Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chairman advised Members of the need to declare a personal interest in school related items on the agenda if they were school or college governors.  All Members present except Councillors R.C. Bithell and A. Bragg (who were not school governors) declared an interest as school governors.

The Chairman advised Members of the need to declare a personal interest in school related items on the agenda if they were school or college governors.  All Members present except Councillors R.C. Bithell and A. Bragg (who were not school governors) declared an interest as school governors.

Nominations will be sought for a Vice-Chair for the Committee.

That Mr. D. Hytch be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

The Chairman sought nominations for a Vice-Chairman for the Committee. 

Councillor W.P. Shotton proposed that Mr. D. Hytch be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.  Councillor A.I. Dunbar  seconded the proposal and when put to vote Mr. D. Hytch was appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That Mr. D. Hytch be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting.

That subject to the above the minutes be received, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 25 April 2013 were submitted.

Accuracy

Page 3: Councillor P.G. Heesom referred to his recorded comment on the School Meal Service and asked that the wider concerns to which he had referred be included. 

Page 5: the misspelling of the word deprivation to be corrected.

RESOLVED:

That subject to the above the minutes be received, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

That the reports be noted.

The Director introduced a report to request that the Committee consider the 2012/13 Quarter 4/Year end service reports for the period January-March 2013.

Schools’ Services

The Director of Lifelong Learning referred to the key considerations and performance across all work streams and invited Members to submit questions.

During discussion the Director provided an update to Councillor N.M. Matthews on the raising of standards by transforming teaching and learning through effective use of technologies.

Councillor D.I. Mackie sought further clarification on the information and data provided in the report.  The Director acknowledged the point made and explained that the Improvement Plan for 2013/14 should be simpler and the priorities more easily identifiable.

            Mr. D. Hytch referred to the Regional School Improvement Service (GwE) and the appointment of System Leaders to replace primary phase Link Officers.  He asked what Officer assistance could be provided to support school Governing Bodies in the future.  In his response the Director advised that there was no shortage of professional advice to support interventions in individual schools that were causing concern, however, it was not the role of the Authority to create dependence and it was impracticable to provide Officer attendance at all governing body meetings.

Councillor R.C. Bithell commented on the support and guidance provided to school governors through the School Governors Development and Training Programme and suggested that it may be helpful if all Members attended some of the training sessions delivered.

Councillor P.G. Heesom emphasised the need to broaden the training provided and suggested that it would be helpful if DVDs, or similar media could be produced so that it could be revisited and shared with those school governors and school staff who had been unable to participate.    

In response to a query from Councillor M.J. Peers regarding the recent Estyn inspection of six primary schools the Director advised that Inspection Reports had been published in respect of three schools so far and Members would be notified of the outstanding Reports as soon as they were published.

Development and Resources

Responding to a comment made by Councillor M. Bateman concerning the closure of an all weather pitch at a local school and the condition, suitability and sufficiency of education assets, the Head of Culture and Leisure advised that a pilot project had been set up within the Asset board to review the Authority’s entire Leisure property portfolio.

The Chairman referred to the closure of the Nat West branch in Flint and the implications for school banking procedures in the area.  He commented on the agreement between the Authority and the Nat West Bank to provide banking services to schools and asked what alternative provision was being made to enable schools to access banking facilities within their local community.   The Head of Development and Resources acknowledged the issue raised and said he would pursue the matter with the Bank on behalf of the Authority.    

Councillor A.I. Dunbar referred to the Facilities Review and the proposal to develop an on-line payment system for school  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

That the report be noted

The Director of Lifelong Learning introduced a report on the outcome of the Estyn Monitoring visit on Local Authority Education Services for Children and Young People.  He provided background information and outlined the key considerations in the report.

            The Cabinet Member for Education commented that it had been acknowledged by Estyn that elected members and senior officers were committed to taking difficult decisions to improve provision and make effective use of resources, and understood the priorities for improvement.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted

That the Forward Work Programme be agreed. 

The Member Engagement Manager introduced the Forward Work Programme of the Committee.  He advised that the next meeting of the Committee would be a joint meeting of the Lifelong Learning and Social & Health Care Overview and Scrutiny Committees to be held on 11 June 2013. 

Members were advised that a workshop to enable the Committee to consider populating the forward work programme had been arranged for Tuesday, 9 July 2013.  Members were also informed that the meeting of the Committee scheduled for 11 July 2013 would be held at Deeside Leisure Centre and that a site visit would take place at 1.00pm prior to the start of the meeting at 2.00pm.  

Members reviewed the current programme and agreed that the following items would be considered at the meeting of the Committee on 11 July 2013:  

·         Alliance Leisure

·         Annual update report on Sport and Leisure Business Plan

.

RESOLVED: 

That the Forward Work Programme be agreed. 

The meeting commenced at 3.40 pm and ended at 5.00 pm.    

There was one member of the press in attendance.