Issue - meetings

That the Employment Services Manager report to the portfolio holder and the Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Committee following the conclusion of the current review of the E-Teach system.  The review to incorporate alternative providers of supply teachers to schools and to seek the views of Head Teachers, supply teachers and professional associates.

The Committee received a summary of the findings and action plan from the finalised report on E-Teach which had been given a ‘red’ assurance level due to three high level recommendations.

As explained at the start of the meeting, the Chairman had declared a personal and prejudicial interest on the item but had been granted dispensation to speak and answer any questions.

The Employment Services Manager explained that E-Teach was software enabling schools to engage supply teachers and process claims.  He advised that three of the four recommendations had been addressed, with the action to establish the cost effectiveness of E-Teach compared to other options remaining outstanding.  This would be resolved through a working group between Flintshire and Denbighshire, with concluding joint proposals going forward to both councils.

The Chairman explained that his wife was a supply teacher who had been registered with the E-Teach system for nine years but had gained only one day’s work through it.  He said that the model used in Wrexham was to engage supply teachers exclusively through agencies, however this involved a cut in their daily pay from £165 to £120 and those supply teachers who refused to join agencies were ineligible to work in Wrexham schools.  The Chairman felt that a third model should be explored which excluded E-Teach but did not rely exclusively on agencies.  As no questions were put to him, he left the room for the debate and returned following the item.

Councillor Ian Dunbar asked for details on the number of schools using E?Teach and whether it was used more effectively in some areas than others.  The Employment Services Manager did not have this information to hand but advised that the Council made 79% of bookings through E-Teach, however most schools used the system for processing payments.  He spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of E-Teach as opposed to agency suppliers.

Councillor Ian Roberts spoke about his experience in Wrexham where E?Teach had only been used previously as a payroll mechanism.  He described the disparity in payments to supply teachers engaged through different sources and stressed the importance of quality teachers receiving the pay they were entitled to.

The Interim HR & OD Manager felt it was important to consider the alternative options identified by the working group, which comprised representatives from the Council as well as both Primary and Secondary Head Teachers’ Federations.  In response to a comment from Mr. Paul Williams, she explained the need to ensure the most cost-effective method was used whilst giving Head Teachers the flexibility to receive the resources they required.  She added that the working group should consider a combination of sources and cited the Matrix system as an example of one system used to engage a number of different agencies.

Councillor Arnold Woolley questioned why E-Teach was still being used by the Council given the uncertainty on value for money in the Internal Audit review of 2010.  When asked about the possibility of schools engaging supply teachers on zero hours  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64