Agenda and minutes
PDF 188 KBVenue: Committee Rooms, Bromley Civic Centre
Contact: Kerry Nicholls 020 8313 4602
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND NOTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Kathy Bance and Councillor Ellie Harmer. Councillor Kevin Brooks and Councillor Stephen Wells attended as their respective substitutes. |
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CO-OPTIONS TO THE EDUCATION PDS COMMITTEE 2015/16 Minutes: Report CSD15061
The Committee considered a report outlining Co-opted Membership appointments to the Education PDS Committee for 2015/16.
RESOLVED that:
1) The following Parent Governor Representative appointments be made to the Education PDS Committee for 2015/16 with voting rights:
· Mrs Mylene Williams, Primary Parent Governor · Mr Tony Wright-Jones, Secondary Parent Governor · Mr Darren Jenkins, Special School Parent Governor
2) Mrs Mary Capon representing the Church of England and Mrs Joan McConnell representing the Roman Catholic Church be appointed as Co-opted Members to the Education PDS Committee for 2015/16 with voting rights;
3) The following Education PDS Co-opted Membership appointments be made to the Education PDS Committee for 2015/16 without voting rights:
· Mrs Alison Regester as Pre-School Settings Representative · Miss Hannah Barnard as Young Peoples Representative |
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RECONSTITUTION OF WORKING GROUPS OF THE EDUCATION PDS COMMITTEE Minutes: Report CSD15085
The Committee considered a report outlining the proposed reconstitution of working groups of the Education PDS Committee for 2015/16.
The Chairman highlighted the priority for primary and secondary school place planning and proposed that the School Places Working Group be reconvened for 2015/16. This was supported by the Members of the Education PDS Committee and Member nominations were confirmed as Councillor Judi Ellis as Chairman, Councillors Kathy Bance, Nicholas Bennett JP, Mary Cooke and Neil Reddin, and Co-opted Members, Joan McConnell, Tony Wright-Jones and Mylene Williams.
The Chairman noted that in 2014/15, the Education PDS Committee established a School Improvement Panel to be convened when schools identified as requiring improvement were failing to make satisfactory progress, and a Progress of Academy Status Panel to be convened to ensure that schools were supported in progressing to academy status. The Chairman proposed that these two panels be reconstituted as a single School Improvement Panel for 2015/16 to reflect Government policy for the academisation of schools failing to meet the required standards where appropriate. This was supported by the Members of the Education PDS Committee and Member nominations were confirmed as Councillor Mary Cooke as Chairman, Councillors Teresa Ball, Nicholas Bennett JP, Julian Benington, Alan Collins and Neil Reddin, and Co-opted Member, Darren Jenkins.
RESOLVED that:
1) The School Places Working Group be reconvened for 2015/16 to develop recommendations for further temporary and permanent expansions of primary schools and for membership to comprise Councillor Judi Ellis as Chairman, Councillors Kathy Bance, Nicholas Bennett JP, Mary Cooke and Neil Reddin, and Co-opted Members, Joan McConnell, Tony Wright-Jones and Mylene Williams; and,
2) The School Improvement Panel and the Progress of Academy Status Panel be convened for 2015/16 as a single School Improvement Panel to reflect Government policy for the academisation of schools failing to meet the required standards where appropriate and for membership to comprise Councillor Mary Cooke as Chairman, Councillors Teresa Ball, Nicholas Bennett JP, Julian Benington, Alan Collins and Neil Reddin, and Co-opted Member, Darren Jenkins. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Minutes: Councillor Teresa Ball declared that she was a Governor of Bromley Adult Education College.
Councillor Julian Benington declared that he was a Governor of Charles Darwin School.
Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP declared that he was a Governor of Bromley College of Further and Higher Education and of Southborough Primary School.
Councillor Mary Cooke declared that she was the Chairman of Governors of Blenheim Primary School.
Councillor Judi Ellis declared that she was a Governor of Riverside School and Midfield Primary School, that she was a member of the Interim Executive Board of Burwood School, that her son was the Head teacher of Biggin Hill Primary School and that she had two grandchildren attending Tubbenden Primary School.
Councillor Robert Evans declared that he was a Member of the Court of St Olave’s and St Saviour’s.
Councillor Peter Fortune declared that his wife was a teacher at Perry Hall Primary School.
Councillor Tom Philpott declared that he was a Governor of Hawes Down Junior School.
Councillor Neil Reddin declared that he was a Governor of St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar School, that he had children who attended Warren Road Primary School and that his wife was a Governor of two primary schools in the Borough.
Councillor Michael Turner declared that he was a Governor of Bromley Adult Education College.
Mrs Joan McConnell, Church representative, declared that she was a Governor of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.
Mr Darren Jenkins, Parent Governor representative, declared that he was a Governor of Riverside School and Wickham Common Primary School, and that he had a child attending Wickham Common Primary School and a child attending The Glebe School.
Mrs Alison Regester, Pre-School Settings and Early Years representative, declared that she ran a private day nursery in the Borough.
Mrs Mylene Williams, Parent Governor representative, declared that she was a Governor of St Paul’s Cray C.E. Primary School and that she had a child who attended St Paul’s Cray C.E. Primary School.
Mr Tony Wright-Jones, Parent Governor representative, declared that he was a Governor of St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar School. |
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Additional documents:
Minutes: RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 10th March 2015 and 13th May 2015 be agreed and that matters outstanding be noted. |
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QUESTIONS TO THE PDS CHAIRMAN FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND COUNCILLORS ATTENDING THE MEETING To hear questions to the Committee received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Thursday 2nd July 2015 and to respond. Questions must relate to the work of the scrutiny committee. Minutes: No questions had been received. |
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QUESTIONS TO THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND COUNCILLORS ATTENDING THE MEETING To hear questions to the Portfolio Holder received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Thursday 2nd July 2015 and to respond. Questions must relate to the work of the Portfolio.
Minutes: Eleven oral questions were received from Rosalind Luff, Bryan Freake, Michaela Mahon and Paula Hollywood and are attached at Appendix A.
Two written questions were received from Eddie Lynch, Bromley Mencap on behalf of a parent and Yvette Connor and are attached at Appendix B. |
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PORTFOLIO HOLDER UPDATE Minutes: The Portfolio Holder gave an update to Members on work being undertaken across the Education Portfolio.
The demand for primary-level pupil places across the Borough continued to be high, and it had been identified that a significant increase in secondary level pupil-places would be required across the Borough in future years.
As an increasing number of schools converted to academy status and free schools were established across the Borough, consideration was being given to the way that education provision would be delivered across the Borough into the future, and how the Local Authority could most effectively work with schools to fulfil its statutory responsibilities around the safeguarding of children and young people.
RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder update be noted. |
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PORTFOLIO HOLDER PROPOSED DECISIONS |
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Revised Instrument of Government - St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School - Minutes: Report ED15094
The Portfolio Holder introduced a report outlining a proposed new Instrument of Government for St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar school.
In April 2015, the Governing Body of St Olave’s & St Saviour’s Grammar school notified the Local Authority that the school wished to secure a new Instrument of Government. The report seeking the approval of the new Instrument of Government was published on the Bromley Council website on 17th April 2015 and made available for scrutiny by Members until 24th April 2015, under the provisions made in the Council’s Constitution to enable certain classes of decisions considered non-contentious to be made outside of the normal decision making process as an ‘independent decision’ where there was agreement with the Portfolio Holder and the relevant PDS Committee. A number of concerns were raised by Members and a Co-opted Member during the scrutiny period, and as the Local Authority was bound by the rules of Purdah, legal advice was taken at this time and the independent decision was suspended.
Following the appointment of a new Portfolio Holder for Education at Annual Council on 13th April 2015, the decision was made to re-publish the report on the Bromley Council website on 14th May 2015, with a further scrutiny period extended to 27th May 2015. During this additional scrutiny period, eight Members raised a number of concerns regarding the proposed decision and requested that this matter be referred to the Education PDS Committee before any decision was made, for which there was provision in the Council’s Constitution. The Portfolio Holder for Education subsequently wrote to the Chair of Governors of St Olave’s & St Saviour’s Grammar school to request that the Governing Body give consideration to amending the draft Instrument of Government in light of the concerns raised by Members, which included a request that the new Instrument of Government include additional representation from Staff and Parent Governors. The Chairman of Governors responded on 30th June 2015 to notify the Portfolio Holder for Education that the school was not minded to amend the draft Instrument of Government, which had already been approved by the Diocese of Rochester.
The Legal Representative to the Education PDS Committee advised Members that the draft Instrument of Government complied with all applicable legislative provisions, and that under the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012, the Local Authority was required to make the new Instrument of Government in the form of the draft. There was provision under the regulations for the Governing Body of St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar school or the Local Authority to review the Instrument of Government at any time after it was made where it was decided that the Instrument of Government should be varied. The Legal Representative confirmed that St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar school was required to have a new Instrument of Government in place by 1st September 2015, and following discussion Members generally agreed that the Portfolio Holder for Education be recommended to approve ... view the full minutes text for item 9a |
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SEN Transport Policy Changes Following Recent Consultation Additional documents:
Minutes: Report ED15092
The Portfolio Holder introduced a report summarising the outcome of the consultation undertaken on the revised Special Education Needs Transport Assistance Policy.
A report was considered at the meeting of Education PDS Committee on 30th September 2014 which outlined the results of a review of the Special Educational Needs Transport Assistance Policy, which had been undertaken to ensure that service provision continued to be fit for purpose following a range of reforms recently made to education and special education and the introduction of Education, Health and Care Plans through the Children and Families Act 2014. It was requested that approval be given for a consultation on the proposed revised Special Educational Needs Transport Assistance Policy which was subsequently agreed by the Portfolio Holder for Education on 3rd October 2014.
The consultation took place from February to March 2015 and sought feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including the families of service users, Bromley schools and key partners, and Bromley Parent Voice undertook its own engagement process which included a survey and two focus groups. Of the submissions received, the majority of parents confirmed they felt informed or well informed on the draft policy, although the need to use plainer English and ensure the policy was accessible was highlighted. 58% of individual parents who responded were in agreement that transport assistance should be based on the needs of the child, which was in accordance with statutory guidance, but a number of comments were also made around taking wider family needs into consideration. Respondents to the survey were divided over whether all travel options should be explored before Local Authority funded transport assistance was offered, but 60% of respondents were broadly supportive of travel training for children in Year 6 and above where it was appropriate and where risk was managed. With regard to the potential use of muster points, 56% of parents disagreed or strongly disagreed with this idea, whilst 21% were in agreement. The proposed Special Education Needs Transport Assistance Policy was revised to reflect concerns raised during the consultation process and to ensure the policy was accessible.
In considering the report, a Member requested an update on work to develop a pilot muster point scheme in which children and young people with special educational needs could be picked up and dropped off from muster points that were a maximum of two miles from their family home. The Assistant Director: Education advised Members that eight schools, including six that were out-of-Borough, had been contacted around participating in a pilot muster point scheme. Discussions were underway with three of the out-of-Borough schools to progress a pilot muster point scheme, and a number of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities had been identified as suitable to undertake independent travel training. A Bromley school had worked with the Local Authority to combine independent travel with a muster point scheme provided by the school for five pupils. Work would continue to progress the pilot ... view the full minutes text for item 9b |
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Provision of Courses for the Bromley Flexible Learning Programme Minutes: Report ED15093
The Portfolio Holder introduced a report requesting approval to extend the Framework for the provision of courses for the Bromley Flexible Learning Programme until 31st July 2015 for a period of one year.
The Bromley Flexible Learning Programme worked to increase the participation and educational achievement of young people identified as being at risk of exclusion from learning. Until September 2013, this service had been delivered by a range of providers through a number of separate contracts. A review of these procurement arrangements undertaken during 2013 concluded that a more competitive approach should be taken and that a Framework of potential providers be established from which contracts could be ‘called-off’ as needed. A tendering exercise was undertaken to establish a Framework of providers to deliver courses to young people identified as being at risk of exclusion from learning across a wide range of interests and educational needs. A further tendering exercise was later undertaken to identify providers of health and beauty courses, which had been recognised as a gap in the provision.
The Framework and call-off contracts had been awarded for a period of one year from 1st September 2013, with the option to extend on an annual basis for two further years. The option to extend had been taken up in 2014, and it was now requested to extend the contract for the final one year period available under the terms of the contract. There were currently 31 young people participating in the Bromley Flexible Learning Programme of which 23 were in Year 11 and 8 were in Year 10.
RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to approve the request to extend the Framework for the provision of courses for the Bromley Flexible Learning Programme until 31st July 2016. |
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Gateway Review: Future Consideration of the Contract for a Family Support Service Minutes: Report ED15091
The Portfolio Holder introduced a report outlining the provision of the Family Support Service for children and young people with an autistic spectrum disorder and seeking approval to market test the Family Support Service prior to the existing contract expiring in March 2016.
The Local Authority had provided a family support service to parents and carers of children and young people diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder through a contract with Burgess Autistic Trust, formerly known as Bromley Autistic Trust, for over ten years. The service offered a comprehensive range of support and information to children and young people and their families and carers, and was highly regarded by service users and professionals with a total of 920 families using the Family Support Service during 2014/15. The provision of this service had never been competitively tendered with all contracts awarded via an exemption.
It was proposed to market test this service during 2015/16 to ensure that it continued to offer good value for money and provided a high quality service which met the Local Authority’s requirements
RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:
1) Note comments by Members of the Education PDS Committee.
2) Agree that the Family Support Service be market tested during 2015/16. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: Report ED15095
The Portfolio Holder introduced a report providing an update on progress in delivering the Basic Need Programme, which supported the provision of sufficient school places through improvements to and the expansion of Bromley schools, and to set out the forward programme for the period of 2014-2018.
The updated list of schemes within the Basic Need programme had been developed to meet the estimated increase in the number of reception age pupils in the Borough. ‘Bulge years’ and permanent expansions were planned at a number of existing local schools to provide the required pupil places, which would be delivered through a combination of modular build and internal refurbishment.
In response to a question from a Member, the Head of Strategic Pupil Place Planning confirmed that the capital funding provided to the Local Authority by the Department for Education to support the introduction of free school meals for Key Stage 1 pupils in Local Authority Maintained and Voluntary Aided schools had been fully allocated, and that the programme of kitchen improvements would be completed by the end of Summer 2015. Additional Basic Need funding was allocated to schools identified for temporary or permanent expansion to ensure that shared facilities, including kitchen and dining facilities, were able to meet the needs of an increased number of pupils.
RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:
1) Approve the updated list of schemes within the Basic Need Capital Programme;
2) Agree the procurement and award of contract of schemes within the Basic Need Programme through traditional procurement, the Lewisham Modular Buildings Framework or through devolution of the Basic Need Capital Grant to schools and to delegate authority to the Assistant Director: Education in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Education for the award of contracts up to a value of £500,000 for individual schemes procured through these routes; and,
3) Authorise the Assistant Director: Education to submit planning applications at the appropriate time in respect of the list of schemes. |
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EDUCATION INFORMATION ITEMS The items comprise:
Members and Co-opted Members have been provided with advance copies of the briefing via e-mail. The briefing is also available on the Council's Website at the following link: http://cds.bromley.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=559&Year=0 Additional documents:
Minutes: The Education Briefing comprised five reports:
RESOLVED that the Information Briefing be noted. |
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ITEMS FOR EXECUTIVE DECISION |
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Reorganisation of Bromley Adult Education College Minutes: Report ED15099
The Committee considered a report outlining a proposal for the reorganisation of the Local Authority’s Adult Education service.
At the end of the 2014/15 financial year, the Bromley Adult Education service had overspent its budget by £246k with a further overspend of £382k forecast for the forthcoming year. In March 2015, the Bromley Adult Education service received an indicative allocation from the Skills Funding Agency of the Adult Skills grant which showed a predicted reduction in the Adult Skills grant of £249k or 21% when compared to the current year’s allocation, with further reductions anticipated for future years. The 2015/16 grant for Community Learning provision had remained the same at £796k for 2015/16, but the long term future of this grant was unknown.
Following agreement by the Council’s Executive, Adult Education services had undergone a market testing process during 2014. Although two submissions were received, both providers were deemed not to have met the minimum Pre-Qualifying requirements and the tendering process for Adult Education services formally came to an end in March 2015. In March 2015 there had been an Ofsted inspection of the Bromley Adult Education service which had been rated as ‘Requires Improvement’. This was largely due to the uncertainty around the future strategic direction for the service and the lack of an agreed plan to address the overspend, but the proportion of the Community Learning Grant allocation used to support traditional non-accredited adult learning rather than disadvantaged members of the community had also been highlighted as a concern.
In order to address the overspend and other identified issues, it was proposed that there be a reorganisation of the Council’s Adult Education service to refocus resources on adults and communities of the greatest identified need, with the Community Learning Grant used to engage with long term unemployed and low-waged adults to provide a clear progression pathway through to the low level accredited English, mathematics and vocational skills courses provided with the Adult Skills Grant and to increase the level of community partnership working. Under the new model of service provision, the volume of traditional non-accredited learning provision (leisure type courses) would be significantly reduced. This would decrease the need for learner accommodation, with the potential to reduce maintenance and infrastructure costs by releasing the Widmore Centre site and maximising the use of the Kentwood and Poverest Centres.
In considering the report, a Member was concerned that only one option was presented for the future reorganisation of the Adult Education service and noted that there were a range of providers of basic skills courses across the Borough, including schools and colleges, but that there were only limited providers of some of the specialist leisure courses delivered by the Bromley Adult Education service. The Member emphasised that the Bromley Adult Education service provided a valued service for many Bromley residents, including older people who comprised 20% of the Borough’s population, and that the recent Ofsted Inspection of the Bromley Adult Education service had rated the leisure course provision ... view the full minutes text for item 11a |
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Additional documents: Minutes: Report ED15100
The Committee considered a report seeking the approval of the Council’s Executive to release Government funding held in the Council’s central contingency to support the Local Authority in delivering its role as the 2015/16 Special Educational Needs and Disability Regional Lead for London in partnership with London Borough of Enfield.
It was requested that £61,924 be released from the Council’s central contingency to support partnership work with the London Borough of Enfield to build on previous Pathfinder Champion work by facilitating a peer special educational needs and disability learning approach, sharing best practice to support statutory compliance and the implementation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Reforms 2015/16 across the London region.
RESOLVED that the Council’s Executive be recommended to approve the drawdown of £61,924 Government funding from the Council’s central contingency to support the Local Authority in delivering its role as the 2015/16 Special Educational Needs and Disability Regional Lead for London in partnership with London Borough of Enfield. |
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EDUCATION SELECT COMMITTEE SESSION Councillor Peter Dean, Chair, Development Control Committee, Councillor Peter Fortune, Portfolio Holder for Education and Councillor Colin Smith, Deputy Leader of the Council are invited to attend the Education PDS Committee for this select committee session, convened to review services and consider a full range of issues and future work streams for the Education Portfolio. Minutes: Report ED15101
The Chairman was pleased to welcome the Portfolio Holder for Education, the Chairman of Development Control Committee and the Deputy Leader of the Council to join the Education PDS Committee for the Education Select Committee Session which would consider a range issues across the Education Service.
In reviewing the position statement of Education Services, a number of issues were discussed.
School Place Planning
Demand for primary-level pupil places across the Borough continued to be high and this trend was expected to continue until at least 2017/18 when demand was expected to reduce slightly before levelling out to 3,900 pupil places.
Demand for secondary-level places across the Borough was expected to increase significantly in future years with an additional 30 forms of entry projected to be required by 2023. To support this, work was underway to expand existing secondary schools. A number of free school provisions were likely to be established across the Borough, and work continued with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark Commission for Schools and Colleges on the proposed new Catholic Secondary School, which it was hoped would contribute towards meeting the increased demand for secondary-level places as well as providing the option of a Catholic Secondary education for Bromley pupils. The Catholic Church had a national policy of not opening schools via the free school route, which meant that there was a need to identify a significant funding stream before a new Catholic Secondary school could be established. There was an ongoing issue with the proposed re-development of the former All Saints Catholic School site, which would be considered by the Planning Inspector in December 2015.
The Local Authority continued to work closely with neighbouring Boroughs to ensure that sufficient school places were available across the region. The Local Authority had a statutory duty to provide places for all children resident in the Borough, and every child in London had been offered a place for the 2015/16 academic year.
A significant piece of place planning work would be undertaken during Summer 2015 which would review a range of issues affecting the future demand for school places including the projected birth rate, migration into the Borough, the number of Bromley pupils who lived out-of-Borough and identifying where demand for pupil places would be highest for future years.
Members generally agreed that the Planning Service should be involved in all discussions around potential new schools and expansions of existing schools to resolve planning issues at an early stage. There was also a need to identify education sites for development in the Local Plan to meet future demand for school places, and the Chairman of Development Control Committee emphasised that this was likely to include Green Belt land. The Local Authority continued to work with La Fontaine Academy to identify a permanent location for the school.
Section 106/Community Infrastructure Levy Funds
Member noted a recent case where a developer had been able to negotiate a significant reduction in Section 106 funds allocated for education purposes, and underlined that ... view the full minutes text for item 12. |
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Education Programme 2015/16 Additional documents: Minutes: Report ED15103
The Committee considered the forward rolling work programme for the year ahead based on items scheduled for decision by the Portfolio Holder for Education and items for consideration by the Education PDS Committee.
The Chairman requested that a report outlining further information on the performance of Bromley schools and school admissions for 2015/16 be provided to the next meeting of the Education PDS Committee. The Chairman also requested that a report on elective home education be provided to the meeting of Education PDS Committee on 18th November 2015.
RESOLVED that:
1) The Education Programme 2015/16 be noted;
2) That a report outlining further information on the performance of Bromley schools and school admissions for 2015/16 be provided to the next meeting of the Education PDS Committee; and,
3) That a report on elective home education be provided to the meeting of Education PDS Committee on 18th November 2015. |
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) (VARIATION) ORDER 2006, AND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 The Chairman to move that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business listed below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.
Minutes: RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business listed below as it was likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information. |
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EXEMPT MINUTES OF THE EDUCATION PDS COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 10TH MARCH 2015 Minutes: RESOLVED that the exempt minutes of the Education PDS Committee meeting held on 10th March 2015 be agreed. |
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Award of Contract for Provision of Post-16 Learner Participation Tracking Services Minutes: The Committee considered the report and supported the recommendations. |
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APPENDIX A - ORAL QUESTIONS TO THE EDUCATION PORTFOLIO HOLDER |
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APPENDIX B - WRITTEN QUESTIONS TO THE EDUCATION PORTFOLIO HOLDER |