Venue: By Teams. View directions
Contact: Wyn Richards, Scrutiny Manager and Head of Democratic Services
Media
Items
No. |
Item |
1. |
Apologies
To receive apologies for absence.
Minutes:
Apologies for absence were received from
Lynette Lovell (Interin Chief Education
Officer) and Geraint Rees (Education Consultant)
|
2. |
Declarations of interest
To receive declarations of interest from
Members.
Minutes:
The Committee received the following
declarations of interest from Members:
Item 4 – School Transport Policy –
County Councillor Phyl Davies as his
business provides school transport.
|
3. |
Declarations of Party Whip
To
receive disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has
been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section
78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.
(NB: Members are reminded that under Section 78 Members having
been given a prohibited party whip cannot vote on a matter before
the Committee.)
Minutes:
The Committee did not receive
any disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been
given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3)
of the Local Government Measure 2011.
|
4. |
School Transport Policy PDF 322 KB
To scrutinise the revisions to the School
Transport Policy following the consultation process, and to make
any observations / recommendations to the Cabinet.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Documents
Considered:
·
School Transport Policy – Consultation
Report
·
Revised Home to School Transport Policy
(post-consultation)
·
Impact Assessment
Issues
Discussed:
·
The Schools Transport Policies supports other
policies such as School Transformation.
·
Questions:
Pre 16
Section – substantial change pre and post consultation. What
are the reasons for the change
|
The
Council does not under legislation have to provide post 16
transport. However, as School Transformation is at its outset and
has not achieved what is required as
yet, that has to be reflected in the school transport
policy.
|
Its
disappointing that the Council has changed its mind on post 16
transport. Where is the £75,000 coming from, is this from
schools' budgets or from the transport budget
|
This is
within the school transport budget. Policy decisions do have
implications on costs. The Council has to be aware of the cost it
is incurring and the Cabinet will
continue to review all the costs.
|
Do
other authorities pay for their 16 to 19
year olds. We are also bussing young people out of the
county and Wales, so what is the impact on the Powys
pound.
|
The
Council is already spending £75,000 on this currently and
this provision is part of the current transport policy. When the
Council has a better offer for pupils then perhaps savings can be
made in the future, with less need for pupils to travel outside of
Powys.
|
333
respondents to this change to school transport policy is a low
number by comparison to those who could have responded, so are
respondents generally content. The Council does not have to provide
this transport and is not getting to grips with these issues. Will
this be the subject of further consultation.
|
This
has been the subject of consultation and there are mixed views
coming out of the consultation. The Cabinet will have to balanced
view of those responses and take a decision.
|
I
understand that this is to do with school transport not
transformation but there is still a lack of clarity as to what is
meant by closest or closest catchment school in terms of access to
high school. It is not clear which schools learners would receive transport to in
certain circumstances
|
The
catchments are defined by the Admissions policy and it is
understood that this currently under review. If a child lives
within the catchment of a primary school which is within a high
school catchment there is a natural progression from primary to
high school.
|
Should
the school transport say that transport will be to the nearest
catchment school rather than the nearest school
|
Legislation states that transport is to be provided to the
nearest school. However, for large geographical areas such as
Powys, the nearest school may not be the nearest catchment school.
It is critical that the transport policy should not be informing
the admissions policy as to the definition of a catchment
area.
|
Can the
Schools Service provide clarity as to which is the nearest school
and nearest catchment school ...
view the full minutes text for item 4.
|
|
5. |
Work Programme
The
next meetings of the Committee will be as follows:
07-10-2020
|
14.30 p.m. – 16.30 p.m.
|
·
ALN Strategy and Engagement Report
·
School Budgets 2020-21
|
11-11-2020
|
14.00 p.m. – 16.00 p.m.
|
·
Q2 Performance Reports
|
16-12-2020
|
14.00 p.m. – 16.00 p.m.
|
|
Minutes:
The
Committee noted that the next meetings will be as
follows:
07-09-2020
|
10.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.
|
Item: School Transport Policy
|
07-10-2020
|
14.30 p.m. – 16.30 p.m.
|
ALN
Strategy and Engagement Report
School Budgets 2020-21
|
11-11-2020
|
14.00 p.m. – 16.00 p.m.
|
Q2
Performance Report
|
16-12-2020
|
14.00 p.m. – 16.00 p.m.
|
|
It was noted that a further
review of Covid related activities
would require consideration by the Committee at an appropriate time
in the future.
|