Agenda item

That the Committee support the Council Plan 2023-28 Part 1 and Part 2 documents that outline the actions, measures and risks that underpin the Priorities, Sub-Priorities and Well-being objectives of the Council Plan 2023-28.

            The Chief Executive introduced the report on the Council Plan 2023-28.  He reported that a full review had been undertaken to ensure the appropriateness and relevance of the well-being objectives, priorities and sub-priorities going forward.  This included a review of the current Council Plan 2022-23 to determine:

·                Priority actions that continue from 2023 onwards for sustained attention;

·                Priority actions which could be removed as they have been completed or become operational (business as usual); and

·                Emerging new priority areas, actions and measures for 2023-28

The Chief Executive advised that the priorities of the Council Plan 2023-28 relevant to the Committee were outlined and attached at Appendix 1 and 2 of the report. 

            Councillor Andrew Parkhurst referred to the measurement for a reduction in the number of permanent exclusions or fixed term exclusions as shown on page 50 of the report and questioned that the target seemed to be an increase from the baseline data.    In response the Chief Officer (Education & Youth) explained the difference between the baseline date and the target was because it was recorded in 2021/22 in a period when data was not collected because of the pandemic.  As a result of the pandemic there had been a significant increase in the number of children and young people who were struggling to maintain their place in school. 

            Councillor Parkhurst asked what the numbers were being reduced from.  If the baseline was not appropriate because of the pandemic what were the numbers of the current baseline.  In response the Chief Officer (Education & Youth) reported that she did not have the current figures to hand but would be happy to provide the information following the meeting. 

            Councillor Dave Mackie commented that a report on school exclusions was due to be presented at the next Committee meeting.  He asked if the report could include what schools were doing and what extra facilities were being provided.  He felt that this was a wider issue because schools had changed how they worked to effect or reduce the number of permanent exclusions which highlighted how big this problem was.

            In response the Chief Officer (Education & Youth) referred to the footnote which stated that this figure had considered the pre-Covid situation in terms of exclusion levels.  She advised that a detailed report would be provided at the May Committee meeting which would outline the new approaches and systems which the local authority had adopted.  Included in the report would be information on what the schools were undertaking such as modifications of the curriculum, their offers of alternative models and work across the Portfolio with the Youth Justice Service and Youth Services. 

            Councillor David Mackie commented that the extra provisions required were very costly for every school whose budgets were under such pressure.  He asked if the extra facilities were likely to continue with schools looking at their budgets.  In response, the Chief Officer recognised the challenges around school budgets and said that schools continued to put the needs of their learners at the forefront of their decision making.    There was also a significant knock-on effect on the Portfolio because when young people were no longer in school there was still a statutory responsibility to make appropriate provision for them.  These cost pressures were being managed within the Portfolio and she welcomed any grant funding from Welsh Government (WG) who recognised that there were still issues post pandemic and the Portfolio made effective use of that funding where possible. 

The recommendation, as outlined within the report, was moved by Councillor Dave Mackie and seconded by Councillor Carolyn Preece.                         

RESOLVED:

That the Committee support the Council Plan 2023-28 Part 1 and Part 2 documents that outline the actions, measures and risks that underpin the Priorities, Sub-Priorities and Well-being objectives of the Council Plan 2023-28.