Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda. A list of general personal interests previously declared are attached.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

The following general personal non-prejudicial interests were declared:

Councillor Hyman as chair of governors at Huntington Primary School;

Councillor Merrett as his daughter attended St Paul’s Primary School;

Dr D Sellick as a governor of Derwent Infant and Junior School;

Mr J Bailey as a governor of Huntington School and Huntington Primary School.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 28 March 2007.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 March 2007 be approved and signed by the Chair 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 Committee’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 Monday 18 June 2007 at 5.00pm.

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

This report introduces Members of the Education Scrutiny Committee to the work previously completed by this Committee since 2004.

Members received a report which introduced them to the work previously completed by the Education Scrutiny Committee since 2004.

Excerpts from the annual review reports from 2004-05 and 2005-06 were attached as Annexes A & B respectively and update reports provided by the Chair of Education Scrutiny Committee to Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) during 2006-07 as Annexes C & D.

It was noted that the annual review report for 2006-07 would need to be considered at the next meeting and suggested that the previous vice-chair be approached to assist in drafting it, given that most of the membership had now changed. 

It was reported that topics relating to the role of school governors and health and fitness had previously been registered and Members requested that any information available on these topics be considered at the next meeting.  It was proposed that the Executive Member for Children’s Services be invited to the next meeting to speak and highlight any areas where a scrutiny review may be helpful.  It was also suggested that a brainstorming session be held on possible topics for the future.

RESOLVED:                         (i)  That the contents of the report and annexes be noted;

                        (ii) That the following items be scheduled for the next meeting:

a)     the draft annual review report for 2006-07;

b)     the information available on the role of school governors and health and fitness topics;

c)      the discussion with the Executive Member regarding possible scrutiny topics;

d)     the brainstorming session on possible scrutiny topics.

REASON:                  In order to be fully informed on scrutiny reviews completed by Education Scrutiny Committee during the last three years.

Members are asked to consider whether to carry out a scrutiny review of security in schools.

Members received a report which asked them to consider whether to carry out a scrutiny review of security in schools.

Comments from the Executive Member for Children’s Services and key officers on the feasibility of the scrutiny review were set out in the report, along with a briefing on security in schools both nationally and in the City of York.

Members suggested that there was scope for a one meeting “light touch” scrutiny exercise on this topic.  They noted that there was not a Local Education Authority policy on school security and asked the Scrutiny Officer to investigate if all schools had their own policies.  They also requested that crime figures be provided for the past three years, rather than just the past year, and that any Local Education Authority response to the national questionnaire be made available.

A number of issues were identified for discussion with the Executive Member for Children’s Services, including police desks in schools, security in the design of school and unisex toilets.  Members were asked to notify the Scrutiny Officer of specific questions for the Executive Member ahead of the meeting.

RESOLVED:             That it be agreed to proceed with a short review of security in schools including:

a)     confirmation that all schools had their own security policies;

b)     provision of crime figures for the past three years;

c)      provision of any response to the national questionnaire;

d)     discussions with the Executive Member.

REASON:                  To ensure that all relevant information has been considered and that Members’ questions have been satisfactorily addressed.