Items
No. |
Item |
1. |
Apologies
To receive apologies for absence.
Minutes:
Apologies for absence were received from:
Cabinet Portfolio Holders
– D Selby for a More Prosperous
Powys & J Charlton for a Greener Powys.
Officers: Dr C Turner, G
Bevan.
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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.
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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.
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4. |
Minutes PDF 134 KB
To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of
the following meeting(s) as a correct record:
Minutes:
Documents
Considered:
·
Minutes 18-01-2023.
Issues
Discussed:
·
None.
Outcomes:
Minutes agreed by Committee
members present as a true and accurate reflection of the meeting
and ratified accordingly by the Chair.
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5. |
Mid Wales Education Partners - Business Plan PDF 184 KB
To receive and consider presentation on the
Mid Wales Education Partners.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Documents Considered:
·
To receive and note the presentation on the Mid
Wales Education Partners
Issues Discussed:
·
Establish an understanding and full awareness of the
MWEP and the Memorandum of Understanding which sets out the
accountability of the MWEP for 2023-26
o
Collaborate and co-operate.
o
Ensure accountability.
o
Openness.
o
Statutory requirement and best practice.
o
Act in a timely manner.
·
To Review the work and impact of the MWEP
collaboration between Powys and Ceredigion Local Authorities for
2022-23
·
To Provide an overview of the priorities of the MWEP
for 2023-24
Questions:
Question
|
Response
|
ERW
supported schools prepare for Inspections, can assurances be given
that have of the confidence in the officers under the MWEP, that
support would continue to be given to Inspection preparation
especially those schools in special measures.
Given recent events, it is vital Education Services and MWEP,
offer advice and support Headteachers.
|
Officer Response:
Whilst Powys and Ceredigion retain to separate School Education
Services our officers work in collaboration in the 5 areas
mentioned in the presentation. The support for the curriculum for
Wales is very bespoke and impacts the schools heavily, support is
provided through Leadership programmes and through the work of
RADY,
School Improvement Advisors is a separate element of the work
provided to schools and governed by the individual Local
Authorities.
Assurance given that have every confidence in the expertise of
the MWEP officers.
Officer Response:
This is a new model, and we need to have the confidence that it
provides the model and impact we require. We recognise that we have
2 Secondary schools in special measures and the support provided to
those schools is vital to ensure they move forward.
There are 5 Secondary school inspections scheduled through the
current cycle up to the summer of 2024.
The
MWEP provides the support to schools, through the Curriculum for
Wales and the Professional learning programmes.
The
School Improvement Advisors (SIA’s) remain employed by the
LA. Within the LA Education Service there is now a dedicated
Secondary School Improvement Team to provide support alongside, the
ALN, Foundation Phase, Welsh Advisory Teachers, Advisory Teachers
Team.
To
offer further assurance the business plan, with demonstrated impact
has been reviewed by WG and Estyn earlier this year reviewed the
MWEP and were heartened and complimentary.
As
we move forward there would be an expectation and invitation for
the Committee to offer continued challenge.
|
The concept
of the Partnership appears as an extra tier between the Welsh
Government and Schools, the £1.8m of grants for this tier,
could these funds be better utilised if given directly to
schools.
|
Officer Response:
There are 3 tiers within the Education system as
noted in 2.2 of the report.
Tier 1 The WG.
Tier 2 Regional Consortia/
LA’s.
Tier 3 Schools.
The funding allocation (£1.8m) is given
directly to Powys, previously this funding was given directly to
ERW, to disseminate to LAs to share to schools
accordingly.
There are criterion to be met with funds paid to
the LA, some of ...
view the full minutes text for item 5.
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6. |
Regional Skills Partnership PDF 94 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Documents Considered:
·
To receive and note the report of the Regional
Skills Partnership.
Questions:
Question
|
Response
|
Are
Lightcast a Consultancy Organisation, if so, what were the funding
arrangements, also would there have been an option to undertake
this work internally.
|
Officer response
The
RSP have tried unsuccessfully for a year to employ a data analyst
and researcher. Followed governance via the Grow Mid Wales Board
(GMWB) for permission to outsource to Lightcast, who are Technical
advisors, as did not have the capacity to support within the team,
nor did PCC or CCC.
The
RSP are commissioned by WG and part of the role of the RSP is to
provide labour market intelligence, data and research which is
within the funding envelop given by WG.
|
Has
the RSP commenced working in partnership with schools to inform
curriculum development.
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Officer response
The RSP has set up a working
group with the Heads of Education Services in Powys and Ceredigion,
meeting regularly to share information for the Employment and
Skills Action plans, ensuring complementary work is
undertaken.
The Schools Service Officers
have the intelligence from within schools to assist the RSP work.
The RSP do not have an operational remit with Schools and education
but do have a responsibility to ensure that WG policy is filtered
through, enabled, and supported.
The RSP work with the 14+ team
and attend various other forums.
Officer response:
The Senior Management in the
Education Service are instrumental in developing the plan and
reviewing the continuum for our learners with the new Curriculum
for Wales and the post 16 offer.
|
Information shared through the presentation is that businesses
are advising the RSP of various skills gaps, can Scrutiny be
advised how success in this area is measured.
|
Officer response
Success is recorded on the Schedule 2. The RSP has to report to
WG on progress 3 times per annum, in addition there is the
Governance Structure under the GMWB and reporting into the
Partnership Board.
Success is about bridging those gaps, identifying priorities for
regional investment, feeding into the regional teams within the
GMWB portfolio, using labour market intelligence and data, sharing
with partners to transfer information into applications when
reviewing and applying for funding i.e., UK Shared Prosperity
Fund.
The
RSP’s are in discussion with businesses on recruitment,
retention, and training to present evidenced data to WG Officers,
leading on apprenticeships and the personal learning accounts
offer, with the aspiration to change the delivery and influence the
training offer to retain the workforce within Powys.
The RSP is a high-level
Strategic Board to facilitate, not an operational delivery
mechanism. Schedule 2 is high level strategic outputs as opposed to
KPI delivery.
The measure would be shown in
the activities progress, delivery or influence on the Employment
and Skills Plan.
|
Aware that the RSP has a
higher-level of scrutiny, could this Committee be informed as to
what has been identified recently.
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Officer response
The RSP has not presented to
the Joint Overview Scrutiny Committee for a while, awaiting
...
view the full minutes text for item 6.
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7. |
2 Members to be appointed to the Joint Working Group on Leisure
To consider appointing 2 Committee Members to
the Joint Working Group on Leisure.
Minutes:
Issues
Discussed:
·
The Economies, Resident and Communities Scrutiny
Committee (ERC) is establishing a Leisure Working Group which
includes 4 Members of the ERC. The ERC have primary responsibility
for scrutinising Leisure Services and is inviting nominations of 2
Representatives each from the Learning and Skills and Health and
Social Care Scrutiny Committees to join the working
group.
·
Nominations received from Cllrs RG Thomas and GD
Jones, seconded by Cllrs A Davies and D Bebb.
Outcomes:
RESOLVED that County
Councillors RG Thomas and GD Jones be appointed to the Joint
Working Group on Leisure.
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8. |
Scrutiny Recommendations PDF 85 KB
To receive the Cabinet's response to Scrutiny
Recommendations.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Documents
Considered:
Responses from Cabinet to the
Scrutiny Committee Recommendations of the 18th of
January 2023 in relation to the School Catchment Area
Review.
Issues
Discussed:
Cabinet Member for a Learning
Powys thanked the Scrutiny Committee for their recommendations and
the detailed discussions held during the Scrutiny Committee meeting
of the 18th of January and the input in view of the
Llangynidr / Llangors area for the community of Bwlch which was
instrumental in the Officers and Cabinet Member reviewing and
deciding upon a different conclusion.
Questions:
Questions
|
Response
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Questions still exist due to
the Catchment, Transport and Admission policies not being aligned.
Whilst appreciating that there are issues around catchment and the
desire to keep this separate from nearest school, Scrutiny
requested flexibility be shown to give parents an element of choice
where is does not increase council costs, however there is no sign
that this would be incorporated, which continues to create
confusion.
|
Cabinet Member:
Currently waiting for a revised
learner transport measure from the WG Minister, as any changes to
the current policy would be subject to statutory consultation,
which would have to be repeated if the Minister later changed the
measures.
Officers continue to review the
terms of the legislation that has prevented the offer of a Spare
Places Scheme, with the hope there may be something coming forward.
Historically there has been a disconnect between the Admissions and
Home to School Transport policies, which the previous
administration addressed to an extent, but which continues to raise
anomalies, therefore will be kept under review.
|
Seeking clarification on
whether Bwlch learners can attend Llangors, as previously, and
continue to Gwernyfed.
|
Cabinet Member:
The change made, as a result of
the last Scrutiny meeting and further discussion with Officers, was
that the boundary be moved for the catchment of Llangors down to
the river, which replicates the situation in Crickhowell, where
Llangattock is one side and Crickhowell the other.
In this case Llangors will be
the catchment school for the north side of the River Usk and
Llangynidr the catchment school for south of the river.
This does not override parental
choice, but where a school is oversubscribed, it defines where the
catchment would be.
Pupils from Bwlch would fall
under the catchment of Llangors. If opt to go to Gwernyfed
Secondary School, home to school transport will be provided. If opt
to attend Crickhowell High School, home to school transport will
again be provided as the nearest school.
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With reference to how the
medium of Welsh is being developed in schools, of those learners
leaving feeder schools in Yr6, how many of were continuing learning
through the medium of Welsh in Yr9, how many were completing their
education through medium of Welsh in Years 12&13.
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Officer response
This point was raised during a
Member Development Transformation session and will be reviewed,
with information including retention rates, brought to Scrutiny as
we move forward.
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Outcomes:
·
Noted
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9. |
Work Programme PDF 96 KB
To note that future meetings of the Committee
are scheduled as follows:
Minutes:
Questions:
When will the Terms of Reference be available
to Scrutiny for the process required by schools to apply to the
£500k monies made available by Cabinet for energy saving.
|
Officer response
Property Services and Energy
Efficiency officers are collating information across the Schools
estates on energy consumption, buildings. On completion, this
information will be brought to Scrutiny and other relevant fora for
decisions on the application criteria.
|
Schools will be setting and
signing off budgets for the forthcoming year currently, this would
impact on that process and is disappointing that the information
has not yet been made available.
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Officer response
Funding packs sent to school
early March, finance surgeries take place throughout March and
April. March 31st is the deadline for schools to submit
updated draft budgets to their finance officer. With the deadline
for submission of the Governing Body approved budget plans for
2023-24 and beyond being May 1st.
Deadline dates are set out in
the scheme for financing schools.
In May and June, the Director
of Education and Head of Finance will review all the budget plans
and respond accordingly, bringing a report to Scrutiny in July,
setting out the outturn position.
Will take back to Property Services point raised on timeliness
of information being made available.
Cabinet Member:
The
work being undertaken by Property and Energy Efficiency Officers
will involve more than the 500k for energy saving as have been
successful in a bid for grant funding of £2m from
WG.
|
We were not aware of this
£2m grant funding at budget time.
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Cabinet Member:
No.
|
Is this £2m grant to be
used for energy savings as with the £500k or for other uses
within schools.
|
Cabinet Member
It
is £2m specifically for energy savings measures, Property
Services are looking at the schools in most need, which is why
there is so much work involved, and we await outcomes and proposals
to establish where the funds will be allocated.
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The additional £2M grant
funding is available within which financial year.
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Cabinet Member:
Grant funding has been awarded for the financial year 2023
-2024.
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Would it be possible to amend
the work programme to incorporate Individual Schools budgets
sooner.
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Officer response
Budgets will be timetabled for Scrutiny as soon as finalised
June / July time.
|
Can Scrutiny be advised if
there are any ALN legal actions directed towards PCC, could this be
incorporated into the ALN session in June.
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Officer response
Yes, this can be incorporated into the session in June, Scrutiny
will be aware that there is new ALN reform and Officers will
provide a comprehensive report on the matter.
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