Present at the Meeting:
- Councillor B M Wilson (Cabinet Member) (In the Chair)
- Councillor Ms P L Holland
- Councillor R T Splaine
- Councillor Mrs K Aldred
- Councillor J Talbot
- Councillor Mrs B Bourne
- Rev Dr R Buckley (Co-opted Member)
- Councillor M Klieve
- Rev Deacon R Moore (Co-opted Member)
- Councillor G W Fairhurst
- Mr B Turrell (Co-opted Member)
- Councillor Ms L E Fagan
1. Welcome to new Members: On behalf of the Panel, the Chairman extended a warm welcome to Councillors Ms L E Fagan, G W Fairhurst, M Klieve and R T Splaine, new Members of the Panel .
2. Apologies for absence : Councillor Mrs A M L Bland, K W McManus and R Winkworth and Mr G Cheeseman (Co-opted Member).
3. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of this Panel held on 8 March 2007 were approved as a correct record.
4. Annual performance assessment 2007: The Panel received a presentation on the Department’s annual performance assessment.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the presentation.
5. Children in Need: The Panel received a presentation in relation to the issue of children in need and the role of social care in providing services.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the presentation.
6. Proposed expansion of Landgate School: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, that informed Members of the outcome of the informal consultation on the proposal to expand the provision at Landgate School. The report also advised Members that permission to undertake formal consultation was to be sought.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
7. Children and young people’s plan: partnership priorities 2007/08: The Panel considered a report that informed Members of the Partnership priorities for 2007/08 which had been agreed by the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
8. Risk management – CYPS: The Panel considered a report which advised Members of the revisions that had been made to the key risk factors facing Children and Young People’s Services. The Panel was informed that the revisions would be included in the Council’s Risk Register.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
9. Review of provision and use of resourced schools: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, that informed Members of the current situation regarding resourced provision for primary-aged pupils who required observation and assessment and those with specific speech and language difficulties.
The report also highlighted the need for specific provision for both primary and secondary-aged pupils, with low severity autism, who had difficulty accessing mainstream provision, even with considerable support.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
(Councillor R T Splaine declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because he is a Governor of Meadowbank Primary School).
10. Reporting of racist incidents involving children and young people in schools and pilot recording of other hate-incidents and bullying: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, that informed Members of the reports received from schools on racist incidents involving children and young people during the spring term 2007.
The report also advised Members that a change from paper based to web reporting of incidents had been made.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
11. New school funding arrangements for 2008/11 consultation paper: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, that informed Members of the Government’s proposals for the new school funding arrangements for 2008/11 and the Council’s proposed response to the consultation paper.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: the Panel notes the report now submitted.
12. Projected demand for primary school places: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, that informed Members of the latest primary school roll projections and the implications for primary school places in certain areas of the Borough.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
(Councillor Mrs K Aldred declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because she has a child at St Philip’s CE School. Councillor B M Wilson declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because he is a Governor of Tyldersley Primary School).
13. Outcomes of Ofsted inspections Summer term 2006 and the Spring term 2007: The Panel considered a report that informed Members of the outcomes of school inspections during the Summer term 2006.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
The Panel wished to place on record their congratulations to the four schools which were judged to be ‘outstanding’ in all aspects, they were: Bickershaw St Mary and St John’s, Twelve Apostles, and Atherton St Philip’s.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
(Councillor Mrs B Bourne declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because she is Chair of the Governors of Marsh Green School).
14. Appointment of local authority representative governors: The Panel considered a report that advised members of the local authority governor vacancies at schools in the Borough. The Chairman requested that the Panel consider volunteering for the vacant appointments.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted.
(Councillor Mrs B Bourne declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because she is Chair of the Governors of Marsh Green School. Councillor
B M Wilson declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because he is a Governor of Tyldersley Primary School and Fred Longworth High School).
15. Questions by Members at panel meetings:
Councillor Mrs B Bourne raised a question at the meeting regarding the necessity for the number of CRB checks she was required to undertake to which the Director of Environmental Services responded.
16. Mr Ged Rowney: On behalf of the Panel, t he Chairman paid tribute to the significant contribution and excellent service given by Ged Rowney to Children and Young People’s Services over the last three years and extended their best wishes to him in his new role at Stoke on Trent.
