Agenda item

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

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

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 September

2015 had been circulated to Members with the agenda.

Accuracy

Page 7: The Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator advised that Councillor Nancy Matthews was included in the nominations to sit on the School Transport Task & Finish Group and that the minutes would be amended to reflect this. 

Matters arising

Page 5: Councillor Nigel Steele-Mortimer referred to the statement that a verbal update on School Modernisation would be placed on all future agendas and asked why this had not been included on the agenda for the current meeting.  The Facilitator advised that the intention had been to provide an update at meetings as and when there was sufficient development and information to share with members.

The Chair advised that a number of special meetings had been verbally arranged to take place during January and February 2016 to enable the Committee to consider the outcome of the consultations on school organisational change for Ysgol Llanfynydd, Ysgol Maes Edwin and Ysgol Mornant Gwespyr Picton, prior to consideration by Cabinet.  The Facilitator advised that she would inform members of the arrangements for the meetings by email when confirmed.  The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) reported that consultation in relation to Ysgol Maes Edwin and Ysgol Llanfynydd had now closed.  Consultation in relation to Ysgol Mornant was still open and community representatives were being encouraged to engage in the consultation process. 

In response to a question raised by Councillor Nancy Matthews concerning the next four schools to be discussed as part of the school organisational change process, which had been agreed at a previous Cabinet meeting, the Chief Officer explained that Officers were working closely with the schools concerned on preparatory work.

Councillor Chris Bithell referred to the Cabinet decision regarding school transport arrangements in the event that John Summers High School was to close and advised that Cabinet had addressed the concerns raised.

In response to the further questions and concerns raised by members around transition arrangements if John Summers High School was to close, the Chief Officer explained that the Authority could not override the role of parental preference in admissions arrangements. 

Page 4:  Mr. David Hytch advised that the first meeting of the Education for All Task and Finish Group had been held on 19 December 2015.

Page 6:  Councillor Nigel Steele-Mortimer queried why the workshop on Integrated Youth Provision which had been scheduled to be held on 2 December 2015 had been cancelled.  The Facilitator advised that the workshop was to be rescheduled to a date in the New Year.   Councillor Marion Bateman commented on the suggestion that workshops be held in the evenings as well as mornings and afternoons.  The Facilitator explained that a report was to be submitted to the next meeting of the Democratic Services Committee to consider the models for scheduling of meetings and workshops that were used in other Local Authorities.  

            RESOLVED:

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