Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor Rachel Powell who was on other Council business.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 207 KB

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 9th June 2020 as a correct record.

Minutes:

The Leader was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 9th June 2020 as a correct record.

3.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest reported.

4.

The Future of Special Educational Needs/Additional Learning Needs provision in Powys - draft discussion paper pdf icon PDF 305 KB

To consider a report by County Councillor Phyl Davies, Portfolio Holder for Education and Property.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet was asked to give approval for an engagement exercise to develop a new vision and areas for transformation for Special Educational Needs (SEN)/ Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision in Powys. A discussion document outlined the vision for SEN/ALN in Powys and identified 6 areas where transformation was required:

 

·         Mainstream

·         Early support/assessment

·         Specialist provision for pupils of statutory school age with the most complex needs

·         Specialist centres’

·         Specialist behaviour provision

·         Provision for SEN/ALN learners up to the age of 25.

 

County Councillor Pete Roberts the Chair of the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee advised that the Committee was broadly pleased to see this going out for consultation. The Committee did suggest that the Education Service might wish to undertake specific consultation on SEN/ALN provision for the 19-25 age group. Scrutiny was supportive of the proposed training and upskilling of staff and Teaching Assistants as long as those with experience were not excluded from working within the service area. The Education Service’s responses to the recommendations from Scrutiny had been circulated to Cabinet in advance of the meeting.

 

Cabinet was advised that the engagement exercise would help turn the vision into a strategy. Further proposals would be brought to the Cabinet in October. Cabinet welcomed the report and thanked officers for their work.

 

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves further engagement with stakeholders on the draft discussion paper – ‘The future of SEN/ALN provision in Powys’ and submission of a final vision and areas for transformation to Cabinet by no later than October 2020.

 

 

5.

Draft Welsh Language Standards Annual Report 2020 pdf icon PDF 135 KB

To consider a report by County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Welsh Language.  

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet received the Draft Welsh Language Standards Annual Report for consideration and approval (see Appendix A). The report outlined work undertaken during 2019-20 to ensure compliance with the Welsh Language Standards under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, and performance against the requirements of the Standards.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and the Welsh Language paid tribute to the Welsh Language Officer and his team for their work. She highlighted the number of officers in the council taking up Welsh language classes and the Adult Social Care Service’s active offer for Welsh speaking clients. She reported that the Council continued to lobby Microsoft for a simultaneous translation service on Teams.

 

            RESOLVED to approve the draft Welsh Language Standards Annual Report 2020 for it to be published on the Council’s public website by 30 June 2020.