Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – The Children’s Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee agreed to make minor amendments to item 3 and 9 of the draft minutes prior to their approval.

Apologies of absence were received from Councillor Bridget Perry.

There were none.

There was no report. 

Details are appended of the Public Questions including the answers given by the Chairman. Verbal responses were given to the supplementary questions at the meeting.

Public Comments were received by Jon Dix, Barbra Jacobson and Tim Bowden who spoke in relation to item 7, Education and Skills – Future Delivery of the Service.  

There were no Member’s items.  

The Interim Commissioning Director, Children and Young People introduced the report and highlighted the final business case as set out in appendix A. 

Councillor Anne Hutton moved a motion that a working group be established to develop a business plan for in house and joint venture options.  This working group should include Conservative and Labour Members from the Children and Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee, Union representatives and appropriate Officers.  The working group should meet on a monthly basis and feed into the business plans.  The progress should be reported to the March Committee meeting.  Councillor Amar Naqvi seconded the motion.

Having been put to the vote the Committee voted:

In Favour: 4

Against: 4

The Chairman used his casting vote and the motion was therefore lost.

 Following the consideration of the report the Committee:

Resolved:

• That the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee note the content of the report and the outline business case.
• That the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee agree the development of a full business case on the establishment of a joint venture company with a third party for the future delivery of the Education and Skills service.
• That the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee authorise the commencement of the procurement exercise to identify a third party partner to inform the development of the full business case.
• That the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee note that the outcome of the procurement exercise and a full business case for final approval will be considered by the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee in July 2015.

The vote was recorded as follows: 

In Favour: 4

Against: 4

The Chairman used his casting vote and the report was agreed as highlighted above.

Immediately following the vote Councillor Anne Hutton proposed that the report be referred to Full Council. The referral was supported by:

Councillor Rebecca Challice

Councillor Ammar Naqvi

Councillor Agnes Slocombe

RESOLVED – That the item be referred to Full Council

Councillor Brian Salinger had requested to address the Committee on this item and spoke in objection to the report.

Following the consideration of the report the Committee:

Resolved:

• That the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee notes the delegated authority of the Director for Education and Skills to commence consultation if the three governing bodies all agree to amalgamate.
• That the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee notes that if the three governing bodies all agree to federate that no further action is needed by the council other than to instruct officers to support the three schools in the transition to the new arrangements.
• That the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee request that a paper is brought back to a future meeting of the Committee to present alternative savings options to fund any on-going subsidy to each of the four nursery schools from 2017/18.

The vote was recorded as follows: 

In Favour: 4

Against: 4

The Chairman used his casting vote and the report was agreed as highlighted above.

The Chairman requested that a School’s Forum report be included on the Committee Work Programme.

The committee considered the report. 

RESOLVED –

That the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee note the items included in the 2014/15 work programme and note the inclusion of a School’s Forum Report.

There were no urgent items.