To consider a report by County Councillor Arwel Jones, Portfolio Holder for Education.
Minutes:
The Cabinet received and considered the independent investigation carried out by Jonathan Walters QC into a whistleblowing complaint about the governance of Llanfyllin High School. The Investigator had considered each of the 28 allegations made by the whistle-blower, upholding 11 of the allegations and not upholding 17 of the allegations. The Investigator had made 11 recommendations. Recommendations 1 to 8 inclusive and 11 required action by the school and 9 and 10 action by the Council.
The Monitoring Officer read out an email from County Councillor Darren Mayor who was unable to be present at the meeting. County Councillors Peter Lewis, Gwynfor Thomas and Aled Davies, who were Governors at the School, questioned why the report was being considered and why Mr Walters had been chosen to carry out the investigation. The Monitoring Officer advised Members that he and the Head of Schools had attended a meeting of the Governors and they had agreed that an independent investigation should be carried out into the allegations and that they were happy for Mr Walters to conduct the investigation. The members questioned whether it was appropriate for the report to be considered by Cabinet and noted the progress being made by the school in addressing a number of the Investigator’s recommendations.
The Monitoring Officer confirmed that it was appropriate for the Cabinet to consider the report. The Portfolio Holder for Education said that the Council had the interests of the school at heart and the recommendations were intended to support the school. The school had the opportunity to respond in its action plan.
RESOLVED |
Reason for Decision: |
1) That the Portfolio holder for Education is granted delegated authority to use his best endeavours to appoint up to an additional 3 Governors to the Governing Body of Llanfyllin High School.
2) That the Governing Body of Llanfyllin high School is required to provide a written action plan dealing with the numbered recommendations 1 to 8 ( inclusive) and 11 in the Investigators Report and present the Action Plan to the Portfolio holder for Education within 28 days.
3) That the Head of Schools Service is required to produce an Action plan to deal with numbered recommendations 9 and 10 of the Investigation Report within 28 days.
4) In the event that the Portfolio Holder for Education is not satisfied with either of the action plans referred to in 2 and 3 above, that the Portfolio Holder brings a further report to Cabinet on the 14th March 2017 to enable Cabinet to consider what, if any, further action is required.
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To provide additional support to the Governing Body
To ensure that the recommendations in the Investigation Report are properly dealt with
To ensure that the recommendations in the Investigation Report are properly dealt with
To ensure that the recommendations in the Investigation Report are properly dealt with |
County Councillor WT Jones did not vote having returned to the meeting during the debate.
The Leader adjourned the meeting at 18.57 and advised that it would be reconvened at 14.30 on 14th February when the following outstanding items on the agenda would be dealt with.
14. |
Education standards report for the academic year 2015-16 |
C23- 2017 |
15. |
School Improvement |
C24- 2017 |
16. |
Strategic Overview Board |
C28- 2017 |
17. |
Delegated Decisions Taken Since the Last Meeting |
C30- 2017 |
18. |
Forward Work Programme |
C31- 2017 |
19. |
Exempt Items |
C32- 2017 |
20. |
Learning Disability Day Services North Powys |
C33- 2017 |
County Councillor W B Thomas (Chair)
Minutes of a meeting of the reconvened Cabinet meeting of 7 february 2017 held at county hall, llandrindod wells ON Tuesday, 14 February 2017
PRESENT
County Councillor W B Thomas (Chair)
County Councillors R G Brown, J H Brunt, M R Harris, S M Hayes, E A Jones, W T Jones, W J T Powell and A G Thomas
In attendance: County Councillors KW Curry, AW Davies, CJ Gibson-Watt and JM Williams.
Supporting documents: