Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the meeting. Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding 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.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos. 11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes was allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to its work.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To consider proposals to consult upon changing the services for which the Council is legally permitted to make a charge under the School Transport Policy, and the Complex and Special Needs Transport Policy.

A review of the Council’s Home-to-School Transport Policy was required as a result of the tight financial framework within which all Local Authorities were now operating.  As a consequence, it was proposed that the policy be reviewed and consultation be undertaken in relation to the services for which a charge could made, viz:

o              Post-16 transport;

o              Some denominational transport;

o              The post-16 element of the Complex Special Needs Policy; and

o              The provision of transport for children with medical needs.

The Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services was, therefore, invited to approve consultation in respect of changing the services for which Cheshire East Borough Council was legally permitted to make a charge.

RESOLVED

That

(1)      consultation be undertaken on the removal of the discretionary elements of the Home-to-School Transport Policy and Complex Special Needs Transport Policy;

(2)      subject to the outcome of that consultation and to any subsequent changes to the policies, the Starting School (information for parents and carers) and Transferring to Secondary School (How to apply for a school place) booklets be updated as necessary, prior to publication for this Autumn’s school admissions round for admissions to schools in the academic year 2012/13;

(3)      a review of the efficiency of the current appeals process be undertaken prior to any future policy changes taking effect; and

(4)      a separate review be undertaken of transport arrangements for cared for children in foster placements travelling to and from school.

To consider a proposal to consult with interested parties in the Learn Together Partnership when setting school term dates. 

The Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services was asked to authorise consultation with interested parties in respect of a proposal that with effect from 2012-2013 the Local Authority should align recommended term dates for schools with those set and applied by other Authorities in the “Learn Together Partnership” from 2010-2011, other than Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC), Wirral and Cheshire East Council. It was noted that CWAC was currently considering whether to undertake a similar consultation.

The following correction was made to the report:

Paragraph 10.9, second paragraph to read “....distribute a letter from the Director of Children and Families during March 2011”.

The following change was made to the report:

Paragraph 10.9, second paragraph, last sentence to read “……. report back with findings and a recommendation with a view to publishing the approved term dates during May 2011.”

RESOLVED:  That a consultation with the following stakeholders take place at the earliest opportunity with regard to the possible adoption by Cheshire East Council of standardised school term dates with effect from the 2012-13 school year, this pattern to be based on principles adopted by some other Local Authorities in the Learn Together Partnership:

·        Headteacher and Governor associations;

·        School workforce Trade Unions;

·        Diocesan Bodies;

·        Parents/ Carers.