Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 10 February 2015.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of held on 10 February 2015 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor Rachel Bailey – Cabinet Member for Safeguarding Children and Adults

Councillor Rhoda bailey – Deputy Cabinet Member

Tony Crane – Director of Children’s Services

Fintan Bradley - Corporate Manager - Education Strategy

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To provide an opportunity for Members to declare the existence of a party whip in relation to any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of the existence of a party whip.

A total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit of the Committee.

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.

Note: In order for officers to undertake any background research, it would be helpful if members of the public contacted the Scrutiny officer listed at the foot of the agenda, at least one working day before the meeting to provide brief details of the matter to be covered. 

There were no members of the public present who wished to speak.

Su Turner from the Centre for Public Scrutiny to attend and give a presentation.

Su Turner Head of Programmes, Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) attended the meeting and gave a presentation on a pilot project that she was assisting the Council with, in relation to school attainment. The project would develop ways for council scrutiny to influence local education, and support school leaders to improve results.

Specifically the project would:

Support the committee to:

•      Conduct a review of school improvement

•      Use learning from CfPS’ back to school publication to review how the council can maintain an overview of school performance in a mixed provider economy

•      Explore roles for ward councillors in developing effective relationships with schools

•      Gain a better understanding of how the council can monitor school performance and continue to discharge its statutory duties with regard to children

•      enhance local relationships with schools

•      Improve further the level of education for children

RESOLVED –

(a)   That the involvement of this committee in the pilot project to improve school attainment across Cheshire East be approved;

(b)  That Su Turner be requested to consult with Councillors Dorothy Flude, Arthur Moran and Gill Merry on the contents of a draft scoping document outlining the committee’s potential involvement in the project with a view to the committee becoming fully engaged in the project after the May elections.

To consider a report of the Head of Corporate Resources and Stewardship.

The committee reviewed its work programme in preparation for the handover to the new Council after the May elections. The committee divided items into 3 categories:

Essential - to go forward into 2015/16

Desirable

Items to be Monitored.

RESOLVED – That the work programme be approved as follows:

Essential Items

CSE

Review of HR policies

SEN Policy

CfPS School attainment project

Monitoring

Ofsted

Public health of 0-25 year olds

Care leavers

LSCB annual report

Desirable 

Elective home education

Early years

To note the current forward plan, identify any new items, and to determine whether any further examination of new issues is appropriate.

The Committee considered the latest version of the forward plan.

RESOLVED – That the Forward Plan be noted.