Agenda, decisions and minutes

Purpose: To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

The Vice-Chairman invited Members of the Committee to make a declaration if they were school governors and all of the Committee Members present, except Mrs. Beggan and Rev. Thelwell so indicated. 

                        Councillor Marion Bateman declared a personal interest as she was a school governor at Ysgol Owen Jones and Sychdyn school and she felt that those schools would benefit if Ysgol Maes Edwin closed. 

                        Councillor Hilary Isherwood declared a personal interest as she was a school governor at Ysgol Llanfynydd. 

A decision of the Cabinet meeting on 19 April 2016 relating to School Modernisation - School Standards and Organisation Act 2013 - Ysgol Maes Edwin has been called in.  Attached is a copy of the procedure for dealing with a called in item.

The Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator explained the procedure for the Call-in of a Cabinet decision and detailed the four options available to the Committee.  

To assist Members, the following documents are attached:-

·         Copy of the report of the Chief Officer (Education and Youth) - School Modernisation - School Standards and Organisation Act 2013 - Ysgol Maes Edwin

·         Copy of the Record of Decision

·         Copy of the Call In Notice

            That having considered the decision, the Overview & Scrutiny Committee is still concerned about it and therefore refers the matter to Full Council.  

The Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator referred to the Call-in to the decision of the Cabinet from its meeting held on 19 April 2016 relating to School Modernisation – School Standards and Organisation Act 2013 – Ysgol Maes Edwin.  The Call-in notice had been signed by five Members of the Council.  To assist Members, the following documents had been circulated with the agenda:-

(a)       A copy of the procedure for dealing with a called-in item.

(b)       A copy of the report of the Chief Officer (Education and Youth) – School Modernisation – School Standards and Organisation Act 2013 – Ysgol Maes Edwin

(c)        A copy of the Record of Decision No. 3255

(d)       A copy of the Call-in notice signed by Councillors: Nigel Steele-Mortimer, Dave Mackie, Hilary Isherwood, Paul Cunningham and Vicky Perfect

                        The Vice-Chairman invited the Call-in signatories to address the Committee. 

                        Councillor Nigel Steele-Mortimer expressed his disappointment at the decision to continue with the closure of Ysgol Maes Edwin.  He explained that in 2008 when he had been Executive Member for Education there were 17 pupils at the school, which was extremely unsatisfactory.  He had held meetings with the Head Teacher and School Governors and had advised them that if the figures did not improve, then the options for the Council would be limited.  In June 2015 the numbers of pupils attending the school had increased to 73 which was slightly below the figure specified when considering the sustainability of a school; he felt that this showed the extent of the improvement in numbers.  On the issue of local usage of the school, Councillor Steele-Mortimer said that since June 2015, a number of children had left the school due to the concern of the parents because of the threat of closure.  He felt that whether a child attending the school lived locally or not was not important.  In referring to a federation, he felt that this would save the school and expressed surprise and concern at the reaction of governors in neighbouring schools in not being more proactive and coming forward to help, which he would encourage if a school nearby to schools where he was governor required assistance.  He commented on powers that the Council had been able to use (which came into effect in 2014) where a federation could be forced and Councillor Steele-Mortimer felt that the Council could have taken a more proactive approach to this.  He commented on the issue of finance for schools and said that education was a statutory duty and should therefore be funded before any non-statutory requirements.  He suggested that there were a number of options that could be considered before it could be said that there was insufficient funding for education. 

                        On the issue of finance, Councillor Paul Cunningham indicated that £93,000 had been spent on the school in the summer of 2015, which he felt had been unnecessary.  He said that 30 pupils had left the school since June 2015 and 74% of those now travelled further  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

                        There were 12 members of the public and 2 members of the press in attendance.