Issue - meetings

To receive a report of the Cheshire County Council Scrutiny Review Panel.

Report of the Panel attached.

        Consideration was given to the report of the Cheshire County Council’s Scrutiny Review Panel on Transforming Learning Communities.  The Terms of Reference for the review by the Panel was to assess whether the TLC process was addressing the issue of surplus school places and to review and report on the consultation process undertaken to date on TLC proposals, so that lessons learnt may be applied across the Council’s activities in the future.  The report to the Scrutiny Review Panel had included graphs, which demonstrated surplus places forecast and actual positions for primary and secondary schools.  David Ayres, Project Manager for TLC, attended the meeting and presented a series of slides providing detailed and updated information for Cheshire East.  Copies of the presentation slides were circulated, together with the leaflets “Transforming Learning Communities in Cheshire - A Case for Change” and “Transforming Learning Communities - Securing Learning for the Future”.

          It was noted that the new Cheshire East Council would need to consider how to manage the gap between supply and demand of school places.

          In considering the report, Members of the Panel raised the following issues:

          (i)      Reference was made to the merger, which had taken place, of an infant and junior school in Wilmslow and concern was expressed that it had been necessary to provide new classrooms and other facilities, at a substantial cost.  It was considered that the new Council needed to be aware of this and to make sure that any proposals were economically sound.  It was reported that one of the aims of the Primary Capital Programme was to rebuild and refurbish 50% of primary schools and to improve others and that Members of the Panel could be provided with information in respect of this, if required.

          (ii)     It was noted that the TLC process in Crewe had been very positive.  However, there were still some concerns in respect of costs and the amount of money spent on some individual schools and these issues needed to be addressed locally.  It was also hoped that Members would be more closely involved in the future TLC process.

                RESOLVED

1.      That a Task Group be formed to take this matter forward and to consider the process and how TLC needed to be managed across East Cheshire, the Task Group members to be :-

               Councillors Jim Crockatt

                                    Bill Livesley

                                    Michael Parsons

                                    Ray Westwood

                                   One representative from the Labour Group

2.      That the relevant Portfolio Holder be notified of the Task Group

               meeting dates.

3.  That consideration be given to the Terms of Reference, at the first

      meeting.