Issue - meetings

This report is due to be discussed by the Education PDS Committee at its meeting on 19^th March 2013 prior to a decision being taken by the Education Portfolio Holder.  The views of the Committee and decision of the Portfolio Holder will be reported at the meeting.  If agreed approval is being sought from the Executive to the formal adoption of the Education policy document or Covenant as set out in the report.

Report ED13032

The Council at its meeting on 21^st January 2013 had agreed a new set of parameters for its work with schools which had been reflected in the new business plan agreed by the Portfolio Holder for Education following the Education PDS Committee meeting on 23rd January 2013.  The new approach sought to encourage schools to be independent of the Local Authority, with the Local Authority adopting the role of community champion on behalf of parents and their children, holding schools to account and ensuring an adequate supply of high quality school places.  A report outlining this future new role of the Local Authority in Education Services and setting out a covenant to be used to establish this new relationship with schools had been discussed by the Education PDS Committee on 19^th March 2013 who had fully supported the proposals.  A revised version of the proposed covenant had been circulated to the Executive.

The Portfolio Holder for Education introduced the report which he considered built on the proposals already agreed by Council and was the next stage in setting out a practical way forward. The Executive was being asked to endorse this new approach and that the proposals be referred to Council for formal adoption.  Councillor Wells responded to various questions in respect of the current role of the Local Authority.  The Executive Director for Education and Care Services highlighted that the Council still retained a number of powers particularly related to the health, safety and wellbeing of children as set out in his report.  The proposed covenant would be the core of the new role of the Council to demand the best from schools for the benefit of young people. 

The Executive supported the proposals and it was suggested that as there were some minor amendments necessary as well as the need to clarify any legal liabilities the proposals be submitted to the Council Meeting in July.

RESOLVED that

1)  the new role of the Council as a champion of the community and the adoption of a Compact/Covenant to be used to establish this new relationship with schools be endorsed; and

2)  as these proposals reflected significant policy changes for the local authority they be submitted to Council for formal ratification at the meeting in July 2013, subject to any necessary minor amendments/changes as required.

Report ED13032

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report outlining the future role of the Local Authority in Education Services.  On 21^st January 2013, Full Council had agreed a new set of parameters for its work with schools in the form of the Education Covenant, and this was reflected in the new business plan agreed by the Portfolio Holder for Education following the Education PDS Committee meeting on 23^rd January 2013.  The new approach sought to encourage schools to be independent of the Local Authority, with the Local Authority adopting the role of community champion on behalf of parents and their children, holding schools to account and ensuring an adequate supply of high quality school places.

The Chairman thanked the Executive Director of Education and Care Services for an excellent report.

In response to a question from a Member, the Executive Director of Education and Care Services confirmed that the Local Authority did not have a statutory role to address issues identified in maintained or academy schools, with Ofsted and the Department for Education as the respective authorities for each.  The Local Authority had entered into a local agreement with maintained schools across the Borough, and the Executive Director noted that the Local Authority also had a statutory responsibility for the five outcomes of ‘Every Child Matters’ and could theoretically intervene in any school where these were not being met. 

A Member noted the importance of ensuring that academy schools with specialist units were encouraged to maintain them and that the transfer agreements ensured that places in these units continued to be made available to Bromley pupils.  Another Member queried the responsibilities academy schools had with regards to audit.  The Portfolio Holder confirmed that all schools had a requirement to be audited but that academies were responsible for purchasing their own audit services.  He noted that a number of academy schools currently purchased audit services from the Local Authority.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

1)  Endorse the new role of the Council as champions of the community and continue to expect only the highest standards from all our schools;

2)  Use the Education Covenant to establish this new relationship with schools and ask all governing bodies to sign it following an appropriate period of consultation;

3)  Agree the proposal to undertake a final review of services to schools with a view to the Local Authority only offering services of the highest quality and which represent good value for money for the Council Tax payer, with a further report to Members in Autumn 2013; and,

4)  Request the Executive provide ratification of these recommendations at its meeting on 3^rd April 2013, and that the recommendations also be provided to the Full Council for ratification at its meeting on 1^st July 2013.