Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from the Head of Transformation and Communications and the Service Manager for Schools Transformation.

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

County Councillor M Alexander declared a personal interest in item 3 Llanfyllin Catchment Review as a relative of the headteacher of a potential receiving school.

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

County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander left the meeting while this item was being discussed having declared a personal interest.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval to amend the decisions made on the 18^th March 2021 and the 6^th July 2021 in respect of Llansantffraid C. in W. School, Llangedwyn C. in W. School, Llanfechain C. in W. School and Ysgol Bro Cynllaith.

The Leader explained that the report had been deferred at the previous week’s meeting because a number of Cabinet members had indicated that they did not feel the report was strong enough in detailing the direction of transformation in the catchment. The Portfolio Holder confirmed that the only change to the report from that deferred at the previous meeting was to strengthen the third recommendation with the inclusion of a date by which a report would be brought back to Cabinet.

The Portfolio Holder for Education and Property expressed his disappointment that it would not be possible to proceed with the plan to proceed with the planned extension to Llansantffraid C. in W. School, based on the outcome of the Feasibility Study and the Business Justification Case. He did feel that the additional time would allow for further engagement with the community to commence in January 2022. The Director of Education confirmed that the feasibility study had flagged up there would have been huge disruption to pupils if the original proposals had gone ahead. 

Comments from County Councillor Gwynfor Thomas, a local member who was unable to be present at the meeting, were read out. He questioned why the report had been withdrawn from the previous meeting and revised without consultation with stakeholders and local members. County Councillor Aled Davies also expressed his disappointment that the report had been withdrawn and his hope that there was sufficient capacity in the schools transformation team to deliver a report by March 2022.

                        RESOLVED

1.      Not to proceed with the planned extension to Llansantffraid C. in W. School, based on the outcome of the Feasibility Study.

2.      Not to proceed with the existing planned consultations on the closure of Llangedwyn C. in W. School, Llanfechain C. in W. School and Ysgol Bro Cynllaith.

3.      To instruct the Transforming Education Team to bring forward proposals for Ysgol Bro Cynllaith, Llangedwyn C. in W. School and Llanfechain C. in W. School by March 2022 due to the low and reducing pupil numbers and the potential impact on the sustainability of the schools and the learner offer.

County Councillor Alexander returned to the meeting.  

To consider the report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services.

Cabinet considered the third iteration of the Inter Authority Agreement that set out the principle of the governance and management of the Mid Wales Growth Deal. IAA3 was intended to commence once the Final Deal Agreement was signed between the two Councils and would remain in force and effect for the period of the Growth Deal. The Inter Authority Agreement had been considered by the Growing Mid Wales Board on 15^th December and had been recommended for approval by the Cabinets of both authorities.

The Growing Mid Wales Board (GMWB) would remain the executive joint committee with the membership consisting of 10 elected member representatives by the Councils (5 each). All advisory panels of the Growing Mid Wales Board were re-established in a consultative capacity, to provide advice to the Board.

The previous Economic Strategy Group had been reconstituted as the Economic Advisory Group with new terms of reference. The Chair no longer had voting rights on the GMWB.

The terms of reference of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Regional Skills Partnership remained largely unchanged from IAA2.

The terms of reference Growing Mid Wales Management Group, established under IAA1 to co-ordinate professional officer advice and management to the GMWB, had been evolved to support the delivery of the Deal. Its membership comprised senior officers form both Councils, with observers from both Governments.

The role and function of the Portfolio Management Office in the context of the MWGD had now been defined within IAA3. They provided professional support and advice to the GMWB on the delivery of the MWGD Portfolio.

The Scheme of Delegation in Schedule 1 of IAA3 also set out  responsibility for administrative functions and those matters which were for the Management Group, for the Board and those which were reserved for the Councils.

                        RESOLVED to approve IAA3  in accordance with the draft set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 1 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose personal data relating to an individual in contravention of the principles of the Data Protection Act. Because of this and since there did not appear to be an overwhelming public interest requiring the disclosure of personal data he felt that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting.

RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 1 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).

To consider the report of the Leader, County Councillor Rosemarie Harris.

Cabinet considered the confidential report and the recommendations of the Economy, Residents and Communities Scrutiny Committee who had called-in the delegated decision.

Officers had accepted that the budget for the implementation of final Business Case for ‘Moving on Up’ should have been approved by Cabinet.

The Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations presented by the Chair, County Councillor Matthew Dorrance, were designed to strengthen the governance process to prevent a re-occurrence. The Committee remained supportive of the service redesign. A response would be provided within two months.  

                        RESOLVED to

1.    Approve the implementation of final Business Case for ‘Moving on Up’, attached to the report.

2.    Approve that the additional cost pressure for this structure in the 2021-22 financial year from the 1^st January 2022 of £50,265 be funded from the HRA revenue account.

3.    Approve that the annual ongoing additional cost pressure (£201,058 for 2022-23) for this structure be funded from the HRA revenue account and that this element is approved now for inclusion in the full HRA Business Plan which will be submitted for consideration by Cabinet in February 2022.