Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors M Beanland and G Hayes.

In accordance with paragraph 2.32 of the Committee Procedural Rules and Appendix 7 of the Rules, a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Panel on any matter relevant to its work.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.  Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility.  However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

No members of the public were present.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.  Whilst Officers can advise on the Code and its interpretation, the decision to declare or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.

In the interest of openness, Councillor A Stott declared that she was a governor at Dean Valley Community Primary School and that she would not take part in the consideration of the application for this school.

In the interest of openness, Councillor S Holland declared that she knew the applicant for Rode Heath Primary School and that she would not take part in the consideration of their application.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 4 February 2019.

REOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

Members reviewed the Terms of Reference for the Local Authority School Governor Nomination Panel.

As a result of changes brought in by legislation, amendments were proposed to reflect the changes to which type of schools nominations of Local Authority Governor were made.

RESOLVED:

That the Terms of Reference be amended to read as follows:

1          To consider and determine the selection of Authority Governors to educational establishments, where governors are nominated by Cheshire East Council, including maintained schools and academies (as determined by their Articles of Association), in order that appointments can be made in accordance with agreed criteria.

2.         To monitor vacancy rates of the Authority Governors based on information provided by the Governance and Liaison Service, with a view to ensuring that vacancies are filled within one school term.

3.         To note the nomination and appointment of additional governors and any urgent appointment to schools in the Cheshire East Vulnerable School Programme.

4.         To consider, and where appropriate, agree, terminating appointments of Authority Governors where the governor has clearly breached confidentiality or brought the school or the Local Authority into disrepute, or otherwise failed to fulfil the role according to the code of conduct. This is in addition to situations where governors are automatically disqualified under Schedule 4 of the School Governance (Constitution)(England) Regulations 2012.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item in pursuant to Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and the public interest would not be served in publishing this information.

To consider the report on the current Local Authority Governor vacancies within Cheshire East schools.

The Panel considered the report on current Local Authority Governor vacancies within Cheshire East maintained schools and academies and the applications received for nomination.

RESOLVED:

That having regard to the statutory guidance in making nominations, the Panel approved the following:

Nominations for Appointment

DEAN VALLEY COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Mrs Karen McCurdy

EDLESTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Mr Leonard Simm

RODE HEATH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Mr Patrick Redstone

ST VINCENT de PAUL CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Miss Eve Smith

The Panel is asked to note that the next meeting is scheduled at 2.00 pm on Monday 14 October 2019.

The next meeting is to be held at 2.00 pm on Monday 14 October 2019.