Present at the meeting:
- Councillor Mrs S Loudon (Cabinet Champion)(In the Chair)
- Councillor Mrs K Aldred
- Dr Councillor C M Cottam
- Councillor S F Ell
- Councillor Mrs D Fairhurst
- Councillor M Klieve
- Councillor K W McManus
- Councillor B Merry
- Councillor J Talbot
- Mr A Birchall (Co-opted Member)
- Rev Dr R Buckley (Co-opted Member)
- Rev Deacon R Moore (Co-opted Member)
- Mr B Turrell (Co-opted Member)
1 Welcome to new Members: On behalf of the Panel, the Cabinet Champion, who was attending her first meeting, extended a warm welcome to Dr Councillor C M Cottam, Councillors S F Ell, Mrs D Fairhurst and B Merry, new Members of the Panel.
2 Apologies for absence: Councillors Mrs B Bourne, Ms L E Fagan and R Winkworth and Mr G Cheeseman and Mr S Wilson (Co-opted Members).
3 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of this Panel held on 6 March 2008 were approved as a correct record.
4 Exclusion of the public - section 100a Local Government Act 1972: Agreed: The public is excluded from the meeting when the Panel discusses the following item for the reasons set out below:-
| Agenda item no. |
Title of report |
Minute no. |
Description of exempt information by reference to the paragraph number in schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 |
| E1 |
Primary strategy for change |
15 |
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council). |
5 Admission arrangements for specialist provision: The Panel considered a report which was to be submitted to Cabinet and Council, dealing with the introduction of the admissions policies for the range of specialist provision in Wigan. The report commended the adoption of admissions arrangements for specialist provision as part of the Council’s Policy Framework.
Members asked questions, to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
6 Review of provision and use of resourced schools: Consultation on the provision of resourced places for pupils with low severity autism at Hawkley Hall High School: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, dealing with the outcome of the informal consultation on the proposal to provide resourced places for pupils with low severity autism at Hawkley Hall High School. The report would be requesting Cabinet to conduct statutory consultation on the proposal.
Members asked questions, to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
7 Building schools for the future: Review of mainstream secondary schools - report on Stage 1 consultation on proposal to close PEMBEC: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, dealing with the results of consultation on the proposal to close PEMBEC and to request permission to publish statutory notices proposing closure of the school by 31 August 2011.
Members asked questions, to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
The Panel expressed concerns regarding:
- recruitment of teaching staff including the post of Head Teacher;
- safeguarding children;
- the transition arrangements;
- protecting the education of young people at school during the consultation process;
- transport arrangements for children effected by extra-curricula activities;
- the admissions criteria for admission arrangements for Abraham Guest for children effected by the closure of PEMBEC; and
- the impact on the community.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted and requests that their concerns are passed on to Cabinet.
8 Outcome of Ofsted inspections of schools in spring term 2008: The Panel considered a report that informed Members of the outcomes of school inspections in the Spring Term 2008.
Members asked questions to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel notes the report now submitted and congratulates St Marie’s RC Primary School, Standish which achieved outstanding results.
(Councillor Mrs K Aldred declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item as her child attends Hesketh Fletcher School, Atherton).
9 Home to school and college transport policy, 1 September 2008: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, dealing with the Council’s updated home to school and college transport policy from 1 September 2008. The report sought permission for a fundamental review of future policy on the basis of the issues referred to in Section 3 of the report and for recommendations to be forwarded to Cabinet.
Members asked questions, to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
(Councillor B Merry declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item due to the nature of his employment as the driver of a school bus).
10 Wigan Safeguarding Children Board (WSCB) - minutes of the meeting held on 19th November 2007: The Panel considered a report, which had been submitted to Overview and Scrutiny (minute 9 refers), the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of the Board held on 19 November 2007.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
11 Nursery admission numbers: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, dealing with the proposed nursery admission numbers for local authority maintained nursery schools and units.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
(Councillor M Klieve declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item as his children attend All Saints RC Primary School, Golborne. Councillor J Talbot declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in t his item due to his wife’s employment with Sure Start nursery).
12 Appointment of Local Authority representative governors: The Panel considered a report that informed Members of local authority governor vacancies at schools in 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.
13 Questions by Members at Panel meetings: Councillor Mrs S Loudon raised a question on behalf of Leigh Township Forum regarding the land on Grasmere Street, Leigh and the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Councillor M Klieve raised a question regarding the review of admissions, appeals and the number of first preference placements to primary schools 2006 and 2007 and the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Rev R Buckley raised a question at the meeting regarding the Energy Performance Buildings Directive (EPBD) and its impact on teaching and learning. The Director of Children and Young People’s Services agreed to investigate and place on the agenda for the next meeting of Panel.
Agreed: That the questions and responses now submitted be noted.
14 Things to do, places to go strategy: The Chairman agreed to this additional item being taken as urgent, the special circumstance being the need to obviate a delay in reporting to Cabinet.
The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, dealing with the Things to do, places to go strategy and requested identification of a Member to support the implementation of the strategy.
Members asked questions, to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
15 Primary strategy for change: The Panel considered a report, which was to be submitted to Cabinet, dealing with the revised primary strategy for change and requested approval of its contents prior to submission to the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Members asked questions, to which the Director of Children and Young People’s Services responded.
Agreed: The Panel endorses the report now submitted.
(Councillor Mrs D Fairhurst declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item as her child attended Woodfold Primary School).
