of nominations for those vacancies was detailed in Annex One of the report, and to request the appointment, or re-appointment, of the listed nominees.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be advised to appoint, or re-appoint LEA School Governors, to fill vacant seats as proposed in Annex One of the report.

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed and thanks be expressed to previous and existing governors for their hard work

REASON:       To progress work in this area

The purpose of the report is too review the remit, membership, frequency and powers of the Children and Young People’s Working Panel (CYPWP) and to recommend options for spending the £25k of the Youth Service Scrutiny money.

Members received a report which sought approval for the remit, membership, frequency and powers of the Children and Young People’s Working Panel (CYPWP).  The following was discussed:

·         The working panel would make recommendations not only to Children’s Services EMAP but to other EMAPs as appropriate.

·         The need for continued external funding

·         Meetings to be moved to a quarterly basis to allow time for high quality officer support

·         Proposals which had not previously been implemented due to budget constraints were now to be recommended for expenditure in 2006/07

·         The need to link in with broader Youth Services across the city and encourage all children and young people to become active citizens.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be recommended to:

·         Approve the remit proposed for the CYPWP

·         Approve the expenditure on the ‘Voice and Inclusion’ budget

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON:     To provide a clear sense of direction for CYPWP and encourage

                        the involvement of children and young people as active citizens

Members received a report which sought approval for the remit, membership, frequency and powers of the Children and Young People’s Working Panel (CYPWP).  The following was discussed:

·         The working panel would make recommendations not only to Children’s Services EMAP but to other EMAPs as appropriate.

·         The need for continued external funding

·         Meetings to be moved to a quarterly basis to allow time for high quality officer support

·         Proposals which had not previously been implemented due to budget constraints were now to be recommended for expenditure in 2006/07

·         The need to link in with broader Youth Services across the city and encourage all children and young people to become active citizens.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be recommended to:

·         Approve the remit proposed for the CYPWP

·         Approve the expenditure on the ‘Voice and Inclusion’ budget

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON:     To provide a clear sense of direction for CYPWP and encourage

                        the involvement of children and young people as active citizens

This report describes the background to a joint proposal from the governing bodies of Derwent Infant and Derwent Junior schools to federate the two schools with effect from 1 September 2006 and invites comments on the draft consultation document produced by the governing bodies of the two schools.

Members received a report which described a joint proposal from the governing bodies of Derwent Infant and Derwent Junior schools to federate the two schools with effect from 1 September 2006.

Members were informed that this was prompted by the early retirement on health grounds of the headteacher of the Junior school and declining pupil numbers in the catchment area.  Thanks were expressed to the retiring Headteacher for all his work and commitment to the school.

It was noted that consultation with parents was currently taking place and that the results of this would be known by the beginning of July 2006.  Based on this information, the two governing bodies would then decide whether or not to proceed.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be recommended to:

·         Support the proposal by the governing bodies of Derwent Infant School and Derwent Junior School to federate

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON:     To provide stability and a clear direction for education on the school site

Members received a report which described a joint proposal from the governing bodies of Derwent Infant and Derwent Junior schools to federate the two schools with effect from 1 September 2006.

Members were informed that this was prompted by the early retirement on health grounds of the headteacher of the Junior school and declining pupil numbers in the catchment area.  Thanks were expressed to the retiring Headteacher for all his work and commitment to the school.

It was noted that consultation with parents was currently taking place and that the results of this would be known by the beginning of July 2006.  Based on this information, the two governing bodies would then decide whether or not to proceed.

Advice of the Advisory Panel:

That the Executive Member be recommended to:

·         Support the proposal by the governing bodies of Derwent Infant School and Derwent Junior School to federate

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED: That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON:     To provide stability and a clear direction for education on the school site