Agenda and draft minutes

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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 County Councillors C Mills, A Jenner. K Roberts-Jones and T Van-Rees (other Council business).

 

2.

Disclosures of interest

To receive any disclosures of interest by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest from Members relating to items for consideration on the agenda.

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.

Llanbedr C.I.W School pdf icon PDF 483 KB

To scrutinise the report of the Portfolio Holder for Education and Property and to make recommendations / observations to the Cabinet.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Documents Considered:

·                 Report of the Portfolio Holder for Education and Property – Llanbedr C.I.W. School

 

Issues Discussed:

·                 None

 

·                 Questions:

 

Could you clarify the capacity and number of vacancies in each of the potential Powys receiving schools which are available and can you clarify whether these spaces are in Years 1 to 6.

Crickhowell has a capacity of 230 and has 41 available places;

Llangattock has a 121 place capacity and has 18 available places;

Llangynidr has a capacity of 147 and has 35 available spaces

 

These schools are in the same cluster as Llanbedr.

 

Llangorse would be closer for some Llanbedr pupils but is full at present.

 

In terms of how the schools structure their classes:

Crickhowell has 7 classes and 8 classrooms

Llangynidr has 4 classes in 5 classrooms

Llangattock has 4 classrooms all of which are used.

 

This suggests that there are enough spaces to move pupils into from Llanbedr

Overall in the catchment there is sufficient capacity to take the pupils from Llanbedr. Looking at the projections, there is increased capacity in future due to numbers of pupils at schools decreasing, with 91 current places available but projected to be 141 by 2023.

It has been raised about the desire to move children from one Church in Wales (CIW) school to make room in another CIW school. What is the legal position and what are the likely numbers moving from this school to another CIW school

Llangattock is the only CIW school in the cluster apart from Llanbedr. There was an error in the Llanbedr capacity calculation reported to Welsh Government on the Council's annual return. The original capacity reported and published in the consultation document was 144 but in fact it is 121 so an addendum was circulated to stakeholders who had received the consultation document.

There is insufficient capacity in Llangattock for all of the pupils from Llanbedr.

In relation to the School Organisation code the authority should provide the same kind of places for Welsh Medium or faith schools, but there is no requirement to provide a like for like provision.

Parents can apply for any school and if a parent wants to choose a CIW place and there is a space in Llangattock the Council under its transport policy would not provide home to school transport to a faith school, but can use discretionary powers on a case by case basis for those pupils in Llanbedr school.

 

The figures provided are based on current figures. However, whilst Llangattock may not have the CIW capacity today, 28 pupils are in years 5 and 6 so by the time Llanbedr closed some of the current pupils will have moved to secondary school so there may be vacant places.

 

There is also an assumption that all pupils attending Llanbedr are doing so because it is a CIW School, and to receive a faith provision. However, this may not be the case.

 

In Year 6 in Llangorse which is currently full, there are 20 pupils who will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 142 KB

To consider the scrutiny work programme.

Minutes:

The Committee noted that future meetings of the Committee were scheduled as follows:

 

08-12-21

14.00 - 16.00

Zoom

Update on the North Powys Well-Being Programme (1 hour) (PROV)

24-01-22

14.00 - 16.00

Zoom

Q3 Performance and Risk

01-02-22

Draft Budget

02-03-22

 

29-06-22

 

20-07-22

Q1 Performance and Risk

21-09-22

 

26-10-22

Q2 Performance and Risk

14-12-22