Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th January 2015 be agreed as a correct record.

There were none.

The following interests were declared:

There was none.

Details of the question asked and the published answer were provided with the agenda papers for the meeting.  A verbal response was given to supplementary question at the meeting. 

Nikki Roberts made a public comment in relation to Agenda Item 10 (Nursery Schools Review). 

There were none.

The Interim Commissioning Director for Children and Young People introduced the report and provided an overview of the five-year Commissioning Plan 2015/16 to 2019/20 for the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee.

The Committee discussed the body of the report, including Appendices A-D, which included the Commissioning Plan, Financial Forward Plan (including Capital Funding), a Consultation Findings Report and Resident Perception Survey Results.

Following discussion of the report, the Chairman moved to a vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

The recommendation set out in the report was carried.

RESOLVED that the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee approves the Commissioning Plan for the Committee as set out at Appendix A, taking consideration of the consultation responses set out in Appendix C.

The Education and Skills Director introduced the report and provided the Committee with an overview of the structure of the Schools Forum and its decision-making and advisory powers.  He further outlined the schools funding formula, and also the intention to provide an annual report to the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee in regard to the decisions made by the Schools Forum.

The Committee were informed of a correction to the report.  Recommendation 1. should have referred to paragraph 1.18, not 1.21 as detailed in the report.

Following discussion of the report, the Chairman moved to a vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

The recommendation set out in the report was carried.

RESOLVED that the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee receive an annual report on the local funding formulae for schools and early years and other financial issues as set out in paragraph 1.18 of the report.

The Interim Commissioning Director for Children and Young People introduced the report and provided an overview of legislation that allows independent schools to move into the maintained sector pending the approval of the local authority.

Officers provided clarity over the maintenance programme for schools and outlined some of the potential benefits for schools moving into the maintained sector, and used the example of Beit Shvidler Primary School to illustrate this.

Following discussion of the report, the Chairman moved to a vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

The recommendation set out in the report was carried.

RESOLVED that the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee approve the framework for use by the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee in considering applications from independent schools seeking to open a new maintained school to replace an independent school.

The Interim Commissioning Director for Children and Young People introduced the report which summarised the future requirements for additional specialist places to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Committee noted that this report outlined an initial consultation process with headteachers and a further report will be brought back to Committee later in the year.

Following discussion of the report, the Chairman moved to a vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

The recommendations set out in the report were carried.

RESOLVED –

1.         That authority be given to the Director of Children’s Services to undertake preliminary consultation with headteachers during the summer term 2015 on models for delivering additional school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The outcome of this consultation will inform a recommendation to the Children’s, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee in July 2015 for the most appropriate model for developing new specialist places through to 2020, followed by statutory consultation with schools and other stakeholders in the Autumn term 2015, in line with the requirements of Section 27 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

2.         That authority be given to the Director of Children’s Services to continue to explore with the Department for Education, the Governing Body of Mill Hill County High School and the Management Committee of the Pavilion Pupil Referral Unit, the option of transferring the governance and leadership of Oak Hill Additional Resourced Provision from Mill Hill County High School to the Pavilion Pupil Referral Unit. The outcome will be reported to the Children’s, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee for consideration.

The Chairman introduced the report and provided an overview of its contents.

Councillor Helena Hart stated that the grant was welcome from a health perspective.

Following discussion of the report, the Chairman moved to a vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

The recommendation set out in the report was carried.

RESOLVED that a one-year grant of £10,000 be awarded to Phoenix Canoe Club, subject to the council’s Standard Conditions of Grant Aid and the special conditions shown in the grant assessment enclosed in the report.

The Committee considered the report.

RESOLVED that at the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee note the items included in the 2015 work programme.

There were none.