Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interest 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.

Members were invited to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interest in any item on the agenda. Declarations of interest were made, as appropriate, during discussion of the item of business in which there was an interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos. 11 and 35, 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.

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

There were no members of the public in attendance and the Panel, therefore, proceeded to its next business.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 4 February 2011 will follow under separate cover/be tabled at the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 4 February 2011 be approved as a correct record.

The reports relating to the following item has been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the matters may be determined with the press and public excluded.

The Panel is asked to RESOLVE –

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item, pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 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 and the public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

RESOLVED: That the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item, pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 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 and the public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

At its meeting held on 1 December 2010, the Panel had approved a revised procedure for making appointments to educational establishments. The Panel’s recommendations had been considered by the Constitution Committee at its meeting held on 24 March 2011.

The resolution of the Committee was read to the meeting and noted by Members –

Resolution of the Constitution Committee – 24 March 2011

“That the revised procedure for the appointment of Authority Governors to school governing bodies in Cheshire East as set out in Annexe A to the report be approved subject to the following amendments:

1.      where there are two or more competing nominations for a vacancy at a primary school and one nominee is a local ward member for the ward in which the school is situated, the local ward member shall be appointed;

2.      where there are two or more competing nominations for a vacancy at a secondary school and one nominee is a local ward member for a ward served by the secondary school, the local ward member shall be appointed;

3.      where there are two or more nominations of local ward members in either case above, those members shall decide among themselves which one of them shall be appointed; in the event that agreement cannot be reached, all such nominations shall be considered equally alongside any others against the agreed criteria; and

4.      nominations by local ward members where they themselves are not the nominee shall be considered equally with other nominations against the agreed criteria.”

A copy of the revised procedure would be submitted for information to the next meeting.

The report of the Head of Children and Family Services informs Members of current Local Authority Governor vacancies within Cheshire East maintained schools.

The report of the Director of Children and Family Services informed the Local Authority School Governor Appointments Panel of vacancies within Cheshire East maintained schools, in the context of vacancies at national level and recommended individuals for appointment and re-appointment to identified posts.

Additional information was tabled at the meeting in respect of new appointments and some re-appointments where the term of office had either already ended or was due to end before the next meeting of the Panel.

RESOLVED: 

(a)       That the following appointments be made for a four year term of office with effect from 16 April 2011:

(b)  That the appointment of the nominee to Mossley CE Primary School , as detailed in the report, (Item (4) above) be subject to further discussion with the Schools Liaison Manager in respect of her capacity to commit sufficient time to the role, the outcome to be reported to the next meeting;

(c) That the following re-appointments be made for a four-year term of office from the 16 April 2011 unless otherwise indicated:

(d) That the appointment of a governor to Tytherington High School be deferred pending enquiries of the school in respect of the attendance record of the incumbent; and

(e) That the Principal Officer (Services for Children and Families) liaise with the Chairman in respect of this appointment.

Notes: (a) Councillor B H Dykes declared a personal interest in item (2) above on the basis that he was acquainted with the nominee;

(b) Councillors B H Dykes, G Merry, T Jackson, M A Martin and D Thompson each declared a personal  interest in item (5) on the basis that Councillor Livesley was a Councillor colleague; and

(c) Councillor D Thompson declared a personal interest in item 13 on the basis that she was acquainted with the nominee.