NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL
EDUCATION AND LEISURE SERVICES COMMITTEE
19 October 2000
PRESENT:- Councillor Barkley in the chair.
Councillors Smith (vice-chair), Appleyard, Briggs, Chapman, Deas, Mrs Delaney, Fordham, Gosling, Holgate, Mrs Martin, Mrs Metcalfe, Phillips, Mrs Redfern, Rocks, Mrs Sidell, Mrs Simpson, Stewart, Whiteley and Wood.
Mr S Cranidge, Mrs A Dunkerley, Mr E Gibbs, Rev G Plumb, Mr A Scargall and Mr M White.
The committee met at the Kingsway Centre, Kingsway, Scunthorpe.
65 CHAIR'S REMARKS - Councillor J Billam - The chair referred, with sadness, to the recent death of Councillor Billam. Members of the committee concurred with the chair's sentiments.
"Day in the Dome" - The chair also referred to the North Lincolnshire "Day in the Dome" on 18 October 2000. The council's presence included an exhibition of the area and performances by primary school children from across the area and the North Lincolnshire Swing Band.
Complimentary comments were paid by those attending - the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Mrs Simpson and Councillors Mrs Martin, Smith and Stewart.
The committee asked that the thanks be recorded of all those involved with the project.
Resolved - That this be noted.
66 DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY AND NON-PECUNIARY INTEREST - Declarations of non-pecuniary interest were made as follows -
| Member |
Minute No. |
Subject |
| Councillor Barkley |
71 |
Fair Funding 2001/02 - Results of Consultation |
| Councillor Deas |
70 |
Revised Estimates 2000/01 and Base Budgets 2001/02 |
| Councillor Gosling |
71 |
Fair Funding 2001/02 - Results of Consultation |
| Councillor Holgate |
70 |
Revised Estimates 2000/01 and Base Budgets 2001/02 |
| Councillor Smith |
71 |
Fair Funding 2001/02 - Results of Consultation |
67 (58) PETITION - ROWLAND ROAD PARK, SCUNTHORPE - BOWLS GREEN - In accordance with Standing Order 38 it was reported that a petition had been received from users of the Rowland Park Bowls Green regarding concerns they had about the condition of the green. Representatives of the petitioners attended the meeting and one addressed the committee on the subject matter of, and background to, the petition.
The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report giving details of outdoor bowling provision offered by the council and responding to the issues raised by the petitioners.
Resolved - (a) That the petition and concerns of users of the facility be noted, (b) that approval be given to the development of a plan for outdoor bowling facilities; (c) that the petitioners be consulted on that plan, and (d) that the plan be submitted to a future meeting of this committee for approval.
68 MINUTES - Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of this committee of 30 August, 2000 having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chair.
69 (59) OUTSTANDING ACTION FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS OF THE FORMER EDUCATION AND LEISURE SERVICES COMMITTEES - The Director of Corporate Affairs and the Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a joint report which contained a schedule of outstanding issues upon which the committee had requested reports to future meetings.
Members enquired when details of this years examination results would be available. The Director of Education and Personal Development reported that the usual report would be submitted to the committee when the comparative information was available. He agreed however, to place a copy of the North Lincolnshire results in the political group offices.
Resolved - That the report be noted.
70 (60) REVISED ESTIMATES 2000/2001 AND BASE BUDGETS 2001/2002 - The Director of Education and Personal Development and the Director of Corporate Affairs submitted a joint report seeking approval of the revised estimates for 2000/2001 and the present policies base budgets for 2001/2002.
The budgets were summarised in the joint paper together with details of major budget variances between the approved and revised budgets and for present policy base budgets which were shown in Appendices B and C respectively. The report also considered the committee's revised capital estimates for 2000/2001 and proposed capital budget for 2001/2002, details of which were set out in Appendix D.
Resolved - (a) That the revised revenue estimates for 2000/2001 and the present policies revenue base budget for 2001/2002 be approved, and (b) that the revised capital estimates for 2000/2001, and the budgetary impact of current schemes in future years be approved.
71 (61) FAIR FUNDING 2001/2002 - RESULTS OF CONSULTATION - Further to minute 51 the Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report inviting the committee to consider the results of the consultation process recently undertaken with schools regarding delegation proposals for 2001/2002.
The DfEE had issued a target of 85% delegation for 2001/2002 against a level of 81.7% in North Lincolnshire for the current year.
Schools had been sent information on the following potential delegations:-
- primary school meals,
- property and other insurances,
- education development centre,
- work placement costs, and
- computer licences.
Approximately 30% of schools had responded to the consultation document at the time the report was prepared and the responses from each school were shown in an appendix to the report. The Director of Education and Personal Development informed the committee at the meeting that the level of response by schools to the consultation document was now 59%, giving a breakdown of each potential item for delegation from next year.
Moved by the chair and seconded by the vice chair -
That, in the light of the consultation responses, all five of the potential delegations set out in paragraph 2.2 of the report be delegated to schools.
Moved by Councillor Mrs Sidell and seconded by Councillor Briggs as an amendment -
The motion with the deletion of the words "in the light of the consultation responses".
Amendment Lost
Motion Carried
72 (62) OFSTED INSPECTIONS - GUNNESS AND BURRINGHAM CE PRIMARY AND BRUMBY COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS - The Director of Education and Personal Development submitted a report informing members of the outcomes of OFSTED inspections at the above schools.
Inspection findings in respect of the schools were set out in the report. Full copies of the reports had been placed in political group offices.
Resolved - (a) That the committee continues to support school improvements at Gunness and Burringham CE Primary and Brumby Comprehensive Schools, and (b) that a letter be sent by the chair, on behalf of the committee, congratulating both schools on the outcome of the inspections.
73 (63) MONITORING SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (SEN) SPENDING IN SCHOOLS - The Director of Education and Personal Development referred to minutes 1244 and 1350 of the former Schools and Special Needs Sub-Committee and submitted a report on the outcomes of the first year's monitoring of special educational needs spending in schools. Details of the monitoring process were set out in the report.
During the first year 30 schools had been visited covering a range of types and locations. The visits confirmed that money for special educational needs, delegated through the formula and through statements, was generally well spent.
The monitoring visits had helped schools in their preparation for OFSTED inspections. Detailed training on SEN processes and procedures, use of indicators and reporting was being delivered through the SEN Support Service, the Advisory Service and the SEN Team.
The report also discussed the programme for monitoring during the second year, the focus of which would be pupil movement.
The Director of Education and Personal Development reported that the schedule of one visit per week plus return visits would not allow the completion of the cycle in two years and that a third year was required.
A member referred to the training for SENCos and teachers on SEN processes and asked that it be extended to SEN governors,
Resolved - (a) That the current two year cycle be extended by a further year to a three year cycle, in order for this to integrate better with the other working commitments of the monitoring team; (b) that a report be submitted to this committee yearly rather than termly, in order to draw findings from a larger amount of data, and to provide a clearer overview; (c) that the outcomes of the monitoring exercise inform a review of the SEN formula and statement funding to take place during the academic year 2000/2001, following which advice to schools on spending SEN funding will be updated and reissued, and (d) that the training referred to in paragraph 3.5 of the report be extended to include SEN governors.
74 (64) ESTABLISHMENT OF ETHNIC MINORITY CHILD SUPPORT ASSISTANT POSTS - The Director of Education and Personal Development and the Director of Corporate Affairs submitted a joint report inviting the committee to consider the establishment of a number of Ethnic Minority Child Support Assistant posts as part of a Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) funded project.
The Bilingual Support Service had submitted a bid which had been accepted in principle, for SRB funding for a project involving the employment of Bilingual (Ethnic Minority) Child Support Assistants.
Details of the project were set out in the report; together with the staffing and financial implications. If the bid was successful, the SRB funding would wholly fund the posts for a period of five years.
Resolved - (a) That the proposal to establish four full time equivalent Bilingual Child Support Assistants (Scale 1/2, subject to the outcome of job evaluation) from the commencement of the Summer Term 2001, increasing to 4.5 full time employees after one year and for a period of five years in total be supported, subject to the associated SRB bid being successful, and (b) that the matter be referred to the Community, Commercial and Corporate Affairs Committee for approval.
75 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC - Resolved - That the public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following item (minute 76 refers) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.
76 (65) BEST VALUE REVIEW - FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SUPPORT SERVICES - The Director of Education and Personal Development and the Director of Corporate Affairs referred to minute 42 of the Community, Commercial and Corporate Affairs Committee, and submitted a joint report inviting the committee to consider staffing implications arising from the review in so far as the Education and Personal Development directorate was concerned.
Currently there were eleven corporate finance staff devolved across the four service directorates, of which two were in the Education and Personal Development directorate. The Best Value review had concluded that an improved service would be provided if all staff became part of the same team with no split of line management and the best way to achieve this was to incorporate devolved corporate finance staff into the establishments of the four service directorates.
The review also considered a difference in the structure of the Finance Team serving the Education and Personal Development directorate, details of which were summarised in the report.
In addition to changes flowing from the Best Value review, the report considered other issues in drawing up a recommended Finance Team for the directorate.
Existing and revised staffing structures were set out in Appendices to the report.
Resolved - (a) That the revised staffing structure for the Education and Personal Development Finance Team, as set out in the report and the accompanying Appendix, be supported; (b) that the establishment of a new Band K post to line manage the directorate Finance Team, and the transfer of existing devolved corporate finance staff (with accompanying budget provision) to the Directorate of Education and Personal Development, be supported; (c) that the Service Level Agreement with schools be reviewed and the establishment of an additional post of Schools Administration Assistant, Scale 3/4 be established within the Schools Team to deliver a wider range of services for purchase by schools be supported; (d) that the creation of an additional post of 0.5 Clerical Assistant, Scale 1/2 within the Control Team be supported, and (e) that the matter be referred to the Community, Commercial and Corporate Affairs Committee for approval.
This schedule does not form part of the Minutes
FOR MEMBERS’ INFORMATION - SCHEDULE OF DECISIONS MADE SINCE THE LAST MEETING BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE/DIRECTORS, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CHAIR OR VICE-CHAIR, IN MATTERS OF URGENCY AND UNDER DELEGATED POWERS
Decision Record Reference - Subject and Decision
ELS/21/00 Approval of sports grant aid for travel and subsistence to attend - Model Aircraft European Championships, Romania; International Decathlon, France; GB Athletic Squad Events; English Badminton Squad Training Summer School; Global In Line Hockey Festival, Toronto and International Netball Coaches Conference.
ELS/22/00 Approval to the establishment of six temporary posts in connection with the Connexions Service Pilot Programme.
ELS/23/00 Approval to accept the lowest tender for the Winterton Junior School – Improvements to Heating Contract – Project No. 11627.
ELS/24/00 Approval to accept the lowest tender for the South Axholme Comprehensive School 11435 – Provision of Drama Studio and Refurbishment Contract.
ELS/25/00 Approval to accept the lowest tender for the Priory Lane Junior School Re-roofing Contract – Project No 11635.
ELS/26/00 Approval to award a Contract for the Provision of School and Public Service Transport - ST/00/2642 Redbourne to Scunthorpe.
ELS/27/00 Approval to grant a Lease of land situated at West Common Lane Playing Field, Scunthorpe, being an extension to land already leased, to John Leggott College.
ELS/28/00 Approval to accept the lowest tender for the Hibaldstow Primary School – Additional Classroom Contract – Project No. 11417.
ELS/29/00 Approval to establish two fixed term Key Stage 3 Consultants – Science and Transforming Teaching and Learning.